Dull day, literally and figuratively, in Cape Town today

Wednesday, April 2. Cloudy and coolish.

Bits and pieces today folks…

Cape Town is the furthest south that we have been on this cruise, and in the southern hemisphere, south means cold. We are now at 33 degrees south. Today was more like a spring day in Vancouver, which we feel quite at home in. However, just as we pulled out brilliant sunshine broke out and it was the beautiful place that we remember so fondly.

The bed was fantastic last night, great sleep and lots of it, I sure appreciated those six fluffy pillows that I have been accustomed to, there are two more tucked away that we took off the first night, maybe we should try and see what sleeping with eight pillows is like! We had a very Spartan breakfast before traipsing ashore one last time in beautiful Cape Town. The weather was not the greatest today, or yesterday, but we are heading north, which means into warmer weather. Next port, after one day at sea is Walvis Bay, Namibia where we have a shore excursion to Dune Seven, a very large sand dune visible from space apparently.

It is amazing how rapidly we made the switch from our tented home to the life on board. After being in the cabin for less than 15 minutes, Falaza and the tent and animals were fading fast from my mind and I began looking forward to the remaining 25 days on the ship.

We went on a bit of a spending spree this morning, modest though it may be. Most if not all will be given away within days of being home. The value of the South African Rand has sunk so that there is really nothing expensive here at all. I probably went over the top with wine, I bought boxes of wine, [I checked with a consultant at the store re quality]. 

Four two-litre boxes, two red, two white, cost US$ 26. I like the boxed wines because they do not go bad after opening, like bottles. We really do not drink that much but I have had to throw out three half bottles because they had remained unused for too long. [I had a sip of it before dinner tonight and it looks like a winner.] The wine is really for guests that we have in once in a while.

This is the last 'leg' of the cruise from Cape Town to Fort Lauderdale. We have 25 days to go: 16 sea days and nine ports. In those sea days we have four formal nights, our last chance to get gussied up before we put those fancy duds in moth balls until who knows how long.

When we pulled out today there was a ship, Explorer, moored across from us. It is a learning ship called a 'Semester at Sea'. Our house sitter, Emily, was on that ship until shortly before we left for the cruise.

Within 15 minutes of leaving Cape Town we were pitching and rolling quite substantially as we are, I suppose, rounding The Cape of Good Hope, and are now in the Atlantic Ocean exactly where we started some 88 days ago!

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Pics.

- Table Mountain from our balcony this morning, heavy cloud covered it.

- At Victoria & Albert Waterfront that has changed so much since our last trip here six years ago.

- Animal trophies are common here, it is a source of income and the culling of them is in many cases, needed.

- In a Supermarket in the true sense of the word.

- My $26 selection of South African wines.

- My rather messy mirror with the last section of the cruise now posted.

- Table Mountain, as we sailed away this afternoon.

- The ship Explorer, a 'Semester at Sea' moored across from us today.

- A deep-see explorer oil rig in for repairs.