Thursday, December 25, 2014 - Doha, Qatar to Miami, FL to Ft Lauderdale - Home At Last

Doha, Qatar to Miami, Florida to Ft Lauderdale, Florida

We woke up at 6 – actually I was up most of the night coughing.  The meds aren’t helping so far!  We checked out and went straight to the plane.  We loaded up and left a bit early for the 14.5 hour flight direct to Miami.  Pretty full for Christmas day! 

Naps, movies, meals, reading, coughing, newspaper, etc during the flight.  That was a long flight.  We arrived an hour early in Miami and Jose was at the airport waiting for us.  We got home, unpacked, and Tim started laundry while I started on the mail.  I went to bed at 8:30 – not sure about Tim.

Another adventure comes to an end.  8,000 miles to get there, traveling by ship for 8,000, and then return flights of over 12,000 miles – we covered a lot of ground.  We visited 10 countries – 4 new ones for me.  Good food, cultural awareness.  We love these experiences.  Ready for the next adventure as soon as my coughing is cured!

Wednesday, December 24, 2014 - Cape Town, South Africa to Doha, Qatar

I was up early since I had been awake most of the night.  We went to breakfast in the concierge lounge and had a light breakfast.  We finished packing and checked out at 9:15.  We have a driver picking us up at 9:30 for the 20 minute drive to the airport.  We had a lot of air travel time coming – I just hope I can keep from coughing the entire time.  The drive to the airport was quick and uneventful.  We got a porter to help with the luggage and checked in with Qatar Airways.  The 3 big bags are checked through to Miami and we are carrying on what we need for tonight and tomorrow.  We get in late and leave early so it will be a quick turnaround.

We went to the lounge and relaxed while waiting for the flight to board.  I changed the remaining Rand to USD and I had a little bit of UAE money that I also exchanged since I have no use for it.  Unfortunately, the transaction was good for the bank and not me with the exchange fees.

The airport is mostly empty being Christmas Eve.  I guess not a lot of people are flying.  We are hoping we have a mostly empty plane.  I was able to make judicious use of the lavatory to control my coughing fits.

The flight was uneventful – 8.5 hours and we arrived early.  We went directly to our hotel that is inside security.  We went straight to bed at 11:30 as we need to get up at 6 am.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014 - Cape Town, South Africa

We got up about 7 and had breakfast in the concierge lounge.  They do a good job there and the views of Cape Town are spectacular.

We met Richard Hopkins at 9 am for our “Wine Tour”.   We first headed north to De Grendel Vineyard with spectacular views of Cape Town and Table Mountain.  We had tastings of 9 wines and bought a couple of bottles of the white dessert wine – the Noble Late Harvest.

Views from De Grendel Vineyard outside of Cape Town

One of the many vineyards at De Grendel

The visitor center - Sir David Graaff is the owner of the vineyard

Beautiful views of Table Mountain from the vineyard

Our table in the visitor center during our wine tasting

We then headed further north and stopped at a vineyard north of Franschhoek – Haute Cabriere .  We tried 6 more wines including their sparking wine.  Beautiful views of the mountains and valley.

Beautiful mountain ranges in Franschhoek at Haute Cabriere Winery

At the Haute Cabriere Winery near Stellenbosch, South Africa

The beautiful vistas with vineyards all over the valley

Then we went to the small town of Franzhoek and had a delightful lunch on the patio and relaxed.

Then we went to Boschendal Winery and tasted 5 more wines.  I’m starting to buzz, even with lunch.  The scenery was beautiful with large mountains and vineyards all around.  Beautiful place.

In the garden at Boschendal Winery enjoying our wine tasting

The beautiful vineyards outside Stellenbosch

These vineyards were up on hills rather than in the valley

Interesting "art" at the last vineyard

Enjoying our wine with a view

Our last stop was at a newer vineyard that had grapes and olive trees.  We tried 5 more wines.

Richard drove us back through Stellenbosch which is a larger town with a large university.  Richard gave us a good description of the area, the vineyards, and life in South Africa.  He also explained the difference between the colored and the blacks and the various segments of population and which groups look down on other groups.

We got back to the hotel and I was wiped out.  Tim went to the mall and got me antibiotics from the cute pharmacist.  You don’t need a doctor’s prescription to get meds in South Africa.  Thank goodness.  Tim went to dinner and I rested.  The coughing just has to stop.

We watched TV and went to bed about 10 but I was up most of the night coughing.

Monday, December 22, 2014 - Cape Town, South Africa

We woke up about 8 am and went to the concierge lounge for breakfast which is included in our room rate.  We went up in the elevator with Andy and Carl from Palm Springs – but they didn’t want to share a table with us at breakfast – they weren’t very sociable during any of the cruise.

We researched Wine Country Tours and booked one for Tuesday.  We left for a walking tour of some key sites in downtown Cape Town, including the old fort, the Parliament House and St George’s Cathedral where Desmond Tutu was archbishop.  We heard the cannon go off from Signal Hill at noon – it is controlled by an atomic clock to have it sound at exactly noon each day – except Sunday.

Statue in downtown Cape Town

A large square and park in Cape Town

The famous City Hall where Nelson Mandela gave his speech when released from prison

Entrance to the old fort in Cape Town

The walls of the old fort - this used to be waterfront but now is blocks away

Inside the parade ground of the fort

 

 

And we got to see a parade in the old fort

At attention after the parade

The "swimming pool" for the officers at the fort!

Moat around the fort

Another view of City Hall in Cape Town

Mandela gave his speech from the front portico

We walked through a large market and then back to the Westin and went to the 19^th floor for lunch – it was spectacular.  We got back to the room and I took a short nap and then we went back to V&A to find a restaurant for tonight, have coffee at Kauai, and get bottled water.  We caught the shuttle back and took another nap – the rest is helping with the congestion.

We got up and dressed for our dinner at Sevruga on the V&A Waterfront.  I’m not real hungry but Tim is  wanting a good fish meal here.  Dinner was okay.  We say Patricia and Paul walking around while we were eating.

We went back to the pharmacy and got more meds and throat lozenges for our coughs.  We got the Westin shuttle and returned to the hotel and went to bed.  My cold and chest congestion is getting the best of me!

Sunday, December 21, Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town, South Africa – Depart the Regent’s Silver Seas Voyager

We got up about 7 and left the cabin at 8.  We went to the Coffee Bar for one last cup of coffee with Michael but he wasn’t there!  We enjoyed it any way.  We waited in the lobby for our number to be called.  Finally, Tim suggested we go into the theatre where George and Grant were waiting and he told me to check in.  I did and they told me that we were independent and could depart anytime we wanted.

We found our luggage and I got a porter to help us get all of the luggage to a taxi.  The porter was R20 and the taxi was R100 – about $12 total.  The Voyager wanted $300 to get us from the ship to the hotel!!!!

We got to the Westin which is very close to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront (V&A) and they had a room ready for us.  We have a beautiful concierge level room with a beautiful view of the harbor and Lion’s Head Mountain.  We unpacked and took the shuttle over to the mall to check it out.  The Westin has a shuttle that goes back and forth every 30 minutes so it is very convenient.

We did the “Red Line” Hop-On-Hop-Off tour and saw the highlights.  It took us to Table Mountain and we took the gondola to the top which I had never done before.  Spectacular views in all directions.  But it was cold and very windy – not the best conditions for our colds.  We returned down on the gondola and got back on the Hop-On-Hop-Off and went back to the V&A Waterfront

We left the beautiful Voyager - the main attrium

The "bridge to nowhere" - they have never finished it - as seen from our hotel room

The Voyager in harbor as seen from our Westin Hotel room

View of Cape Town as we head up Table Mountain

The peaks of Table Mountain as seen from the cable car station

Table Mountain - a New 7 Wonder of Nature

The cable car coming down from the top of Table Mountain

Views as seen going up in the cable car

West view from the cable car

Headed to the top of Table Mountain

Looking back to Cape Town as we approach the summit

The Voyager in the Cape Town Harbor

Beautiful rock formations on top of Table Mountain

Spectacular views from the top

The peak to the west of Table Mountain - they hang glide from this peak

Beautiful mountain range

To the east from the summit of Table Mountain

Picture on top of Table Mountain

Looking down at residential areas of Cape Town from the top of Table Mountain

Craggy rock face - there were people hiking up the trail

The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is huge – a great boon for business.  We had lunch outside and watched the comings and goings – it was delightful.  We stopped at the pharmacy on our way back to the shuttle and got nose spray, cough drops, and tablets for the chest congestion.

After lunch we were really tired so we went back to the Westin for a long afternoon nap.  Much needed.  We were supposed to meet George and Grant for dinner but they never called (they said our phone was inoperable).  We ordered room service which was plenty.  We watched Tom Cruise and Chris Rock in a suspense movie, and enjoyed that.  Then to bed for a good night’s sleep.

Saturday, December 20, Cape Town, South Africa

We slept until 8:30.  It is cooler this morning – 65 degrees.  We are passing mountains along the coast.  Danger Point was pretty and at about 10:30 we got to Cape of Good Hope.

We had a light breakfast in the Coffee Bar and then sat on the Horizons Deck on the aft watching the scenery.  It was beautiful.  The ocean swells were quite large.  We kept seeing things in the water and Tim determined they were sea lions.  We also saw lots of birds and penguins swimming.

We had lunch at the pool grill – a Texas BBQ and then went to finish packing.

We spent the afternoon watching the beautiful scenery going by on the starboard side so our balcony was a perfect viewing spot.  The sail-in to Cape Town was spectacular.  Gorgeous.  Breathtaking.  We had a bottle of champagne and enjoyed the sail in.  We went up to the top deck to enjoy the last of the sail in.  Then we got on our jackets and went for a walk around the Alfred and Victoria Waterfront – a huge complex with shops, restaurants and tourist attractions.  It was great.

Beautiful coast line as we started around the Cape of Good Hope

Panoramic view of the ocean from the observation deck on the stern

Looked like snow in the distance, but someone told us it was white sand

Beautiful peaks and mountains all along the coast

Rugged terrain

The Cape of Good Hope

Enjoying the sail in from the deck outside Horizons Lounge on the stern

Beaches and mountains

The Cape of Good Hope

More beautiful vistas from the ship

 

 

Panoramic view of the Cape of Good Hope

Table Mountain starts coming into view as we approach Capetown

The outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa

Table Mountain looming over Cape Town, South Africa

Panorama with Table Mountain over Cape Town

One of the prettiest sail-ins we have seen - Cape Town, South Africa

Enjoying the sail-in to Cape Town, South Africa

Allan and Nathan enjoying the sail-in on the crew deck below our balcony

Beautiful Table Mountain

We came back and showered and dressed for dinner and then had a last cocktail in Horizons with Joseph, Ernesto, and Kelvin. 

The beautiful entry into Cape Town Harbor with Table Mountain in the background

The Cape Town Harbor

Enjoying the view from the deck during sail-in

The Albert and Victoria waterfront

Voyager was docked right in the midst of the Albert and Victoria Waterfront

"Pretty" Captain Dan navigating Voyager into position in Cape Town

The view out to Robbin Island from the Cape Town Harbor

Patricia and Paul walking down the street in Cape Town

A dry dock - the set used in the movie Les Miserables

Statues of famous people in South Africa

Nelson Mandela is beloved here - the end of apartheid is celebrated all over

The Albert and Victoria Waterfront

We met Marsha and Larry for dinner in Prime 7 with Chef Jonathan for his 35^th birthday – they won this at the staff fund auction.  We had a great time.

Last night dinner with Marsha, Per, and the Head Chef

We decided to go to bed about 10 instead of continuing to party in the city.  We finished packing and put our bags out in the hallway.  We relaxed and went to bed and scheduled our wake-up for 7 in the morning – our last day on the SS Silver Sea Voyager.

We have traveled 8,000 miles on this ship and it has been a wonderful adventure.  Tomorrow we explore Cape Town, South Africa.