South Africa, land of contrasts

South Africa is a country of contrasts: ancient and modern; traditional and contemporary; affluent and poverty stricken; spectacularly beautiful and shockingly shabby; thrilling and

complacent; dangerous yet comfortable, always somewhat surprising.

Just 16 years since the end of Apartheid with such recent memories of those gross injustices, I was surprised with the pervasive feelings of hope and with the apparent lack of residual anger.

The land and the weather are spectacularly beautiful and one feels a strong national pride from every level and person in society!

In South Africa of today there are many possibilities for thrills: going on safari, shark cage diving, mountain climbing, repelling, rigorous hiking and biking, parasailing, and more. Students and faculty alike enjoyed these physical activities while at the same time getting to know the real people of South Africa, both in the central city "bubble of affluence" and in the townships surrounding the city. It was common to hear that "we needed more days in South Africa!"

5:30 a.m. sunrise from the aft deck on morning of arrival. First daylight view of Cape Town on arrival.

Sunset over Cape Town from the Voyager deck

In downtown Cape Town on the first morning in port, as we walked through the government center and the Company Gardens, I had to keep reminding myself - "this is South Africa!" I kept getting visual/sensory "hits" of Sacramento CA and/or Seattle WA!

Ancient sculptures and actual cave paintings on large slabs of rock are among the many splendors at the Natural History Museum in the Company Gardens.

An Aloe tree in the central city Company Gardens.

The National Flower is the lovely Protea

The Voyager docked at the lively Harbor area where the upscale Victoria and Alfred shopping mall is located - so, of course, we shopped! In addition there were restaurants indoor and outside, street musicians, ice cream booths, craft markets and plenty of souveniers to buy.

On Safari: Bouncing and jostling and clinging onto the sides, we rode out into the vast game reserve of Hluhluwe searching for elephants, buffalo, Wildebeste (Gnu), kudu, baboons, zebra, rhinos, and the big cats. It was sometimes cold and

sometimes wet and always exciting.

On safari: The thrill of "the hunt" is unexpected... after all, we've all been to the zoo before! But in the wild bush of Africa, the safari experience is remarkable. Riding in the Land Rover, hushed when sighting animals, startled when suddenly around a corner there is an elephant or a giraffe in the road, straining eyes to see more - it is all very thrilling. Though we saw evidence of the large cats in their fresh footprints or feces, my group did not sight any lions, leopards, nor cheetahs.

We searched and searched for elephants then finally in the afternoon we had many sitings including this fellow who was busy pushing down the tree (right onto our vehicle had our driver not quickly moved away!) in order to get to the tasty new spring leaf growth that was out of his reach. This was an exciting moment!

Quazulu Natal is the homeland in South Africa

of the Zulu people who frequently live today in the traditional extended family home settlements, each with their respective cattle herds. Marriage contracts are settled when the man pays 11 - 21 cattle to the woman's family.

Zumma, the current President of South Africa is a Zulu and is just marrying his third wife, with contracts in the works for two more for next year and the year after.

A hunt of a different sort at a Zulu Market where

many Zulu foods and produce were available for sale.

We stayed at the Zululand Lodge under the Fever trees in Kwazulu Natal near Hluhluwe National Game Reserve. The food was wonderful, the ambience perfectly safari, and there was even a tremendous thunder and lightning storm which took out the power so we were candle lit - even in the thatched-roof huts! In the evening light of the generators after the big storm there was a hatching of Flying Ants (by the thousands ... and thousands!!!!) which were way too many for me!!! I scooted back to the 'safety' of the netted bed shelter within the cabin. Yikes!

Before we left Cape Town, I led a tour to Africa Allsorts which is a small business employing wire and bead street artists making beaded African animals and allsorts of other things. Prior to the current global economic crisis these beaded sculptures were high-end exports world wide. We interacted with the bead and wire artists and each made a small piece of bead work.

at sea, and shipboard life

At sea there are sunsets. Perhaps the sunrises are equally spectacular, but I really don't from direct observation except for the mornings when we enter a new port when I do rise early.

Fact (that we all know from school but forget until experiencing it): at the Equator the sun rises and sets at about 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. all year long.

Tugboats

As we enter and leave the ports, there are always tugboats and, of course, the speedy boats that deliver and take back the Pilot from each harbor. I enjoy a great fascination with these harbor craft .... and would perhaps enjoy a ride-along some time in the future.

One morning while crossing the Atlantic we passed by the Azores Islands.

Long ago when I was first aware of my father flying to Europe for meetings he told me of stopping mid-way across the Atlantic to refuel the airplane. At that time, he brought me a hand-crafted doll from the Azores.

Occasionally we view a ship in the distance but generally we simply see ocean, ocean, ocean.

Refueling at Las Palma Island of the Canary Island archipelago took about 6 hours.

The MV Explorer is our vessel for Semester at Sea. On this Fall 2010 voyage there are 610 students, 35 Faculty, 30-40 Staff, 63 LifeLong Learners, 28 dependent children, and almost 200 wonderful Crew! In addition to the many different cabins, we have a Computer Center, a Library, a small medical facility, an outdoor basketball/volleyball court, a swimming and sunbathing deck, several workout facilities, two large dining rooms, 9 classrooms, and of course, the Purser's Desk which is the administrative center of the ship.

Magnolia

Cabin 4075 is called Magnolia. Spatious, with abundant built-in storage, it is bright with a large window overlooking the starboard side. Cheerful Cabin Steward Joel is teaching me greetings in his Phillippino language.

Absentee Ballots and Voting

Fifteen of us got together to witness and sign our respective absentee ballots for Charlottesville City and Albemarle County's fall election.

Teaching Drawing and Collage on the MV Explorer is challenging and interesting. The (not studio art) teaching rooms are packed with students and their art supplies - not to mention the challenge of creating art as the ship rolls and pitches! It's all fun!

Dean David gives a powerpoint lecture on Archbishop Desmond Tutu's award for lifetime achievement in African affairs which he just received in Ghana from King Tutu, King of the Ashanti and 19 other lesser Kings plus the VP of Ghana and numerous elected officials.

Archbishop Tutu and his wife are traveling with Fall 2010 Semester at Sea for the duration of the voyage. This is a vacation and step toward his retirement from world affairs, and he will celebrate his 80th birthday during the voyage. The Archbishop and wife Leah regularly associate and dine with students and faculty and he gives occasional lectures and is a guest in some of the classes on board. What a wonderful person he is!

Explorer Series

Many evenings at 8 p.m. Interport Lecturers, Faculty, or Staff with special knowledge topics speak in The Union for the optional Explorer Series lectures. Here Mary and Jim Davidson, both former career Secret Service Agents, speak of life in the Secret Service guarding the President, investigating counterfeit money, training, and more.

Neptune Day

Jovial ceremonies to initiate all the when crossing the Equator. First the 'polywogs' are doused with yucky fish water, then they jump into the pool. Each must 'kiss a fish', kiss King Neptune's ring, and be approved by the Queen. Many have their head's shaved for this initiation. Note Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Mrs. Tutu happily watch the proceedings.