Tag Archives: Bellville Velodrome

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 27 January

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Ladysmith Black Mambazo shared a Grammy with the Gypsy Kings for Best World Music last night, for its live album ‘Singing for Peace around the world’.  Their album is dedicated to the late Nelson Mandela, and a percentage of sales will go to the Nelson Mandela Childrens’ Fund.

*   Bruce Springsteen is ‘The Boss’ was the unanimous feedback on Social Media in reaction to his fantastic first ever concert on South African soil, held at the Bellville Velodrome.  He paid tribute to the late Nelson Mandela, and praised the ‘miracle’ peaceful transformation in our country.

*  German beer brewers have requested that their government refrain Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 25/26 January

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Queen Elizabeth will honour the late Nelson Mandela with an invitation-only memorial service at Westminster Abbey on 11 February, the day on which Madiba was released from the then Victor Verster prison in 1990.  It will be the first service for a non-British citizen, reports The New Age.

*  David Williams from The Observer has selected three South African wines as his ‘wines of the week‘:   Reyneke Organic Syrah 2011, Ken Forrester Workhorse Chenin Blanc 2012, and De Grendel Sauvignon Blanc 2013.

*   A trade and tourism delegation from the Miami-Dade county and Enterprise Florida Inc will visit Cape Town, as well as Johannesburg and Continue reading →

Cape Town parties through the World Cup

The World Cup has put Cape Town into a party spirit, especially on Thursday, when the Cape Town Fan Park outside the City Hall opened with R. Kelly, and on Friday evening, after Bafana Bafana and Mexico drew their match.   One could have sworn that Mandela had just been released from Victor Verster all over again!

Soccer fans are celebrating in various locations in Cape Town: 

1.  The Cape Town FIFA Fan Fest at the Grand Parade Fan Park can hold 25 000 “jollers” (Afrikaans word for ‘partygoers’), but it is estimated that 42 000 partied there on Friday.  Local bands will perform at the Fan Fest every day, from 11h00 – 23h00.  More than 100 artists will perform at the Cape Town Fan Fest on the Grand Parade, reports the Cape Argus.  According to the People’s Post, Goldfish performs today at 18h00; tomorrow BLK Sonshine and CODA perform from 18h00;  Loyiso is on stage on 16 June, Liquideep on 17 June, and The Rudimentals on 18 June.  Other performers include Robbie Jansen and Friends, Project, Kalahari Surfers, Brasse Vannie Kaap, Iqulah, Fezeka High School, Soul Makossa!, Ghorwane, Phuzekemisi, K’Naan (29 June), Karambola, FreshlyGround, Capsolys, Abekaya, Gang of Instrumentals, Danny K, The Rockets, Prime Circle, Flat Stanley, and Flash Republic.   Local South African foods such as Cape Malay chicken curry, lamb neck potjiekos, boerewors rolls and biltong are for sale, as are burgers, hot dogs, prego rolls, calamari, lasagne, soup, pizzas, and French fries.   One may not bring one’s own food into the Fan Park.

2.  Other Fan Fests are at the Bellville Velodrome, Vygieskraal Stadium in Athlone, the Swartklip Sports  Complex in Mitchell’s Plain, and the Oliver Thambo Community Hall in Khayelitsha.

3.  The Brazilian community has turned the Civic Centre on Main Road in Sea Point into a home for Brazilian soccer fans.  By day Casa Brazil will be an exhibition area for the country, and at night it will have a Rio carnival atmosphere.

4.  Cool Britannia, the United Kingdom’s largest events company, is hosting an on-going soccer celebration  at the Cape Town International Convention Centre for the duration of the World Cup.  Every day a different qualifying country will be showcased, from midday – 3h00.   The opening act was Estelle (‘American Boy’), performing in South Africa for the first time.  Other performers that are expected are Fatboy Slim, 340ml, Tucan Tucan, Euphonik, HHP,  Black Coffee, Milkshake, Ricardo da Costa, La Vuvuzela, Liquideep, Flash Republic, Dean Fuel, and Roger Goode.  DJ Fresh and DJ Dino Moran will also be on show.  The Parlotones will end off the month-long party.   South African fashion design by Gavin Rajah will be featured at a fashion show on 15 June.  Ticket prices range from R 150 – R 400 per person, and can be bought at Computicket.

5.  As a non-official “fan mile”, Long Street has plenty of vibe (and beer), and the most popular watering holes are The Dubliner, Joburg, Lola’s and Long Street Cafe, the World Cup volunteers tell me.

6.  The V&A Waterfront is also attracting soccer fans (100 000 visitors on Friday), due to its proximity to the Cape Town Stadium.  Ferrymans is popular, the Paulaner Brauhaus is entertaining the German fans to Cape Town, the Lookout Village marquee on top of the parking garage on the Granger Bay side, and the MTN Fan Zone near the Clock Tower is also attracting soccer fans.

7.   Other popular pubs are the Fireman’s Arms off Buitengracht Street (supported by England fans), Tommy’s Sports Bar in Loop Street (supported by Dutch fans),  Pata Pata in Bree Street (supported by Cameroonian fans), 4 Ways in Darling Street (supported by Nigerian fans), and the Mexican Kitchen in Long Street (supported by Mexican fans).

POSTSCRIPT 21 June: Cool Britannia was reported on Kfm yesterday to have closed down at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, due to unsatisfactory support.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

Cape Town World Cup fans will be on a roll!

The City of Cape Town has spelt out its public transport plans for the soccer fans attending the World Cup in Cape Town from 11 June to 11 July.

A combination of transport methods, including trains, buses, minibus taxis, and metered taxis will transport guests between the airport, the station, the public viewing areas, and the Cape Town Stadium, reports the Cape Times.

Soccer fans with World Cup tickets will travel for free between the stadium and any one of 25 park-and-ride centres in the city, even stretching out as far as Strand, and also including UCT, Camps Bay High School, and Kronendal Primary in Hout Bay, offering 7000 parking bays in total.   Park-and-ride centers include Century City, GrandWest Casino, Kuilsriver, Oostersee, Fish Hoek, Retreat, Brackenfell and Claremont.

A shuttle bus will run from Hertzog Boulevard at the Civic Centre to the Cape Town Stadium, starting 6 hours before the match starts until 4 hours after each match on match days.  

On match days too, an Atlantic seaboard bus service will run from Hout Bay through Camps Bay and Sea Point, to the Stadium, starting 4 hours before kick-off, until 2h00 the next morning.

Throughout the 31 days of the FIFA World Cup, a shuttle bus will transport soccer fans from Cape Town International airport to Hertzog Boulevard 24 hours of the day, in intervals of 6 – 30 minutes, depending on usage.   The cost is a reasonable R 50 per one-way trip.

A further bus service will operate in the city itself, running 24 hours per day, and leaving every 10 – 30 minutes, connecting Hertzog Boulevard, Table Bay Boulevard, Heerengracht, Coen Steytler Avenue, Long and Loop Streets, Buitensingel Street, Orange Street, Buitenkant Street, Darling Street, Oswald Pirow Avenue and back to Hertzog Boulevard.   This will allow soccer fans, with tickets for the stadia, or just coming to enjoy the fan park outside the City Hall, to obtain easy access to their hotels and to restaurants.  Another shuttle bus route will be to Queens Beach in Sea Point, via the Waterfront, until 2h00 every morning.

Trains will transport the soccer fans to public viewing areas at the Bellville Velodrome, Athlone Civic Centre, OR Tambo Sports Hall in Khayelitscha, and the Swartklip Sport Hall in Mitchell’s Plain.

The city has warned that one will not be able to park close to the stadium, and that disabled soccer fans will have to also make use of public transport, its shuttle stations being wheelchair-friendly.

Further information about the transport connections during the World Cup can be obtained on www.capetown.gov.za, or at tel 0800 656 463.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com