Fri May 16 2014. - Cotonou, Benin

Friday May 16th Cotonou, Benin - AMAZING

Breathtaking sunrise

And again.. a little later

Welcome to Benin

Room service breakfast arrived too early at 6.15, but that enabled us to watch a beautiful sunrise. Unfortunately the port wasn't ready for us and our trip start time was delayed for over an hour. We drove off the quay in a conga line of four coaches preceded by armed police with sirens blaring! Much of the city traffic was stopped as our entourage sped through. A rather exciting start to our day.

First Gas station of many ... yes it really is!!!

Traffic stopped for us... so many little Bikes

Driving along

Not sure which side of the road they drive!!

First impressions---  so many people, so many little motorbikes, many of the 125 cc Chinese made Sanyo's. Literally through the day we guess we saw many tens of thousands of them. There could be 50-100 stopped at any red light. The main road had some asphalt but quickly gave way to red sandy road base, with huge pot holes. The side of the road has a kind of 'service road' running along side with stalls abutting right on to the slip road or the main road. Now we can describe them as stalls but think more of market stalls with tin roofs supported by thin tree branches and their wares laid out front on orange boxes. Anything from TV's to vegetables, to furniture, crockery and all kinds of plastic chairs table, pots and pans hairdressers restaurants and fast food cooked on a gas stove right on the sidewalk---- and 'gas stations' ......... In Cotonou one buys gas from a seller on the side of the road who has pop bottles, carboys and gas cans. Fishermen from Benin take their fish into neighbouring Nigeria, and while there they pick up as much cheap gas (petrol) as they can carry in any container they can find including water bottles, bringing it back to Benin where they,  or a family member sells it on the side of the road. We did not see a regular gas station anywhere. 

Barreling thru in convoy! - with Sirens

The noise, people yelling, honking of horns, the hubbub, the number of people, the excitement in the air, created an unforgettable experience.

On we went visiting the Portuguese fort, reconstructed from the 1700's including some original slave trade artifacts, neck braces and chains. 

At the Portugese Fort

Wish I had bought this wall hanging

Historic Quidah

Uhhh! -  Haute Couture!!???

Then to the village of Quidah   the centre of voodooism, and the Python Temple which is just across from the Catholic cathedral!! Janice bravely handled a live python!! The pythons (which are sacred) the are released into the village at night and they wander (or slither) freely through the village streets. In the morning the residents get their brooms out and shoo them back to the temple. UGGHH!! After the Python Temple we paid a visit to the Sacred forest where we were welcomed by the high priest (Voodoo) who welcomed us to the forest. It contained many statues all of which had some story behind them in the Voodoo religion. It was very interesting and quite an experience to be in an area where Voodoo is the predominant religion.. they are very serious about it.

Temple of the Pythons

And here is a small handful! - many more inside

The Grimace says it all

Happily safer by the python statue

UGH!

Young boy on a stroll around the village

African Rainbow Lizard on roof - Peek-a-boo!

Yams anyone?

Improvising a kite - plastic bag!

What a smile - school uniform!

Just a great picture!

Our friendly guard

Note the belly button!

High priest and entourage coming to welcome us

High Priest and Priestess

Joyous Voodoo dancing

I refuse to caption this photo!!!!

Sacred Forest

Ancient ruins in the Sacred forest

We are a spectacle to them

 

Sad poverty levels in Benin

The point of no return

Part of our lunch experience

Beninoise Beer

Point of no return from lunch spot

After leaving the Sacred Forest we stopped at the slave walk (Point Of No Return). A four km walk from the town to the beach (we went by bus) where there is a UNESCO memorial. Varying reports suggest that at least 10 million slaves over 400 years were exported from just this part of Africa. We have seen records of 4 million in Texas.  Estimates of the total numbers of 'lost Africans' is anything up to 100 Million. So sadly interesting to be on the sending beaches after we have been at the receiving docks and auction warehouses in Charleston. After this rather emotional stop we had a communal seafood lunch at a restaurant on the beach, with a much appreciated cold beer.

 3 of the 4  armed escort

National Police ???

After lunch we headed to Ganvie. This is a town of 30,000 (though our flat bottom boat operator told us 100,000) people who live on canals in houses and shops raised on stilts above the salt water harbour lake, some 8 km from the harbour.  Incredible to see houses, stores and restaurants in this environment. Many of the people would hide their faces or put plastic tubs over their heads as they do not want to be photographed... Apparently they believe we may be stealing part of their soul! I guess we are when you really think about it. The origins of the community go back to the slave trade days where there were reported to be demons in the water where  sailors would not go. This is how the local King saved his people, by building the town on stilts. Ganvie has it's own school, hospital, hotel.... All on stilts. Of course all the residents have flat bottom boats, similar to canoes to get around town and into the main harbour. Some sell vegetables or other supplies from their boats. Fish form a large part of their diet and the town is surrounded by 'fields', protected by fine netting and surrounded by a fence of Palm leaves... We saw them building one as we drifted by.

Filling his tank ... from a champagne bottle!!!

 

On their way to Ganvie

See swimmer on right fixing enclosures

Dock area on mainland

Residents of Ganvie

Dusk in the village

Heading home

Seems so basic and poor

Bringing in Palm leaves to make fishing enclosures

Colourful 'sails'

Illegal fishing!!!

Back at mainland dock

Mainland dock area

Bread anyone?

We were late getting back so once again we literally barged back to the ship through town ... Police escort with sirens and our lights flashing and much horn blowing.  Four big buses making quite a stir in town... We noticed actual fear on some of the old folks as we whizzed by and felt a little guilty ... An hour later on board! Quick shower and change after a day in humid 32 degrees, felt good to be spoiled for choice at dinner, but also hard to get over the poverty we have just seen, into perspective.

Meanwhile back on the ship - guilty decadence

Tuesday May 13 - Thur May 15th ... At sea

Tuesday May 13 - Thur May 15th ... At sea

King Neptune and his court

Passengers participating

These three days at sea were as relaxing and fun as sea days can be. We read, relaxed, swam, ate to excess and generally became totally 'chilled out' .... Wonderful. Janice managed to have a wonderful massage in the spa... Love bamboo massages. One other event was the 'crossing the equator ceremony'. Apparently, a sailor who has never crossed the equator is a Polliwog, who becomes a more trusted and respected Shellback, after crossing and becoming 'initiated' which in this case involved much jello, cold spaghetti, whipped cream, chocolate sauce and any other messy stuff that could be flung at the inductees! Derek and Janice were both glad that they did not volunteer to represent the other passengers during this ceremony... Many ruined t-shirts that day!!

Off to the Buffet

Buffet lunch at sea

Beautiful day at the Panorama buffet

Happy and relaxed

Other moments of note included a small fire ... the whole ship went quiet when the alarm went off and the captain came on and said 'attention.. this is not a drill'... talk about getting the sudden and  devoted attention of over 600 people. It was a 'first stage' response alarm... so basically only the crew had to panic... LOL... we all just sat quietly, each with our own thoughts of who's ides was it to go on this cruise. All was well and disaster averted... we were sideswiped again the next day with an note in our room saying that because of recent reports of pirate activity off the coast of Guinea (waters which were were to enter the next day) we were asked to participate in 'pirate drill'. Needless to say Janice has switched from watching for whales and dolphins to vigilantly scanning the horizon for pirates, imagination running wild!! Derek of course just yanks off his shirt and falls asleep in the shade, totally unconcerned of the dangers... LOL.  Pirate drill by the way involves going to your room, staying away from windows and waiting for instructions!! Not in the least bit exciting. I thought it would be cool to have the crew dressed in outlandish clothes, screaming and prancing around with plastic AK47s and parrots, kidnapping passengers while limping on wooden legs... but no such luck... just a boring walk to the cabin!!!  No imagination these people!!!

May 12th at sea Chefs Table

Monday May 12th - at sea - Chef's table and opera!

Chef Eric and Maitre D Carlos

Raw Ahi Tuna Salad

Pate de foi gras with Balsamic reduction

Monday is our first of four at sea days. Breakfast in the Panorama Buffet, which, for those who have experienced cruise life, will appreciate, is lavish ...... Anything your heart desires .. from fresh fruit, to every possible kind of pastry or breads, cold meats and cheese and cooked foods of endless variety. The weather is warming as we head north and today marks the first of 4 solid days at sea... not everyone's cup of tea, but we are looking forward to the forced relaxation. We got some laundry done, attended a lecture about the next port , Cotonou and another lecture about endangered wildlife from a very well prepared presenter. We'll catch her lectures as they are informative and well presented. The highlight of the day is that we had booked to attend the 'Chef's Table' for dinner. Once again we got gussied up. This is a premium, not cheap, dinner prepared especially for a dozen paying guest by the chef himself and served by the Maitre D'. What an extravagance and what an affair. Four successive Hors d'eovres served in the galley, with fabulous champagne served by chef and maitre d' we had Ahi tuna served in a martini glass, lobster tail (prepared with a reduction of Bacardi and coke), goose liver pate with a balsamic reduction , and a light pastry with Gouda and semi-dried cherry tomato. 

Mini-Quiche country style

Lobster Panko

NEXT!!

The main dinner was served in the steak house and was truly a gastronomic affair... asparagus risotto with langoustine and lobster claw, raspberry sorbet with peppercorns and grey goose vodka, and  then the main course... veal chop, chateaubriand and a jumbo scampi, followed by dessert of a white chocolate  mousse pyramid with raspberry coulis inside and berries infused with a white liqueur... all courses served with wine pairings... decadent to the ultimate degree. We then headed to the evening show to see British Soprano, Annette Wardell. We were dubious at first, but were literally blown away by her performance... It is 2 years today since we lost our dear friend Dave, and we we both had a hard time holding back the tears when she sang Danny Boy and Time To Say goodbye... We listened to some live music at the bar and toasted with an Irish Whiskey before heading to our cabin to phone our friend Diane.

Langoustine with risotto

The menu

Strawberry/black pepper ice

Getting ready for the main course

Veal/filet/prawn trio

Pinenut caramel torte

Drambui parfait

Treats with coffee

Sunday May 11 - Mother's Day- Walvis Bay Namibia

Sunday May 11 - Mother's Day- Walvis Bay Namibia

Boarding our craft for bay cruise

Welcome committee

After a fairly rough night, we woke to dense fog, as the captain backed the ship into its berth at Walvis Bay. This port is the major port for supplies coming into and cargo leaving many of the West African countries. The dock area is not so attractive, but as we discovered on our tour, it is surrounded by beautiful and varied landscapes.

We started our day with a room service breakfast to save time getting ready for our trip ashore. 

Jelly anyone?

And we're off... foggy but fun

One of the boats.. we were on the back

Hitch-hiker... middle of nowhere!!

Can I come onboard... NO!!

We had chosen a bay cruise to see the wild life in the area, and were a little disappointed in the dense fog, thinking it would be a major let down. A quick transfer to a number of small boats, we were loaded on across narrow planks to board and off we went into the fog. I think we were all wondering what the heck we were doing there!!! We were treated to a couple of glasses of local sherry to warm us up. After about five minutes of progress into the bay, the boat's operator shut down the engines in an area where we could see a number of wild seal swimming and leaping when suddenly a huge seal leaped up onto the back of the boat (where Derek and I had chosen to sit... ) of course everyone jumped with shock as the seal made its way to the front of the boat, wetting all the seats we had just vacated ... the operator (guide) gave the seal a few fish as a treat and gave is some information about the Cape Seal, before shooing him off the boat.. she quickly wiped down the seat and told us to hang on tight as she booted the throttle, full force with  a few more seal in hot pursuit trying to get on board.... hilarious and fun. We continued through the fog and soon came to appreciate the unique experience as we saw a flock of hundreds of Cape Cormorants crossing in front of us through the mist only a foot or so above  the water... it was an eerie sight and sound, one that was unique and awesome. We headed further out to a 17000 sq ft platform, known as Bird Island, owned by Wilfried Groenewald a man with vision, who somehow wanted to give the seabirds a place to land and groom themselves, but who also saw the value in.... bird poop ... yes ... tons of it... methodically collected and shipped out to be used as fertilizer and in...... ugghh....  makeup... !!!! 

Maybe no-one will notice me here!!

Hitch-hiker avoidance technique!!

Further on we came to a lagoon where literally thousands of seals were basking on the very sandy and beautiful shore, and hundreds in the water, putting on quite a show of aquatic gymnastics... Pelicans were also swimming by the boat. As we headed back the fog was burnt off and we stopped in the sun. Numerous appetizers on trays were brought out, the middle of the boat was converted to table, with table cloth and champagne glass holders. We enjoyed the appetizers, the champagne and especially the huge local raw oysters.... what a treat, Oysters and champagne close the shore of West Africa. 

Cormorants - through the fog! - Eerie!

After returning to the ship, we decided a nap was in order, before we had to attend Namibia exit processing... our passports will be quite full of stamps after this trip! 

Shower and dinner at 8 and show at 10... a comedian/magician... who was actually quite funny.

Overall a lovely Mother's Day.

Bird Island... Poop Factory!!! only picture I have.

Seal Island!

Forgotten what this was... Anyone?

Appys before fresh Oysters

Another Party-crasher on the front

Happy Mothers Day!!!!!!!!

Returning to ship

Windswept and Happy