April 13, 2014 Day 1 Windhoek Namibia

it's 10:30pm on Sunday night in Windhoek Namibia we have had an amazing day - fortunately I did get back to sleep after after a couple of hours awake last night - Thank Goodness! After a traditional English Breakfast for Terry (poached eggs for me) we headed out downtown to walk around. Eerything was vrey quiet and calm being Sunday morning.

We started at the Namibia Craft Centre - amazing - so many cool things, lovely people and under the sun shining warm and blue skies. We even had lattes sitting in the sun shine outside - what a clean city and friendly people. After a couple of hours (yes new purchases in hand) we walked the streets passing another small market. Then a stroll through the Zoo park with huge date palms before we walked up the hill to see the German Church - Christuskirche (foundation laid 1907) - with many fabulous yellow and black geckos sunbathing on the warm wall outside the Parliament buildings behind the Kirche. There was a performance inside Christuskirche at 330pm - Sonntagskonzert with wine for sale if you can believe it! We actually stumbled on the Natural History Museum which we had been looking for - OMG - it was amazing!!

It was just across the street from Christuskirche - the brand new Natural History Museum with a huge bronze statue of Sam Nujoma in front, President and Father of the Namibian Nation, - the man who led Namibia to freedom even though he was exiled from Namibia, 1960 through 1989. The history is on 3 floors in a fabulous building officially inaugurated by HE Hifikepunye Pohamba President of the Republic of Namibia on March 20 2014 - just 24 days ago!! It has splendid stairs leading up to the huge bronze statue and tri towered structure. There was no entrance charge and Terry and I loved the museum.

We could have spent hours and hours there but moving somewhat effectively we were through in a couple of hours and learned a lot, Why Namibia is a peaceful country after what they went through with the Germans and South Africans are amazing! The three floors represent: Colonial Repression: Liberation War: and Road to Independence. It was so educational and informative. and again we felt so badly for the Namibian people who finally achieved their independence March 21, 1990, less than 25 years ago.

The spectacular artwork (paintings and bronze statue) throughout the Museum - unbelievable!! Later that afternoon drinking wine on the roof top at the Hilton Hotel (1 block away) we were talking to the locals and explaining what we had seen and learned and how proud they should be of this Museum and how they must go and see it soon.

The views from the Hilton 9th floor roof top Sky Bar were spectacular - Windhoek is located with rolling green hills all around. The wine just 500 rand (about $$6) per glass - where else in the world can you get wine at a Hilton for $5? The black clouds were rolling across the surrounding hills and the cool winds were picking up as we headed toward the Gourmet for dinner - it was closed. So after conversations with a local business lady who helped us find a cab we headed towards an Italian Restaurant but went next door to O Portuga - Portuguese food! It was excellent - with dishes of Portuguese sausage, Shrimp cakes, prawn curry, cod fish pasta, and pepper steak served by delightfully friendly Danny - we were well stuffed long before we finished dinner. The very heavy rain storm arrived and the plastic protectors dropped before we were through. Oh yes - the Franschoek sauvignon blanc was only 90 rand ($10) a bottle - excellent!

We were more than satisfied and tired and glad of the taxi to take us back to Galton House (80 rands) where our beds were waiting for us. We need a good night's sleep before we head out at 830am tomorrow for our day 1 on Safari!