Life. Now. : February 2011

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Valentine's Day

There isn't a lot to do while at sea so any reason to celebrate is a GREAT reason to celebrate! Valentine's Day was a perfecttttt reason to celebrate! Two friends and I organized a ice cream social for our friends and it was so much fun! We ate dinner in the dining area then had our ice cream and an impromptu photo shoot afterwards.

BEST watches on the ship...clearly! (Thanks, Dad)

Kelly and me

All of us ladies

All of the guys

The best waiters we have...Linval and Peter (both from Jamaica and both super nice)!

The Big Delay!

Our trip was cut short by a whole day and this is why...

Thursday was the day that we arrived in South Africa…kinda. Here’s the story…
We got to Cape Town at 8:00am. Great, right? NOTTTTT! I woke up at 7:00am to watch us pull into port and we literally get to Cape Town then turn away and go in circles in the middle of the ocean (still right outside of the port area). The wind was heavy and the waves were so bad that we couldn’t dock. The entrance is very narrow and with the waves that bad (our ship was "rocking and rolling" as they call it), we couldn’t get to the port or the alternate port. So, we were trapped on the ship all day. I felt like a caged animal at the zoo haha But you know me and I'm just chillin like I do most days. However, some people were FREAKING OUT! It was hilarious. Some people are just bitter. I mean...it helps that I've been here before and didn't have any big plans for the day...but seriously. Some people needed to calm down.

The administration was kind enough to plan some last minute activities for us. They showed some movies in the Union (large lecture hall/common space with nice chairs) and on the TV loop in our cabin’s and they had an impromptu Open Mic night….these are always a hit. There is one girl that my friends and I call “Ping Ping” and she never fails to steal the show. She reminds me of Jennifer Lopez except her clothes are too tight, her hair is greasy, she talks like she is super Latina, she’s from the Bronx and pretends she is a diva. Last Open Mic she asked that the lights be dimmed and then put back on at specific times during her performance to a Lady Gaga song...enough said. And for this performance she did much of the same and it was just as funny.

All in all, the whole day was spent on the ship as opposed to in the city. I like to think of it as another Reading Day.

The pictures (previous post) show some of what I did while in port.

Day 1:
Township Homestay

Day 2:
Return from Township Homestay
Wine Tasting

Day 3:
Hike Table Mountain
Century City Mall

Day 4:
Aquarium
Shopping at Green Market Square

Day 5:
Internet Café
Grocery Shopping (because every once in a while it’s nice to treat yourself to a snack without breaking your bank at the pool bar)
Relax at the port…possible Camps Bay Beach

The place I adore...Cape Town, South Africa!

Cape Town is one of the most beautiful places in the world. I LOVE IT! Enjoy the pictures :)

View from the Ship right after we finally docked

Having lunch on-board at the Waterfront

Kids of Tambo Township in Cape Town

Mama Mavis and granddaughter (My host Mama)

Some of my Township Family and their cousins

She is only 1 1/2 but wears a robe and slippers like it's nobody's business...soooo cute!

Adorable little boys

Wine Tasting

Asara Winery had gorgeous views!

Love this country!

Spier Winery...where we pet Cheetahs

THANKS Al for driving me and my friends to all of the BEST Winery's around (Al was one of the driver's for my study abroad program that I was with last time I studied abroad here)