It turned out that the only SilverSea passengers at the hotel I was at were the couple I had been paralleling with for the past week and myself. All the other 200+ passengers were at a different hotel – a real hotel. So, there was no SilverSea hospitality desk, etc. here. All we knew was that someone would pick us up at 9 am. All those people had a city tour by bus. The couple and I each got our own private tour. This was great for me because I am not all that fond of cable cars and the “highlight” of the tour was a trip to the top of Table Mountain by cable car. So, I could opt to substitute something else. My guide took me to the base of the cable car, which is high above the city, so I got a beautiful view of the city and the bay. If I had taken the cable car, my guide had an express pass so I wouldn’t have stood in the two hour long public line, but happy not to do either.

We went to Signal Hill and got another nice view of Table Mountain.

Because we could go anywhere I wanted, I asked to go to the Hard Rock Café store so I could get my collector’s pin. Also got the cutest set of stuffed animals.

In place of doing the cable car we went to the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Since it is the fall here, not too many things in bloom but still very pretty.

Enjoyed the Tree Canopy Walkway.

Since we couldn’t go to the ship before 2 pm, we stopped for lunch. He picked out this wonderful café that had huge coffee roasters in the back so of course they made great coffee drinks. For lunch I had a grilled tomato, cheese and pesto on sourdough sandwich – really yummy.

Finally, it was time to go check onto the ship. I had been on this ship last March so, I was familiar with it. Even on the same deck, just a little further forward to save a bit on the fare. There was an issue with the tide so they couldn’t load the luggage for a while but since we don’t have to dress fancy for dinner it was not an issue. Except for deck 4, every room is a suite with a balcony. Has a really nice walk-in closet for all my clothes.

I have a room attendant and a butler. They will fill my mini fridge with whatever I want so besides soda and water I asked for ginger beer and local African beer. Of course, any drink on the entire ship is included but sometimes it is nice to just have something while I am relaxing in my cabin.

I went to the singles get together. There are at least 14 singles. Only problem is they have the singles get together every evening at 7 pm and I really like to eat at 6:30 not 8 pm so may not go that often.

On the city tour, my guide covered the history of Cape Town/South Africa. Here’s a quick recap if you’re interested:

1488 – Portuguese Bartolomeu Dias arrives – names it the Cape of Storms

Renamed Cape of Good Hope to make it sound more appealing

1497 – Portuguese Vasco de Gama stops on his way to the Indies

1652 – the Dutch United East India Company make a community for a stop over to their Dutch East Indies. Needed workers so brought slaves from Indonesia and Madagascar

1795 – the British capture the area.

1803 – Returned to the Dutch

1806 – Lost again to the British as part of the Napoleonic Wars

1814 – Permanently ceded to the United Kingdom, Dutch moved inland

1833 – Slavery was abolished

1867 – Diamonds were discovered

1886 – Gold Rush

1899-1902 – Second Boer War, led finally to a United South Africa

19210 – British established the Union of South Africa

Prior to 1948, Cape Town was one of the most racially integrated cities in South Africa. But in the 1948 elections, the party that won was one of hatred for anyone not white. They established Apartheid. In 1950 former multi-racial neighborhoods that had lived in harmony for years were purged of “unlawful” residents (non-whites) or totally demolished.

Anti Apartheid leaders were sent to Robben Island Prison – ie Nelson Mandela who was imprisoned there for 18 years before being released in 1990.

1994 – First Democratic elections.

Of course there is a lot more to it, just wanted to give a quick overview.

First port to visit is Saldanha, South Africa, tomorrow.