South Africa’s Woodstock

By Doug

Sep

14

There are no places on the planet like South Africa.  It is one of the most exciting tourist locations these days, with luscious beaches that have some of the clearest waters on the globe, an exciting night life with a music scene that continues to evolve over millennia of developments, great golf, and cultural festivals and events that mark the enormous diversity of the place.  It also has an enormously rich and complicated history, and today people can visit monuments that remember the years of struggle behind and ahead.  It is a spectacular of memory, culture, and nature, and there are many reasons to visit here.  If travelers are looking for excellent cuisine and fine luxury hotels, South Africa can certainly accommodate.

We’ve carefully selected our hotels to represent the best of what South Africa can offer.  Located in all the country’s hotspots, there is something for everyone, and we’ve chosen our offerings based on their exceedingly high levels of service, comfort, and design.  When traveling in a place as vibrant, heady, and interesting as South Africa, you’ll certainly want lodgings where you can rejuvenate in splendor.  After a lovely meal and and a fantastic rest, you’ll want to have a look around, and see what adventures await you.  If you happen to like music, you’re extremely lucky, because this is where many of the world’s great rhythms and musical styles are born.

The local clubs will more often than not have live musicians playing, as the country draws young hopefuls from all over.  In local music, you may hear some of the bands who get chosen for Woodstock.  South Africa does have a Woodstock, and now in its 10th year, some call it the only Woodstock.  It got its name as a placeholder, when the organizer was putting it together for the first year, and the name stuck.  It’s now too late to call it anything else, because the idea for this turns out to be a good one.  This Woodstock is a four-day festival with 75 bands playing on different stages, and attracts thousands every year.  There are plenty of things to do outside of seeing music, as it was developed with kids in mind.  This is a fantastic way to get to know the local culture, or to simply watch for the bands playing a stage near wherever you might happen to be.

South Africa Here I Come

By Doug

Sep

9

With the approaching winter coming on I think about the all too needed winter get away that will be necessary by Jan or early Feb. I like heading south of the equator where it is summer while we freeze in winters snow and ice. Other years have included trips to South America: Argentina Buenos Aries and the Pampas were very memorable and Brazil was a blast dancing a parting late into the hot tropical nights and days of sunning by the beach. Last year was Australia but this year I am thinking of something a little more exotic. Some where like Cape Town. So I am looking into Cape Town South Africa hotels and accommodations for my upcoming trip out o the winter. It is the short day, the cloudiness and the dismal weather that makes me need to plan this annual get away for the winter to somewhere I can get the promise of summers returning one day to where I live. In South Africa I want to go tot the wine country. Tour some wineries and sample the wines that the South African wineries have to offer. Other than that I don’t have or want to make any other plans. Simply an arrival date a departure date somewhere to stay and that is it. The rest of the time I will be laying it by ear. No plans schedules or stresses on my time to me in general. Relaxing will being order and sunning to bring up the mood. i like to keep everything else as a though and idea so I don;t have to feel pressured to make a schedule or meet time frames. Walking along the beach without any time restraints sounds like a winner of a day to me and what could be more relaxing and recharging any way.

Beads From South Africa

By Doug

Aug

18

The geometric designs of South African bead work are simply amazing! Stunning colors along with seemingly endless design patterns. I was amazed at all the art work avail for sale and show in the 5 star hotels lobby gift shops. Beads have been around for ever, well at least 30,000 years. Glass manufacturing techniques in the mid 1800′s increased the volume of beads available tremendously. Venitian glass factories produced in the millions of pounds of beads annualy for trade on the African continent. From the beginning of time bead production has been a part of every society. The adornment communicating class, wealth, occupation and religion. An important evaloution was the use of the beads for prayer and ritual. Throughout the world malas or prayer beads were strung for the clergy and lay people alike. With the rich and long history these beads have made their way around the world. Representing the very first money these objets were traded far and wide, many times going to places unknown and unintended by the creator. Much of this trading took place on the African continent giving them a rich history and the presence of beads made from throughout the world. Today beads are manufactured from every material known, paper, metals, plastics, fibers, glass, stone, wood, ceramic, clay and bone just to mention a few. Beads are made everywhere, Hong Kong, India, Thailand, Japan, USA, China, Mexico and on. New techniques in cutting with lasers offer an endless variety of shapes and designs that can be manufactured with values from nearly nothing to priceless. With new process coming along the endless desire for adornment the evolution of beads will not end as long as there are people to enjoy them.