South Africa

2019 Europe & Africa Trip – Day 16– Johannesburg

Today we did a city tour of Johannesburg and headed to Soweto to visit the Mandela House (http://www.mandelahouse.com/ ) and the Apartheid Museum ( http://www.apartheidmuseum.org/ ). Not a lot of photos because of restrictions so please visit the websites. Both were sobering – that said South Africa has come a long way in 25 years almost as far as the USA in 150! Muslims only make up 1.5% of the population of Johannesburg but there are several mosques – the one shown is a smaller version of the Blue Mosque built buy a Turkish businessman active in South Africa.

Off to Zambia and Zimbabwe tomorrow.

September 14, 2019 0

2019 Europe & Africa Trip – Day 15– Kruger National Park to Johannesburg

Today we took the Panorama Route to Johannesburg through Mpumalanga Province. Along the way we visited the 16 mile long Blyde River Canyon taking views at “God’s Window ( it is said that the canyon is the 3rd longest is the world). We also stopped at Bourke’s Luck Potholes, a series of waterfalls and rock formations formed by water erosion. The original 8 hour trip was extended as our road was blocked by a burning hay truck for about 40 minutes. Into J-Burg and dinner at Jamie Oliver’s Italian restaurant – great meal and enough left overs for tomorrows lunch.

September 13, 2019 0

2019 Europe & Africa Trip – Day 14 – Kruger National Park

4:45 wake up, on the bus 5:15 and in our jeeps @ 6:00 — the game drive was off for 8 hours. Kruger National Park, in northeastern South Africa, is one of Africa’s largest game reserves. Its high density of wild animals includes the Big 5: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalos. Hundreds of other mammals make their home here, as do diverse bird species such as vultures, eagles and storks. Mountains, bush plains and tropical forests are all part of the landscape. We probably only covered 2% of the park which is over 20k square kilometers. It was an enjoyable day but with a little disappointment we did not see lions or leopards which we needed to complete our big 5 sightings. But more days to come.

September 12, 2019 4

2019 Europe & Africa Trip – Day 13 – eSwatini to Kruger National Park

Another long travel day today with a couple of stops to break up the trek. This morning we stopped at the Ngwenya glass factory for a tour of the production facility ( they only use recycled glass) and another way to back stop the eSwatini economy. A few hours later we again crossed the boarder back into South Africa (eSwatini (Swaziland) is land locked with in South Africa and is a one man monarchy). We stopped at the Matsamo Cultural Village to learn about Swazi traditions, customs and an African lunch. The onto Hazyview South Africa the door step to Kruger. Up an at them at 4:45 tomorrow and an 8 hour game drive (3 down & 2 to go).

September 12, 2019 0

2019 Europe & Africa Trip – Day 11 – Flight to Durban and Game Viewing Cruise

Today was an early morning wake-up @ 5 for our flight to Durban 2.5 hours north east of Cape Town and a 3 hour plus bus ride (through one of the worlds largest reforested areas) to St Lucia Estuary for a game viewing cruise. The tidal estuary is noted for Nile crocodiles, hippopotamus, sea turtles and even sharks (didn’t see the last two). We did see an eagle, weaver birds and black crested night heron.

September 10, 2019 0

2019 Europe & Africa Trip – Day 10 – Cape Town Wine Tour

Today was our Bacchus day – full day wine tasting in South Africa’s wine region. Started the day at Fairview Farms (SA wineries are not just for grapes – they grow fruits and vegetables as well as cattle sheep and goats) in Paarl. Then to Boschendal in Franschhock and to Stellenbosch to tour the university and taste at Neethlingshof farms. South African wines are not necessarily 100% South African – in 1886 a wine blight (phylloxera) killed off the vines and to rebuild the industry vines from the US were imported as the base and South African varietals were grafted to revitalize the industry.

September 9, 2019 1

2019 Europe & Africa Trip – Day 9 – Cape Peninsula Tour

Today’s journey covered a tour of the Cape Peninsula. Starting with stop at Camps Bay for view of Table Mountain which looms over the bay and a mountain range called the 12 Apostles. Continuing along Victoria Drive with its high end housing then along Chapman’s Peak Drive with great views of the Atlantic. A quick stop at the Cape Point Ostrich Farm. On to one of today’s highlights The Cape of Good Hope (which is not the meeting point of the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans but the meeting point with False Bay). After a photo stop we headed to Cape Point Lighthouse
with a funicular ride to the base of the lighthouse and a 200 step climb to the top were we encountered a baboon rifling through a lady’s handbag for food. Great views of the Atlantic and False Bay. We hiked down the mountain enjoying the views and saw a whale in the nearby bay (too far out for a clear picture). Our second highlight was a stop at The Boulders Penguin Colony. Then finishing up a long day at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden and drive back to our hotel through Old Town Cape Town.

September 9, 2019 1

2019 Europe & Africa Trip – Day 6,7,8 – Cape Town

On our 6th day we flew to Amsterdam, the 7th from Amsterdam to Cape Town and here on the 8th our first day in Cape Town. In the AM we meet out tour group and then bused to Table Mountain over looking the city – we traveled by cable car to the top of the mountain at 3300 ft above the city. Interesting cable car which help 65 people and the floor rotated so everyone got a complete view of the trip. The mountain top was at one time a sea floor bed and was raise by igneous and glacial action 529 million years ago. Table Mountain is at least 6 times older then the Himalayas making it one of the oldest mountains in the world. After a brief driving tour to see the the mountain from sea level we headed to Victoria and Alfred Waterfront a major mall and dining area multiples the size of Baltimore’s inner harbor. After lunch at a local brewery we headed back to hotel for a much needed nap to recover from jet lag. A group dinner tonight at a elegant restaurant Beluga (https://beluga.co.za ) and a fine meal.

Off to the Cape of Good Hope tomorrow.