The countdown to my family’s two-yearly trip home for Hong Kong’s summer holidays has officially begun.
Excuse me making a big deal of it, but when one has been away from home for a decade, seeing family and friends only once every two years… you will understand why we are all looking forward to the trip.
In a month’s time my family and I will board the biggest airplane on the world, Emirates’ A380 en-route to Dubai (via Bangkok).
Two years ago I bought a Lonely Planet guide for the United Arab Emirates that has been gathering dust in my rented storage locker. Thankfully I can finally retrieve it because we will be staying over in Dubai for 4 days.
The kids are still busy writing their final examinations and when that is all done and dusted, the serious planning around what we want to see and what road-trips we will be doing back home, will begin.
I’m going to share some of the information we gather about tourist attractions in South Africa right here on Howzit-HongKong.com
If internet service has improved back home (it was pretty useless and moerse expensive last time around), I also plan to keep you abreast of what we are doing and seeing on our trip around South Africa.
Stay tuned…
African sunrise. A stunning sunrise on approach to OR Tambo Airport in Joburg (Pic: Mike Jansen, 2009)
South Africa today celebrates Freedom Day which commemorates the first democratic elections held in South Africa on 27 April 1994.
Freedom Day is celebrated annually as a reminder of the struggle for a free and just South Africa culminating in the first democratic elections held in 1994 where South Africans of every walk of life participated in the making of our new country.
I found this funny ‘educational video‘ on YouTube.
Do you remember Clarence Keyter who used to work for the SABC back in the days? He made a series of video (in the guise of Clarence the puppet) on the eve of South Africa’s first democratic election in 1994.
Can you identify some of the personalities (some latter-day billionaires) in the clip?
President Jacob Zuma has arrived in Sanya, Hainan Island in China, where South Africa will be participating in the BRICS Leaders Meeting as a member of the grouping of powerful developing countries for the first time.
The changing global environment has been accompanied by a shift in political and economic power towards the BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – as well as other emerging powers.
The International Monetary Fund has predicted that Brazil, Russia, India and China will together account for as much as 61% of global growth by 2020.
South Africa anticipates economic and political benefits, for both the country and the continent, to come from its membership of BRICS.
“It is a historic moment for South Africa,” Zuma said on his arrival in Sanya on Wednesday. “We look forward to using this relationship to further advance our agenda of creating jobs, as announced in the State of the Nation address in February.”
Zuma said that South Africa’s membership of BRICS would “contribute immensely in the advancement of other priorities domestically and internationally, especially in the peace and security and development arenas.”
According to the Presidency, discussions at the two-day summit, which starts on Thursday, will centre on strengthening economic and trade cooperation among BRICS members.
Zuma is being accompanied by International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies, Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel, and Deputy Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene.
After his arrival, Zuma and his delegation left for his hotel, the Hilton Sanya Resort and Spa, in Yalong Bay.
Zuma was expected to hold bilateral meetings in Yalong Bay with his Russian counterpart, Dimitry Medvedev, on Wednesday afternoon, followed by a second bilateral meeting in the early evening with Chinese President Hu Jintao.
“Former South African President Nelson Mandela is alive and kicking.”
These were the words of Acting-President Kgalema Motlanthe late last night in a statement from the South African Government on the condition on the ailing Mandela.
This afternoon, at a press conference arranged to calm the mood in the country and to allay fears that Madiba (The clan name of Mandela) has passed away, Motlanthe confirmed that, while Mandela has indeed been admitted to the MillPark Hospital for treatment, he was fine and ready to be discharged for home-care.
I have been monitoring the news-wires for any updates the whole afternoon (Friday 28 January 2011) and finally managed to capture the pressie from South Africa via my iPhone (courtesy of Sky News here in Hong Kong):
(Turn up your volume if required)
“I’m still here” Stay strong Tata.
And then…. after the press conference, we danced, Madiba-style! Turn up the volume…
South African Tourism is delighted by the huge success of World Cup 2010 in South Africa (nán fēi, 南非)
It’s figures reported that the tournament boosted visitor numbers by 25% from 1 June to 1 July in 2010 compared with the same period in the previous year.
According to figures released by the Department of Home Affairs of South Africa, a total 1,020,321 visitors visited the ‘Rainbow Country’ during the month, clearly demonstrating the tremendous pulling power of the World Cup.
From January to October 2010, 55,874 Chinese travelers visited South Africa, an increase of 65.5% compared with the same period in 2009, making China the fastest growing market in Asia for tourists visiting the country.
“The success of the World Cup 2010 presented a colourful South Africa to the world and further enhanced South Africa’s brand internationally,” said Mr. Bradley Brouwer, Regional Manager: Asia Pacific, South African Tourism (SAT). “In 2011, SAT will enter a new era and look to ride on the tremendous growth experienced in 2010 by continuing to explore more diversified cooperation with media and trade partners making South Africa an even more attractive destination for travelers.”
South Africa rakes in awards in China
Last year, South Africa received many awards from media and trade partners in China, including the “Year’s Most Influential Tourism Destination”, “The Most Popular Long-haul Destination” and “Top 10 Overseas Destinations”.
SAT recently held a roadshow that visited Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Guangzhou, with the theme of “Leave Ordinary Behind and Enjoy the Green South Africa”, to further promote the Rainbow Country as a preferred tourist destination for Chinese travelers.
SAT also embarked on a series of marketing activities using the “Leave Ordinary Behind” theme to enhance the profile of South Africa following the huge success of the World Cup where the country extended a hand of friendship to visitors from all over the world.
‘Reality tourism’
Last November, SAT launched a “20 Experiences in 10 Days” casting campaign organised by Rapid Blue, a professional TV production company from South Africa. This promotion seeks to find a couple from China to travel around South Africa while being trailed by Rapid Blue’s cameras that will record all the fantastic sights experienced along the way. Following this, a TV commercial will be produced for broadcasting internationally.
A four-month sales campaign was also recently launched targeting travel agents to promote South Africa.
The five sales agents that generate the most sales will receive an award from SAT.
(Mike Jansen, Hong Kong SAR Monday 15 November 2010)
I have been living in Asia for ten years and have become very accustomed to the cultural nuances of Chinese society.
About six of these years were spent working and living in the industrial melting pot that is Northern Taiwan. While there is this political tug-of-war between the Mainland (People’s Republic of China/PRC) and Taiwan (Republic of China/ROC) my experiences are that the cultural differences between these two states on opposite sides of the Taiwan Straits are few and far between.
Which brings me to my own country. I always marvel at how some South Africans can be critical, embarrassed even, of our current President Jacob Zuma when he attends the traditional Reed Dancingceremonies in his native KwaZulu Natal. As is the custom, he always appears in traditional Zulu garb and almost always partakes in the traditional Zulu dances.
The gathering. Zulu men gather in KwaZulu Natal (Pic: Thanda.com)
This post was inspired by a picture I saw on the South China Morning Post website of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao partaking in what I think is a fan-dance, or a sort of tai-chi exercise. Chinese leaders are always seen to do this whenever they visit other Asian countries or foreign countries with large Chinese communities. The picture was taken in Macau which is, like Hong Kong, another of China’s Special Administrative Regions (SAR).
Morning Tai Chi. Parks in China or Chinese communities look like this every morning.
China, like South Africa is a very diverse, multi-cultural country.
While Premier Wen is Han Chinese (the Han is an ethnic group in China) Chinese people in general don’t frown when he ‘dances’ with women cluching a big red fan.
Let Zuma dance, I say.
Ah, Ah, Ah, Ah Staying Alive! John Travolta Wen Jiabao shows his moves (Pic: scmp.com.hk)
South African President Jacob Zuma in traditional Zulu garb
After rain delayed the start of the Karp Group & PC Jeweller Hong Kong Cricket Sixes, play finally got underway at 10am.
The match was a repeat of last year’s dramatic Final between hosts Hong Kong and South Africa, and like last year, Hong Kong won the first match of Day 1.
Set a target of 115 runs, South Africa manages only 99 runs.
Both Hong Kong, playing as the Hong Kong Dragons and the SA Sevens team, in the guise of the SA Vipers, made a comfortable start at the 2010 edition of the Singapore Cricket Club International Sevens.
Hong Kong Dragons, on their way to Guangzhou for the Asian Games, looked efficient in the opening spell against the Flying Kukris, leading 17-0 and they eventually triumphed 38-0.
Coach Dai Rees admitted the performance was a little “rusty“.
“We turned the ball over a little bit too much but it is a little bit greasy and the ball is difficult to handle,” he said.
“We’ve set our sights on a quarter-final of the Cup so we have to work hard tomorrow against two decent sides. And it’s also about getting guys ready for the Asian Games. Rowan Varty and Mark Wright haven’t played Sevens since the Hong Kong event in Marchand Jeff Wong is back after an ACL reconstruction so it’s about getting game time.”
The South Africans had an easy day one in Singapore, which, for the first time ever, was played under flood-lights.
Branco Du Preez makes a break for the SA Vipers in Singapore.
Playing in maroon, the South African Vipers started their defence of the Ablitt Cup with a 47-14 win over Sri Lanka, another team bound for the Asian Games, in Pool F.
Coach Paul Treu wasn’t too upset at condeding two tries.
“It was a good effort to get the new players onto the field,” said Treu. “Our sweeper has never played Sevens before so it is good to learn this way and we can build from this match. A few years ago we won the final 10-5 and that’s what we want – tough games where we concede tries – because otherwise we don’t know what we’re doing wrong.”
Captain Kyle Brown and Frankie Horne, who both missed the Commonwealth Games with injury, made solid starts on their return.
“It’s comforting to know that some of the experienced players are back and we’ve given some of the others a break after Delhi.
“We’re not going to get this type of practice at home so it’s an important tournament for us. The most important thing out of this tournament is for the young players to learn.”
The Pool games conclude tomorrow (Saturday) with the knock-out rounds scheduled for Sunday.
(Cheers to UR7s for the report from the Lion City)
Stay close to our sister-website BlitzBokke.com for the latest from Singapore.
If you followed Howzit-Hong Kong.com in November last year, you will have experienced the drama that went down at the Kowloon Cricket Club where Davy Jacobs’ Boys went on to win the 2009 Karp Group & PC Jewellers Hong Kong Cricket Sixes in the most dramatic fashion.
You’ll be happy to hear that the Hong Kong Sixes will return to the Kowloon Cricket Club this year with the staging of the Karp Group & PC Jewellers Hong Kong Cricket Sixes.
This year’s tournament will take place on the weekend of the 6th & 7th November 2010 at the Kowloon Cricket Club where teams from England, Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and last years champions South Africa will compete for the coveted title.
An added feature this year will be the introduction of an exhibition game between China and a Hong Kong Development team as the game continues to grow stronger and stronger in China and Hong Kong.
Tickets go on sale tomorrow (30th September) at www.hkticketing.com and all HK Ticketing outlets.
Stay close to Howzit-HongKong.com for the latest on this year’s Karp Group & PC Jewellers Hong Kong Cricket Sixes
Re-live all the action from last year’s tournament by clicking here
Skipper Davy Jacobs (middle) and his teammates celebrate their win over hosts Hong Kong (Pic: Mike Jansen)
Yours truly (Mike Jansen) gets doused in champagne during the 2009 celebrations (Pic: HK Sixes on FaceBook)
