A day to Sorrento and the first day of decompressing for me and for Alix. It’s been a busy few months in Florida after the big trip to Australia and New Zealand. Alix then when out to South America and Easter Island, both of which I have toured before.
This trip is different than many and I have had to come to terms with my blogs and trips getting interrupted by lack of wifi, slow wifi, lack of time and so many other things on a busier trip. I think this will be more pictures with comments. I have an old friend who is taking lovely trips and posting pictures and just comments of interest. It is simpler.
Our first week here, we are not with a group. We are just exploring on our own, which is great. Although one does not learn as much, I can certainly feel, see, and soak in the culture and language. I practice my Italian and revel in wonderful memories of living here, and many trips with Bob and other family members. We are taking to tours with Viator to Capri and some of the towns along the coast. If you have not used Viator – easy way for easy tours both last minute and plan ahead. Nothing fancy, small as you choose and they even do airport pickups…they are located all over the world.
Palazzo Del Barone – Sorrento
Safely to Sorrento and area after three plane rides and a very picturesque, twisty turning trip into the hills of the Amalfi coast. Even the windows in the Amsterdam airport delight – Hermes.Beautiful views of the alps, Dolomites and Mount Vesuvius. Met at the start of the path up to our delightful hotel – with the golf cart, welcome drinks and a bit of a rest before dinner. All perfect.
Walking through the Amsterdam airport one is reminded of how wonderfully the windows in Europe are done. Two from the Hermes shop at 7:00 am… We flew from Sarasota-Atlanta-Amsterdam and then to Naples. We had a driver set up to meet us and take us to the hotel. NO lost luggage, only one delay (in Atlanta where a woman was taken off the plane after carrying on a bucket of ice and miller lite beers) and an easy transit through Amsterdam and on to Naples.
Hermes windows on Amsterdam airportAlps and DolomitesA golf cart met us by the entrance of a small that like road to the hotel. It felt surreal…all very first class and so much fun.Fabulous…Fresh lemonade!Room with a View! a piedi o machina! the views!!cappuccino…Aperol spritz lots and lots of lemons
We’ve had some bumpy seas, storms and had to skip the stop of Napier. It is an art deco city with 1930’s architecture. We had been looking forward to seeing it. As we approached the area, the captain announced the winds were exceeding 35 knots and it would not be safe even with a tug boat, so with that, we continued south.
Off in the distance we saw a Princess Cruise ship that had apparently taken damage while traveling north to Napier.
Taraunga is the kiwi capital of fruit…it is a wealthy area and has a lot of Maori ancestry. We also drove by several golf courses – apparently there are 400 courses in New Zealand.
Our excursion for this stop was a good cultural experience. We traveled inland about 90 minutes. jAlong the way we saw kiwi orchard farming (the farmers plant tall tree hedges between fields to protect against strong wind). Arriving to the Whakarewerewa Thermal Reserve, it was fascinating to see the thermal waters, boiling mud pools, geyser.
From here we visited the Te Puia Arts and Crafts Institute where young Maori apprentices learn ancient art of carving and weaving. We also enjoyed a traditional Maori dance and had an amazing lunch “hangi” earth oven style. We enjoyed our lunch with new friends, Elizabeth and Marty.
Weaving of natural materials
The most amazing color of a favorite flower…
amazing carvings!
The port area was beautiful as is New Zealand…
For dinner we joined a lovely group of solo/social travelers in the Pacific Rim restaurant…it was my favorite on the ship! Duck cofit spring rolls, Pad Thai and this beautiful dessert!
We were to be in Durbin but apparently the safety issue is huge now and NG decided best to skip it and do Port Elizabeth – much preferred than a big city.
Docked the NG Explorer in the morning in PE and boarded a bus to the private game reserve about 90 minutes out of the port. Beautiful drive – very industry driven city and possibly one of the poorest in SE South Africa
We have been asked by National Geographic not to identify the game drives we visited to help preserve the animals we saw.
The game drive was wonderful – we had one in the morning, lunch, and then one in the afternoon. Our driver was a star and throughly loved taking us about the huge land area. There are strict rules about how many vehicles in an area and when something was found, the guides all communicated where different animals were but again, no more than two vehicles to stop and watch…The lunch was a traditional brei (BBQ) outside near one of the lodges on the grounds, with many meats, local dishes, salads and rice.
We saw so many animals – did not spot a leopard or cheetah but otherwise many that are some very common place and others harder to find. Two new ones for me were the kudu (never found on past game drives) and the nyala…there were several families of white rhino as well as some sleeping female lions and not too far away a male lion with his son – both resting (afternoon drive).
Top to bottom – wildebeest and baby, giraffe, termite hill, kudu and a nyala. It was an overcast day and not too warm so while a daytime game drive, the animals were out and about!
Lunch break in a boma, cheeky monkey on the building where the food was, solitary elephant, sleeping female lions – there were three of them. One sleeping with its paw up – so got a great photo of her paw!! Giraffe…there were two, male lion resting and same male got up to drink, after which he sauntered over and laid down with his son.
Hermanus… by road. We were to start out trip up the coast on boat but due to heavy seas and very heavy winds, we took the road. Interestingly, there was a large cruise ship in port that has been stuck there for several days due to the wind. It just could not get out of the port as it was too high.
Tuesday we had a tour to Hermanus and an abalone farm…as well as a lot of long delays with traffic. And sadly, no time to wander Hermanus which is what I’d hoped for. On the boat and more info/dinner/greeting fellow passengers and getting acclimated. Wednesday morning, I took off while Melinda when to the botanical gardens. I’ve been and appreciated some down time. About 3:00 the ship NG Explorer set sail and we said good-bye to Cape Town… what a view of Signal Hill and Table Top Mountain. It was choppy, windy and a bit of a wild ride but meds were had and we all survived.
We had a lovely drive, along with a least an hour delay both directions of an hour or more due to road works…learned a lot about abalone, something I never thought I would see… we had a great lunch and sadly no time to explore Hermanus, which is southeast from Cape Town, due to delays. TIA
View from our lunch spot!
3/28 Mossel Bay
The next day we arrived in Mossel Bay by ship, another area as we travel up the Indian Ocean and eastern side of South Africa. A lovely town on the coast… there were several unique excursions. We visited an amazing Mosaic Tunnel and a local (stunningly set) golf club…There was also a hike but I simply took in the vistas. This afternoon we continue up the coast and will have our first game drive tomorrow.
March 29 – day at sea – wonderful presentations by Naturalists!!
Quick side note – one of our favorite comments when in Peace Corps Kenya was TIA…This is Africa… this continues to hold true…we have had to skip Mozambique due a cholera outbreak and also a storm that had hit last week and the waters on the way are proving to be a challenge. Our sailing times have increased significantly.
Pictures from our couple of free days…before getting on the boat.
March 25/March 26…African penguins are smaller and have black dots on their front – each penguins pattern of does is different. The two mountains are Table mountain and Signal Rock. The Cape of Good Hope is where the two oceans, the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean meet…
While in Cape Town we explored the waterfront, took a hop on/hop off bus tour and met up with Monica and Emily who both live in Botswana. What a treat for them to come down and see us while in Cape Town. We also went to Cape Point and enjoyed spectacular view, especially from Chapman’s Peak Drive. An amazing road and construction feat.
We enjoyed a lot of great food and Melinda and Monica who has not seen in other in about four decades got to catch up! A side note, in the last seven months I was able to visit with all three of the amazing women/dear friends in our wedding (1983) as well as Bob’s Best Man and family. Wonderful sharing with so many of good memories.
On Monday Monica, Melinda and I took a fun tour to the the Boulder Penguins as ell as The Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point…it’s as close as one can get to where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet as well as the most Southwestern tip of Africa. Cape Town offers some amazing views, beaches and experiences…
After a late lunch and some beverages we said farewell to Monica and went to meet up with our National Geographic/Linblad group – a cocktail reception and dinner, directions for the next days tours and embarking on the ship. TIA was reflected on (this is Africa), a slogan we often used even in the Peace Corps way back when. This expedition is the first time NG has done it and things change all the time…on this continent.
The youngest of the “Patterson kids” as we were affectionately thought of back in the ‘60s, is turning 65 this summer and what better way to begin the celebrations but on a new continent…her 6th…Africa! Not to mention it is the older ‘sisters’ favorite place to visit!
We met up in the Delta Lounge in Atlanta, and started our 27 hour journey from there. Arrived in Cape Town night to a warm welcome, had some dinner and fell asleep after a walk around the V&A waterfront. Today we are meeting up with friends who live in Botswana ~ Monica and Emily (mother daughter) who came down to visit.
A few pictures of flying – coming over the Namibian desert and the sunset as we approached Cape Town and Table Mountain.
After leaving São Tomé and Príncipe, at 1’N and 7’E, we crossed the equator on water. This country is about as close to the center of the world as it gets, and I will share the visit soon. In the meantime, I have lived just south of the equator in Kenya and crossed it many times on land. We crossed it in the Galapagos in 2022, but nothing was said. Bob talked about crossing it when he was in the Navy years ago – there is a maritime ceremony for those crossing it for the first time on water, and Regent made a big deal of it yesterday for those of us who were Pollywogs and became officially a Shellback!
Neptune and his queen and subjects were on board. A huge Marlin that we had to kiss after a curtsy or bow to the king and then had some sort of potion and a huge ladle of ice-cold water dumped on our heads.
We have a few days at sea now as we sail south towards Namibia. Along with enjoying our days, we are playing Bridge and working on catching up with pictures, etc. More soon on our days in late November… It continues to be a fabulous trip!
Senegal, West Africa ~ on the actual continent of Africa – my heart is happy.
We docked in Dakar on a Tuesday, a very crowded, noisy city, full of all types of transportation, i.e. cars, scooters, bikes, buses, trucks and pedestrians. Throughout the city and countryside there are thousands of unfinished buildings. The citizens who want to build a house anywhere in the country can borrow/pay the equivalent for about $1500 and have two years to complete the building. Sadly most of them never get to complete the homes and lose the property and whatever progress they have made. It is a huge scar/footprint everywhere you look in the country. Our guide made a comment if we wanted to buy a 150 sq ft brick skeleton apartment in the city – there were plenty available. That’s the normal size in the city and in suburbs and country side, a bit bigger. For perspective, the average income is about $250 a month…
Muslims make up about 95% of the country, with the rest being Christians and some following tribal beliefs and practices. Having multiple wives is still a custom for some, and the average number of children in the city is 3.6, while outside the cities it is about 5.5. This number has significantly decreased in recent years. The guide repeated, said that it is one country, and everyone lives with each other in peace, as one country.
Peace Corps is currently in Senegal and work in a variety of areas requested by the agencies in the local government. There is a lot of infrastructure and at the same time a lot of voids as would be true in any developing country. Parts of the city were stunning and others were left behind. More and more boats are leaving with migrants, mostly young men and some women with children to escape to Europe – Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands. The belief is life will be better – but for those who have traveled in Europe you might recall the panhandlers selling goods on the sidewalks and trying to make money. Personally I’ve always found this annoying but not realizing these people had escaped their own country to make a new life contributes to my need to take a second look at them. There own countrymen have traveled to parts of Europe to encourage them to come home…it’s a sad situation.
We have had fantastic guides. Whenever someone speaks with an accent, we can assume it is their second or third language, and I continue to be impressed. Our tour in Senegal was called Pink Lake Retba and Village Festival.
Due to climate change, Senegal’s pink lake is no long pink. It is a saltwater lake and they have had so much rain that it has desalinated. They are still able to produce salt and fish and at the same time they are trying to get rid of the fresh water and create a saltwater lake again which should turn pink again. Once we got to Lake Retba, we boarded 4×4 jeeps and open air small trucks to experience the bumpy ride on the sand dunes along the coast of the Atlantic. This was once the final stage of the “Paris-Dakar” car rally. It really was good fun!
That morning we also visited a Fulani village. This tribe is a nomad tribe and has moved it self from east Africa all over the western coast of Africa. At one point coming from the Masai. More recently, the borders of the west African countries have been more controlled so the nomadic activities has have been curtailed for a large amount and they are now required to cultivate and grow their own food. The village we visited was very basic, nice people. Met the “chief”…he had three wives and 14 children. There was a school there and a lot of goats. We learned how to grind millet, and one of the women was working next to a jiko as well as washing clothes…so many memories of Kenya and Peace Corps.
From there we went for a lunch at a resort style place and then on to the traditional Wolof village of Noflaye. We were greeted by drumming, music and locals from the village – there were chairs set up for us on a shady side of the street (it’s been very hot as we progress farther south). Young boys were on the roof tops and mothers and small children watching all of us and waiting for the festival dancing and music. We had no idea of what to expect but it was quite extraordinary and ornate. If I were to interpret the dancing I would say it represented determination, strength and a bit of intimidation. One dancer did some fire breathing…and there were women who dance in response to some of the men’s dances.
Once the festival ended we climbed back on the bus and drove to the port through the city of Dakar. There are many levels of development and wealth in the city. And lots and lots of traffic. It was a long slow drive offering many views of everyday life, a beautiful coast line and a bit of a frenetic city. Offering a few random photos – mostly from the bus window, it’s fascinating to watch as we drive…
An archipelago of islands off the west coast of Africa. It has a strong blend of Africa and Portugal. Once a Portuguese colony but now independent and officially part of the African continent of countries.
We were in port for a day visiting Mindelo – the Cultural Capital. It was a Sunday so much quieter than a weekday but quite pleasant and a wonderful guide and tour. We started with a birds eye view of the city from what used to be a fortress and then a prison. The road was dusty and pot holed and not maintained but the view was great…when I’m lived in Kenya, during Peace Corps, we had a saying “TIA” which meant “this is Africa”. I have started using it again, regularly, now that I am back in Africa. Some things don’t seem to change and it is notable that many of the places we visit and that I have visited over the years in various countries, would never allow tourists, if in the USA, for safety reasons.
Our ship… the Regent SS Voyager – great size ship soon to be refurbished. Regent is just the best overall… in my opinion.
From there we went to visit a delightful handicrafts museum – The National Center of Art and Design. It was very creative, colorful, and showed an amazing array of handicrafts from the area. Most interesting to me were the walls that were painted to look like wood and the weaving.
The rest of the tour included some traditional dancing, music, meeting and learning about an amazing artist who builds guitars and violins. Last but not least, we visited an eccentric and eclectic museum celebrating the singer who put Cape Verde on the map…Cessaria Evora.
On a side note the flavor of the tour and the city, reminded me of our visit to Cuba back in 2015. If you have not been to Cuba, well worth a visit and probably easier to get to than Cape Verde…
We really liked Cape Verde – very comfortable and a friendly culture – everyone seems “happy”. Including some random picture of things we saw…
Aspects of Wonder and Wander 