Cape Town.

Though fleetingly brief, our 24 hour stop in Cape Town was an incredible gift! We sailed around the Cape of Good Hope in quiet seas and by daybreak Sunday we could faintly see tiny mountains etched against the blue horizon. The closer we came to land everyone's excitement onboard increased dramatically. The views of Table Mountain and Lion's Head were breathtakingly awesome. Two tugboats came out to meet us and the pilot also came out to board, but by boat this time instead of helicopter. It took some time pulling into port, we backed in. I climbed with many others up to the back of deck 8 and from my vantage point waved furiously at all the people watching us from the dock -- I have no idea who anyone was but it was exciting all the same. We docked right by the downtown waterfront, a very touristy area. Once tied to the dock and told we were aloud off the ship we flooded down the gangway and onto surprisingly "swaying" solid ground. It's a strange thing to feel the ocean beneath when you're obviously on land.

A group of us had our agenda all planned out hours before reaching Cape Town... a hike up Table Mountain. The moment we were allowed off ship, we caught a taxi and rode to the trailhead. Hiking up the mountain of switch-backs took us almost two hours, but it was well worth every painfully treacherous last step!!!

Monday I had to be back in the galley by two, we were to leave that evening and of course the eating never stops. Knowing my time onshore was coming to a rapid end I made certain to enjoy a lovely morning wandering around the waterfront, listening to the many talented street musicians and finding myself thoroughly enthralled with all the African art and crafts. When asking what a good thing to do for a day in Cape Town we were told to take a tour out on the sea in a boat... but nah, not this time. 

An hour back into the ocean and we were traveling so fast, only it was side to side fast. Some were on their beds trying to avoid the inevitable, others were picking up the pieces that kept crashing to the floor and the then amid lots of laughter, some of the kids were rolling like logs in the middle of the ship, decks 5 and 6 (the place we call Midships). It was a long and eventful evening.  

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17