The Amazing Indian Ocean

Our first time in the Indian Ocean. How would this 30 millions square miles of water differ from the Pacific?

At first, it didn’t. And then the Doldrums. Like surfing silk, the gentle undulations, and sunbathing serenity all describe our passage through this part of the Maritime Silk Road. The romance of our adventure was back!

The Sega: Dance of Mauritius

Mauritius “The Pearl of the Indian Ocean” has another gem in their dance- the Sega.   Originating with the African slaves working on the sugar plantations in the 18th century the dance is now considered a tribute to the Creole culture of Maritius and celebrates identity, heritage and creates community.  

Notice the Ravanne- a goat skin circular drum and a simple tin box originally made for sugar cane that imitates the sound of water, waves and wind.

Durban and the Valley of the Thousand Hills.

The Zulu Experience: Huts, Rituals, and Rhythmic Welcomes: We reach the Valley of the the Thousand Hills and get off the bus to drums and singing as many of us file into the restroom.

We file through a series of small round huts (Zulus didn’t want spirits hiding in the corners).

 

Let’s Kick It!

In the arena, we witnessed a captivating re-enactment of a Zulu marriage proposal. Traditionally, eleven cows were offered, and acceptance was signaled by the woman presenting the man with a necklace. The man would then consult a witch doctor, who would cast bones to foretell the marriage's future.

Next came the vibrant display of dancing, singing, and drumming. The men's powerful dancing was particularly striking – I've never seen such incredible leg extension, even with just one leg at a time!

And now for an African Safari!!!!!

  • I'm so excited to go on SAFARI

  • This is where we are going. It was the first excursion I booked.

  • Yet wine was the first thing we saw when we got there.

  • Even the hippos were hiding. Just bubbles and a sliver of ear.

  • Then a giraffe. Who knew males went off by themselves leaving the females to care for the little ones?

Table Mountain: A Triumph Over Fear

And now the day I’ve been dreading- Table Mountain. It’s iconic, OK, but frankly I didn’t even know existed until this trip. Geography, obviously, not my best subject!

Now I’m going to see this magnificence first. On the way up (the really scary bit) I closed my eyes. After all the cable car did just go steeply up, but it rotated!!!

When we got there though it was amazing and well worth it!

These British Post Boxes do get around!

So much to see on the mountain like 1500 remarkable plants, many unique to South Africa!

South African Dance!!!

NAMIBIA: A PORT OF MIXED CONNECTIONS:

We didn’t get off in Namibia. Hardly anyone did. It was now almost mid- April and way back in March Cunard announced that Namibia immigration had decided to charge an exorbitant visa fee. This country that may have the most cheetahs, wouldn’t have the most tourists on this stop. And as I said to GJT after we saw the port presentation, “it’s sand. We live in a desert. What exactly are we going to see that’s so different? Sand is sand.”  

To be fair, though it probably would have been interesting and by the time we reached the port the Namibian immigration had realized just how they had shot themselves in the foot. Hastily and  frantically they reduced the visa price, but it was too late. The only thing we found that seemed interesting were these containers which we assumed were salt. Even the resilient dancers performing all day in the hot sun and on concrete couldn’t coax anyone off the ship!

We are headed to the Market on our History, Art and Culture Excursion in Dakar guided by the gentleman below wearing elephants.

If it’s Easter it’s Dakar, Senegal

Our guide informs us we most likely want to see the architecture, but these images dominate our views at the beginning. Later he says that families improve their spaces as their economies allow. It may take years. Hmm…

Inside the Market we start with products and then go into groceries. A hair-raising moment when GJT and a third of our group got left behind. I waited in the alley for them, but when three men started to come after me I went back to the bus. Luckily, our guide found the group uncertain of where to go waiting at the front of the market.

And then we see the Museum of Black Civilizations constructed courtesy of China. Now we’re talking! Inside and out the museum credits Africa properly for many inventions and advancements in humanity. Beautiful art!

Then onto the artists’ colony a gallery with a sand floor. And a tour celebrating how artists’ imaginations can make something out of nothing and even make tires look good!

Onto the African Renaissance Monument and the President’s Palace guarded by no-nonsense military.

But make no mistake. We were lucky on our excursion with just one tense moment in the beginning, but back on the ship and stories were everywhere. A tour guide abandoned his group after being hounded by sellers leaving shocked tourists as the bus driver had to finish the tour. In another tour experienced 4 x 4 passengers told the vehicle tipped almost to the point of no return- TWICE! We heard pick pocketing nightmares in the dock side market.

But the worst story by far was a friend who was walking through a market with her husband. A man on a motorcycle spotted her and sped up to grab her purse, but she held onto the shoulder strap. The motorcycle dragged her for a little ways enough to earn this brave, strong woman six stitches and lots of bruises. Plenty of us were happy to leave Dakar!

Tenerife: A Heartfelt Finish to our 81 days

Walking past a small church, as we often do in search of art, GJT went to photograph a stunning carved altar. A small man, sensing my interest, gestured for me to follow. He led us behind the altar into a side room, then kindly turned on the altar lights for GJT.

In fluent Spanish, a heartfelt, impromptu tour began. He explained the church was once a school, then took us to an inside veranda with an open roof, pointing out the exquisite 1800s Seville tiles that adorned the space. He shared how Antonio Maria de Claret, founder of their order, had once stayed there, and how their Virgin Mary statue paraded through the village on festival and liberation days.

Then came the unexpected historical connection: Admiral Nelson, who lost his arm attempting to capture Tenerife, signed his defeat treaty in that very small room where we stood. He even showed us pictures of martyrs, sharing their stories. We learned he was one of six priests in the church.

It was an amazing moment, the kind that only comes when you explore with an open mind and encounter people whose generous hearts open their lives to you. Estephan, the kind priest, then walked us to the street, recommending the bigger cathedral if we appreciated this altar.

We did visit the larger cathedral, but the contrast couldn't have been starker. Greeted by a sign stating, "this is a place of worship, not a tourist site," we were quickly ushered out. We left preferring the humble priest and his small, welcoming church.early as magnanimous and the contrast couldn’t be more distinct. Greeted with a sign saying, “this is a place of worship, not a tourist site” and ushered out the door after we took a quick look around we preferred the small church with the humble priest. 

We did it!!

The day before we got off the entertainment director hosted a send off for everyone in the Royal Court Theatre. It was a heart warming presentation where he started by saying that we had all done this world cruise together. No matter where you got on we had all experienced so much together. And that was quite an accomplishment. Not everyone gets to take a world cruise. There’s no doubt we are all privileged. He went on to mention that we had all gotten along, despite all the ups and downs of the voyage we had all made it together. Then everyone that could be spared from the cabin stewards to even the Captain himself (our female captain had left for her holiday in Hong Kong and we now had a male) marched onto the stage. The audience never stopped applauding for ten minutes. We all stood in honor of all the work that each and everyone of these people had done to make the cruise so special for all of us. And then of course to finish what else, but singing and dancing! The arts, it’s always the arts that humanity turns to when we want to mark events. 

The trip over we had to admit Queen Anne had grown on us and yes, we would sail on her again.  See you out there!!!