Addis Ababa, which translates into “new flower”, was named by the wife of Emperor Menelik II in 1886 when she saw it looking down from Mount Entoto, the Emperor’s military base. Today, Africa’s highest capital at 7,546 feet (2,300 metres) is a chaotic, bustling city of around 3 million people.
Known as the political capital of Africa, housing the African Union, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and numerous other African and international organizations, Addis is in the midst of change. Everywhere you turn, there are buildings going up and new roads being built thanks to the Chinese and other foreign investors. A pell mell of slums, notoriously rundown, dirty and overcrowded weave in and out the city even up against some of the newest luxury hotels, buildings and homes.
“If she wasn’t bleeding, she would have suffered like I did and delivered at home,” said Fasika’s* mother Menesch at a Lie and Wait center for expectant mothers in rural Ethiopia.
Menesch was inside the room with her expecting daughter Fasika while nursing her three-month-old daughter on a chair. It was Menesch’s eighth child who, like all the rest, she delivered at home with no trained labor assistant.
Menesch cradling her with-child in her lap at the Lie and Wait house in rural Ethiopia.
Fasika was a mere 15 years old with baby fat still surrounding her cheeks and a shy smile that often looked down at her largely pregnant belly. Meeting Fasika and her mother on the last day of my trip was the defining moment of my two weeks of reporting on maternal and newborn health in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia, a magical land of over 90 million people, is one of the most diverse nations in the world with over 83 distinct languages and 200 dialects. What stunned me the most about Ethiopians is how such a diverse group of people live in peace and harmony. Over half the population is Orthodox Christian and the next largest religious group is Muslims making up around 45% of the population. Despite their different religious beliefs, Muslims and Christians live side by side and oftentimes there can be a mixture of religions within families due to marriage. The main eight ethnic groups also live together peacefully which says a lot about this poverty-stricken nation in the heart of Africa.
While I was in Ethiopia these past two weeks, Oxford University released The Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), ranking Ethiopia as the second poorest country in the world just ahead of Niger. The report claims that although Ethiopia has made some progress, Ethiopia is still home to more than 76 million poor people, the fifth largest number in the world after India, China, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The report also claims that the highest percentage of poor live within the rural areas which is no surprise given the fact that over 85% of Ethiopians earn a living off the land.
Despite the often heartbreaking, overwhelming poverty of the Ethiopian people, the one thing they all seemed to have in common is resilience and resolve with their place in this world. I had never seen so many genuine, welcoming smiles upon their faces despite the hardships they face. I was always greeted with curiosity, warmth and kindness by the Ethiopians I met. Here are some of my favorite faces of Ethiopia.
I arrived early Sunday morning into Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, after a long haul flight from home. My day began Saturday at 3 am and after two fights totaling 16 hours I found myself in Africa’s highest capital Addis Ababa which translates into “new flower”.
Street shots of Addis Ababa
The earliest people living in the Shewa region surrounding Addis Ababa date back to the 9th century and are believed to be the Gurage people. Over the centuries the Somalis and Abyssinian kingdoms laid claim to the land, followed by the arrival of the Oromo in the 1500s. The actual city of Addis Ababa was not founded until 1886 when Emperor Menelik II decided to move his military base from Mount Entoto to the vast fertile plains below of Addis Ababa.
Today, Addis Ababa is Ethiopia’s largest city with an estimated population of over 3 million people and is a magical place where tradition and modernity are intertwined in unexpected ways. Walking down the busy streets of Addis Ababa you can see high rises and western hotels reaching towards the sky juxtaposed with dirt sidewalks, donkeys leaving the market and undeveloped slums. It is a place filled with contradiction. Looking outside the window of my newly built luxurious western hotel lies one of many slums slightly hidden behind corrugated tin fences and walls. Men in well-tailored suits sit outside in a chairs along dirt sidewalks getting a shoe shine. High rise buildings are going up alongside a pell-mell of depressing slums. Everywhere you look is something that makes you scratch your head and wonder.
I have very exciting news! I am honored to announce that I will be one of nine new media journalists heading withThe International Reporting Projectto Ethiopia in June to report on newborn health. The announcement was made yesterday and I can hardly wait to start researching and learning all I can about Ethiopia.
“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” – Mother Teresa
Two lovely Garifuna girls in Roatan, Honduras.
Four years ago, I was finally at the point in my life in which I was able to set a new goal for myself. I made the decision that I would spend one week a year abroad as a global volunteer, giving back to a host community. After years of traveling around the world, I realized how incredibly fortunate I am to be able to see places that most people will never see. Furthermore, I understood how much we truly have in the western world compared to to everyone else who are not so fortunate. Spending time in developing countries opened my eyes even more and I became even more thankful for the fact that I had a more than adequate roof over my head, plenty of food on the table, a loving family, the ability to stay at home with my children and pursue my dreams. All in all, I realized that I had a really great life and that millions of people around the world were just struggling to survive.
Jo’burg as she is lovingly called by locals (also Jozi, Egoli or Gauteng (the two latter terms both meaning “place of gold”) has a turbulent past which greatly mirrors the struggle and eventual overcoming of the long history of apartheid. Although the history of modern Johannesburg is roughly only a little over 100 years old, the surrounding area of Jo’burg has a much longer past. Often known as the “cradle of civilization”, the valley outside of Johannesburg has become a World Heritage Site and is an important paleontological site due to the discovery in 1947 of “Mrs. Ples”, the first known adult cranium of an “ape man” dating back 2.5 million years ago.
The area today which is known as Johannesburg or Jo’burg was an un-established nomadic land for thousands and thousands of years. It could have perhaps remained that way if it was not for the discovery of gold by George Harrison, an Australian prospector, who happened to stumble upon one of the richest gold mines in the world back in 1886. Within three short years, the land that would become Johannesburg was built on with rapid, quick-fire speed and greed by other local entrepreneurs such as Cecil Rhodes, a rich owner of nearby diamond mines who provided the cash and the power to take full advantage of the gold rush.
In order to mine the gold as fast as possible, cheap, slave labor was needed in a hurry so poor blacks from throughout South Africa came to the once deserted bushveld plains and went to work under brutal labor conditions.
Within three years, the previously low inhabited area which would become Johannesburg sprang up as the third largest city in all of South Africa, and it didn’t take much longer for Jo’burg to become one of the largest cities south of Cairo.
The years that followed were loaded with strife and conflict. There was too much fortune at stake. The Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1901 lead to South Africa being under British control and rule. As the population of Johannesburg expanded, the British colonial rule decided to begin forcibly relocating the black population from the central city to the rift-raft outskirts of town. This began the long, tragic movement towards apartheid in which blacks and whites were kept completely separate (see earlier post titled “The Rainbow Nation” for more information on the period of apartheid in South Africa).
Obviously the effects of apartheid eventually lead to a series of revolts and protests as the city’s black population (which were and still remain by far the majority) began demanding their rights and an end to this madness, tyranny and deprivation. The “Rand Revolt” of 1922 lead to over 200 deaths, and protests and strikes remained common.
More problems arose as more blacks were brought into the city center during the time leading up to and after the Second World War. Although black movements began to rise and form at this time, they were shortly squashed by the powerful government who wanted to repress them. Hence began the policy of apartheid and the gradual relocation of blacks from Jo’burg to townships on the outskirts of the city.
The turning point in South Africa’s long history of apartheid and discrimination occurred on June 16, 1976 when South African police open fired on a student protest in the black township of Soweto (a name derived from South West Townships). This created a series of violent protests throughout South Africa in the 1980s, which lead to the eventual dismantling of apartheid (in early 1990) and the first ever democratic elections in 1994. Finally, the brutal system of segregation and deprivation was destroyed and blacks and white could begin living together peacefully and humanely.
Over time, blacks have begun moving back into previously white-only districts and some of the townships have been vacated. However, one of the largest black townships, Soweto, remains a vibrant place of black history and life today and has a population of over 1,000 residents.
Jo’burg today is a cosmopolitan city yet voluntary segregation remains strong. The white population has mostly retreated to the rich suburbs living in gated, secured communities while the center of town is predominantly black and exceedingly dangerous. (We were not allowed to visit the city center without a black guide and decided not to visit since there really was nothing worthwhile to see). Crime is rampant and people unfortunately live in a culture of fear. Hopefully as the economic and educational opportunities improve among poor blacks, the crime will decrease.
Overall, I found it a sad testament of the negative, long-lasting effects of apartheid and a system of hate. I didn’t much care for my visit to Jo’burg because I felt like staying in the rich, gated suburbs was not really being there. It was a tragic representation of the ill-effects of segregation and the resulting immense poverty and crime of the city.
Anyway, since most tourists will be obligated to spend at least a day or so in Jo’burg via transit, here are some photos and information on the sites we felt were worth visiting.
This is all we saw of downtown Johannesburg. It is not a safe place to visit unaccompanied. What a pity!
We stayed in the Northern Suburbs in Sandton, a wealthy enclave of gated houses, buildings, offices and shopping malls. Unfortunately the general decay and violence of the city center has lead to a mass exodus of mostly weathy whites and businesses to leave Jo’Burg and move out to the safer yet boring suburbs. Here is a photo our hotel area:
Photo of the barbed wire gates surrounding our hotel and literally every single home in sight. What a crime to have to live in this kind of fear and isolation!
One of the many large, luxury malls called Sandton Square, located under the luxurious Michelangelo Hotel:
Our hotel, located nearby the Sandton Mall, the only option for dining and nightlife and a short walk away:
Inside the Sandton mall where everything is clean, expensive and white. They are gearing up for the Christmas season hence all the decorations.
The mall even displays art!
The outdoor courtyard of the enclosed mall contains loads of fancy restaurants and even live music. Here is the place we ate dinner at. Nothing too exciting but it was decent.
Next morning, we had a hired guide and drove out to visit Soweto, South Africa’s Original Township. Immediately the fancy cars, luxurious hotels and homes disappeared and we were for once the minority.
Here we are passing some slums en route to Soweto. This is how most people live.
Inside Soweto on our tour of some of the nicer neighborhoods. Soweto was built on farmland located 11 miles southwest of Johanneburg to house the blacks working in the gold mines in Jo’burg. The conditions were deplorable as it often took the workers over three hours to get to work each day. In those days, there was no running water, no electricity, no shops and no roads. The living situation became unbearable in 1933 when the government declared the “Slums Clearance Act” and forcibly moved blacks off their land, out of the city center and into the townships.
Although parts of Soweto are nice today, there still remains a high level of violence and poverty in this area. It is definitely a worthwhile place to visit as there is an excellent Apartheid museum and the history of the place surrounds you.
Here is a photo of one of the most famous victims of the 1976 Soweto march Hector Pieterson. The photo is at the entrance of the Museum dedicated to the history and struggle of Apartheid in Soweto. The pain is ever so present and captured in their eyes.
Stay tuned….This is my last post on South Africa. It was wonderful to write and remember such a fantastic, culturally stimulating trip! My next posts will be on another gem….Iceland! Stay posted!
The second night at Tanda Tula we were in for quite a surprise and adventure. Clinton, our fun-loving ranger told us that we were going to go on a night safari. First, we were to meet the happy-go-lucky always smiling bartender “Smiling” in the bar at promptly six o’clock where we were to pick out our preferred drink for cocktail hour in the midst of the wild. Yes, you heard it right. We were going to have happy hour right out in the middle of the game reserve!
Next, we followed Clinton obediently to the bar, picked out our drinks which were loaded into an ice-cold cooler and placed aboard the land cruiser. Then we were off into the night filled with half-excitement half-fear.
As the sun was beginning to set:
It was time to pull over for cocktails and h’ors-d’oeuvres right smack in the middle of the game reserve. Here is a photo of Clinton, our ranger, and our tracker setting up shop:
There were plenty of cold beverages. We were even asked before setting out what we would prefer to drink and Smiling, our bartender, loaded up the cooler with the drink of our choice. For me, it was my beloved South African Sav Blanc, definitely one of my favorites:
For my dad, he preferred an ice-cold beer as it was a hot and sticky day still. My Dad and I enjoying our drinks in a land full of wonder:
After a nice buzz, the real adventure starts….our night tracking of the two dominant male lions in the reserve. Here we caught up with them and followed them around, silently watching their every move and prowl:
Here we are playing follow the leader:
We followed the lions around for an hour, watching them pace and guard their environment. It was a pretty amazing experience!
The next night, we were in for an even bigger surprise. Around dinner time, we were all told to meet at the reception area and then instructed to board the land cruisers. Where were we going? I wondered. They didn’t ask for a drink preference this time so it wasn’t for happy hour nor did they mention that we were going on a night safari. Instead, it was total silence and suspense.
We drove into the thick of the game reserve, in pitch black darkness. Everything was still in the park. There were no animals. No noises. Just the sound of the land cruiser leading us somewhere into the dark night.
Then, we saw it. A light. What was it? As we came closer, we realized the light was coming from a circle enclosure of torches. The flames of the fires spiralled peacefully in the light wind. We got off the land cruiser, followed Clinton and were cheerfully greeted by the entire staff at Tanda Tula with a welcoming drink and an enormous bonfire. Then we saw it….the huge, long table for twenty placed strategically in the middle of the circle, next to the fire where we were going to have a feast of a lifetime smack in the middle of the game reserve! I couldn’t believe my eyes! What a spectacular surprise! We drank, dined and drank some more for over two hours, never once (well ok, maybe a few times) feeling the least bit concerned we would be attacked by wild animals or hungry lions who wanted to join the feast. There were armed guards at each corner of the makeshift camp, armed with tranquilizers just in case any animals decided to crash our party.
It was a night I’ll never forget. It was an unbelievable experience! I woke up the next day with a headache so big I thought I’d been run over by a herd of elephants but it was worth every minute of the misery for a night of eating and drinking under the stars and into the wild!
Stay tuned….My last post on South Africa will include a two-day visit to Jo’berg where we visited Soweto and saw a completely different side and perspective on South Africa. One of clear and total segregation.
I awoke the next morning to the 5 AM call of the wild. The sun was barely up yet the jungle outside my tent was fully awake and alive. The monkeys were in their full glory, active as a toddler at a playground. I was exhausted but excited about the day that awaited. It was day one of my first safari and I could hardly wait.
There was a slight tap on my door and I opened it to find Smiling, smiling as usual and holding a tray with a beautiful light breakfast of morning tea, fresh scones and fruit. I opted to eat on the verandah but of course I was forewarned not to leave my food for even a second. The swarms of monkeys playing jubilantly in the trees above would devour it all in a heartbeat.
By 6 am, our group of six met at the main lodge and we boarded the open air land rover. We had our ranger Clinton, a native African tracker and a driver on board as well. I could hardly contain my excitement and anticipation at finally after all these years actually going on a real live safari. I had to pinch myself to make sure it was really real.
One of the lovely things about opting for a private reserve is the transportation. In public game reserves such as Kruger National Park, you must follow and stay on the roads in your car. However, at a private game reserve you roam in an open-air, uncovered land cruiser and can go where ever you want, without having to stick to the roads! Here we are, setting off on our first safari drive with the animal tracker at the front and the ranger (with loaded gun just in case) on the right side, driving the vehicle.
Excitement and anticipation awaits us (and a little bit of nervousness as we are fully exposed!). Not long after setting out, we are rewarded with the spotting of our first animal, a lovely giraffe grazing off the treetops:
Next came the gazelles (I was desperately hoping we wouldn’t see our first kill. I wasn’t sure whether or not I could handle it even though it’s nature. I’m a true softie at heart and also do not like the sight of blood):
Shortly after we encountered our first elephant. Little did we know, an entire herd of 20-30 elephants were right around the corner waiting:
I was surprised how incredibly close we were able to get to the animals. It was quite a thrill and also a little intimidating to be sitting right next to an enormous elephant with no protection. According to our ranger, we were to remain motionless in the open-top rover. If we remained still, the animals would view us as a large mass and would not charge us or be afraid. In the event something went array, the ranger always carried a loaded gun with tranquilizers. However, the animals although wild were used to having tourists come and basically ignored us.
Here is another view of the mighty elephant.
I could not get enough pictures of the elephants. I was completely enthralled by their majestic beauty and peacefulness.
A lone elephant who at first was uninterested….
Yet then his or her curiosity got the best and we got up close and personal with this mighty creature:
As we rounded the corner, we were surrounded by a herd of 20-30 elephants, big and small. I fell in love with the mama and her baby:
Can I take you home?
Now I know why they called him Dumbo:
As we rounded the corner and ventured further into the park, we came across a herd of zebras:
We spent some time chasing the elusive leopard and finally found him up in his favorite spot, a tree. Unfortunately once we approached he was gone before I was able to snap a photo.
Then in the heart of the game reserve, we found the Lion King and the pride. By that point, I was getting used to being in an open-air vehicle but I was glad that the ranger was ready in case of any attack!
Here he is, the King of the Jungle (note how close the other rover is):
Here is a better shot (he is hanging out right next to the rustic, small airstrip for those adventurous souls who prefer to land right inside the reserve):
The Lion King:
Isn’t he cuddly and cute?
He has such a beautiful mane!
The female of the pride…she looks so sweet….but:
She can definitely bite!
The pride:
The pride with the male:
One of the kids playing around with big,old dad:
Look who decided to show up…a hyena….very mean and dangerous. We were hoping there would not be a fight…
After all the excitement, we decided to get out in the middle of the game reserve and WALK BACK to our lodging….
(Notice how Clinton, our ranger, had an armed gun just in case we were attacked by a herd of elephants or worse yet, a lion).
My heart was beating like an African drum and I definitely didn’t want to be at the end of the line and first on the lunch list. I was thankful yet slightly disappointed we did not encounter any wild animals on our hour walk back! Phew!!!
Stay tuned…next post will include our surprise night safari tracking the two dominant male lions, an outdoor feast in the middle of the park and cocktails au naturale!
Our package deal from South African Airlines included a three-day stay and safari at the Tanda Tula Private Game Reserve located in the northeast section of South Africa adjacent to the world-famous Kruger National Park. Tanda Tula was one of the first luxury private reserve camps established in the area and prides itself in giving the visitor beautifully appointed African safari styled “tents” in a gorgeous reserve with no boundaries and no fences.
During our three-day stay at Tanda Tula, we would be going on an early morning safari ride, a late afternoon one and a surprise evening safari where we would be tracking the two dominant male lions in the reserve. We were also surprised with a candlelight dinner IN THE WILD….yes that is right. We ate an enormous feast right smack in the middle of the game reserve, while the rangers stood by on the watch.
We took the morning flight out of Cape Town non-stop to Hoedspruit, one of three airports located near the Kruger National Park. Here are some photos of my first day into the wild.
Boarding the plane to Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport:
View from the plane of the Southern Cape:
Small, clean airport in Hoedspruit, one of three airports in the vicinity of Kruger National Park:
After collecting our luggage, we were met by our driver from Tanda Tula Private Game Reserve in the Timbavati Reserve adjacent to Kruger National Park. Our two-hour van ride was like nothing I’d ever experienced (at this point, I had not been to India or Nepal thus passing through the African villages felt like being on a movie set). There was village after village located right next to the roadway filled with Africans in traditional dress and women walking along the side of the street carrying their goods on their heads and children wrapped around them in brightly colored fabrics. Men and children were loaded into the backs of trucks and there was no sign of anything remotely modern. I desperately wanted to take some photos along the way but held back thinking that not the proper thing to do. Our van was the nicest vehicle for miles so getting out of the car to snap some photos would be extremely rude!
As we approached the numerous private game reserves, the roads became more modern and the villages disappeared. Here is a view not far from the entrance of Tanda Tula Game Reserve:
Arrival at Tanda Tula Game Reserve. Tanda Tula which means “to love the quiet”:
Checking out the surroundings….there are NO FENCES! Yes that is correct. One of the beauties of visiting a private reserve is that you are literally in the wild. The entire base “camp” is without fences or boundaries meaning the animals are free to roam wherever they please. You must take extreme caution, especially at night. No one is allowed out of their tent once darkness hits as elephants, lions and leopards have been known to invade the campsite. There is always a ranger on alert just in case a herd of 20-30 elephants decides to trample through your camp!
Here is a picture of the most annoying, yet charming friend….the neighboring monkeys that live in the trees surrounding the “tents”. You better watch your breakfast when eating on the outdoor verrandah….or it will be gone!
Ok….drum roll please….here is a picture of our “tents”. Yep, these are our luxurious tents. There are eight in total and apparently they run for about $1000 a night if you were to show up and rent one. Our incredibly, amazing package deal from South African Airlines (remember $1800 for our Atlanta-Jo’berg flight, two other internal flights and lodging in three places including here!) must have really been getting a steal on this part of the deal. When we arrived at Tanda Tula and checked in, my dad mentioned that I was his daughter, not his wife (they had us originally in one “tent” and it only has one bed, not two like we requested), their simple response was “no worries” you can stay in the tent next door at no charge. Can you believe it? I got a $1000/night tent for free! Wow!!!!!
The inside view. Note the minimalistic structure. It is sturdy yet not too enclosed so there is no avoiding the sounds of the wild. My first night sleeping alone was a little scary as I would jump at every noise and it took me awhile to finally fall asleep to the bizarre, dramatic sounds of the wild.
Plus your own private bath tub and bathroom which includes an OUTDOOR shower, right in the thick of things. It felt a little strange actually taking a shower that first night as dusk settled in and the animals began to make noise. Plus there were more bugs than I’d ever seen but this was so cool!
Tanda Tula has beautiful, lush grounds and even a pool in case you are interested in taking a dip (it gets quite hot there in the afternoon).
Every meal is prepared from scratch and contains a delightful selection of South Africa’s finest. Our meals were eaten on the large, open-air dining hall which afforded views of the game reserve and if lucky, a curious giraffe or two.
Here is a photo of our first dinner, a delicious, spoiling buffet:
Me and the friendly bartender, known as “smiling” because he ALWAYS smiles!
View from the open-air verandah into THE WILD…..
I wondered what on earth was out there? Would it come near the camp or even scarier, my tent while I am alone, tucked away under the luxurious white covers? Those thoughts swirled around my head as I turned off the lights, closed my eyes and listened to the call of the wild. Nature at it’s finest.
Stay tuned….next post will be of my first 5 am safari! (And yes….I saw lots and lots of wild animals!)
With an ideal, temperate, Mediterranean climate full of sunshine, adequate rain and fertile, unspoiled land, the Southern tip of South Africa has a long 300-year-old tradition and history of creating fabulous wines. Just like the immense diversity of South Africa’s people, the Rainbow Nation also produces some of the most exciting, diverse wines in the world. The Southern Cape in particular is one of the great wine capitals of the world, home to over 800 wineries not a far drive away from Cape Town.
There are 13 designated wine routes comprising the Winelands area of South Africa (the most popular include Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek, and Somerset West). A true wine lover could spend weeks exloring the many beautiful estates and vine-covered rolling hills. Unfortunately, I only had one afternoon. But a few hours in South Africa’s wineland convinced me that the wines are delicious, the scenary is magnificent and I would love to come back!
Here are some photos of my afternoon exploring the wineyards of the Southern Cape. Hope it makes you thirsty for more! 🙂
Drive from Cape Town to nearby Wine Country. Stellenbosch is only a mere 46k/29 miles away!
Stop for a liquid lunch in lovely, charming Stellenbosch. Stellenbosch is primarily a university town with a relaxed, carefree attitude and tons of fantastic outdoor cafes. The primary beauty of Stellenbosch is its vast display of Colonial Dutch architecture; arguably some of the oldest in South Africa. Stellenbosch was founded in 1679 by Governor Simon van der Stel who founded one of the best vineyards in the Cape, Groot Constantia and also planted hundreds of oak trees making the city informally known as the “city of oaks”.
Gorgeous Dutch Colonial architecture:
Sensational purple flowered jacaranda trees in full bloom:
Checking out the options for lunch. Way too many delightful ones to choose from!
Me, enjoying a fabulous lunch of course with an excellent bottle of local Sav Blanc—what could be better than this?
Drive to Seidelberg Wine Estate:
The wine line-up at Seidelberg Wine Estate
The gorgeous grounds of the Seidelberg Vineyard….I could live here!
The lush vineyards coating the hillside….I could smell the fragrant wines inside my head.
Stay tuned….next stop is at the heart of South Africa’s Big Game…my first visit to a game reserve and a safari of a lifetime!
Note about photos in this post: All these pictures from my South Africa trip are over 7 years old. It is amazing to see the difference that seven years can make in technology! Most of these pictures are from my first digital camera. If you compare these photos with the quality of my more recent ones from my trips to Nepal and Morocco, the difference is astounding! Thank goodness for modern technology! I’ve also had to scan a few of the photos in as I took them with my other camera at the time. This explains the grainy quality. I felt it was more important to “show” all of South Africa even if some of the pictures weren’t the best quality. Hope you enjoy!
Part of the reason why South Africa is such a magical place is because she is blessed with an immensely varied terrain which provides a vast array of flora and fauna. When most people think of South Africa, they immediately dream of her Big Game Parks and are perhaps unaware that South Africa is also has one of the most varied botanic kingdoms in the world (over 9,000 different species on its fertile, mountainous slopes).
South Africa’s rugged coastline features gorgeous white sandy beaches, rolling hills covered in vineyards, craggy green mountains (such as Cape Town’s famous natural landmark, Table Mountain), lush, tropical botanical gardens and of course, the world famous savanna land where the lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, zebras, wildebeests, giraffes, and more roam.
The southern tip of South Africa is an adventure-lovers paradise offering hiking, biking, golfing, paragliding, surfing and beach sports abound not to mention world class dining, shopping, entertainment and culture. Cape Town is often considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world and when I first saw this spectacular city, her aura, beauty, excitement and adventure captivated my heart and soul.
Some of the outdoor highlights of our second day in Cape Town included a hike at Table Mountain, a visit to the spectacular Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, and an afternoon spent in Clifton Beach.
Riding the Gondola up to Table Mountain (often covered in a gorgeous “tablecloth” of clouds):
It’s a long way down:
Views of Cape Town fron the top of Table Mountain:
Next stop: A Visit to lovely Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, arguably one of the most beautiful gardens in the world, containing 8,000 of South Africa’s 22,000 plant species!
South Africa’s Grand Protea, my favorite flower of all….normally the size of an adult hand!
Another favorite of mine, The Bird of Paradise….
Lush, tropical greenery!
Located only about 15-20 minutes away from the center of Cape Town,is the local white sand beaches. We decided to walk there and here are the photos along the way to Clifton Beach.
Leaving our hotel, we followed the sidewalks around the jagged coast. Here is a gorgeous pool right against a delightful ocean backdrop…
The wild, rocky coastline:
Our destination awaits…
Entering Clifton Beach…notice this is where the ultra wealthy live….
Some lucky person’s house….
Main drag along Clifton beach:
Some cabbies from the Rainbow Nation happy to have their photo taken:
In search of an outdoor cafe or restaurant for a wine-indulging lunch facing the beach:
View of the beach town where everyone comes to hang out and have fun:
The gorgous Clifton Beach:
Next stop….South Africa’s Wine Country…..stay tuned!!!!
Getting to know South Africa better: Some noteworthy facts about South Africa (Statistics found from www.statssa.gov.za)
Population (2010): 49.99 million. Composition–black 79.4%; white 9.2%;
colored 8.7%; Asian (Indian) 2.7%. (2010 Mid-Year Population Estimate Report at http://www.statssa.gov.za)
Annual population growth rate (2009): 1.2%.
Languages: Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho,
Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, and Xitsonga (all official languages).
Religions: Predominantly Christian; traditional African, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish..
Health: Infant mortality rate (2010)–47 per 1,000 live births. Life expectancy–55.2 yrs. women; 53.3 yrs. men. (Health data from 2010 Mid-Year Population Estimate Report: http://www.statssa.gov.za)
Economy
GDP (2009): $287 billion.
Real GDP growth rate: (2008) 3.7%; (2009) -1.8%; (5-year average) 3.7%.
