Tag: durban

Where in the World Are We?

We are in Durban, South Africa.

DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA
The Surf City
What is it about South Africa’s third most popular city that draws people so much? Is it the vibrant waterfront, complete with street performers and sand artists? Is it the melting pot of ethnicity, with all cultures from Zulu to Indian finding a home here? Is it the laid-back lifestyle that has locals calling it simply “Durbs”? Is it the sweeping landscape? The clement climate? One visit to Durban will quickly make you see the reason people love it so much is a combination of all of the above.

Durban has always been a beach city, but it was the massive investment for the 2010 World Cup that really put it on the map. A huge revamp of the promenade has brought with it some fantastic eateries which serve up all kinds of “chow” from traditional bunny chow to bobotie (a sweet spiced mince dish with egg topping). Expect Asian influences wherever you go, too. Durban has the largest Indian population outside of India.

Although there is little evidence, it is known that the city of eThekwini – Durban in Zulu – was inhabited by hunter-gatherers thousands of years ago. It was first sighted by Vasco de Gama in 1497, but it was not until 1824 that the British settlers raised the Union Jack. This was after King Shaka gifted “25-mile strip of coast a hundred miles in depth” to Henry Francis Fynn after Fynn helped him recover from a stab wound. It remained part of the British Commonwealth until 1960, when it became part of the Republic of South Africa. The city’s Euro-African heritage remains to this day.

SIGHTS
• Durban Beach Front
• Durban Botanic Gardens
• Durban City Hall
• Durban Natural Science Museum
• Hollywoodbets Kings
• Park Stadium
• Kwa Muhle Museum
• Mitchell Park Zoo
• Moses Mabhida Stadium
• Phansi Museum
• PheZulu Safari Park
• Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple
• Ushaka Beach

SHOPPING AND CUISINE
Gateway Theatre of Shopping is the ultimate shopping, leisure, and entertainment haven! Gateway is the largest retail
destination in the city, offering an uNrivaled experience that caters to all ages and interests.

The Victoria Street Market, where the scents of spices and the vibrancy of local crafts create an unforgettable experience.

The bunny chow – the Durban specialty – is unique to the city and consists of a quarter loaf of bread hollowed out and filled with a curry of your choice. The dish is also called a ‘kota’ in many parts of the country. The original bunny chows were made only with vegetarian fillings and were known as bean bunny chows.

Today’s Excursion – Valley of a Thousand Hills

Meet modern and olden day African tribal culture in the traditional and spectacular homeland of the Zulu on this half-day
exploration of the ‘Valley of a Thousand Hills’.

Phezulu Safari Park
Depart the pier aboard your coach and drive via the national road for approximately one hour towards the Phezulu Safari Park. In this geographically wondrous part of the world shaped first by the windings of the great Mgeni River, then by the culture of the Zulu tribes, and finally by the coming of European man, the hills still beat to the Zulu drum.
As you journey into the valley, learn how historically these tranquil rolling hills belie the blood-soaked drama that unfolded almost two centuries ago. It was then that the Zulu King Shaka, known to historians as the ‘Black Napoleon’,
subjugated the tribes that today make up the Kingdom of the Zulu.

Zulu People, Dances, and Witch Doctor
Your visit to Phezulu (an open-air museum) creates the opportunity to discover first-hand the intricacies, ethnic customs, and beliefs of the Zulu people. Here, Zulu tales and history are depicted in energetic, costumed song and dance by the renowned Gasa clan, who have been performing unique plays for over 40 years. Dances of courtship and betrothal, of the throwing of the Sangoma’s (witch doctor) bones, of war, and of birth, set to the mesmerizing beat of the Zulu drum, take you into another world.

Traditional Huts, Refreshments, Optional Reptile Park guided tour
Afterward, explore the Zulu cultural village with its traditional beehive huts and fascinating glimpses into African tribal culture. Learn what the different coloured beads that adorn the skirts actually represent and how the women make bread and beer. After enjoying some refreshments, opt for a guided tour of Phezulu’s impressive reptile park or browse a wealth of ethnic home crafts for sale in the well-stocked curio shop, including pottery, Zulu fabric art, woodcarving, beadwork, and other curios.

Reptile Park

Dinner was in The Atlantide Restaurant