Seal-ed Deal and Reunions: Part I

Kayaking at Walvis Bay was fantastic! If you ever find yourself in this part of the world, forget skydiving and climbing big sand dunes…go kayaking instead! The guide, Leon picked me up early in the morning, along with a German family, and we led another 4x4 of Spanish tourists south down the coastal road, passing a shipwreck along the way--these are quite common sights along this stretch known as the Skeleton Coast. After reaching Walvis Bay, we drove past the salt works (which features pink-tinted desalinization pools from the garnet residue in the water), flocks of flamingos and cormorants, and we spotted a few jackals on the drive out a sand spit. When we arrived at the launch point, we enjoyed some tea, then pushed our boats out into the bay to kayak amidst a massive colony of seals. The seals cover the land, and are frolicking everywhere in the sea. They will follow your kayak, and if you keep your boat still in the water, they will come play, biting lightly on your paddle, and even getting close enough to the boat for you to pet them! Sometimes, they will even jump over your boat--just hope they don't land on it! We kayaked with the seals for over an hour, then paddled farther down shore to try and find dolphins. Though we found some, we didn't get too close.

The kayaking was over all too soon, and we headed back to Swakopmund. On the drive, a caravan of black Benzes and police cars with sirens blaring passed us, which Leon explained was probably a government minister. He said that during the war in Namibia, when the Swapo government was new, if you didn't pull over to the side of the road fast enough, you could get shot. For those who don't know Namibia's history, it is a relatively new country, since South Africa kept it as part of their territory (they called it South West Africa) in breach of international law for several decades. Swapo was the coalition of native Namibian tribal groups advocating and fighting for an independent Namibia, and became the legitimate government at independence (and still is). Besides its internal struggle for independence, the territory was caught up between the fighting in Angola (Swapo used Angola as a base for launching attacks) and the anti-apartheid protests in South Africa (since Swapo supported the ANC). Some people in the region wouldn't call it a war, but Leon was from the area, and he certainly considered it one. Racial politics is still a huge reality to contend with here.



Back in Swakop, I went up in the tower above the library for a beautiful view of the city, then decided to attempt to find my friend David, and his new wife Sarah, who were due to be in town. I shot off an email from an internet café, then wandered back toward my hotel to (hopefully) wait for them. Swakopmund is obviously a small town--it took David about 10 minutes to find me. He spotted me from a few blocks away, and managed to catch up with me and surprise me by tapping me on the shoulder from behind. Hurray for reunions! It was absolutely fantastic to see David after five years, though we never imagined we'd meet again in Namibia! It was also wonderful to meet Sarah, who I'd always heard so much about when David and I were both studying in Ankara. The three of us enjoyed a lovely walk around town, a delicious dinner out (springbok medallions!), and a drink at a Cuban-themed bar. We reminisced about Turkey, talked about Southern Africa, and decided we shouldn't wait another five years to hang out again--a visit to Istanbul this year is in order, anyway, but since D and S will be there on David's Fulbright, there's another good excuse to go!

In the morning, I enjoyed even more Namibian culinary delights with D and S. German colonial heritage means German pastry shops! And after a tasty tart for breakfast, David and I succumbed to the carnivores within us (Sarah is a vegetarian) and had to visit the Biltong Hut. This place may have the best cured meat I have ever tasted (or will ever taste again). Garlic or chili or peri-peri--so many flavors to choose from! Sadly, my shortage of Namibian dollars limited my purchasing, but maybe it was for the better--you eat the stuff like candy, so if I'd bought a kilo, I probably would have eaten it all well before the end of the 24-hour bus ride to Cape Town.

Auf Weidersehn, Namibia! Next, on to the Cape!