Browsing Pier Boutiques a Highlight of Final African Ports

Days 115, 119, 2024 Grand World Voyage

Saturday and Wednesday, April 27 & May 1, 2024; Takoradi, Ghana, and Banjul, The Gambia

Maybe it’s port overload after 40 so far. Maybe it’s because we were in these West African ports just a year ago, and they aren’t places I would wander off to explore on my own. And perhaps it’s because my attention has turned to planning future cruises as this nears its end.

But truth be told, all I did in Takoradi, Ghana, and Banjul, The Gambia, was window-shop the pier boutiques and return to the ship.

In Takoradi we had the option to shuttle to the market circle – which is still under construction and closed. Last year I enjoyed our walk past shops and booths surrounding the circle, taking photos of the people among the huge variety of goods and food for sale. Nothing was targeted at tourists, so we just looked. I didn’t see any reason to repeat the experience this year, especially with temperatures in the 90s.

But the pier boutique (as we have christened the temporary booths on our piers) in Takoradi is the best that I’ve seen in West Africa. I bought more bracelets to add to last year’s purchases. The dresses are colorful, but not really a style that looks good on me.

My favorite purchase was a nativity scene in a manger-shaped box. After I sold everything to cruise a few years ago, I decided to collect just a few miniature nativity sets. This one is a little large to count as miniature, but it will be a good representative for Africa with its figures woven from banana leaves.

Last year in Banjul I traveled three hours up the Gambia river to Kunta Kinte’s village. Today is a scorcher in Banjul – 104 degrees. So when I went on Deck 10 early to take photos of the city and found 1) the pier boutique already set up and 2) the air a comfortable 80 degrees, I immediately went out to browse. The clothes and small amount of jewelry are not as nice as in Ghana, but the woven baskets of every size and wooden sculptures are stunning. Just not something this “houseless” person needs.

If you have been tabulating our travel since Cape Town (I know you haven’t), you know that we have had eight sea days with just four port days. From here, it’s just two more port days and seven sea days until we reach Florida. The pace onboard the Zuiderdam has changed. Not that we have become lazy. There are lectures, classes, movies and special events galore. We’re just more relaxed.

One day we toured the galley. Well, the serving areas at least. The main cooking and prep areas are too busy for tours. We had a great dinner in the Pinnacle Grill. My sister Elaine recently achieved five-star Mariner status, which comes with two free Pinnacle dinners, and we weren’t going to let those go to waste.

Last Friday, we passed Null Island. It’s where the equator and the prime meridian cross, and there isn’t an island or anything else there. Modern technology was out in force, as virtually everyone was focused on their smartphones, watching for the latitude and longitude readings to hit 0°0’0”. It makes you an Emerald Shellback in maritime lore and is a rarity. We have the bragging rights of having been here two years in a row now. Never letting any occasion pass without a party, a group of passengers and even the captain and hotel manager jumped in the pool to celebrate.

Every Holland America cruise has an Orange Night, when guests are invited to wear orange, just as the Dutch do on April 27 in celebration of the king’s birthday. We were lucky enough to celebrate on that official date. I brought wigs, orange fake eyelashes (I couldn’t get them to stay on) and other orange accessories. As a special grand cruise treat, the entertainment staff handed out lots of orange wigs, hats, sashes and headbands.

I don’t often attend evening shows in the World Theater, as I’m often at dinner during the 7:30 p.m. show, and by the late show at 9:30 p.m., I may be in my nightie. But I’m so glad I’ve made a point to attend some recent shows – and kudos to Holland America’s team for last-minute scheduling for our altered itinerary around Africa.

A new African group, Afro P’Opera, has followed stellar entertainment by Shades of Africa and the South African Youth Choir. Afro P’Opera is a trio of opera singers who enthralled us with their voices. Their playlists included several opera numbers made popular by singers such as Andrea Bocelli, and of course Nessun Dorma. In their second show they added songs of Africa.

In my opinion, nightly stage entertainment is not Holland America’s strongest suit, but the quality of the African musical performances is a strong factor in favor of cruising around this huge continent.