NAMIBIA: Seals & Swakopmund

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We now drive west and across the "Gravel plains", and as if in the dessert, I see water just ahead, many times. Oh, well, in reality I kept seing mirages, tricks of the desert.

I think of loved ones during the boring drive. Some who'd love this experience, the many who will be content to just hear about it, and the others who will still think "Is she crazy?"
Crazy is to think this trip isn't worth it.

116 from Uis we can see the Atlantic Ocean and finally feel some cooler air. We are now at the SKELETON COAST, on Henties Bay.

The arrival at CAPE FUR SEAL colony at CAPE CROSS, was announced by the strong, pungent , almost unbearable smell of the thousands of seals. They were noisy too, and can number as many as 100,000.
Nature is so remarkable: among so many look alike babies, the seal moms can recognize their infants!

We had our last picnic lunch by the cold Atlantic Ocean before heading down to SWAKOPMUND, Namibia's premier seaside and very German looking town. Yeap, this town was made famous since Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt had their daughter here, but more recent news calls this the official home of Wesley Snipes. The Hollywood star came here to film a movie and ended up getting legal residency... something to do with tax fraud in the US, and a deal with the Namibian government. So, he is one of the newest immigrants... the others are the poor coming from starving neighboring countries.

At the market early next morning, I chat with the locals. When they hear I am from Brazil, they go nuts, asking for shirts of Ronaldinho.

There arent' McDonald's around, thank God, but KFC has made it's way here. WHY???

Driving into and out the cities, tiny, very poor homes. But I didn't get to see beggers or street kids like in Brazil. I'm told they are in the "Townships", areas where most black leave. I inquired several times about visiting orphanages in poor areas, but was only told about the difficulties and dangers of the areas, unfortunately.

Back to Windhoek and the Chameleon Lodge, I end my Namibian stay in a unexpected way, watching the moon go down.

With amazing memories, I thank all who made this journey unforgetable.

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