WELCOME TO AFRICA!!!

Welcome to Namibia. The first picture is of the "skyline" of Walvis Bay, Namibia. No large high rises just a few buildings near the port. The hospital where Angelina and Brad had their baby. It looked a lot like what you'd see on an Army base. One level nondescript colored buildings in that area. There you leave the port area and head north toward Swakopmund, a tiny village settled by Germans, these are the sights you see. Gigantic sand dunes. There were people parasailing on them by jumping off the top of the dunes! The kids of course wanted to do it. If we had had more time we probably would have let them. It looked like the only time I'd actually try it because you fall into very fine sand when you come down! The sand dunes colors shift continuously, from yellow-gold and rose to purple and deep red. They grow paler and darker according to what time of day it is. You can tell some of this by the two pics here.

The picture below is of a shipwreck that happened just this past October. Namibia is often called "The Land God Made in Anger" because of it's stark and surreal landscapes, untamd wilderness and harsh environment. The sand dunes can roar, rumble and wander. There are "Danger Sand" signs along the roads to warn drivers that at times there could be sand that builds up over a foot before a road crew can get there to remove it! That would be like hitting a wall in your car if you are going too fast! The area north of the town of Swakopmund is Namibia's wildly beautiful but treacherous coast line. It is the notorious Skeleton Coast. The Portuguese, facing the crashing seas of this icy coast in their tiny vessels, called this dangerous coast with it's cold current and deadly crosscurrents they dubbed it the "Coast of Death". It is littered now with innumerable shipwrecks, bleached whalebones, jakals, and sea birds. It makes you wonder how those first sailors from Portugal had the guts to travel this area and make it all the way to the Cape. That is a long story and we will go into that when we have pictures of Cape Town tonight. I will tell you that the Cape of Good Hope was not what the Portuguese sailor that got their first wanted to name it. He wanted to name it "The Cape of Storms". That kind of says it all. The King of Portugal would not allow it, thus the King named it the Cape of Good Hope. He liked this name so that future explorers would have HOPE that they would make it around the treacherous point and on the the stretch of waters that may be the worst in the world to navigate.

The picture below is of Angelina and Brad's back yard! They lived in a resort that they rented the whole place called The Burning Shore Resort. It is in a neighborhood called Long Beach. It has 14 rooms and they rented them all for 2 and a half months while they awaited the birth of their baby. It was not roughing it at all. The chaise longe chairs in the back made it look like poolside at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The ocean comes up to within a 100 yards of the back door. The gal that met us, Kristin, also lives in this neighborhood. She and her husband, Brendon, have a beautiful home that also is right on the ocean. It was lovely. Nicer than Brad and Angelina's for sure! Many thanks to Kristen and Brendon for taking us on tour. We got to meet their children. They are adorable.

Happy Birthday to Ellen La Rock. She is 7 years old!!! We miss you. We found a pair of purpe sandals in Swakopmund that we thought you'd like. It was like the Rodeo Drive section of Namibia! Fun to browse around the town. By the time we get home, warm weather will be there and Ellen can wear her sandals!

These pictures of Kristin and Brendon's baby, Maya. They have two other children, Ava 3, Harry almost 2 and this cutie, Maya, 7 months. Kathleen really loved holding on to that sweet baby.

We went to dinner in the dunes under the stars. That was wonderful They had tents set up for dinner and had camels there for people to ride! I thought Nicky looked great on the camel in his Auburn sweatshirt! It gets cold in the desert at night so we had to wear warm clothes. The picture of Kathleen and Nicky together with the 3 camels looks like a 3 three kings Christmas card, except one of the kings is missings!

Auburn goes to the desert!!

This is a picture of Kristin and Charles. She is the daughter of Dave and Judy Brierton from Minnesota. She was SO sweet to meet us and show us the sights. She made our trip very special. Thank you Kristin!!