Enjoy a Day at the Races in South Africa Thursday, Jun 4 2009

Not many people think of enjoying a day at the races whilst visiting South Africa, but this country has a large and well established horse racing community. In fact, there are probably more thoroughbreds in South Africa than there are horses of any other breed and there is usually at least one full mile track located at the outskirts of every large city. Many of these tracks are named after more famous counterparts in the US or UK, such as Arlington which is located in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Other tracks host regular annual events, such as the Durban July race meet, which are akin to the Kentucky Derby in nature. The event is a collaboration of chic fashion and beautiful horses and people from all walks of life come to the event to enjoy the festivities.

Horse Racing in South Africa is well-developed and the events are organized and administered by several major horse racing organizations. Both off-track and live race wagering is permitted by law and the thoroughbred horse racing industry is flourishing. Unfortunately, international racing opportunities are limited by an endemic disease which affects horses living on the African continent. African Horse Sickness (AHS) is a severe and sometimes fatal disease which attacks the upper respiratory system and circulatory system. Though the disease is not contagious, it is easily and quickly spread by culicoides midges who become infected after biting an infected horse and who then go on to infect healthy horses. While horses can be immunized against the disease, there are nine different strains of the disease and the vaccine is not 100% effective. Though most horses are immunised on a yearly basis, many still die from the disease each season. Interestingly enough, the only species of equine resistant to the disease is the zebra. The prevalence of this disease severely limits the exportation of horses in general, though certain AHS free zones have been established in an attempt to overcome this obstacle.

Because of this, you will seldom see or hear of South African race horses racing in American or European races. A number can be exported to Asian countries such as Singapore and Hong Kong where quarantine is less lengthy and often a lot of the country’s best horses will enjoy a short career in international racing in these countries before retirement. If you simply love the sport, why not catch a few horse races in South Africa? The bigger race days come highly recommended.

Source: http://www.southafrica.com
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Kruger Park Friday, May 8 2009

One area that must be seen by anyone visiting South Africa is the Kruger National Park and the adjacent Lowveld. This area borders the northernmost reaches of the Drakensberg range of mountains, and it is here that the Highveld drops dramatically down almost shear cliffs to the lowveld. The Kruger National Park stretches from the border with Zimbabwe in the north to the Swaziland border in the south. The park is bordered in the east by Mozambique and is between 100 and 150 kilometres wide. Altogether there are nearly 150 mammalian species and more than 500 bird species. The park is certainly the most important game reserve in the whole of southern Africa, and is soon to be made even more important when it is joined with parks in Zimbabwe and Mozambique to form a giant cross-border park.

Outside the park to the south is an agricultural region that produces a large proportion of South Africa’s tropical fruits. The early San people lived in these regions, and there are many remains of ancient paintings to be found in caves in the area. The capital of this area is Nelspruit, a now booming town that was once a quiet small town with just a businessman’s hotel. Nelspruit is the perfect base for visits to the Kruger National Park, Barberton, Pilgrim’s Rest, Sabie and Maputo. In the extreme south of the area is the Badplaas (Bathplace) where a Swazi chief once made a gift of a hot sulphur spring to a white trader. The town is now well known for its hot sulphur mineral baths. In the same area is Barberton, named after Barber’s reef – a rich gold reef in previous days.

Source: South Africa Tourism

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Restaurants in Cape Town Monday, Apr 6 2009

With the mystical beauty of Table Mountain looming over the city and the refreshing waters of the ocean lapping the shore not far away, Cape Town offers some of the most breathtaking dining spots in the country. And with its cosmopolitan, classy atmosphere you can expect to enjoy plenty of excellent dining options. The city is filled with a wide variety of restaurants, hotels, fast food outlets, steak houses, pub and grills and coffee shops. So if you are in the mood you can dress up for a night out in an exquisite, top-class hotel or five-star restaurant, Cape Town is the place to go. Or, if you prefer, you can just take it easy and pick up a snack for a light picnic on top of a mountain overlooking the lights of the city during the evening or the sparkling dark blue sea during the day.

The city of Cape Town has dining options to suit all tastes and budgets. In addition to this, the city is near the heart of the South African Winelands, so you can expect to enjoy a wide variety of award winning South African wines, schnapps, aperitifs, fruit juices and spring water – the perfect compliment to a delicious plate of food. To help you decide where to start, we’ve listed some of the top Cape Town restaurants below. There is a lot to choose from, so take your time to make the right choice for you.

Read Further: SouthAfrica.com

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GETTING OUT OF TOWN; Cape Town Monday, Mar 2 2009

One of South Africa’s most pleasant weekend getaways is to Franschhoek, a sleepy farm town in a lush valley of the Cape wine country, about 50 miles east of Cape Town. The town’s name means French Corner in Afrikaans, and it was settled three centuries ago by French Huguenots fleeing religious persecution. They were assimilated into the larger colony of Dutch pioneers, whose descendants all now speak Afrikaans. But most of the graceful wine estates surrounding Franschhoek retain French names, like La Motte, l’Ormarins and Dieu Donne.

Franschhoek offers pleasant walks in the valley and surrounding mountains or a visit to the Huguenot Memorial Museum. You can also spend time tasting vintages at the 13 local wineries. My favorite is the fume blanc, a white sauvignon aged in oak casks imported from France.

Stay overnight at Auberge du Quartier Francais, a relatively inexpensive new inn built around one of the best restaurants on the Cape wine route. It offers 14 spacious rooms arranged in Victorian-style buildings that face a small swimming pool. My last dinner there included a cold tomato mousse, roast salmon on a bed of fragrant spinach and, for dessert, a delicate lemon tart, all accompanied by a chilled bottle of La Motte Blanc Fume. For lunch, drive a scant 15 minutes into the mountains and eat at La Petite Ferme, a thatched-roof restaurant overlooking the ripening vineyards. The pastoral tranquillity of Franschhoek has become so popular among Capetonians that hotel and restaurant reservations are essential.

Source: The New York Times

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