Our three-week journey in and around South Africa has not only brought us a new cache of amazing stock footage, but an understanding of life on the other side of our planet.
Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa, is the hub of the country, featuring the iconic Table Mountain that can be seen in all its glory from various angles, including atop. A cable car carries sightseers to the top where they can gaze down at the beautiful city and beaches of Cape Town.
The Lovely People
Mark and Patty cruised for 12 days and when they returned to Cape Town they spent a few nights at the AHS Harbour Bridge Hotel. There, water taxis travel under the hotel. The staff were very friendly and really bent over backward to take care of every need. Harbour Bridge is close to the cruise terminal and Water Front. The suite was quite roomy and a lovely place to rest from jet lag and tourist activities.
The Big Five
We saw every member of the so-called “Big Five” – lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and African buffalo – except for the leopard. There were springboks, zebras and hippos, too. We saw thousands of flamingos – both pink and grey – in Walvis Bay, Namibia where we also saw pink Atlantic Ocean water lapping at the shores where salt is extracted for export to Europe.
Cannabis Social Clubs
We visited several Cannabis Social Clubs in South Africa. There, the plant was officially legalized for personal use in 2018. The footage from these clubs as well as interviews conducted there of the proprietors, will appear in our “Cannabis the Story” educational docu-series which has been under way since 2016. It is nice to see that the medicinal benefits of Cannabis are now being explored all around the world.
Wine & Chocolate
We spent a day exploring the wineries of Cape Town. Many of them are splendid, indeed. Our valiant chauffeur, Miro, also drove us to a place called DeVilliers where we tasted various chocolates. Delicious.
In Conclusion
To conclude, we had a terrific time in South Africa. You may decide that you would like to pay a visit to this intriguing country. If so, keep in mind that from California, you’ll spend two days on a plane. Seasoned travelers will have no trouble exploring this amazing country. However, keep in mind that the income inequity there has created the classes of “haves” and “have nots.” “Safety first” should be your mantra.
