Woolworths_Taste__January_2019

TRAVEL

Clockwise from top left: Spend sunset admiring boats in the quiet Lüderitz waterfront; don't let the polystyrene fool you, this is Namibia’s best apple pie; a cheerful breakfast

nook at Swakopmund’s bright hotel, The Delight; red curry calamari stir-fry at the Fish Deli; when the desert overwhelms, order iced coffee instead of a flat white.

German architecture andLonely Planet

likens this seaside oasis to holiday towns

alongGermany’sNorthSeaandBaltic

coasts.It’sundeniablyquaintand

delightfully pedestrian friendly after

havingspentsomuchtimeinthecar.

IwalktoSlowtownCoffeeRoasters

atthebottomofDanielTjongarero

Avenue,whichoperateswitha100%

Namibianteam.Chicandtrendy,there’s

iced coffee,pasteis de nata,cheesecake

and more on the chalkboard menu,

plus wonderful views of the lighthouse.

From the promenade, Swakopmund

feelslikeabeachsideparadise,butthe

surrounding sands of the Namib-Naukluft

National Park mean it’s still undeniably

adesertdestination.

For dinner, it’s an easy stroll to one

of the reputable eateries overlooking the

sea. There are three restaurants from

waytoNamibia,PercyCrossMcGregor
(known as Moose), baked this treat for
travellersforover20years.Althoughhe’s
no longer with us, Moose’s famous apple
pierecipelivesonandcontinuestopull
crowds.Nowthere’salsoberrypie,an
arrayofsweetpastriesandwood-fired
pizza(ifyou’vegottimetospare).
McGregor’s Bakery is the halfway
pointonmyroadtripandthesingle
heavenly slice ofapfelstrudelreminds
me what I’ve learnt so far. Namibia
wascolonisedbyGermanyafter1884
anddespitetherelativelyshortperiod
ofoccupation,30yearswasallittook
toleavealastingimpression–beer and
strudel are just the beginning.

InSwakopmund,it’seasy
to seetheBavarianinfluence.
The streets are lined with half-timbered

whichtochoose(seafood,pub-stylegrub

andwholesomefarmdeli),butIoptfor

TheFishDeliafterreadingaboutitin

international travel magazineAFAR.

Feelingalittleoysteredout,Ichoose

something more unusual from the menu

–aredcurrycalamaristir-fry.

Generously portioned and beautifully

presented,myplateistheperfect

representation of what this restaurant

is all about: everything is locally sourced,

with bright and appealing colours and

flavoursthatarerefreshinglyinternational

yet still unmistakeably Namibian.

My last meal also proves there are

many unexpected pockets of deliciousness

to be found in this country, even “in the

middle of nowhere”.W

Melanie van Zyl is a Joburg-based freelance travel

photojournalist; melanievanzyl.com.

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