“THIS IS US” SOUTH AFRICAN SHOWCASE
Photo left - “This Is Us” at each of the four tours that are “Showcased” here!
STOP ONE - RICHARDS BAY: Located on the Mhlatuze River, Richards Bay is home to Africa’s deepest natural harbor. Established during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 as a makeshift harbor, it was registered as an official town in 1969. Visitors can explore some of Africa’s wildlife; Hluhluwe-imfolozi Park is Africa’s oldest, and within the vicinity is the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to bathing hippos and crocodiles. The town’s small-craft harbor offers captivating views of tugboats, yachts and other vessels amid a vibrant waterfront atmosphere.
Before we could consider ourselves “docked”, our “pilot” had to disembark. This was a new one for us - he left by helicopter!
We selected to visit the iSimangaliso Wetland Park as our tour today. Our bus met us at the ship and we traveled about an hour to the park and boarded a ferry boat. It was afternoon and lots of hippos were at the edge of the river. It was enchanting seeing them in their natural habitat. We also saw a couple crocodiles. It was an enjoyable experience, especially since we sat on the top level of the ferry, on a beautiful mild afternoon with zero humidity! While cruising along watching for the animals, we also enjoyed an African beer and some “Lays Potato Chips” (the best!). Afternoon turned into evening and we watched a beautiful sunset and some Zulu dancers before heading back to our ship. It was a nice day indeed!
Our view from the ferry. Watching for hippos and crocs!
Found some Hippos! Had to wait for their heads to appear since they were fully submerged!.
We only spotted two crocodiles.
Here are photos of the land around the water’s edge. Two hippos are strolling by…….also, many bird sightings.
“This Is Us” enjoying the Ferry Ride. It made us miss our time living on the lake in Michigan…..
Sunset on the River…. It doesn’t get much better than this……
Farewell Dancers as nightfall approaches.
STOP TWO - DURBAN: The largest city in South Africa’s Kwa Zulu-Natal province, coastal Durban is a fascinating blend of Zulu, Indian and post-colonial influence. Its Zulu name, eThekwini, translates into “bay,”but many locals affectionately call their hometown “Durbs.” Often considered Cape Town’s younger sibling, Durban is graced with stately Victorian touches, from the old Town Hall to the tree-lined Esplanade. The waterfront promenade invites leisurely strolls kissed by Indian Ocean breezes. The Durban Botanic Gardens are Africa’s oldest, founded by British colonialists in 1849 as an extension of England’s Kew Gardens. Durban is home to the largest Indian population outside India - thanks to the colonial-era import of labor from the British Raj in the 1860s- infusing the city with a rich Hindu spirit and curry aromas.
Here we are at our port. New port center is named for Nelson Mandela . As expected, Nelson Mandela’s legacy is apparent throughout the city and everywhere in South Africa for that matter…..
We did two tours today, each about an hour or so drive from the port, but in different directions so we got to see and enjoy a lot of the countryside. We also enjoyed the short drive through the city en route to the highways. Durban definitely had some beautiful buildings, but we also passed by many decrepit ones right in the heart of the city. Our guide said that in this part of South Africa, there is still quite a discrepancy when it comes to skin color and lifestyle. Black, Colored and White are the three distinct groups and the economic lifestyle seemed to follow this path. The rundown areas in the city center are inhabited almost entirely of blacks, while the colored and whites live mostly in the suburbs and along the coast. We saw the city center, shanties along the highway and suburban homes. We didn’t get to see much of the coastal homes nor the areas where the majority of white people lived.
Here’s me, looking at the cityscape from the coach.
City central and shanties along the highway.
Apartments near city center.
This morning our tour was to “The Valley of a Thousand Hills.” The valley offers breathtaking views of rolling hills and a densely forested area. It is a 20 minute drive west of Durban. Here we saw many crocodiles, snakes and tortoises. It was a beautiful facility with beautiful views overlooking the area known as the Valley of a Thousand Hills.
We saw lots of crocodiles but, unfortunately they were all asleep - some with their jaws wide open!
Tortoises, Snakes and Spiders!
We also enjoyed a snack of Tea and Scones followed by a fantastic performance of Zulu Dancers!
“This Is Us” with one of the Zulu Dancers.
Our afternoon tour took us to “Monkey Town”. Monkey Town is a private reserve dedicated to provide a safe forest for a variety of monkeys, lemurs, deer like animals, etc. The animals run wild, but food is always provided. This reserve has helped to save some varieties of monkeys from becoming extinct. We took a 4 wheel drive vehicle to Monkey Town and then hiked the rough terrain to enjoy the animals in their natural surroundings. It was a fun afternoon!
Here we are at the reception area ready to board our 4 wheel vehicle. It was a small group which made a more intimate visit with the monkeys.
Monkeys, Lemurs and Me!
The monkeys put on a good show for us!
“This Is Us” at Monkey Town!
STOP THREE - EAST LONDON: South Africa’s only river port, East London was founded by the British near the mouth of the Buffalo River in 1836. The colonists built several forts here on the Eastern Cape, defenses against the indigenous Xhosa people and possible approaching ships. German settlers arrived later and lent some surrounding towns, such as Berlin, their names. As the town grew, the harbor as we see today was constructed to support trade, an effort also bolstered by the completion of South Africa’s railway. Today, East London, is a cultural center rich in history, resting where the nation’s Sunshine and Wild Coasts meet. Stately Victorian buildings recall its British past and its fascinating East London Museum holds the world's only dodo egg and a specimen of the coelacanth, a fish thought to be extinct but found by local fishermen in 1938.
Today we selected the included tour which was called “East London History”. It was a tour by coach through the city center and a stop at the East London Museum followed by a stop out of town to Nahoon Point Nature Reserve where there is a replica of a set of footprints in the sand that were created 124,000 years ago. The reserve also included a fabulous boardwalk with lots of view points along the way.
Beautiful downtown buildings taken from the coach. Notice the British influence on the buildings’ architecture.
More beautiful architecture.
Not everything is lovely. Here are government built shanties along the highway……..
We visited the East London Museum and as I mentioned in an earlier post that I find museums to be boring. This time I didn’t even try to enjoy it. I hate to admit this, but I waited in the lobby until Mark (who adores museums and reads every single sign) was finished. Here are a few photos that he took. By the way - he loved the museum!
The displays appeared to be very well done!
Nahoon Point Nature Reserve was beautiful!
Footprints in the sand!
“This Is Us” in East London.
Beautiful views back to the ship……
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