What’s the real South Africa?
Tuesday, 18th May 2010
A world in one country. The rainbow nation. Bio- and culturally, so incredibly diverse. There are lots of ways to describe South Africa.
One thing that is often said about South Africa is that it is an interesting contradiction in itself. For example, despite being a predominantly patriarchal society, the Deputy President and a third of the cabinet are women. A free market economy rules, yet communists sit in parliament. Extremes of rich and poor exist in all races…and so on.
This unique character that South Africa has makes it a fascinating place to visit, as all the hundreds of thousands of people heading there to watch the 2010 World Cup will discover.
Cactus’ Nadine Burzler gives us some useful insiders’ info on the South Africa of today and the must-see and do’s for anyone lucky enough to be visiting the country.
Ethnicity
The Republic of South Africa has 9 predominantly Black African tribes, two major white tribes, as well as a representation of all the world’s religions.
Sport
Being a sports-obsessed country, South Africa has produced some of the world’s greats, both teams and individuals. Whether you are watching a Rugby match in Ellis Park, a Golf tournament in Sun City, a Cricket match in the Wanderers, or a soccer game in Soccer City- Johannesburg, you will see a legion of sports fans (with their Vodka injected oranges) proudly and loyally supporting their teams.
Sport is a South African institution, and unites people from vastly different backgrounds. Food bonds the nation together like flour mixed with water. South African foods could be considered delicacies in many other countries. Spend a day in South Africa and you will come across Biltong in every shape and form, suitable for any pallet ranging from meats such as kudu, springbok even fish (known as “bokkoms”). No rugby, cricket,tennis, boxing or other sporting occasion in South Africa - whether it be watched live or on television - is quite complete without a few beers and a good supply of biltong.
Food
Many South African recipes are traditionally African, however South African cuisine is also hugely influenced by the Dutch, French and German settlers who founded the Cape colony. There are some incredibly authentic South African dishes such as pickled curry fish, potjiekos, bobotie and the infamous bunny-chow (a fast food consisting of a hollowed out loaf of bread filled with curry).
The staple food of many “Saf-Afreekins” is “pap en wors” (Maize porridge and spicy beef sausages). If you get the chance to visit South Africa,you will most definitely at some point be invited to join a “Braai” (roast) – a much loved national past-time especially during the summer months. General Motors even used the term in the 1970s in its localized jingle “Braaivleis, rugby, sunny skies, and Chevrolet"- to advertise their cars in South Africa.
Visitor Highlights
If you plan to visit South Africa, there are a million things you should see, do, taste and ask about. As South Africa is located on the Southern tip of Africa and is so far from other non- African countries, it really does offer a bit of everything. There are so many activities to choose, that it’s impossible to name them all.
Here are just a few suggestions:
1. Make sure you visit Table Mountain (Cape Town). From here you can see the whole cape peninsula from the top. The cable cars rotate 360 degrees as it escorts you to the top of the mountain.
Insiders tip*- Make sure you go just before sunset. The tickets are not only cheaper then but you also get the most amazing view!
2. Robbin Island is another must see. Today it is a World Heritage Site and museum, a poignant reminder to the newly democratic South Africa of the price paid for freedom.
Insider’s tip*- Make sure you book your ferry ride to the island from the Nelson Mandela gateway at the V&A Waterfront in advance. There is only one company that offers this trip.
3. The 2 Oceans Aquarium is situated in Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront. This spectacular site gives you some insight into the 2-oceans which make up South Africa’s exquisite coastline. The waves from the Atlantic literally break in the aquarium, which helps keep the marine life in their natural habitat. “You can see how the waves push themselves in”, a friend told me. There is so much to do that you’ll have to plan your day beforehand to take it all in.
4. Still in Cape Town, make the most of being a tourist by doing a sight-seeing bus tour. There’s a tour bus that takes you through the famous “Strand street”, telling you all about how the Cape was half covered by water and how the Dutch settlers moved the coastline about a kilometer to the east by making it dry land to be able to build a city. The bus also takes you to where the film “District 9” was shot.
Read more about English language courses in Cape Town
Tags: wordl cup, durban, football, cape town, cactus, south africa, food, english
Posted by Nadine Burzler 2010-05 under Experience Cultures,
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