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Category: South Africa

Where to explore in the Johannesburg area, culture and caves

As I am headed back to South Africa I’m researching what to explore in the Johannesburg area and discovered I can learn about the culture and visit caves.

01 a154 Johannasburg airport South Africa

During the last visit two years ago I may have landed in Johannesburg but immediately headed north to Pretoria with my friend, fellow blogger and nature lover Joan.  I hardly felt like I’d left my US home with the familiarity of Mcbusinesses and suburban residential areas.  Other than hunting down the correct electrical conversion box to charge my camera and netbook we visited the gardens around the Union government buildings, the Voortrekker Monument plus explored The Cradle of Humankind Museum.  Yet I’m sure there are other places to explore.

Johannesburg

I hear the traffic is terrible in Johannesburg but that’s true of every major city in the world.  And although I’m not really a city gal could learn a bit about this provincial capital of Gauteng considered the wealthiest province in South Africa.  And while Joburg, as it’s called for short, is not one of the three capital cities it is the seat of the Constitutional Court which has the final word on interpretation of South Africa’s post-Apartheid constitution.

Tours are offered at Constitution Hill, formerly the site of a fort and later used as a prison.  Plus the court itself opens to the public to attend court hearings (probably not my thing) or view the gallery of over 200 artworks.

I’m definitely interested in the Origins Centre, a museum about the oldest people on the planet, the San (Bushman) and their rock art.  Would be wonderful to know something about these people before visiting some of the rock art sites near the Drakensberg Mountains.

And I read that the views over the city from the Carlton Center observation deck are outstanding as this is the tallest building in Africa even if only half the height of the Willis Tower in Chicago.

But the best tour I’ve discovered so far, and I think you’ll agree, includes a little beer drinking while visiting the South African Breweries World of Beer.  I’m a bit of a light weight but wouldn’t mind a sample or two, or….

Soweto

Another place to tip a few while eating something fresh off the Braai (BBQ) and enjoying some unique “kwaito,” a form of hip-hop South African music is the recommended Soweto township.  I’ve heard a lot of good things about the cultural food found in townships near Jonker in Port Elizabeth so I’m really curious.

Not all about food and fun, Soweto, named in 1963 for SOuth WEstern TOwnships, has a long history of strife with over 100 years of oppression.  Soweto caught the world’s attention in 1976 during an uprising of mass protests against a government policy to enforce education in Afrikaans instead of English.  An independent municipality since 1983, Soweto was incorporated into the City of Johannesburg in 2002.  Now it is a popular tourist destination with sites such as Kliptown (where the Freedom Charter was drawn up), the home of former President Nelson Mandela, restaurants and shopping malls.

Pretoria

02 a163 Pretoria SA (1024x299)

During my last visit Pretoria felt like any-big-town USA, lots of streets, buildings and people.  Maybe if I’d been there in the spring when the Jacaranda trees line the streets with their purple colored blooms it would have been more appealing.  As one of South Africa’s three capital cities, serving as the executive (administrative) and de facto national capital, there has to be something to explore, but my research hasn’t turned anything up yet.

Sterkfontein Caves

03 Cango Cave Little Karoo West Cape ZA (800x600)

I caved twice in South Africa.  Sudwala Cave was a short walking tour with Joan that wet my appetite for the longer Cango Caves which included some crawling and tight squeezes.  Yet Sterkfonten is where some of the oldest humanoid fossils have been found and is the most famous of 13 excavated fossil sites in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site.  I visited the museum and would like to explore that whole area more.

Pilanesberg National Park

045 The Big 5 Kruger NP ZA 3-2010 (1024x768)

I need to renew my Wild Card, like the US National Parks card, so why not start off with the nearby Pilanesberg National Park.  Having seen the Big 5 and more at Kruger doesn’t diminish my desire to see more wildlife.  The park area features a rugged landscape in an eroded alkaline volcanic crater plus well-watered valleys making it a preferred site for human settlement for thousands of years.  Yet this habitation caused the degradation and depletion of wildlife populations.  Once proclaimed as a reserve in 1979 the land was restocked with game and is now considered the most popular public game reserve in South Africa.  Could be because of its close proximity to Johannesburg which is where I’ll start my journey through South Africa.

I’ve barely left the computer for weeks researching and getting more excited every day.  Yet I’m also antsy to go, travel, get out of the house.  And I don’t leave until February.  Hope you’re not tired of hearing about South Africa because I’m learning a lot.

Have any more suggestions about what I can explore in the Johannesburg area?

Johannesburg, South Africa, travel 27 Comments

Returning to Tsitsikamma Garden Route National Park

George's Bay into Indian Ocean Tsitsikamma National Park Stormsriver Mouth Eastern Cape South Africa

During my last visit to South Africa’s Garden Route I felt rushed and definitely plan to spend more time at Tsitsikamma this winter.  I’d like to camp along the beach at Storms River Rest Camp exploring the coast and hiking through the forest.  Plus glide through the treetops on a canopy tour through the indigenous rainforest.

Waves crashing Indian Ocean Tsitsikamma National Park Stormsriver Mouth Eastern Cape South Africa

Oh to feel the ocean spray while exploring shallow pools amongst the rocks between the rise and fall of the tides.  Maybe I’ll see an octopus.  Or looking out over the water for dolphins frolicking in the waves while above flies a Cape Gannet searching for fish to dive after.

Campground along Indian Ocean Tsitsikamma National Park Stormsriver Mouth Eastern Cape South Africa

I can almost hear the breakers on the rocky shore like a lullaby as I camp along the Indian Ocean.

Flowers Stormsriver Mouth Tsitsikamma National Park Eastern Cape South Africa

Hiking through the fynbos, or shrublands, dotted with colorful flowers to brighten the trail.

Downstream Storms River canyon from Paul Sauer Bridge Eastern Cape South Africa

Storms River drainage towards the sea from Paul Sauer Bridge

I’ve heard that the first part of the Otter trail leads through the forest to a waterfall and amazing views.  Maybe an African Weasel will cross my path.

Dassie on limestone rock at Indian Ocean Tsitsikamma National Park Stormsriver Mouth Eastern Cape South Africa

Yet I’ll be just as happy to see these cute little critters that hang out on the rocks by the sea called Rock Hyrax but locally known as dassies.  They remind me of overfed guinea pigs.

The Big Tree Yellow-wood Tsitsikamma National Park Eastern Cape South Africa

I’m really excited about taking a canopy tour.  Can you imagine sliding through the treetops almost 100 feet above the ground where birds hang out?  Gliding between platforms in the giant Outeniqua Yellowwood trees for 2.5-3 hours might be long enough to actually see and photograph a Knysna Loerie with its brilliant red plumage.

Stormsriver Mouth Tsitsikamma National Park Eastern Cape South Africa

Mouth of the Storms River

Pied and Giant Kingfishers can both be seen hunting fish at tidal pools or in the rivers that drain into the Indian Ocean.  Such an amazing mosaic of ecosystems from ocean to mountains to spend time exploring.  And this is only part of the Garden Route National Park.  I can hardly wait.

Can you tell I’ve been planning my winter journey to South Africa?

South Africa, Tsitsikamma National Park 29 Comments

Penguins at Boulders Beach South Africa

Sunrise view across False Bay from Moonglow B&B Glen Cairn Cape Peninsula South Africa

I woke up earlier than usual knowing a full day of touring the Cape awaited starting with Table Mountain then out to the Cape of Good Hope.  Plus the possibility to see penguins at Boulders Beach on my way back to Moon Glow Guesthouse near Simon’s Town.  How could I not stop to see penguins.  It was late, I had to hurry and my camera’s memory card was full after only a few shots.

Penguins beach Boulders Table Mountain National Park Cape Peninsula South Africa

So I returned the next day, my last day in South Africa.  Nice having the Wild Card for free access into South Africa’s National Parks.

Penguins beach ocean Boulders Table Mountain National Park Simon's Town Cape Peninsula South Africa

These little tuxedo clad critters are a hoot.  Or should I say “heee hawww” because African penguins were formally called “jackass penguins” because of their loud braying like a donkey.

They make nests on the beach by digging a hole with their flippers.  I have to assume the female does most of that because she appeared to be orchestrating the design work while the male waddled off in search of more nesting materials.  Obviously not any easy chore with so much competition.

Penguin houses Boulders Table Mountain National Park Simon's Town Cape Peninsula South Africa

Not everyone gets to nest right on the beach.  Scattered plastic jugs with numbers, so they’ll know the right address.

Boardwalk Boulders Table Mountain National Park Simon's Town Cape Peninsula South Africa

Listed as a vulnerable species in South Africa, the first pair of penguins made a nest at the Boulders in 1984 probably due to the return of their primary food source of pilchards, or sardines, that had previously been fished out.  By 2002 the colony of adults reached about 3300.  Fences were erected to keep the penguins out of neighborhood yards and raised boardwalks built to keep us out of the colony.  In 1998, the Boulders colony became part of the Cape Peninsula National Park securing this sanctuary.

I had to laugh at the comical penguins, and people’s comments as they attributed human characteristics.  Does that waddling walk remind you of anybody?

08 Penguins Boulders Table Mt NP Simon's Town Cape Peninsula ZA (1024x953)

Cuteness overload. I wanted to take one home but didn’t want to pay for an extra seat and there’s no sardines in Arizona, other than canned.

09 Sunset from airplane over Cape Town ZA (1024x402)

This entire African adventure sadly came to an end.  Always hard to leave a newly discovered place.  Goodbye, I’ll be back.

Local entertainment on the streets.

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South Africa , , 24 Comments

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