Mahé, Seychelles

            Sunday, 25 Feb 2018 – Seychelles is an archipelago and sovereign state in the Indian Ocean consisting of 115 islands, of which Mahé is the largest.  Victoria, capital of Seychelles is located on Mahé and lies 932 miles east of mainland Africa.

Our 3.5-hour “Northern Highlights” excursion left the pier at 8:30 AM, with Johnine as our guide and Evon, driver.  Only a few minutes earlier, it had been raining.  Although clouds hung low over the island and the humidity was heavy, it didn’t rain on us.  However, gallons of perspiration were streaming from our pores.

First stop was the botanical gardens, well-kept, full of streams, flowers and birds.  A star attraction is the coco de mer palm tree, which grows exclusively in the Seychelles.  Although it has other names, such as the sea coconut or double coconut, its correct name is Lodoicea.  If a person believes that all trees are boring, he might find this one interesting; the male tree lives only one year but pollinates the female tree, which bears very large fruit.  Johnine told us that enough food grows on this island that no one here needs to go hungry.

Large than Life Tortoise

Also in the botanical gardens are a spice grove; a patch of rainforest, complete with fruit bats hanging from its branches; and a pen of giant tortoises. After standing for five minutes watching the tortoises, one of them finally started, very slowly, crawling along.  No wonder they live to be 100 years old!  Part of our walk was uphill, making it more exhausting.

From the gardens, our bus drove us to the Victoria town center, where we walked for perhaps 20 minutes.  We saw a clock tower, a replica of the one outside of London’s Victoria Station; the old Courthouse; and some Colonial buildings.  We also passed two Catholic churches (where Mass was in progress) and numerous shops.  Since this was Sunday, the shops were closed except for a few convenience stores.

Next, our bus drove through the countryside in the central and northern parts of the island, much of the time on a mountainous road.  At various points, spectacular views of granite peaks appeared next to the ocean, and then the Insignia far below came into view.

People living in the Seychelles islands speak two languages: French and English.  The French had come early; then the islanders were under the control of the United Kingdom until 1976.  According to Johnine, the Africans who were brought to the islands spoke different languages so that they couldn’t understand one another; therefore, they ended up speaking “Creole French.”  Creole is spoken by most people, but in school they learn both French and English.

Johnine told us about their life in the Seychelles.  Education is required up to age 16 and free through secondary school until age 18; after graduation, if a young person wants to move away, he/she must work for the government for four years (to pay for his/her education) before leaving.  Although a few apartments are available for young people, most residents are expected to purchase a house from the government.

We stopped at a beach hotel, where we were served soft drinks.  Then, for 40 minutes we relaxed and chatted with Gary and Carol until it was time for our bus to return us to the ship.

Realizing that it might be a good time to swim, as soon as we reached our cabin, we donned our swimsuits.  Sure enough, we had the pool to ourselves for a half hour before going to lunch.  After that, Sally took a very long nap – almost until time for dinner!

Although that same tour to the botanical gardens was offered in the afternoon, it started raining by the time we finished lunch.  At dinner, we sat at a table with Christine and Spiro, while enjoying Greek food night.  Dinner was great, including the baklava!  During our meal, we could see lightning filling the sky behind the café windows.  Heavy rain still fell.  After dinner, we danced for a half hour.

2 Days at Sea

            Friday, 23 Feb 2018 – Today we were extremely tired, and so we stayed in bed until after 10:00 AM.  A few days ago, we had received an invitation inviting us to “An Exclusive Lunch in the Grand Dining Room” for the Grand Voyage cruisers.  Since we have heard from other passengers that they have been attending various functions for the “Round the World” cruisers, apparently the ship’s staff didn’t want the rest of us to feel ignored.

So, at noon we went to dining room, where we were seated at a table with three other couples and one Insignia staff member:  Noah and Lynn, from Milwaukee, WI; Amelia and Don from Palm Beach, FL (but originally from NJ); and Dennis and Barbara from San Diego, CA; and Insignia staff member Connie, from Germany.  Between the noise coming from the ship and from surrounding tables, it’s very difficult for even someone with good hearing to hear what is said by people across a big table; for Sally, much of that was impossible.  Dennis and Barbara are both retired judges, Don is a retired electronics engineer, and Noah, the man sitting next to Sally was somewhat of a jokester, and we’ve talked with him previously.  Noah had numerous careers ranging from project engineer to hospice nurse.  Although he and Lynn have cruised extensively (much more than us!), they choose different activities on sea days and only meet for meals!  (They each receive a copy of the daily Insignia newsletter and mark it up to indicate where the other will be.)

The food was excellent (of course), and free wine was served.  (Only Lynn, Janice, and Sally didn’t drink the wine.)   After almost two hours of sitting at that table (something that Sally really detests about the large dining rooms), as we were leaving, we saw Helma and Rich.  We stopped at their table to talk with them for 20 minutes or more.

Although Sally wanted to swim in the late afternoon, we waited a little too late.  By the time we plunged into the pool, the sun had already set and soon it was dark.  In fact, the Insignia had no lights above the deck (we’re in possible pirate territory).  Of course, the two big lights under the water at each end of the pool shone brightly.  Apparently we have sailed farther east today (which is why the sun set slightly earlier) – and tonight we were told to set our clocks ahead one hour again.  (Now we are 10 hours ahead of Central Standard Time.)

Saturday, 24 Feb 2018 – Just our usual activities of eating, swimming, dancing today.   We met two other couples in the hot tub:  Judy and Gene, from Sidney, Australia, and Rich and Jane from St. Paul, MN.  Judy and Jane both worked in the airline industry and have been friends for several years.  At dinner, we formally met Gary and Carol from Washington, DC.  We have been conversing with them almost daily since we boarded the ship in Miami.  They both have heavy southern accents, but have lived other places, including Rockford, IL.  Carol is a retired psychologist.

Mombasa, Kenya

            Thursday, 22 Feb 2018 – Again this morning at least six “native dancers” were entertaining us in colorful, skimpy costumes on the pier.  To Jesse, one of the dancers called, “Welcome home!”  As yesterday, we and other passengers were saying “Jambo” (“Hello” in Swahili) to people, who always returned the greeting.

The Republic of Kenya lies on the equator along the Indian Ocean, north of Tanzania and south of Ethiopia.  Its situation on the Indian Ocean made it an historic trading center, and it has been controlled by many countries because of its strategic location.

Our bus left the pier at 9:00 for our 4-hour excursion “Mombasa – A Glimpse of the Past.”  The buses were large ones this time (not minibuses as they have been), but they weren’t totally full.  Although today wasn’t quite as hot as the past two were (only 90 degrees this time), it was more difficult to bear because our bus, apparently the oldest of the fleet being used today, did not have very good air-conditioning.  (We tried to get every bit of good possible from the blowing air coming from the vents!)

Our guide’s name was Mwakzei Mwamuye, whose English sounded like Swahili to Sally.  Another younger man was assisting him.  In addition, Insignia had designated a person from the ship for each bus to help in keeping track of passengers.  For our bus, it was Kath (whom we met in our first few days on the ship – she and her husband teach classes in bridge on at-sea days).  She assisted in keeping us in a tight group when we got off the bus to see any of the sights.  We also had security personnel with us although they did not appear to be armed.

Our first stop was the Akamba Woodcarving factory, which was like a village, where skilled craftsmen were hand carving their art in time-honored tradition.  We walked between the various sheds, seeing them at work and then through the cooperative shop.  In one instance, a man had produced a very large giraffe, which was standing near him while he was working on something else.  He said that the giraffe had taken him two months to carve and that it was made from one piece of wood.

Our bus traveled through the city center, past colonial administrative buildings, markets bright with fruit and colorful cloth, street stalls, and modern office blocks, temples, and mosques.

At a Hindu temple we entered a huge, beautiful blue door into an area of graphic pictures with slogans under them, such as:  “If a person kills or eats animals for food in this life, they have to pay for their sinful deeds in hell.  They are thrown forcefully in a pot full of boiling water.”  Similar pictures and slogans showed payment for drinking alcohol or for stealing from others.  On the other hand, “By chanting the powerful matra ‘om shree swaminarayan,’ all sins are washed away and it protects us from the evil spirits, demons and yanduts at the time of death.”

After removing our shoes, we walked further inside, into a spacious gallery of several large paintings illuminating Hindu legends.   One illustrated a woman seated on a bed, with a lioness behind her, and a man standing in the doorway.  The caption read, “Rajbai – a female devotee of Lord Swaminarayan, was unwilling for marriage, but forced by her father, she married, on the very first night she appeared as a lioness to her husband.”

Enormous Aluminum Tusks

Uhuru Gardens

Very near the enormous aluminum elephant tusks that span the main avenue through the city, we walked through a park (the Uhuru Gardens).  In the large trees above us, bats were hanging from the limbs and moving around.
Soon after that, (although our brochure read “one quarter mile”) we walked through the Old City, walking surely more than one-half mile in all, over cobblestone streets.  Since we had to walk in a tight group, we couldn’t veer off into small shops or stop more than a half-minute to take a photo.  Eventually, we ended up at the old Fort Jesus, which is today a museum of coastal antiquities and history of the coast and its people.  It also displays artifacts recovered from a Portuguese frigate sunk in 1697.  Part way through our walk, we were given a cold soft drink.  At the fort, Sally sat for 15 minutes in the shade on the stool that Jesse carries for her, while he climbed up to the ramparts where he saw what the fort had to offer.

Old Fort Jesus

Although Insignia had advised guests to dress “conservatively” today, due to Muslim traditions, meaning that legs and shoulders should be covered, a few passengers still wore shorts.  The majority of Mombasa’s population is Muslim.  However, some of us passengers agreed that we saw fewer women wearing long dresses and veils today in the city than yesterday in Zanzibar.

At 1:00 PM we arrived back at the Insignia, our nice and cool “home away from home,” where we soon enjoyed lunch.  Although afterward we headed to the pool, when we arrived there, it was full of “talkers,” with no space to swim; therefore, we returned to our cabin.  Later, after Sally napped, we returned to the pool.  Since it was close to dinner time, others had left and we had the pool to ourselves.  At that same time (6:30 PM), the Insignia sounded several long, almost deafening blasts as she departed from Mombasa harbor; and the western sky was blazing red.  Already, we felt a cool breeze that had replaced the stagnant, humid air.  By the time we finished our half-hour swim, the sky was pitch black except for a quarter of the moon straight above us.  Up to now, we had always been in the pool during the day, but had wondered what it would like at night.  Although big lights under the water at both ends of the pool kept us from hitting the sides, it was too dark to see each other. Even afterward, we took time to savor the healing hot tub.

For dinner, we enjoyed soup, escargot, seafood stir-fry, and cheesecake (Jesse) and warm brownies with large nuts, frosting alongside the Insignia’s homemade ice cream.  These desserts are typical, not extraordinary, on this ship!

Soon after dinner, we went to the Insignia Lounge for Dance Night, where a crowd was “bribed” with lotto tickets to stay on the floor and dance.  Although lotto tickets were continually distributed by Insignia staff and champagne was periodically given away, we won nothing but stayed until the end at 10:30 PM.

Zanzibar, Tanzania

            Wednesday, 21 Feb 2018 – Zanzibar is part of Tanzania, but consists of many small islands and two large ones in the Indian Ocean 16 to 31 miles off the coast of the mainland.  The main island is Unguja, referred to informally as Zanzibar, and the capital is Zanzibar City.

As passengers disembarked the Insignia this morning, at least three young female dancers in colorful costumes were dancing on the pier and two others, drumming, to welcome us.  We walked on to board our bus for our 4-hour excursion “Sultan Heritage,” which left the pier at about 8:45 AM.  Our guide Hammat and driver Volor (probably both spelled incorrectly) were in charge.  They were both wearing white Muslim coats over their clothes and round hats, as were all of the guides and drivers that we saw that morning.  Also, many of the female pedestrians on the city streets were in long dresses with veils.  Although Tanzania has a Christian majority, Zanzibar’s population is almost entirely Muslim.

Our first activity was walking through the Sultana Market (city market).  Although we have visited several markets on this cruise, this one was unusual because of the large number of huge, fresh-caught fish which were just being delivered and cut up, some three feet long or longer!  We saw containers of squid and parts of squid, which Jesse found very unappetizing!

Next, we visited Stone Town, the historic center of Zanzibar.  When Tanganyika and Zanzibar joined each other to form the United Republic of Tanzania, Zanzibar kept a semi-autonomous status, with Stone Town as its local government seat.  Stone Town has historical and artistic importance in East Africa, reflecting the influences underlying the Swahili culture, giving a unique mixture of Arab, Persian, Indian, and European elements.  Therefore the town was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

Slave Monument

The Anglican Cathedral is in Stone Town.  Built in 1874, it is a landmark historical church, and a prominent example of early Christian architecture in East Africa.  The church is located in the center of the old town, and occupies a large area where the biggest slave market of Zanzibar used to be.  The Great Slave Market was once the hub of slave trade for all of East Africa.

In fact, the construction of the cathedral was intended to celebrate the end of slavery.  The altar is said to be in the exact place where the main “whipping post” of the market used to be.  In the square is a monument to the slaves (a few human figures in chains emerging from a pit) as well as a very small museum on slavery.  We walked down some stairs to visit the dark underground chambers where slaves were once held before being sold on the market.  It is our understanding that the majority of these slaves were shipped to Saudi Arabia and other Middle-Eastern countries.

Our drive continued along the seafront of Stone Town, where sultans once lived with their families.  Although we passed by the House of Wonders, it is currently closed for renovation.  Originally built as a palace in 1883, it was intended as a ceremonial palace and official reception hall, celebrating modernity.  It was named “House of Wonders” because it was the first building in Zanzibar to have electricity and also the first building in East Africa to have an elevator.  Not too far from there is the Old Fort (built by the Portuguese).  A stop was then made at the Sultan’s Palace Museum, where the last sultan ruled over Zanzibar prior to the 1964 revolution.

Muslim Koranic School

After that, our tour proceeded to the village of Kizimbani.  Here, we learned the importance of nutmeg and cloves, the area’s two main spices.  One female villager was using mud to construct a wall of her mud house.  Also, our guide explained various food items and how they were being combined for their dinner.  With the huts surrounded by banana trees, we could see why bananas play a significant part in their meals.  In the village, we stood inside one classroom where a Muslim Koranic school was in progress and all of the children sang enthusiastically for us.

            Today was the hottest day so far on this cruise.  When we started, we were told that the temperature was 96 degrees.  However, while we were walking in the village, it rained lightly.  (Since we were dripping with sweat anyway, the additional moisture was barely noticeable!)  Apparently the clouds helped to block some of the heat from the sun; when we arrived back to the Insignia, the temperature was “only” 92 degrees.

After cleaning up a little, we went for a light lunch – after which Sally took a long nap.  (She hadn’t slept well the previous night, and the heat was terribly draining.)  No swimming today, but we did dance after dinner for a half hour.

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

            Tuesday, 20 Feb 2018 – This morning seven local people were drumming and dancing on the pier beside the Insignia.  The two female dancers wore crown-like hats, and costumes that appeared to be made from leopard skins; they danced barefoot on a carpet.

By 9:00 AM our minibus left the pier in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania for an 8-hour excursion, with our guide, Elari, and the driver, Willie.   Again, vehicles drive on the left side of the road, as in all of Africa so far.

Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is in eastern Africa.  It borders Kenya and Uganda to the north; Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west; Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south; and the Indian Ocean to the east.  Dar es Salaam is the country’s biggest city, principal port, and leading commercial center.  Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, is in northeastern Tanzania.  Although more than 100 different languages are spoken in Tanzania (many tribes settled here), most Tanzanians speak Swahili as a second language, if not as their first.

Since we had heard “Tanzania” pronounced “Tan-zane-ee-ah” (with the accent on the second syllable) and also as “Tan-zay-nee-ah” (with the accent on the third syllable), we asked Elari how they pronounce it.  His response was “Tan-zahn-ya” (with the accent on the second syllable)!

Soon, the bus circled St. Joseph (Roman Catholic) Cathedral.  However, Elari stated that, although near the coast many of the residents are Muslim, in the interior, more are Christian.  (Traders from the Middle East came very early to this area.)

Sculptures in the National Museum

The bus stopped at the National Museum, which has very interesting displays depicting the development of human beings from their early origins in Africa.  The museum displays important fossils of some of the earliest human ancestors unearthed at Leakey digs at Olduvai Gorge.  Footprints of hominins made 3.6 million years ago were found in Tanzania by paleoanthropologist Mary Leakey, and are here at the National Museum.

We stopped at a carvers’ market where craftsmen were working on ebony carvings, and where artists were painting wall art (called Tinga Tinga) in bright, contrasting colors.

Somewhat surprising were the primitive restroom facilities that we found in Tanzania (though not at hotels and resorts).  They were of the type available in China and India, which Sally calls “floor toilets.”

Next, our tour took us to the White Sands Beach Resort, where we were served a very nice buffet lunch.  The eating and lounge area was spread out not far from the beach under a roof but with no side walls or air conditioning.  Besides putting too much food on our plates, our drinks were large bottles of beer (500 ml); Jesse drank his and half of Sally’s.  The temperature was 92 degrees, with high humidity.  Suddenly, soon after lunch, Jesse nearly passed out.  As quickly as possible, we found a small sofa, where he was able to spread out more; he tossed back and forth, sweating profusely, while Sally tried to fan his face with his hat.  When it was time to board our bus, Jesse leaned very heavily on Sally and, thankfully, we managed to fall into our bus seats without asking for help.  Although even at the time, we realized this must be a case of mild heat stroke, Sally was very frightened.  From his usual “in charge” state, he had become totally helpless!  Remarkably, within 20 minutes in air conditioning inside the bus, Jesse felt recovered enough to be taking photos again!

Although we stopped later at a village (called a “village museum”) Jesse stayed on the bus.  Sally followed the others for 15 minutes, looking into some dark, empty huts until the heat drove her back to the air conditioned bus (where other passengers were accumulating also).

Back to the ship by 5:00 PM, we literally dropped in our cabin.  After showering, we ate a very small dinner, mostly consisting of soup.  No swimming or dancing tonight!

4 days at Sea

            Friday, 16 Feb 2018 – Today we were tired, and so we rested.  We swam for a half hour and danced for a very short time.  Tonight we set our clocks forward again!

Saturday, 17 Feb 2018 – Since we slept so late this morning, the café was closed and we ate breakfast at the Waves Grill.  After swimming, we went for lunch at the café, where we sat with Brenda and Bob.

Later, as we were getting ready to go to dinner, the captain announced that sea conditions wouldn’t be good for our docking at Nosy Be, Madagascar.  Therefore, we would be skipping that port and would proceed to the next one, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.  Meanwhile, we would be having another sea day.  Sally danced for joy, rejoicing in having another day to relax before rising early!  In our case, we would have had a 4.5-hour tour, “A Glimpse of Nosy Be,” a very small island off the coast of Madagascar – which didn’t really sound that exciting.

            In the middle of the day, we swam.  And this evening we ate in the Toscana Dining room with Canute and Julie, plus two other friends, Will and Clyde, as pre-arranged.  At least we didn’t overeat as much as we did the last time we ate there!

Sunday, 18 Feb 2018 – We had such a leisurely day that we barely made it to breakfast before the café closed, and we didn’t do much better than that for lunch.  However, we swam at about noon, when the deck was extremely hot and several “standers” were in the pool, keeping cool while they talked.  (This was also only possible because the sea was extremely calm.)  Somehow we managed to swim back & forth, using only as small a space as possible.  Except for some dancing after dinner, that was our day.

The Insignia has stepped up its sanitation procedures during the past week, and today made further changes in the café.  A third hand sanitizer was added, and one staff member stands at the entrance reminding people to use the sanitizer as they enter.  Tablecloths are no longer used; instead, the table is totally sanitized between guests.  Although a smaller cream pitcher had sat on each table in the morning, now it is poured by a server – who also asks if the guest wishes sweetener, and if so, which kind, which is then brought to that guest.  It was reported that 1.9 percent of passengers complained of virus-type symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea, etc.), and we are all encouraged to use extra care.

Monday, 19 Feb 2018 – This morning we set our clocks early in preparation for going out on our excursion today in Tanzania.  As we arrived back at our cabin after our early breakfast, we told our cabin stewardess that we would be going out for an 8-hour excursion.  She looked confused.  Then she explained that this was going to be an at-sea day as originally planned, and that we would be in Tanzania tomorrow.  Wow!  Although we felt rather stupid (it would have been a long swim today because the ship would not be docking!), Sally took it in stride and crawled back under the covers and napped for two hours!

However, she had to get out of bed by 10:15 to be in the hallway with other passengers for a second pirate drill.  We swam for a half hour before enjoying lobster for dinner; then we danced for a half hour before retiring.

Maputo, Mozambique

East Africa Map

            Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 – Due to high winds and ocean currents against us, the Insignia was not to arrive at Maputo nearly as early as expected.  Although we heard only the last part of the first announcement concerning this problem, we heard subsequent announcements about time changes for tours.  Maputo is located in the Southern-most part of Mozambique, near the South African border.  Although our map shows Mozambique as part of east Africa, a map of the Six Regions of the African Union, as of 30 Jan 2017, shows Mozambique as part of the South Region.

Instead of 9:30, our 3-hour tour “Glimpse of Maputo” started at 11:00 AM.  Our guide, Selio, was an extremely slim (skinny) black man with a heavy accent and (sometimes) also a rather bad stammer.  The mini-bus was air-conditioned, for which we passengers were all thankful; however, the outdoor temperature was extremely hot and humid, and most of the time we were on the bus for a very short time before getting out to see the next sight.

Maputo’s rich history came to light on this tour which included the essential highlights of Mozambique’s bustling capital.  Lourence Marques, a Portuguese explorer landed here in 1544.  While much of Maputo was destroyed during Mozambique’s civil war that finally ended when relative peace was restored in 1992, the city is intent on regaining its glory.

The first sight was the Central Train Station, designed by the renowned French architect Gustave Eiffel in 1910.  For a glimpse into the daily life of the locals, we stopped at a market, where goods often exchange hands through bartering.

We stopped in Independence Square, featuring a statue of Mozambique’s first president, the City Hall, and a Roman Catholic cathedral.  (Although the two of us hoped to step inside the cathedral, the doors were tightly locked.)  We also viewed the French-Mozambican Cultural Center, a splendid old colonial building which has been restored and is home to various art exhibitions.  One of the more unique sights is an unusual all-iron house, another creation by Eiffel.  When we went inside, it was not as hot as we expected.  Unusual “art” exhibits were there.

Museum of Natural History

At the Museum of Natural History, especially interesting were very alive-looking stuffed animals native to the surrounding area.  Sally especially liked the scene showing a death struggle between a tiger and an African bull.  Although the bull had deep gashes in his back, one tiger already lay dead and a second tiger was being torn apart by the bull, indicating how dangerous the bull really is.

Mouzinho de Albuquerque (1855-1902)

Our next-to-last stop was the somewhat crumbling Maputo Fort, with old weapons, cannons, and statues of former heroes.

The last stop was at an open-air shopping center.  About half of the people on our bus (including Jesse) went there, with the rest of us staying on the bus.  Jesse reported that the merchandise was pretty much the same as we had seen elsewhere (and others said the same thing); the vendors left him alone – they thought he was a local – until he was nearly back to the bus!

Although heat certainly was a great discomfort to us spoiled people from a temperate climate who are used to air conditioning, almost as irritating was the constant bother by vendors, sticking their wares (caps, cloths, purses, etc.) in our faces.  Since most of our stops were in the same general area, the same vendors followed our bus much of the time and repeated their performance as we walked between the bus and whatever place we were headed toward, and then again as we walked back out to the bus.  Also very assertive, they stuck their arms in the bus doors after we stepped inside!  Yes, they are just trying to survive, but still their behavior is aggravating.  Although Jesse seemed to think the experience with the vendors was humorous, the rest of our group was sick of it by the time our bus “escaped” them to head toward the pier.  Many of the vendors exclaimed that Jesse was the “same color” as them, and appealed to him for help; one vendor actually called him “Dad!”  Since some of our group hadn’t traveled previously to places like India or Egypt, where the vendors are also a constant presence, this was their initiation!

When Selio was asked about the cost of buying one of the homes in the expensive area, he said the rent could be $3,000 USD per month but had no idea of the cost to buy.  He lives 2 hours from Maputo, and takes three busses to get to the city – because the city is so expensive.

One person in our bus asked about the Mozambique government.  The guide’s answer was confusing.  Although they do now have an elected government, the situation is still complicated.  During the 1950’s and 1960’s, Mozambique resistance to Portuguese colonial rule intensified, with gathering resentment of Portuguese exploitation and oppression.  In the years since then, warfare has taken place, with assistance to one side or other given by outside forces (including communists); most of the Portuguese population fled, leaving mainly uneducated people to manage the country; and land mines injured many civilians.  Our guide mentioned that a long bridge (which we could see easily from the Insignia) connecting Maputo with the other side of the peninsula is being built by the Chinese, who also built many of the newer buildings.  People living in Maputo definitely like the Chinese, who are becoming a big presence there.

Sally took a 3-hour nap after returning to the ship, and we danced for half an hour after dinner.  Having completed five days in a row of tours, now we can relax for two at-sea days until we port in Madagascar.

Richards Bay, South Africa

            Wednesday, 14 Feb 2018 – Before dawn today the Insignia docked at Richards Bay.  For us, it was going to be the fourth of five consecutive days of excursions – and a long day, at that!  When meeting up in the Insignia Lounge, we were pleased to see that friends Julie and Canute were also assigned to our bus, which left the pier before 8:00 AM for our 7-hour “Shakaland” tour.

Richards Bay is a town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa with the deepest natural harbor in the Southern hemisphere.  The coal terminal here was once the largest coal export facility in the world, and two aluminum smelters are located here.  Tourism is a major part of the economy, with Richards Bay seen as a gateway to Zululand, and an area popular with foreign tourists because of its large game parks.  However, the Richards Bay area is plagued by unemployment and poverty.  Unemployment has been estimated at 19 percent in Richards Bay, but 55 percent in the rural area; the local government has made efforts to implement projects aimed at poverty reduction.

As our bus quickly left the small city, our guide, Thako, addressed some of these issues and others as well.  In the rural area, historically sugar cane was the money crop.  However, the rural population is mostly Zulu, who refused to work in the fields.  Therefore, the whites, who owned the plantations, brought in workers from India and Asia.  As a result, 19 percent of the population of this area is of Indian or Asian descent.  Sally asked Thako if these Indians were brought as slaves; she said they were not, but “they were treated like slaves.”  Although we passed sugar cane fields, we also saw fruit trees.

Village Entrance

Our bus drove 1.5 hours through Empangeni, a town situated in hilly countryside, overlooking the flat coastal plain and Richards Bay about 10 miles away, and on to Shakaland, where the motion picture Shaka Zulu was filmed.  Upon arrival, we were met by a Zulu guide and then served fruit juice as refreshments.

Sally with Zulu Warrior

The Zulu village was set up to show tourists their way of life.  The village consists of several buildings, reached by walking short distances on gravel paths.  A cow was in a small fenced area, and chickens wandered about freely, sometimes underfoot.  During our walking tour through the village, we saw a variety of displays that included Zulu women creating bead-work, weaving mats, sculpting pottery, baking bread, and brewing Zulu beer.  The Zulu men demonstrated how to make spears and shields, and build Zulu beehive-styled grass huts.  The largest hut, which they call “Grandmother’s Hut,” is round, with a thatched roof; it is used for spiritual connection with their ancestors – or as a school, hospital, or any function involving the larger family group.

Jesse with Young Zulu Women

Our Zulu guide (who spoke very good English), told us about some of their medical lore.  Instead of going to modern medical doctors and hospitals, they depend on healing by a witch doctor who gives them concoctions of roots or herbs or parts of animals.

Following the first part of our visit, our group (of two tour buses from the ship) was directed to Kwabonamanzi Restaurant overlooking the Umhlatuze Lake for lunch.  There, we sat with friends Julie, Canute, and Donna.  The food was good and there was plenty of it, including desserts and a choice of beer, wine, soft drinks, or bottled water.

Lunch with Julie, Canute, & Donna

After lunch, we were invited into the Chief’s hut to observe Zulu dancers performing rhythmic drum dances, and tribal members recreating a ritual by the traditional healer, sangoma.  The dancing was like no other that we have seen.  Four or five young males would dance, which was based on something like skipping but, on every other beat of the drums, they would kick one leg out straight and high over their head, then repeat with the other leg, back and forth and on and on, until suddenly sitting down (all of the men simultaneously).  Then more dancers, sometimes women, would take center stage and repeat this same ritual.  They were obviously quite athletic, but had danced like this since young children.  Afterward, our guide told us that their enemies would see the high level of energy shown in the Zulu dance and take warning that the Zulu could be a dangerous enemy!

Zulu Statue

Incidentally, a note in the Insignia’s description of this tour stated: “It is customary for unmarried Zulu women to go topless.”  At least for our tour, the women wore tops, sometimes a bra top with a fancy front, with a short, fancy skirt.  The men were usually shirtless.

During the drive back to the pier from Shakaland, Thako told us (in answer to Jesse’s question) that this tribal “village” we had visited was for demonstration purposes; no local Zulu people actually lived there.  The performers who participated in telling this unique story of the Zulu people came from other nearby communities.  However, there were overnight accommodations for visitors, including the restaurant and a swimming pool.

She also talked about King Shaka, King of the Zulus.  Nearly two centuries ago, the Zulu King Shaka, known to historians as the Black Napoleon, subjugated the tribes that today comprise the Kingdom of the Zulu.  He ruled with an iron hand.  Shaka was the illegitimate son of Senzangakona, King of the Zulus, and was born about 1787.  He and his mother were exiled by Senzangakona, and found refuge with the Mthethwa.  However, when Senzangakona died, Shaka was able to become chief of the Zulu Kingdom in about 1818.  He initiated many military, social, cultural, and political reforms, forming a well-organized and centralized Zulu state.  His most important reforms involved the transformation of the army, through innovative tactics and weapons he conceived, and a showdown with the spiritual leadership, witch doctors, thereby ensuring the subservience of the Zulu “church” to the state.  Another reform integrated defeated clans into the Zulu, on a basis of full equality, with promotions in the army and civil service becoming a matter of merit rather than due to circumstances of birth.  By 1825, Shaka had conquered an empire covering an area of about 11,500 square miles.  He ruled until 1840, when he was assassinated by two half-brothers.

Shaka loved his mother very much because she had protected him when his father wanted him killed.  When she died, he made it mandatory that all tribesmen mourn her passing; if they did not, they were summarily killed. He also came down with other edicts having cruel results.

Thako told us that Zulus bury their family members near their hut, not in a cemetery.  If they were to be buried farther away (as in a cemetery), their relative might forget about them; therefore, their relative needs to be nearby in order to help them.  As our bus drove through the countryside, we could see that each house has a separate circular hut, usually with a thatched roof, which was the place where they talk with their ancestors.

At that time in the afternoon, we also passed many school children, walking home from school, and wearing their school uniforms.  The children are provided schools, but not school buses.  However, in the rural area, many children attend only the first few years of school, probably somewhat equivalent to an elementary school education.

After the Insignia left Richards Bay at 4:00 PM, passengers all felt the high winds and choppy seas.  Although we danced tonight, it was often difficult to even remain standing!

Durban, South Africa

             Tuesday, 13 Feb 2018 – Today we didn’t have to wake up early because our 4-hour tour was set for 1:00 PM.  Therefore, we ate a leisurely breakfast and then relaxed in our cabin until almost 12:45, when we needed to meet in the Insignia Lounge.

Slightly before 1:00, our bus left the pier for our 4-hour excursion, “Valley of the Thousand Hills.”  Our guide was Dick, who is Afrikaans; the driver was Piet.  As we rode along, Dick provided a lot of information, and he spoke very good English.  It took about an hour of driving through the city and then the green, hilly countryside before reaching our destination.  Although Durban is the third largest city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, we weren’t ensnarled in any traffic jams as had always happened in Cape Town.

One of the Large Turtles

Upon arrival at the Phezulu Safari Park, we first walked with a local guide through the reptile park, where we saw snakes (behind glass windows), some large turtles, and quite a number of crocodiles in or near small ponds; although we were not far from some of them, we were behind fences.  A few of the passengers held “baby” crocodiles for photos, but we declined.  In a glass case was a stuffed crocodile that had died about three years ago at the age of 109 years!

From there, we walked a short distance to an arena to discover the intricacies, ethnic customs and beliefs of the Zulu people.  Zulu tales and history were depicted in energetic, costumed songs and dances by the renowned Gasa clan, who has been performing their unique plays for over 40 years.  Dances of courtship and betrothal, war and birth, and the throwing of bones by a witch doctor, or Sangoma, were set to the mesmerizing beat of the Zulu drums.  About 15 young people took part in this drama and dancing.

Zulu Warriors

Next, a few of us walked into a traditional beehive hut.  Inside, the men were instructed to sit on one side of the hut, and women on the other.  This was supposed to the chief inside, but an interpreter was with him, as they demonstrated how a spear is thrown by a Zulu man.  In another beehive hut, a woman was grinding corn.  A man who spoke fairly good English described what she was doing, and said that women always do the cooking.  The fact that a man can have several wives was discussed.  The spokesman said that his grandfather had five wives, his father had three, and he has only one, but is engaged to a second.  To marry, a man must pay 11 cows to the bride’s family, which is an obstacle for having multiple wives.  Nowadays, women are becoming more independent, which is also slowly changing the tradition.

Before boarding our bus for the return trip to the ship, tea or coffee and scones were served.  We also visited a small curio shop for souvenirs.  A larger curio shop had been available for guests to browse until it burned down a couple of days ago.  Workmen were in the process rebuilding the shop, starting with clearing the ashes from the exterior stone walls, which were still intact.  Our bus arrived back at the pier at 4:00 PM.

East London, South Africa

            Monday, 12 Feb 2018 – East London lies on the southeast coast of South Africa, in the Eastern Cape Province.  The city is located on the Indian Ocean coast, between the Buffalo River and the Nahoon River, and is South Africa’s only river port.

Thankfully, our tour was later today.  Although Sally was looking forward to sleeping as late as possible, at about 7:45 the Insignia’s thrusters started making their noise as the ship was steered toward the dock – and that was the end of any sleep.  Those thrusters are loud and clear in the location of our cabin.  After breakfast, we prepared for our day’s tour, meeting in the Insignia Lounge by 10:45 AM.

By 11:00 we had boarded a bus for our 4.75-hour tour to the World Class Inkwenkwezi Game Reserve and soon set off in a northerly direction, traveling past beaches en route to the luxurious, big-five-game reserve.  Unlike yesterday, it was a wonderful day – mostly clear, though with some high clouds that helped keep the temperature down to about 84 degrees.  Our guide on the bus was Sadie; the driver was Isaac, though he pronounced it “E-sack” (in Afrikaans).  This private game reserve is situated within an area of 100 square kilometers encompassing 5 different biomes (vegetation types) which offer varied game viewing.  The reserve is home to the Big Five game:  elephant, lion, buffalo, rhinoceros, and leopard, as well as many other animals both large and small.

When we disembarked the bus and walked toward the restrooms located in a shelter at the park entrance, we were welcomed by traditional Xhosa dancers and singers wearing colorful costumes.  After exiting the shelter, we climbed up into the waiting 4x4 vehicle.

Although we rode in a 4x4 yesterday also, today’s vehicle was different.  Yesterday, we stepped into the vehicle, as with an automobile; it had a canvas top, back, and sides – except there were no windows.  The vehicle was wide, with 25 passengers – two passengers on each side of a center aisle.  When people stood, supposedly to see animals better, they tended to block the view of passengers on the other side of the vehicle.  Today the 4x4 was higher; we had to climb a small ladder on the side in order to board the vehicle.  It had a canvas top and back, but the sides were completely open.  This vehicle could hold a maximum of 10 passengers.  Standing seemed fairly difficult, which helped ensure that everyone had a good view of the surroundings.

Our guide, Carl, has worked at this job for five years and really seems to “know his stuff.”  He told us a lot about the animals that we saw, some information that would be impossible to find without reading a doctoral thesis!

After each of us signed a form (“indemnity”), apparently saying that we would not hold the company or whatever responsible in case of a medical problem, our vehicle set out.  Carl warned us to keep our arms inside the vehicle because it is believed that animals perceive a vehicle as one item, but it is risky to be outside of the vehicle, or to have part of one’s body outside it.

Rhinoceroses at the Entrance

Thus began our drive through South Africa’s wild bush in an open-air vehicle, looking for lions, rhinoceroses, giraffes, or many other indigenous animals.  Right inside the entrance to the park were several rhinoceroses, and a few antelopes.  Next were zebras, then Cape buffalos (or African bovines), and zebras.  We watched a family of giraffes for several minutes.  One very young giraffe was still nursing his mother.  A young, curious male giraffe walked up fairly close to stare at us.

Young Giraffe Nursing

When we stopped to see a termite mound, Carl told us interesting details.  This mound was about five feet high, but most of it is actually underground, Carl explained.  Inside, the temperature is always 27 degrees Celsius (80.6 F), so that the termites stay active.

At last, our 4x4 went through two gates in two rows of fences only a few yards apart – and soon after that, we had a good view of a pride of white lions.  As we watched, one large male strolled slowly by some of the other lions, almost as if he were walking across a stage just for us.  Carl told us that these lions are fed large quantities of meat at intervals of a few days.  No doubt, if they were hungry, these lions would not be so docile!

White Lions in the Bush

                Approximately two and a half hours in the bush provided plenty of opportunities to observe the abundant wildlife.  Sally was thrilled with the experience.  Jesse, who was sitting between Sally and another woman (Kathy), enjoyed conversation throughout the drive.  The only downside of this experience was the horrible rough road, which was little more than a cow path, usually with deep ruts.  Sometimes the passengers were tossed up in the air or from side to side; after the worst jolts, Carl would call out, asking if everyone was okay.  At the end of the drive, Sally’s brain felt scrambled from the bouncing!

            Back at the park entrance, we were offered drinks of soda pop and then boarded our bus to return to the ship.  Arriving in our cabin at 3:25 PM, we were hungry, but the café had closed.  Therefore, we ate our very late lunch at the Waves Grill, located near the swimming pool – and Jesse grossly overate, for the third time on this cruise.

Although we had been discussing swimming after lunch, Jesse didn’t feel like it – and Sally used the time to take a nap.  At 4:00 PM, the Insignia departed from the port for Durban.

We, especially Sally, are trying to keep rested because we had five days in a row (starting with Port Elizabeth) of scheduled shore excursions.  We still have three very busy days left before having an at-sea day to rest up!

Tonight we didn’t dance, and we ate a late, very light dinner.

Port Elizabeth, South Africa

            Sunday, 11 Feb 2018 – Port Elizabeth is one of the largest cities in South Africa.  It is situated in the Eastern Cape Province, 478 miles east of Cape Town.  However, we didn’t go into the city at all.  This morning, we met in the Insignia Lounge for our 5-hour tour by 8:45 AM, and by 9:00 our bus had departed the pier.  For the next 1.25 hours the bus headed north across the Swartkops River to the Addo Elephant Park.  The scenery was not too much different from the Southwestern U.S.A; most of the dry, reddish ground was bare except for dwarf junipers.  However, in some places we saw fruit trees planted in neat rows, obviously watered by irrigation.  Then, after a 20 minute “comfort stop” at the Park entrance, we boarded a 4X4 safari vehicle for a 2-hour ride through the Elephant Park.

This spectacular national park stands as living proof of the success of South Africa’s conservation efforts.  The original section of the Addo National Park was founded in 1931, in order to provide a sanctuary for the mere 11 remaining elephants in the area.  Proving to be very successful, the park currently houses more than 600 elephants and a large number of other mammals.  According to Carl, our guide, the park is now as large as the country of Belgium!

Although we had been told that Port Elizabeth is usually cooler than Cape Town, we were surprised to find ourselves in light rain before reaching the park entrance.  After all, South Africa is suffering from a severe drought, and we had heard the forecast of a 10 percent chance of rain!  However, when we boarded, seats in the open 4X4 were already rather wet.  Since our vehicle (unlike other 4X4’s sitting nearby) had heavy plastic windows that could be loosened from the canvas top above and allowed to hang at the open sides (thereby pretty much blocking the rain as well as the view), our group was not provided with plastic ponchos.  But the two of us had brought along ponchos from a previous cruise; but fortunately for rest of our group, the rain didn’t last very long.

Our vehicle allowed us to observe the animals in a fairly close manner – if we were lucky.  Soon, a lion was spotted in the distance; despite, Jesse’s continued efforts to point him out to Sally, she never actually saw him.  Next, we saw a zebra, closer and on our side of the road.  (We saw a whole herd of zebras later.)  The next animal we spotted was a warthog.  Although he was alone, we soon saw a family of warthogs, some quite young.  One or perhaps two types of antelope (called kudu) also came into view.  However, the greatest treat was to see a herd of elephants fairly close: several adult males, many females and younger elephants, and at least one baby still suckling.  Possibly 100 or more elephants were in that group.

African Elephants

These particular elephants are a somewhat smaller species of the African elephant, and are reddish rather than grey like most African elephants.  Although the adult males were easy to spot, they also seemed to carry themselves in a different way from the females.  Time passed far too fast as we sat watching the elephants (no binoculars required), and our guide announced that, regrettably, we would have to head back to the entrance.

Before leaving the park, we saw more animals of the types we had already seen.  After making use of the comfort center, we boarded our bus again for the trip back to the Insignia.  Although we reached the café at 2:00 PM, normal closing time for lunch, it stayed open later today to feed the hungry people returning from their tours.  And we were grateful.  Between lunch and dinner, Sally took a long nap, making up for a skimpy sleep last night.  At dinner in the café, we happened to meet up with Christina and Spiro, so we ate with them and shared our adventures, and later, danced with them in the Insignia Lounge.  During dinner, they told us that they had spent a few weeks in South Africa during the early 1980s, and described how dispirited and hopeless the black workers in the “white” area looked at the time, and remarked that they no longer appear that way today.

At Sea

            Saturday, 10 Feb 2018 – Today the Insignia continued to sail eastward toward the rising sun, just south of Africa.  At first, we could see Cape Point, located on the southwestern tip of Africa, though it was very distant and the view was hazy.  Because seas were very rough, in the morning the swimming pool was empty and being cleaned.  However, later the pool was filled and by 4:00 we decided to swim.  Although the water felt warm by then, the water from the shower nozzle beside the pool was a little too invigorating and air temperature was probably in the low 70’s.  (It had warmed up; air temperature had been in 60’s at 9:30 AM.)  By noon, the African coast was no longer in view even in the distance.

When the Insignia left Miami, we delighted in the wonderful selection of fresh fruit to eat each morning with our breakfast.  Blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries were available to eat on oatmeal or by themselves.  However, during the days after leaving Brazil, first the blueberries ran out, then blackberries, and finally even strawberries.  Also, mushrooms (to add to our omelets) were not to be found.  The days of crossing the Atlantic, followed by docking in very small ports in West Africa had allowed those items to be totally consumed by passengers.  But, after one day in Cape Town, Insignia had restocked these menu items.  Yum!

In the afternoon, we watched the 1985 movie “Out of Africa,” with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, on our TV.  Based loosely on the autobiography of Danish author, Karen Blixen, the setting is east Africa in the early 1900’s.   This evening was another Captain’s Cocktail Celebration, when we could dance to the Insignia orchestra.  Also dancing were Christina and Spiro, and we sat with them during the program.