Wednesday 31 August 2022

South Africa: Newlands Swimming Pool has been reopened | Знаменитый бассейн открыли в Кейптауне

The iconic Modernist classic, Newlands Swimming Pool, recently reopened after a 4 year closure in Cape Town, South Africa.

The pool was closed to the public back in 2017 as it underwent a major revamp and upgrade, which cost the City a whopping R22 million - more than double what was initially budgeted.

Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health Patricia van der Ross said that the increase in funds was due to the complexity of the existing infrastructure, the age of the swimming pool, and its heritage significance.

Built 1955

Architect: CAPE TOWN CITY COUNCIL

Design Architect: Jacob Cornelis Jongens

Известный классический модернистский плавательный бассейн Newlands недавно снова открылся после 4-летнего перерыва. Бассейн был закрыт еще в 2017 году, после чего подвергся серьезной реконструкции и модернизации, которые обошлись городу в колоссальные 22 миллиона рандов - более чем вдвое больше, чем было первоначально заложено в бюджете.

Построен в 1955 г.

Архитектор: CAPE TOWN CITY COUNCIL

Архитектор дизайна: Джейкоб Корнелис Йонгенс

South Africa: http://www.namibweb.com/indexsa.htm

#CapeTown #SouthAfrica #Newlands #WesternCape #Dronesberg #ExploringNamibiaTV #NamibwebCom #ЮжнаяАфрика #Кейптаун #ПогодаАфрика

ПОРТФОЛИО P5 ►https://bit.ly/2Vvbb6L

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Tuesday 30 August 2022

Video - overloading in Africa - travelling in the most beautiful continent! | Перегруз в Африке - видео!

So let's go! | Ну че, поехали!


#Namibia #SouthAfrica #Botswana #TravelNamibia #NamibiaSafari #ToursNamibia #Dronesberg #NamibwebCom #TravelToNamibiaCom #Намибия #ТурыВНамибию #СафариВНамибии #ЮжнаяАфрика

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Monday 29 August 2022

Zambia: Jollyboys Backpackers - Livingstone

Jollyboys Backpackers - Livingstone

An Introduction to Jollyboys, Winner of The Best Hostel in Zambia!

Livingstone is a travellers gem and nicknamed the ‘Adventure Capital of Africa’ for good reason. Home to a Natural Wonder of the World and with incredible water, wildlife, adrenaline, foodie and local cultural experiences on offer, there is so much more to explore than just Victoria Falls – making our town one of the coolest backpacking destinations on the planet!

Bang in the heart of Livingstone Town, our guests are within walking distance of the Livingstone Museum, Mukuni Curio Market and a host of bars, restaurants and shops, so we are the best Livingstone hostel for location. When it comes to rooms, guests will have four options: camping, dorms or private rooms – either en-suite or with shared bathroom facilities. We offer incredible value for money for solo travellers, couples, friends and family groups.

Guests love a Jolly Good Time...

Our unique vibe and social aspect is what makes Jolly’s TRULY special. Head down to our pool or relax in our insta-famous pillow pit, make new friends, share travel stories and tips, or just have a great time with like-minded travellers from all over the world. If guests don’t want to leave the hostel, no problem, there’s an on-site bar, restaurant and a fully equipped kitchen. Guests will experience real Zambian hospitality at the hands of our friendly and knowledgeable team, full of insider knowledge and happy to share their tips on what to do and see during your visit to our region.

Ready to experience the World’s Best One Day Rafting? Found the courage to bungee jump off Victoria Falls Bridge? Guests are encouraged to head to our Activity Booking Desk to make any activity bookings for their stay. Our Responsible Tourism initiatives include worm farms for food waste, solar-powered hot showers, reduced water use and upcycling. We also support a host of local social enterprise organizations within Livingstone and surrounds. Jolly’s has been voted the Best Hotel in Zambia for close to a decade!

Thank you for taking the time to read this intro to Jollyboys. Adventure awaits!

Kim Barnett, Director

Jollyboys Backpackers & Camp · 34 Kanyanta Rd · Livingstone 61088 · Zambia

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Sunday 28 August 2022

Victoria Falls: Introducing Shongwe Lookout Lodge in Zimbabwe

Introducing Shongwe Lookout - new luxury lodge - Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

There are few destinations that leave you lost for words - and the Victoria Falls are one of them. Having just visited the Falls for the fourth time their alluring and almost unearthly beauty continue to take my breath away. Needless to say I most definitely concur with David Livingstone.

Apart from staying with my fabulous new representation client Shongwe Lookout, the other highlights of my educational visit were to have seen two rainbows at the Falls - known as a double or twinned rainbow - and their unique 4-storey Lookout Tower from which to my delight I was able to continue marvelling at the beautiful vistas of the Victoria Falls and Zambezi River. From this great vantage point with a superb cup of coffee in blissful tranquility I savoured tree top sunrises, Africa’s famed sunsets and the mist rising above the Falls.

An intercom and innovative pulley system enables guests to order and enjoy drinks and tasty bar snacks without missing a moment of the magical view.

Owner-operated by Jamie Henson and located in the quiet leafy residential area of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe’s most famous wildlife town set in Victoria Falls National Park, Shongwe Lookout is an exquisite new guest lodge with twenty-three rooms and perfectly suited for your clients seeking a more intimate and personalised Victoria Falls experience in a smaller establishment.

An exciting new-build completed at the beginning of the Covid pandemic in April 2020, Shongwe’s unique offering is the above mentioned 2-platform Lookout Tower with far reaching views of the Zambezi River and spray of the magnificent Victoria Falls of which the lodge takes its Shona name. A refreshing departure from the colonial look, Shongwe Lookout and its stunning rooms are furnished with vibrant contemporary African decor. Only one kilometre from Victoria Falls town centre and two kilometres from the Falls nestled among the verdant tropical gardens each luxury room has all the modern comforts overseas visitors would expect and comes complete with a spacious veranda.

Truly ingenious culinary delights, good wines and phenomenal artisan coffees coupled with fast personable attentive service by friendly staff awaits guests in the African-chic styled al-fresco restaurant which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and boasts an extraordinary eclectic blackboard menu created daily by Shongwe’s world-class chef.

Personally I have always found that one night in Victoria Falls, which due to mid-day arrival and departure invariable is reduced to one afternoon, is quite a short and rushed affair - especially as there is a lot more on offer other than adrenalin, safari and water-based activities as I indeed discovered during my three night famil. I was surprised by the superb array of new activities to suit every age - ranging from conservation, safari, cultural, arts & crafts to exceptional traditional dining experiences.

Therefore, tailormade to suit your clients’ individual requirements, one to three night Victoria Falls experiences for solos, families, couples, honeymooners, the more adventurous travellers, small group of friends inclusive of road transfers and bespoke Victoria Falls activities can be discussed and booked with Shongwe’s mega efficient and knowledgeable reservations team. Activities can also be booked for guests upon their arrival.

Stay tuned to hear more about a new and exceptional discovery I particularly enjoyed - the world’s most beautiful tram ride- and special offers from Shongwe Lookout.

LOCATION & ACCESS

° International airports close-by: Victoria Falls, Livingstone, Kasane

° Airlines flying into to VFA: Air Zimbabwe (Harare, Bulawayo), FastJet (Johannesburg, Nelspruit-Kruger, Maun, Harare), Pro Flight (Livingstone), Airlink (Johannesburg, Cape Town), Kenya Airways (Nairobi), Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa), Eurowings (Frankfurt-Windhoek-VFA)

° Airport road transfer to Shongwe Lookout approximately 15 minutes

° Shongwe Lookout is located 1 km from Victoria Falls town centre, 2 km from the Falls

SHONGWE LOOKOUT

° 23 spacious luxury rooms

° Lookout Tower & Art Gallery

° Al-fresco restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner; Boma area in tropical garden

° Lounge & Bar

° Infinity pool and terrace with sun loungers

° Reception & Activities Booking Concierge

° Laundry Service

° Complimentary Wi-fi

ACCOMMODATION

° 23 spacious well-appointed rooms combining stunning African décor with modern comfort:

° 16 Deluxe Rooms, 3 Executive Rooms, 4 Studios each with private veranda and seating overlooking the gardens

° 5 of the 16 Deluxe Rooms are interconnected, 2 of 4 Studio Rooms are suitable for seniors and have wheel-chair access

° Fully equipped rooms with King-sized extra-length beds, air-conditioning, fans inside mosquito nets, tea & coffee facilities etc.

° Complimentary Wi-Fi

THE LOOKOUT TOWER

Open from 6.00 am until 9.00 pm the newly refurbished Lookout Tower offers stunning vistas accessed from two viewing platforms each furnished with comfortable seating.  Here guests can sit with a cocktail and tasty bar snacks whilst watching the sun set on the mighty Zambezi River or enjoy their morning Macchiato as the mist from the Falls burns orange over the face of the rising sun.

BAR - RESTAURANT - FOOD

The newly refurbished Kuhlangana Area (place of gathering) offers a contemporary take on African décor, drinks and food, using fresh local ingredients grown Shongwe's own staff.

Your concierge for bookings, transfers and activities

° Bamba Tram - the world's most beautiful tram ride to Victoria Falls Bridge, view of the Falls, visit to the Victoria Falls Museum on the Zambian side, refreshments

° Zambezi River Cruise

° Helicopter Ride over the Falls

° Historic Train Ride

° Adrenalin activities

° Safari: Game drives & Walking safaris

° Conservation, community, cultural, arts & crafts, local dining experiences and more....

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Saturday 27 August 2022

Victoria Falls: The world's most beautiful tram ride - Bamba Tram

Victoria Falls - The world's most beautiful TRAM RIDE

Take the incredible journey

An authentically styled 19th century tram service - Now known as the Bamba Tram

The Bamba Tram offers a family-friendly 1.5 hour return tram experience through Zambezi National Park, onto the historic Victoria Falls suspension bridge. From there, you can watch the spray rising from the majestic Victoria Falls, while the Zambezi River rushes through the Batoka gorge below.

Spectacular Sunrise Runs are available on request and confirmed with a minimum of 6 people. They depart at 6.15 am from the Victoria Falls Train Station (season dependent so confirm timing upon making the booking).

Since the stop of the previous tram trips, the operators of the hop-on hop-off Bamba Bus took over the running, and in April 2022, they introduced the Bamba Tram. Apart from the traditional bridge runs, they have created a few more options for you to choose from.

The experiences are at really good prices, and include a morning bridge run, sunrise bridge run (only on request), a sunset safari trip, and a dinner trip which confirms with at least 8 people. All trips begin at Three Monkeys, near the Victoria Falls Railway Station. Guests are required to be at the tram at least 10 minutes before departure, to allow for enough time for check-in.

Morning Bridge Run

This regular first trip of the day takes off at 8:30am from where the tram is stationed. The tram meanders through the national park near the Falls, making a wide sweep through the African bush, and there is a chance to see some of the wildlife that roams through there. You may spot elephant, buffalo, waterbuck or bushbuck.

Or, you can take the tracks less travelled into untouched African wilderness. Meander along the Masuwe River adjacent to Zambezi National Park and the wildlife rich Chamabonda hinterlands. Spot wildlife along the way as you soak up the beautiful scenery, before stopping for refreshments at our Jafuta siding.

You can also enjoy both a safari tram ride and an exceptional dining experience under starry African skies if you book our "Dinner with the Stars" run. Take a 40 minute safari tram ride into the wilderness, and enjoy a sumptuous 3 course meal served al fresco at the romantic lantern lit railway siding in the bush. Departure times seasonally dependent & will be confirmed at time of booking.

​All tram rides include all rail, bridge and conservation fees and taxes, and depart from Victoria Falls Train Station. Guests should arrive ten minutes prior to departure. No passport, visa or COVID requirements apply. Please enquire for Dinner with the Stars prices.

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Friday 26 August 2022

Zambia: Chundukwa Horse Trails

Chundukwa Horse Trails

HORSE-RIDING FOR IN-HOUSE RESIDENTS AND EXTERNAL GUESTS.

Our riding trails at Chundukwa River Lodge range from an hour to half-day trails and we cater for single riders as well as group excursions - novice to experienced. Our experienced guides will ensure your comfort and share their vast knowledge of our plant and animal kingdom with you!

Kiddy-friendly and introductory rides are available too.

Living remotely on our horse ranch has required a firm ability in animal husbandry and horse care. Doug has schooled horses for Polo and Polo Crosse over the years which has given him an edge of knowing what types of horses will offer experienced riders a satisfying experience. All our horses are gentle natured, forward going, steady and have been carefully introduced to the bush and wildlife. We have a mixture of Quarter Horses, Quarter Horse cross Boerperds, Basotho Horses and Thoroughbred-Crosses.

CHUNDUKWA HORSE TRAILS  

We have a large stable yard with horses for all levels of riders, and options for children.

Our horse trails are available to both in-house and external guests.

River Rides - Our most popular ride! Join us for a 1h30 ride, departing early morning or afternoon.

Kids Pony Rides - This is really fun for kids. Our grooms will lead the children on horseback and parents are welcome to join on a bush meander on foot. Approx 45mins.

Champagne Breakfast Ride - A fantastic 1h30 outride along the river and through the wilderness, finishing with a champagne breakfast on the banks of the Zambezi. Approx 3hrs total.

Half-Day Ride with Refreshments -  A 3hr outride along Zambezi and surrounding wilderness.

Land & River Ride with Lunch - A 3-4hr outride along the Zambezi and surrounding wilderness with lunch. 

Approx 6hrs total.

Chundukwa Stables to Waterberry / Nkwazi - One-way ride across to our neighbours, a fun outride for all guests.

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Thursday 25 August 2022

Namibia: Customer service? Not at Bank Windhoek!

Customer service? Not at Bank Windhoek!

Constant ignoring our simple request about interest rate on our bank account with Bank Windhoek and date when it is valid from.

A numerous e-mail messages are plainly ignored by K. Totong, M. Gontes and J. van Wyk from Maerua Mall Windhoek branch. Same for July 2022 request about bank charges clarification. R. Borges from Bank Windhoek Merchant Acquiring also ignored several requests e-mailed in July 2022 about e-commerce service implementation.

#BadServiceBankWindhoek #BankWindhoek #Namibia #SouthAfrica #NoCustomerService #MaeruaMall #Totong #Gontes #Borges

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Zambia: Chundukwa River Lodge - Introducing Chundu Cottage

Chundukwa River Lodge

Introducing Chundu Cottage

Muli Bwanji from Zambia!

This week we would like to introduce you to Chundu Cottage - a private, stand-alone thatched home overlooking the Zambezi River here at Chundukwa River Lodge. The fully-equipped cottage is available as a self-catering house for up to 6 guests, ideal for travelling families and small groups of friends.

Our Self-Catering Offer is inclusive of Wi-Fi, a daily housekeeping service for 1h30 per day, linen service, a bag of charcoal at the BBQ area and all taxes and levies.

We have safe drinking water on-site.

Low Season Offer

US$ 200.00 Per Night for the entire cottage (Max 6 Guests)

Valid Dates:

01 November – 19 December 2022

High Season Offer

US$ 300.00 Per Night for the entire cottage (Max 6 Guests)

Valid Dates:

01 April – 31 October 2022

20-31 December 2022

Let us show you around!

Three Bedrooms

The Master King offers an en-suite bathroom and the Second King Room and Upstairs Loft share a separate bathroom with double basins, a private toilet and a shower under skylight. The Loft has twin beds, ideal for older children!

Nestled alongside the Zambezi

An open-plan lounge and kitchen area opens onto a covered veranda with adjoining deck, extending to a plunge pool. The deck is fenced so little ones can’t wander into the swimming pool or down to the River. The fence can be removed on request.

There are fireside chairs and a picnic table on the bank of the Zambezi a few steps away for the all-important hippo-watch, elephant spotting, sundowners and dining under the stars!

Chundu Cottage Facilities

Wi-Fi

A fully-equipped kitchen with a gas stove and oven, deep freeze and fridge

Walk-in Mosquito Nets

Quality Linen & Towels

Outdoor Terrace

BBQ Facilities 

Swimming Pool

Daily Housekeeping Service (1h30)

On-site fun for the whole family!

With so many experiences on offer on-property and within Livingstone and Victoria Falls, there is certainly something to do for everyone. Do a lot, or do a little, you map your days with us at Chundukwa River Lodge.

Fun starts for the whole family here on the property – we offer horse riding for all ages, sizes and abilities and our farmyard is home to an eclectic family of horses, donkeys, sheep, oxen, geese, chickens, dogs, cats – a visit to the stables is not complete without a basketful of carrots from the garden! Whether joining our guides on a Zambezi cruise, on a birding expedition, bush walk, horseback or bike ride, children’s imaginations and love for the bush and wildlife will be sparked by our friendly and knowledgeable team. Kids may also try their hand at fishing the local way in our dams with the challenge of catching dinner for the whole family.

Enjoy all the space you need, and more.

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Wednesday 24 August 2022

Tuesday 23 August 2022

Namibia: Zambezi Collection food experiences

Zambezi Collection

Situated in the middle of an indigenous woodland overlooking the Zambezi River is one of Livingstone’s most exclusive – and remote – food experiences. SavannaBel - Bush Gourmet offers a bespoke, all-inclusive, five-course dining experience for a maximum of twelve people on a working farm in the Zambezi Valley, upriver from Victoria Falls.

Now, in a limited series of three Chefs’ Tables, Annabel Hughes Aston, the award-winning chef, organic gardener and forager, who created the food experience, will be collaborating with award-winning Danish chef, Nicklas Buus Nielsen, who relocated to Zambia with his family in 2020.

“I met Chef Nicklas at an event in Lusaka a couple of years ago and we have been looking for ways to collaborate ever since,” said Chef Annabel. “Both of us are unswerving in our support and use of hyperlocal, sustainable ingredients that are accessible to everyone; food that, with a little imagination, can be produced in any kitchen be it in the village or a gourmet restaurant.”

Chef Nicklas brings with him the principles of the New Nordic kitchen. “When he first told me about the New Nordic culinary movement I had little idea of what it was besides a vague knowing of Noma, arguably Denmark’s most renowned fine dining restaurant. Noma was famous for its laser-focus on local, sustainable, seasonal food, and had topped the World’s Best Restaurant multiple times,” said Chef Annabel. “I didn’t know that Noma and New Nordic were synonymous with one another, or that the movement’s basic tenets mirrored that of my Bush Gourmet concept.”

While heading up one of Norway’s top restaurants, Chef Nicklas steered its move away from classic French and Italian haute cuisine to New Nordic, and won the World’s Most Northern Gourmet Restaurant soon after. In all the high-end kitchens he has worked in since he has applied its principles of purity, season, ethics, health, sustainability and quality. Zambia is no exception. “My Zambian/Danish wife, Tasha, and I decided on a scene change as we wanted more family time with our two children. While Tasha works as a medical doctor, I have been building a network of local producers and learning much about the myriad indigenous and wild ingredients native to Zambia. I feel the time is right to apply my culinary experience and the New Nordic principles to the modern Zambian kitchen,” he said.

Chef Annabel, meanwhile, has always been an advocate for hyperlocal, plant-forward, sustainable dining. She has spent the past ten years, since moving to Livingstone, developing an organic garden and experimenting with, and fusing, wild and indigenous ingredients with what she grows. She uses locally-produced dairy, meat and fish, while the garden, the market, the village and the wilderness make up the mainstay of her pantry: fresh organic garden produce, indigenous heirloom grains, beans and seeds, bush fruits, wild tree nuts, wild mushrooms, legumes, roots, leaves and more, which she crafts into ever-changing menus according to the seasons.

There is a large focus on community empowerment and sustainable harvest practice in Chef Annabel’s ethos. Poverty alleviation through fundraising for accessible water and solar irrigation for small-scale gardens; collaborating with neighbouring villagers on sustainability and best practice methods for the utilisation of wild edibles; information and knowledge sharing, discussion and partnership opportunities, is critical to the success of her Bush Gourmet concept. “It is my sincere hope that by promoting the use of these inimitable, and largely unexplored, natural resources—this wild and indigenous food—the local economy will also be enriched,” she said.

The ‘Bush Gourmet meets New Nordic’ collaboration will include a series of three Chefs’ Tables held on September 21 and 23 at 13.00 each day, and September 24, 2022 at 17.00. With a maximum of 12 guests per sitting, the tables will be set in a contemporary farmstead deep in a Kalahari woodland, the source not only of Chef Annabel’s foraged pantry but also an integral element in the success of her organic garden. A ‘surprise’ pre fixe bush gourmet menu will be paired with singular Cape wines provided by Under the Influence (Africa).

Under the Influence has been curating fine wine experiences in Africa since 2008. The company is focused on uncovering and sharing boutique wines for food and wine lovers on the continent. In Zambia, Under the Influence established its distribution centre in 2016, and held the first Lusaka Wine Experience show, followed shortly thereafter by the creation of the Together Store, a digital wine emporium. The company is also passionate about wine education, and, through its hospitality distribution programs, has trained over 25,000 waiters, bartenders and sommeliers in Africa.

Allister Kreft, CEO of Under the Influence, who is also a winemaker in the Cape, said: “We are so excited and grateful to be collaborating with Annabel and Nicklas in this ground-breaking and world-class food and wine experience, in the most beautiful location, with carefully curated and sourced menus.”

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Monday 22 August 2022

Namibia: Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp, Kaokoland, southern Africa

Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp is located in one of the most remote corners of Africa, where the desert landscapes of Kaokoland meet the Skeleton Coast the rugged mountains and canyons of the Hoanib River provide a last refuge for some of the continent's most unique wildlife; this is the home of the legendary desert elephant and the last free roaming rhino population on earth. In fact seventy five per cent of Namibia's endemic species inhabit this last bastion of the wilderness.

The Save the Rhino Trust has been involved with rhino conservation in this area since the early eighties, and in partnership with Wilderness Safaris, offer the chance to experience one of the most incredible desert treks in Africa. Camel expeditions, following ancient paths worn into this harsh land by countless generations of desert elephant and rhino, lead you through this timeless landscape; one that few people have ever seen. Experience the wilder side of Africa where only the sporadic roar of lion or cackle of hyena punctuates the silence of the night. Save the Rhino Trust employ professional trackers from the community who travel with us to search for the rare desert-dwelling black rhino.

Hoanib River Camp is the exclusive tented camp close to the Hoanib River is a relaxed haven from where guests explore this wild land on foot, by camel or from the comfort of one of safari vehicles. The camp is powered by solar-powered inverter systems and there are no generators or pumps running whilst guests are in camp. The near-mythical Hoanib River provides a meandering thread of life in this unforgiving land. Lined by hundreds of Ana Trees, whose copious production of pods attracts large herds of antelope, giraffe and elephant, the oasis like river is rated by purists as one of Africa's great wilderness experiences.

Hoanib River Camp is a must-visit on your Namibian safari.

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