Cape Town, South Africa
November 24, 2022
Today we had made no plans. We knew that we would be exhausted from the 5 day excursion. We were already in port from yesterday so we made our way out to the city after breakfast. It was about 1.5 miles to the city center.
Cape Town reminded us of Chicago or Manhattan. Lots of tall buildings, thriving businesses and lots of traffic. We decided on a walking tour using the GPSmyCity app. Shopping was the tour we selected. We took a few photos to remember what the city was like. This is a city we would like to return to and spend more time.
We did see the Slave Lodge and decided to go in. Lots of history of slavery and how it led to the apartheid that South Africa had from 1948 to 1994. So many things about this reminded me of what is going on back home. During this period there was one radio station that people could listen to. It was government controlled. Another radio station did broadcast illegally and South Africa did their best to jam the signal. Back home it isn’t radio but all other forms of media. Print, social, broadcast.
We took in the shops and sites and then ducked into a nice bar for lunch and a drink. Something about the name caught our eye.
Quite a bit cooler than Botswana today. 97 when we left and 65 here in Cape Town.
All aboard was to 10:30 pm today but that was changed. Port authorities are making everyone get off of the ship and get the official stamp from South Africa. They will be in the customs house from 4 – 830 pm. Once you get the official stamp you can only return to the ship, not back into Cape Town. HAL joined in the nonsense by punching a round hole in our key card. Maybe they are preparing for an EMP or electromagnetic pulse. All electronics would be fried but HAL would have their hole punched cards, Zimbabwe had their little custom papers and Botswana the cookie sheets. I’m glad we are all prepared.