The Cruise Around Africa had planned to depart Cape Town by around 4pm, but due to the pier fiasco it was a few hours later. Passengers could not be loaded properly and the wait was terrible in the sun. Luckily I was a back-to-back passenger and I was able to get on the ship again quite quickly. We had a day at sea for everyone to relax a bit, but tempers were flaring!
We arrived in Walvis Bay, Namibia, the day after, and I had booked another NCL Tour, “Seal and Pelican Cruise.” And not to be outdone by the Penguins cruise in Port Elizabeth, this was the same boat tour company. It was a fantastic trip that started with 50 dolphins following along right out of the dock area! Given the over 30,000 dolphins in this area, it was not surprising. We then head across the bay to find the sea lions on a sand bar that numbered in the thousands, with many swimming in front of the boat. It seemed like it had recently been birthing season because there were many smaller sea lions. Amazingly, they estimate over 600,000 sea lions in this area!
The boat crew had a few friends, a sea lion, and a pelican that came right on board for fish and entertainment to everyone’s delight. They danced around and were quite fun! On our way back, we were able to see another big group of dolphins surfing along the sandy shores.
This part of the Cruise Around Africa is going to have a total of about 9 days at sea as we cross large coastal stretches of the continent. With stops along the way, we get a feel for the different countries. Our next one is Luanda, Angola, and I have booked NCL Tour “Panoramic Luanda.” A scenic drive around the city with stops along the way gives us an insight into this very military head of government. The tour guy jokingly said that they have been voted out of office a lot of times over the last 7 years, but nothing has changed.
The Cruise Around Africa heads northward with a stop in Sao Tome, Principe. I have booked the NCL Tour “Highlights of Sao Tome,” which is another drive around to see churches, local musical groups, and their heritage museum. São Tomé and Príncipe, an African island nation close to the equator, is part of a volcano chain featuring striking rock and coral formations, rainforests, and beaches.
Now we arrive in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and I have booked the NCL Tour “Adwaba to Bingerville.” Another bus ride out of the city, where we can see some of the countryside and a couple of villages in the Ivory Coast. We made a stop at an orphanage where the children sang. Abidjan is a city on the southern Atlantic coast of Côte d’Ivoire, in West Africa. It’s the country’s major urban center, with skyscrapers rising above the Ébrié Lagoon. Modern landmarks include La Pyramide, a ziggurat-like building. St. Paul’s Cathedral is a swooping structure tethered to a massive cross.
The Cruise Around Africa continues to the capital of Senegal, Dakar. I thought Mexico City had the worst traffic in the world, but Senegal has taken the crown! I am booked on the NCL Tour “Highlights of Dakar” and it is a struggle to get anywhere quickly. The bus driver tried some back roads without much success, so it was a quick stop here and there.
Dakar is the capital of Senegal, in West Africa. It’s an Atlantic port on the Cap-Vert peninsula. Its traditional Médina quarter is home to the Grande Mosquée, marked by a towering minaret. The Musée Théodore Monod displays cultural artifacts including clothing, drums, carvings, and tools. The city’s vibrant nightlife is inspired by the local mbalax music. There a thousands of stands around the city selling everything that you would find in regular department stores. We made a stop at the old Camel Market, which is now a produce and fish market, goats were kept on most corners, and of course, the insane traffic jams everywhere!
Time to move on to more pleasant places as we head to the Canary Islands. Since this was my 4th time in Tenerife, I struggled to find something new to see. But I find the NCL Tour “Loro Park” as an option. This is an elegant zoo with lots of rare and extinct species of animals, so they actually call it an Animal Embassy. It was a pleasant and delightful place, and with the various shows, it was a fun day!
Our last port of call before Lisbon, Portugal, is another Canary Island, Las Palmas. Again, I have been here several times before, so I booked the NCL Tour “Bandama Crater Botanical Gardens.” This tour takes us to the botanical gardens that are in a volcanic crater, then downtown to the historic center, and then to a shopping marketplace. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the capital of the island of Gran Canaria, is situated on the northeastern vertex of the island where a small peninsula sticks out into the sea. The center of the city is divided by the old Guiniguada Gully, which used to be the limits between the historical quarter of the municipality and the more cosmopolitan and commercial boroughs of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Well, that is a wrap! After 45 days on board the NCL Dawn on the Cruise Around Africa, I feel fulfilled with the adventures, sights, and sounds of this continent. I was certainly the way to see Africa without all of the drama that occurs daily within the continent. I highly recommend this cruise if you have the time and energy to do it!
Here is Part 1 of these blogs in case you missed it!
Here is Part 2 of these blogs in case you missed it!
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