WINDHOEK, Namibia, (a few years ago) – It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. It was June, (therefore Winter, in that part of Africa). Over there, from the hilltop in Uhland Heights, I had a perfect view of the northern parts of the city.
The sun was still above the mountains; but it was barely warm in that African Winter afternoon. There was a slight but persistent breeze coming from the West, and I was happy to be wearing a coat.
Once more, as I contemplated the view from up there, I was struck by the pristine, stark colors of Namibia. The red of the barren landscape, the immense, light blue sky, always without any clouds, and the big, red sun slowly lowering itself towards the moon like mountains surrounding the city.
All around me only quiet and silence. The nice houses in that affluent neighborhood appeared to be completely deserted. Nobody walking around in the streets. No cars. Not a sound.
As the sun kept going down, the red of the mountains turned maroon and then gray. Finally, after the sun had disappeared, I could only see their black outline.
However, even after sunset, there was still some brightness close to the horizon that created a beautiful, if faint, purple frame all around.
Meanwhile, the sky had turned dark blue, and then it became violet, while a thin sliver of dark pink continued to brighten the tips of the mountains encircling the city.
And then the stars began to appear, becoming brighter and brighter, illuminating the immense, terse African sky.