Tag Archives: Springboks

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 12 of Level 3, 7 August 2021

 

Saturday 7 August 2021, Day 12 of Level 3 😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#grateful for a slow start to the day, building up in speed and action, with a lovely spontaneous ending; for a peaceful morning working and a second snooze; for a shopping walk to Woolies; for a tea visit by Hans-Werner Klein and Rose Klein, just warm enough to sit outside, it being misty all day; for the sad yet happy memorial service for David Morris on Zoom, my first such experience; for taking photographs of Eden Smith, the prize winner of a Utopia giveaway done in conjunction with Continue reading →

ABSA Cape Epic 2014: an epic battle of scenic cycle challenges!

Cape Epic 2014Today the 11th ABSA Cape Epic gets off the ground, the world’s ‘premier mountain biking challenge’, according to the Weekend Argus. A total of 1200 riders will participate in the tough 718 km race, described on its Twitter Bio as ‘The Untamed African Mountain Bike Race’, covering a unique route each year.  It receives extensive local and international media coverage, attracting attention to the rugged beauty of the Winelands.

Cape Epic organiser Kevin Vermaak had the vision to create a cycle challenge from Knysna to Cape Town over eight days, beginning with 200 riders in 2004.   Today the race starts at Meerendal wine estate in Durbanville, and the journey takes the riders through Arabella Wines in Robertson, The Oaks in Greyton, Oak Valley wine estate in Elgin, and finishes off on 30 March at Lourensford  wine estate in Somerset West.   A tent village is set up for the riders at the end of each day.

The race has a total prize value of R1,7 million, and the prize for the fastest woman rider has been increased to R690000.  Famous participants today are Formula 1 world champion Alain Prost; former Springbok rugby captain John Smit and former Springboks Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 5 November

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*  SA Tourism is representing our country on two platforms at World Travel Market in London this week: the 20th anniversary of the ‘new’ South Africa as well as Cape Town’s role as World Design Capital, both in 2014. Today Marthinus van Schalkwyk, the Minister of Tourism, will address visitors to the SA Tourism stand, and a fashion show will represent our country’s eight World Heritage sites, interpreted by top local designers  David Tlale, Marianne Fassler, Thula Sindi, and Nkhensani Nkosi.

*   2014 is also an important year in celebrating the 80th anniversary of the SA Rugby Union and the Springboks.  SAA will participate in the celebration in February, and commuters can expect to rub shoulders with members of the Springbok team at airport lounges.  In November next year the team members will be seen at OR Thambo and Heathrow airports, when the Springboks travel to Europe for the Castle Lager Outbound Tour Series. (received via SAA newsletter)

*   SAA is cutting its Buenos Aires route, being one of its loss-making destinations.  Its Beijing route is also making a loss, but will be retained currently as China and South Africa are both BRICS countries.

*   Western Cape Minister of Tourism Alan Winde is seeking an urgent meeting with SAA to discuss the cancellation of its Buenos Aires route, having seen good growth in the past few years, and benefitting the Western and Eastern Cape in particular. (received via media release frorm Minister Winde’s office)

*   The Hotel Le Vendome in Sea Point will be operated by Radisson

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WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 24 September

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has downgraded its growth projection for airline passengers to 5% for the rest of 2013, but does expect a stronger growth in 2014.

*   The City of Cape Town staff strike has come to a speedy end.

*   The Fish & Chip Company’s short-lived advertising campaign with President Zuma as its subject, on which R500000 was spent on media placement before it was withdrawn, generated R20 million in PR coverage in ten days, winning the Metropolitan Republic a Gold Loerie for PR Communication Campaign. Die Antwoord’s video for its song ‘Fatty Boom Boom’ was a surprise Gold winner in the TV and Cinema 90 second+ category.

*   Swiss airline Edelweiss, which belongs to Lufthansa, returns to Cape Town from October for the third year, serving the Zurich – Cape Town route, a popular way for German, British and Italian tourists in particular to fly directly to Cape Town.

*   South Africa’s ‘maverick’ winemakers receive praise from wine-searcher.com!

*   The next London Wine Fair will be held from 2 – 4 June 2014, somewhat later Continue reading →