Moon LandscapeOn the way to Swakopmund we make a short detour to the so-called Moon Landscape. As far as the eye can see, rugged, rocky hills line up one after the other. A gust of wind sweeps the sand through the barren landscape. The vegetation-free hills and valleys actually resemble a real lunar landscape or simply the surface of an alien planet. Where there used to be large mountain ranges, the Swakop River has carved out a unique rock landscape from the mountain massif. A small gravel path leads off the main road to a viewpoint. The landscape is very low, so you have an unusual view from above of the many hills. Hard to believe that just a few kilometers from this dry, hot landscape the wide, rough Atlantic awaits us.
SwakopmundSo far, we have been able to enjoy at least 30°C every day and sizzle in the heat, while we have already received the first Christmas market and cookie pictures from Germany. In Swakopmund - or Swakop, as the Namibians say - it is now getting pretty cold for the first time. The closer we get to the coast, the cooler it gets. When we arrived, the thermometer only showed 18°C, so out of the shorts and into the cuddly sweater! Although Swakopmund is one of the largest cities in Namibia, with fewer than 50,000 inhabitants, it feels more like a very sleepy small town. The people we encounter here are mostly fair-skinned. The buildings also resemble Europe in the 19th century rather than an African coastal town. All of this is due to colonialism. Many houses here bear the years - 1907, 1904, 1906 - streets are named, for example, 'Bismark', thus referring to an important figure in German colonial history.
The Germans and Namibia
Maxi and I are not historians, but during our last trip here we at least dealt a little with our historical heritage after realizing significant gaps in our knowledge (- why don't we learn anything about German colonial history in school?!).
Therefore, here is a brief introduction to the history of Namibia in case there are more ignorant people out there:
- Through contracts of the German trader Lüderitz, the areas from Oranje (border with South Africa in the south) to Kunene (border with
Angola in the north) were declared a German colony called 'German Southwest Africa'.- Swakopmund was of great importance as a port for the German colony of German Southwest Africa, as the southern port of Walvis Bay was under British control. In Swakopmund, the Germans built their own port to bring everything necessary for the colony.- The diamond finds attracted numerous Germans to Namibia, who acquired land there and brought the Namibians to work for the German settlers. The problem is that the German settlers claimed ever larger parts of the Herero land for themselves, and the Herero and Nama suffered from the racist behavior of the settlers and the colonial administration.- As a result, in 1904 the Herero uprising against these abuses, which finally led to a war by German troops against the Herero and Nama. After the Herero uprising was crushed in 1904 in the Battle of Waterberg, Lothar von Trotha issued an extermination order. All Herero within the 'German borders' were to be shot, including women and children. - The Herero were driven out of all water sources into the desert, so that a majority died of thirst. The survivors, as well as the Nama who had already surrendered at that time, were expropriated, imprisoned in concentration camps, and forced into forced labor. As a result of the genocide, about three-quarters of the Herero and half of the Nama were killed, a total of about 70,000 to 90,000 people. Only in 2015 were these mass killings named as genocide by the Germans.- German Southwest Africa was occupied by South Africa during World War I and assigned to the South African Union as a mandate territory by decision of the League of Nations in 1920. As a result, apartheid policy was also extended to Namibia.- After Namibia became independent in 1990, many of the German street names in Swakopmund were changed to commemorate the significant African personalities instead.- Only five percent of the inhabitants of Swakopmund are of German descent today, while the streetscape looks like a typical German small town and is mainly characterized by white people.
Although we enjoy being able to walk on safe streets without being constantly approached and not having to fend off a seller of tourist souvenirs that all look the same every two meters, we can't really appreciate the city itself. Spending a few days here is nice, but honestly, that's enough for us.
Our campsite, Tiger Reef Campsite, is beautifully located on the Atlantic Ocean and in the associated bar right by the sea, you can enjoy a fantastically beautiful sunset. The shopping opportunities are also very good - finally oat milk again, hooray! - and in the surrounding area, you can book many activities such as sandboarding in the dunes or even skydiving. Nevertheless, it still seems a bit strange to us on the second day, so we are happy to be able to escape into the vast landscape of the Namib-Naukluft National Park after a few nights here.
Walvis BayThe port city of Walvis Bay, which has the most important port in Namibia, is only 40 km south of Swakopmund. The third largest city in Namibia is also the starting point for trips to Sandwich Harbour. There, huge sand dunes of the Namib Desert meet the Atlantic Ocean. Well-equipped all-terrain vehicles can drive along a narrow strip between the sea and the dune, like being sandwiched in between. Since our rental car is expressly not allowed to drive there, we have postponed this excursion for now. Maybe we will venture there again next year or simply take part in a booked tour.In the south of the city is the Walvis Bay Lagoon. Over 80% of all flamingos in southern Africa live in and around this lagoon. After driving around the lagoon towards Pelican Point, you will eventually reach a long sandbank with endless, almost untouched beaches. It's still a bit too cold for swimming, but the beaches are perfect for leisurely walks, observing seals, or just dipping your feet in the sea.
