Wow, what an amazing city. Cape Town is definitely a place that we want to return. We experienced so many great moments: breathtaking, inspiring, and thought-provoking. Our journey into Cape Town wasn't the easiest. On the morning we were to arrive, we got up extra early to watch the sunrise, and see our ship pull in to what we've heard to be one of the most stunning cities on the planet. The sunrise did not disappoint, it was gorgeous. What did disappoint was the tablecloth and the weather that prevented us from coming into the port that day. The winds were at high speeds, and the waves were rocking the ship so much so that when you looked out the windows, at times all you could see was the sky, and at other times all you could see was the water. We were stuck out at sea for over 24 hours because the mouth of the port was too narrow for us to safely enter. Despite that challenge, I was pleasantly surprised at how our shipboard community pulled together to make the best of this delay. We called it our 'snow day,' put on movies in the union, held games of mafia and other board games, and in the evening pulled together an open mic night that distracted us from our status of being stuck at sea.
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| Cape Town with the 'Tablecloth' clouds covering Table Mountain. |
When we finally arrived - it was easy to see that Cape Town would be one amazing port. Where we docked was a beautiful harbor, and in some ways reminded me of the San Francisco bay area. The waterfront definitely smelled like Pier 39, and there were many familiar westernized features. It was a trip to see the neatly kept grounds, the gigantic mall greeting visitors, and the rides and confections that also had a Disneyland feel to it. After walking around the pier area, and getting our visit to Robben Island situated, we met up with some folks to go up to the top of Table Mountain. My student from Stanford, Amy, suggested that we go at sunset and bring a picnic, so that's exactly what we did. We went up at about 6pm, and took the cable car up to the mountain with a distinct flat top that warrants the name Table Mtn. It was phenomenal. The clouds were climbing over the rocks where we were standing, and started flowing down the mountain like a waterfall. It was an amazing feeling to literally be walking in the clouds. We explored the grounds and saw amazing views from each spot we stopped. It was incredible to see the clouds cascade down the mountain like a waterfall. The picnic, wine, and good company of friends capped off the evening into one that I'll never forget. It was ethereal.
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| The clouds rolling down Table Mountain at sunset. |
The following days continued to live up to the high expectations we had of South Africa. This was one of the ports that I was most looking forward to, and it pleased me and challenged me in ways that I am truly appreciative of. We continued our exploration of the area with a train ride down the peninsula to Simon's Town. We stopped stopped in the beautiful town of Fish Hoek to play at the beach and grab some lunch. After arriving at Simon's Town and securing awesome accommodations at the Central Hotel with Merle (the sweetest woman we've met thus far), we went down to Boulder Beach where there was rumored to be lots and lots of penguins. The rumors were true, and we got to see a bunch of penguins on the beaches and in the wooded areas. It was great. The next day we went down to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope, which is the South Western most tip of Africa. It was amazing, the views and the meeting of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans were highlights. We also got to see baboons and ostriches on our drive in and out of the national park (our own mini-safari).
We later made our way out to Stellenbosch, the winelands of South Africa. The wineries and surrounding area were great, and we felt blessed to be doing what we were doing. On our way out there, we got our first glimpse at the townships which served as a stark reminder of the recent history of apartheid era policies and infrastructure. It was very sobering to see the endless amounts of tin shacks piled up on top of each other in a condensed part of the land. I couldn't think of anything that is comparable to this in the United States, or anywhere else I've been thus far. It was also crazy because the area was so compacted, and yet was surrounded by sprawling amounts of land and soon vineyards. 19.5 million blacks were confined to these areas and restricted from basic rights such as education, work, and other things we take for granted. They made up the majority of the population, as there were only about 4 million whites who established homes and occupied much more land. It's crazy to think apartheid only ended in 1994, and it was a harsh reminder that it takes a lot of time to make change. I also have a new-found respect for Nelson Mandela as a leader, as he was able to prevent what could have been a destructive 'revengeful' uprise once apartheid was abolished.
Our final two monumental visits were to the Amy Biehl Foundation, and to Robben Island. Both again, were sombering experiences but provided hope and comfort in seeing how they were there to educate people and remind them of peace and unity. On our visit to the Amy Biehl Foundation, we were joined by one of the men who was involved in her murder. Filled with mixed emotions, this day challenged us in more ways than one. We got to see the work of the program in schools within the townships, and the power of forgiveness. Google Amy Biehl Foundation to find out more about her story. While we were at Robben Island, one of the former political prisoners who spent time there was our tour guide.
Needless to say, Cape Town provided us with lots to process both visually, intellectually, and emotionally. It left us with a lot of questions, and a strong desire to return. There were many other highlights of amazing food, great sights, beaches, and people, but these were some of the most significant experiences that I wanted to make sure to remember.
