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| Townhouse façade |
Squeezed between the Atlantic and the desert, Swakopmund has been a real thrill! Perhaps, it is because it has the two sides I like most: the sea on one side and the desert on the other.
Swakopmund is often considered the second city of Namibia. But what makes it so different is that it is not only a town of contrasts, it is also an absolutely charming community that has kept its German heritage alive. It is totally out of place! Not simply because of its geographic position. It also has a mild climate due to the proximity of the ocean. Some more, the cold stream current that flows along the west coast of Africa, which creates the Namib Desert, usually brings morning mists over the town. Its endearing atmosphere resides in a mix of African and German flavors. The old colonial buildings date back to the end of the 19thcentury or early 20thcentury and have all
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| Downtown map |
been kept clean and beautiful. The city layout is a reminder of other places in the western U.S., or in Australia, but its character is unique. There are shops, shopping-malls, bookshops, a vast array of cafés and great restaurants that have turned the place into a real seaside resort. As a matter of fact, this is a favorite Namibian hangout, and many local retired people come here to live.
Some of the town main attractions are:
-The Pier, which is more than a century old,
-The German Church that looks like a site from an old German town,
-The Krystall Gallerie [www.krystallgalerie.com], a showcase of the Namibian gems, also displaying the largest world crystal,
-The African craftsmen's market near the old German Fort and the hill lighthouse,
-All its beautifully-restored colonial buildings,
-And last but not least, many sidewalk cafés, some serving many German delicacies or pastries (do not miss the fresh oysters and the local seafood with a dry white wine from South Africa).
Swakopmund is not really a place to go to the beach. The waves and the rocks are not particularly inviting. Nevertheless, there are dunes and sandy beaches along the coast, on the way south to neighboring Walvis Bay. This is a favorite to surfers and fishermen! Yet, Swakopmund offers some great parks and walks along the coast.
All in all, Swakopmund is a great escape from the nearby desert and appears like being a sort of pied-piper mirage.
A lovely B & B.
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| The Swakop B&B Guesthouse |
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| The breakfast lounge |
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| Upstairs rest area and balcony |
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| A guesthouse bedroom |
Town sights to remember.
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| A downtown sidewalk |
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| Building window |
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| 1907 façade |
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| German Church |
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| Sidewalk café |
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| The old Fort & the Lighthouse |
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| Street corner tower |
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| Turn of the century façade |
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| Sunset on the South Atlantic ocean |
Christian Sorand
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