Flickr pics up and running

Cape Town city bowl, originally uploaded by InsideSouthAfrica.

I've just created a Flickr account. It's purpose will be to support the image side of this blog, as well as providing an outlet for my creative side. This is the first picture from that account to be blogged. It was taken during a visit to Cape Town earlier this month.

The picture captures a view of the Cape Town city bowl as seen from the lower station of the Table Mountain Cable Way. It was taken mid-morning and a light mist is moving through the city. Beyond the city you can see some of the Cape Town harbour breakwalls.

An exploration drilling platform was anchored in the harbour for maintenance (the tower-like shape at the left-back of the city bowl). The V&A Waterfront is located along the basin to the left of the drilling tower.

Beyond the harbour you can see Table Bay. The shoreline on the far side is home, to amongst others, Bloubergstrand. The latter is Afrikaans for 'Blue Mountain Beach', referring to the stunning views of Table Mountain to be had from there. Robben Island lies just out of picture on the left, a 30-minute boat cruise from the harbour.

This image provides but a small sample of what makes Cape Town so special.

Inside South Africa: Johannesburg Rises Above Its Apartheid Past - New York Times

This is the second blog I've started. The first was started late in June and is also still in its infancy. I posted the topic below in that blog before I decided on this second blog. It really should have been posted here. If you're interested in what follows below, follow the link for the rest of the posting and a link to the New York Times article... I'm hoping to complete this blog's template during the weekend. Original postings to follow soon!

Inside South Africa: Johannesburg Rises Above Its Apartheid Past - New York Times: "Johannesburg Rises Above Its Apartheid Past - New York Times
I'm a great fan of the New York Times (NYT) - online edition. Their articles are often on the long side, but very informative. While some may be put off by the fact that the NYT definitely caters for Democrats (as in supporters of the USA's Democratic Party), it mostly provides ample exposure for various conflicting opinions on the same issue - where applicable.

As a South African, active in our tourism industry, I'm always very curious to read foreign perspectives on our product in general, or specific attractions / destinations within South Africa or the greater region (Southern Africa).

Sometimes, with some of the enquiries we get at Africa Deluxe Tours for South African tours, potential clients will clearly state that they want to avoid Johannesburg at all cost. This is due to their perceptions of it being a very dangerous destination, because of high crime levels.

Truth be told, it can indeed be a very dangerous place - especially if you don't know it. We normally recommend visitors to include Johannesburg in their itineraries (depending on what they want to get out of their travels of course), but that they make use of a reputable operator in doing so. Otherwise they may well run into trouble. The main reason for using a reputable operator, in this case, has to do with safety considerations. However, a tourist guide -if (s)he's worth his salt- will also add a lot of value in unlocking an unknown city for you. This is especially true of a destination like Soweto (part of Johannesburg), which features a culture and way of life alien to most non-African visitors."

Where is South Africa?

Seems straight forward, doesn't it? It is. Yet, I remember reading some years ago about researchers in the USA asking respondents to point out South Africa on a map of the world. A sizeable portion was not able to do so... As the name suggests, it is indeed in the south of the continent of Africa. In fact, it is at the extreme south of the continent. It is part of Southern Africa and is neighboured to the north, from west to east, by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The country encircles the completely landlocked mountain kingdom, Lesotho. It also virtually encircles another mountain kingdom, Swaziland. The latter does share a small section of border with Mozambique.

South Africa is an immensely interesting country. The country's history, cultural diversity, exceptional wilderness areas / wildlife and scenic beauty all conspire to make it a must-visit destination. In this blog I will touch on all of these at some point and time. For now I have created the first entry. The idea is mainly to test the blog's functionality and design. I'll start blogging-away soon! If you have any questions regarding travel destinations in South Africa, you're most welcome to send them along. I'll answer them to the best of my ability.