2018 - West Africa Cruise
Above. TIMDT. Praca do Comercio. Baixa, Lisbon, Portugal 26 November 2018.
Estuary, Rio Tejo, to the rear of TIMDT.
Reminds of Place de la Bourse in Bordeaux seen in September. Also estuary (Gironde) to the rear.
Bishop: I need 10 Euro for that Fado CD.
TIMDT:You don't need that. Besides, I'm low on cash.
Bishop: I want to buy this Lisbon tile piece.
TIMDT: You don't want that. It's a cheap knock off.
Bishop: Let's stop at this cafe for a fizzy water.
TIMDT: No. The table cloths are dirty.
Bishop: Let's hire this Piaggo tuk tuk lady for a tour.
TIMDT: No she's asking too much...rip off. — at Praça do comércio - Lisboa.
Above: Guide, Paula, our tuk tuk driver, schools TIMDT on Lisbon. Belvedere of Our Lady of the Hill, Alfama, Lisbon, Portugal. 26 November 2018.
April 25 Bridge was Salazar Bridge (seen in distance in image) when Bishop was last here in January of 1968. Same architect and builder as Golden Gate. I first visited Portugal in January 1968 just following a three day visit to Madrid. I had been released from my two and one half year mission in France for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Following my mission, I took a short trip to the Iberian Peninsula on the way back to the US.
PORTUGAL OCCUPIERS:
Phoenicians
Roman's
Vikings
Visigoths
Moors
Christians
???? — at Belvedere of Our Lady of the Hill.
Interesting. Anything new is interesting. I say new. I saw all this fifty years ago, but remember little or nothing of it. Still, Lisbon seems a secondary place to visit if European visiting options are otherwise limited.
The late 16th and 17th centuries were Portugal's apex. Portugal's great explorers, Vasco da Gama, Henry the Navigator et al were opening new trade routes to Asia and the Americas, bringing Portugal untold wealth and influence rivaling that of Spain and England. Good times back then, but, downhill since.
TIMDT and Mwah (sic) have visited former Portuguese colonies of Brazil, Macao, Mozambique, and Goa in prior years Reverse order... seeing the colonies first and the mother ship last.
The Reconquista occurred in Portugal as well, though the Moors were out of Portugal a couple of hundred years before they were kicked out of Spain. The Christians of Portugal were no less nice to the resident Jews as they were during the Inquisition in Spain. At one point during the Reconquista 3000 Jews were killed.
Recent history of Portugal is interesting. Portugal's leader for four decades, beginning in 1932 was Antonio Salazar. Salazar was head of country when I was here in 1968. Salazar was a devout Catholic and regular mass attender. He never married. Somewhat of an ascetic, he lived frugally. He governed frugally... and for believers in government social responsibility, his meager spending of government funds greatly disadvantaged Portugal's poor.
Portugal was a neutral country, like Switzerland, during WWII. However, Salazar got along well with Franco and Mussolini. Salazar's control and heavy handed influence over the Church and Portugal's oligarchs, along with aggressive suppression of leftist dissidents kept him in power. Colonial wars in Africa during the '60's undermined his influence. He died in 1970 and on April 25 1974, a people's uprising known as the Carnation Revolution, threw out the fraying Salazar governing coalition.
After 1974 Portugal lost its colonial wars (Angola, Mozambique) its empire collapsed, and 800 thousand immigrant refugees made their way to Portugal. Old Salazar henchmen fled to Brazil. Many who stayed became disaffected with the revolution were generally pro dictator and angry about the revolution, contributing to a polarization of modern Portuguese society that exists to this day.
In 1976, the Portuguese adopted a constitution that separates Church and state. These changes helped to break down an almost medieval class sytem and established parliamentary law. Mario Soares, a former enemy of the Salazar regime, became the new prime minister, ruling as a stabilizing presence through much of the next two decades. Today, Portugal is enthusiastically democratic.
Above: Mural from Atalho Restaurant. Chidado, Lisbon, Portugal. 26 November 2018.
Meat, any which way but loose.
TIMDT: Melted provolone in little escargot cups.
Bishop: Steak sandwich.Ungarnished.
Shared greens on the side.
Unique. Excellent.
TIMDT seal of approval. — eating lunch at Atalho.
Above: Bishop getting shoeshine. Avenida Libertad, Lisbon, Portugal. 26 November 2018.
Twice I've heard a local refer to Avenida Libertad as Lisbon's "Champs Elysees." It caused me to wonder if Parisians refer to the Champs as the "Avenida Libertad" of France. Talk about a country inferiority complex. Speaks to the cultural influence that the French have had throughout the west for centuries. Catherine the Great and the Tsars were affected by this influence as well.
Bishop is trending away from the French, going Luddite.
Leather, shined shoes.
Mechanical watches
Cuckoo clock.
Typewriter, ribbons, paper, back up stash at home.
Increased use of cash.
In support of his new thinking, Bishop notes that both US missile defense and Ukranian power grid are analogue and therefore immune from computer hacking. There is something to be said for going retrograde.
Bishop shies from, though doesn't rule out, connecting to Tesla Borg (Bishop talks a good game about being Luddite, but also feels its important to hedge one's bets).
Meanwhile, Bishop looking for gas powered, carburated vehicle with zero electronics. — in Lisbon, Portugal.
Above: TIMDT observes orchids. Lobby. Four Seasons Hotel. Lisbon, Portugal. 26 November 2018.
Above: Fado musicians. O Faia Restaurant. Bairro Alto. Lisbon, Portugal. 26 November 2018.
Fado (Portuguese national music). Fado. The moroseness and intensity of flamenco and tango. Iberian roots must have something to do with similarities of these three art forms. Fado stands for "fate." The lyrics are about Portuguese adventurers and seamen who, away suffering hardship, pine for their lovers back home. The emotive singing is mostly in a minor key. The singer, usually female, is accompanied by a lute and a guitar.
Dinner:
TIMDT: Sea bass
Bishop: Pork loin with pear
TIMDT approves. — eating dinner with my love at O Faia.
Addendum:
Well said... [deceased officer Romrell]
Wade,
Park City, UT
Above: TWO3 and Tile wanted you to know that your truck made it to top of the hill.
Guzzi,
Park City, UT
A great review, Stephen. You almost tempt me into trying Child and finding out about Jack Reacher (and assure you I shall stay well away from the Tom Cruise interpretation). Thanks!
Cheers - Cheeta,
Vancouver, BC
Above: Pena Palace. Sintra, Portugal. 27 November 2018.
TIMDT, at right, observes uphill as Portuguese work horse descends the cobbled path. We were proud that we walked up the four hundred vertical feet from the parking area to the palace. Most tourists took the shuttle busses.
Pina Palace was built in the 19th century by German Born Prince Ferdinand, a contemporary of Bavaria's "Mad King" Ludwig. Ferdinand was also a cousin of England's Prince Albert (Queen Victoria's husband). Flamboyant Ferdinand hired a German architect to build this fantasy castle. The castle is surrounded by an elaborate garden area through which walking paths serpentine in multiple directions. "Don't go far on the garden pathways," said Miguel, the driver we hired for the day. "You will get lost."
Above: Dining Room. Pena Palace. Sintra, Portugal. 27 November 2018.
Crazy neo-fortified casserole of Gothic towers, Renaissance domes, Moorish minarets, Manueline carvings, Disneyland playfulness, tile (as on the walls of the dining room in image).
Above: Sintra, Portugal. TIMDT. 27 November 2018.
Reminds of St. Paul de Vence, France, a similar mountain retreat near the sea, which we saw in June of this year. Kind of the "same old same old"... tourist-ee... we didn't spend much time here. Pena Palace was the attraction... and very much worth seeing... one of a kind, as palaces go. World Heritage site...yada.
Above: Atlantic beach. Cascais, Portugal. 27 November 2018.
TIMDT, remembering the gastronomic triumph in Spain in September, wanted sea food. So, Miguel reserved a place in beach town, Cascais.
Image view is through the glass from our table for lunch at Restaurante "O Faroleiro," Cascais, Portugal.
Took the waiter's recommendation: Red Snapper. Portuguese style. Whole fish, shown to us before preparation, baked in olive oil, tomatoes, fingerling potatoes and onion.
Corn bread (!) with cheese
Olives.
Image: From table. Restaurant had 180 degrees of floor to ceiling glass to facilitate the spectacular ocean view.
TIMDT goes along with waiter recommendation, despite being hesitant. on Red Snapper. Red Snapper, she said, had often been too chewy when she had eaten it in the past. This fish though, fresh over night, melts in mouth. TIMDT raves (whew)! — eating lunch at Restaurante "O Faroleiro".
This was a good stop. Any place where TIMDT raves about the food is a good stop!
Above: Bishop at Cabo da Roca. Cascais, Portugal. 27 November 2018.
Cabo da Roca marks the spot of the point in continental Europe furthest west. Bishop loves these geographical markers. Several times this summer he visited the monument marking the southwest corner of the state of Wyoming. In January he visited (not for the first time) the marker in Key West, Florida, indicating the spot the first south in the continental United States.
Above: Alfama section of Lisbon through starbord dining room window of cruise ship Regent Explorer. — at Lisbon Cruise Port. 28 November 2018.
Old Moorish section of town and area we visited by Tuk Tuk with Paola yesterday.
Above: Graphic showing decline of Portuguese (green) and Spanish (orange) empires. 29 November 2018.
On board lecture. Andy Jampoler.
Explorer (apt name for ship in these historic waters) midway between Lisbon and Funchal, Madeira. east Atlantic Ocean. — at Regent Seven Seas Explorer.
We follow the route taken in the early 16th century by the Portuguese explorers, best known of whom is Vasco Da Gama, in their pursuit to open sea routes from Europe to the spices of India and the silks of China.
Jampoler's lectures on "at sea" days are pretty good. He has a website. You don't have to take notes.
Following a storm, the sea is a little bouncy... not the worst we've seen... as last year, near Panama, when we were dodging hurricanes.
Above: Bishop observes Africa Tulip Tree. Old Town. Funchal, Madeira. 30 November 2018.
Madeira is a way point on the sail down the coast of West Africa to the cape. To our east is Spanish Sahara and the Sahara Desert. We'll stop at other waypoints before reaching the African coast.... the Canary Islands and the Cape Verde Islands.
Madeira is best known for its sweet desert wines. Thomas Jefferson was a Madeira drinker... in quantity. The Founding Fathers toasted the signing of the Declaration of Independence with Madeira wine.
Above: Funchal (Madeira) Fish Market. Funchal, Madeira. 30 November 2018.
TIMDT. Throughout the late summer TIMDT has reveled dining on fresh fish in Spain and Portugal.
Above: Bridge, Bond, and TIMDT at quay side with Regent Seven Seas Explorer Cruise liner.
Background. Funchal, Madeira.
The Explorer is only a year old. The term "five star" doesn't do it justice. Bond intends to book a permanent stay on the ship for the shower alone.
Above: TIMDT at breakfast. Fantail deck, Regent Seven Seas Explorer. Santa Cruz La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain. 01 December 2018.
Above: Model Spanish Galleon. Naval Museum. Santa Cruz La Palma, Canary Islands. Spain. 01 December 2018.
The Canary Islands were "taken" by the Spanish in 1492. They subdued local, indigenous inhabitants The Guanches, perhaps gaining experience for the conquests they would make in subsequent decades in Mexico and other parts of the new world. The Guanches were believed to be Berber in origin.
From 1492, the Canary Islands, twelve days sail from the Spanish port of Cadiz, was a way point for all Spanish shipping between Spain and the New World.
Galleon
Large Multi-Decked Sailing Ship
Galleons were large, multi-decked sailing ships first used by the Spanish as armed cargo carriers and later adopted by other European states from the 16th to 18th centuries during the age of sail and were the principal fleet units drafted for use as warships until the Anglo-Dutch Wars of the mid-1600s. Galleons generally carried three or more masts with a lateen fore-and-aft rig on the rear masts, were carvel built with a prominent squared off raised stern, and used square-rigged sail plans on their fore-mast and main-masts. Wikepedia.
Above: Bishop. Santa Cruz La Palma. Canary Islands, Spain. 01 December 2018.
Out getting my steps.
Above: Banana plantations. El Paso, La Palma. Canary Islands, Spain. 01 December 2018.
Not Sanpete County, UT turkey farms.
Bananas canopied to protect against high winds. — in El Paso, Canarias, Spain.
Above: Bishop, TIMDT, Bridge, and Bond. Santa Cruz La Palma. Canary Islands, Spain. 01 December 2018.
Above: Tourist brochure from La Palma, Canary Islands. 01 December 2018.
Beautiful Canary Island floral displays. Reminds of Melania's spectacular, now apparently inspired, White House Christmas decorations. — in Santa Cruz de La Palma.
Above: Entertainers. Regent Seven Seas Explorer. Ship theater. Santa Cruz La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain. 01 December 2018.
The above performance, ship's troupe performing a '60's rock and role anthology, was one of the best TIMDT and Mwah (sic) have seen on a cruise ship.
Above: Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Canary Islands, Spain. 02 December 2018.
Image from breakfast. Fantail, Veranda Restaurant. Regent Seven Seas Explorer cruise ship.
Above: Bishop and Bond. Calle Castillo. Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Canary Islands, Spain. 02 December 2018.
Out getting some steps.
Above: Regent Seven Seas Explorer. Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Canary Islands, Spain. 02 December 2018.
The Explorer is a new ship... 18 months old. The cabins and cabin decks are a little bigger. The internet works better. Restaurants are outstanding so far. TIMDT believes the cabins are a little too dark. Notwithstanding, you'd have to take a course to master the cabin lighting array. Lights everywhere you need them. Excellent bed reading lamp. USB and regular electrical plugs everywhere.
Above: Beach Scene. Tenerife, Canary Islands. 02 December 2018.
Image by TIMDT while on AM excursion to other side of the island with Bridge.
TIMDT said this scene was more in alignment with what she expected to see in the Canary Islands... as opposed to, say, the 500K population of modern city Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Above: Flamenco, Hat tip: Allahi. Seven Seas Explorer. Eastern Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Western Sahara. 02 December 2018.
Intense. Emotive. Oft saucy. Oft morose. This Santa Cruz Tenerife based group was terrific. They had the mostly geezer crowd whooping and cheering.
What's with this cruise? Cruise entertainment has never been better for Mwah (sic) and TIMDT. — at Port Of Sta. Cruz Tenerife, SPAIN.
Addendum:
Great update!
Regards,
B1B,
Park City, UT
Funny you don’t mention Jews under occupiers of Portugal.
The Inquisition did finally catch up with them.
Jack Aroon,
Mahwah, NJ
Check again. "The Reconquista occurred in Portugal as well, though the Moors were out of Portugal a couple of hundred years before they were kicked out of Spain. The Christians of Portugal were no less nice to the resident Jews as they were during the Inquisition in Spain. At one point during the Reconquista 3000 Jews were killed.
Above: Self portrait (shadow) while holding ancient I Pod. Regent Seven Seas Explorer. At sea. East Atlantic Ocean. 03 December 2018.
Back getting my daily 7K steps at sea, accompanied by Bob Seger's walkable tunes.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer. Deck Five.
500 miles off coast of Western Sahara, midway between Canary and Cape Verde Islands.
Above: Observation Lounge. Regent Seven Seas Explorer. At sea. East Atlantic Ocean. 03 December 2018.
Cocktails with best friend TIMDT.My favorite time and place on the ship. Pre dinner. Piano player: "Blue Bayou," "Trailers for Sale..." "I Will Always Love You," "Spanish Eyes."Sunset on eastern Atlantic Ocean, midway between Canary Islands and Cape Verde Islands, 200 miles off the west coast of Western Sahara/Morocco.
Above: Steve Stevens. Regent Seven Seas Explorer. At sea... between Canary Islands and Cape Verde, 500 miles west of African coast. 03 December 2018.
Unbelievably funny comic...telling jokes about geezers. He knew his audience. Also sang, played ukelele, and trumpet.
Shipboard after dinner show, 3 December 2018.
A lot of ship comics are groaners. Not this Brit.
U. — in Cape Verde
Above: Lecture slide. Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 04 December 2018.
Above: Lecture slide. Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 04 December 2018.
Non navigable rivers and disease of Africa prevented the type of early European conquest experienced by South America.
Andy Jampoler, ship board lecturer.
200 miles northwest of Cape Verde, 500 miles off coast of Western Sahara. — in Cape Verde.
Above: Lecture slide. Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 04 December 2018.
Progression of colonialization between 1880 and 1913.
Andy Jampoler, ship board lecturer.
200 miles northwest of Cape Verde, 500 miles off coast of Western Sahara. — in Cape Verde.
Lecturer Jampoler also discussed the dissolution of colonialism in Africa during the 1960's an 1970's.
Looking back, is there a case to be made for colonialism?
Would India be the united country it is today with railroads linking its cities, and a civil service enabling is government, and a professional military without the impact of 300 years of British colonial rule? Hong Kong was long held as a model of colonial success due to the island's prosperity under British rule.
West African nations have not seen similar levels of success while under colonial rule. West African countries, some of which we will be visiting on this voyage, remain impoverished with high levels of corruption at government levels.
The flood of refugees to Europe from Africa is not occurring because things are going well in Africa. Are European nations paying the price for a failed colonial effort... an effort they abandoned too soon to leftist liberation movements?
What are the benefits of independence for many of these West African countries?
One cannot ignore that cultures are different. Some advance individual freedom, safety for their citizens and an economic platform which gives rise to prosperity for those who wish to work hard. Other cultures advance tyranny.. oppression, Is their an obligation on the part of the free cultures to "teach" their version of culture to those cultures where tyranny rules? Will there be consequences if free cultures renege on that "responsibility?"
Above: Lecture slide. Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 04 December 2018.
First recognizable map of Africa, by Sebastian Munster.
Andy Jampoler, ship board lecturer.
200 miles northwest of Cape Verde, 500 miles off coast of Western Sahara.
Addendum:
Steve,
I don’t know when I will find the time to read TBTF but I thoroughly appreciate getting your high level summation and insights. Especially was intrigued by your view into the sale process at ASF, as well as comments on some of the characters in TBTF. I look forward to discussing further—hopefully when we expect to be out to DV weekend of 14th to open up our unit for the season.
Mezzanine,
Miami, FL
Steve,
As a result of your review of Hampton Sides, book, On Desperate Ground, I ordered a copy. I read it on the flight to Sydney, where we are now, and finished it while here. Excellent read and for me particularly engaging as I went to Korea in the Army with an Intelligence unit in 1962/63. I was in Uijeonbu on occasion and I knew most of the places written about in the book. To be clear, I never crossed the 38th parallel. It truly is a miracle that anyone survived that battle.. Thanks to the calm reserve and wisdom of General Smith many of his Marines made it out. MacArthur should have been relieved of Command in November rather than waiting until April of 1951.
If you continue to have an interest in Korea and the Korean war, I recommend to you a book by Michael Pembroke, an Aussie writer and historian who currently is a Judge on the NSW Supreme Court, entitled simply, Korea. It is excellent early history of the country and tells the reader a lot about the period following WWII. How the country got divided and why half was given to Stalin. Of importance are his views of American militarism and mistakes made in the belief that all foreign policy problems can be solved by the military. People like John Bolton and Donald Trump who never served in the military, let alone in combat, say they have never met a war they did not like and that peace is maintained only my having a military budget 10 times that of Russia and Europe combined.
Get a copy and see what you think.
Aspen,
Aspen, CO
I liked your book report very much Steve. My batting average for participation in troubled bank turnarounds went from 1.000 to 0.500 (BankUnited), and now stands at 0.667 with the turnaround of Ocean Bank.
Heloc,
Weston, FL
Keep up the travel log Steve....you are seeing many different things than we did on our trip to Portugal and Spain in June.
1492 was an epic, sometimes horrible year, when the Spanish said to the Jews convert to Christianity or leave??! Also they financed Columbises discovery of the new world.
Have fun.
'Cake and Maui,
Park City, UT
Thanks, Steve, but I’m not sure I want to revisit that era . . .
The Bohemian,
Reno, NV
Above: 7:00 AM. Breakfast view as Regent Seven Seas Explorer nears berth at impulse power. Mindelo, Sao Vicente Island, Cape Verde.
I'm all alone on the Verandah breakfast deck as I take this image on the Samsung Note 9 at 2x telephoto.
If any world destination was heretofore "out of sight, out of mind," Cape Verde, an island country of 500 thousand population, would have been very high on the list.
Cape Verde is an independent African country of ten or so islands, all but one inhabited, in the eastern Atlantic Ocean five hundred miles off the coast of Senegal on the African mainland. Formerly, it was a way point, a coal station, for pre Suez Canal shipping rounding the Cape Of Good Hope to the Indian Ocean and further east.
Language: Creole, Portuguese — in Mindelo, Cape Verde.
Above: Street and ship scene. Mindelo, Sao Vincente Island, Cape Verde. 05 January 2018.
Seen here are the old Portuguese influence of color and architecture juxtaposed against the modern ship. A Hollywood professional photog friend "liked" this photo on Facebook. I'm feeling good about my compositional capabilities here, what?
Note the crumbling building left (shades of Havana) and the pink curtains against the yellow façade at right.
All with a floating luxury hotel at rear to accentuate the absurd.
Above: Mindelo Vegetable Market. Mindelo, Cape Verde. 05 December 2018.
Guide Lito says these vegetables are grown on other Cape Verde islands. Mindelo's island, Sao Vincente, with only four inches of rain per year, is too dry to grow anything but aloe, desert palm, and acacia.
TIMDT observes the market.
Above: De Praia Grande. (Big Beach). — at São Vicente, Cape Verde. 05 December 2018
Lava field in the foreground.
Anyone wanting to out beach the next person could start here and feel reasonably sure that he would have won the contest.
The island is mostly rock. Limestone interspersed with lava fields. There are active volcanoes on the island. The last eruption was in 1973.
Above: Bishop, TIMDT, Bridge, and Bond. Plaia Grande (Big Beach). Island of Sao Vicente. Cape Verde. 05 December 2018.
Above: Bishop. Plaia Grande (Big Beach). Sao Vicente Island. Cape Verde. 05 December 2018.
No... Bishop.... no...!!!! Don't do it! You have a life to live!!!!
Image hat tip; Bond
Above: Regent Seven Seas Explorer berthed at Mindelo, San Vicente Island, Cape Verde. 05 December 2018.
Image, thru mist and haze, from 3000 feet Monte Verde. — at São Vicente, Cape Verde.
We rode in a small bus up a sometimes very narrow cobbled road to the top of Green Mountain.
I was a bit nervous. The grades were up to 18%. All that stood between us and the bottom was a working transmission, a gear shift, brakes in who knows what condition, and a driver who, though perhaps certified by the cruise line, could have been drunk the night before, a substance abuser, or someone with a serious health problem. This was a new country... decidedly third world in impression. Do they do vehicle inspections here? What do you have to study to become a professional driver?
Before our ride started, I even walked around the bus and checked all the tires. They looked OK.... a lot better than the tires on the small plane we flew in in the Gobi desert in Mongolia in 1999. You could see the fabric on the plane's tires.
Anyway, years of using shaky third world transportation had made me wary and anxious about transport.
During the late '70's TIMDT and Mwah (sic) made a similar bus climb, that time on a dirt road and in a smaller bus, to Maccu Piccu. On the descent, the driver took a curve above a precipice too hot and slammed on the brakes. The front wheel was inches from going over the top when he finally stopped the vehicle.
Each time today's driver down shifted as the grade increased my heart stopped. The pause between second and first while rolling slowly on an 18% grade was only a half second long... but it seemed like a minute. At that point there were only the vehicle's brakes to stop a roll back should the transmission fail for one reason or another. And, how were those brakes, anyway?
At the top of Green Mountain we cruise tourists got out to take in the vistas of the surrounding islands and the city of Mendelo.. The vista occluded by mists and wispy clouds blowing from our rear.. from the northeast. The neighboring island (we were on Sao Vicente Island), Santo Antao, only three kilometers away, was barely visible. We could see the outlines of the Santo Antao's four thousand foot peaks.
The city of Mindelo, seen in the image, was not visible at all for most of the ten minutes we observed from the summit. Occasionally, the clouds and the mist would break, and the city... and the ship.... would appear... as is the case with the image above.
One can see in the image how dry the terrain is. There are only four inches of rain a year on Sao Vincente. As we drove through the interior of the island I was reminded of driving through the Navajo Indian Reservation in northeastern Arizona. Substitute African acacia trees, aloe plants, and desert palm trees for the Arizona scrub and the two regions looked a lot alike.... including the meager, hard scrabble looking housing.
We could see that the locals were attempting to grow corn... but, the yield on the scruffy stalks could not have been very much.
Our bus guide, Lito, said most of the produce on Sao Vincente was imported from other islands. All other goods had to be imported from outside Cape Verde.
Per Lito: Unemployment at 25%. Growing number of Europeans coming to retire inexpensively. Ten universities on the island. Prospective doctors went to Bolivia or Cuba to medical school. Tourism a growing source of island income. 35 cruise ships come into Cape Verde each year.
Above: Deck Five. Regent Seven Seas Explorer, eastern Atlantic Ocean. At sea.
15° 31' 2" N Latitude.
20° 16' 24" W Longitude.
Eastbound direction Dakar, Senegal...250 miles distant. Cape Verde 250 miles west, behind us.
Cognitive dissonance getting 7000 steps, walking deck five for an hour and a half...channeling Doobee Brothers via the antique IPod. Visioning ghost ships on the horizon...two sleek English and Dutch Indiamen racing one another to the Cape of Storms (later renamed for PR reasons to Cape of Good Hope).
Ghost ships of the 17th century. No wifi...no wireless...gone for two to three years... but, oh...so much wealth on return from Canton or Batavia to Amsterdam and London. 17th Century. Is that when men were men?
Less celebrated in these waters, but no less profitable than the spices, tea and silk, the, then legal, slave trade, headquartered only a short distance due east of us. Tomorrow, we visit ground central...Dakar, Senegal...to gain context for that pernicious activity.
Post the slave trade, Dakar became an important outpost of the French Empire. Think on a par with Beirut (where we lived for six months in the '70's) or Hanoi, where I motorcycled in 2006.
Think also French World Cup 2018 Champions...which wouldn't have happened sans a bunch of Senagalese origin French footballers.
Senegal and France remain close post Senagal independence. French is Senegal's national language. France maintains an airforce base and 20K French troops in Senegal...not to mention more than a few legionnaires.
Doobee Brothers. "Listen to the Music." "The people need something to make 'em happy!"
Above: Onboard ship lecture. Andy Jampoler. Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 06 December 2018.
17th and 18th Century trade routes between Europe and Asia.
Brits/Dutch start running out of specie. Change to opium to recompense the Chinese. Neutralizes China as a prospective world power with dope. Opium in pursuit of silks.
Blue lines Brits.
Red lines Dutch.
Above: Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 06 December, 2018
On board ship lecture. Andy Jampoler.
Dutch East India Company time line.
Big trading companies first public, joint stock corporations. No single source of capital was sufficient to finance the complex and risky spice, tea and silk trade. Capitalism is born.
Above: Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 06 December 2018.
On board lecture. Andy Jampoler.
Dutch East India Company.
British East India Company.
Image: Dutch East Indiaman.
So much risk. So much wealth. Innovation and capitalism set the tone in The West for the next four centuries.
Above: Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 06 December 2018.
Compass Rose Restaurant
Chandelier
Dinner.
Above: Welcoming Committee. Dakar, Senegal. 07 December 2018.
Image captured from onboard Regent Seven Seas Explorer as she enters harbor, Dakar, Senegal.
Dakar is a major financial center, home to a dozen national and regional banks (including the BCEAO which manages the unified West African CFA currency), and to numerous international organizations, NGOs and international research centers. Dakar has a large Lebanese community (concentrated in the import-export sector) that dates to the 1920s, a community of Moroccan business people, as well as Mauritanian, Cape Verdean, and Guinean communities. The city is home to as many as 20,000 French expatriates. France still maintains an air force base at Yoff and the French fleet is serviced in Dakar's port.
Beginning 1978 and until 2007, Dakar was frequently the ending point of the Dakar Rally. (Wikepedia)
Our guide, Dou Dou, said that authorities are thinking of restarting the Paris Dakar rally in 2020. Since 2007 risks of terrorism along the route have attenuated.
Above: Boabab tree. Dakar, Senegal. 07 January 2018.
Above: Bishop with Lebou children. Yoff village. Dakar, Senegal. 07 December 2018.
Above: Lebou people (fishermen) perform Ndeupp Dance. Yoff village. Dakar, Senegal. 07 December 2018.
Above: African Renaissance Monument. Dakar, Senegal. 07 December 2018.
Bridge and TIMDT admire monument.
Erected in 2010 on 50th anniversary of Senegal independence. North Korean sculptor. Copper through and through.
Girl on father's shoulder points in the direction of America and says, "let us in." Mother, at left, points to the ground and says, "remember our roots."
At least, that's the explanation given by our guide, Dou Dou. — in African Renaissance Monument.
Above: Mosque de la Divinite. Dakar, Senegal. 07 December 2018.
95% of Senegalese are Muslim. Guide goes at great lengths to say, "We Senegalese are peaceful Muslims."
Above: Goree Island. Dakar, Senegal. 07 December 2018.
The area around Dakar was settled in the 15th century. The Portuguese established a presence on the island of Gorée off the coast of Cap-Vert and used it as a base for the Atlantic slave trade. France took over the island in 1677. Following the abolition of the slave trade and French annexation of the mainland area in the 19th century, Dakar grew into a major regional port and a major city of the French colonial empire. In 1902, Dakar replaced Saint-Louis as the capital of French West Africa. From 1959 to 1960, Dakar was the capital of the short-lived Mali Federation. In 1960, it became the capital of the independent Republic of Senegal. (Wikepedia).
Addendum:
Dear Steve,
Why is the rainfall so different between Sao Vicente and the other Cape Verde islands?
Did your bus driver buy his license from Costco- on sale?
If I remember correctly, the bald tires on the MIAT airplane were on the plane that took the medivacked trio back to Ulan Batar.
Life goes on circles.
Cheers,
Ahn Rhree,
Larkspur, CA
Above; Banjul, The Gambia. 08 December 2018.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer. Arrival.
Image from observation lounge Regent Seven Seas Explorer.
Check ferry name. Kunta Kinteh.
Alex Haley, "Roots" author, traced his lineage to Albreda Island and the tiny village of Juffureh, then, mid 17th century, a slave trade depot, 10 miles up the Gambia River from Banjul.
An adjacent island was renamed Kunta Kinteh, Haley's ancestor, after Haley's success.
Albreda Island attracts, among others, many American tourists whose roots are found in 17th century, slave trading Africa.
Country #113 (Been App list).
Haley's work is fictional... an historical novel. No doubt, in substance, the work has many elements of truth.
Above: Welcoming committee. Rhythm and dance. Not Christmas music. 08 December 2018.
Image from ship, looking on to pier below.
The Gambia, a former British colony, achieved its independence in 1965. It is the smallest country, at 11K square kilometers, on the African continent.
95% of The Gambia's population is Muslim. Tourism (beaches, wildlife) is its main source of income. Peanuts is its largest cash crop.
Almost everything consumed in The Gambia is imported into this busy port of Banjul.
Unemployment is high and per capita income low. Gambians live in extended family compounds where only two or three wage earners might support a family of twenty five.
Young country. 55 percent of the population is under 20 years of age.. — in Banjul, Gambia.
Above: Banjul, Gambia street scene. 08 December 2018.
Bridge and TIMDT look on.
Above Bishop and boys. Banjul, Gambia. 08 December 2018.
Saturday. No school. Curious Gambian boys.
Young country.
Over half population is under twenty.
Grim economy, as it stands today, offers little future for these boys...short of working their way north to Europe, legally or not...usually not. — at Banjul.
Above: King Fahd Mosque. Banjul, The Gambia. 08 December 2018.
Largest mosque in The Gambia. Donated by Saudis.
The Gambia Parliament building donated and built by India.
Two principle Banjul private high schools...one run by Irish Christian Brothers and the other by UK Methodist Mission.
The Gambia also helped by a multiplicity of UN and NGO organization local presences. — at King Fahad Mosque.
Above: Smoked catfish. The Albert Market, Banjul, The Gambia. 08 December 2018.
Fewer than half of Gambians have electricity.
Smoking the fish is a way of food preservation. — at Albert Market.
Above: The Albert Market. Banjul, The Gambia. 08 December 2018.
You could find most anything here, including a $10 Rolex. — at Albert Market
Above: Madrasa student. The Albert Market. Banjul, The Gambia. 08 December 2018.
Copying Arabic script.
Above: Burden bearing woman. Banjul, The Gambia. 08 December 2018.
Women becoming physically stronger than men through understanding of body engineering?— in Banjul, Gambia.
Above: Crocodile pond. Banjul, The Gambia. 08 December 2018.
Bridge contemplates crocodiles.
Hey! This is a great concept! No fences! Walk up to the croc and pet it on the snout.
Just be careful not to smile!
Above: Bridge observes Arch 22.
Built in 1996 following a military coup by 30 year old Lt. Yahya Jammeh. Jammeh bowed to international pressure, resigned from the military, and was elected president in 1996.
Jammah was defeated in 2016 elections, but, he refused to cede power. Finally acceding, once again, to international pressure, he gave up power and made a successful run to Equatorial Guinea, absconding with $11 million of state funds. — in Banjul, Gambia.
Addendum:
Let’s do the Paris Dakar!!! You on a bike and me in a 911 !
The Inventor,
Park City, UT
Dream on...for me... not for you.... you've got time to pull it off!
You can find the Senegalese throughout Africa—they are known as Africa’s traders.
the monk,
Gooseberry, UT
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 09 September 2018.
Lisbon to Cape Town.
On board ship lecture.
Andy Jampoler.
SLAVERY
At sea between Banjul, The Gambia and Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 09 December 2019.
On board lecture.
Andy Jampoler.
SLAVERY
Our ship's route, red line (see image) from Lisbon to Cape Town, crosses over all of the slave trade routes to the Americas.
Over a 200 year period of active slave trade, 14 million Africans were captured and moved as slaves to the Americas...of which 500K to US.
Trading slaves to US became illegal after 1808. Thereafter, the build up in US slaves to 4 million by the end of the Civil War was accomplished internally, by birth.
While there is, of course, zero rationale for slavery, the southern meme of oft times beneficent, family oriented treatment of slaves by many their "owners" has a ring of truth. Since plantation owners could not "import" slaves, it was very much in their interest to create family conditions where slave families would bear a lot of contented children (new slaves).
Harriet Beecher Stowe, 10th child of a Congregational minister in Litchfield, Connecticut, didn't buy into Southern benificence. Her book, "Uncle Tom's Cabin," energized the anti slavery movement in the North...and, well, the rest is history.
On meeting Harriet Beecher Stowe Lincoln purportedly said, "So you're the little lady who started a war."
Per ship lecturer Jampoler, the oft quoted number of Civil War killed in action of 500K is understated. Current scholarship, he says has the Civil War KIA number at 750K.
Note: Henry Ward Beecher, fire breathing, abolitionist preacher from Brooklyn, was Harriet Beecher Stowe's older brother.
Henry Ward Beecher substituted for Lincoln as keynote speaker at end of war, US flag raising, commemoration at Ft. Sumpter, Charleston, South Carolina. In lieu, that evening, Lincoln chose to attend a play at Ford's theater in Washington, DC.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 09 December 2019.
On board lecture.
SLAVERY
Andy Jampoler
Chart shows annual slave embarkations and disembarkations to US over a period of 300 years through 1807.
Difference between light and dark blue is deaths en route.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 09 December 2018.
Deck Five. Walking to the beat.
Bob Seger - "Sunspot Baby."
She packed up her bags and she took off down the road.
Left me her stranded with the bills she owed.
She gave me a false address...took off with my American Express.
Sunspot Baby, she sure had me way out guessed.
Left me here stranded like a dog out in the yard.
Charged up a fortune on my credit card.
She used my address and my name...man that was sure unkind.
Sunspot Baby, she sure had a real good time.
I looked in Miami, I looked in Negril. Closest I came was a month old bill.
I checked the Bahamas and they said she was gone.
I can't understand why she did me so wrong!
Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 09 December 2018.
Constellation Theater.
"Canadians are really Americans with health care and no guns."
Semi funny Brit comic gets too political. Tries, and fails, to keep everybody in his audience happy.
His musical numbers redeemed his performance.
Nice Christmas suit!
Note: TIMDT says I'm overreacting... the guy was genuinely, uncontroversiallly funny, she says. She's probably right. He was OK, I guess.
Addendum:
Steve - I've enjoyed the informative posts from your cruise - especially now that you are in West Africa. The Gambian pictures recall Monrovia - also pretty grim, I understand.
Do you stop in Liberia? Not sure how set up they are for cruise ships. I don't know what's happened to the old Bank of Monrovia building, but Google Maps shows changes in the bank compound north of the city.
Hope you cruise continues to be interesting!
Best, Airstream
Santa Barbara, CA
Monrovia/Liberia not on ship's itinerary. We sailed by. This is a rare cruise ship itinerary. That's why it is fully subscribed. Banjul gets three cruise ships a year. Same further south. Local authorities work pretty hard to accommodate a visit, but, its clear they are not used to the scale of ferrying 800 westerners of a certain age around town.
7:30 AM. 10 December 2018. Cranking at 21 knots SE down the side of the dark continent. Too far out to sea to see land. Very....very... occasionally see another ship in this heretofore busy, now little traveled trade route.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer . 10 December 2018.
Cafe.
None of the baristas have tattoos. They seem under qualified.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 10 December 2018.
On board lecture.
Andy Jampoler
HENRY MORTON STANLEY
"Dr. Livingston, I presume."
Note American flag in image. Actually happened. Stanley was an American in all but legality at the time. The American flag was actually hoist at the Stanley/Livingston first encounter.
Henry Morton Stanley. One of the great figures of the 19th century.
Born a bastard in Wales, left the poor house at 15 to reinvent himself in America. Fought for the South, the North, and the US Navy (North) in the Civil War.
Leveraging position as a writer for the New York Herald, Stanley undertook, over two decades, four great expeditions into the heart of Africa.
Returned to Britain to eventually become Knighted, much to the consternation of jealous bluebloods at the Royal Geographical Society.
Vindicated. Bastard no more.
Good friend of Mark Twain.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 10 December 2018.
Onboard lecture.
Andy Jampoler
HENRY MORTON STANLEY
Route. Stanley in search of Livingston. 1872.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 10 December 2018.
Onboard lecture.
Andy Jampoler
HENRY MORTON STANLEY
Stanley's four expeditions into dark Africa opened the continent to colonial exploitation. Skirmishes by local tribals to resist colonial incursions were rife from the 1880's to the beginning of WWI in 1914.
Regent Seven Seas Explore. At sea, direction SE to Cote d'Ivoire. 10 December 2018.
Image: Cranking SE off the coast if West Africa at 22 knots. 3:30 PM. 90 degrees, but breeze.
Vasco da Gama...eat your heart out.
Deck Five - Walking to the beat.
Bob Seger
FIRE LAKE
Who's gonna ride that chrome three wheeler
Who's gonna make that first mistake
Who wants to wear those gypsy leathers
All the way to Fire Lake
Who wants to break the news about uncle Joe
You remember uncle Joe
He was the one afraid to cut the cake
Who wants to tell poor aunt Sarah
Joe's run off to Fire Lake
Joe's run off to Fire Lake
Who wants to brave those bronze beauties
Lying in the sun
With their long soft hair falling
Flying as they run
Oh they smile so shy
And they flirt so well
And they lay you down so fast
Till you look straight up and say
Oh Lord
Am I really here at last
Who wants to play those eights and aces
Who wants a raise
Who needs a stake
Who wants to take that long shot gamble
And head out to Fire Lake
Head out
Who wants to go to Fire Lake
And head out
Who wants to go to Fire Lake
And head out (who wants to go to Fire Lake)
Head out, head out (who wants to go to Fire Lake)
Out to Fire lake
Who's gonna do it (who wants to go to Fire Lake)
Who's gonna wanna do it (who wants to go to Fire Lake)
Who wants to do it, who wants to do it, yeah (who wants to go to Fire Lake).
Addendum:
Jammah’s 11 million does not include the other 10s of millions in his Swiss bank account.
the monk,
Gooseberry, UT
Those big crocs can suddenly pop out of a mud puddle and kill you!
the monk,
Gooseberry, UT
When I went to college, circa 1959-63; we had an exchange student from Gambia, Usman Sala. Very good soccer player. He went back after graduation and advanced in government.
At one time wasn’t country called Senegambia. Officially the Senegambia Confederation, a loose confederation in the late 20th century between the West African countries of Senegal and its neighbour The Gambia, which is almost completely surrounded by Senegal?
Be safe,
Panama,
Los Angeles, CA
Above: 1. Two Abidjan motorcycle cops on bikes. 2. Bishop and Abidjan motorcycle cop. Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. 11 December 2018.
Two motorcycle cops (motards) escorted a convoy of eight tourist buses, for a seven hour tour, in and around Abidjan.
They cleared oncoming lanes, forcing drivers to the curb...and sometimes onto the curb (!), allowing the convoy to pass otherwise blocking traffic with ease. Occasionally, the motards would stand on the pegs of their powerful 1200 cc BMW R police bikes, unbelievably, hands free, and wildly wave the traffic aside.
Another technique. The motards would frequently sashay from side to side... a maneuver I would undertake occasionally to even out the wear on the tires. In this case, however, the motards engaged in this maneuver to attract the attention of oncoming traffic... to warn oncoming vehicles to move over. "VIP's" coning through!'
Only two or three times did I observe any motorist complaining or refusing to cooperate. Once, our bus was stopped in an intersection and attempting to make a dicey right turn. A car was blocking the bus's way. Our bus driver waved his hand to the blocking vehicle trying to get the driver to back up a bit. Rather than cooperating to clear the bus's way, the blocking driver stood his ground and waved, menacingly back at the bus driver. Up ahead, the motard parked his bike in the middle of the road, dismounted and walked back to the scene. The motard and the blocking driver started arguing with one another, but, the blocking driver eventually backed up the meager foot or so allowing our bus to pass. This was the exception. Throughout the day, drivers typically cooperated with the motards' instructions.
In all my years of travel and motorcycling, I've never seen anything like this.
These guys were skilled beyond belief.
We estimated that without the "super motards," our Abidjan seven hour tour would have taken two hours more, nine hours.
Above. St.Paul's Cathedral, Abidjan, Ivory Coast. 11 December 2018.
Seven cables support cathedral proper allowing for no pillars or buttresses inside the cathedral. The outside structure supporting the cables... a cross, more or less, has the look of a sci fi monster of sorts. Our guide said the cross was an impressionistic elephant... an explanation I had trouble understanding... though perhaps seen from a different angle....
The stained glass inside is extensive, telling the story of Christ. The Christ figure in the stained glass is black, racially. Uh... not that there's anything wrong with that!
The cathedral was designed by architect Aldo Spirito and serves as the mother church for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Abidjan.
The first stone of the cathedral was laid on 11 May 1980 by Pope John Paul II during his first pastoral visit to Cote d'Ivoire. The cathedral was dedicated on completion, again, during a second visit by Pope John Paul II, in 1985.
St. Paul's is one of the largest cathedrals in the world, with a capacity of 5000 and is the second largest church on the African continent.
While we visitors were inside the cathedral an organist and singer were performing American negro spirituals. The reverberating organ and the haunting voice made for a spiritually reflective atmosphere. In a way, this was the right music to characterize a doleful side of the African experience.
This was clearly a unique cathedral. It is the second of modern designed and constructed cathedrals TIMDT and Mwah (sic) have visited this year. The first: Sagrada Familia, in Barcelona, Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece.
Christians, make up 40% of the 30 million Cote d'Ivoiriens. Half of these are Catholic.
Christianity is vibrant and growing throughout most of Africa, not to mention Cote d'Ivoire
— at St. Paul's Cathedral, Abidjan.
Above: African art. Musee de la Civilization au Plateau. Abidjan, Ivory Coast. 11 December 2018.
Above: Photograph of colonial authority being carried on a hammock by locals. Musee de la Civilisation Au Plateau. Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. 11 December 2018.
Why colonialism leaves a bad taste in mouths of indigenous people?
Above: TIMDT observes Bingerville street. Bingerville, Cote D'Ivoire. 11 December 2018.
Note the cell tower juxtaposed against the unimproved road.
Almost all African's have a cell phone. Models are available from $20 or so. Cell phone technology has leapfrogged land lines or fiber optics as the major conveyor of voice communications.
Above: Bishop and art students. Musee Charles Alphonse Combes Art School. Bingerville, Cote D'Ivoire. 11 December 2018.
Above: TIMDT at Orphelenat de Garcons de Bingerville. Bingerville, Cote d'Ivoire. 11 December 2018.
Orphanage is former Governor's mansion.
Above: TIMDT and Bridge pose with orphan boys. Orpheilnat de Garcons de Bingerville. Bingerville, Cote d'Ivoire. 11 December 2018.
Above: Cheese tree. Jardin Botanique de Bingerville. Bingerville, Cote d'Ivoire. 11 December 2018.
Garden docent says the wood of this tree used to make cheese boxes.
Above: TIMDT. Unidentified tree. Jardin Botanique de Bingerville. Bingerville, Cote d'Ivoire. 11 December 2018.
No Kirstenbosch, still this African botanical garden was peaceful... pleasant to walk in.
Above: Abidjan sky line. Abidjan, Ivory Coast. 11 December 2018 (stock image).
Abidjan is located between two lagoons, linked to the mainland by two bridges and ferries. Beyond the lagoons is the Atlantic Ocean.
After long-delayed presidential elections, Alassane Quattara took power in 2010. His predecessor, Laurent Gbagbo, had to be forcibly removed from office after refusing to accept defeat. The ensuing violence left 3000 people dead and 500K people displaced. In November 2011 Gbagbo was extradited to The Hague and charged with war crimes.
Quattara won a second five-year term in 2015.
Economically, Cote d'Ivoire has been on e of the best-performing African countries since Quattara was elected: its GDP grew at an average rate of 8.5% per year between 2012 and 2015.
Cote d'Ivoire is one of Africa's most densely populated countries: thirty million people in an area about the size of Wyoming.
Note: The image could have been mine. Our tour group ate a late lunch at a quay side restaurant where I could have taken, more or less, the same image shown here.
Above: Mwah (sic), Bridge, and two crafts market businessmen. Crafts Market. Abidjan, Ivory Coast. 11 December 2018.
Buyin' stuff from these guys at a steal...for them..not for us! —
Above: Bridge and TIMDT. Vestibule. Regent Seven Seas Mariner. 11 December 2018.
Above: Regent Seven Seas Explorer. Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. 11 December 2018.
Constellation Theater post dinner entertainment.
Ten well trained young entertainers putting on a show at level TIMDT and Mwah (sic) have never before seen on a cruise ship. Let's not forget stage management and costuming. — in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.
Addendum:
Stanley, unlike Livingstone, carried out his exploration with a very large retinue of bearers, guns and gifts. He was an intrepid explorer who ran his company with military precision, gathered valuable scientific and cultural information, and pushed on regardless of the dangers and obstacles. His two-volume recounting of crossing the African continent from east to west, "Through the Dark Continent", is a gripping read despite his flowery Victorian prose.
Unfortunately, his attempt to promote European influence in Central Africa met with little enthusiasm in England, but King Leopold of Belgium was willing to listen. What resulted was probably the most brutal of Western colonizations, as Leopold turned the Congo into his personal fiefdom and absolutely terrorized the local populace. "King Leopold's Ghost" is a fascinating and deeply disturbing chronicle of this period.
Airstream,
Santa Barbara, CA
Above: Suite TV Screen. Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 13 December 2018.
NULL ISLAND...sailor lingo.
Equator intersection with Prime Meridian...close enough for government work. 15:20 Hours. GMT.
Missed Togo today due to local insurrection. Security guys joined ship in Dakar as a precaution should tour goers go ashore at Lome (Togo capital city).
In the end Regent nixed the Togo stop altogether.
Captain ordered this impressive diversion to Null Island to soften the resistance of Togo denied cruise goers. For whatever reason the ship could only get within three miles of the buoy that is Null Island. The buoy was three miles distant and could be seen with binoculars.
For me, this place gave new meaning to ground zero.
Above: Deck Five. Regent Seven Seas Explorer.
At NULL ISLAND. 0 degrees latitude. 0 degrees longitude.
Deck Five NULL ISLAND power walk....
Manhattan
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
Shaky Davey's got a twelve gauge in his hand
It's sawed off to the limit
He's got a vague plan
There's this liquor store on Madison
There's another one down on Washington square
He's pretty sure no one's ever seen him
Down around there
The first one's bird shot the next four are double aught buck
The last one's a slug just for good luck
He's got his works in his pocket
He wants to score as soon as he's done
He can't wait to get straight to get long gone
He puts on his long coat scribbles off a short note
Sits himself down and waits for the sun to go down
It's right around midnight and there's still too damn many people on this street
He's walked all the way from Battery Park he's got sweaty hands and burnin' feet
He's desperate for a fix
His body's screamin' "Get me high"
He bursts through the door and lets one fly
Sunrise in the park and Davey's cold as stone
He got some bad merchandise and he was all alone
Two more unsolved mysteries a iot of paper pushed around
Most folks are just wakin' up in this great big town
Above; Singers. Regent Seven Seas Explorer. Constellation Theater. 13 December 2018.
Super talented 25 somethings belt Broadway.
Very good.
Regent theatrical company does auditions around the country. Kids that get accepted sign contract to sing, dance and see the world. Rehearsals take place in Tampa FL and take six weeks precedent to up to six months at sea.
Addendum:
Floating Steve:
Some xenophobic/jingoist reader ripped into a small USA motorcycle publication's editor for even mentioning having seen Che's image numerous times on their guided motorcycle tour of Cuba. I sent the editor an "Attaboy" with the attached picture I took 2-3 years ago in Thailand. Che and the Stars and Stripes - an oxymoron or 21st Century art?
BTW, I was not "panning" your touristing choice of transportation mode - even came up with a marketing jingle, like the guys who have the patches "Ride to eat, eat to ride:" Your patch: "Float to eat, eat to float," or similar to the one Honda had: "You meet the nicest people on a boat." LOL
Have fun out there - and don't believe your tour guide carrying the flag on the top of the tall stick for you to follow when he/she says at the Cape of Good Hope sign that you've reached the furthest point south on the African continent. AMA's Greg Harrison did that on one of the AMA motorcycle guided tours some years ago, saying later it was the "thought" that counted for the people on the tour, not necessarily the fact. If you've the time and inclination, rent a car and roll a little further down the coast to Cape Agulhaus, that's the real southernmost point and where the Indian and Atlantic Ocean meet - only about 1 kilometer of hard pan off-the pavement, an easy day adventure and very scenic.
Best,
Dr. G
Professor of Motorcycle Adventure, on sabbatical researching adventurous affairs on the road around the globe
Thanks Steve,
Read the piece on the Motards. The traffic scenario sounded very much like India. Glad to know that these unbelievable traffic maneuvers happen in other countries as well.
This one looks like a great cruise. If possible please share your entire itinerary of this cruise with me. I would like to do this some day provided I can afford it.
Cheers.
Mohan,
New Delhi, India
Hope both of you are enjoying your adventure, Dr. G's T-shirt is very cool maybe we will wear them next year at Hillclimb ? Happy Holidays to all -
MR Z3
Ojai, CA
Hi Bishop Steve:
These are custom T's that I did the Indian artwork on, not screened like the yellow Pit Crew shirts, nor an off-the-rack $10.00 product. I had six made. Will wait until closer to my departure time in the spring tosee if they can find 3XL blue by then. I'll hand carry it (them) in my allowed luggage to the USA an XXL for you and any others wanting one...too expensive to mail across The Big Waters.
It was a whim to order them - maybe when done "10 of a kind" in the world. In July I was wearing L sized T shirts - now back up to XL and back out two notches on my belt. Ugghhh. No longer "lean and mean," just mean :-)
Did a little "third world" shopping last week up in Myanmar area, pics attached:
1) A knock-off of a Belstaff jacket (maybe before your time?) - but the hot ticket in the 60's. Original was waxed cotton, a great spooge collector friends would not let you wear into their house and best left outside a restaurant. Saw this one and couldn't pass on "the deal." Label even says it is original LOL
Second item was a knock-off of WD-40, BS-40. BS-40 was .66 cents, another deal this frugal Quaker could not pass up. I'm not sure what is inside the BS-40 can but the outside was pretty cool looking.
Regards,
Dr. G, Professor of Motorcycle Adventure, on sabbatical researching adventurous affairs on the road around the globe
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 14 December 2018
On board lecture.
Andy Jampoler.
IMPACT OF DISEASE ON HISTORY
DeLessups and the French failed in their attempt to build the Panama Canal. Too many worker deaths from Yellow Fever.
Americans solved the problem and followed through to complete the canal on the eve of WWI.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 14 December 2018
On board lecture.
Andy Jampoler.
IMPACT OF DISEASE ON HISTORY
Flow map showing impact of Typhus in Napoleon's failed effort to capture Moscow.
Napoleon started out with 400K troops...returned, defeated by Typhus, with 20K troops.
Red shows outgoing. Black shows return.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 14 December 2018.
PM power walk. 7000 steps.
This time 12th deck circuit.
Overcast kept temps down. Good day to be at sea.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 14 December 2018.
Pacific Ocean, Equator, 200 miles west of Sao Tome and Principe.
Bond, Bridge, TIMDT, Bishop enjoy dinner, Compass Rose Restaurant.
Above: Sao Tome and Principe. Port. Two miles distant from anchored Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 15 December 2018.
Above: Tender. Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 15 December 2018.
Harbor insufficiently deep at Sa Tome port. Ship's passengers take tender from ship to port, two miles distant.
Above: Sao Tome Cathedral. 1692. One of oldest cathedrals in Africa. 15 December 2018.
Sao Tome and Principe. Second smallest African country after Seychelles. 500 K citizens, only 7K of whom are on Principe, the smaller of the two islands.
Located 110 miles off coast of Nigeria.
Economically, all down hill since independence from Portuguese in 1975.
Cocoa plantations extant under Portuguese, now grown over with vines.
Only two cruise ship stops per year. Otherwise, off the beaten track for all but the most intrepid tourists...and there are some some of those doing remote hiking and swimming on isolated beaches etc.
Have you ever visited a country that you never heard of before you set out on your trip?
We saw the comparable Portuguese Se Cathedral in Goa two years ago. — in São Tomé.
Above: Sao Tomeans perform ritualistic Tchiloli dance in city square near the port. Sao Tome City. 15 December 2018.
The dance tells a dramatic story...with shades of voodoo imagery.
It was kind of weird...as dancers... characters, really...creepily moved up and back...to syncopated African drum rhythms accompanied by a solo flute.
I didn't understand the meaning of the "story" being told here, but you could backstop a seance with the rhythmical, eerie, haunting Tchiloli performance and probably get good results.
Above: Town Square. Sao Tome City. 15 December 2018.
Breadfruit tree and Regent Seven Seas Explorer tourists.
at Africa/Sao_Tome.
Above: Mercado Municipal de Sao Tome. Sao Tome City. Sao Tome and Principe. 15 December 2018.
Here we're on the small, but well air conditioned tour bus. However, we walked through the Sao Tome city market earlier, a walk which Lonley Planet refers to as "alternately fascinating and repellent."
The market is...well...filthy, but teeming with activity. I smiled and said "buon dia" to all I encountered in my walk through the market, and received a smile and "buon dia" back in return.
While passing through a crowded aisle, venders, mostly females sitting on the ground behind their wares, I was admonished by one woman for clasping my hands behind my back. With her own arms she made motions suggesting that I should unclasp my hands. I walk this way frequently to help keep my geezer spine straight. I'm not sure what her reasoning was... whatever... she considered my walking stance offensive. I smiled at the woman and complied with her request.
The city area surrounding the market reminded me of Havana. Nothing has been built here since 1975, the year of Sao Tome and Principe independence from the Portuguese. The myriad of colonial buildings are decaying on every street. The streets are full of potholes that have been filled in with inch sized stones.
Bridge says, actually, Havana looks better than Sao Tome.
Knowing of China's huge program to invest in Africa, I asked our guide Martinho if there was any Chinese investment in Sao Tome and Principe. "Planned for next year," he said excitedly. — at Mercado Municipal de São Tomé.
Above: Smoked fish. — at Mercado Municipal de São Tomé. 15 December 2018.
Above: Chilis. Mercado Municipal de Sao Tome. 15 December 2018.
Hot, hot, hot.
Knowing that Bond would not accept a money bet, I told him I would run errands for him the rest of the trip if he ate 10 of these chilis, one after the other, in rapid sequence.
He made some "no way Jose" like crack.
What's the matter with people? They don't want to take risks. — at Mercado Municipal de São Tomé.
That being said, these chilis look like some of the real hot variety. Doesn't small size, at least in this guise, correlate to potency (cough)?
Above: Mom (presumed) and kids. Mercado Municipal de Sao Tome. 15 December 2018.
Beaucoup kids in Sao Tome and Principe, as is the case with all other West African countries. So little hope for them as Sao Tome and Principe continues in economic decline.
Case for colonialism?
Over half of Sao Tome and Principe's population is under twenty.
What, say, would Puerto Rico be sans US colonial support? Just saying. Who knows, maybe Puerto Rico would fare better as an independent entity.
Above: Two images of Danco Congo performance. Sao Tome and Principe. 15 August 2018.
Danco Congo outside of a Catholic Church in a fishing village near Sao Tome City. The danço-congo is a combination of music (drums), dance and theatre. The red figure in the image is some kind of demon threatening the fishermen.
Check out the image of the drum section. Bishop walked up to the guy in blue, took his rattle (with permission) , and played for a few minutes. Bishop felt the Sao Tome vibe!
The rhythms backing the Danco-Congo performance are complex and energizing. Slaves brought these rhythms, laced with underlying life myths, to Latin America and laid the underpinnings to today's Latin music (Tito.Puente, Santana), where European wind instruments fused with African rhythms.
Image highlights the coexistence of Catholicism introduced by Portuguese colonials and deep seated traditions of African animism in Sao Tomeans' religious beliefs.
While I was angling for the red demon image, a little kid, dressed in the obligatory t shirt, shorts, and flip flops came up to me and pointed to the pen in my pocket. The kid responded with glee when I gave him the pen. The adult dressed in the red demon costume saw my encounter with the kid and proceeded to chew him out.
The Sao Tomeans are still pretty "unsophisticated" when it comes to the usual techniques to euchre money out of gullible tourists. There was no busker bucket soliciting bucks at this performance.
Speaking of music in Latin America, one (the only?) joy of visiting Cuba was its ubiquitous music. Even Castro couldn't destroy that. I'm enjoying these rhythm sessions in Africa just as much as I did the music in Cuba.
Above: TIMDT and Bridge. National Museum of Sao Tome and Principe. 15 December 2018.
Blue Hat Buddies TIMDT and Bridge observe swimming beach from a 16th Century Portuguese fort, now turned into Sao Tome and Principe National Museum. — in Sao Tome and Principe.
Above: Relay transmitter station for Voice of America. Sao Tome and Principe. 15 December 2018.
Towers barely discernable in distance are relay transmitter station carrying Voice of America broadcasts to West Africa.
Image taken from tender returning from Sao Tome city to Regent Seven Seas Explorer. — at Africa/Sao_Tome.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 15 December 2018.
Constellation Theater
110 miles of coast of Cameroon, South Atlantic Ocean.
Evan Bosworth, Assistant Cruise Director, sings David Foster and more.
Addendum:
These photos and stories are great. Please tell Margaret the I loved the photo of her in the lime green wrap with Bridge.
Magnolia,
Miami, FL
How's the skiing. Sorry to miss you!
I’m constantly amazed at your eclectic colleagues and friends. Dr. G is a living legend.
Peterbilt of Bountiful,
Bountiful, UT
Self serving comment you make.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 16 December 2018.
On board lecture.
Andy Jampoler
CONGO. THE MISERABLE EXPEDITIONS AND DREADFUL DEATH OF LT. EMORY TAUNT, USN
Map of our voyage following the route of the early Portuguese explorers and showing our stops and current location (red arrow) near mouth of the Congo River.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 16 December 2018.
Onboard lecture.
Andy Jampoler
CONGO. THE MISERABLE EXPEDITIONS AND DREADFUL DEATH OF LT. EMORY TAUNT, USN
African river system. Congo, after Nile, is second longest African river at 700 miles long. But the Congo has a higher water volume than the Nile.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 16 December 2018
On board Lecture
Andy Jampoler
CONGO. THE MISERABLE EXPEDITIONS AND DREADFUL DEATH OF LT. EMORY TAUNT, USN
Sunday afternoon. Ship's location around 6 degrees 15 minutes south latitude and 8 degrees 20 minutes east longitude, just west of The Congo. The black, west pointing spike is the trough cut into the seabed of the Congo River exiting from into the sea.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 16 December 2018.
Onboard ship lecture.
Andy Jampoler.
CONGO. THE MISERABLE EXPEDITIONS AND DREADFUL DEATH OF LT. EMORY TAUNT, USN
Why the Congo basin piqued interest 1880's and onward: Ivory and rubber.
At 1885 Conference of Berlin, chaired by German Chancellor, Otto Von Bismarck, Africa was divided up amongst colonial powers. King Leopold II, of Belgium, coveted the Congo, and got it...as a personal fiefdom.
Leopold "raped and pillaged" in the Congo for twenty years. Millions died from disease and Leopold's exploitation of the Congo basin's resources. It wasn't commerce, per se...it was theft.
In the first decade of the twentieth century, social reformers like Conrad and Conan-Doyle raised enough of an international stink to eliminate Leopold's hold on The Congo and have it handed over directly to the Belgian government in 1908, whereupon it was renamed The Belgian Congo.
The Congo achieved independence from Belgium in 1960 under Patrice Lumumba.
The Congo, with a population of 80 million people, capita Kinsasha, is a politically unstable place these days. There is good reason for our ship not to have stopped. Just yesterday an advisory calling for evacuation of all 'non essential' personnel was issued to US diplomats in Congo. But, notwithstanding our pass-by, Jampoler's lecture given 100 miles off Congo's shore, helped greatly to enhance our understanding the place we are visiting, Western Africa.
The official name of Congo is Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Jampoler advises his listeners to beware of any country that has word 'democratic' in its name. Its usually not so, he says.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer - 16 December 2018
Onboard lecture.
Andy Jampoler.
CONGO. THE MISERABLE EXPEDITIONS AND DREADFUL DEATH OF LT. EMORY TAUNT, USN
Lt. Emory Taunt, Usn, far right in image, alum of a successful USN expedition to Arctic, but notoriously a drunkard, was sent by President Chester A. Arthur to explore Congo basin in 1885. Purpose was to prepare a report to ascertain potential for US interests in the Congo.
Taunt was the solitary American on the mission up the Congo, supported by over a hundred African luggage bearers, some of whom had to lug crates of Taunt's Bordeaux St. Emilion up river.
Taunt's final report downplayed any value of the Congo region for US. He was decommissioned from the navy on his return to the US.
Taunt renewed his USN commission in 1888, but promptly went AWOL. He was found in New York City shacked up with a woman not his wife and promptly court martialed.
Because of an influential father-in-law, he avoided court martial in the end, but had to leave the Navy.
In 1889 Taunt applied for a diplomatic commercial position representing US in The Congo. Surprisingly, despite his recent AWOL incident, his application to become a US diplomat in Congo was accepted. Apparently, he was able to sell his "on the ground" experience in the region and convince authorities that his recent misbehavior was an aberration.
After a year on the job as a US diplomat in The Congo, Taunt, age 39, died, in 1889, of Yellow Fever. Due to the extended time it took for communication, Taunt never found out that he had, just a month before his death, been fired for incompetence and drunkenness.
Taunt was buried with full military honors, administered by the Portuguese, at Banana Bay, at the mouth of the Congo River. The place of his burial and remains have been lost to history.
Note: Sunday Brunch was quite the extravaganza in the Compass Rose Restaurant. I should have taken an image.
Addendum:
Like Japanese farmers at market, holding tightly to their belt purse.
“Hands-behind back” symbolizes I am not pulling out my wallet, maybe.
Panama,
Los Angeles, CA
Bishop,
Thanks for these wonderful photos and insights. At one time many years ago I tried to assist a Portuguese family to reclaim plantations on San Tome that had been expropriated—it soon proved to be a near impossible task with drugs and oil money all in the mix. I never did go to San Tome but learned a lot about the country in the process. Henry and I did travel to Lisbon to meet with family members for a few days. Henry was the translator and his Portuguese was very good. At the time Exxon (?) was reporting huge oil reserves in San Tome waters.
I spent considerable time in Angola and soon learned that the Portuguese had been excellent colonialists. The bureaucrats were for the most part extremely well trained. I was quite taken back when I visited the central bank and found that our 30 + million dollars was carefully accounted for and accrued interest was accurate to the last penny! They spoke excellent French and many spoke good English. Eduardo Dos Santos was fighting a civil war with Jonas Savimbi. The war had raged for some years. The Russians, Chinese and Cubans supported dos Santos and US and South Africa supported Savimbi. Dos Santos was the typical African thug stealing as much as possible and to hell with the people. Savimbi was indeed a charismatic leader and fighter who financed much of his operation with diamonds smuggled to Brazzaville and on to Israel and Europe. Dos Santos had the upper hand with control of the Angola's vast oil resources. Both dos Santos and Savimbi were also involved (on different sides) of conflicts going on in South Africa.
When I first arrived in Luanda sometime in the late eighties I was struck with the extreme poverty and lack of even modest infrastructure. I was impossible to walk even a city block without passing a citizen maimed by a landmine. It was a tragic sight! Luanda is built on the harbor. Across the bay there was a semblance of a very narrow barrier island or perhaps better a sand bar. There were beautiful beaches but no tourists to enjoy them. An enterprising local had set up a fish restaurant on the sand bar. Aside from the hotel it was really the only place to eat and his fish meals were quite good. There were only a couple of hotels—the better of the two was where practically all foreign visitors stayed. I got my usual room on the third floor looking out on the harbor and docks. I always chose the third floor since any incoming bullets would miss you unless you were dumb enough to stand at the window. From the third floor it would be possible to get out in an emergency.
There was martial law in Luanda and everyone had to be off the streets by 10:00 pm. At about that time small arms fire would start down at the harbor and docks and continue sporadically throughout the night. Some of the action was Savimbi partisans and the rest were bandits engaging dos Santos security people trying to protect the containers on the docks.
In general I would start an operation like this by first calling on the President but I was never ever able to meet with dos Santos. I did meet the minister of finance and a few other supposed politicians. Most importantly I did meet with the authorities at the Central Bank. They received me most cordially and readily acknowledged the debt showing me the meticulous bookkeeping entries for the debt. The senior officials were almost all women. They explained to me that there was no money due to the expenses of the war. I was pretty well informed on how much of the Angolan oil money was ending up in Switzerland and other off shore accounts so I was not too deterred by those comments. I met with the minister of Agriculture and proposed our assistance with subsistence farming if we could find a way to pay the debt. I met with the provincial governor of Cabinda. The governor was desended from Portuguese colonists. He was a staunch communist and supported by the Russians and Chinese. We hit it off and became good friends among other development projects we discussed was his favorite which was the defunct but famous Benguela Railway. Due to the civil war the railway was totallly shut down. It had provided East — West transportation from Zambia in the East to Cabinda on the West coast of Angola. Eventually about 2002 the Chinese put up +/- $ two billion to bring the railroad back to operation.
I digress here to comment on the Chinese investment in Africa—in the 80s and 90s when I was in Africa the Chinese were very active in
in supporting development projects across Africa. They built dams, hydropower plants, soccer stadiums, harbors, roads etc. It seems only recently has the US press given much attention to the huge sums spent by the Chinese in Africa and that thanks to Trumps focus on China. These projects always guaranteed a vote at the UN and were often tied to natural resources oil, minerals, timber etc.
Talking wild projects around the ministries got me noticed and it became apparent I was going to solve the debt problem one way or the other so they had to begin taking me seriously. During this period I met an older but quite attractive woman who was a United Nations envoy. Her name was Abe Selassie. Abe was somehow connected to the famous Ethiopian Selassie family. She seemed to have easy access to just about everyone but the president which led me to believe she also had access to him.. As I observed her I became convinced she was working for the Russians and possibly for the CIA. Her companion was also a highly placed UN official in Angola. We became good friends and she was very helpful. At some point she turned her driver over to me. He was a very bright enterprising young African with excellent English and relatives with important positions in the government. The next trip back I could not locate him—Abe professed no knowledge—those in the hotel with whom he was well acquainted also professed no knowledge and were extremely reluctant to even speak of him. I came to the conclusion that he had somehow somewhere crossed the wrong people—I never heard of him again.
At this point I had become a pretty well know foreigner in Luanda but was not making real progress in solving the debt problem. At one point the communist Portuguese governor of Cabinda arranged a meeting with several of the old line Portuguese land owners and business people that were still left in Angola following the Salazar Revolution of 1975. We discussed development projects and some of the businesses they were attempting to get underway. After lunch the conversation turned lighter to hunting, wildlife etc. I said Luanda does not appear to be a very safe place and they all agreed giving me some helpful tips on how to stay out of trouble. I asked do you carry hand guns and learned it was not allowed. Then one of them pulled up his pant-leg displaying a long rather thin knife strapped to his leg and a some of the others did the same. I should have asked where I could get one of those knives!
Back in New York I had a partner at Sullivan and Cromwell trying to track oil payments based on what we had learned about Sonangol in Angola and research in New York. Once back in New York I called the lawyers and researchers together to review our position. Our partner at S & C said they had discovered a Sonangol entity in Belgium loaded with cash—likely a front company for payments going to politicians etc. This entity was organized and controlled out of Stockholm. We blocked everything in the Belgium company and advised the Angolan Central Bank that we had found a way to repay the debt! We agreed to meet in Stockholm to discuss and find an equitable solution.
S & C arranged for one of Sweden’s finest law firms, Mannheimer Swartling, to represent us. It was dead winter in Stockholm—maybe January—temperatures near zero Fahrenheit. The Angolan Central Bank sent two of their top officers to represent them in the meetings—Helna, the general counsel and Lucinda, the chief economist. Lucinda seemed to have the leadership role. I was well acquainted with both of them having had several meetings with them over the past several months in Luanda. They were both excellent professionals—speaking very good English and French. I had great regard for both of them, we had become friends. The Belgium representative was an arrogant twit. Things went well the first day as we labored to put together an agreement. Clearly Lucinda and Helna had been sent to get a deal done. I felt so sorry for both of them with their very modest African dresses in this cold! They had both purchased coats—likely from used clothing dealer in Luanda who buys bales of used clothing. The coats were very out of style and much to light weight for these freezing temperatures.
The second day started well the Belgium twit suddenly decided he would not proceed. We all tried to convince him that it was his only option but his arrogance got the best of him and he stormed out of the meeting. We were all sitting there in dead silence and the suddenly Lucinda and Helna burst into tears. We decided to go back to the hotels—I was staying nearby at Stockholm’s finest, the Grand and the ladies were somewhere else with much more modest accomodations. I walked between them to the elevator an arm around each one as the tears flowed, I tried to comfort them and tell them that everything would work out.
As soon as I could I called S & C and we lowered the boom on the Belgium company—we told them we would take our money with or without an agreement and if they would not come along we would inform the rest of the world where they could also get paid. The next day the Belgian was contrite, muttering from time to time under his breath. I was very happy for Lucinda and Helna as their cheerful kind personalities showed bright again.
Angola case closed.
The Monk,
Gooseberry, UT
Steve - I loved your description of this hidden corner of the globe! It's interesting that Regent stopped here but not Liberia, which has the most intimate African relationship with the US. and has slowly been recovering from two civil wars and a devastating outbreak of Ebola (which may be the reason for not stopping). I have to admit, however, that there's not much to see or do there if you're not attending an ex-pat tennis or dinner party, which are now probably pretty infrequent!
Took a look at your itinerary - the three days at sea you just had explain how you got the time to cram our inboxes! Enjoy the rest of your cruise and have a great Christmas!
Airstream,
Santa Barbara, CA
Bishop boogies in Takedori, Ghana. Can't straighten image, but, wanted to include it for the record.
At sea.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 17 December 2018
Onboard lecture
Andy Jampoler
CONGO: FROM KISANGANI TO BANANA POINT
Slide: Population distribution by age. Jampoler: "There are not a lot of Congolese out cruising."
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 17 December 2018
Onboard lecture
Andy Jampoler
CONGO: FROM KISANGANI TO BANANA POINT
Slide: Per capita income selected West African nations. Democratic Republic Congo (DRC) lowest of the lot. Barely subsistence living for most citizens of DRC.
Elections coming up in a week. Violence possible. All non essential US diplomatic personnel have left DRC as an abundance of caution.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 17 December 2018
Onboard lecture
Andy Jampoler
CONGO: FROM KISANGANI TO BANANA POINT.
Slide: Democratic Republic of Congo overlaid on map of Europe.
Africa's size, contrasted with her pervasive poverty and hopelessness, is almost too hard to process.
Christianity, vibrant and growing, may offer a way out. All of the nations we have visited are rife with partnerships between local institutions...schools, hospitals...and western branches of many Christian churches.
Chinese government financed projects...roads...dams...are ubiquitous throughout Africa.
Bill Gates has recently warned that lest the American government provide more assistance to Africa, famine will result in the death of millions.
John Bolton, President Trump's foreign policy advisor, just this week, has announced that America is going to ramp up its aid commitment to Africa.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 17 December 2018
Onboard lecture
Andy Jampoler
CONGO: FROM KISANGANI TO BANANA POINT
Slide: Route of Andy Jampoler's and son Jason's 2011 travel down the Congo River...from Kisangani to Banana Point.
River trip was taken to research Jampoler's book, CONGO: THE MISERABLE EXPEDITIONS AND DREADFUL DEATH OF LT. EMORY TAUNT, USN.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 17 December 2018
Onboard lecture
Andy Jampoler
CONGO: FROM KISANGANI TO BANANA POINT
Jampoler shows image of Congo River traffic taken during his trip, with son Jason, down the Congo River in 2011.
River trip was taken to research Jampoler's book, CONGO: THE MISERABLE EXPEDITIONS AND DREADFUL DEATH OF LT. EMORY TAUNT, USN.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer.
Deck Five.
150 miles off coast of Angola
Southbound.
Half hour walking deck five, then seven flights of stairs, then a half hour walking deck twelve.
I like deck five better. I'm closer to the churning white water created by ship's bow. Here there is a real sensation of speed not sensed on deck twelve.
In this image the ship is cranking at 20 knots.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 18 December 2018
11:AM. At sea, southbound, 50 miles off coast of Namibia. Power walk...well...walk, anywayS (hat tip Fish). 18 knot wake.
It's cold outside... 64 degrees...a welcome walking temperature compared to walking in the equatorial heat of a few days ago. Why? We're sailing against the cold Benguela Current flowing north from Antarctica.
The Benguela Current /bɛŋˈɡweɪlə/ is the broad, northward flowing ocean current that forms the eastern portion of the South Atlantic Ocean gyre. The current extends from roughly Cape Point in the south, to the position of the Angola-Benguela front in the north, at around 16°S. The current is driven by the prevailing south easterly trade winds. Inshore of the Benguela Current proper, the south easterly winds drive coastal upwelling, forming the Benguela Upwelling System. The cold, nutrient rich waters that upwell from around 200–300 m depth in turn fuel high rates of phytoplankton growth, and sustain the productive Benguela ecosystem. — in Namibia.
REGENT SEVEN SEAS EXPLORER 18 December 2018
Onboard lecture.
Andy Jampoler.
JOSEPH CONRAD: "HEART OF DARKNESS."
Orphaned son of Polish freedom activists who died in Russian Tsar Alexander forced exile.
Seaman, first for French merchant marine, and then Britain. Travelled widely around the world, subsidized by his maternal uncle when not on a voyage.
Wrote, in English, his fourth language (Polish, Russian, French), of his adventures.
Emotionally and psychically affected by a trip up the Congo River in 1890. Wrote masterpiece 40k word novella, "Heart of Darkness," capturing his sentiments on his river trip. The book is considered one of the great works of fiction in the English language.
Plot: A soldier is sent by Leopold II to travel up the Congo, to locate and bring back a government representative, Kurtz, gone rogue. Kurtz has formed his own private army made up of Belgian soldier cast offs and tribals. Mood becomes darker and stranger the further upriver the search party goes.
"Heart of Darkness," was unapologetically cloned by Francis Ford Coppola to form the plot line for his film masterpiece, filmed in the Philippines, but set on the Mekong River, in Vietnam, during the Vietnam War: "Apocalypse Now." — in Namibia.
REGENT SEVEN SEAS EXPLORER 18 December 2018
Onboard lecture.
Andy Jampoler.
JOSEPH CONRAD. "HEART OF DARKNESS."
Consensus top ten works of Joseph Conrad. — in Namibia.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 18 December 2018.
Prime 7 Restaurant
50 miles from Namiba coast.
Sailing southbound.
Sunset. — in Namibia.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 18 December 2018
Christmas Decorations
Suite 941
I picked up this wood carved, painted Santa at the crafts market in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. This was the best of the crafts markets we have seen to date.
Nice, unique, add to our collection. Now we can carry on our tradition of decorating our Christmas "space" each year with wood carved Santas.
Addendum:
Good you are down there spewing fumes and discharging grey water, not off the coast of Maine.
Privateer,
Hancock, ME
Creating a lot of jobs though.
Above: Walvis Bay, Namibia. 19 December 2018.
Out there...Namib Desert! Namibia!
Beyond the coastal Namib desert, which reminds of the Atacama coastal desert of Chile and the Paracas coastal desert of Peru, is a central plateau region of semi arid landscape, on the other side of which, is another desert... the famed Kalahari desert. Beyond that, ie. to the east, is South Africa, Zambia, and Botswana. There is a weird quirk of geography, the Caprivi Strip, that allows Namibia a few hundred meters of coast line on the Zambesi River. In one part of the Caprivi Strip, Zimbabwe is only 200 feet across the river from Namibian territory. While on floating safari in Chobe National Park of Botswana in 2013, our guide took us to the point in the river where the Nabian Caprivi Strip intersected with the Zambezi River. We could see Namibia, at that point, but, we didn't make land fall.
Walvis Bay Is Namibia's major deep water port. A railway line connects Walvis Bay to Namibia's capital, Windhoek, two hundred miles east.
Germany lost Namibia as a colonial possession after WWI. Namibia was declared a British mandate at Versailles and the country was folded in to the post WWI British managed Republic of South Africa.
Namibia, with a population of only 2.5 million, was more or less a part of South Africa, until 1988 when it gained its independence. From the mid 70's through independence an insurgent group aligned with the Soviet block, SWAPO, fought a low grade war with South Africa to achieve Namibian independence. This movement was aligned with similar movements in Angola, where Soviet advisors and Cuban troops fought against a democratic government backed by Portugal.
In 1988, Namibian independence from South Africa was secured as a result of a UN and US supported treaty arrangement guaranteeing a democratic government in Namibia.
Namibia is prosperous in African terms. Namibia is rich in natural resources. Diamonds. Gold. Oil. There is extensive wildlife both in national and private preserves. Namibia's per capita income of $14 K is less than South Africa's at $25 K, but well beyond the average, and depressingly low average per capita income level of $2000 in most of the countries we have visited during our cruise down the coast of West Africa.
For that select group that likes to do international motorcycle touring, Namibia is a prime destination for great riding.
Some of the same land redistribution issues South Africa is facing are also Namibian concerns. 400 white farmers own one half of the arable land in Namibia. There are discussions ongoing that seek to redistribute some of that land to qualified black African farmers.
Image from 11th deck of Regent Seven Seas Explorer. — at Namport, Port of Walvis Bay.
Above: Pelicans. Walvis Bay Lagoon. Walvis Bay, Namibia. 19 December 2018.
Most of our excursions to date on the cruise have been cultural... city sites... villages etc. To break the pattern, we took a wildlife tour offered by Regent.
The tour guide said it would be about birds... and so it was, for the most part. But, there were a couple of surprises.... including on of our top ten all time wild life sightings.
Above: Pied Avocets. Pelican Point. Walvis Bay, Namibia. 19 December 2018.
20x telephoto. Panasonic Lumix Leica Lens.
Above: Cape Teal Family. Pelican Point. Walvis Bay, Namibia. 19 December 2018.
Above: Greater Flamingos. Pelican Point. Walvis Bay, Namibia. 19 December 2018.
Throughout the tour, there were great flocks of these birds, in the water, and flying around. In flight, the underside of each wing has a splotch of red. The effect is beautiful.
Above: Oyster Catchers. Pelican Point. Walvis Bay Namibia. 19 December 2018.
Captured at 30x telephoto with Panisonic Lumix Leica Lens camera.
Very proud of this image since I was lucky to get it. Our guide pointed out the birds at great distance.... too far to get an image, even with my Lumix.
These birds are notoriously skittish. I crept up on them... taking an image ever 20 feet or so, knowing that the last of the images I took before they took flight would be the best image I would get.
This image, very satisfactory, was the last one I got, from about 200 feet away, before they flew off.
I've captured good images of Oyster Catchers in Alaska and in Patagonia.
Above: TIMDT observes Lesser Flamingos. Pelican Point. Walvis Bay, Namibia.
There were an amazing amount of birds at Pelican Point. This reminds of the wonderful bird tour TIMDT and Mwah (sic) took in the Falkland Islands in 2010.
Above: Oil drilling platform is from Angola undergoing maintenance. Walvis Bay, Namibia. 19 December 2018.
Walvis Bay is nearest deep water harbor where the fix can be accomplished.
The newest platforms are self propelled. No tugs required.
Above: Coral Plant. Pelican Point. Walvis Bay, Namibia. 19 December 2018.
Edible. Apparently coral plant can be prepared in a salad, or, baked, as a garnish, with fish and other vegetables.
Above: Seals. Pelican Point. Walvis Bay, Namibia. 19 December 2018.
Check out the babies. According to the guide, half the baby seals in the herd have to be culled to insure herd health. There are no predators for this animal.
Above: Seal herd. Pelican Point. Walvis Bay, Namibia. 19 December 2018.
Who knew this many seals could be concentrated in one spot?
This sight goes on for three miles around the tip of the point to the South Atlantic Ocean side.
The seal baying noise is omnipresent and intense.
This has to rank as a top ten wildlife sighting if only for its sheer scope.
Walvis Bay, Namibia. — at Pelican Point.
Above: Black backed jackal. Pelican Point, Walvis Bay, Namibia. 19 December 2018.
These animals feed on dead seals. They are pervasive and easily seen at Pelican Point.
30x telephoto. Panasonic Lumix Leica Lens.
Above: Push Me Pull You. Pelican Point, Walvis Bay, Namibia. 19 December 2018
Vehicle on right tows one of our excursion vehicles, stymied up to the hubs in deep sand . — at Pelican Point.
Above: TIMDT. Dunes Mall. Walvis Bay, Namibia. 19 December 2018.
This mall was a bit of a surprise after having spent the previous two weeks in very impoverished looking countries.
Perfect in every respect.
Are these kids mimicking the moves of the Pips, or, is it the other way around? Evidence that African rhythms and dance made it's way into R and B and other popular Western music.
Concert is in Constellation Theater, on board Regent Seven Seas Explorer, while berthed at Walvis Bay, Namibia . — at Namport, Port of Walvis Bay.
Above: Port of Walvis Bay. Walvis Bay, Namibia. 18 November 2018.
Image from observation lounge of Regent Seven Seas Explorer on departure for Cape Town, 750 nautical miles distant. — at Namport, Port of Walvis Bay.
Above: Millenium Lounge. Regent Seven Seas Explorer. Wavis Bay, Namibia. 18 December 2018.
Bond 'n Bridge boogy.
Bond summarizes cruise to date:
Only two more days for:
1. Great food.
2. Fantastic entertainment.
3. Fabulous bed.
4. Outstanding shower.
Addendum:
Steve
Seeing the per capita income chart is fascinating. 50 years ago, Zimbabwe then Southern Rhodesia had the second highest per capita income in Africa. South Africa' s income was 4 times Zimbabwe which was 4 times country number three. At that time Zimbabwe was the largest food exporting country in Africa. Today Zimbabwe does not register in per capita income and has to import food. The food importing is not a result of population growth but a collapse in farm production. The land could support the population but the government appropriated privately owned farms causing production levels to collapse.
The POPE
Naples, FL
I remember that book being a turning point for me interest in serious literature. I have since read many novels about Africa and the developing world, in particular. I am not sure they read this book anymore in high schools. I was sorely disappointed when speaking to the 10th grade teacher at Rowland Hall that they do not read and memorize Chaucer in Old English anymore. Dumbed down version only :(. And, lot’s of books that don’t hurt people’s feelings…...
FeeBee
Park City, UT
At sea.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer. SSE bound. Cranking. 20 knots. Off west coast of South Africa.20 December 2018.
Seas two meters. 66 degrees F. Wind 20 knots from the NNW. Hoist the spinnaker!
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 20 December 2018.
Onboard lecture.
Andy Jampoler
THE BOER WAR
1652. The Dutch started Cape Town as a way station to re-provision far east shipping.
Some Dutch stayed, started farms.
1805. Brits come to Cape Town for anti French strategic reasons during Napoleonic Wars.
1830. Loner Dutch, now called Boers, chafe under British authority, administration and rule making. In great trek north, they found Transvaal, Orange Free State, and Natal state.
1860's to 1880's. Gold and diamonds discovered in Boer lands. Boers want to farm...not interested in bling. But, in search of wealth, outsiders, including British business interests, flood Boer lands.
1902. Brits win second Boer War...annex Boer states.
1910. Union of South Africa formed. Paul Kruger, canny, fundamentalist Boer leader secures self rule from Brits for Orange Free State and Transvaal for all but foreign policy, which remains with Britain.
Independence from Britain in 1961. Union of South Africa formed. Fundamentalist Boers remain influential in government and push for, and succeed in getting Apartheid...formalized racial division.
Ummm.... what other Christian religious movements do we know of who chafed under government authority and made a great pioneer trek (or the equivalent sea voyage) in search of religious and societal freedom? The American colonists fared better than the Boers, leveraging the assistance of the French to enable their independence from the British. And, of course, the LDS, who, like the Boers, never fully were able to separate from their oppressor, this time, the United States, following their great trek west to the Great Basin of North America.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 20 December 2018.
Onboard lecture.
Andy Jampoler
THE BOER WAR
Troop strength of combatants in 2nd Boer War, 1899 to 1902.
Brits had to learn a new way to fight. Boers lived and knew the land. Excellent horsemanship. Well armed. Fought from the.shadows. Guerilla fighters. In the end, the Brits prevailed with greater numbers. Also, the Boers were unsuccessful in ginning up international support, like, for example, the American colonists did in securing French support.
Winston Churchill was a young newspaper reporter who worked his way to the front. He was captured by the Boers and imprisoned. He made a miraculous escape from prison, became a national hero at home, and launched his storied political career.
Almost exactly two years ago, I completed reading Candace Millard's "Hero of the Empire," the story of Winston Churchill's brief, but amazing experience, written by Candace Millard. In August 2016, I had read the first of Ramachandra Guha's two part biography on Gandhi, "Gandhi before India." So, Gandhi's experience in South Africa was fresh on my mind. It struck me as interesting that these two great antagonists-to-be were also players in the Boer War, though not acquainted (as far as is known) at the time.
Gandhi, then a South African solicitor, who had become an advocate for "coloreds'" freedom from British segregation rules in South Africa, set aside his fight with the Brits during the Boer war to lead a column of stretcher bearers for the British Army.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer
Onboard lecture.
Andy Jampoler
THE BOER WAR
First attempt at federation between new Boer states, Transvaal and Orange Free State, and British controlled Cape Colony, in 1875, failed. Full federation not achieved until 1910.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 20 December 2018.
Onboard lecture.
Andy Jampoler
THE BOER WAR
Jampoler's summary slide listing his lectures during our December 2018 sailing down the west coast of Africa.
His lectures made for a fantastic overview of west African history as we sailed Diaz and Da Gama's route from Lisbon to Cape Town.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 20 December 2018.
Starboard.
Cabin 941
Channeling Vasco da Gama
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 20 December 2018
Gingerbread scene.
I gotta say...these guys (Regent) go all out.
Still, I was a bit disappointed by the surfeit of secular Christmas music, with no traditional carols, being played over the ship's PA in public areas.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer 20 December 2018.
Ship entertainment team
Constellation Theater
River Dance move over
Addendum:
Your wild life photos brought back memories of my South East African motorcycle ride. We rode through five countries south Africa Botswana Zambia Malawi and terminated the trip in Dar es Salaam Tanzania. We did a similar boat trip in the same area were you were describing on the Zambezi River. We had safaris in Kruger national Park, Chobe national Park and Mikuni national park in Tanzania. The wildlife was incredible and one gentleman came along just to do photography. By the way, Jim Hunter, Henry Black and I bunged off of the Victoria Falls Bridge. It’s a long drop! Glad to see you got off the ship and back to Mother Nature for a while.
ITYW,
San Angelo, TX
ITYW. Sounds like the exact same trip I went on at the exact same time! PS. Let's look for an opportunity to do another ride half way between us next year.
Love to read your travelogues. Namibia is a country I would like to see. The desert there is one of the driest and hottest on earth, if my recollection is accurate. I have read many Wilbur Smith books and in a couple of them they talk of travelling across the Namibian Desert with Sand people, the pigmy like folks. The thing I would like to see is the riot of color that occurs in springtime with blooming wildflowers for mile after mile. That may not extend into Namibia. I am sure it happens along that coast in the northerly reaches of South Africa.
I think John Hardy would be very informative to LSDM.
Come home safely.
Ray,
Park City, UT
Above: Cruisers with Roy, Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 21 December 2018.
Pianist, Observation Lounge, who regaled us with "escape" during cocktail hours.
Roy is from Toronto, and currently lives in Romania when he's not working on a ship.
Roy's "escape" piano repertoire was backed up by an electronic instrumental track.
Above: TIMDT and Table Mountain. Cape Town, South Africa. 21 December 2018.
TIMDT observes iconic mountain as ship eases into port.
We were last here in 1996 with Cape Town being the destination port of a cruise we began in Mombasa, Kenya.
Above: Statue. Nelson Mandela. City Hall, Cape Town, South Africa. 21 January 2018.
Nelson Mandela statue stands at City Hall spot, outdoors, where he gave his address to Cape Town public at time of South Africa's abolition of apartheid. — in Cape Town City Hall.
I captured the image on the fly as the bus drove by. I photo shopped the image to focus on the Mandela statue alone.
Above: Table Mountain Tram. Cape Town, South Africa. 21 January 2018.
Circular floor of tram rotates so as to give fifty riders a 360 degree view on the way up or down.
Above: Bridge 'n TIMDT survey Cape Town from atop Table Mountain. — at Table Mountain Aerial Cableway. 21 January 2018.
Above: Cape Town from atop Table Mountain. 21 January 2018.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer can be seen, berthed, at the center of the image.
Addendum:
Steve,
On one of my visits to Abidjan when I was doing the WCG for Africa and the Middle East, I had Kay with me. I had a good friend from my government days in Laos who stayed with the State Department and was Charge d’ Affairs when we were there as the American Ambassador was out of the country. He had the Ambassador’s car with the diplomatic plates. We were having dinner in a Vietnamese restaurant in a close in suburb of Abidjan where most of the diplomatic residences were and where expatriates and the wealthy locals lived. We were the only people there.
All of a sudden we noticed the restaurant staff had disappeared, it became very quiet and my friend who was facing the front door said “don’t move and do whatever they say”. Next thing I knew there was a pistol at Kay’s head and there were two men with stockings over their heads and faces. We were told hands in the air and to give them the keys to the car, which my friend did. The two men left not asking for watches or jewelry. We learned the next day that a similar event took place at the residence of the French Ambassador and this time they collected jewelry. One woman was so hysterical that she could not get her rings off her fingers and she was shot dead. We were lucky all they wanted was the car which they could use cross the border into Ghana with the diplomatic plates.
We were very lucky! The joys of doing business in parts of Africa in the 1980’s and ’90’s
Tom,
Aspen, CO
I did the trans African ride in 2008. It was a Burt trip with Eligio Arturi and Rikus Visser as guides. I’m looking forward to some riding this spring and hope I will be sharing some of that with you. I purchased a new R 1200 RS in February of this year and it’s turned out to be the best sport touring bike i’ve owned. Also this fall I took a ride and went to Antelope Canyon in Page Arizona, it’s a slot canyon in Navajo territory and is really spectacular. I got a really good deal on the bike as it was a 2016 with 11 miles. It’s the easiest riding bike I have ever owned. Anyway hope to see you this spring.
ITYW
I enjoyed being with you on the Africa trip. Antelope Canyon is neat. The next time you head that, or my, direction, let me know. I could meet you some place.
Above: TIMDT 'n Bridge survey Atlantic Ocean, from near the Cape Point lighthouse. Beyond the lighthouse, and visible, a kilometer distant, is the Cape of Good Hope, long, but, falsely, considered the southernmost point of the African continent.
Bartholomew Diaz, the first European to reach this point, in referred to this point as the Cape of Storms. For good reason.... there are many ship wrecks in the treacherous seas around the southern section of Africa. To encourage further trade in the east, the King of Portugal changed the name to "Cape of Good Hope."
The southernmost point of Africa is actually Cape Aguilhas about 90 miles to the east. The currents of the two oceans (Indian and Atlantic) meet at the point where the warm-water Agulhas current meets the cold-water Benguela current and turn back on themselves. The meeting point of the currents... and hence, the effective dividing point between the two oceans fluctuates between Cape Agulhas and Cape Point.
Above: Baboon. Cape Point, Western Cape, South Africa. 22 December 2018.
Guide says to stay away from these sharp finger nailed animals as they can be aggressive.
Above: Succulent. Penguins Beach. Cape Town, South Africa. 22 December 2018
Succulent in image is same as one in our kitchen area. Ours sits on a counter, grows about four inches a year, and is within an inch of the ceiling. If we keep it, we'll have to move it to the floor.
Judging from the size of the imaged plants here, we'll have to get rid of ours soon enough. — at Penguins Beach South Africa.
Above: TIMDT (or her hat) observes penguins at Penguins Beach. Cape Town, South Africa.
Formerly called the Jackass Penguin, authorities, succumbing to political correctness renamed the bird, The African Penguin. This colony, now around 3000 birds has been as high as 10,000 birds and lower than 2000 birds. Their numbers are on the upswing.
Some naturalists are concerned that the small fish, including sardines, that the birds feed on, are disappearing from these waters.
Above; Opheophillia. Zeitz Mocaa museum of contemporary art. Cape Town, South Africa. 23 December 2018.
Snakes on a plane?
Work by Frances Goodman. Medium: finger nail covers. (!)
The piece has to do with consumerism, the objectification of women, and the absurd standards of beauty promulgated by movies and the media.
Zeitz MOCAA is South Africa's answer to DIA Beacon on the Hudson..
To be sure, there's some fascinating stuff la dedans...
...but is it "art?"
Robert Smithson, eat your heart out. At least Opheophillia is not a pile of glass or a spiral jetty!
Above: Golden Man (on the right). Zeitz MOCAA museum of contemporary art. Cape Town, South Africa. 23 December 2018.
Above: Designs of contemporary South African fashion designers. Zeitz MOCAA museum of contemporary art. Cape Town, South Africa. 23 December 2018.
The fashions were interesting.... but, is it art?
Above: Slave trade water color. Zeitz MOCAA museum of contemporary art. Cape Town, South Africa. 23 December 2018.
If you have the time, MOCAA is an interesting place to visit. Many of the expressions therein seem to come from a rage at the plight of black Africa... its poverty and backwardness. Rage alternates with black pride in the beautiful tapestries and avant guard sculptures (see above).
But, as I said, is much of this art? While many of the so called artistic expressions are interesting, I maintain that there is a difference between Goya's masterpiece, La Maja Denuda,(say) and contemporary art. Few so-called contemporary artists... anywhere in the world... could create a La Maja Denuda, but a high percentage of creative types could do a Smithson Spiral Jetty, given a bull dozer and a few rocks. So called modern, contemporary art, seems to me to be more an engineering exercise than an artistic one.
I'm not saying that MOCAA is not worth visiting. It is. There are creative expressions here that provoke reflection... like the slave walk image above. If that's your definition of great art... well, OK, its great art. But, its not my definition of great art.
Above: Pineapple flower. Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden. Cape Town, South Africa. 23 December 2018.
Above: Blossoming Cape Chestnut, TIMDT, at foot of back of Table Mountain. — at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. 23 December 2018.
There was a Sunday rock concert scheduled at Kirstenbosch at 7:00 PM. We were there at 4:00 PM and hundreds of would be concert goers, replete with coolers, lawn chairs, and Frisbees were patiently waiting in line along the garden walkways. It was warm... 85 degrees. I wouldn't wait for any band act that long in the heat. But, that's just me. Also, this was one of those first come first served concerts where people would rush in to lay their blankets in the best space. To much hassle for me. But, festive, here, for sure.
Parked cars lined the road leading to the garden. The ratio of Porches, Audis, Land Rovers and Mercs was high... surprising. South Africa per capita income is high for Africa but far from the developed country levels. Unemployment is high. Government corruption sucks away much of the productive potential of the country. Yet, Cape Town stands out as a location that could substitute for Malibu, Venice, Palm Beach or Sarasota. South Africa is a bit like Brazil (California?) where there are large income and living standard gaps between rich and poor. Yet there are enough "rich" to create exclusive subdivisions, five star hotels, and upscale shopping and restaurants.
The sea side setting, with Table Mountain as a back drop, is, of course, stunning... adding to the attraction of Cape Town.
People are coming to Cape Town. Thirty cruise ships a year come. Cape Town is doubling the size of its convention center. One of our guides pointed out that the cost of upscale housing is rising to European levels so many are the expatriates moving in to Cape Town to retire.
Above: Tiny TIMDT. Big African mahogany tree. — at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. 23 December 2018.
We loved Kirstenbosch the first time we visited it in 1996. We hung back from today's ship's tour to some quaint Western Cape towns and a couple of wineries. We had done winery visits on our previous visit... and, TIMDT wanted to get some shopping in at the V and A Wharf. We came by the MOCAA via serendipity. After museum and shopping we decided to avoid the holiday hoards and return to our hotel, The Westin, for lunch. We made the decision to go to Kirsenbosch on a lark, hired a car and driver at the hotel and off we went.
Bond and Bridge reported that the winery tours, village visits and lunch were excellent.
Above: Tree Canope Walk. — at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. 23 December 2018.
Above: Cape Goose. Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden. Cape Town, South Africa. 23 December 2018.
Above: Baia Fish Restaurant. V and A Wharf. Cape Town, SA. 23 December 2018.
I had a calamari appetizer and Kingklip. TIMDT had sea bass. All fresh.
Bond, Bridge, and TIMDT are seen at a table midway into the image.
Iconic Table Mountain looms in the back ground.
Cape Town is a source of Amazement. V and A Wharf is loaded with spectacular restaurants... food and service are top class. Fisherman's Wharf in SF seems a little antiquated compared to this. And, I suspect the fish these days is better in Cape Town.
People from around the world are milling around... shopping... going on boat tours... taking helicopter rides. Bands featuring African rhythms play in various locations.
Note: The kingklip was terrific. TIMDT, however, would not order the fish because Bond told her, that notwithstanding the excellence of the fish as a dish, the real fish itself, a deep ocean swimmer, was really ugly.
Above: Kingklip.
Above: Music. V and A Wharf. Cape Town, SA. 23 December 2018.
Its about the music. It's always about the music.
Above: Moonrise. V and A Wharf. Cape Town, South Africa. 23 December 2018.
Addendum:
Pictures bring back memories of our
Trip/ loved the penguin beach...
wine tastings.
Montage,
Marina del Rey, CA
Above: Vineyards. National Route One. Western Cape. South Africa. 24 December 2018.
NR 1 is the route from Cape Town to Johannesburg, a twelve hour trip by car. NR1 follows the path of the Great Trek of the Boers in 1836.
The Great Trek was an eastward migration of Dutch-speaking settlers who travelled by wagon trains from the Cape Colony into the interior of modern South Africa from 1836 onwards, seeking to live beyond the Cape's British colonial administration.
Many years ago I had read Michner's great historical novel, "The Covenant," about the history of South Africa. Michner's description of the Boer Trek reminded me of another great migration, that of the LDS, from Winter Quarters, Nebraska, to the Great Basin, in 1847. My ancestors made the LDS journey from 1847 to 1857. I have always been struck by the interesting parallel between the Boer and LDS migrations. Both groups sought a degree of freedom and autonomy from administrative entities which inhibited their living life in the way that they wanted to. Both groups were to undergo great persecution, and in the case of the Boer's, significant loss of life to their British oppressors, seventy years later in two wars against the British. Interestingly, in 1857, the LDS were on the point of a similar war, this time with the US government. Hostilities were avoided, but the imminent conflict is still referred to as the Utah War.
But, its for reasons of the parallels between the Boers and the LDS that Michner's account of the Boers trek and subsequent conflicts with the British remained emblazoned in my mind. I was thrilled today, albeit for a couple of hours, to follow the terrain of the Great Trek and to imagine the grit of people willing to take wagons through this hostile territory.
Today, land at the beginning of the Great Trek has been tamed with beautiful vineyards intersperced between hostile, dry, craggy ranges.
Above: Crags. Western Cape. National Route One. South Africa. 24 December 2018.
The ranges here are mixtures of sedimentary and granite. Though the ranges were uplifted within the last one hundred million years, the rock is old, going back to the Cambrian, 500 million years ago.
Above: Rhino. Aquila Safari Park. Western Cape. South Africa. 24 December 2018.
Aquila is a five thousand hectare private animal reserve, two hours north of Cape Town via National Route One (NR1) dedicated to preserving and advancing the size of herds of endangered species, or helping specific other animals which may be injured so as to not be able to survive in their natural habitat. The facility has been turned into a hotel/restaurant/spa location where relaxation - there's a nice restaurant, pool and cabanas - and sun can be combined with seeing African animals in a non zoo setting. The terrain is dry, and not the normal habitat of most of the animals resident there. Water is made available in artificial reservoirs via drilling and pumping.
Look. If you are going to Africa to see wild animals, you don't go to Cape Town. However, if you are in Cape Town for other reasons and are interested in seeing a facsimile of animals in nature, Aquila can satisfy your need. Animal lovers go out in open recreational vehicles with a guide/driver to see the animals just as is the case in a traditional national game park like Kruger.
About a mile or so from the preserve headquarters, we found a group of nine Rhinos, including a couple of juveniles, hanging out, browsing the grass. The sight seems natural. There is no fence separating you from the animals.
On three occasions, at different game parks around Africa, I have seen Rhino's, but, never more than one at a time. In my experience, of the big five, rhinos are the second most difficult, after the leopard, animal to spot on a ranger led photo safari.
The park guide, who talked a little too much for everyone... but, hey, he tried hard... pointed out the preserve's virtue in harboring these rhino, considering that throughout Africa the rhino continues to dwindle to poaching. Our guide said that even here at the Aquila preserve they had lost a rhino to poaching in the last year.
It is amazing to see these huge animals, in abundance, in an open setting. If Aquila's story is right, they seem to be doing a good thing.
Above: Frick and Frack. Aquila Safari Preserve. Western Cape, South Africa. 24 December 2018.
Above: Who gnu? Aquila Safari Preserve. Western Cape. 24 December 2018
Above: Cape Mountain Zebra. Aquila Safari Preserve. Western Cape, South Africa. 24 December 2018.
This animal is the smallest of the three zebra varieties and is found only in the southern part of Africa. If any of the animals we saw today was in its natural habitat, this one was the one.
I'm thinking of submitting this image for a national wildlife in action competition.
Above: Eland. Aquila Safari Preserve. Western Cape. South Africa. 24 December 2018.
The largest of the 35 or so varieties of antelope found in Africa.
It is not as large as the nielguy, or blue bull antelope of the sub continent.
Above: Giraff. Aquila Safari Preserve. Western Cape. South Africa. 24 December 2018.
Big heart to pump blood to the head. 40% mortality rate, new births.
Above: Male Lion. Acquila Safari Preserve. Western Cape, South Africa. 24 December 2018.
Image captured at 30x telephoto by the Lumix. A sharp eyed passenger spotted the lion in the almost too far to see distance while the RV was stopped as the driver/guide was giving us a lecture on lions.
We were all trying to spot the distant lions (we spotted another one) and get whatever shots of it we could, while the guide wanted us to redirect our attention towards his spiel. We would see the lions soon enough when we drover up closer, he said. Notwithstanding, I was on the right side of the vehicle and I angled to get this image... which, I think is a pretty good one.
Note: We never saw the lions again other than when visible at the top of these rocks, where the lion stands in the image. My image is the best image I could get of a lion today.
OK. Full disclosure. The lion is de-clawed and is in a 20 acre enclosure along with the one other male and 5 female lions, similarly declawed. The lions in the park could not be allowed to roam free as, soon enough, there would be no other animals. So, the lions are fed by the park rangers.
Like I said, you won't find the quintessential African wild life experience in the Cape Town area... but, if this (Acquila Safari Preserve) is all you've got, its better than nothing. Nothing prevents me from channeling David Yarrow, award winning photographer of African wildlife, as I contemplate the image I took here. I mean, who's to know that this animal is behind a fence and can't feed himself. Its a good picture, common!
Above: Frick and Frack. Aquila Safari Preserve. Western Cape. South Africa. 24 December 2018.
Above: TIMDT, Bridge, Comic Mom, Bond, Maharaja, and Bishop. Christmas Eve Cocktails. Mt. Nelson Hotel. Capetown, South Africa. 24 December 2018.
It was neat to meet with good friends in such neat place. Mt. Nelson is the quintessential, old, colonial era hotel, still kept up to the highest standards. Think Raffles in Singapore or Coronado in San Diego.
Above: Bishop, TIMDT, Bond and Bridge. The Greek Fisherman Restaurant. V and A Wharf. Capetown, South Africa. 24 December 2018.
Christmas Eve.
Bridge birthday.
May Bridge's next 39 years be lived with as much elan and cheer as her first thirty nine!
Merry Christmas! 25 December 2018. Cape Town International Airport.
If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner. Nelson Mandela — with Margaret Taylor at Cape Town International Airport.
Above: Cape Town from the air. 25 December 2018.
Cape Town is head turner in all respects.
V and A Waterfront every bit Inner Harbor, South Street Seaport, or Pier 39. Squint and see Malibu.
Kirstenbosch, Mt. Nelson Hotel...all world class. — at Cape Town International Airport.
Above: Western Cape between 20 and 80 miles north of Cape Town. 25 December 2018.
Craggy ranges between which are vineyards.
Above: Mural on MOCAA Museum. V and A Wharf. Capetown, SA.
African Royalty? At least one artist's conception.
Above: Water warning. V and A Wharf. Cape Town, South Africa.
Water level here, of course, is the sea and the sign refers to the tide.
The intent of the sign is to call attention to the draught in Western Cape. One of our guides told us that the pressure is off a bit as the reservoirs are now 70% full. Still, he says, water restrictions are still on. He and his family are limited to 60 litres of water a day.
There were no restrictions imposed on hotel guests at the Westin where we stayed.
Above: A380. O. R. Tambo (Johannesburg) International Airport. 25 December 2018.
First time fly on an A380. A Christmas present of sorts, I guess.
Outrageously Gratuitous Generalization about Africa
I can't get out of my head the images of hundreds of seemingly happy African children with no hope. There are children everywhere. Throughout most of Africa over half the population is under the age of twenty.
Africa is an aggregation of failed states.
Through the colonial period.. from the late nineteenth century to circa 1960, there was, the degree of such depending on the colonial power, abuse and exploitation, but, progress was made as well. The French worked hard to upgrade the lives of Africans setting up sound administration, education, and economic development policies. By 1960, there were fifteen African representatives in France's National Assembly. There was not equality between races, for sure, but there was progress for the masses. England, similarly, worked to improve the lives of the citizens of her colonial possessions. So did the Portuguese. The Belgians, the exceptions, stand out as ruthless, cruel exploiters.
In 1960 most African countries under colonial supervision, full of natural resources, with nascent industrial activity, were enjoying 5% to 6% GDP growth rates with benefits spreading to the general population.
But, in each African country, during the '50s, there arose an independence movements... often, but, not always, Communist inspired. Essentially self rule, for these leaders, (personal power and wealth?) was deemed to be the higher goal even at the risk of their country's losing economic momentum. Most of the revolutionary movements assured their people, with no specific plans in hand, that economically, things would improve.
Colonial powers eventually gave in. Some of the separations of newly independent countries from colonial powers were peaceful... Kwame Nkruma and Ghana. Others, were violent... Patrice Lumumba and Congo. 500 thousand were killed before DeGaulle allowed Algeria to opt for independence. By 1965, most African countries had achieved their independence... exception Mozambique and Angola where the Portuguese hung on to their "possessions" for another ten years.
Post independence, admittedly generalizing bigly here, things have gotten worse. Africa suffers under leaders for whom self aggrandizement and accumulation of personal wealth via exploitation of natural resources has trumped establishing developmental programs which would advance economic progress for the people. Nelson Mandela and Leopold Segnhor were rare exceptions to the rule of bad African leadership.
Mock my colonialist proclivities if you want to, but, colonialism worked a heck of a lot better than the corrupt, destructive, despotic rule of African leaders following national independence.
Seeing the happy, hopeful faces of thousands of African kids this month, and realizing, that on current trajectory, there is no hope for them, is heart breaking.
China has stepped up, but in ways to dominate (debt traps), not empower. Western aid is a waste, going into the pockets of the corrupt elites and NGO middle men. Church and private programs are helping (praise be to those engaged), but, are more of a band aid than game changers.
So short of opportunity at home, Africans are naturally working their way north. Bringing in African accountants and computer programmer immigrants is one thing, but, bringing in the poor, unskilled hungry and destitute at scale is quite another.
And, yes, it impacts culture.
Hunker down.
First World Anecdotes
Table 3 Verandah Restaurant. Regent Seven Seas Explorer
Lunch, a week or so into the cruise. TIMDT and Mwah (sic) secured table three, a two seat table next to a starboard side window in the usual way. We took our napkins from our place settings and laid them on the backs of the chairs. TIMDT left her key card wallet at her place setting. The waiter came up and took an iced tea order from TIMDT. We then proceeded to the buffet table.
I returned first. There was a guy, about my age sitting in my seat, already with food on his plate. I thought, what the heck, it wasn't worth making a to do about... I sat down at another empty table near by. I would wave my new location to TIMDT when she returned. I did not see the man look up as I approached the table.
I decided to let TIMDT's return to the table to play itself out... ie. not wave at her from my new location, immediately, on seeing her.
Carrying her plate of food, she walked unwittingly right up to Table 3. As she tells the story, "I walked up to the table thinking the guy was you, Steve. Like you, he had short gray hair... like you he had a beard... like you he was fat :-), like you he was wearing a black t shirt. He was looking into his food as I walked up to the table. Then, I looked carefully. For too long a long moment, I thought I was going nuts. I looked around the room and saw you smiling and waving at me to come. I left my iced tea at "my" place setting, picked up my card wallet and came over to you."
I gave TIMDT kind of an apology (not really) for not warning her more quickly that our table had been sequestered. The waiter came over: "I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, I told the man that the table was taken and he ignored me. I told my supervisor and she said,'well, if the Taylors have found another table, lets just let the situation go.' Is there anything I can do for you now?" TIMDT: "Well, I never seem to be able to find the wonderful coconut centered chocolate cookies made in the ship's bakery any place." The waiter, an Indian kid from Mumbai, made, right there a personal trip to the ship's bakery and retrieved for cookies for TIMDT. He advised, "I've given an instruction to the hotel staff to deliver four cookies every day to your suite." And sure enough, for the remainder of the voyage, ten days or so, the coconut centered cookies were delivered daily to our suite.
Of course we dropped the matter of "Table Three," but revived it, amongst ourselves, occasionally, including with our travel companions, perplexed about what the hell happened. OK... so I didn't forget about it!!! "I want that clown off the ship... NOW!"
NOTE: The contrast between our luxurious travel circumstances and the squalid, struggling locales we would see as we followed Diaz 1488 route down the African coast was striking and.... well.... difficult to process. The world virtue signals its guilt for the plight of Africa. But, in reality, not much is getting done to jump start a broken continent.
Tour Bus Rights
Tour bus. Forty six passengers. Average age 65. One guide.
We were assigned Group One, Bus 2 from the time we exited the ship in Cape Town. There were four tours on the same bus, same guide during our Cape Town stay.
There is always someone who tries to get the front seat so as to get an unrestricted view of the road ahead. I can't say that I haven't been that person from time to time in my life. But, there was a sixtyish German couple that went to extra lengths to obtain the seat. They would leave the ship earlier than authorized, rush to the assigned bus, put something, a hat etc., on the seat and then go back to where the group was waiting for official authorization for their group to join the bus.
I stayed with the group. But, I can't deny that, often following Bridge, I would up the pace to arrive at the bus sooner than the others, in the hopes that I could get preferred seating. Arriving at the bus on the last tour day, 24 December 2018, I saw that the best seats had already been commandeered with hats and bags on the seat. I shrugged and found the "next best" seat, sometimes putting my cap on an adjacent pair of seats if Bridge and Bond were behind me.
Several minutes later, startled by loud talking, I looked up to the front of the bus to see the German guy "giving words" to a "handicapped" woman and her husband, who had taken the front seat, notwithstanding it having been marked by the German couple (who were fluent English speakers). The commotion ended with the tour guide, John, affirming that the handicapped person should have the right to the front seat. Some people on the bus clapped when this right was affirmed by John.
There are two schools of thought here... for me, if not for you.
1. It is now an international protocol that handicapped people should be given preferred seating.
2. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. (Spock. "The Wrath of Khan.)"
Sorry. I come down on number 2, at least in this case. Hate me if you want. I've seen too much abuse of the handicapped "rule." In the case of our brouhaha on the bus, the woman in question did have a cane and walked with a limp. But, she was otherwise ambulatory, albeit a bit slow. Had it been me, I would never have put myself in a position to block, or slow, the other passengers. I would have located a place on the bus where I could get off last. I'm jaded, I guess, having played tennis with a bunch of geezers who would joke about angling with their doctor to successfully gain handicapped parking permits.
Tour Bus Passenger Questions to John, tour guide.
Are elephants afraid of mice?
Did somebody build those buildings over there?
Note: There but for the grace of God go I.
Addendum:
That was my impression when I visited in 1973.
“Yet, Cape Town stands out as a location that could substitute for Malibu, Venice, Palm Beach or Sarasota.”
Panama,
Los Angeles, CA
Hi Steve,
I visited MOCAA while in Capetown last summer - I thought the best part of the museum was the story of its creation. An astonishing re-purposing of huge grain silos. It is an extraordinary structure!! I spent most of my visit listening to the architectural tour. I found most of the artwork strange and MEH (note new vernacular picked up from my millennials home for Christmas).
Mrs. Driggs,
Park City, UT
Bishop
Did you know a banker called Pieter Oosthuizen at Citi? He was my boss for a few years. Sweet guy. He was from Stellenboch https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g312673-Stellenbosch_Western_Cape-Vacations.html
Headed up Overseas Operations which included my area of Overseas Automation, as we began introducing IBM 360/30’s to the branches in Asia, from 1970…
We have friends from Tokyo who live in Stellenboch now. Midori and Hans Schroeder. They own a winery. They bought http://www.stark-conde.co.za/ after leaving Japan. Their children when to American School with my daughter.
Safe journeys.
Agree, good shot. He sort of blends in, doesn’t he?
Panama, Los Angeles, CA
Heard of him... didn't know him.
You so make me want to go back. I remember "sundowners" as well as the black velvet sky with vivid views of stars and Milky Way and Southern Cross. No ambient light to obscure the vision. They were just frickin wonderful! Didn't see the interior of South Africa though, just one of the private reserves that border Kruger National Park.
Ray,
Park City, Utah
Africa 2018 Top Ten
#1 - Tchiloli Dance. Sao Tome City. Sao Tome et Principe. 15 December 2019
Above: Sao Tomeans perform ritualistic Tchiloli dance in city square near the port. Sao Tome City. St. Tome and Principe. 15 December 2018.
We saw quite a few musical and/or dance performances on our voyage from Lisbon to Cape Town. No dance or musical performance... no other experience on our voyage, for that matter, seemed to evoke the deep, animistic, spiritual mystery that is central to Africa.
The dance, performed in a country I had never heard of before taking this trip, tells a dramatic story...with shades of voodoo imagery.
It was kind of weird...as somber faced dancers... characters, really...creepily moved up and back...to syncopated African multiple drum rhythms, accompanied by a eerie sounding solo flute.
I didn't understand the meaning of the "story" being told here, but you could backstop a seance with the rhythmical, chilling, haunting Tchiloli performance and probably get good results. Heebee jeebee time.
#2. Null Island. Intersection of the Prime Meridian and the Equator. Atlantic Ocean.
Above: Suite TV Screen. Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 13 December 2018.
NULL ISLAND...sailor lingo. 0 degrees longitude... 0 degrees latitude. 15:20 Hours. GMT.
Equator intersection with Prime Meridian.
The cruise company nixed a stop in Lome, Togo for safety reasons. There was apparently a low grade insurrection going on.
The Explorer c aptain ordered this impressive diversion to Null Island to soften the disappointment of Togo denied cruise goers. Null Island is nothing but a buoy with weather and communications equipment. Cyber signals with inadequate addresses often route through this communication point, making it one of the busiest cyber locations in the world.
There is only open ocean to see... we were three miles from the buoy. The captain noted over the PA that there were some international shipping protocols that prevented us from getting closer... but, see the image read out...we were close enough for government work!
#3. Motards. Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. 11 December 2018.
Above: Two Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire motorcycle cops on bikes. 11 December 2018.
Two motorcycle cops (motards) escorted a convoy of eight tourist buses, for a seven hour tour, in and around Abidjan.
They cleared oncoming lanes, forcing drivers to the curb...and sometimes onto the curb (!), allowing the convoy to pass otherwise blocking traffic with ease. Occasionally, the motards would stand on the pegs of their powerful 1200 cc BMW R police bikes, unbelievably, hands free, and wildly wave the traffic aside.
Another technique. The motards would frequently sashay from side to side... a maneuver I would undertake on my bikes, occasionally, to even out the wear on the tires. In this case, however, the motards engaged in this maneuver to attract the attention of oncoming traffic... to warn oncoming vehicles to move over. "VIP's" coning through!'
Only two or three times did I observe any motorist complaining or refusing to cooperate. Once, our bus was stopped in an intersection and attempting to make a dicey right turn. A car was blocking the bus's way. Our bus driver waved his hand to the blocking vehicle trying to get the driver to back up a bit. Rather than cooperating to clear the bus's way, the blocking driver stood his ground and waved, menacingly back at the bus driver. Up ahead, the motard parked his bike in the middle of the road, dismounted and walked back to the scene. The motard and the blocking driver started arguing with one another, but, the blocking driver eventually backed up the meager foot or so allowing our bus to pass. This was the exception. Throughout the day, drivers typically cooperated with the motards' instructions.
In all my years of motorcycle travel, I've never seen anything like this.
These guys were skilled beyond belief.
We estimated that without the "super motards," our Abidjan seven hour tour would have taken two hours more, nine hours.
#4. Fish Market. Sekondi, Ghana. 12 December 2018.
Above: Sekondi Fish Market. Sekondi, Ghana. 12 December 2018.
The "organized chaos" of this fish market had to be seen to be believed.
#5 Prime 7 Steakhouse. Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 18 December 2018.
Above: Regent Seven Seas Explorer 18 December 2018.
Prime 7 Restaurant
50 miles from Namiba coast.
Sailing southbound.
Sunset. — in Namibia.
Prime 7 was the best of the five major restaurants on the ship. All were excellent. Almost thirty days of daily, five star, white table cloth, fine dining seems hard to swallow! But, made better by always engaging companionship of Bond and Bridge, barely discernable in the image... at right.
#6. Andy Jampoler. On board ship lectures. 20 December 2018.
Above: Onboard lecture slide of Andy Jampoler showing timeline of European colonization of South Africa. 20 December 2018.
Jampoler, a military historian, gave ten or so lectures, apropos to our West African voyage. The image here is a slide summarizing the history of European colonization in South Africa.
Jampoler's excellent lectures helped greatly to provide context for the countries we visited... and some not visited, where we just sailed by. Jampoler's discussion of Joseph Conrad's novel, "Heart of Darkness," for example was the template for a discussion about the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the former Belgian Congo, a country on our route, but, not visited.
#7. Entertainment on board the Regent Seven Seas Explorer.
Above: Regent Seven Seas Explorer Entertainment Team. 20 December 2018.
Constellation Theater
River Dance move over.
This team of eight 25 somethings performed five extremely well produced dance/musical shows. The shows are produced in a Norwegian Cruise Line studio in Tampa, Florida. The kids sign up for six months at sea to perform the shows. These shows were, by far (TIMDT agrees), the best entertainment we have ever seen on a cruise ship. We attended all the shows and the 450 seat theater was chock full each performance.
#8. Seals. Pelican Point. Walvis Bay, Namibia. 19 December 2018.
Above: Seal colony. Pelican Point. Walvis Bay, Namibia. 19 December 2018.
Who knew this many seals could be concentrated in one spot?
This sight goes on for three miles around the tip of the point to the South Atlantic Ocean side.
The seal baying noise is omnipresent and intense.
This has to rank as a top ten wildlife sighting for me if only for its sheer scope.
Walvis Bay, Namibia. — at Pelican Point.
#9. Africa's Children. Dakar, Senegal. 07 December 2018
Above: Bishop with Lebou children. Yoff village. Dakar, Senegal. 07 December 2018.
Outrageously Gratuitous Generalization about Africa
I can't get out of my head the images of hundreds of seemingly happy African children with no hope. There are children everywhere. Throughout most of Africa over half the population is under the age of twenty.
Africa is an aggregation of failed states.
Through the colonial period.. from the late nineteenth century to circa 1960, there was, the degree of such depending on the colonial power, abuse and exploitation, but, progress was made as well. The French worked hard to upgrade the lives of Africans setting up sound administration, education, and economic development policies. By 1960, there were fifteen African representatives in France's National Assembly. There was not equality between races, for sure, but there was progress for the masses. England, similarly, worked to improve the lives of the citizens of her colonial possessions. So did the Portuguese. The Belgians, the exceptions, stand out as ruthless, cruel exploiters.
In 1960 most African countries under colonial supervision, full of natural resources, with nascent industrial activity, were enjoying 5% to 6% GDP growth rates with benefits spreading to the general population.
But, in each African country, during the '50s, there arose an independence movements... often, but, not always, Communist inspired. Essentially self rule, for these leaders, (personal power and wealth?) was deemed to be the higher goal even at the risk of their country's losing economic momentum. Most of the revolutionary movements assured their people, with no specific plans in hand, that economically, things would improve.
Colonial powers eventually gave in. Some of the separations of newly independent countries from colonial powers were peaceful... Kwame Nkruma and Ghana. Others, were violent... Patrice Lumumba and Congo. 500 thousand were killed before DeGaulle allowed Algeria to opt for independence. By 1965, most African countries had achieved their independence... exception Mozambique and Angola where the Portuguese hung on to their "possessions" for another ten years.
Post independence, admittedly generalizing bigly here, things have gotten worse. Africa suffers under leaders for whom self aggrandizement and accumulation of personal wealth via exploitation of natural resources has trumped establishing developmental programs which would advance economic progress for the people. Nelson Mandela and Leopold Segnhor were rare exceptions to the rule of bad African leadership.
Mock my colonialist proclivities if you want to, but, colonialism worked a heck of a lot better than the corrupt, destructive, despotic rule of African leaders following national independence.
Seeing the happy, hopeful faces of thousands of African kids this month, and realizing, that on current trajectory, there is no hope for them, is heart breaking.
China has stepped up, but in ways to dominate (debt traps), not empower. Western aid is a waste, going into the pockets of the corrupt elites and NGO middle men. Church and private programs are helping (praise be to those engaged), but, are more of a band aid than game changers.
So short of opportunity at home, Africans are naturally working their way north. Bringing in African accountants and computer programmer immigrants is one thing, but, bringing in the poor, unskilled hungry and destitute at scale is quite another.
And, yes, it impacts culture.
Hunker down.
#10 Restaurante "O Faroleiro," Cascais, Portugal.
Above: Atlantic beach. Cascais, Portugal. 27 November 2018. Image captured through picture window, directly from our table, at Restaurante O Faroleiro, Cascais, Portugal.
TIMDT, remembering the gastronomic triumph in Spain in September, wanted sea food. So, Miguel, our driver, reserved a place in beach town north of Lisbon, Cascais.
Image view is through the window from our lunch table at Restaurante "O Faroleiro," Cascais, Portugal.
Took the waiter's recommendation: Red Snapper. Portuguese style. Whole fish, shown to us before preparation, baked in olive oil, tomatoes, fingerling potatoes and onion.
Corn bread (!) with cheese.
Including all ship board meals, as good as they were, this pre cruise hyper fresh sea food experience in Cascais was the best meal of the trip.
Six Honorable Mention... no particular order.
Ross. Musician. Observation Lounge. Regent Seven Seas Explorer
Above: Cruisers with Ross, Regent Seven Seas Explorer. 21 December 2018.
Pianist, Observation Lounge, who regaled us with "escape" during cocktail hours.
Roy is from Toronto, and currently lives in Romania when he's not working on a ship.
Roy's soothing, relaxing, "escape" piano repertoire was backed up by an electronic instrumental track.
Kirstenboche Botanical Garden, Cape Town, South Africa
Above: Blossoming Cape Chestnut, TIMDT, at foot of back of Table Mountain. — at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. 23 December 2018.
Kirstenbosch was our favorite Cape Town site when we visited South Africa twenty five years ago. The garden ranks with botanical gardens in Singapore and Brooklyn. Kirstenbosch claims to have two thirds of all African plants growing within its perimeter on the flank of Table Mountain.
There was a Sunday rock concert scheduled at Kirstenbosch at 7:00 PM. We were there at 4:00 PM and hundreds of would be concert goers, replete with coolers, lawn chairs, and Frisbees were patiently waiting in line along the garden walkways. It was warm... 85 degrees. I wouldn't wait for any band act that long in the heat. But, that's just me. Also, this was one of those first come first served concerts where people would rush in to lay their blankets in the best space. To much hassle for me. But, festive, here, for sure.
Parked cars lined the road leading to the garden. The ratio of Porches, Audis, Land Rovers and Mercs was high... surprising. South Africa per capita income is high for Africa but far from the developed country levels. Unemployment is high. Government corruption sucks away much of the productive potential of the country.
Cape Town, South Africa. Victoria and Albert Wharf.
Above: Musicians at Victoria and Albert (V and A) Wharf. 23 December 2018.
V and A Wharf stands out as a location that could substitute for South Street Sea Port, Inner Harbor, or Pier 39.
South Africa is a bit like Brazil (California?) where there are large income and living standard gaps between rich and poor. Yet there are enough "rich" to create exclusive subdivisions, five star hotels, and upscale shopping and restaurants such as is V and A Wharf.
The sea side setting, with Table Mountain as a back drop, is, of course, stunning... adding to the attraction of Cape Town.
People are coming to Cape Town. Thirty cruise ships a year come. Cape Town is doubling the size of its convention center. One of our guides pointed out that the cost of upscale housing is rising to European levels so many are the expatriates moving in to Cape Town to retire.
St. Paul's Cathedral, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
Above. St.Paul's Cathedral, Abidjan, Ivory Coast. 11 December 2018.
Seven cables support cathedral proper allowing for no pillars or buttresses inside the cathedral. The outside structure supporting the cables... a cross, more or less, has the look of a sci fi monster of sorts. Our guide said the cross was an impressionistic elephant... an explanation I had trouble understanding... though perhaps seen from a different angle....
The stained glass inside is extensive, telling the story of Christ. The Christ figure in the stained glass is black, racially. Uh... not that there's anything wrong with that!
The cathedral was designed by architect Aldo Spirito and serves as the mother church for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Abidjan.
The first stone of the cathedral was laid on 11 May 1980 by Pope John Paul II during his first pastoral visit to Cote d'Ivoire. The cathedral was dedicated on completion, again, during a second visit by Pope John Paul II, in 1985.
St. Paul's is one of the largest cathedrals in the world, with a capacity of 5000 and is the second largest church on the African continent.
While we visitors were inside the cathedral an organist and singer were performing American negro spirituals. The reverberating organ and the haunting voice made for a spiritually reflective atmosphere. In a way, this was the right music to characterize a doleful side of the African experience.
This was clearly a unique cathedral. It is the second of modern designed and constructed cathedrals TIMDT and Mwah (sic) have visited this year. The first: Sagrada Familia, in Barcelona, Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece.
Christians, make up 40% of the 30 million Cote d'Ivoiriens. Half of these are Catholic.
Christianity is vibrant and growing throughout most of Africa, not to mention Cote d'Ivoire
— at St. Paul's Cathedral, Abidjan.
Mt. Nelson Hotel. Cape Town, South Africa.
Above: TIMDT, Bridge, Comic Mom, Bond, Maharaja, and Bishop. Christmas Eve Cocktails. Mt. Nelson Hotel. Capetown, South Africa. 24 December 2018.
It was neat to meet with good friends in such neat place. Mt. Nelson is the quintessential, old, colonial era hotel, still kept up to the highest standards. Think Raffles in Singapore.
Deck Five - Regent Seven Seas Explorer
Above: Deck Five. Regent Seven Seas Explorer.
I walked 7000 plus steps on Deck Five every "at sea" day of the cruise.