The Big Five: Waterfront, Table Mountain, Robben Island, Cape Point, and Wine lands.

Cape Town, South Africa

Just warning you, this is going to be a long entry. We first arrived in Cape Town and I got off the ship with a few friends to explore the port before my FDP for class (Field Directed Practicum) and we walked all around the waterfront. It was beautiful! There was a ton of restaurants and tourist attractions to sign up for right there at the dock which was helpful for many of the SAS kids. I ended up rushing back after grabbing some lunch at the mall (It was from some Thai noodle place which was NOT that spicy at all) on the waterfront and rushed back to the ship. I then found out that my FDP was cancelled. So, the rest of my time in South Africa was planned out and all my friends were off doing different things so I decided to adventure around the waterfront on my own. Now, they told us before getting off the ship that anywhere around the waterfront area was a safe to be alone during the daytime because there were armed guards and people around if you needed help with anything. So that was comforting and I felt very safe to walk around too. It was beautifully constructed (reminded me of fisherman’s wharf, but a lot nicer) and I kind of just explored some of the stores and restaurants around the area. Then tried some frozen yogurt dipped in caramel to eat on while enjoying this hot afternoon. It was amazing. Oh my gosh, I had that frozen yogurt dipped in fresh caramel practically everyday we were there. It was from heaven if food could be sent from there. Then I walked into the craft market they had close by and I looked at some of the little shops they had inside selling a variety of different goods and specialties from South Africa including many wired baskets and wood carvings. I then stumbled upon a little place that was doing hair braiding. My friend Lindsay Mott was getting a few braids in her hair and we chatted for a bit. Then I thought about getting a few in my hair as well, which doesn’t really ever work. I asked the lady if they do extensions, and she said yes. She gave me a price and I said isn’t that cheap for my entire head? She was like, “You want your whole head done?” I said yes, and 3 and ½ hours later I had a lovely weave of braids with extensions. I absolutely love it. So now that I look totally African (or at least I hope to think I do), I bought some postcards and walked back with my other friend, Lindsey Clopp who had waited for me towards the end. It was so cool. I still have my braids in and everyone comments on how awesome they look and I’m not just saying that for kicks. She said it could last up to two months, so it will be perfect for traveling! I’ll probably take it out sometime after Japan. It’ll be so helpful in Asia and not deal with doing my hair. Yippee!!
That evening I met up with Kristina and a ton of our other friends to go to the Moyo restaurant. I made reservations that morning for 15 people just because I knew we’d pick up a few followers (thank you mom for looking up the number). Morgan Jenkins, my friend who has previously been on semester at Sea last year told me I HAD to go to this place. We got three or so taxis to get us there and the restaurant was on a winery estate. It was called the Spier estate and it was so beautiful. It’s weird though, here the cab drivers wait for you until you are finished eating which is really nice. We walked in and told them about our reservations and we could hear the music from the beginning of the restaurant. We then continued to follow the hostess to our table and walking through dancers, musicians, water fountains coming down from tables in the trees. It was so cool. To give you imagery for what this was like, it was the lion king meets rainforest café, meet bohemian hippy-ville wonderland. Now picture that all in South Africa at a winery. Amazing, yes? We were lead to a large table under a tent and were explained how the restaurant worked. There was a set price for your plate to get whatever food you wanted from the different buffets and you just ordered drinks from your waitress, but you could go back as many times as you would like. They also had blankets on the back of chairs to keep you warm in case it got cold. I ordered a bottle of Spier’s Shiraz, which was pretty delicious. The buffet was absolutely incredible, there were springbok, beef, chicken, and a variety of fish, ostrich, along with a few other types of meat, a vegetable section, desserts, stews, salads, and fruits. It was out of this world. Yet another one of those things I simply cannot explain in words. It was an experience in which I will never forget. I had this delicious fig like spread on sweet bread with this granola nut honey mixture on top. I must have had several of those, they were sooooo yummy! The cheese platter was incredible, when was the last time I had brie! As we sat down there was a woman who came around and gave everyone a face painting with white paint around the eyes with dots and circular designs. It looked beautiful on everyone, and each one was different. It was so nice to be with so many good friends to enjoy this experience together. There was entertainment towards the end of our meal which included singing, live music, and people dancing all around the tent. It was like a magical experience I will never forget. Eventually we finished the estimation for the bill and went out to take our taxis home. This was three hours after we had arrived to the restaurant. It was amazing and I loved every minute of it. I was able to talk to mom and Amanda for a bit, around 2 a.m. my time which was so nice to hear their voices.
They next day I woke up around 8 am for my FDP at 9:30 and only three of us showed up out of ten. It was disappointing, but actually worked out a lot nicer because my classmates, my professor, and I could all just share one taxi. It was a pilgrimage of the religious sites in Cape Town and we were first dropped off at St. George’s Cathedral to drop off our lunches. We met up with Terry’s brother in law at the Church who would help give us a tour around the city. We first walked to a Mosque two blocks up the street and met with one of the men who worked there, he welcome us in and we took out shoes off and the women covered their heads. We talked about the history of Islam in South Africa and when they had first come here and the community has grown since then. It was interesting to actually be in a mosque in which I enjoyed the most. Afterwards we headed towards the South African Jewish Museum and Synagogue. We went through security and walked through the first temple in Cape Town. It was built in 1841 when the first influx of Jews came from Europe, and eventually they built a newer, larger one a few years which they still use today. Although Cape Town has the largest Jewish population in Africa, people are leaving more and more every year because of economic reasons. The museum expanded into another building which was interesting to read about and we were able to see how and why the Jews came to Cape Town from Europe. There had been a pretty large Jewish community here for over a hundred years. Although it has become a lot smaller, the temple still has an active congregation. It was lovely to see the museum and the different temples in South Africa. The synagogue we went in was the very first Jewish temple on the continent of Africa. Pretty cool, right? After our tour finished and it was about time to go, so I asked the tour guide when Shabbat services were and if it was okay if I attended them. She said absolutely and that they started at 6:15.
There was a South African Holocaust Museum as well, but I did not have time to see it while I was there. We then visited the Slave Lodge museum which was where they sold and separated all the slaves which came to South Africa. It was really interesting to read and look at the photos of the history which had happened in this building. We were able to see Parliament as well which stood next to the museum and then walked back to St. George’s Cathedral. We had a little lunch which was packed by SAS and then Terry Crawford-Brown (my awesome professor), who have lived in South Africa for many years, showed us around his church. This is the church where Destmund Tutu had spoken at and was archbishop for a number of years. It was known as being a very activist and revolutionary place of prayer and has held all types of rallies and protests on the church grounds. It was interesting to see the history within the walls we stood and how amazing it was so know how much had happened, but it still felt as if there was more to happen here in future. I enjoyed that moment of change and struggle while smelling the musty scent and glancing at the light reflecting off of stain-glass windows. It was a beautiful place to sit and think and I am very happy we were able to see it.
We then finished up our FDP with doing a labyrinth in the courtyard of the church. Now I’ve never done one of these before and if you don’t know what they are it is basically a swirling maze with one entrance which is also the exit (though are some with two ways to exit and enter) and you travel across in twists and turns until you reach the middle. Making your way into the center you take deep breaths and take your time in concentrating on all the sounds and smells around you while leaving all the worries, concerns, and any other troubling thoughts behind you. Once you reach the middle, you take a moment for however long you choose to clear your mind completely. When you are ready to leave the middle, you slowly make the way back toward the exit. It was a nice way to think about all the traveling I have done thus far and the traveling I still have yet to complete. Though it’s hard to explain the process of just walking around and thinking, you really have to experience it yourself, and cannot be explained through writing. I highly recommend you do one of these sometime in your lifetime and I wish I could do it in between classes just to clear my head. I really enjoyed this part of the day and remembered why I was doing semester at sea and that eventually my studies, classes, and trip planning would work out. I knew that I would have those moments where I couldn’t express my feelings, frustrations, and worries going on in my head about the things I had experienced. I knew there would also be times when it all came easy and I was happy to share all my adventures while on this trip. It was overall a lovely end to our day and I am glad to have experienced all of the religious and historical learning.
Afterward Sarah, Ben, and I (the people who were on the FDP with me) decided to check out the Green market nearby to buy some souvenirs on our way back to the ship. The walk back from Green market to the waterfront was a little longer than expected, but it worked out just fine. I bought some art to add to my collection, some earrings, and a few other things to give to family members. It was almost five o’clock and I realized there was something today I still wanted to do. Now our ship happened to be docked right next to the Table Bay Hotel, which is a five star beautiful hotel where Kristina and I enjoyed free internet on the first evening (eventually they cut us off after word got around to all the SAS kids, which was not a lot of fun). Anyway, I remembered someone saying they served high tea from 2:30 till 5:30. So I rushed over to the hotel and asked the lady nicely if they were still serving tea, she said yes and showed me to a table. It was so lovely to just enjoy time to myself for once in a different country. They have always said to travel in groups, but I could see the ship where I was sitting and I was sitting this beautiful hotel on a lovely afternoon. Life was good.
I had some delicious tea and tried a few of the little tea treats they had out to chose. It was lovely. It cost me $10 US for tea at a five star hotel in Cape Town, where in Phoenix would easily be $50-100 US. I wrote in my journal and kept looking up at Table Mountain in distance. It hung right above the harbor (look it up online, or I’ll try to attach photos in Mauritius) and I kept looking at it forgetting where I was and what I was doing. I was in South Africa having tea next to the ship I was living on. Man, I wish I could have taken that moment in forever.
No picture could describe my feelings and how wonderful a moment that truly was for me to experience. Eventually I had to get back to the ship to clean up before dinner. I received a lovely little post it on my door to meet Kristina in Camps Bay for dinner with a few friends, I ended up contacting our mutual friend through text message to figure out the restaurant she was at. I rounded up four other friends to join me and find out about this random place they were waiting for us. We were accidentally dropped off at Clifton Beach which was a 15 minute walk from Camps Bay and it was absolutely gorgeous to walk down the beach while the sun is about to set with beautiful mountains on one side and beach on the other. This was by far one of the nicest places in town. We met the girls (Lindsey Clopp & Kristina) at a restaurant called Bungalow. If you ever go to Cape Town, you must go here. THAT IS A MUST. We sat in comfortable couches as the entire restaurant decorated in blue and white. We watch the sunset on the beach while ordering drinks and enjoying each others company. I had a delicious strawberry vanilla infused Bellini and everyone tried everyone else’s drinks. It was so much fun. We ordered a bunch of starters which were all divine. Everything was so delicious. I ordered an appetizer which turned out to be palate cleanser so similar to sorbet type of idea, but it was VERY different. It was called nitro dragons on the menu and the waitress came around the table with a bowl flowing with nitrogen something (sorry I forgot) and it flows over the edges while she picks a piece of something hard to put into your mouth. It softens and you close your mouth and breathe out of your nose. But because it nitrous oxide or some kind of nitrogen something (sorry I don’t remember the specific name, we ordered so many random things that night) you breath out of your nose so you look like a dragon. It was really cool. Didn’t have much taste and I can’t really describe what it was like, but it was cool and I liked it. We were having a good time enjoying each other’s company, the atmosphere, and the food. Then Kristina and Lindsey told me they bought new dresses in a little store upstairs so after ordering our main course I ran upstairs and tried on a bunch of dresses and found a lovely blue one I liked. I still need to find out when I would wear it, but it’s very cute. Maybe in Mauritius? Anyway, I told the waitress to order me her favorite dish and I received a deliciously prepared Kirk klip fish? Some kind of light fish with thinly sliced eggplant type of vegetable (but not eggplant, it’s only in South Africa) over mashed potatoes and a tasteful sauce at the side. It was out of this world. I am going to miss the way fish is cooked in South Africa. I’m sure I’ll experience this other places, but man everything was delicious. Some people ordered a delicious pasta and other types of fish dishes which were all amazing. It was such a great evening. We ordered and shared a few desserts and then Lindsey decided we needed to all try one of their party drinks. We ordered what was called a Jellyfish. This included a bowl (not cup/glass) the size of a semi-large fishbowl with ice, lechi infused vodka, lechi juice, and chunks of lechi in the drink as well. It was incredible! It was so much fun to try all these new things with friends because everyone got to try a little something new. Eventually we got a cab ride home, some people wanted to go out and some didn’t. I had to wake up early (yet again) for another FDP to visit Robben Island with the same professor. So I went out with a few friends to jazz club on the waterfront and we just listened to this amazing quartet just jam and play on and on while we sipped our wine and amarula drinks. We all eventually walked home when they closed and called it a night.
P.S. For those of you don’t know, Amarula is a coffee like crème drink and is mixed sometimes with espresso, black coffee, hot coco, etc. I believe they do not sell it in the United States and it could kick Bailey’s liquor any day.
Now I’m on to our third day in Cape Town, Friday February 20th. Our group met up at the pier, with about nine people and walked over to the ticket office. We met Laurie, Terry (my professor)’s friend who helped prepare for our journey to Robben Island. We took the employees boat out at 7:30 am to get there early. Terry had worked on the island for many years and knew a lot of people and had to make a lot of arrangements to have us do this on our own. The normal tour you just go around on buses the entire time and aren’t allowed off. We were actually able to walk around the place. We got off and had a reflection period of silence while looking at Cape Town from Robben Island. It was beautiful. We then went to visit the penguins near the boardwalk and talked about some of oil spills and had threatened their lifestyle. After we walked around a bit we eventually came through the official entrance where the prisons had gone through years prior when the prison was still in use. We visited the mosque on the island which was known for being suspicious to keeping away back luck or known as bad weather. We talked about that if the prisoners were lucky they were able to have one visitor per year and they could only talk to them through an audio system without seeing the visitor. We went to where some of the more strict conditions were for some of the inmates who weren’t allowed to communicate with anyone. We then visited the mines where they mined limestone and had damaged their eyes over the years.
There was a cave they used as a toilet but during the day people would go down there and teach each others tricks of the trade for things they did not know. So if someone was of higher education than other inmate, they would teach them what they knew to bring them up to a similar level. This was known at the University of Robben Island. It was a very interesting system to know and want to teach others things they were not educated about. We then went to the church Terry has renovated and which they now use every once in awhile. It was a lovely little church. We had lunch there packed from the ship and then went to the youth center Terry also worked on renovating and can now accept all kinds of groups to come and learn there. There was a full kitchen, private rooms, larger rooms, and a small library. We continued on to see the small town which exists on the island and see how people live on the island, some who were inmates in the prison. There were also these huge guns with army camouflage around the tour route. We stopped to look at one and Terry told us that this is what the British came and built here in case the Japanese were to attack during World War II, which never happened and the last one was finished two months after the war had ended. It was very strange. We were then given a tour of the main building at the prison and saw the courtyard they used to cut limestone in and where Nelson Mandela’s jail cell was located. The tour guide, who was a prisoner here at some point in time, actually told us all the things he helped smuggle into the prison. This included all types of things, such as newspapers, money, food, and Nelson Mandela’s autobiography sewn into his shoes. It was interesting to hear all those stores about the life in prison. We eventually got on the afternoon ferry back to Cape Town and once we arrived I bought another delicious ice cream, shopped around a bit, exchanged my Namibian money and walked around the mall to try a coffee shop called Melissa’s everyone had been talking about (Sorry Melissa Weintraub I couldn’t get a good picture). I wasn’t really told what to get here, so I ended up going back the last day, but today I had delicious fruity tea with a scone and the most amazing jam ever! I bought a jar and a bunch of dried fruit (which is hard to come by and great to snack on). It was very similar to a La Grande Orange Café back in Phoenix, or a Dean and Deluca if you know what that is as well.
I made my way back and got dressed and clean up and knocked on my friend Jonathan’s door. I asked him to join me for Shabbat services because I didn’t want to travel alone in a taxi. He was already cleaned up in a button down shirt and was ready to join me. We got a taxi to the Gardens Synagogue which was located next door the South African Jewish Museum and the South African Holocaust Museum.
There was a security guard outside who asked if were we Jewish, where we were from, and a few other questions about ourselves and eventually let us inside. Since it was an orthodox shul, I went upstairs and joined the women, while Jonathan joined the men downstairs. Even though it was “orthodox” I could tell this was not your normal synagogue. Most of the women did not have their heads covered and were not completely covered head to toe with clothing. Besides those obvious observances, the temple was HUGE. Each wall and ceiling was covered in beautiful architecture and there was a lovely men’s choir who sang throughout the service. I wish synagogues in the states had male choirs; it was so lovely to hear them sing along with the canter during the prayers. They stood towards the back end of the temple and the Rabbi had a small heightened box on the other end. I did actually recognize some of the tunes and melodies! But, mostly I tried to hum along and say the Hebrew I knew. It was a really interesting experience to attend services in another country and yet know some the same prayers you had in your community temple. But, it was comforting at the same to know I had a community everywhere I went.
After services, I met up with Jonathan and the woman I had met who told me to go and introduce ourselves to the Rabbi. He was very young, only 27 and had been at the temple for only two years. His sermon was on facebook so I knew we would get along just fine. Jonathan and I then stood in the long line to say Shabbat Shalom to the Rabbi on our way out of the courtyard. We eventually came to the front, introduced ourselves (though I did not shake his hand, hence being orthodox and all) and he asked us where we were from and what we were doing in Cape Town. We talked for a little bit and he asked where we were going for Shabbat dinner, we said we would probably find some restaurant nearby to eat at. He said firmly and quickly, “No, you’re not.” “This area is not safe at night; you’re coming to my house for Shabbat, just wait here until I say good Shabbos to everyone else”. We were in shock and extremely grateful.
We thanked him many times and persisted but he did not seem to care, we waited our turn and said goodbye to the security guard on our way out while following the Rabbi along the sidewalk. It turned out the short walk to the Rabbi’s home included a few others of their friends and family. By the time we walked through the front doors there was 15 people there for dinner. It was a lovely cozy home too. We said the prayers, washed out hands and eventually sad down for the meal. It was a beautiful Shabbat and now I wished we had nights of singing and talking till midnight at my Hillel or temple back home.
We talked to some girls who were close to our age all about the ship and enjoyed a delicious meal of salad, fruit, vegetables, and then continued onto sweet potatoes, chicken, brisket, and a vegetable dish. The rabbi had asked each of us to share one Jewish experience or memory they have had in their life. I thought about my experiences with Camp Swift, Hillel, growing up in a Jewish household and community, trying to rack my brain on what to explain to these strangers who sat around me at this lovely table. Then I realized the perfect memory to share, in which I will never forget the rest of life. I hope Rabbi Adam is reading this in Boulder because I feel like it will make him proud and happy to know this would not have happened if it weren’t for Hillel. Jonathan shared about his camp experience at Hess Kramer in California and I talked about my wonderful relationship with Doris and Martin Small. For those of you who did not have a chance to meet Martin, he was a very sweet and wise man who lived right outside of Boulder. I met him through doing L’Dor V’dor Shabbat dinner visits to Jewish senior citizens in and around the Boulder community with Lindsay Caplan. We would visit him around twice a month or so to deliver Shabbat dinner and visit with him and his wife Doris for a little while. When I had first met him, he showed me a draft of his book he would publish about his life and survival of the Holocaust through concentration camps. As I continued my college career, I was able to know the Smalls more and more and looked forward to those Friday afternoons to visit and talk with them. Unfortunately Martin’s health was not in perfect condition when I had met him and he passed away this fall after a long fight with cancer. He was an amazing friend, advisor, and I will never forget the time I was lucky enough to have gotten to know his true spirit of life. I hope when I return from SAS I will mail the Rabbi his book which was published close to his death. It will be a nice thank you for his hospitality.
The evening continued with stories, more conversations and I realized that I was surrounded by all these few faces of people I felt at home with after only knowing them a few hours. The girls we had met offered us a ride home and we left after we said our after-dinner prayers. It was an unforgettable evening and I hope to remember it as a true community moment, that that no matter where you are there’s someone who is willing to take you in and make you feel at home.
The next morning, Saturday, February 21st, Kristina and I woke up early to meet up with our friend Mike and his other friends Rachel and Karen to hike Table Mountain (a mountain which overlooks Cape Town). We also picked up our friends Sarah and Jana who joined us later in our hike. It was a tough route for me but others found it a little easier. After about two hours, we made it to the top and though it was a little foggy, we enjoyed the view of the mountain and the city of Cape Town. It was beautiful and felt as if you were walking in a cloud. We did see some SAS kids repealing down the side which was pretty cool, but that cost 900 rand…so I didn’t think it was worth it. We ate lunch at the Table Mountain Café and tried a Briochstadt? It was like a hot dog but with sausage and it had a tomato sauce on top (but no ketchup really) and sweet chili sauce. I didn’t order that, but I tried Kristina’s and it was good. I had a plate of different combinations which included curry chicken with potatoes, a Greek Salad (sort of), a mushroom like risotto, lentil type mixture of something which was delicious.
To celebrate the accomplishment of making it to the top, I bought a bottle of South African Champagne and everyone helped pitch and shared it in celebration. That was a lot of fun and it was good champagne too. We then took the cable car down and our cab driver we had hired for the day was waiting for us. Some of our group went back to the ship and some came with us. It ended up being Sarah, Kristina, Karen, Jana, and I who went first to Simmonstown to see the South African penguins. There was a ton of them and we were able in one part to actually stand in the water right next to them. They were pretty cool but I honestly felt like I was in an aquarium. A lot of people really liked the penguins but I just didn’t think they were that big of a deal. We had also seen them on Robben Island too, so perhaps that’s why I wasn’t as excited about it. There was a few little shops there we looked at and eventually got back in the car, drove through Kalk Bay and then we headed towards Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope. The Cape of Good Hope was beautiful, it was as if you were in a movie and the entire world was at your feet. You could see all around the edges of South Africa. It was so beautiful and truly breath-taking. I will try uploading some photos but it is hard to describe it if you weren’t there. Guess you’ll just have to visit South Africa now. We then went to Cape Point, which is the lowest tip of the African continent which was pretty sweet and we took a picture of the sign. It was nice to know I have literally been to the edge of Africa. 
We eventually drove back to Cape Town which took a little over an hour and the scenery was beautiful. We had an interesting conversation with our cab driver about women’s rights and how it was like to visit and live in the townships. It was interesting to hear about things which in Cape Town was considered normal. He had two wives and we were so surprised he asked us if we were married and our husband asked to marry another woman why we wouldn’t oppose the idea. In his community, it is seen as weak to refuse.
It was an interesting conversation and I learned a lot from this one man who felt it would be fine if women had more rights, but he said not all of his friends felt that same way.
Eventually we thanked him, returned to the ship and cleaned up for dinner. This was around 7:30-8 pm already and we were all exhausted and hungry. We ended up just walking around the waterfront and ate at a place called Meloncino. I was a little tired and frustrating for being with the people I had been with all day to spend dinner with as well, but I also was very low on sleep. I also was waking up early the next morning as well, which you’ll read about it in a bit. The restaurant we had dinner at though was fantastic. I tried an oyster which I really enjoyed! We also had the best calamari ever. It was light, crispy, flavorful, and tasted so delicious! I could eat that calamari for the rest of my life. No dipping sauce was necessary what-so-ever. I had a delicious pizza with this crust and all kinds of interesting things on it; I just asked to have the waiter’s favorite. It was amazing.
We then all ordered this INCREDIBLE dessert. This literally was better than…well lots of other things in life. It was absolutely amazing. It had this chocolate cover thick shell on top (not hard or liquid, soft enough to cut through easily) of this two layer little thing a little larger than the size of a cupcake. The top layer was this vanilla crème like texture, almost like fudge or ice cream but it didn’t melt or taste like fudge.
It was a perfect contrast with the bottom which was chocolate and a little richer and it was similar to fudge like texture as well. All together with the chocolate coating the two layers tasted amazing. I literally ate the entire thing. We all ordered the same thing and it was even more amazing to experience it all together. I literally wrote an entire page about this dessert in my journal. One day I hope to find out what it was and somehow make it. Man, was it sensual. We eventually walked back to the ship after figuring out the bill and went to bed around midnight.
At 4:45 sharp my alarm went off and I met my friend Chris outside at 5 am for the van to pick us up for…WHITE SHARK CAGE DIVING! Yes I did it! We drove for two hours had some breakfast and filled out our forms at their office and then got to the harbor to get on the boat. We all got on just fine and went out about twenty minutes to a good spot. The way it worked was the cage was attached to the boat and we would have five people in the cage at one time, we all wore goggles and would hold our breath and duck underwater when the shark came close. We were all in wetsuits because the water was about 53 degrees. The actually shark diving was awesome, even though it was FREEZING. We saw a total of four sharks! It was low season, so that was pretty good for one day. We saw a 12 foot male, a 5 foot baby male, and two 8 foot female sharks. They literally came right up to the cage when you were in the water. It was sooooo cool!! I’m really glad I did it. I really wasn’t nervous at all, mostly because when I wasn’t in the water, I was seasick the entire time. It was pretty bad, most people got sick and I have yet to get sea sick on this trip.
On the ship it can get pretty rocky, but hasn’t really affected me at all. I have taken dramamine a few times just as a precaution, but never wore the patch (some people are addicted to it) and it’s fine. But, that day it was not fun to be seasick. It was worth it and I’m glad I did it, but I was happy to get off that boat when we were finished. Afterwards we headed back, watched our video and had a little lunch at the office before driving back to the ship.
As soon as we got back I really only had a little over an hour to get anything else I wanted in port before I returned to the ship for good. The line can get pretty long so even though we have to be back by 6, you really get in line around 4-5 pm just to be safe. Otherwise if you’re late, you get dock time in the next port, which would SUCK. I ran to the grocery store and as per request the girls I met at Shabbat dinner and they told me to take back as much candy and chocolate I could find because I can’t get it in the US. So, that’s exactly what I did (Emily you would be so proud, I will try to bring it back to the US for you to enjoy). $400 Rand or about $40 US later, I had bought candy, snacks, chips, nuts, and other snacks I knew I could bring on the ship (it just has to be sealed, so not fruits or alcohol). I stopped at Melissa’s to try their hot chocolate to go, which basically is nutella spread around the lining of a cup and a milk and chocólately mixture poured inside it. It was pretty good and I discovered I actually really like nutella. Then I decided last minute to race over to the restaurant last night and nicely asked the manager (who I had met last night) if I could get a calamari order to go and I had to be on the ship in twenty minutes. Ten minutes later I was out that door with a smile on my face and a paper bag in my hand. It was totally worth it and I’m pretty sure I will never forget that my last moments in Cape Town were spent scarfing down delicious hot calamari. It was amazing. I enjoyed every moment I had here and there are so many places and things I didn’t have a chance to do. I loved South Africa, but I had wished I was more exposed to the poverty that happens there in the townships and other areas of town. One day, I will visit these places and hopefully they will be in a better state than when I left and perhaps just don’t exist anymore. This was an amazing place and just like everywhere I went, I want to go back more than ever. Someday perhaps, anyone else want to come along?