Friday, March 20, 2025 - Walvis Bay, Namibia

Now I know where "Mr. Sandman" gets his sand!!!  There is an endless supply of it in Namibia.  As we sailed into the harbor all we could see was sand, sand, and more sand.  We were told that Namibia is often called "the land that God made in anger" because of its stark, surreal landscapes, untamed wilderness, and harsh environment.  Although desert is not my favorite scenery, I find a beauty and peacefulness in this barren land.  Giant sand dunes roar in the wind and sand dunes wander into new shapes each day.  There are shipwreck-littered coastlines and some of the most desolate and spectacular scenery we have seen on this entire voyage.  

As we learned at our last port, Luderitz, Namibia was discovered in the 15th century by Portuguese explorers who were looking for a path through to India.  They found an inhospitable land and a barren coastline.  Other people didn't arrive for another 200 years.  It wasn't until the 17th century that Dutch sailors began to explore the desert coastline, although they refrained from setting up any permanent stations.  Soon after, however, growing European commercial and territorial interests sent ambitious explorers deep into Namibia's interior.  Once the Europeans arrived, a series of traders, hunters, and missionaries arrived and by the early 19th century there were mission stations set up throughout the land.  German settlers arrived in 1892.  In 1893, the town of Swakopmund was founded and used as an alternate port along with Walvis Bay.  This charming little port town was soon filled with delightful German architecture, many of the buildings which remain today.  However, soon the port began to decline due to strong ocean currents and the backing up of sand in the port.

Today, Namibia remains off the frequently visited tourist paths, although more travelers are beginning to discover its charm.  The impact of humans has had little effect on the landscape.  The towering dunes dominate the landscape, along with the barren coastline, littered with shipwrecks.  The coastline is sometimes referred to as the "skeleton coast."  This hazard is due to the thick fog which tends to cling to the coast in the morning but generally clears in the afternoon. 

There is a sleepy atmosphere to this country.  Perhaps it is due to the stifling desert heat that can "zap" the energy out of the residents and tourists!  For whatever reason, Namibia does have a quiet, relaxed atmosphere.  The population of the country is 2.5 million people, making it one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world.  The population of Walvis Bay is 70,000.  One-fifth of the land is a sandy desert, which is the oldest desert in the world.  After touring this desolate landscape, it certainly looked like more than a fifth of the country is desert!  There must be much more land that we didn't visit!

Even with its quiet, relaxed demeanor Namibia does have its problems.  For example, 29% of the people live below the poverty line.  Although all of the housing we saw was very neat and well-maintained we were told that tours usually avoid the poorer areas as we get a very limited picture of the economic conditions of the country.  Also, Namibia has been hit hard by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.  As recently as 2017, 12% of the population was infected with the disease. 

We didn't arrive at this port until afternoon, so Bob and I decided to remain onboard for a few hours until it was time for our special evening activities.   We had two full days to explore this fascinating port so we will have a full day of tours tomorrow.  

Day 1:  Evening Event for Full World Cruisers

On our first evening in Walvis Bay our cruise line hosted one of our "World Cruise Events" for passengers doing the full world cruise.  The event was titled "Whispers of the Namib:  A Celestial Feast."  When evening arrived and darkness fell over the desert we were transported to a dry riverbed where the sci-fi movie Mad Max was filmed.  Excitement and anticipation were in the air as we boarded our buses and headed for the desert.  What we didn't know was that the bus ride was about two hours long, including about a 20-30 minute ride over a very bumpy, gravel and/or dirt riverbed after one of the worst rain storms the area had experienced in years.  The storm washed out portions of the road and created large ruts which made our drive quite interesting.  It was a bit like riding a roller coaster!!  However, once we finally made it to the event space, we were overwhelmed with the beauty of the event space.  This dry, barren desert had been transformed into an elegant sanctuary created exclusively for us.  A multitude of candles guided us through the sand to the cocktails and dinner area.  

As the setting sun ignited the towering rock walls in brilliant amber hues we were treated to an al fresco dinner by candlelight with an exquisite menu of African specialties.  We sat down to enjoy a lovely dinner with our Silversea family.  We were fortunate to have a number of officers and crew with us. 

Dinner was a variety of culinary delights.  There were appetizers of spring rolls and worms.  Entree's were a choice of springbok or fish.  Desserts were monkey brains (squiggly doughnuts doused in sugar), or milk custard pudding.  The wine flowed freely throughout the evening.  

As the constellation-studded sky whirled overhead, we were entertained by the rhythmic melodies of a Marimba Band.  The warmth of a crackling fire transformed this timeless desert into an intimate gathering of our close-knit Silversea family. As dinner proceeded we were entertained by an African youth choir and a group of fire dancers.  Both groups were extremely talented and added an extra touch of authenticity and excitement to the evening.  

Throughout the evening, guests were wandering around the area, taking photos of the spectacular towering red rocks which surrounded us.  The Silversea logo shined on one of the mountain sides while World Cruise 2025 shined on the opposite side.  The moon rose quietly and softly over the enormous rocks and further illuminated the breathtaking setting.  

The event was truly an extravaganza!  The natural beauty of the setting, the lighting which was artfully placed to magnify the elegance, the dinner which was delicious and allowed us to taste the cuisine of the area, and most importantly, an evening in which to relax and spend time with our Silversea family was truly a memorable and extraordinary evening. We are very grateful to all the Silversea folks who planned this event and happy to have today to get a bit of rest!!!

Day 2:  

Although we were signed up for a tour today, since we arrived back at the ship very late last night and were quite tired, we decided to cancel our tour today.  We had taken the tour on previous visits to Namibia and needed a day to rest and work on this blog!  (We don't want to fall behind in our writing)!

The drive to the local shopping mall took only about 10 minutes, which was welcome after our marathon drive last night.  Along the way, our driver informed us that the world's longest palm-lined street is right here in Walvis Bay.  He was quite proud of that claim to fame for his city.  After he pointed out a number of interesting buildings along the way, we arrived at the mall.  The modern Dunes Mall was a nice way to spend a little time this afternoon before we have a couple of sea days, since Bob has great difficulty with sea days.  It was good just to walk around and see what stores and services were available.  There were frequent shuttles between the pier and the mall so transportation was quite convenient.  We were impressed with the large size of the mall and the cleanliness.  

The shuttle driver told us that people are not encouraged to bring their food and drink outside and leave their trash.  They are told to eat and drink inside the mall and put their trash in the barrels provided.  Perhaps that accounts for the area being so clean outside!  He also told us that security monitors the area surrounding the mall and does not allow loitering or imposing on the tourists.  It was quite a nice experience, although we didn't find anything on which to spend our money but it was nice just to get out and walk a bit.  Now, back to the ship for a quick nap before dinner! 

After two days of exploring this barren land it was  time to sail to our next port,  Lunada, Angola.  We were there a few years ago so it will be interesting to see the changes that have taken place since our last visit.  I'll write more after we leave there.