Today we were scheduled for another Tours With Africa. It was for a city tour that was to include lunch. The ship changed our time in port from 8-5 to 7-3. This always causes issues because tours have to be able to shift to and sometimes there is not enough time to see what the tour advertises. Our tour had included the National Zoo but Megan the operator in New Jersey had visited the site and said it was dirty and the animals were not treated well so she took it off the list. We were also to have lunch but once again they took lunch off because of the time constrains. So we were left with a market of artisans and passing by a Grande Mosque which we could not enter. There was a cathedral too but that wasn’t high on our list. So the four of us backed out of the tour even though we had paid. The ship had a shuttle that would take you to the Pullman Hotel downtown. It was a large AC bus and would have been a bit of a walk had we hoofed it so we said let’s go there. Turns out it was a five star heavily guarded hotel with free wifi. There was a lovely entrance decorated for the holidays. A nice bar where Chuck bought us hot chocolate, lattes and a few sweet treats. He spoiled us a lot. We got our wifi fix and then Dan looked for a pharmacy for me. I have an albuterol inhaler for coughing and my allergies. I had brought my old one but it was almost empty. The ship had one but would not sell it to me without seeing the Dr for $150. So we found one about four blocks away. We made our way through construction and shady areas where we didn’t feel so safe but finally we found the pharmacy. It was very clean, modern, had AC and looked like a Dr’s office. A man in a white coat asked if he could help. I asked if they had inhalers and he said yes. I showed him mine. He said he would check my ingredients with one in the back but he knew he didn’t have that brand. A beautiful black lady in a long light purple gown spoke to me. She whispered don’t let him cheat you on the price. It will be on the bottom so check the bottom got be sure. She looked like royalty with beautiful jewelry, perfect hair, and so well groomed. She asked where we were from and I told her. She told me she had been there; very hot!! Anyway the man brought one out and totally explained it had the same ingredients and showed me. He told me how to administer it and how often and the results of using it too often. It was $5!!! So I bought two! What a great day for me :). When I left I touched her shoulder and said thank you she said in your country you would do the same for me ❤️ and I would.
Then we decided to hail a cab and make our way to the CAVA market, the one everyone talked about. Chuck hailed a guy and we jumped in. Problem was he didn’t talk english and had poor eye sight!!!! So Dan had to guide him with hand signals using his own phone map to get us there. It was a large artisan market with the artisans working as you amble about.
On the shuttle we passed so many folks doing their laundry and others they do for money in the river. They beat them on rocks and then lay them on the grass flat to dry
Bags of clothes to be washed
You can see clothing on the banks drying
At the Pullman Hotel where the shuttle dropped us off we enjoy a snack from Chuck
The outside deck of the hotel overlooking the city
Overlooking the city and in the background the tall mosque
The mosque again from the hotel
Inside the hotel, the beautifully decorated bar
They must have evening entertainment
Ready for the holidays
Here is our non English partially blind driver!!! Ha ha
Public transportation loaded with workers taking their crops to markets and no AC
I bet a flat tire will happen soon
One of the artisans. He crafts and creates the items then paints and decorates
Look at the beautiful crafted table set
Another local artisan
And look at this grandma maybe with her grand daughter at a little palapa where you can get a drink or snack . What a beauty she is.
Her mama lets me hold her and I gave her $10. Betsy held her too and gave her mama money. She never was afraid but never smiled or cried. Another couple came in and I said if you ask to hold her you need to give her mama money so they did. That precious little baby was well fed and taken care of. They say her hair is done in the Zulu fashion or maybe it was easier for her mama. I hope her future is brighter than so many of the others that don’t have such caring family.
We took a taxi back to the Pullman Hotel to catch the shuttle after buying a few treasures at the shop like a wooden bowl and some magnets for our girl stewards. This is part of the Mosque you can not enter
Our port is very commercial and not cruise friendly.
This is their shanty town like we have seen so often.
Our pilot boat coming to guide us out of the dock
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