Some have more money than brain…

The planet’s most popular travel website lists Sydney (Australia) in second place and Machu Picchu (Peru) in third.

TripAdvisor spokesperson, Emma O’Boyle, was quoted by PRNewswire as saying, “Cape Town is clearly the destination to beat. With beautiful scenery, great wine and gorgeous weather, it’s easy to see why Cape Town, which also played host to last year’s World Cup, has topped this year’s list.”

from Cape Town Tourism

March and April is a great time to spend in the city so many events and things to do

Walk in Mandela’s Footsteps

Nelson Mandela’s spent much time in Cape Town that had important significance in the history of this city and country

This is traced back during the city orientation tour

We start by catching the ferry to Robben Island where his long walk to freedom began there you visit the famous Lime Quarry

Where he did hard labour then his prison cell for 18 years

All this guided by an ex prisoner

In the city – visit the City Hall where Madiba made his speech on the 11 February 1990 in front of over 100000 peoples after being released from the Victor Verster Prison as it was then known he was there for 2 years

Now called The Drakenstein Prison that can be visited when in the winelands of Paarl/Franshhoek area a bronze sculpture can be seen at the entrance

Within walking distance of the City is Tuinhuis the office of the president of the republic where Mr Mandela made ground breaking decision

As well as the famous dignitaries, peoples and celebrities

In the area of Tokai today a plush suburb of Cape town where Mr Mandela spent 7 years in prison at the notorious Pollsmoor prison this can be visited when doing the Peninsula Tour

Robben Island Museum

+27 21 413 4233 / 37

like jazz ?

The 12th Cape Town International Jazz Festival

2 days of over 40 live acts

Melodytrip has ranked this festival as No 4 in the world regarded as good if not better than The North Sea festival in Holland as well as Montreaux in Switzerland

It is the most prestigious in Africa to be held on the 26 and 27th March 2011

venue the CTICC

This year’s line-up includes:

• Patricia Barber (US)
• Dave Ledbetter and the Clearing (SA)
• Hubert Laws (US)
• Wayne Shorter Quartet with Brian Blade, Danilo Perez & John
• Feya Faku and Friends
• Tribute to Oscar Peterson – Jack van Poll (Netherlands/Belgium), Hein van Geyn (Netherlands/SA) and
• Gang of Instrumentals (SA)
• Monique Bingham (US)
• Gazelle (SA)
• StereoType Records present Chad Saaiman, Mathew Moolman and Lloyd Jansen (SA)
• Tortured Soul (US)
• Christian Scott (US)
• Lisa Bauer (SA)
• Esperanza Spalding (US)
• Sandra Cordeiro (Angola)
• Conversations with Victor Masondo, Prince Lengoasa, Kevin Gibson, Mark Fransman and Donveno Prins (SA)
• Cindy Blackman “Another Lifetime” – Tony Williams Tribute Quartet (US)
• Simphiwe Dana (SA)
• Youssou N’Dour
• EARTH, WIND & FIRE
• BeBe Winans & Friends (US)
• Don Laka
• Hanjin (Singapore/Hong Kong)
• Dave Koz (US)
• Ivan Mazuze (Mozambique/SA)
• The Flames – Official Reunion (SA)
• Orlando Venhereque (Mozambique / RSA)
• Sekunjalo Edujazz Band (SA)

In the Winelands of Franschhoek

Solms Delta
Solms-Delta first used the desiccation method in 2004. There was no one to teach us how to do it, so we referred to ancient Greek text

great wines, they have a Museum depicting stone age, Slavery, Apartheid, History

workers in partnership in a share scheme

the Fyndraai Restaurant specializing in Cape Cuisine

Performances of traditional cape Music and Jazz and farm tours

For Collectable Antique car Fans

L’Ormarins wine farm

great wines with the most up to date high tech wine fermentation and maturation cellar in the country

one of the biggest private collection of antique cars in the world (highly recommended)

this is one of many wine farms owned by the Rupert family one of 4 billionaire south African families

Food

Some recommended eateries while in the Cape Town area

Cape Town has plenty of choices from a quick snack to more serious gourmet places what we recommend is to try the local foods particularly the Cape Malay Cuisine

Biesmielah and the Noon Day Gun Restaurants found in the Bo Kaap (formally known as The Malay Quarter)

try the Bobotie (spicy Mince) or curried fish try the Milk Tart & kook sistersat The Noon Gun for tea or deserts

have a great Autumn

Daniel

IT’S A FACT SOUTH AFRICA ROCKS!!!!

Eat Out Top 10 restaurants in South Africa 2010   info supplied by Eat Out Magazine

It was a night of anxious anticipation and unexpected surprises at the 2010 Eat Out Awards when the judges named the country’s Top 10 restaurants from the list of 20 nominees.

Announced by Eat Out editor Abigail Donnelly in the order of their ranking, the Top 10 restaurants of 2010 are:

1. Rust en Vrede Restaurant

2. The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français

3. Jordan Restaurant

4. Bosman’s

5. DW Eleven-13

6. Terroir

7. Aubergine

8. Roots

9. Overture

10. Hartford House

The most significant shift on the podium is David Higgs‘s Rust en Vrede Restaurant, which went from last year’s third place to being named Eat Out’s Restaurant of the year. Other noticeable moves are The Tasting Room, which moved from last year’s joint 10th place to 2nd place, and Overture, which got bumped up to 9th on the list.

Surprising comebacks include Aubergine, which received the Top 10 accolade in 2007, Bosman’s, last featured on 2005′s list, and Hartford House, lauded with a place in 2008.

Brand-new restaurants to make the grade are George Jardine’s Jordan Restaurant and Marthinus Ferreira’s Johannesburg restaurant DW Eleven-13.

	With a battery range of around 300km, regenerative brake system, fewer moving parts and zero engine emissions, the Joule could change the way South Africans drive (Photo: Optimal Energy)

Initiatives are under way to commercialise the Joule, a South African developed electric car, Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele said during a G8 ministerial conference on global environment and energy in transport in Rome.

The brainchild of Cape Town-based company Optimal Energy, the Joule debuted at the Paris Motor Show in October 2008 and has since received a facelift at the Milan-based Zagato Total Design Centre.

Test fleet on the way

The prototype phase of the battery-operated six-seater is now complete, and the necessary modifications have been made.

But before the commercial version hits the streets, further refinements and feedback from consumers and the media will be incorporated into a test fleet, which will be hand-built, like the prototype, by Hi-Tech Automotive in Port Elizabeth.

The Joule is expected to go into full-scale production at the end of 2013, to appear on South African showroom floors in mid-2014.

Powering towards a ‘green’ economy

Ndebele told G8 ministers in Rome this week that the project was part of South Africa’s plan to move towards a low-carbon economy across all modes of transport.

“Our automotive sector would be profoundly affected by the long-term shift from the internal combustion engine to cleaner technologies, such as electric vehicles,” Nedeble said.

“This project will have broader spillover effects, including the creation of a legislative and regulatory environment to allow the operation of electric vehicles, relevant testing infrastructure for electric vehicles, local manufacturing for domestic and global markets, initiation of charging infrastructure and educational campaigns on electric vehicles.”

As part of its energy supply interventions, South Africa phased out leaded petrol in 2006.

“South Africa has developed and is implementing a number of measures in the development and use of cleaner alternative fuels,” Ndebele said.

“These measures entail high-level coordination with relevant government departments, investors and development finance institutions, to ensure a coherent and coordinated approach to the development of the sector.”

SAinfo reporter and BuaNews

South Africa a hit at ‘Davos of Wine’

The beautiful Villa d’Este on the shores of Lake Como, Italy was the venue for the 2010 World Wine Symposium (Photo: Brand South Africa

Brand South Africa’s John Battersby (centre) with Francois Mauss, host of the South Africa-sponsored lunch (left), and Andre Shearer, CEO of Cape Classics (Photo: Brand South

5 November 2010

South African wines were the toast of a South African-sponsored lunch attended by many of the world’s leading wine producers, estate owners and critics during the prestigious 2010 World Wine Symposium – dubbed the “Davos of Wine” – at Lake Como, Italy.

The 200 Davos du Vin delegates assembled in the verandah dining-room at Villa d’Este on the shores of Lake Como on Friday, 29 October were exposed to five of South Africa’s top wines.

The place settings included a stunning brochure on South Africa – focusing on the wine-growing region of the Western Cape – which was jointly branded by the World Wine Symposium, Villa d’Este and Brand South Africa.

Andre Shearer, CEO of Cape Classics, the major importer of SA wines into the United States, presented the wines, speaking glowingly about the attractions of South Africa as a tourist and investment destination.

The guests were presented with a statement of support from President Jacob Zuma, who underlined the importance of the wine industry in attracting tourism and investment to South Africa.

The delegates were also presented with an exquisite booklet on the DNA of South African wines produced by Wines of South Africa, while videos with information about SA wines and visuals of the country provided by South Africa Tourism were played in the delegates’ hotel rooms.

John Battersby, UK country manager for Brand South Africa, described the three-day conference as top-end wine investor event offering “a prime opportunity to showcase South Africa as a prime tourist and investment destination.

“The South Africa lunch ensured a major focus on the country, and South Africa remained a central talking-point throughout conference, Battersby said.

“I cannot think of a more conducive atmosphere to position South Africa’s wines among the finest in the world and to showcase the excellence of South Africa and its attributes as a prime destination for tourism and investment.

“The most gratifying part of the lunch was the spontaneous endorsement of the host, Francois Mauss, of the excellence of the wines on offer and how favourably they compare in value with French and other equivalent brands.”

According to Battersby, Mauss proposed that a high-level wine-tasting event involving members of Davos du Vin’s ‘grand jurie’ be held in Cape Town in 2011, while Andre Shearer of Cape Classics had “mooted the possibility of an SA wine showcasing and investor event in Paris in the second quarter of next year (focusing also on New York and Hong Kong).”

The lunch was also attended by renowned wine-writer and blogger Kelly Walker, who said the wines on offer “had dispelled his preconceptions about South African wine, and that he had been hugely surprised by their outstanding quality,” Battersby said.

SAinfo reporter

// //

“YES!!!” … That was my exclamation after getting hold of the latest 2011 5 Star Platter Guide  selection yesterday.

If I may say so myself, the selection of the 5 Star wines for the 2011 Green edition have left fewer surprises than before, which should be a good thing seeing as my judgement of top quality wines is up there with the Platter tasting panel. With this year’s edition having been launched only 2 days ago, on the 16th November, everyone is scrambling to get their hands on what is currently available … and waiting anxiously for those which haven’t been released yet, unfortunately.

With a record 58 five star wines chosen for this edition there’s plenty to go around, which I’m inclined to think is a good result seeing as the quality of our South African vino is increasing year on year, provided optimum vineyard conditions.

For those sceptics out there who chase the latest vintages on whites, you’ll now have a chance to see, and taste, first-hand how well a white wine does in bottle with some age. This confirmed by most of the white wines chosen being 2009 vintage or older.

Here’s a few more stats before we get into what we have available for you …

Winery of the Year - Nederburg Wines
White Wine of the Year – Fleur du Cap Bergkelder Selection Noble Late Harvest 2009
Red Wine of the Year - De Trafford Shiraz 2008

After having Clare scramble to find out what is currently available, and what isn’t, we have a selection of wines which are ready to be added to your cellar at the click of a button …

Graham Beck Pheasants Run Sauvignon Blanc 2010 @ Only R152.00 per bottle
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2009 @ Only R98.00 per bottle
Strandveld Adamastor 2009 @ Only R103.00 per bottle
Topiary Blanc de Blanc Brut 2008 @ Only R87.00 per bottle
Newton Johnson Domaine Pinot Noir 2009 @ Only R220.00 per bottle

*This offer is only available for a limited period!

… AND … if there are any of the other 5 Star wines you are interested in which we don’t have listed on WineWeb, please feel free to drop us an email to wine@wineweb.co.za with your query and we’ll get back to you shortly. Let us help you!!!

Till next time … here’s a sneak peak of the new 2011 Platter Wine Guide …

Vinous regards,

Richard Crann

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 12:00 PM on 2nd September 2010

This is the moment a group of tiny caterpillars formed an incredible 17ft long convoy to cross a road.

Some 136 caterpillars made the single line and wriggled top-to-toe across the road, linked by a thin silk thread which set their path.

And their safety-in-numbers approach had the desired effect as the slow-moving convoy was easily seen by motorists, who were held up for 20 minutes as it made its way across.

Bumper to bumper: This slow moving convoy of migrating caterpillars was spotted in the Kruger National Park by Jamie Rooney, from High Wycombe, Bucks

The spectacle was captured on camera by British tourist Jamie Rooney, who was visiting the famous Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Jamie, from High Wycombe, Bucks, was in a Jeep full of tourists when their driver slammed the brakes just inches from the crawling caterpillars.

Jamie, 38, who works in website sales, said: “It was an incredible sight.

‘We were out driving in Kruger National Park for a safari, when all of a sudden the driver shouted out and slammed on his brakes.’

‘He managed to stop just in time in front of this amazing trail of caterpillars, which was stretching across the road.’

‘Conservation is a massive deal in South Africa and the idea is that if there is any living creature in the road you have to wait patiently until it is safely across.’

‘We got out to get a closer look and counted 136 caterpillars in convoy, all moving together across the track.’

‘They were following a very, very thin silk thread on the ground and it took them about 20 minutes to get across the road safely.’

‘Our guide had never seen it before, but he’d heard about it and explained they were migrating into the bush where they would disperse.’

‘It’s like the mass migration of bigger animals like wildebeest, but on a different scale and pace.’

‘When they arrive in the bush, they turn into chrysalis and then butterflies.’

‘It’s a rare sight. It was an absolute joy to watch and a great experience to be able to get down close and see it first hand.’

This incredible convoy is the ultimate commuter train – a trail of tiny caterpillars heading off into the bush. An amazing 136 caterpillars wriggled top-to-toe across
a road on their migratory route in Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Hold up: Traffic stopped while the slow-moving caterpillar convoy crossed the road

Winelands in the Boland, Western Cape are a popular tourist destination within South Africa.Building on this year’s exciting Street View launch in June, Google will be adding a further 19 SA wineries to the most comprehensive database of winelands imagery in the world.

This will include leading wineries such as Vergelegen,Thelema Mountain Vineyards and Villiera. Street View adds another dimension to Google Maps, with 360 degree street-level images taken by the Google cars and trikes, allowing Google users to view and navigate through wine estates, vineyards, historic buildings and gardens.

South African wine connoisseur, Juliet Cullinan, commenting on Street View and the growing importance of digital technology within South Africa’s wine industry, says:“Wine-lovers all over the world can now visit the estates of some of our leading wine domains using Street View, plan their own wine routes and buy online.

As the world’s first vineyards to be placed on Street View, South African wineries will receive great exposure and can take advantage of this new technology in innovative ways, whilst expanding tourism and their global and local customer base.” Google also ran a hands-on training workshop for Cape wineries , focusing on how Google’s geo tools can improve their online presence.

Richard Cheary of Afrozaar, a mobile and web solutions company, sees the marketing capabilities of Google Maps and Street View expanding.““There are so many ways wine farms can utilise geo products, including the creation of virtual wine route tours, incorporating video and interviews; mobile applications, comprising travel directions and preloaded tourist information; and online bookings with specific requests.” Wine.co.za, a popular wine news hub, has already integrated Google Maps into its database of winelistings. Kevin Kidson explains, “We are looking to incorporate Google Street View as much as possible, and are working on special routes using Google’s API to add special overlays – for example, all wineries that offer Pinotage or Chenin, or wineries that are open on Saturdays or Sundays.” Cape Town Tourism endorses the initiative, and sees it as building on the success of of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

“It is important to keep the momentum going and continue to showcase what South Africa, and in particular Cape Town, can offer as a tourist destination,” says Mariette du Toit-Helmbold, Chief Executive Officer of Cape Town Tourism. “The expansion of winelands imagery on Street View will no doubt encourage local and international tourists to come and explore this part of the country further.” Says Julie Taylor, Communications Manger for Google South Africa: “The local launches of Google Maps and Street View reflect Google’s investment in South Africa, as well as our commitment to making the Internet more useful and relevant to South Africans. Street View also shows South Africa’s heritage to the world, ranging from the iconic winelands to the Kruger National Park.” Using Google Street View In areas where Street View is available, you can see the images on Google Maps (on a PC or Internet-enabled mobile) by zooming into the lowest level, or by dragging the orange “Pegman” icon on the left-hand side of the map onto a blue highlighted street.

Google has gone to lengths to safeguard privacy while allowing all South African users to benefit from this feature. Street View only contains imagery that is already visible from public roads and features technology that blurs both faces and licence plates. In addition, any user can easily flag images for removal that he or she considers inappropriate by clicking on “Report a problem”. South Africa is the first country in Africa to get Street View imagery in Maps.

Street View first launched in 2007 and is currently available in 23 countries and 100 metropolitan areas worldwide, including large areas of the US, Australia, Japan, France, Italy and Spain. To learn more about Street View, visit www.google.co.za/streetview To learn more about Street View, visit www.google.co.za/streetview

info supplied by SA the good News

All the wineries listed on streetview can be expertly visited through www.guidemecapetown.co.za as Wine tourism is their passion

The full list of wineries currently in Street View is:

* Bouchard Finlayson

* De Rust Estate

* De Wetshof

* Fairview

* Jordan Wines

* Klein Constantia

* Meerlust

* Morgenster

* Rustenberg

* Vilafonte Vineyards

* Warwick Wine Estate

New Wine Estates that will be added to Street View:

* Ataraxia Wines

* Boekenhoutskloof Winery

* Constantia Glen

* Glen Carlou

* Groote Post

* Hamilton Russell

* Iona Wines

* Journey’s End

* Kaapzicht

* Le Riche

* Mont Du Toit

* Mooiplaas

* Ormonde Vineyard

* Raka

* Rickety Bridge

* Robertson Winery

* Saronsberg

* Strandveld

* Thelema Mountain Vineyards

* Vergelegen

* Villiera

* Weltevrede