May 30 - Walvis Bay, Namibia

June 01, 2024

We may have missed Luderitz, however we made it to Walvis Bay, Namibia. It was originally founded in 1486 by none other than Bartolomeu Diaz, from the Mossel Bay Museum. However, there was nothing of interest there because at first this looked like nothing but dunes and ocean. So Diaz did not claim it for Portugal.

Then we headed north to Swakopmund, on a Culture Experience excursion. It was not until the late 1700s, that the Dutch, who had already occupied Cape Town, annex Walvis Bay. This occupation lasted a few years because it was fought over by the Germans and then, by the early 19th century the English had conquered Cape Town and Walvis Bay. It certainly had a very Batavian style to the architecture.

Here are some up-scale residences

We headed to the outskirts of town into the shanty area. The government has been trying hard to provide each of their 4000+ destitute families a house structure. But, when word got out more than 40,000 families showed up from all other areas, including other countries. It has been hard to keep up. I must say the area was very clean and everyone took pride in what they had.

Houses still being built

Houses done and moved into

The Little kids followed us everywhere.

We met Mama Erika from the Herero Tribe. She told us what it was like growing up and that she had 6 children and 13 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. She gets by on account of love and hope.

and Mama Wilma from the Damara-Nama Tribe. She is the local medicine woman, with all her natural herbs, minerals and tonics. She also recycles trash into useful items.

Then it was off to drinks and tapas at a Oshiwambo kitchen (restaurant), where they gave us drinks, spinach, hummus and caterpillars. Yes, I tried the caterpillars. I guess it was the beer that made me do it. They were crunchy with a little spice you could taste in the back of your throat

Definitely better than this chicken. Yes all those black dots are flies.

They also provided entertainment. A great a cappella group.

When we got back to the port I headed to the Walvis Bay Yacht Club and exchanged Club Burgees. I also had a nice talk with the Commodore, Fernandes and the General Manager, about fleets and the difference in the west coast and east coast of the United States.