South Africa Favorite Tips by Jenniflower

South African wines

Favorite thing: South African wines are on average very good.

A few are truly superb!!!.

They have long been underrated (and boycotted due to apartheid) internationally, but are now gaining a good reputation.

Fondest memory: Wine lands and wine tasting!

There are some spectacular wine farms in Cape Town especially... in Constantia (southern suburbs in Cape Town), Paarl, Franschoek, Stellenbosch etc.

Take a lazy drive there and feast on some local foods and wines and scenery!

Animal skins and the fur trade

Favorite thing: A contentious subject to say the least!

Animal skins, fur and the ivory trade have been waging war with the authorities for many years.

There is plenty of money to be made in this industry, and criminals know it!

They come into the game parks and poach these defenceless animals, often hacking off their horns and tusks whilst they are still alive.

They then die a slow and painful death.

Unless they are first found by a ranger and a merciful bullet. It's a sad and enraging scenario.

There has been some success though in the prevention of such, where private landowners have stood up and become part of the conservation preservation progress within the country. There is progress, which is great, but there will always be those poachers that are looking for that quick money unfortunately.

Plus some private game owners charge exhorbitant sums of money from foreigners to come and kill their game (rhino etc.) as trophy's I have NO time for trophy hunters. I wish they'd find anaother sport, not a sick one like this.

For more information: http://www.american.edu/ted/elephant.htm

Alan Paton ~ literary genius imho!

Favorite thing: This tip is for anyone interested in South African literature. One of my favourite books is Cry the Beloved Country, by Alan Paton. Another is Diepkloof.

We studied them at school in great depth and it tells so much about the political sphere South Africa was in, and all the drama that went on, all that I had no knowledge of growing up.

The story is set in the fertile and wild Kwa-Zulu Natal region, as well as in the concrete jungle of prosperous Johannesburg. The main theme is how city life can corrupt you. It is a book full of emotion.

Tragedy, sorrow, elation, forgiveness. It is a book that crosses the racial divide and poses many questions. It was first published in 1948 and has always been a literary success.

There is an Alan Paton tour which is in a steam train, and takes you pass Ixopo High (Secondary) School where this famous author taught.

I do believe it is important for one to know one’s country’s past, and the WHOLE history, not only that which the government of the time chooses to let us know in text ! We didn’t books know anything of what happened in surrounding cities and informal settlements growing up during the apartheid era, and it was books like this that opened up questions for me as a young girl.

You can also visit the site where Cry, The Beloved Country was filmed at Carisbrooke School.

Fondest memory: 27 83273 8037
kznrail@futurenet.co.za
www.futurenet.co.za/pcngr

The waterways of South Africa

Favorite thing: There are no important lakes within South Africa, and the inland plateau is drained by two river systems, the Orange and Vaal rivers.

There are severe water shortages, with droughts often occurring) and the government has created several artificial lakes, primarily for agricultural irrigation, the Lesotho Highlands Project (a project in conjunction with the Lesotho government) being a HUGE project undertaken many years ago to curb the country-wide water shortage.

Jenniflower, call home!

Favorite thing: Nearly 5 million landlines and 17 million cell (mobile) phones are in use in South Africa. The system is the best developed and most modern in Africa by far.

There are 3 million internet users (most using dial-up and ADSL).

The internet domain is co.za and the dialling code is +27.

What's in a name?

Favorite thing: The official name of South Africa is the Republic of South Africa. It changed from the Union of South Africa on 31 May, 1961.

Many people wrongly think Johannesburg is the capital, but Pretoria is the administrative capital, Cape Town the legislative capital and Bloemfontein the judicial capital.

Locals call: Egoli - City of Gold (Johannesburg), the Mother City - (Cape Town), Jacaranda City - (Pretoria), the Windy City - (Port Elizabeth) and the Diamond City - (Kimberley).

This is what life is about.

Favorite thing: There is not one favourite thing re South Africa that I love.

There are far too many to mention!

When you visit it you will see what I mean!

Fondest memory: I miss the people, the animals and the land. I miss the earthiness and the salt-of-the-earth people that live in South Africa.

Peri peri anyone?

Favorite thing: The Portuguese - who were the first to discover South Africa - added peri-peri and fish dishes to the culinary heritage in South Africa.

Small communities of Chinese, Italians and Greeks have all contributed new flavours to South Africa's cuisine.

This makes for a rather flavourful and enjoyable culinary heritage! :)

Afrikaner hospitality

Favorite thing: Afrikaner hospitality, especially in more rural areas, is legendary.

The home-cooked meal one would eat would be substantial, and one of the best-loved social traditions is the braai, a standard barbeque featuring well marinated meats (lamb, beef, ribs, chicken, and of course, boerewors), potatoes and other vegetables.

Mealie pap!

Favorite thing: Typically, the black people of South Africa enjoy pap (maize porridge), together with a large portion of red meat, and a tomato and onion sauce.

Not huge on fruit and veges generally, but enjoying their 'nyama' (meat) and pap!