We ported in Cape Town on Wednesday morning, and Linda Biehl boarded the ship for a very special lecture. If you remember, her daughter Amy Biehl was a student working in South Africa in 1993 as an anti-apartheid activist and was murdered by four men after a riot. After the end of the apartheid in 1994, a few years later South Africa began The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which allowed criminals to apply for amnesty if their crimes were for political reasons. What was so extraordinary about Amy’s parents was that they completely supported and advocated for the amnesty of her killers. They understood the oppression of apartheid and wanted to further the cause their daughter was working so passionately toward. Mrs. Biehl was a very inspiring speaker and I am really glad I got the opportunity to listen to her.
After getting ready, Jason and I set out to do some sight seeing. We had ported at the Waterfront, which was full of bars, restaurants, shops, and tourist offices. Right when we stepped off the ship we could see the famous Table Mountain, whose name was coined because of its flat top. We strolled along the harbor and stopped in at a tourist office to ask about a winery tour. We set up a half-day trip for later in the afternoon, and then grabbed a taxi to take us to the mountain. We slowly climbed up the steep mountain (this more due to the lawnmower-esqe engine of the taxi, rather than the incline of the slope), and made it to the cable cars. The line snaked around for almost a quarter mile to get to the top. Luckily, Jason’s iphone was a lifesaver once again, and we ordered tickets online so we didn’t have to wait in the four-hour line. We got on the cable cars and began the ascent up the mountain side. The glass in the cable car rotated 360 degrees so everyone could get a good view. Once at the top the view was breathtaking. On one side, Table Mountain looks over all of Cape Town and on the other it shows an incredible view of a vast mountain range. Definitely one of the highlights of my trip so far.
View of Table Mountain from the harbor:
Cable Car:
Because we had planned to meet our cab at a specific time we only had about five minutes on top of the mountain before we had to rush back down and meet our driver for our wine tour. To my fury, our cab driver wasn’t there and after calling him said he wouldn’t be there for forty-five minutes. I was quite angry, but after threatening to cancel, the company gave us a thirty percent discount. Better than nothing, I guess. Once the driver came we made our way to Stellenbosch, the famous winelands of South Africa. I felt that we had somehow been transported to Napa Valley. Acres and acres of vineyards were spread across the rolling hills. Small, quaint towns were periodically nestled in valleys between green mountains. We stopped in a small town, famous for their brightly colored shops and restaurants and attempted to go in to a museum that unfortunately turned out to be closed. Our next stop was a nearby winery, where we sat down and sipped on Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Merlot. All of which I thought was delicious, granted I know very minimal about wine so it could’ve been just grape juice and I would’ve enjoyed it. We talked with the other couple on our tour who were from Scotland visiting Africa on holiday. They were extremely interesting and provided for great conversation.
Entrance to winery:
The next winery we visited was Zevenwacht and they were not only famous for wines, but for their home made cheeses. We took a tour of the winemaking facilities and learned about the entire process from the grape to the bottle. What I found most interesting was how they infused the barrels with different flavorings, like chocolate, to add a unique taste to the wine. We did our tasting which paired very nicely with the selection of cheddars they gave us (I think). I tried to send some home, but unfortunately the U.S. has too strict of customs from South Africa. Bummer!
We took the hour-long drive back to Cape Town, looking out over the beautiful landscape. As we approached the outskirts of the city, I got my first glimpse of the remnants of apartheid left in South Africa. There was a huge township that looked like the slums of India. It was really strange to see such modern infrastructure surrounding the acres of destitute conditions. Unlike in India where everything was poor, dirty, and unadvanced, the areas surrounding the slum were clean, pleasant, and had the infrastructure of the U.S. It showed a severe divide, which centers mostly on race.
We returned to the Waterfront later that evening and went to a restaurant right on the harbor. Although the food was mediocre, that atmosphere was fun with live music and a great view of the water. We spent the rest of the night watching an intense soccer game at the bar and drinking the local beer.
Great. Now both you and Eric are moving to Africa. At least you'll be in an area that's a little more hospitable. We'll come visit... unless you move into one of those shacks. Can't wait for your next post about the safari!
ReplyDeleteLove you lots!