Hey everyone!
Happy Easter! :) I hope everyone is having a wonderful Easter Sunday!
The morning we arrived in Cape Town, I woke up at 6 a.m. to watch the sunrise over the city and the mountains. It was absolutely gorgeous and definitely worth it! After that, I had breakfast with my friend Corrie who turned 21 that day! Then we all cleared immigration and had a diplomatic briefing in the Union where they gave us some tips on safety and travel in Cape Town. Cape Town is incredibly beautiful, but it also has one of the highest crime rates in the world. I'm glad they took the time to prepare us and make sure we knew how to stay safe. We docked a little later than expected and didn't end up getting off the ship until around 11 a.m.
Corrie, Hayley and I headed straight to the V&A (Victoria and Alfred) Waterfront to find a fun place to eat for Corrie's birthday! Quite a few of our friends had field labs during the day, so we made plans to meet up with everyone later that evening and go out for dinner. The Waterfront is amazing and only a five minute walk from where our ship was docked. I could have literally spent my entire six days there and would not have been bored. There are so many things to do and see including a market, a huge mall, amazing restaurants, a ferris wheel, an entertainment center and some great, live bands/singing groups. Corrie's mom had sent her a list of restaurants at the Waterfront so she picked a place famous for their burgers, Gibson's. It was probably the best burger I have ever had! Our waiter also surprised her with a 21st birthday dessert, which was a lot of fun!
After we ate, we took Hayley back to the ship so she could get on the bus for her field program. Then Corrie and I went to hike Lions Head Mountain. We didn't hike the whole way up because that would have probably taken us about two hours, but we climbed a decent portion and got some great pictures of the amazing view! Then our taxi driver drove us to the top of Signal Hill, which is connected to Lions Head. I think we lucked out with him! He took us on a short city tour after that as well. Here are a few pictures!
As an assignment in one of my courses, I'm supposed to look for and learn about religion in each port. Our driver was very helpful with that! About 87 percent of the people in South Africa are Christians. The majority of them are either Catholic or Protestant. One of the smallest religions is Islam, and our driver took us to a Muslim Mosque on the way down from Lions Head mountain and then to a small Muslim Community known as Bo-Kaap. 100 percent of the people that live there are Muslims. Their homes are painted bright colors to symbolize their freedom from apartheid.
After that, he drove us to St. George's cathedral where Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu is the head Bishop. We told him that he had been sailing with us on the ship, and he didn't believe us. It was pretty funny! I haven't been in too many Catholic cathedrals, but this one was amazing. I wish we would have been able to take pictures inside of it. Here are a couple pictures of the outside.
He drove us to a snack shop after that so we could stock up on a few things, and then we headed back to the ship to get ready for Corrie's birthday dinner! We ended up at the restaurant Mugg and Bean. Our taxi driver recommended it earlier in the day. He said it was where a lot of the locals go and that the prices were very reasonable, so Corrie decided she wanted to try it. It was a great choice! After dinner, we hung out and walked around the Waterfront for a while longer before heading back to the ship.
The next morning, I had to be ready to go on a Safari at 6 a.m. It was another very early morning, but I wanted to be sure to do a Safari while I was here. I didn't want to pay to go on one of the three or four day trips, so when the opportunity for this one came up, I jumped on it! There were about 20 students and one Lifelong Learner on the trip, and the ride there took about two hours. Our bus was a little bit late, so we didn't end up leaving until 7:30. It was my only chance to see South Africa outside of Cape Town, so I spent most of that time looking out the window and enjoying the beautiful scenery.
There was a breakfast buffet waiting for us when we arrived, and then we headed off for the two hour, guided Safari. We saw many different animals including springbok (a form of antelope), giraffes, elephants, hippos, rhinos, wildebeests, zebras, ostrich and lions. I've seen all of those animals in zoos before, but seeing them un-caged and out in the wild was an awesome experience! After the safari, we had a late lunch at the resort restaurant there and then had a little free time to look at the shop and walk around before heading back. Here are a few pictures!
We got back around dinner time so me and my friend Cali that was also on the trip found our friends Kaitlynn and Kaitlyn and went down to the Waterfront for dinner. We walked around for a bit first and listened to some of the singing groups that were out there. I loved Khayelitsha United Mambazo and ended up buying one of their CD's. They invited me to take a picture with them while they were singing. :) After that, we went and found Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu's statue in Nobel Square. In my opinion, it didn't really look too much like him, but it was still fun to see and we took a few pictures. We headed back to the ship after eating dinner at a really great Italian restaurant!
The next morning Kaitlynn, Kaitlyn and I woke up early to head down to the Waterfront to do some shopping before our homestay left later that afternoon. We grabbed breakfast at TriBakery and then went to a few stores in the smaller section of the mall. I found a dress in the colors of the South African flag that I absolutely love! I got a few other things too, but most of them are gifts so I have to keep those a secret for now. :) (I am really starting to worry about how in the world I am going to pack all of this stuff up when it's time to get off of the ship in Spain...) Then we went to the market area of the Waterfront that was in a big blue building that we called the "blue barn." For lunch, I took them to Gibson's where I had eaten with Corrie and Hayley on the first day because they really wanted to try the burgers there as well. After a little more shopping around the mall, we headed back to the ship to pack and get ready for our homestay.
Our homestay left at 4 p.m. and went the Tambo Township. Kaitlynn and I had signed up to be roommates and I was really looking forward to it! The drive there was about 20 minutes, and the children were ready and waiting for us when we got off of the bus. Each set of roommates was placed in a different home with their own "mama". We were with Mama Mavis! Her two adorable grandsons, Kuhle and Aluve (ages 6 and 12), came to pick us up and walk her to her home. Her grandsons live about three hours away, but they were on vacation from school and were staying with her for the entire two weeks! We spent the first couple of hours getting to know them, telling them about our trip so far and watching some of their favorite shows on TV. One of Mama Mavis' friends was also there with her young daughter, Sinetema. Kuhle was hilarious and asked the most interesting questions. For example, "Do you like bread?" and then straight into "Do you like dog poo? What about cat poo?" Haha! He was quite entertaining! We found out that one of their favorite TV shows is the Ellen DeGeneres show! Kaitlynn actually brought along several flat Ellen's that she is taking pictures with all around the world, so she gave a couple to them and they loved it! They kept saying "Now we have Ellen!" It was adorable!
Before dinner, Mama Mavis took us on a walk around the township. We had been warned not to take our cameras out, so I didn't get very many pictures. While we were walking around, Mama Mavis said there were some places where it was okay to take pictures so I was able to get a couple. Each week, she attends a prayer meeting at Mama Joyce's house. We happened to be there on the night they have those meetings so she took us with her! Harry, the guy who leads the meetings, comes to the township each week to talk with the group about how God has been working in their lives, read scripture and pray for one another. They also asked us if we'd faced any challenges with our faith and if we've had any opportunities for worship while we've been away. We told him about the weekly services and Bible studies that we have on the ship. Harry is white, and in many of the townships racism is still a problem and it is very uncommon to see people from different races worshiping together. Many times it is even looked down upon. I felt really blessed to be able to be there and have the opportunity to take part in worshiping with them. It was an incredible experience.
After the prayer meeting, we headed back to Mama Mavis' house for dinner. I had my very first taste of goat organs. Yes, goat organs. It definitely wasn't the best meal I've ever had, and it was honestly a bit of a struggle for me and Kaitlynn to make it through that. They also served us bread, so I ate as much of that as I could. :) I learned that goat organs and intestines is actually a very common meal in South Africa. That was definitely the most adventurous that I have been with food so far on this voyage! After dinner we sat around their living room, talked, and watched America's Next Top Model. :) Then Kaitlynn and I headed to bed!
The next morning, we had to be ready to get on our bus and head back by 10 a.m. We woke up early and had breakfast with Mama Mavis and her grandsons and had a little more time to talk and say thank you before heading out. I wish that homestay would have been much longer!
I will do a post about the last few days in Cape Town (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) soon. I have so much to say about this amazing place that I decided to split this into two different posts! Part of the reason I did Semester at Sea was because it stopped in Africa, and I have been looking forward to Cape Town since the beginning of the voyage! For so many different reasons, I felt such a connection there and it is the most incredible place that I have ever been. Thanks guys!
Happy Easter! :) I hope everyone is having a wonderful Easter Sunday!
The morning we arrived in Cape Town, I woke up at 6 a.m. to watch the sunrise over the city and the mountains. It was absolutely gorgeous and definitely worth it! After that, I had breakfast with my friend Corrie who turned 21 that day! Then we all cleared immigration and had a diplomatic briefing in the Union where they gave us some tips on safety and travel in Cape Town. Cape Town is incredibly beautiful, but it also has one of the highest crime rates in the world. I'm glad they took the time to prepare us and make sure we knew how to stay safe. We docked a little later than expected and didn't end up getting off the ship until around 11 a.m.
Corrie, Hayley and I headed straight to the V&A (Victoria and Alfred) Waterfront to find a fun place to eat for Corrie's birthday! Quite a few of our friends had field labs during the day, so we made plans to meet up with everyone later that evening and go out for dinner. The Waterfront is amazing and only a five minute walk from where our ship was docked. I could have literally spent my entire six days there and would not have been bored. There are so many things to do and see including a market, a huge mall, amazing restaurants, a ferris wheel, an entertainment center and some great, live bands/singing groups. Corrie's mom had sent her a list of restaurants at the Waterfront so she picked a place famous for their burgers, Gibson's. It was probably the best burger I have ever had! Our waiter also surprised her with a 21st birthday dessert, which was a lot of fun!
After we ate, we took Hayley back to the ship so she could get on the bus for her field program. Then Corrie and I went to hike Lions Head Mountain. We didn't hike the whole way up because that would have probably taken us about two hours, but we climbed a decent portion and got some great pictures of the amazing view! Then our taxi driver drove us to the top of Signal Hill, which is connected to Lions Head. I think we lucked out with him! He took us on a short city tour after that as well. Here are a few pictures!
As an assignment in one of my courses, I'm supposed to look for and learn about religion in each port. Our driver was very helpful with that! About 87 percent of the people in South Africa are Christians. The majority of them are either Catholic or Protestant. One of the smallest religions is Islam, and our driver took us to a Muslim Mosque on the way down from Lions Head mountain and then to a small Muslim Community known as Bo-Kaap. 100 percent of the people that live there are Muslims. Their homes are painted bright colors to symbolize their freedom from apartheid.
There was a breakfast buffet waiting for us when we arrived, and then we headed off for the two hour, guided Safari. We saw many different animals including springbok (a form of antelope), giraffes, elephants, hippos, rhinos, wildebeests, zebras, ostrich and lions. I've seen all of those animals in zoos before, but seeing them un-caged and out in the wild was an awesome experience! After the safari, we had a late lunch at the resort restaurant there and then had a little free time to look at the shop and walk around before heading back. Here are a few pictures!
We got back around dinner time so me and my friend Cali that was also on the trip found our friends Kaitlynn and Kaitlyn and went down to the Waterfront for dinner. We walked around for a bit first and listened to some of the singing groups that were out there. I loved Khayelitsha United Mambazo and ended up buying one of their CD's. They invited me to take a picture with them while they were singing. :) After that, we went and found Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu's statue in Nobel Square. In my opinion, it didn't really look too much like him, but it was still fun to see and we took a few pictures. We headed back to the ship after eating dinner at a really great Italian restaurant!
Our homestay left at 4 p.m. and went the Tambo Township. Kaitlynn and I had signed up to be roommates and I was really looking forward to it! The drive there was about 20 minutes, and the children were ready and waiting for us when we got off of the bus. Each set of roommates was placed in a different home with their own "mama". We were with Mama Mavis! Her two adorable grandsons, Kuhle and Aluve (ages 6 and 12), came to pick us up and walk her to her home. Her grandsons live about three hours away, but they were on vacation from school and were staying with her for the entire two weeks! We spent the first couple of hours getting to know them, telling them about our trip so far and watching some of their favorite shows on TV. One of Mama Mavis' friends was also there with her young daughter, Sinetema. Kuhle was hilarious and asked the most interesting questions. For example, "Do you like bread?" and then straight into "Do you like dog poo? What about cat poo?" Haha! He was quite entertaining! We found out that one of their favorite TV shows is the Ellen DeGeneres show! Kaitlynn actually brought along several flat Ellen's that she is taking pictures with all around the world, so she gave a couple to them and they loved it! They kept saying "Now we have Ellen!" It was adorable!
Before dinner, Mama Mavis took us on a walk around the township. We had been warned not to take our cameras out, so I didn't get very many pictures. While we were walking around, Mama Mavis said there were some places where it was okay to take pictures so I was able to get a couple. Each week, she attends a prayer meeting at Mama Joyce's house. We happened to be there on the night they have those meetings so she took us with her! Harry, the guy who leads the meetings, comes to the township each week to talk with the group about how God has been working in their lives, read scripture and pray for one another. They also asked us if we'd faced any challenges with our faith and if we've had any opportunities for worship while we've been away. We told him about the weekly services and Bible studies that we have on the ship. Harry is white, and in many of the townships racism is still a problem and it is very uncommon to see people from different races worshiping together. Many times it is even looked down upon. I felt really blessed to be able to be there and have the opportunity to take part in worshiping with them. It was an incredible experience.
After the prayer meeting, we headed back to Mama Mavis' house for dinner. I had my very first taste of goat organs. Yes, goat organs. It definitely wasn't the best meal I've ever had, and it was honestly a bit of a struggle for me and Kaitlynn to make it through that. They also served us bread, so I ate as much of that as I could. :) I learned that goat organs and intestines is actually a very common meal in South Africa. That was definitely the most adventurous that I have been with food so far on this voyage! After dinner we sat around their living room, talked, and watched America's Next Top Model. :) Then Kaitlynn and I headed to bed!
The next morning, we had to be ready to get on our bus and head back by 10 a.m. We woke up early and had breakfast with Mama Mavis and her grandsons and had a little more time to talk and say thank you before heading out. I wish that homestay would have been much longer!
I will do a post about the last few days in Cape Town (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) soon. I have so much to say about this amazing place that I decided to split this into two different posts! Part of the reason I did Semester at Sea was because it stopped in Africa, and I have been looking forward to Cape Town since the beginning of the voyage! For so many different reasons, I felt such a connection there and it is the most incredible place that I have ever been. Thanks guys!
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