(An edited version of this column first appeared in the 28th July 2019 issue of The Free Press Journal newspaper's Weekend section on page 3 https://www.freepressjournal.in/weekend/india-inspired-iconic-dishes-from-across-the-globe)
Showing posts with label SOUTH AFRICA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SOUTH AFRICA. Show all posts
Sunday, July 28, 2019
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Summer Travel—Your Way!
Summer travel is all about making the most of that much-needed vacation time. And so, we’ve put together a list of exciting getaways around the world for all sorts of travellers—be they couples on a romantic break or the solo adventurer on their own wanderlust-driven path.
By Raul Dias
For Full Family Fun
Toronto in Canada
Almost every year, this vibrant Canadian city makes it to the top of the list of the world’s most family-friendly destinations. And rightly so! Come summer and this usually frigid city blossoms into a family fun paradise with scores of attractions that have something for every member. The well-maintained Toronto Zoo is a paradise for animal lovers with everything from Canada’s native polar bears to baby rhinos and hundreds of other creatures there to see. Prefer the more aquatic kind of adventures? Then a deep-sea adventure awaits at Ripley’s Aquarium. The Bat Cave at the Royal Ontario Museum is a fun way for kids to discover the real stories behind these mysterious creatures. And for the sportier families, scale to the top of the CNN Tower and earn yourself a panoramic view of the city. But for a truly memorable vacation, head down to the Canadian side of the mighty Niagara Falls just over an hour by road from Toronto. Once there, take a ride aboard the Hornblower Niagara Cruise in the morning and head off on an aerial tour of the falls with National Helicopters in the afternoon.
Getting There: There are daily direct and connecting flights from both Mumbai and New Delhi and other Indian cities to Toronto on airlines like Air India, Jet Airways, Air Canada and Emirates.
For the Romantic Couple
Turtle Island in Fiji
Picture this. The two of you on a private beach somewhere in the South Pacific with the soft white sand squeaking under your feet, a calm breeze lulling you into sweet submission, while the azure waters provide the ambient soundtrack with their gentle lapping… Bliss, right? But what’s even better about this montage is that it can be your very own reality at the super-exclusive Turtle Island in Fiji’s Yasawa chain. As part of this all-inclusive island resort—that is home to only 14 couples at a time—you even get access to your very own private beach that is only one of the 14 others that the resort is famous for. From there, your eyes are met with stunning vistas of the renowned Blue Lagoon which is an icon of Fiji, having featured in the 1980’s movie of the same name. Besides a romantic private dinner and couples’ massages, the resort even tailor-makes all your aquatic adventure requirements, be it snorkelling or swimming with the dolphins. Ah, bliss!
Getting There: Connect from most cities in India to Nadi, Fiji via Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific in association with partner airline Fiji Airways. From Nadi, one can reach Turtle Island by taking a 30-minute seaplane flight.
For the Solo Traveller
Safaris and More in South Africa
There is very little doubt that for most travellers, the words ‘South Africa’ and ‘Safaris’ go hand-in-hand. Home to a wondrous selection of wildlife, including the coveted Big 5, the iconic national parks like Limpopo’s Kruger and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in Upington are the best places to get your fill. And better still if you’re a solo traveller. Most safari resorts like the Hamiltons Tented Camp in Kurger offer up a variety of activities from daily group safari drives to nightly bonfire BBQs where you can meet and swap stories with fellow solo guests. And once you’ve got your fill of the country’s number one calling card, head down to the Garden Route in South Africa’s Western Cape region which is just the place to indulge your every adrenaline-laced fantasy. With everything from cave exploring at the magnificent Cango Caves in the Klein Karoo area to bungy jumping at the world’s highest bungy off the Bloukrans Bridge (that fords over the Bloukrans River valley at a height of 216 meters!), the Garden Route has it all and then some more for the solo adventure seeker.
Getting There: The best way to get to South Africa from India is via Dubai on Emirates that has daily flights to and from Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. Once in South Africa, you can hire a car and drive to most national parks and down to the Garden Route as well.
For a Memorable ‘Pet-a-cation’
New York in the USA
For most of us with pets, the idea of leaving them alone while we waltz off on a vacation is pretty traumatic. No longer. As one of the world’s greatest pet-friendly cities, New York has a plethora of hotels—from the iconic The Peninsula near Central Park to the Hilton Times Square—that are more than happy to welcome you and your pet. Among one of the best hotels in the city, The Conrad in fashionable Lower Manhattan is so pet-friendly that guests travelling with their pets also have access to dog beds, bandanas, food bowls and additional amenities through the hotel’s pet program. It even provides you with private GPS-tracked dog walking services, which include a map of the route travelled, arrival and departure times, and a recap and photos of your pooch’s adventure. And for those travelling sans pet, but craving some non-human company, the Roxy Hotel Tribeca, one of Manhattan’s most stylish boutique hotels will even offer its in-house posse of goldfish to guests—free of charge—for the duration of their stay!
Getting There: There are daily direct flights from both Mumbai and New Delhi to New York on airlines like Air India, Jet Airways, Delta and United Airlines.
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the April-May-June 2019 issue of HDFC Imperia magazine)
By Raul Dias
For Full Family Fun
Toronto in Canada
Almost every year, this vibrant Canadian city makes it to the top of the list of the world’s most family-friendly destinations. And rightly so! Come summer and this usually frigid city blossoms into a family fun paradise with scores of attractions that have something for every member. The well-maintained Toronto Zoo is a paradise for animal lovers with everything from Canada’s native polar bears to baby rhinos and hundreds of other creatures there to see. Prefer the more aquatic kind of adventures? Then a deep-sea adventure awaits at Ripley’s Aquarium. The Bat Cave at the Royal Ontario Museum is a fun way for kids to discover the real stories behind these mysterious creatures. And for the sportier families, scale to the top of the CNN Tower and earn yourself a panoramic view of the city. But for a truly memorable vacation, head down to the Canadian side of the mighty Niagara Falls just over an hour by road from Toronto. Once there, take a ride aboard the Hornblower Niagara Cruise in the morning and head off on an aerial tour of the falls with National Helicopters in the afternoon.
Getting There: There are daily direct and connecting flights from both Mumbai and New Delhi and other Indian cities to Toronto on airlines like Air India, Jet Airways, Air Canada and Emirates.
For the Romantic Couple
Turtle Island in Fiji
Picture this. The two of you on a private beach somewhere in the South Pacific with the soft white sand squeaking under your feet, a calm breeze lulling you into sweet submission, while the azure waters provide the ambient soundtrack with their gentle lapping… Bliss, right? But what’s even better about this montage is that it can be your very own reality at the super-exclusive Turtle Island in Fiji’s Yasawa chain. As part of this all-inclusive island resort—that is home to only 14 couples at a time—you even get access to your very own private beach that is only one of the 14 others that the resort is famous for. From there, your eyes are met with stunning vistas of the renowned Blue Lagoon which is an icon of Fiji, having featured in the 1980’s movie of the same name. Besides a romantic private dinner and couples’ massages, the resort even tailor-makes all your aquatic adventure requirements, be it snorkelling or swimming with the dolphins. Ah, bliss!
Getting There: Connect from most cities in India to Nadi, Fiji via Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific in association with partner airline Fiji Airways. From Nadi, one can reach Turtle Island by taking a 30-minute seaplane flight.
For the Solo Traveller
Safaris and More in South Africa
There is very little doubt that for most travellers, the words ‘South Africa’ and ‘Safaris’ go hand-in-hand. Home to a wondrous selection of wildlife, including the coveted Big 5, the iconic national parks like Limpopo’s Kruger and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in Upington are the best places to get your fill. And better still if you’re a solo traveller. Most safari resorts like the Hamiltons Tented Camp in Kurger offer up a variety of activities from daily group safari drives to nightly bonfire BBQs where you can meet and swap stories with fellow solo guests. And once you’ve got your fill of the country’s number one calling card, head down to the Garden Route in South Africa’s Western Cape region which is just the place to indulge your every adrenaline-laced fantasy. With everything from cave exploring at the magnificent Cango Caves in the Klein Karoo area to bungy jumping at the world’s highest bungy off the Bloukrans Bridge (that fords over the Bloukrans River valley at a height of 216 meters!), the Garden Route has it all and then some more for the solo adventure seeker.
Getting There: The best way to get to South Africa from India is via Dubai on Emirates that has daily flights to and from Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. Once in South Africa, you can hire a car and drive to most national parks and down to the Garden Route as well.
For a Memorable ‘Pet-a-cation’
New York in the USA
For most of us with pets, the idea of leaving them alone while we waltz off on a vacation is pretty traumatic. No longer. As one of the world’s greatest pet-friendly cities, New York has a plethora of hotels—from the iconic The Peninsula near Central Park to the Hilton Times Square—that are more than happy to welcome you and your pet. Among one of the best hotels in the city, The Conrad in fashionable Lower Manhattan is so pet-friendly that guests travelling with their pets also have access to dog beds, bandanas, food bowls and additional amenities through the hotel’s pet program. It even provides you with private GPS-tracked dog walking services, which include a map of the route travelled, arrival and departure times, and a recap and photos of your pooch’s adventure. And for those travelling sans pet, but craving some non-human company, the Roxy Hotel Tribeca, one of Manhattan’s most stylish boutique hotels will even offer its in-house posse of goldfish to guests—free of charge—for the duration of their stay!
Getting There: There are daily direct flights from both Mumbai and New Delhi to New York on airlines like Air India, Jet Airways, Delta and United Airlines.
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the April-May-June 2019 issue of HDFC Imperia magazine)
Saturday, September 8, 2018
A Serving of Diversity
With a cuisine that’s heavily influenced by a mish-mash of exotic flavours, both indigenous and colonial, South Africa has a lot on its platter…literally!
By Raul Dias
From the Dutch-influenced, meaty excesses of a typically Afrikaner braai grill-a-thon to the ingenious underpinnings of the decidedly Indian bunny chow and a whole lot more in between—including vigorous nods to the Far East—the cuisine of South Africa is a true reflection of the country’s ‘Rainbow Nation’ epithet. All this, with plenty of exotic tastes—both indigenous and colonial—thrown in for good measure.
Thrill of the Grill
Loathe to call itself a barbecue (which is a mere sauce condiment in South Africa), a traditional braai is a garden grill out that’s hosted by almost every family in the country come summer. Adapted by the former Dutch colonialists, the Afrikaners, from the ancient technique of grilling and roasting freshly hunted meat by the country’s indigenous Khoisan people, a braai is all about generously cut beef steaks basted with the fruity monkeygland sauce along with juicy pork ribs, lamb chops and sausages, among other callously carnivorous offerings.
With its own set of rules, a braai might seem like an outdated, misogynistic ritual where the grilling of meats on the braai (as the actual coal-lit grill is called) is the domain of the man of the house, while the women take care of the side dishes and desserts. And not to mention anathema for most vegetarians, with the odd salad and dainty cheese-tomato-onion grilled sandwiches called braai broodtjies thrown in as a sort of feeble ‘peace offering’, as it were.
Known multifariously as pap, phutu or mieliepap, and providing the roughage to the braai spread, pap is a hearty, traditional African porridge-meets-polenta-like dish. Made from coarse corn meal boiled in hot water with butter and salt, it is often served with a sweetish, relish-like sauce called chakalaka made with tomato and onion, with bacon, cheese and corn kernels added to provide some additional heft to it. In some parts of South Africa, particularly among the Sotho-Tswana people, it is simply known as ting and their version is a sorghum-based pap that’s got a tangy hit to it thanks to it being fermented for two days before serving.
No braai can ever be complete without a couple of lamb sosaties thrown onto the grill. Similar to kababs or shashliks, sosaties are cubes of meat alternated by a dried apricot and a strip of bacon, all fastened onto tiny wooden skewers with a generous sprinkling of curry powder and turmeric in their mXarinade giving them a nice Indian zing.
Colonial Connections
Speaking of India, the city of Durban in South Africa’s Eastern KwaZulu-Natal province is not just home to the country’s largest number of people of Indian origin, but also for the fiendishly popular dish called bunny chow. An ingenious 19th Century invention of the indentured Indian sugarcane field workers, who found a canny way of carrying their lunch curries to work in hollowed out loaves of breads without spilling them, bunny chow today sees many iterations. With unctuous curries of meat, chicken, beans and vegetables all ensconced in fluffy loaves of white bread. And it is this quarter loaf of bread that has also resulted in bunny chow’s more colloquial moniker of kota (quarter) as Durbanites call their favourite any-time snack.
Also doing well to reference South Africa’s Indian connection is the roasted coriander, black pepper, nutmeg and cloves spice blend that goes into the coiled beef-lamb-pork boerewors sausages that have originated from the traditional (and less spicy) Dutch verse worst sausages. A dried version of boerewors called droëwors are popular South African game time snacks to munch on.
Another immigrant group that has greatly influenced the South African palate are the Cape Malay people of Cape Town who came from Indonesia along with the Dutch East India Company. With its fluffy, savoury egg custard top and its raisin-cinnamon-curry powder spiked minced lamb base, the Cape Malay baked dish bobotie is based on the traditional Indonesian bobotok which is a steamed dish of minced fish and coconut milk.
A delicious relic of South Africa’s Cape Dutch lineage from the country’s Western Cape region, malva pudding with its perfectly moist with a gooey center is always drenched in vanilla custard and served warm. Another dessert favourite is the cinnamon- and nutmeg-dusted, fried doughnut-like twisted Afrikaner-Cape Malay pastry called koeksisters. A great way to punctuate a typically South African feast that’s truly from here, there and everywhere!
(A shorter, differently edited version of this article appeared in the 8th September 2018 issue of the Mint Lounge newspaper, India on page 10 https://www.livemint.com/Home-Page/v2domOLNFSajuEmS4YQzXL/Cape-of-feasts.html)
By Raul Dias
From the Dutch-influenced, meaty excesses of a typically Afrikaner braai grill-a-thon to the ingenious underpinnings of the decidedly Indian bunny chow and a whole lot more in between—including vigorous nods to the Far East—the cuisine of South Africa is a true reflection of the country’s ‘Rainbow Nation’ epithet. All this, with plenty of exotic tastes—both indigenous and colonial—thrown in for good measure.
Thrill of the Grill
Loathe to call itself a barbecue (which is a mere sauce condiment in South Africa), a traditional braai is a garden grill out that’s hosted by almost every family in the country come summer. Adapted by the former Dutch colonialists, the Afrikaners, from the ancient technique of grilling and roasting freshly hunted meat by the country’s indigenous Khoisan people, a braai is all about generously cut beef steaks basted with the fruity monkeygland sauce along with juicy pork ribs, lamb chops and sausages, among other callously carnivorous offerings.
With its own set of rules, a braai might seem like an outdated, misogynistic ritual where the grilling of meats on the braai (as the actual coal-lit grill is called) is the domain of the man of the house, while the women take care of the side dishes and desserts. And not to mention anathema for most vegetarians, with the odd salad and dainty cheese-tomato-onion grilled sandwiches called braai broodtjies thrown in as a sort of feeble ‘peace offering’, as it were.
Known multifariously as pap, phutu or mieliepap, and providing the roughage to the braai spread, pap is a hearty, traditional African porridge-meets-polenta-like dish. Made from coarse corn meal boiled in hot water with butter and salt, it is often served with a sweetish, relish-like sauce called chakalaka made with tomato and onion, with bacon, cheese and corn kernels added to provide some additional heft to it. In some parts of South Africa, particularly among the Sotho-Tswana people, it is simply known as ting and their version is a sorghum-based pap that’s got a tangy hit to it thanks to it being fermented for two days before serving.
No braai can ever be complete without a couple of lamb sosaties thrown onto the grill. Similar to kababs or shashliks, sosaties are cubes of meat alternated by a dried apricot and a strip of bacon, all fastened onto tiny wooden skewers with a generous sprinkling of curry powder and turmeric in their mXarinade giving them a nice Indian zing.
Colonial Connections
Speaking of India, the city of Durban in South Africa’s Eastern KwaZulu-Natal province is not just home to the country’s largest number of people of Indian origin, but also for the fiendishly popular dish called bunny chow. An ingenious 19th Century invention of the indentured Indian sugarcane field workers, who found a canny way of carrying their lunch curries to work in hollowed out loaves of breads without spilling them, bunny chow today sees many iterations. With unctuous curries of meat, chicken, beans and vegetables all ensconced in fluffy loaves of white bread. And it is this quarter loaf of bread that has also resulted in bunny chow’s more colloquial moniker of kota (quarter) as Durbanites call their favourite any-time snack.
Also doing well to reference South Africa’s Indian connection is the roasted coriander, black pepper, nutmeg and cloves spice blend that goes into the coiled beef-lamb-pork boerewors sausages that have originated from the traditional (and less spicy) Dutch verse worst sausages. A dried version of boerewors called droëwors are popular South African game time snacks to munch on.
Another immigrant group that has greatly influenced the South African palate are the Cape Malay people of Cape Town who came from Indonesia along with the Dutch East India Company. With its fluffy, savoury egg custard top and its raisin-cinnamon-curry powder spiked minced lamb base, the Cape Malay baked dish bobotie is based on the traditional Indonesian bobotok which is a steamed dish of minced fish and coconut milk.
A delicious relic of South Africa’s Cape Dutch lineage from the country’s Western Cape region, malva pudding with its perfectly moist with a gooey center is always drenched in vanilla custard and served warm. Another dessert favourite is the cinnamon- and nutmeg-dusted, fried doughnut-like twisted Afrikaner-Cape Malay pastry called koeksisters. A great way to punctuate a typically South African feast that’s truly from here, there and everywhere!
(A shorter, differently edited version of this article appeared in the 8th September 2018 issue of the Mint Lounge newspaper, India on page 10 https://www.livemint.com/Home-Page/v2domOLNFSajuEmS4YQzXL/Cape-of-feasts.html)
Saturday, June 30, 2018
South Africa’s Other Big 5!
As one of the world’s newest adventure sports capitals South Africa is more than just a world-class safari destination. And the Garden Route in the country’s Western Cape region is just the place to indulge your every adrenaline-laced fantasy, as Raul Dias recently discovered.
By Raul Dias
Hugging the Indian Ocean with all its might, South Africa’s stunning Garden Route—or to use the local Afrikaner name ‘Tuinroete’—is one of the most popular drives in the world you could ever take. Stretching a languid, 300 kilometres along the south-western coast of South Africa which extends from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to the Storms River in the Eastern Cape, the route takes in the beauty of places like Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Mossel Bay and George among others.
Here, nestled amidst the imposing Swartberg mountains you will also find the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma indigenous forests. You will see a unique mixture of Cape Fynbos and Temperate Forest here, where you can indulge in the many hiking trails and eco- and adventure-tourism activities. Speaking of which, cast aside all preconceived notions of South Africa being a safari stronghold and think adrenaline-pumping, daredevilry when in this region. With everything from cave exploring to bungy jumping and shark cage diving, the Garden Route has it all and then some more.
We bring you South Africa’s ‘Other Big 5’…
1. Great White Shark Diving
With probably the most accessible Great White Sharks in the world, Seal Island in Mossel Bay is only 2 kilometres from the harbour and very close to the local beach. Once you meet the shark diving crew, you can enjoy a light breakfast and will receive a safety briefing about the boat and the trip to come. Arriving at anchor site, the crew will immediately start to chum the water to attract the sharks which consists of natural marine products and fish which is natural to their diet. Once the sharks are around the boat and comfortable with the boat, the cage will be dropped into the water and attached to the side of the boat. Then you will be lowered into the cage and your close encounter with good old ‘Jaws’ will begin! Interestingly, you do not need any experience in diving to do the shark cage dive, as this is a simple surface dive and non-technical. (www.sharkzone.co.za)
2. Go Cave Exploring at Cango
The magnificent Cango Caves in the Klein Karoo area of the Garden Route are regarded as South Africa’s largest show caves. And rightly so! Discovered by Dutch colonists in 1780, the caves are said to have begun forming 20 million years ago when acidic ground water chemically eroded the 100-million-year-old limestone rock. Take the daily adventure tour and visit the deepest sections of the caves. Once inside the 5.3 kilometres long caves, put aside any latent claustrophobia, as you wriggle and slither your way into the bowels of the cold, damp caves. Make sure to stop every now and then to ogle at the dramatic melted wax-like formations of stalactites and stalagmites. And they have equally dramatic monikers like ‘Bridal Chamber’, ‘Cleopatra’s Needle’ and ‘Frozen Waterfall’ to name a few. (www.cango-caves.co.za)
3. Ride an Ostrich!
Oudtshoorn is famous for its huge ostrich population, which thrive in the semi-desert conditions. To ride an ostrich, you need to visit one of the town’s many ostrich show farms like Highgate. Here, you can first observe large flocks of ostriches at various stages of development. You will then be instructed on how to hold on along with the commands to be employed to stop the bird and off you go for the ride of your life. And once you’re done with your ostrich race, make sure to add to the adventure and try an ostrich steak or an ostrich egg (which feeds 20 people). You can also visit the shop on site and purchase exclusive leather handbags and feather boas and a variety of decorated and plain ostrich eggshells. (www.highgate.co.za)
4. Close Encounter Whale Watching
With the only close encounter whale watching permit holder for the greater Knysna area, Ocean Odyssey takes you on its 26-seater boat for a spot of whale watching. Departing from Thesen Harbour Town, an island off the main Knysna coast, the boat cruises across the sweeping Knysna estuary and out to sea through the iconic Knysna Heads in search of both the Southern Right and Humpback whales. These two species of whales are said to leave their icy feeding grounds off Antarctica and migrate and calve in the warmer waters of this coastline and chances of sighting a few are very good here. But don’t worry. Even if the mighty gentle giants of the ocean prove to be elusive the day you set out to visit them, their playful companions—the bottlenose dolphins are always present along the Knysna Heads to show you a wonderful time! (www.oceanodyssey.co.za)
5. Jump the World’s Highest Bungy Jump
We’ve truly saved the best…or, rather the most dreaded of all Garden Route activities for last! Combining the thrills of a bungy jump and of being part of a Guinness World Record, this jump off the Bloukrans Bridge that fords over the Bloukrans River valley at a depth of 216 meters, is terrifying to say the very least, but worth every ounce of adrenaline that kicks in once you’re done with it. Recognised as the ‘highest bungy from a bridge’ in the world, the Bloukrans Bungy uses pendulum bungy technology to ensure that you get to enjoy a 360-degree view of the beautiful Tsitsikamma National Park and of Africa’s highest bridge. But one needn’t do the bungy to enjoy the view, Face Adrenalin, the guys who conduct the jump, also offer ziplining and a walk under the bridge for non-jumpers. (www.faceadrenalin.com)
FACT FILE
Getting there
Although there are no direct flights from India to South Africa at the moment, the best way to get there is via Dubai on Emirates that has daily flights to and from Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. Once in South Africa, you can hire a car and drive down the Garden Route. Book a car at www.avis.co.za, www.europcar.co.za or www.budget.co.za. Indian passport holders need a visa to enter South Africa, which is easy to procure via the VFS facility.
When to visit
Because South Africa is situated in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are in reverse. This means that spring (mid-September to November) through to summer (late November to March) are ideal times for a vacation along the Garden Route when the temperature hovers between a comfortable 19C to 25C.
Accommodation
The Garden Route has an excellent selection of hotels to choose from to suit all budgets and tastes. Some of the best options are:
* Turnberry Boutique Hotel (www.turnberryhotel.co.za) in Oudtshoorn
* Belvidere Manor Hotel (www.belvidere.co.za) in Knysna
* Park House Lodge (www.parkhouse.co.za) in Mossel Bay
(An edited version of this article appeared in the 29th June 2018 issue of the Afternoon Despatch & Courier newspaper, India on pages 14 and 15 http://www.afternoondc.in/48-hrs/south-africas-other-big-5/article_225973)
By Raul Dias
Hugging the Indian Ocean with all its might, South Africa’s stunning Garden Route—or to use the local Afrikaner name ‘Tuinroete’—is one of the most popular drives in the world you could ever take. Stretching a languid, 300 kilometres along the south-western coast of South Africa which extends from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to the Storms River in the Eastern Cape, the route takes in the beauty of places like Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Mossel Bay and George among others.
Here, nestled amidst the imposing Swartberg mountains you will also find the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma indigenous forests. You will see a unique mixture of Cape Fynbos and Temperate Forest here, where you can indulge in the many hiking trails and eco- and adventure-tourism activities. Speaking of which, cast aside all preconceived notions of South Africa being a safari stronghold and think adrenaline-pumping, daredevilry when in this region. With everything from cave exploring to bungy jumping and shark cage diving, the Garden Route has it all and then some more.
We bring you South Africa’s ‘Other Big 5’…
1. Great White Shark Diving
With probably the most accessible Great White Sharks in the world, Seal Island in Mossel Bay is only 2 kilometres from the harbour and very close to the local beach. Once you meet the shark diving crew, you can enjoy a light breakfast and will receive a safety briefing about the boat and the trip to come. Arriving at anchor site, the crew will immediately start to chum the water to attract the sharks which consists of natural marine products and fish which is natural to their diet. Once the sharks are around the boat and comfortable with the boat, the cage will be dropped into the water and attached to the side of the boat. Then you will be lowered into the cage and your close encounter with good old ‘Jaws’ will begin! Interestingly, you do not need any experience in diving to do the shark cage dive, as this is a simple surface dive and non-technical. (www.sharkzone.co.za)
2. Go Cave Exploring at Cango
The magnificent Cango Caves in the Klein Karoo area of the Garden Route are regarded as South Africa’s largest show caves. And rightly so! Discovered by Dutch colonists in 1780, the caves are said to have begun forming 20 million years ago when acidic ground water chemically eroded the 100-million-year-old limestone rock. Take the daily adventure tour and visit the deepest sections of the caves. Once inside the 5.3 kilometres long caves, put aside any latent claustrophobia, as you wriggle and slither your way into the bowels of the cold, damp caves. Make sure to stop every now and then to ogle at the dramatic melted wax-like formations of stalactites and stalagmites. And they have equally dramatic monikers like ‘Bridal Chamber’, ‘Cleopatra’s Needle’ and ‘Frozen Waterfall’ to name a few. (www.cango-caves.co.za)
3. Ride an Ostrich!
Oudtshoorn is famous for its huge ostrich population, which thrive in the semi-desert conditions. To ride an ostrich, you need to visit one of the town’s many ostrich show farms like Highgate. Here, you can first observe large flocks of ostriches at various stages of development. You will then be instructed on how to hold on along with the commands to be employed to stop the bird and off you go for the ride of your life. And once you’re done with your ostrich race, make sure to add to the adventure and try an ostrich steak or an ostrich egg (which feeds 20 people). You can also visit the shop on site and purchase exclusive leather handbags and feather boas and a variety of decorated and plain ostrich eggshells. (www.highgate.co.za)
4. Close Encounter Whale Watching
With the only close encounter whale watching permit holder for the greater Knysna area, Ocean Odyssey takes you on its 26-seater boat for a spot of whale watching. Departing from Thesen Harbour Town, an island off the main Knysna coast, the boat cruises across the sweeping Knysna estuary and out to sea through the iconic Knysna Heads in search of both the Southern Right and Humpback whales. These two species of whales are said to leave their icy feeding grounds off Antarctica and migrate and calve in the warmer waters of this coastline and chances of sighting a few are very good here. But don’t worry. Even if the mighty gentle giants of the ocean prove to be elusive the day you set out to visit them, their playful companions—the bottlenose dolphins are always present along the Knysna Heads to show you a wonderful time! (www.oceanodyssey.co.za)
5. Jump the World’s Highest Bungy Jump
We’ve truly saved the best…or, rather the most dreaded of all Garden Route activities for last! Combining the thrills of a bungy jump and of being part of a Guinness World Record, this jump off the Bloukrans Bridge that fords over the Bloukrans River valley at a depth of 216 meters, is terrifying to say the very least, but worth every ounce of adrenaline that kicks in once you’re done with it. Recognised as the ‘highest bungy from a bridge’ in the world, the Bloukrans Bungy uses pendulum bungy technology to ensure that you get to enjoy a 360-degree view of the beautiful Tsitsikamma National Park and of Africa’s highest bridge. But one needn’t do the bungy to enjoy the view, Face Adrenalin, the guys who conduct the jump, also offer ziplining and a walk under the bridge for non-jumpers. (www.faceadrenalin.com)
FACT FILE
Getting there
Although there are no direct flights from India to South Africa at the moment, the best way to get there is via Dubai on Emirates that has daily flights to and from Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. Once in South Africa, you can hire a car and drive down the Garden Route. Book a car at www.avis.co.za, www.europcar.co.za or www.budget.co.za. Indian passport holders need a visa to enter South Africa, which is easy to procure via the VFS facility.
When to visit
Because South Africa is situated in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are in reverse. This means that spring (mid-September to November) through to summer (late November to March) are ideal times for a vacation along the Garden Route when the temperature hovers between a comfortable 19C to 25C.
Accommodation
The Garden Route has an excellent selection of hotels to choose from to suit all budgets and tastes. Some of the best options are:
* Turnberry Boutique Hotel (www.turnberryhotel.co.za) in Oudtshoorn
* Belvidere Manor Hotel (www.belvidere.co.za) in Knysna
* Park House Lodge (www.parkhouse.co.za) in Mossel Bay
(An edited version of this article appeared in the 29th June 2018 issue of the Afternoon Despatch & Courier newspaper, India on pages 14 and 15 http://www.afternoondc.in/48-hrs/south-africas-other-big-5/article_225973)
Sunday, June 3, 2018
Notes from Durban
By Raul Dias
Durban. Miami. Mumbai. Geographically speaking, there
couldn’t be a more disparate trio of cities. But if there is one very important
factor that links them all together, then that would have to be the abundance
of Art Deco-inspired structures. This architectural style that originated in
the early 1920s in France and flourished worldwide until World War II is characterised
by bold colours, glamorous ornamentation, and geometric shapes—particularly
that of the columnal pilasters that take the eye on an upwards swoop.
Considered the Art Deco capital of not just South Africa, but of all of Africa, Durban that hugs the Indian Ocean provides enough impetus for fans of the architectural style to spend a day or two traipsing about its Art Deco-infested streets.
Considered the Art Deco capital of not just South Africa, but of all of Africa, Durban that hugs the Indian Ocean provides enough impetus for fans of the architectural style to spend a day or two traipsing about its Art Deco-infested streets.
Golden
Mile
Interestingly, just like Miami’s South Beach and Mumbai’s Marine Drive, Durban’s impressive cache of Art Deco buildings can also be found straddling the city’s glamourous waterfront aptly called ‘The Golden Mile’. Stretching from the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the north to the uShaka Beach at the south end, here is where Durban puts on a show with some of the world of Art Deco’s greatest hits on full display!
While some residential buildings, such as Quadrant House on the Victoria Embankment, emphasise the city’s maritime background with its scalloped crenulations and other nautical motifs, there are others that highlight the city’s myriad cultural influences. So, on one hand we see distinct Saracenic architectural influences in buildings such as Ebrahim Court and the Essop Moosa Building, that are built in a style reflecting the interests of Durban’s Muslim traders in the 1930s.
Magnificent structures like the Colonial Mutual Building constructed in 1933 bear numerous African animal influences. Here, we see a virtual menagerie of geometric eagles, antelopes, and lions that intermingle seamlessly with Gothic and Roman-esque designs that take the form of chevrons, sunbursts and fluted columns.
What’s particularly noteworthy about Durban is the fact that the Art Deco architectural movement isn’t merely a relic of the past, but a living, organic part of the cityscape. Constructed in late 2002, at the top end of the Golden Mile, the Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World is a prime example of the city’s Neo Art Deco revival scene with its faux jazz era glitz and glamour.
Interestingly, just like Miami’s South Beach and Mumbai’s Marine Drive, Durban’s impressive cache of Art Deco buildings can also be found straddling the city’s glamourous waterfront aptly called ‘The Golden Mile’. Stretching from the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the north to the uShaka Beach at the south end, here is where Durban puts on a show with some of the world of Art Deco’s greatest hits on full display!
While some residential buildings, such as Quadrant House on the Victoria Embankment, emphasise the city’s maritime background with its scalloped crenulations and other nautical motifs, there are others that highlight the city’s myriad cultural influences. So, on one hand we see distinct Saracenic architectural influences in buildings such as Ebrahim Court and the Essop Moosa Building, that are built in a style reflecting the interests of Durban’s Muslim traders in the 1930s.
Magnificent structures like the Colonial Mutual Building constructed in 1933 bear numerous African animal influences. Here, we see a virtual menagerie of geometric eagles, antelopes, and lions that intermingle seamlessly with Gothic and Roman-esque designs that take the form of chevrons, sunbursts and fluted columns.
What’s particularly noteworthy about Durban is the fact that the Art Deco architectural movement isn’t merely a relic of the past, but a living, organic part of the cityscape. Constructed in late 2002, at the top end of the Golden Mile, the Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World is a prime example of the city’s Neo Art Deco revival scene with its faux jazz era glitz and glamour.
Public
Art For All
And it’s not just residential and commercial buildings that reflect this apparent Art Deco obsession Durban seems to be inflicted with. A post WWII construction—built to celebrate the lives of young men and women who went to war against Fascism—the Memorial Tower Building at the University of KwaZulu Natal is a stunning edifice with a central tower that reminds one of another Art Deco icon, Manhattan’s Empire State Building.
As one of Durban’s earliest Art Deco structures, the Cenotaph in the city’s Albert Luthuli Square was the result of an architectural competition held in 1921. At the base of this Cenotaph, one can find a blue and gold sculpture featuring a fallen warrior—depicting those killed in both world wars—being transported to heaven in the arms of two semi-circular winged angels.
And it’s not just residential and commercial buildings that reflect this apparent Art Deco obsession Durban seems to be inflicted with. A post WWII construction—built to celebrate the lives of young men and women who went to war against Fascism—the Memorial Tower Building at the University of KwaZulu Natal is a stunning edifice with a central tower that reminds one of another Art Deco icon, Manhattan’s Empire State Building.
As one of Durban’s earliest Art Deco structures, the Cenotaph in the city’s Albert Luthuli Square was the result of an architectural competition held in 1921. At the base of this Cenotaph, one can find a blue and gold sculpture featuring a fallen warrior—depicting those killed in both world wars—being transported to heaven in the arms of two semi-circular winged angels.
Preservation
Initiatives
As is the case with most developing cities, a severe lack of funds and city development schemes are often the reasons why such heritage structures fall into disrepair and are thus in fear of becoming derelict with time. And Durban’s situation is no different. To counter this, the Durban Art Deco Society was formed in 1999 to bring public attention to these Art Deco jewels.
While the society encourages owners of Art Deco style buildings to be aware of their heritage and offers advice on restoration and repainting, it also helps raise funds for the same. It does this by organising tours for tourists guided by architects and specialists in conservationist architecture to know more about this movement and its relevance in today’s architectural milieu.
As is the case with most developing cities, a severe lack of funds and city development schemes are often the reasons why such heritage structures fall into disrepair and are thus in fear of becoming derelict with time. And Durban’s situation is no different. To counter this, the Durban Art Deco Society was formed in 1999 to bring public attention to these Art Deco jewels.
While the society encourages owners of Art Deco style buildings to be aware of their heritage and offers advice on restoration and repainting, it also helps raise funds for the same. It does this by organising tours for tourists guided by architects and specialists in conservationist architecture to know more about this movement and its relevance in today’s architectural milieu.
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 3rd June 2018 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 7 http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/travel/notes-from-durban/article24065439.ece)
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Gardens of the Bard
For many, the
concept of a literary garden evokes William Shakespeare and a sweet-perfumed floral
arrangement of rosemary, violets, lilies and roses that find fond mention in
the Bard’s works. No great surprise then, Shakespeare Gardens can be found all
over the world with some landscaped in the style popular during his lifetime,
while some, a riot of flowers, herbs and other botanicals. We take you to a
few…
By Raul Dias
“I
know a bank where the wild thyme blows
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.”
—A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.”
—A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Shakespeare’s
Flowers at the Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
The Golden Gate Park is a mammoth, urban park consisting of 1,017 acres of public grounds with everything from a well-appointed Japanese Tea Garden to hosting the San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum. But neatly tucked away at the intersection of the garden’s Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Middle Drive East is a fecund spot with a sundial at its dead centre. Simply called Shakespeare’s Flowers, this Shakespeare Garden was planted in 1928 under the patronage of Alice Eastwood, the then director of botany for the Academy of Sciences. With over 200 flowers and plants lining this modest-sized garden, visitors can find visual, floral references to the Bard’s staggering body of work. Here, bronze plagues are engraved with notable quotations from his historic comedies, tragedies, and sonnets that accompany the floral arrangements.
Entry: Free
The Golden Gate Park is a mammoth, urban park consisting of 1,017 acres of public grounds with everything from a well-appointed Japanese Tea Garden to hosting the San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum. But neatly tucked away at the intersection of the garden’s Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Middle Drive East is a fecund spot with a sundial at its dead centre. Simply called Shakespeare’s Flowers, this Shakespeare Garden was planted in 1928 under the patronage of Alice Eastwood, the then director of botany for the Academy of Sciences. With over 200 flowers and plants lining this modest-sized garden, visitors can find visual, floral references to the Bard’s staggering body of work. Here, bronze plagues are engraved with notable quotations from his historic comedies, tragedies, and sonnets that accompany the floral arrangements.
Entry: Free
The
Shakespeare Park
at Herzogspark, Regensburg
Germany’s south-eastern city of Regensburg in Bavaria is famous for its location, as it is situated at the confluence of the Danube, Naab and Regen rivers. But its greatest calling card to a die-hard Shakespeare fan is the Herzogpark—a tiny, municipal park with an even smaller botanical garden dedicated to William Shakespeare. The Shakespeare Park is designed as an alpine garden meets Renaissance garden, replete with bell flowers, carnations, primroses, and rhododendrons, besides of course, a rose garden. Set in the Renaissance style of geometric parterres edged by boxwood hedges, the Shakespeare Park is a peaceful nook where you can almost always find someone sitting on one its low, stone benches, engrossed in a book.
Entry: Free
Germany’s south-eastern city of Regensburg in Bavaria is famous for its location, as it is situated at the confluence of the Danube, Naab and Regen rivers. But its greatest calling card to a die-hard Shakespeare fan is the Herzogpark—a tiny, municipal park with an even smaller botanical garden dedicated to William Shakespeare. The Shakespeare Park is designed as an alpine garden meets Renaissance garden, replete with bell flowers, carnations, primroses, and rhododendrons, besides of course, a rose garden. Set in the Renaissance style of geometric parterres edged by boxwood hedges, the Shakespeare Park is a peaceful nook where you can almost always find someone sitting on one its low, stone benches, engrossed in a book.
Entry: Free
Shakespeare
Garden at Johannesburg Botanical Garden, Johannesburg
Gritty and chaotic Jo’berg—as the locals call their city of Johannesburg—is probably the last place on earth you’d expect to find a Shakespeare Garden. But this 81-hectare large green lung, situated in the otherwise bleak suburb of Emmarentia harbours a beautiful little secret at its very center. Established as a rose garden in 1964, the Shakespeare Garden has over 10,000 roses in bloom almost every day, besides a fine collection of herbs like rosemary and thyme as mentioned in the Bard’s plays. Being in Africa, the garden that overlooks the Emmarentia Dam, has an abundance of local bird life, such as ibises and weavers, and one can even feed the ducks and geese at Bird Island. And during concert season expect to be enthralled by a Shakespearean performance or two.
Entry: Free
Gritty and chaotic Jo’berg—as the locals call their city of Johannesburg—is probably the last place on earth you’d expect to find a Shakespeare Garden. But this 81-hectare large green lung, situated in the otherwise bleak suburb of Emmarentia harbours a beautiful little secret at its very center. Established as a rose garden in 1964, the Shakespeare Garden has over 10,000 roses in bloom almost every day, besides a fine collection of herbs like rosemary and thyme as mentioned in the Bard’s plays. Being in Africa, the garden that overlooks the Emmarentia Dam, has an abundance of local bird life, such as ibises and weavers, and one can even feed the ducks and geese at Bird Island. And during concert season expect to be enthralled by a Shakespearean performance or two.
Entry: Free
The
Vienna Shakespeare Garden at the Kagran School Gardens, Vienna
The newest Shakespeare Garden on our list that opened a little over a decade ago in 2005, The Vienna Shakespeare Garden is one of the best homages to the Bard. One enters this arboreal paradise through the ‘Laburnum Walk’, a floral tunnel created solely out of laburnum plants and is greeted by five distinct beds of flowers. A shady bed, a bed with afternoon sun, a magnificent display bed, a herbal bed and a classic English-style flower bed where each plant features a corresponding quote from a selection of Shakespearean literature. In fact, the garden even has a sign indicating the direction and distance of Shakespeare’s birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon!
Entry: Free
The newest Shakespeare Garden on our list that opened a little over a decade ago in 2005, The Vienna Shakespeare Garden is one of the best homages to the Bard. One enters this arboreal paradise through the ‘Laburnum Walk’, a floral tunnel created solely out of laburnum plants and is greeted by five distinct beds of flowers. A shady bed, a bed with afternoon sun, a magnificent display bed, a herbal bed and a classic English-style flower bed where each plant features a corresponding quote from a selection of Shakespearean literature. In fact, the garden even has a sign indicating the direction and distance of Shakespeare’s birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon!
Entry: Free
The
Shakespeare Garden at New Place, Stratford-upon-Avon
The ‘holy grail’ of all things William Shakespeare and a must-visit for the Bard’s legion of worshippers, is Stratford-upon-Avon in England’s West Midlands. And his last home, New Place is Ground Zero. This stately home that was reopened in April 2016 after a lengthy refurbishment, to coincide with the quatercentenary of Shakespeare’s death is also famous for being the place that hosts the most beautiful of all Shakespeare Gardens. Here, the mansion’s three zones are connected to each other by the garden that features rows of plants such as mulberry and rose with commemorative flags representing all of Shakespeare’s plays fluttering above the plants. The Bard’s sonnets and longer plays are represented by a ribbon of white bronze darts set into the stonework of the wall that hems the garden in.
Entry: £17.50 (adult) and £11.50 (child)
The ‘holy grail’ of all things William Shakespeare and a must-visit for the Bard’s legion of worshippers, is Stratford-upon-Avon in England’s West Midlands. And his last home, New Place is Ground Zero. This stately home that was reopened in April 2016 after a lengthy refurbishment, to coincide with the quatercentenary of Shakespeare’s death is also famous for being the place that hosts the most beautiful of all Shakespeare Gardens. Here, the mansion’s three zones are connected to each other by the garden that features rows of plants such as mulberry and rose with commemorative flags representing all of Shakespeare’s plays fluttering above the plants. The Bard’s sonnets and longer plays are represented by a ribbon of white bronze darts set into the stonework of the wall that hems the garden in.
Entry: £17.50 (adult) and £11.50 (child)
America’s Shakespeare Gardens
Cottoning onto the early 20th century craze for the Shakespeare Garden, when everything English was considered ultra-trendy, a host of popular public parks and university gardens across the United States fashioned for themselves their own spots to pay homage to the Bard:
·
The Shakespeare Garden at Pittsburgh’s
Mellon Park is devoted to herbs and medicinal plants.
·
Perfumed with the fragrance of pansies and
musk-roses, the Shakespeare Garden at Manhattan’s Central Park is a
breath-taking place to visit. It is also the place where the mulberry tree is said
to have come from Shakespeare’s property at his final home, New Place in Stratford-upon-Avon.
·
Believed to be America’s first Shakespeare
Garden is the one in Evanston, Illinois.
·
The Shakespeare Garden at Gordon Park in
Cleveland was built in 1916 in honour of the tercentenary of Shakespeare’s
death.
·
Also created in 1916 is the Shakespeare
Garden at Vassar University in Poughkeepsie, New York, by a group of English
literature and botany students.
A Quartet of Shakespeare’s ‘flowery’ Verses
·
Roses:
“I have seen roses damask’d, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks…”
—Sonnet 130
“I have seen roses damask’d, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks…”
—Sonnet 130
·
Daisies
and Violets:
“When daisies pied and violets blue
And lady-smocks all silver-white
And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue
Do paint the meadows with delight.”
—Love’s Labours Lost (5.2.900-4)
“When daisies pied and violets blue
And lady-smocks all silver-white
And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue
Do paint the meadows with delight.”
—Love’s Labours Lost (5.2.900-4)
·
Lilies:
“Like the lily,
That once was mistress of the field and flourish’d,
I’ll hang my head and perish.”
—Henry VIII (3.1.168-70)
“Like the lily,
That once was mistress of the field and flourish’d,
I’ll hang my head and perish.”
—Henry VIII (3.1.168-70)
·
Poppy
and Mandrake:
“Not poppy, nor mandragora,
Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world,
Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep
Which thou owedst yesterday.”
—Othello (3.3.368-71)
“Not poppy, nor mandragora,
Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world,
Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep
Which thou owedst yesterday.”
—Othello (3.3.368-71)
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the January 2018 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways https://www.jetairways.com/EN/DE/JetExperience/magazines.aspx)
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