Even though this wasn’t my first visit to Windhoek, it was my first opportunity to explore the city and the surrounding mountains. Windhoek is probably not the typical national capitol; it is more of a large town with a population of only about 200,000 people. It is a beautiful place nestled in a semi-arid mountain valley at around 5,500 feet. Besides the sprawling slums on the edges of the city, Windhoek is a surprisingly clean and orderly city. Walking around downtown is a bit too much like walking around downtown in any comparably-sized American town. On top of that, Windhoek is surrounded by lots of open space. The city is surrounded by mountains on all sides which provide wonderful off-trail hiking and wildlife viewing opportunities. And that is exactly how my free time was spent during the two weeks. With hiking available right outside the front door, I made sure to take advantage of the opportunity. It was not unusual to spot baboons and on a couple of occasions we spotted kudu, Namibia's majestic spiral horned animal. A tasty animal for that matter. Another joy of Windhoek...the food. While in the city I took advantage of the culinary delights and enjoyed a fat zebra steak and sampled kudu. Not quite like the elk I love so much back home, but it will suffice.
Not too far out of Windhoek and one can enjoy wonderful desert walking.
Night approaches the city
A world away from the flat North
Enjoying the scenery and thinner air
Kudu...almost just as fascinating dead as alive
Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!