Tag Archives: Adam Small

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 18 July

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   The Reserve Bank has increased the repo rate by 25 basis points, giving a new interest rate of 5,75%. Governor Gill Marcus blamed inflation for the rate increase.

*   Brazil welcomed more than 1 million visitors during the Soccer World Cup, almost double the estimated 600000 travelers.  Most tourists had never been to Brazil before, visiting from more than 200 countries.  The infrastructure and tourism services generally, and the hospitality and cuisine specifically, were praised by the visitors.  The soccer matches were seen by 3,4 million soccer fans in the stadia over the month-long event.  Visitors stayed in Brazil for 13 days on average.   Brazilians were good soccer fans too, more than 3 million travelling around their own country during the soccer tournament.

*   Melanie Verwoerd has compiled a book ‘Our Madiba: Stories and Reflections from those who met Nelson Mandela‘, containing short stories of numerous persons that met the late Nelson Mandela, including Pieter-Dirk Uys/Evita Bezuidenhout, Adam Small, Francois Pienaar, Amanda Strydom, Sir Richard Attenborough, and many by Mrs Verwoerd herself.

*   The Drinks Business and Intangible Business in the UK evaluated the world’s ‘most powerful Champagne and Continue reading →

Book Franschhoek Literary Festival before it’s too late!

FLF2As the 8th Franschhoek Literary Festival draws near, it is advisable to book the writer panel sessions as soon as possible, as they get booked out well in advance.  The more well-known the writer/s on the panels, the quicker they are booked out.   In addition to an intensive programme of talks from Friday until Sunday this coming weekend (16 – 18 May), entertainment is also available in the evenings.

The Festival is noble in generating funds for the Franschhoek Literary Festival Library Fund, for the following:

*  donating books to schools and creches

*  employing a librarian to work with four primary school libraries in the Franschhoek area, and part-time library assistants

*   visiting schools, reading and story-telling

*   Book Week for Young Readers, which is being held this week

*   Wine Writers prizes of R12500 each, in two categories: six to eight short pieces of 1000 words each, from a blog or column; and a long piece of 1000 – 4000 words. Winners to be selected by a panel, usually chaired by John Maytham.  Last year the prize was Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 1/2 March

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   The price of petrol increases by 36 cents a litre at midnight on 5 March.

*   To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Amarula brand, Distell is launching a new spirit Amarula Gold this month. The new 30% spirit is described as ‘aromatic and vibrantly fruity with intriguingly spicy notes and a very smooth texture’.

*   Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk is attending the second World Tourism Forum Lucerne Think Tank in Switzerland this weekend.  This year the focus is on ‘Infrastructure and Investment’, with attention on financing tourism and travel infrastructure.

*   The Franschhoek Literary Festival will be held between 16 and 18 May, and 170 authors will speak on various topics.  Speakers include poets Adam Small and Breyten Breytenbach; heavy-weight writers Damon Galgut and Mark Gevisser; and controversial writers Andre Brink, Max du Preez, and Tim Noakes.  Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter Mpho, as well as former FNB MD and now Mxit Chairman Michael Jordaan will also participate in the pregramme. 

*   The 4000 strong penguin colony at Betty’s Bay is under threat from a diesel spill Continue reading →