Updates
South Africa
Unesco has declared the
cape floral kingdom to be
South Africa’s sixth world
heritage site. The
553 000 hectare area covers
eight protected areas,
stretching from the Cape
Peninsula to the Eastern
Cape. They include Table
Mountain, the De Hoop Nature
Reserve, the Boland
Mountains, the Cederberg
wilderness and Baviaanskloof.
The Cape Floral kingdom
represents less than 0.5% of
Africa's land area, but 20%
of the continent's flora.
La Residence, in the
Franschoek valley transformed
into sensational guesthouse.
La
Residence is one of three former
holiday homes that Liz & Phil
Biden have transformed into
sensational guesthouse. (The
other two are Birkenhead & Royal
Malewane.) The property started
its life as an old fruit packing
house and has been so cunningly
converted and extended that the
lay visitor would be
hard-pressed to distinguish
between the old and new. A
scenic courtyard and swimming
pool look out over the valley,
and an enclosed glass atrium
looks out over a little dam
complete with ducks. The
fittings are gorgeously
eclectic, blurring international
borders with a subtle finesse so
that French antiques and gilded
statuary are positioned in
counterpoint to ancient Chinese
prints and Persian carpets.
Restored antiques are mixed with
modern furniture and
conveniences, making one’s stay
comfortably personal, and at the
same time, absolutely luxurious.
The décor was inspired, Liz
says, “by all the flavors of the
Cape-French connection, with a
hint of the Dutch East India
Company and all the things they
might have picked up along their
trade routes”. This type of
luxury and attention to detail
has attracted guests, who, in
the past, have included the
likes of Bono, among other
international luminaries who the
Biden’s discreetly won’t
disclose. “I think they like
that it doesn’t have the feeling
of a hotel…it’s more of a
luxurious home,” says Liz.
Situated on Domain des Anges, a
private wine and olive estate,
La Residence is secluded enough
to offer its guests privacy, but
is only a short walk to the café
society and gourmet dining of
the village.
Johannesburg – don’t bypass
the city!
While
American tourists flooding into
South Africa prefer the boutique
safari lodges and the pristine
beaches of the cape, they should
not miss out on the new South
Africa. Joburg is the beating
heart of African life, an
energetic town where cultures
from every nation collide and
the old prejudices are fading
fast. Joburg has become a
vibrant, stunning, buzzing
cosmopolitan city. The Bus
Factory in Newtown is a definite
must for guests interested in
art (huge and wonderful art
displays), The Momo Gallery, Art
Africa, Kim Sacks, Goodman
Gallery, and of course the
Apartheid Museum, Constitution
Hill, township of Soweto,
Rosebank craft market – THERE IS
SO MUCH IN THE CITY – spend two
nights here and really enjoy it!
Gauteng's famous symbol of
the struggle for freedom,
Soweto, is to take on added
dimension with the recent launch
of Soweto balloon tours.
Visitors experience the 'living
map' of what has been home to
some of South Africa's most
renowned struggle icons - Nelson
Mandela, Walter Sisulu and
Desmond Tutu. Thousands of
tourists from around the world
have seen Soweto in buses and
minivans. With these new balloon
safaris, visitors will now
experience a full overview of
Soweto, including both a ground
tour and bird's-eye glimpse of
the township in a premier class
product and a township-style
breakfast. And the great thing
about this initiative, sis that
through it, funds and training
will be ploughed back into the
community. "All ground services
are going to be sourced from
Soweto.
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