Archive | July 2015

Arrival at Skukuza and Hamiltons Tented Camp–First Safari Drive

Jul13

Wednesday, July 8, 2015:
Cape Town to Skukuza
 
            My birthday was brought in by our friends at the breakfast table of the hotel when they burst into song—literally. Over muesli and yogurt and then a cooked breakfast of Spanish Omelette with sparkling white wine to toast my birthday, we sighed over the fact that Table Mountain was completely hidden by the infamous ‘Tablecloth’—thick cloud cover.

            By 8. 30 am, we were all assembled in the lobby ready to get off in our respective vehicles to be dropped off at the airport for our 10. 35 am South African Airlines flight to Skukuza which is the base for Kruger National Park. Our flight was on schedule and within 2 hours, we were flying right above the wilderness that stretched off for miles below us.

 Our Introduction to Kruger National Park:

            We had a driver with a ‘cruiser’ waiting for us at Skukuza Airport—the cutest little airport in the world. We did not realize the ride to our camp would take two and half hours. And we did not realize that we would see so many animals on our way to the camp. But within three minutes of leaving the airport, we ran into a herd of impala—a type of antelope that we later referred to as the “squirrels’ of the park as there were simply thousands of them. By the time we got to our camp, we saw zebras, giraffes, niyala, duiker (a type of skittish deer), water buck, Bush buck, wildebeest and kudu. We could not have asked for a better introduction to the camp.

Arrival at Hamiltons Tented Camp

            At Hamiltons Tented Camp, which appeared like an apparition in the midst of the wilderness, we were introduced to the gracious staff, including the manager Ben, who was, unfortunately, leaving later that day on vacation. Harold took his place and in his care, we were shown around the lobby and its restrooms, and made to sign disclaimers as we enjoyed a very tasty home-made iced tea studded with fresh fruit in tall crystal glasses and an ice-cold towel. A few minutes later, our keys were distributed to us and we were also introduced to a pair of sisters, Samantha and Rebecca Jones, who would occupy the 6th tent—the rest of the five were occupied by our party. Llew and I and Cheri-Anne and Raghu were placed in Tents 1 and 2 respectively—which we were delighted to discover overlooked the water hole on the property—while the rest of the members of our party were in Tents 3, 4 and 5.

However, we merely had the time to drop our suitcases off into our room and use the restroom when we had to climb back into the cruiser for our first safari which began at 3. 30 pm and would go on till 6. 30—by which time we would return to base camp for dinner. None of us could resist taking our pick from the offerings on the Tea table—mini pizzas, mushroom vol au vents, corn muffins and a fabulous gingered nut tart cut into small squares—all served with tea or coffee. It became clear that we would eat like royalty at this establishment—and we looked forward to every meal.

Our First Safari Drive:

            I suppose when you go out on seven safaris drives in three days , they start to merge into each other—so I guess the best way to give an account of them would be to describe a highlight. Because sooner or later you realize that there are some animals you will see repeatedly and in herds—baboons, kudu, water buck, zebras, and tons and tons of impala. So for us the highlight of our very first safari was being taken to a spot by our tracker Dee where a rhino that had died of natural causes (probably after getting into a fight with another more powerful animal) was being fed on by a pack of hyenas and a flock of vultures.

            Long before we got to the rhino, we could smell its decaying carcass. Dozens of vultures were in the trees that surrounded the dead animal patiently awaiting their turn in the pecking order—indeed we understood where that term ‘pecking order’ originates. The rhino lay on its side—its horn had been carved out by the park’s anti-poaching squad (to prevent illegal poachers from stealing up on it and carving it off for the international aphrodisiac market). The brown-spotted hyenas—at least six of them—were all around the carcass feasting upon it with abandon. One of them had started to gnaw on the rhino’s rib cage bones in order to create a cave that would enable it to get into the animal’s entrails. Another managed to get a hold of a portion of the insides and was swinging it from side to side before devouring it. We were horrified and fascinated at the same time. The hyenas watched us cautiously as we approached but when they realized we intended no harm, they relaxed and went back to feeding. Needless to say, we took dozens of pictures and simply could not tear ourselves away from the sight.

            A little later, our guide Dee stopped for “sundowners’ under a sheltering tree as the sun sank in a fiery orange ball over the horizon silhouetting thorny leafless trees in the process. As it is winter in Africa, foliage is sparse and the trees are starkly bare—which makes it much easier to stalk animals for sightings. Within seconds, Dee skillfully assembled a folding table, a table cloth, two hampers and a tiffin carrier from which he produced red and white wine, beer, Cokes with ice (no less) and an array of nibbles—dried beef jerky, dried fruit, a variety of nuts, savory pizza slices. It was almost unreal—a scene straight Out Of Africa. We had to pinch ourselves to believe that we were on safari in Africa—something for which we have waited for so long.

            About fifteen minutes into our sundowners, our friend Jenny-Lou went dizzy and had a minor ‘passing out’ incident which caused us to get into our vehicle and head straight for camp. Fortunately, she recovered quickly enough and was as good as new just a couple of hours later.

Before we assembled for dinner that evening, we discovered an elephant very close to our tents. Our wait staff shone a massive spot light on it and we could clearly see it lurking on our very property. That was No. 1 of the Big Five that we hoped to see before we left Kruger.

 A Birthday Dinner to Remember:

            All that was left was for us to get ready for dinner that would be served on the vast wooden deck of our camp. Orders for our choices had been taken earlier—for starters, a choice of Carpaccio of Springbok (a form of venison) or Butternut Squash Soup. Entrees were a choice between Salmon with Pilaf and Roasted Veg or Lamb Chops with Mashed Potato and Roasted Veg. Dessert was either Malwa Pudding (a sort of bread pudding with a marshmallow sauce) or Cinnamon Poached Pears. I personally chose the soup, lamb and pears—and truly they were all fabulous. We could not fathom how such a superlative meal had been conjured up in what seemed like the middle of nowhere. Those chefs produce mini-miracles in their kitchens!

            And just when we thought our meal had come to a delightful end, a waiter put champagne flutes in front of each of our places and then, to our enormous surprise, a troop of wait staff, all attired in spotless white with maroon sashes and African sola topees marched out in a crocodile singing an African version of “Happy Birthday To You”. The first chap had a chocolate cake in his hand that was lit with a single candle. There was clapping and singing and dancing as they encircled our table and then placed the cake in front of me. Meanwhile, another waiter popped the bottle of champagne and began to fill our glasses with the bubbly. It was so charming because it was so unexpected! What an incredible moment—to be in the middle of the African Bush on a safari and to be celebrating a birthday with some of our closest friends. That was simply the highlight of my day for I felt thoroughly pampered and spoiled. Of course, we took many pictures and some fine video as the cake was cut, sliced, served and eaten.

            The next morning, we were told, we would get Wake Up calls at 5. 30 am for the 6.00 am safari departure. There was no point in lingering as we could not wait to get back to our room to unwind and get ready for bed. As if the excitement of my birthday celebration was inadequate, both Llew and I were woken up during the night by the loud roaring of lions at the waterhole beneath our balcony! Just imagine, if you can, how that made us feel! It was simply too exciting and chilling for words.

            What a day! What a birthday! This was certainly one to remember!  
 
             Until tomorrow, Cheerio!  
 
 

At The Cape of Good Hope and Other South African Venues

Jul13

Tuesday, July 7, 2015:
Cape of Good Hope and Other Venues

Breakfast at The Victoria Hotel:

            We awoke at 7.00 am, washed, dressed and went down to meet our friends in the hotel lobby as we were keen to make arrangements for transport to get us to the Cape of Good Hope—a good two hour drive from Cape Town. A short chat with the Concierge at the Hotel led us to a cab driver named Orion who offered to take us there and back on a half-day’s excursion. With that trip sorted, Llew and I could turn our thoughts to breakfast.

            Since the Victoria and Alfred Hotelhas a sister hotel right across the street (The Victoria Hotel), we were entitled to have breakfast in that place too. We elected to try The Victoria Hotel and it turned out to be a much smaller restaurant with a much smaller buffet selection featuring Continental breakfast offerings. However, we were also entitled to choose items off the menu. I chose the V&A Special which turned out to be a full English with the most delicious sausages and bacon and potato rosti to die for. With sparkling white wine, guava juice, croissants with gooseberry jam and decaff coffee, I had myself a princely breakfast.

 Spectacular Drive Along the Western Cape Peninsula:
            At 9. 30 am, we were in Orion’s taxi heading out of Cape Town to The Cape of Good Hope, the southernmost point on the Continent of Africa. It is approximately a two hour drive, but most visitors stop frequently en route to enjoy the smaller coastal towns with their pretty Dutch colonial ambience.

            Although it was a cloudy day and we did not see the sun at all, it was a simply spectacular drive. The road follows the coast through towns that are evocative of the country’s Dutch colonial past—Muizenberg, Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek. In keeping with that theme, the cute houses that hugged the hills slithering down to the sea were in the Cape Dutch style, their front facades sporting the kind of colorful gables that made you believe you were somewhere on a canal in Amsterdam. Each town had its own railway station, built again in the Cape Dutch idiom—they looked as if they were in a fairytale.

Simon’s Town and its Penguin Colony at Boulders Bay:
Of the coastal towns we passed, Simon’s Town was certainly the largest and prettiest of them all. The train line that runs from Cape Town terminates at Simon’s Town—so someone wanting to reach the Cape of Good Hope in a more economical fashion rather than in a private taxi, could probably take the train to this point and then switch to a metered cab—as the entry to Cape of Good Hope National Park was a merely 12 minutes away from Simon’s Town.

Simon’s Town has a distinct colonial ambience—both British colonial and Dutch colonial. There is a large British hotel called The British right on the main drag with an appearance that was also reminiscent of the towns in the era of America’s Wild West. There were shops in colonnaded arcades before the residential quarters above. Shops featured antiques, clothing, souvenirs. It was all very charming indeed and had we more time, I would have requested Orion to stop and enable us to stroll through it for a bit.

We, however, were headed to the Penguin Colony at Boulders Bay—a lovely protected cove that houses three distinct species of African penguin. Once we paid the entry fee (60 Rands each), we were given brochures that enabled us to identify the three kinds. A well-constructed walkway led down to the sands of the beach that was punctuated with beach side vegetation—low bushes. They made the ideal hiding spot for the penguins that we just began to see at this point. Excitedly, we took pictures of the one or two we saw, but all the time we walked along the walkway further down to the very end of it—and what a sight awaited us there! There were hundreds of penguins at this point—either enjoying a swim in the surfy waters or relaxing on the sands. So many of them were nesting—we could see Moms-to-Be seated on straw-covered nests dug in the sand. Dads-To-Be walked up and down carrying shells in their mouths to make the nests more comfortable. In other nests, we saw several young penguins dressed, not in the black and white tuxedos that their parents sports, but in soft golden brown fur. It was simply a delight to take in their antics, to watch them waddle like little men all dressed up with nowhere to go. Others waded into the waters and then dived in suddenly to join their friends. It was easy to see why the penguins are such a huge attraction on the Peninsula and why every tour bus makes a mandatory stop there.


On to the Cape of Good Hope– No. 4 in the Big Six::

            Standing on the southernmost tip of Africa is a deeply humbling experience, as we found out about half an hour later when our taxi entered Cape of Good Hope National Park. We paid the entry fee and drove for at least ten minutes through beautiful wilderness with scattered Cape foliage—low growing yellow and pink flowers and heather-like cover. The road then forked with one part heading off to the Cape of Good Hope, the other heading to Cape Point which is the rocky promontory that juts out into the water.  It gives you the distinct impression that as the Table Mountains (that start in Cape Town) make their way towards the tip of the Continent, they end in a single rock—with a whimper not a bang.

            To get up to the top of the rock that sports the lighthouse that has guided mariners for centuries across the Cape of Good Hope, there is a funicular train—return fare 55 Rands per head. It is quite appropriately called The Flying Dutchman and it whisked us up in minutes. Once we got out of the funicular car, we had about 100 steps to climb to get to the highest point on the Cape and it was there that we took a bunch of pictures. Gazing out at the point where two oceans meet—the blue-green Atlantic and iron-grey Indian Ocean, it caused me to be meditative—to think of how far I had come. Not just literally and in geographical terms but in terms of my state in life. While growing up, while getting to wherever it is one is, one never for a moment dreams that one will someday be at the Cape of Good Hope. When in Grade Six, learning about the Portuguese explorer Bartholomew Dias who rounded what he called “the Cape of Storms” and who was succeeded by the world’s first circumnavigator Magellan who named it ‘The Cape of Good Hope’, I never thought that I would one day stand on this spot in the globe and take in the grandeur of the open seas spread out in front of me. Of course, we took many pictures to immortalize the moment before we made our way down to the base of the rock.

            It was at the café there that we picked up pizza and lattes and with the intention of tasting some Cape Malay cuisine, we ordered Cape Malay Chicken Curry pizzas which happened to be simply outstanding. If it was the only opportunity we would have to taste the local cuisine, we were glad we opted for this one.

 Ride Back Towards Cape Town:
               Back in the taxi with Orion, he drove us up the coast passing by the same towns through which we had ridden until we hit major road works—he then bifurcated and took an interior route, away from the sea. We were headed next to the Vineyards and Wineries because you cannot leave South Africa without becoming introduced to their splendid wines.

Toasting Each Other at Groot Costanzia– No.  5 in the Big Six::
It was at the Groot Costanzia winery that we began our tour of the gorgeous vineyards region. One of the oldest Dutch-established wineries in the region, Groot Costanzia is built in the style of a Cape Dutch farmstead with barns, stables, garages (to park the wagons used for grape harvest) and a fine dining restaurant that overlooks a pond and the vineyards.

Llew and I headed straight for the Wine-Tasting area, purchased a ticket for 40 Rands each and found ourselves entitled to five wines from their large range. For the next 45 minutes, we stood at the counter with a lovely sommelier named Lynette Thornton who put us through the paces, taught us about the 5 Ss associated with Tasting: Swirl (in wineglass), Sniff (to ascertain bouquet), Sip, Swish (to back, sides and top of mouth since all our taste buds produce different notes),  then either Swallow or Spit. Between the two of us we chose ten different wines, each more delightful than the next. I ended with a Port—a delicious dessert wine. In-between tastings, we had bland dry crackers to clean our palates and prepare them for the next sip. It was truly a fun experience and given that we were tasting the products of the earth right in the spot where they were cultivated, we loved every second of it.

Coastal Tour on the Hop On Hop Off Bus:
We then jumped on the Hop On Hop Off bus and continued with our drive on the Vineyard Route which took us through several more wineries and vineyards. This part of Cape Town houses some of the city’s most affluent citizens whose real estate value is akin to some of the best homes we have seen in Beverley Hills, California, or in Southport, Connecticut. They were sprawling mansions fronted by gorgeously landscaped gardens and extremely high walls that are fully electrified for security reasons. Being that it is winter, there are no vines or grapes in the vineyards right now but the appearance of the plants, swooping down in a gentle slope to the main road was so soothing that even the drive was truly one of the highlights of our travels.,  

We switched to the Blue Peninsula Tour after completing the Purple Wine Tour and were very pleased to find out that it took a completely different route from our previous day’s one. We passed by Houts Bay where we stopped briefly for pictures, saw our first ever slum township in passing, and then took what I could only describe as a winding coastal route high in the mountains that was deeply reminiscent of the Amalfi Coast Drive in Italy or the Pacific Coast Highway in California. Repeatedly I found myself fascinated by the rich natural beauty of this city and its environs. Driving by the Twelve Apostles—the range of mountain peaks that includes Table Mountain, we saw them up close and personal. We passed Bahkoven and then Clifton before we were dropped off in the city at the start of the Bus Route.

A Walking Tour of Cape Town’s Historic City Center:

          Staying on the same bus at the starting point allowed us to get off at Stop 5 in the heart of the historical district from where we began Lonely Planet’s Walking Tour of the Historic District. On foot, we made our way to the Castle of Good Hope with its black stoned walls and low ramparts, to start our tour. We spied King Edward VII on a high pedestal right opposite the lovely City Hall building and the Parade Ground where slaves were once tortured and beaten in public. Taking a detour on a side street, we passed by the Slave Lodge where slaves were once bought and sold. Everywhere we walked we were made aware of the apartheid history of this nation and were conscious of how far this society has come as it now calls itself a Rainbow Nation. A few steps ahead is a tree under which slaves were selected and sold for the human labor market. We saw the first Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa that is called the Mother Church and off Adderley Street, we arrived at the section known as Company’s Gardens which comprises many buildings one of which is the resplendent Parliament House, a grand Neo-Classical structure designed in 1910 by Sir Herbert Baker, one of the architects of the city of New Delhi, together with Sir Edwin Lutyens. By this time, darkness had fallen over the city and since there were so many dodgy characters in the vicinity, Llew thought we should return to the hotel. It was not even 7.00 pm by this stage, but we felt extremely pleased about how much we had covered, how much we had seen and how fortunate we were to have had a chance to appreciate one of the world’s most up and coming cities. We were quite ready for a good dinner, by this time, and took a cab back to our hotel—a ten minute ride that cost us 50 Rands.                       

A Grand Dinner to Round off our Stay in Cape Town:
            Our friends had made plans to have dinner at Baia Restaurant on the V&A Waterfront—a fine seafood restaurant—and we hooked up with them to enjoy an incredible meal that started with a delicious Seafood Bisque and a range of appetizers including grilled scallops. Over a glass of chilled Riesling, we went on to enjoy a huge seafood platter with grilled prawns, langoustine and lobster tail—all succulent as can be with a very mild but scrumptious marinade. Dessert was three kinds of crème brulee followed by a range of teas and coffee. With the whole lot of us seated at the table, we caught up on the highlights of our day and expressed the feeling that our introduction to Cape Town had been simply awesome.

            Another fascinating day of our holiday had come to an end and we could not keep feeling that it was only getting better as each day went by. By the time we fell asleep, I realized that it was 12. 30 pm and with the number of messages I was picking up on my email and Whatsapp feed, I realized that it was already July 8—which meant that my birthday had dawned!!!
 
          Until tomorrow, cheerio!

Calling on Cape Town–What an Incredible Introduction!

Jul6

Tuesday, July 6, 2015: Cape Town Calling

            Occasionally on a holiday one comes across a day when everything just falls perfectly in place and you are made to feel as if you enjoyed every second. That was the sort of day we had today. Indeed we made the discovery that Cape Town’s beauty is not all hype. It is a gorgeous city—blessed by natural scenery, the perfect location and ingenious urban planning that has allowed the city to develop naturally amidst a stunning backdrop.

 Superb Breakfast at Victoria and Alfred Hotel:

           The breakfast buffet in the lobby of our hotel was stupendous. Not just were we dazzled by the Continental offerings: fruit, yogurts, cereals galore, cold cuts, cheeses, an array of baked goods and preserves but when we were seated at a table overlooking the Waterfront, a waitress informed me that we could choose a cooked breakfast from the menu. Gosh! I was glad I had restricted myself to a croissant with preserves for starters. I opted for the Florentine: English muffins with scrambled eggs, spinach, smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce. It was substantial and it was delicious and I could barely finish it. If this is the kind of breakfast I can anticipate for the next two mornings, I shall be waking up early to do justice to it! Oh and there was sparkling wine too—just in case you wanted to have a champagne brunch—well, sort of

 Obtaining Tickets for Robben Island:

            The ability to take an excursion to Robben Island, off the Cape Town mainland, was the reason why we had broken off from the rest of our party that had elected to stay on at the Victoria Falls for another day. Hence, Llew and I were on our own as we raced off to get tickets for the ferry that runs only three times a day to the island from the V&A Waterfront. Because this is a very popular attraction, we had our fingers crossed in the hopes of getting tickets. Furthermore, in the winter, much depends on the weather. If the sea is too choppy, the ferries do not depart.

            With a lot hanging on luck, we approached the ticket booth in the lovely structure on the waterfront that houses a small exhibition on the country’s Long Walk to Freedom. Although tickets for the 9.00 am ferry were all sold out (we were at the booth by 8. 30 am), we could have bought tickets for the 11.00 or 1.00 pm ferries. We chose the latter as we thought it would be best to complete the next item on our agenda and then return to the waterfront at 12.30 pm to board our ferry. Overall we paid 300 Rand each (approximately $25). This included the cost of the ferry ride to and fro as well as entrance to the island prison and the services of trained tour guides. With our tickets safely in our pockets, we left, feeling highly elated that we had managed to snag them at such short notice.

 The Hop On, Hop Off Red Bus Tour:

            Perfect planning and boarding locations all in the vicinity of the waterfront left us with adequate time to get to the Main Boarding Dock for the Hop On Hop Off Red Bus which I do believe is one of the greatest boons to the international traveler with budget time in any big city. At just 270 Rand per head for a 2-day Pass, we were equipped with tickets that would take us to the spots that Cape Town Tourism refers to, jocularly, as the Big Six—those six highlights that are Must-See Spots. We were handed earbuds for the commentary that plays in a continual loop and introduces the visitor to the history and culture of the city.

            With just a few minutes to spare, we were able to board the very first bus of the day which departed at 9.00 am from the First Stop. Seated on the upper deck at the very front, we had picture window seats that afforded brilliant views of the city on a glorious day. Indeed, we had fully lucked out with the weather and could not have asked for a better day. It was a bit chilly but we were well-clad in layers (as advised by all the guide books).

 Off to Table Mountain—One of the Big Six:

            We stayed on the bus through the first six stops during which we were spun around the dockside, the harbor, the commercial downtown area, the old colonial artery called Herrengracht, etc.—each street was filled with historic sculptural figures before we arrived at Stop 7—the stop for the climb up Table Mountain which is South Africa’s third most famous attraction (after the V&A Waterfront and Kruger National Park). We had the good sense to buy our tickets for the Cable Way Ride from the Hop On Hop Off bus driver—this eliminated a long wait in the queue at the venue. The drive up to Table Mountain was also lovely with beautiful Cape floral vegetation providing beauty and interest at every twist and turn.

            The Bus Stop was right opposite the Cable Car Dock and within minutes we were inside one of the pods and being whisked up the mountain. Table Mountain is so-called because it has a flat, mesa-like top. It is an unmistakable land mass that is visible from almost anywhere in Cape Town. In about 20 minutes, we were at the very top after a lovely ride that took us higher and higher up the side of the mountain as the city with its glorious coast line receded behind us. Having recently done an almost identical trip up the Sugar Loaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, I have to say it was still an exciting experience.

            Once up on Table Mountain, the visitor can spend as much or as little time as desired. You can circumnavigate the summit on a beautifully paved pathway that is landscaped skillfully to blend in with the granite rocks that compose the mountain’s mass. We walked along it and took so many pictures as each vista was equally stunning. Because the day was so clear and not obscured by the cleverly named “Tablecloth”—a cloud mass that often hides the summit as well as the landscape below—we could see all the way down the Horn of Africa to the point where you have the confluence of two major oceans—the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic.  This is the famed Cape of Good Hope that was named by the Portuguese explorer Bartholomew Dias in 1488 when he became the first European to catch sight of it. Although he merely skirted the Cape and found his way to the other side of the continent of Africa en route to the East, the Portuguese neither claimed South Africa for Portugal nor colonized it. Had they done so, it would have become another Brazil. Today, it is possible to travel by road for about an hour to get to what is called “Cape Point”, the southernmost tip of Africa…but I am not sure that we will find the conveyance to get us there. Hopefully tomorrow…fingers crossed.

            Be that as it may, we were fully enthralled by the sights offered of Cape Town and the Eastern and Western Cape stretching all the way to the famed vineyards that have put South Africa on wine-lovers’ maps. We also saw Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated and where we would be headed very shortly.

            Many pictures and about an hour later, we took the Cable Car down to the base of the mountain and jumped right back into the Hop On, Hop Off bus that happened to have just arrived to drop passengers off and pick us up.

 A Lovely Tour of the Cape:

            With an hour and a half to go before we were required to show up at the Waterfront for our ferry to Robben Island, we decided to stay on the Hop On Hop Off bus for the entire route until it returned us to its starting point.

            It was simply the best idea for the tour we received and the commentary provided was so enlightening and the scenes we saw so beguiling that we were well and truly seduced by the glory of this city. From the urban neatness of commercial centers we moved to the outer affluent suburbs where the houses are so striking and the new wealth of the people so impressive that we were amazed at every stage. We passed breathtaking Camps Bay which reminded us a lot of Bondi Beach in Australia and other coastal settlements such as Bantry Bay (its namesake is in Ireland) and Sea Point with their lighthouses and hang gliders and other visual delights before we arrived again at the starting point.

Indeed Cape Town is all about new money and we could completely understand why it is now one of the BRICS nations poised to make a mark on the world financial scene. And yet, there is so much thought and respect for the eco systems and the environment in this region which one just does not see in Indian cities such Bombay and Delhi where haphazard development has ruined everything. The drive provided a fabulous overview of the city and its environs. Once again I felt very grateful for the Hop On Hop Off bus services which are such a boon to foreign visitors in global cities. 

 Exploring the V&A Waterfront:

            With about 45 minutes to spare before we boarded our ferry to Robben Island, we used time wisely by touring the V&A Waterfront. This fascinating area with a long and colorful history had fallen into terrible disuse. But then Cape Town was inspired by San Francisco and Sydney and decided to convert the area into a major tourist attraction by constructing the sort of art, entertainment and gourmet center that would make it a magnet to visitors of every age. 

            And indeed they have done so brilliantly. Table Mountain presents a grand backdrop for an area that is studded with boutique hotels, specialty restaurants, gift and souvenir shops, sporting facilities such as water skiing, canoeing, etc. entertainments such as helicopter rides, whale-watching, Cape rides, etc—you name it, they have it. What’s more, there is an equivalent of the London Eye—a giant ferris wheel that is called the Cape Wheel. It is easily visible right outside the window of our hotel room and at just 100 Rand a ticket (about $8), we decided that we would take a ride in it—a first time for both of us for although we have seen this wheel in many cities, we have never actually ridden it. But the ride would have to wait until the end of the day for it ran until 7.00 pm.

            Having contented ourselves with a good look around the Waterfront, we felt deeply grateful for the amazingly convenient location of our hotel and its easy access to every attraction. Indeed we could walk everywhere and did not need to rely on local public transport to get from one spot to the next.

 A Poignant Tour of Robben Island:

            At 12.30 pm, we joined a long line of people eager to board the 1.00 pm ferry for the 45 minute ride to Robben Island. It was while on the ferry that we learned that the Dias, the name of our boat, is the oldest ferry still in commission today and that it was the same one used to ferry prisoners as well as their rare visitors to the island. The ride was gorgeous. As the city receded, we were treated to lovely views of Table Mountain and the beautiful buildings that make up the urban landscape. After about half an hour, Robben Island came into sight.

            At the island, we were placed in tour coaches each of which was equipped with a tour guide. Our guide was a lovely young black South African woman who introduced us to the Island and its historical beginnings as a leper colony before it became a penal colony. As the bus spun around the vast island, we were grateful for the transport provided as it was simply too sprawling to be covered on foot. We realized that it was in the early 20th century that it was first used to house political prisoners although criminals were also housed here. As part of the tour, we passed by the maximum security prison buildings that were built by the prisoners themselves, the Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd (which belongs to the Church of England) as opposed to all other land which belongs to the state. We also stopped at the Limestone Quarry where prisoners were subjected to 8 hours of hard manual labor that involved breaking limestone chunks. It caused the prisoners terrible health hazards such as damage to their eyes and lungs from the stone dust as well as bleeding of their fingers for oftentimes digging was done with bare hands. Ironically enough, the stones they broke were not used at all. They were merely transported from one place to another on the island as the only idea was to subject the prisoners to perpetual untold hardship.

            At the final building, we got off the bus and were placed in the hands of another guide who turned out to be a former prisoner himself. It is worth noting that the prison was closed down in 1991 and, a few years later, turned into a museum and a memorial to those who lost their lives there. Mandela was a prisoner here from the 1960s until 1982. The guide who took over—the former prisoner–informed us that he had been incarcerated for having participated in the Soweto Uprising of the 1974s in Johannesburg. He had been in the prison for a few years and had known Mandela himself. It was his job to take us around the building, introduce us to the various sections where prisoners ate, slept, had their individual cells, were allowed to get out and walk for an hour per day in open courtyards. In one such courtyard, Mandela managed to write his book and was also able to smuggle it out of the prison through his Indian friend Mac Maharaj (who was later appointed as a Minister in Mandela’s first Cabinet). We were told about the beatings and other tortures to which the prisoners were subjected and the ways in which they were kept subservient to the wishes of the regime that segregated them on the basis of their grade as A,B, C or D prisoners in order to create dissension and jealousy among them. We were also informed about the stringency of the diet and meagre provisions to which prisoners were entitled. Finally, it was the efforts of the International Red Cross that improved diet and sleeping conditions for the prisoners and also allowed them the luxury of metal beds and mattresses. 

            Needless to say, the piece de resistance of our tour was the visit to the actual cell that Mandela had occupied for several years—Cell Number 7 in F Block. We saw the thin mattress on which he slept on the floor, the tin plate and mug from which he ate and drank, the bucket that served as his toilet. It was indeed quite pathetic and it filled me with sadness. It is indeed such a manifestation of the greatness of the human spirit that it can withstand so much hardship and deprivation and not become embittered.

            At 4.00 pm at the end of the tour, we boarded another ferry called the Sea Princess—a sleeker, newer, faster vessel, for the return ride to the mainland. It had been a wonderful introduction to the work of Mandela and his creation of a new, apartheid-free South Africa based on the concepts of Freedom, Hope, Reconciliation and Forgiveness–and it is these principles that have enabled South Africa to become a Rainbow Nation—a visible symbol of the manner in which people can live in harmony together towards common goals irrespective of their race or skin color.

            On our way back to the mainland, we saw a nice variety of wild sea life. Apart from seagulls that were plentiful, we saw dozens on black cormorants, gleaming seals lounging sluggishly in the sun and even, get this, two huge white whales who frolicked in the water, much to our delight.

 A Lovely Canal Cruise:

            Having arrived at the Waterfront at 4. 45 pm, we had precisely 15 minutes to walk to the Embarking Pier for the City Canal Cruise which is part and parcel of our Hop On Hop Off Bus tour. Needless to say, we raced off to get to the Pier on time and managed to board the last boat of the day by the skin of our teeth.

            The cruise was truly charming. For anyone who has taken a canal cruise in Bruges in Belgium or in Amsterdam in Holland, this would feel like a repeat treat. Progress through the canal is very slow so that passengers can feast their eyes upon the lovely apartment condos that have sprouted on the canal banks—clearly South Africa’s yuppies have a taste now for the good life and they are out to grab a piece of the pie while the economy is still thriving. We passed by a number of slow bridges, mainly in the commercial area with its many skyscrapers. And always, there was Table Mountain seemingly breathing down on visitors and providing a focal point of perspective.      

            The Canal cruise ended at a hotel called The One and Only which apparently opened to much fanfare in 2009 and whose spa is the last word in luxury

 A Ride on the Cape Wheel:

            It was about 6 pm by the time our boat docked at the V&A Waterfront right opposite the Victoria Wharf mall which was the site for those wishing to take a ride on the Cape Wheel. But before we boarded, we got side tracked into entering the mall in search of a bottle of wine. We found a good South African organic Cabernet Sauvignon and with that and a bar of Lindt dark chocolate with hazelnuts, we planned to have ourselves a pre-dinner drink in our room.

            The Cape Wheel was fun especially as we boarded it while the city lights were slowly being turned on and darkness fell. As our enclosed glass pod climbed higher, we were treated to one of Africa’s spectacular sunset—all swirls of dazzling red and steel grey. We took many pictures as we switched sides in the pod. My growing fear of heights put me in a tizzy for a few minutes but when I saw that although it was very high off the ground, the wheel did not turn fast at all, I felt less apprehensive. Indeed, there was nothing fear-inducing about it. It was a great first time experience and one we would gladly repeat again.

Home Again…well, Hotel Again:

            The end of the Cape Wheel ride brought us back to our room in the hotel where we shared a bottle of wine and nibbled on trail mix which I had carried from home to keep a rumbling tummy at bay. In about an hour, our friends arrived from the Victoria Falls and as they checked into our hotel, Llew and I strolled down to the food court at the Victoria Wharf for fast food in the form of Chicken Shwarma and Lamb Wraps from an Egyptian chain called Anat—but sadly that was the only disappointing part of our day for both items were absolutely tasteless. Our friends joined us in about half an hour and we spent the rest of the evening in their company recounting our day to them as they told us about their extra day at Vic Falls. It turns out that we were both happy with the way our respective days went and could not feel more satisfied.

            There was nothing more to do but return to our hotel for hot showers and a cool bed. And that was precisely what we did as we called it a night. Byt the end of our incredible day, we had covered three out of the Big Six Must-Do Items: Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront and Robben Island. If we plan meticulously and used good time-management, we’ll probably be able to squeeze in the other three tomorrow–A Tour of the Constantia Nek Vineyards, Cape Point, The Historic District including the District Six Museum… 

          Until tomorrow, cheerio…        

                           

Transiting Through Africa–From Victoria Falls through Johannesburg to Cape Town

Jul5

Sunday, July 5, 2015: Victoria Falls-Johannesburg-Cape Town:

            Today was a day spent in transit en route from Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls to South Africa’s Cape Town via the capital city of Johannesburg.

            Since our flight was not until 1. 15 pm with a pick up from our hotel scheduled for 11.00 am, we had the luxury of a lovely lie-in—all the way until 8.00 am before we decided to get down for breakfast to Jungle Junction, the shack-like restaurant past the pool on the premises of our hotel. We made sure that we completed the bulk of our packing before we left for breakfast as check-out time was 10.00 am. If the porter brought our luggage down to the lobby by 10.00 am, we’d have an hour to kill in the hotel’s beautiful premises before our departure.

 Buffet Breakfast in the Jungle Junction:

            Having eaten a Bush Breakfast yesterday in the Bush following our Elephant Back Safari, we were introduced to the sumptuous buffet breakfast on the sun-drenched terrace of our hotel overlooking the Zambesi Gorge, the Rainbow Bridge and the rising spray that appeared like smoke from the Falls just behind the canyon. We ordered custom-made omlettes filled with ham, cheese and mushrooms which we then enjoyed with bacon, sausages, baked beans and grilled tomatoes. A small muesli cup filled with yoghurt, fresh strawberry puree and granola followed and we finally ended our meal with fresh fruit including the tropical pawpaw or papaya that I love. All this was washed down with guava juice and fresh coffee.  Service was simply awesome and we appreciated the attention to detail as well as the graciousness of the wait staff as they brought us our every desire. Truly, we could get used to this five-star lifestyle!

            In the hour that we had to kill before our airport pick-up, we wandered down to the Zambesi Gorge to take more pictures. We fell into conversation with a couple from Cape Town on a short holiday in Zimbabwe and they proved to be a mine of information about tourist sight seeing activity in their city. But an hour later, we were off and away feeling actually a bit sorry to leave such a fabulous hotel that was steeped in so much colonial history.

 Departure for Cape Town:

            Once again, we discovered upon arrival at Victoria Falls airport that ours was not a direct flight to Cape Town as there are none that exist currently. Later this year, once the new terminal that is currently under construction is complete, passengers can travel directly. But not only did the check-in queue move at snail’s pace  at Zimbabwe airport, but by the time we reached the counter, the flight was full. There was a possibility that we would be off-loaded. Naturally, we were not happy campers as we had a connecting flight at Johannesburg. After keeping us guessing for a few hairy minutes, the Manager at the South African Airlines counter gave us the good news that we had been upgraded to Club Class! Boy! Were we relieved! And thrilled to bits. We were proving to have amazing luck on our flights and we hoped not to jinx our successful journeys.

            We did take off a little after schedule. Needless to day, we enjoyed the pampering in Club Class with the sparkling white wine that I ordered and the local South African Cabernet that Llew sipped. Our lunch was equally delicious and we felt well-fortified to undertake the next leg of our journey.

At Johannesburg, we had to clear Immigration and Customs and take our baggage to the Domestic Departures section for an on-going flight to Cape Town. Here too, the Immigration line was a mess with most passengers moving sluggishly and several cutting the queue. Long story short, we managed to make our connecting flight to Cape Town with no further incident but we are slowly getting accustomed to the absolute tardiness and lack of efficiency which seems to be a cultural trait.

            We were on board our onward flight that departed from Johannesburg at 5 pm with a scheduled arrival time of 7. 10 pm in Cape Town. We were ready for the left segment of our travels in Africa in a city about which everyone eulogizes.      

            A tour representative was waiting to take us to our hotel, The Victoria and Alfred Hotel—yes, you read that correctly: it is the V and A Hotel but Victoria’s beloved Alfred is not the consort after which this hotel has been named. I shall have to do some research to find out where the Alfred comes from! Be that as it may, we had a very smooth drive to the hotel in Cape Town. It was 8.00 pm and so completely dark—we could see little but what we did see was impressive. This could be a First World City—first impressions were very positive indeed.

            Out hotel is just as lovely as the one in Zimbabwe—except that it is much more modern. It is on the lovely V&A Waterfront and the view from our window reveals the lights of the pier. There is a massive ferris wheel—similar to the London Eye—outside our window but we were simply too tired to go out and explore tonight.

            All sightseeing will have to wait until tomorrow. We showered, relaxed with a beer and a wine and munched on trail mix and then it was time to catch up with some TV and relax.

            Until tomorrow, cheerio!            

Victoria Falls in Africa–Or Niagara On Viagara and Other Tourist Encounters

Jul5

Friday, July 4, 2015: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe:

The Thrills of an Elephant Back Safari:

            We could not afford the luxury of a long lie-in as we needed to set our alarms really early as Llew and I would be picked up at 6. 15 am to participate in the Elephant Back Safari for which we had signed up ($125 per head). In about half an hour, we were down in the hotel lobby joining a few other hotel guests who were already in the coach that took us on the bumpiest half hour ride through near-desert vegetation to get us to the ‘farm’ where tamed, trained elephants take visitors on a ride through the Bush to spy wildlife from the back of an elephant.

            Once we alighted from the bus, we made our way to the base camp where we were treated to hot tea or coffee and biscuits—once again, the British colonial touch was unmistakable. It felt chilly, despite the fact that we had dressed warmly in layers. So you can imagine how grateful we felt for the massive teak wood fires that were lit in pits in the ground. They threw out an abundant amount of heat that warmed us to the core and prepared us for the ride that lay in store.

            Another half hour later, we were mounting the metal staircase to get on to the elephant’s back. Llew and I were given one elephant (named Tatou) and one guide named Taurai—and for the next 45 minutes, we took a slow and leisurely stroll through the Bush in search of animals. We were warned that sightings depended entirely on our luck. Although it was still very early in the morning (about 7.00 am), there weren’t many animals to be seen—there were loads of guinea fowl in flocks running all over the place, but it didn’t seem as if we would see very much. And then about 15 minutes into our ride, during which time Taurai kept up a running commentary on the landscape, its vegetation, elephant habits, etc. we spied it—a single wild elephant in the distance feeding on a tree. Our line of tamed elephants with their trainers in charge kept a respectful distance: no one wished to antagonize the wild elephant who was liable to charge at any time—particularly while feeding. When we had feasted our eyes on the sight, we moved on—only to spy a little group of wart hogs—funny-looking animals who run with their tails pointing upright in the air! We had opportunities to take pictures sitting on our elephant’s knee, we had the experience of feeding it treats (little pellets name of molasses, maize (corn), sunflower seeds, etc.) We took a lot of pictures and when we felt as if we were ready to say goodbye to our elephant, we adjourned into the tent for a typical Bush Breakfast.

Partaking of a Bush Breakfast:

            Indeed by the time we were seated with the rest of our party at long tables, we were so ready for a big meal—why is it that staring at animals makes one so hungry? It was hard to fathom the reason—but we all did justice to the buffet offerings: eggs were freshly prepared for us, according to individual taste, on roaring wood fires that imparted an unusual smoked flavor to everything we tasted. There were sausages, minced meat stew, tomatoes and onions well sautéed, baked beans and toast. Clearly, the colonial impact is still alive and licking in Africa and we were treated to the thrills of a “Full English” in the Bush! Juice, tea and coffee were also plentifully available. We chatted with our travel companions—almost all of whom, except for two Aussie females, came from various parts of America. Almost all of them had stories to tell of the various safaris they have taken in the past couple of weeks, their close encounters with animals in the wild and their newly-gained knowledge of African wildlife. We became very excited about the safari treats that lay in store for us at Kruger.

            And then, just as we reached the very edge of the game reserve, we spied a small cluster of four zebras also feeding off the foliage. It was not a bad elephant back safari after all. Having said that, at the cost of $125 per head, it was far too steep and it is not something we would recommend if one has ridden an elephant in any part of the world—as we have done in Jaipur, Kerala and Thailand. 

 A Hike to the Victoria Falls:

            It was about hour later that we were back in our hotel, only to find that our friends had eaten a substantial buffet breakfast in the hotel and were ready to take a hike to the Victoria Falls—the very reason who had made a detour to this tiny town. By this time, we had the opportunity to marvel at the fantastic location of our hotel for it overlooks the Zambesi Gorge and the Rainbow Bridge that spans it. Although the canyon hit the actual falls from sight, we could easily discern the foamy, smoke-like mist that floats above the Falls because the volume and velocity are so great. The hotel is surrounded by manicured lawns that are well-watered to an emerald green spruceness. And best of all, it was just a short ten minute walk through the Bush, part of Zambesi National Park, to the Falls.

 Finally, Vic Falls—Like the Niagara on Viagara!

            At the entrance to Zambesi National Park, at the point where we purchased tickets to enter and see the Falls ($30 per head), those among us without adequate waterproof gear, including Llew, rented plastic ponchos for $3 each. They are distributed in lovely vivid colors and they make beautiful pictures.

            The trail leading to the Look-Out Decks on the canyon that forms the Victoria Falls is lined with well-numbered spots each of which offers a different perspective of the Falls. Cheri-Anne, who is a member of our party, suggested that we start with the furthest point (Number 16) and make our way down the River to Spot Number 1 which is considered the most impressive one—named Devil’s Throat. And so for the first fifteen minutes, as the roaring thunder of the falls drew nearer, we passed through Bush and got increasingly wetter. Although one speaks of it as spray, the Falls generate what amounts to a small downpour—I had a raincoat on but I was cold and as water trickled down my drenched baseball cap and flowed down my neck, I got colder and wetter beneath!

            Meanwhile, with every step, we inched closer to the Falls. At the summit, spectacularly breathtaking sights awaited us. There were double rainbows in the deep canyon where the water met the river bed. But the force was so strong and the spray so high that it was difficult to pull our cameras out of our pockets to take pictures. Besides, the mist flowing over the stones that skirt the canyon make the area extremely slippery and dangerous and there are no guard rails to stop a fall (shudder!). All of this makes the spot daunting but compelling. We braved the elements and took pictures, all the time thinking as Cheri-Anne put it, “This is like Niagara on Viagara!” And no truer words were ever spoken! It was incredible to behold and we simply could not drag ourselves away from the sight.

            At the Bridge Look Out point, we watched bungee jumpers catapult over the river with all the daring the human heart can muster. One can take a walk across the Bridge (A Bridge Tour) and get over on the other side—to another country, Zambia. But as we did not have visas to get there, we contented ourselves with a look over on the other side. 

            But inevitably, despite the attractions of the view and the dare-devil bungee jumpers, as we had to move on, we did. We continued down river making our way through the descending order of numbered Look Out points and taking pictures everywhere of the wall or curtain of water that is formed by the mile long length of canyon over which the river tumbles to the base. Eventually, when we got to Number One, we found a confluence of a number of natural elements: a gorge, three or four different types of waterfalls depending on height, width and volume, a very narrow natural gorge, a brilliant rainbow. And when we eventually turned away from this sight, we gazed in wonder upon the sculpture of Dr. David Livingston, the explorer who in 1855 ‘discovered’ the natural wonders of Africa, including the Victoria Falls and lived to tell the world about them. He, naturally, named them for his Queen—Victoria. The grand towering sculpture of Livingston as Explorer is by Walter Reid and it was installed in 1955 by the Lieutenant Governor of Rhodesia, Lord Llewellyn (my husband’s name sake) to mark the centenary of the ‘discovery’. It does not matter whether one starts or ends the trek through the well-marked trail at this point—the sculpture has a tremendous impact and we loved every second. I was reminded of a lesson I had in middle school (Grade VII) about the eventual meeting of another English explorer Stanley who, on encountering the ‘lost’ explorer, uttered the words, “Dr. Livingston, I presume.”

 A Close And Very Unexpected Encounter with a Pachyderm:

            It was while we were walking back to our hotel from the Falls that an elephant suddenly materialized in front of us. Having just emerged from the river, it gleamed a startling iron-grey! Llew and I stood by to take pictures with the elephant in the back of us when, coming down the path in front of us, were two gentlemen. Since the elephant was concealed behind a very large bush from which it was feeding, the men had no idea he was there. We did not know how to warn them—yelling out to them might have frightened the elephant. Hence, they were only about two feet from the elephant when they saw it—and it was at this point that the elephant got annoyed at being disturbed while he was feeding. It reared up angrily, tossed its trunk far behind and trumpeted at them in anger—a sound that so startled the men that one of them reared up in return! Had we the presence of mind to videotape it, it would have made a conversation piece for the rest of our lives! However, in a few minutes, the massive animal calmed down and the guy who turned out to be British said, “Bloody Hell! My heart is still thundering in my chest!” When I look back upon the incident now, I find myself cracking up with laughter—but indeed, had the elephant become more enraged, it could have had a very ugly or a very sad ending.   

 A Walk Through the Town of Victoria Falls:

            Back in our hotel, we decided to go out to explore the little town of Victoria Falls as we did have the rest of the afternoon free until we met again with our friends in the hotel lobby for High Tea. As in the case of many towns with one fabulous attraction (Foz de Iguazzu in Brazil, Agra in India, etc.) so too here the town of Victoria Falls is tiny, dusty and unimpressive. A short walk through it took us into many of the souvenir stores where we found trading in the parallel currency of US dollars which is as good as legal tender in Zimbabwe. But how terribly exorbitant all the prices seemed to us! A single postcard cost $1 (in the US, once can find at least 3, even 4, for the same price). A fridge magnet cost $5, a T-shirt regardless of design or size, was a flat $20. There was simply no bargaining, no room for negotiation, and we soon discovered that all the stores have the exact flat rate for every item they sell—there is no such thing as undercutting!

            But there are crafts galore for anyone who wishes to purchase them: wonderful native African woods like teak and mahogany are carved into animal figurines and polished to a high shine. There are bowls, carvings galore, brightly-painted masks, beaded jewelry. You name it, the shops sell them—the craftsmanship is fine and it is clear that these people take pride in their talents and their wares. Unfortunately, we did not wish to carry anything home, so contented ourselves with the mandatory postcard and magnet that we buy from every place we visit—and a T-shirt for my brother Russel who collects them. When we had acquired a small taste of the merchandise on offer, we strolled back to our hotel—only to be accosted by an army of baboons—large, fierce monkeys that stalk garbage bins in search of food to forage. We saw so many that our camera could not keep up with their speed and agility.  

 High Tea on the Hotel Terrace:

            A short rest (read nap for me) in the hotel saw me rise to partake of the next meal on our agenda—High Tea on the Livingston Terrace of our hotel with the mist rising from the Falls in the background. Two members of our party, Ian and Raghu, were already at the meal when we arrived there. They had foregone the pleasures of bungee jumping, zip-lining and swinging that the teenaged kids in our party—Kristen, Neil and Carl—had signed up for. While their Mums, Jenny-Lou and Cheri-Anne accompanied them, their husbands sat back to enjoy the treats of the Afternoon Tea table.

            And what a splendid repast it turned out to be! The wonderful colonial ambience is retained in these lost outposts of Empire: three tiered silver-plated cake stands, fine bone china, gleaming silverware, linen napkins—the whole nine yards. We feasted on plain and fruit scones with unlimited strawberry jam and whipped cream (no clotted cream outside Cornwall!), the most delicious cucumber sandwiches, smoked salmon rounds, curried chicken and chutney rolls, egg salad crostini—all delicious. And on to the sweets: lemon tarts, apple tarte tatin, chocolate mousse slices, tiny meringues. And unlimited pots of tea! What a lovely time we had as we recounted our respective day to each other—the wild elephant encounter was a big part of our story!

            In about an hour, we were joined by the rest of our party—the kids proudly displaying video tracks of their bungee jumps over the Zambesi Gorge! We were suitably impressed by their prowess. With bills settled, Llew and I took leave of them to return to our room for showers and to get ready for the next item on our program—yet another meal! We were off to a Boma Dinner.

 Traditional African Boma Dinner:

            At 6. 45pm, after showering and dressing semi-formally, we were picked up in a van for the short ride during which we made friends with Ian and Sylvia, two travelers from our home state of Connecticut. They were delighted to meet us as we drove to a Safari Lodge for the Boma Dinner. A Boma is a traditional cast iron pot in which Africans from the Bush cooked their food over wood-burning fires. Every country has such a cultural experience (when we were in Hawai’i, we had attended a traditional Luau Dinner). This one was held in a huge thatched roof tent. At the entrance, we were each draped in a colorful cotton sarong bearing African prints. Paint was applied to our cheeks—two dots for each lady, two stripes for each man. We were led to our table and a tiny amount of a potent local brew, a beer made of maize (corn) was poured for our tasting pleasure. It tasted distinctly like ‘toddy’, a local drink made from tapping coconut palm trees in South India. Llew did not like it at all while I found it barely palatable.    

            Appetizers followed: corn fritters, nimo beans (they tasted like boiled peanuts—very good), boiled sweet potato chunks. Our server instructed us to move to the spit where whole roasted lambs were spread-eagled on the coals—it was very tender and very delicious and served with…guess what? Mint sauce, of course! More examples of the colonial hangover. Over by the salad station, we found a variety of greens and braised and roasted veg with Smoked Crocodile Tail-End taking pride of place. I tasted some of it—and guess what it tasted of…why, chicken of course! Over at the grilling station, we were each presented with a sizzler platter and asked to choose from a wide variety of game meat: warthog steaks, Cape Buffalo steaks, regular sirloin steaks. In terms of ethnic offerings, I made sure I tasted kudu stew (a type of deer-like animal from the Bush) and guinea-fowl stew. But I have to say I had to draw the line at tasting Mopani Worms—these looked like short, fried earthworms coated in a chocolate sauce. Those brave enough to venture to put one into their mouths were awarded a Certificate: “This is to state that So and So ate his first Mopani Worm on So and So date.” I was sorely tempted to taste one just so I could go home with the certificate—but I chickened out. Get it? I chickened out!!!We also tasted Sadza, a type of polenta that is eaten with stewed meats. Everything was delicious, but we were so stuffed by the end of the meal that we had to forego the Desserts Station, much to my disappointment as sweets are my favorite part of a meal! Oh well…you know why they say, “Life’s Too Short. Have Dessert First!” For those interested, there was everything one could desire: trifle (colonial influence intervening again), white chocolate mousse, chocolate gateau, individual caramel custards, apple streudel, bread pudding. Truly, the entire meal was a feast for a king, or a queen. And for a while at least, we were made to feel like royalty.

            As in the case of all such meals, the Boma Dinner was a cultural experience and included much more than a gigantic menu. It was an introduction to the music and dance of Africa and throughout the meal we were regaled by groups of singers and dancers dressed in elaborately colorful clothing playing cymbals, drums and maracas. The show was interactive and the audience was invited to join in. The last part of the meal was a wonderful recital on the drums. Every single one of us was provided with a drum and by following the lead of the main conductor, we were instructed to join in. Finally, the entire group was encouraged to come to the dance floor and show off their moves! Needless to say, the Africans present were the best dancers, They moved with the most marvelous ease on the lightest feet with effortless rhythm. We loved it. Llew was not as shy as I am and when he was pulled on to the floor, he joined in sportingly while I was only prepared to make a fool of myself while there were lots of people on the dance floor with me.

At the end of the evening’s entertainment, we went to the entrance of the restaurant past vendors showing off their lovely carved animals and other wares for the unbelievable prices of one and two dollars for beautifully finished pieces. It was impossible to reconcile the fact that we had paid $20 for an ordinary T-shirt and yet could purchase carved wooden animals for one and two dollars. A short drive in the van that had taken us to the Lodge dropped us back to the hotel where we were extremely grateful to curl up on incredibly comfortable beds and look back on our eventful day. It is amazing how much we managed to cram into a very brief stop at the Victoria Falls and how interesting and different every single one of our activities were. Indeed, the Victoria Falls provided a very interesting introduction to the diversity of Africa and we felt grateful that we were off to such a great start.

So far away were we from the ethos of home that it was only very late in the day that we realized it was July 4 and that our fellow-Americans were celebrating America’s Birthday Back Home!

Until tomorrow, cheerio!

Hello Zimbabwe, Hiya Zambesi–and a Sunset Cruise on the River

Jul4

Getting to Know Zimbabwe… and the Zambesi River
 
Friday, July 3, 2015: London-Johannesburg-Victoria Falls

            We arrived at Heathrow at 6.30 pm well in time to retrieve my strolley from the Left Luggage Lockers and make our way directly to the gate for our onward flight to Johannesburg. Remember our bags had been in storage at Heathrow for about 12 hours while we were in transit in London. This fact becomes significant when I tell you what I found when I arrived in my hotel at the Victoria Falls…but I am digressing.

            Our red eye flight—the second one in 24 hours was another piece of cake—because it too was half full. This meant that both Llew and I stretched out on 4-seater
centre aisle seats for yet another night and sustained another great night’s sleep. We truly did luck out for we received the advantage of first class tickets at economy prices–but on just one leg of an endless flight but on both!!!

            Our flight took us straight down the backbone of the continent of Africa (as evidenced by the mapped in-flight plan) from Algeria to South Africa. On approach into Johannesburg, we noticed how brown and arid the landscape is. It is hard to imagine how life can be possibly be sustained in such a hostile environment.

            Landing in Johannesburg, we only had enough time to clear South African Immigration and make our way to the check-in counter for our connecting flight to the town of Victoria Falls which lies across the border in Zimbabwe. Boarding had just begun when we reached the Gate to a fine reunion with our friends—the Seqeuiras and the Nathans with their kids, who had arrived from the States on other flights. Within twenty minutes, we were all seated in a much smaller British Airways aircraft that was filled to capacity with tourists heading to see one of the continent’s most spectacular sights—and one of the world’s seven natural wonders. A very light lunch consisting of chicken curry on rice was served in the plane and within 90 minutes, we were touching down. Again, the sheer aridity of the landscape with its very low shrubbery (rather Texan in appearance) struck me.

            Immigration clearance in Zimbabwe took absolutely ages—we were actually the very last party to receive our visas at the airport for the charge of US $30 each. It was an opportunity, however, to catch up with our friends and as we gabbed our way to the front of the line, we realized that in exactly half an hour, we were to be picked up at our hotel for the first activity on our agenda—the Sunset Cruise on the Zambesi River. That’s when we hit Panic Mode and hoped the line would speed up. No such luck!

            When the representative from Shearwater, the agency that has a monopoly in Zimbabwe over all tourism services, eventually got to us, he told us we had exactly five minutes to drop our baggage off at our hotel and return to his van for the ride to the banks of the river at the start of our Sunset Cruise. So we instantly had to perish the thought of any fancy dressing up for our cruise. Forget about fancy dressing up! After 48 hours of flying around the world, we were not so much as afforded the luxury of a shower! Nor did we enjoy the delicious peppermint-scented cool towels that were handed to us upon arrival at the Reception Desk or the welcome glass of lemonade! We just grabbed the keys to our room from the polite receptionists and were off.

            Our room was just gorgeous—in a hotel that is the last word in colonial luxury. The Victoria Falls Hotel sports an impeccably decorated lobby with colonial touches everywhere. Animals head skeletons, loads of framed antlers, prints of African vegetation, drapes that reflect the quiet colors of the African Bush (shades of ochre, beige, hunter green, grey), and a grand piano added to the ambience of classic comfort. Our beds were draped with filmy mosquito nets and all the furniture in our rooms was made of solid teak. Although named for King George V’s Grandmother Queen Victoria, this female monarch never set foot in Africa—in fact, if memory serves me right, she did not venture beyond Germany. It was left to her grandson, King George V and his consort Queen Mary to have the honor of being the first British monarchs to set foot in their colonies in Africa (en route to India for the famous Delhi Darbar in 1911). Hence, the hotel’s lobby is adorned with portraits of these two monarchs and I made sure to take pictures with them!  
Although we did not have the time to survey our hotel, we were told that it faced the Falls and that we could actually see the mist from the terrace. We would need to wait until the next morning to ascertain these facts.

            But we had little time to appreciate any of the hotel’s apparent luxury. We merely snatched up coats from our bags–and that was when I had the shock of my life. For my bag had been opened and every single item in it had been carefully turned over with the idea of stealing something valuable. Where this could have occurred is anyone’s guess, whether in London or in Johannesburg–but my belongings had been gone through with a fine comb–and the one item that I realized immediately was missing was my British cell phone! The fact that it was just this item taken convinced me that there was nothing accidental about its disappearance and that my bag had been hastily sifted through with the idea of theft! Luckily, my British cell phone is ancient, battered even partially broken and has a top-up SIM card that had long expired. There was no reason for me to fear that it would cause me any financial loss. 
 
Spectacular Sunset Cruise on the Zambesi River: 

      Absolutely down-hearted, I ran back to the bus and in fifteen minutes, we were dropped off at the river banks at the start of our cruise. The triple decker craft (of which we had tickets for the Signature Deck) stood splendidly in the water. It was 4.00 pm. Sunset here in the Southern Hemisphere in winter occurs at about 5. 30pm. This left us about an hour and a half to cruise the river keeping our eyes peeled for animals.

Initially, we did not have much luck—but then we began to spot herds of hippo wallowing in the river. They bobbed about like dark brown islands and occasionally raised their heads obligingly so that we could click pictures. Next, close to the river bank, we saw a crocodile and, at the very end of our cruise, we spied a couple of giraffes in the distance. Were we disappointed by the sparseness of animal life? I could say we were. But then a number of things made up for our disappointment. For one thing, service was impeccable on the Signature Deck. Drinks were included in the price we had paid (about $40 per head). We settled down with wines, beers, shandy and mojitos for which the bartender is apparently reputed. Meanwhile, the passed hors d’oeuvres kept coming, each more delicious than the other and each presented with the utmost style and elegance: skewered tandoor chicken, vegetable kebabs that included paneer shashlik, beef carpaccio on crostini, smoked salmon with capers on crostini, tiny cups of leek and potato soup (vichyssoise) served cold, sushi with pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce, and the piece de resistance, crocodile kebabs—indeed if no one had told us that the meat we were tasting was crocodile, I would have sworn it was chicken although the texture was slightly different. It was beautifully prepared with a tangy marinade. Who could have thought croc could taste so good?

The Sunset cruise was also good because the course the vessel took traversed four African nations that meet in a confluence at this point in on the River Zambesi: Zimbabwe, Zambia, Bostwana and Namibia. The hostess explained that as long as we remained on the boat, we would be considered legal in all four countries: the moment we decided to take a swim by jumping into the water, we would become illegal visitors who’d need to be fished out and deported! Good to know!
            Meanwhile, the sun kept sinking lower over the horizon—it was, after all, a sunset cruise and we were witness to the brilliant palette of colors that stain the continent of Africa as each day ends: vivid pinks, burnt oranges, fiery reds—managed to silhouette the sparse trees in black outlines. It was such a relaxing experience to cruise along in such quiet style on the Zambesi as we learned so many facts about the river and the delicate eco-system it manages to sustain. Indeed after the long flights we had taken across the world, it was a wonderfully fitting finale and we felt deeply satisfied. For many of us who have taken similar cruises on the Backwaters of Kerala, we saw a great similarity with the cruise that had just ended.

            By the time the sun disappeared over the horizon and darkness fell over Zimbabwe, we were ready to call it a night ourselves. Our meal had included cocktail snacks and drinks but the servings were so substantial that none of us had any room for dinner.

            Back in our hotel, we surveyed the buffet offerings in the adjoining restaurant and returned to our rooms for much-needed showers, the softness of extraordinarily comfortable beds and the romance of snuggling down under gauzy nets. I spent a while blogging, then made myself a decaff coffee before calling it a night.

Our African idyll was only just beginning…

Until tomorrow, cheerio.

A Bonus Central London Layover–and How We Used It!

Jul3

Strolling Through Central London–From Piccadilly to South Kensington.

            Going on a safari to Africa was on Llew’s Bucket List and after years of talking about it and planning, we were off and away in the company of some of our closest friends. It was an adventure that we anticipated with feverish excitement.

Wednesday, July 1, 2015: New York-London

            Thanks to out attempts to juggle air routes with the idea of gaining the most reasonably-priced fares, we flew out on Virgin Atlantic Airlines out of Kennedy airport at 9. 30 pm after going the usual convoluted route by taxi to the Metro-North train station and NYC Airporter Bus to Kennedy. We gave ourselves ample time and arrived, san stress, on schedule. A smooth check-in ensured that we were in our seats on time. But for the fact that the traffic assistant informed us incorrectly that our flight was indefinitely delayed (which was a false alarm), all went well. We ate a fairly decent dinner at 8.00 pm at Wild Buffalo Wings—a sampler that included said wings plus onion rings, mozzarella sticks and loaded nachos—a true greasy spoon standard! Not surprisingly, we barely hit our seats to discover that the flight was 50%  light. As soon as the Fasten Seatbelts signs were switched off, we raced to the back of the aircraft to bag the four-seater middle aisle seats and with Llew claiming one such set and me the other, we slept horizontally all night long.

 Thursday, July 2, 2015: London:

            It was not surprising, therefore, that we arrived at London’s Heathrow airport at 9. 30 am fresh as daisies after a picture perfect entry into the city. For our aircraft flew directly over Central London which allowed me to snap pictures of some of its most note-worthy structures from the Millennium Dome at Greenwich to The London Eye, from the Gherkin to the Houses of Parliament! I could not have been happier! Indeed flying over London is an experience I never tire of and each time I manage to see the city in a new light—again literally for I have arrived at various times of day and night.

We cleared Immigration and Baggage Claim by 10.45, made our way to the Piccadilly Line Tube station, spent a while getting our Oyster Cards topped up and then we were off. In an hour, we were at Green Park and, on cue, crossed Piccadilly to get to Fortnum and Mason, the gourmet specialty food store where we had made plans to meet our friend Bash at 11. 30. It was 12 noon exactly by the time we arrived inside the plush store that was in the midst of its 50% summer sale—Bash turned up a good 20 minutes later by which time I had sussed the joint to find that despite the sale, prices were still not too attractive. Perhaps by the time we return to London, they will be slashed some more and we shall be the proud possessors of bargains.

            A wonderful reunion with Bash followed a decision to leave the store and walk into full glorious sunshine on a day when the temperature was simply perfect. London had been reeling under  a massive heat wave which, thankfully, had abated by the time we arrived. We could not have asked for more perfect walking weather—and so we decided to take a walking tour of the area from say Piccadilly to Kensington. Llew was returning to London for an extended stay after a long while. He was happy and excited to be in the midst of back cabs and red double deckers and his energy seemed boundless—having slept the entire night away on a red eye flight was a huge bonus.

A Walking Tour of Central London:

            This past January, on a short trip to London, I had managed to pick up a reprinted edition of a classic London architectural guide by Ian Nairn called Nairn’s London. Nairn’s is considered the last word on London’s structures and with his observant eye and wicked sense of humor, he brings whole new nuances to one’s perceptions of T’Smoke’s well-loved buildings. So, it was with eagerness that I asked my companions, Llew and Bash, if they were up for an architectural walking tour of this small pocket of London that goes from Piccadilly Circus to South Kensington’s Little France—and hooray, they were also eager beavers!

Skirting the Royal Academy of Art:

We started off across the street at the Royal Academy of Art where a large installation filled the main courtyard. Entitled Inflated Star and Wooden Star, it is a massive piece of aluminum and teakwood by one of the most important contemporary American sculptors, Frank Stella. We encircled it, took a few pictures by the sculpture of Lord Burlington in whose grand private London home the Royal Academy of founded and is based.


Special Exhibition on Magna Carta:    

            We were then invited to a special exhibition held by the Royal Society of Antiquarians on the 800thbirthday of Magna Carta—one of the most important and significant documents in the world and the father of all legal writs. Inside, is a very solemn room that is filled with Plantaganet and Tudor portraits as well as furniture occupied by the office bearers of the Royal Academy at their meetings. We watched a short 7 minute film, then adjourned to the adjoining room to actually inspect the three copies of Magna Carta that were derived from the original. They were all very interesting to see and we were thrilled to be part of the exciting document that has continued to make its mark since 1215 when the barons forced King John to sign the agreement that limited his powers and made him accountable at Runnymede. We spent about half an hour there and then stepped next door.

The Burlington Arcade and the Piccadilly Arcade:

It always amazes me that sometimes people spend their entire lives in a fascinating city and know so little about its history or architecture—because we tend to take for granted those very aspects of our own environment that tourists flock from all over the world to see. This was the case with Bash who has been a Londoner all his life but had never entered or seen London’s famous arcades. There are three and they are all clustered in Piccadilly—the third is the Royal Arcade. These ‘arcades’ are covered corridors lined with upscale shops offering enticing and expensive merchandise in an atmosphere of quiet class. They were constructed in the 18th centuries when London’s ladies, flush with cash earned by their hard-working fathers or husbands, came out unabashedly to spend it. Shopping then was a social activity and the ladies wore their finest clothing to parade in these arcades as they inspected the goods, regardless of the vagaries of the weather—for they came to see and be seen. Today, the two arcades that are bang across Piccadilly from one another can be admired for their interesting architectural features, their beautiful tall bow fronted glass windows and the stained glass domed ceilings that let in abundant light no matter the weather.


A Quick Prowl Through Green Park:

            Our next port of call was Green Park just across the street—on a day that was so glorious and with lunch time tummies beckoning, it was not surprising that scores of Londoners had left their offices to lounge on the famed green striped easy chairs on the grass as they munched their cheddar and Branston pickle sandwiches! We walked a little in the park before crossing the street again to get into Half Moon Street:

Shepherd’s Market—a Little London Village Gem:

            Half Moon Street leads to the Third Church of Christ Scientist, a beautiful Neo-Classical structure at the junction of picturesquely named Half Moon Street and Curzon Street. It is here that the stroller will find an arch—you always feel the need to bend your head to enter the alley created by the arch. Over on the other side of it, you are in a part of London that is seeing better days after having served, during the 18thcentury, as the haunt of the ladies of the night. Today, it is hub of pubs, restaurants and specialty food stores so attractive that they are filled with office-goers tucking into pie and mash or pizza. We were hungry just watching them enjoy their food and began to think seriously about getting a bite ourselves as it was past 1.00 pm by the time.

 On to Hyde Park Corner and Apsley House:

            But, we decided to press on and make Knightsbridge the stop for a well-deserved lunch break. And so we returned to Piccadilly and the stop where it meets the Hard Rock Café—where Wellington’s Arch and the home that he was gifted by a grateful nation, simply known as No. 1 London aka Apsley House today stands. We did appreciate the fine architectural lines of these structures, aided and abetted by Ian Nairn, and then continued on briskly towards Harrods.

Lunch at EAT at Knightsbridge:

            Passing by the gates of Hyde Park, we arrived at “Harvey Nicks”, as the department store of Harvey Nichols is known colloquially and then there we were staring the grand Edwardian structure of Harrodsin the face. The idea was to survey the merchandise on sale—but with too many tummies rumbling, lunch became the main priority. We crossed the street and settled down to hearty comfort food—chicken and mushroom pie with mash and gravy for the guys and a delicious sweet potato and chilli soup for me—flavorful and very inexpensive.

Hitting Harrods:

Well boosted by our meal, we entered Harrods,always a joy no matter the time of year. Alas, there were no bargains to be had despite the summer sale—at least not the kind I wanted. After spending about a half hour there and using the restrooms, we made our way out and resolved to return on the second leg of our stay in London, two weeks from now.


Tea at Little Paris at “South Ken”:

            All that was left then, since we still had two whole hours to kill before we needed to board a Tube to get back to Heathrow, was to stroll idly towards Albertopolis—as the region that accommodates some of London’s most-famous museums is known—thanks to Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s consort, who devised and created it. With the Alexander McQueen exhibition entitled ‘Savage Beauty’ going on in full swing at the Victoria and Albert Museum, Llew (who had missed it in New York, unlike moi), decided to see it upon our return in two weeks’ time.

            We then headed towards the Tube station which is known as Little Paris at South Kensington or South Ken as this area is known—because this is where London’s tres chic expatriate French population has congregated. We passed by a number of coffee shops and tea rooms all churning out a mouthwatering array of French patisserieand since we urgently needed to rest our feet after our long wander, we settled down at Le Pain Quotidien and ordered a pot of tea for the chaps, hot chocolate for me, together with almond croissants and a chocolate tart that was simply scrumptious. All the time, we had the chance to catch up with Bash and to take in all the news about the recent goings-on in his life. We will be spending the day with him again very soon and as we sipped our tea and munched our goodies, we were able to observe the beautiful people pass by on the street their hands filled with iced tea or cups of gelato—for London’s summer is brief and its delights are grabbed with both hands—literally!

 Return to Heathrow:

            Bash got into the Tube with us by 6.00 pm and exactly an hour later, about 20 minutes after he hopped off at his stop, we arrived at Heathrow’s Terminal 3–where I retrieved the strolley back pack that I had stored in the Left Luggage Locker in the morning (10 pounds for 1 item for the first 5 hours) and then we were off to our gate to look for our onward flight to Johannesburg.

            Our day in London had been ‘brilliant’ to use a common British-ism! We felt that we had made the most of it—we had enjoyed its architecture and its history, partaken of its gastronomic offerings, caught up with a dear friend, and, in the process, prepared ourselves for the next lap of our holiday.

            Once again, we lucked out for when we boarded our flight from Heathrow to Johannesburg in South Africa, we found it also half full. This allowed us to stretch once again on 4-seaters and spend the night away horizontal and able to fully enjoy a good night’s sleep. When dinner was done, we dimmed lights (I had finished watching Gone Girl on the in-flight screen) and then we were out like a light.
 
       Tomorrow, I shall be reporting from Africa– do stand by for my next bulletin! Until then, cheerio!