TRAVEL Namibia
If you long to visit Europe but find your budget lacking, consider Swakopmund as a substitute to satisfy your wanderlust.
Though oceans apart, this Namibian coastal city has retained a distinctively German flavour, which lives on through its street names, half-timbered buildings and two-litre boot-shaped glasses called bierstiefels.
Captain Curt von Francois founded Swakopmund in 1892, and it served as the main port for German South West Africa. This was due to increased German colony traffic and British control over nearby Walvis Bay, 33 km south.
It is now considered Namibia's leading holiday and adventure destination. The city serves as a perfect pit stop for those venturing into the Namib Desert, Fish River Canyon, Skeleton Coast, Damaraland and Etosha National
