Mossel Bay blues

I discovered that Mossel Bay is already in full world cup fever.

Since Paraguay (already qualified) decided to base themselves in the coastal town during the world cup, the media frenzy has taken a giant leap. BBC, Brazilian TV, CNN, amongst others, have all stopped in Mossel Bay to make a portrait of the coastal town. Mossel Bay blues.

The town’s slogan is “No hurry, no worries”. And Mossel Bay peacefully lies in between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. It just feels that the Paraguayans will have a nice time there.

The appearance on international TV channels is a big plus for its marketing and tourism. And the town has also been very smart in creating a Spanish-language website as the number of enquiries from Latin America is growing every day. Check out the site, it’s pretty well done: www.visitmosselbay.co.za



I also discovered that Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias landed here in February 1488. And it seems also that Mossel Bay boasts the only north-facing beach in Southern Africa. Just what I read somewhere....

Oh and in case the Paraguayans are wondering. The temperatures for June are between an average low of 12 degrees Celcius and highs of 19. Feels freshly healthy for training.

I am the captain of my soul

Invictus (Latin for Unconquered)

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeoning of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

An amazing poem by William Ernest Henley (1849-1903). If I am not mistaken Nelson Mandela mentioned that poem in Long Walk To Freedom. And this poem, or more its title and I guess the ‘spirit’ of it, is what Clint Eastwood chose for his latest Hollywood venture. A movie about that historic reconciliation gesture by Nelson Mandela back in 1995 when South Africa won the rugby world title against New Zealand in Johannesburg.

Eastwood’s movie is set for release in December this year and has Matt Damon as Bokke captain Francois Pienaar and Morgan Freeman as Madiba.

It was 24 June 1995. Ellis Park was packed with 63000 screaming fans. The new, democratic, free South Africa was 1 year old. The unbeatable All Blacks came to town to clinch the world title. But the Springboks stopped them in their tracks. Ellis Park went mad. South Africa won 15-12.

Captain Pienaar walked to the stage in the middle of the stadium to collect the trophy. And there he stood. Nelson Mandela. And he was wearing a Springbok shirt with number 6 on. Pienaar’s number. And the world’s icon gave Pienaar the William Webb Ellis trophy. Mandela thanked Pienaar for his efforts and beating the All Blacks. Pienaar thanked Mandela for what he had done for South Africa. And Pienaar lifted the trophy. And Madiba victoriously put his 2 fists in the air. And Ellis Park went over the top. Mass hysteria. History made. A truly unique moment. Very sad I wasn’t there myself.

Eastwood’s movie has Oscar glory written all over it. Watch my words. Predicting: Best movie. Best director. Best leading actor and best supporting actor. And William Ernest Henley will make a comeback too.

Here he is....

Green pitches & green future

So we know that in June 2010 we will see the Brazilians and the English and Bafana Bafana and all the other qualified national football/soccer teams showing off their kicking talents across South Africa’s pitches. That’s guaranteed and we are all looking forward to that. Big time! Yebo yes.

But now it seems that there might be something else happening too, and I’m not so sure it is that promising. I discovered that a British tabloid has quoted Mel B saying that the Spice Girls (yes, them) want to reunite for a concert during the World Cup here in SA.

Ai, it hurts. It feels like the hi-jacking of a topclass world event by a by-gone act. They can’t be real. South Africa’s world cup cannot be linked in history for ever with a reunion by the Spice Girls. FIFA please step in with all your might and glory and connections.

Anyway.

We all on regular basis wonder if indeed our weather is different than years ago. If Cape Town has wetter winters, or if the nearly historically famous August winds in Johannesburg have calmed down to just little breezes.

To break through the perceptions and try to pin down these changes the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) has started several projects of so called citizen science. It’s a call to all people of the rainbow nation to check what they believe are changing weather patterns. From flowers’ blossoming times to rainfall in the birdbath. Or migrating birds leaving earlier. Or new species of plants appearing in the garden.

So if you really feel last winter wasn’t what it used to be. Or the flowers in your garden are blossoming way too early, maybe it’s time to become a citizen scientist. You can then drop an email to Dr Dave Thompson of SAEON on leaves@saeon.co.za

Blk Jks

The talk of the town, to some degree, is about BLK JKS. And that is not a new crime syndicate nor a new radio program on Y-FM. It’s a new local band. Short for Black Jacks apparently.

The four members of BLK JKS have different musical backgrounds, from jazz to rock, what makes their mix fresh, reasonably original and worth the talk of Jozi. In attempt to describe their sound I’ve seen a cocktail of indie, dub, psychedelic and rock terminologies being used.

The 4 Jacks, Lindani Buthelezi, Mpumi Mcata, Molefi Makananise and Tshepang Ramoba are taking on the fever step by step. “Every gig, everything’s at stake” their site says is their philosophy.

BLK JKS is currently touring in the US of A to promote their freshly grounded, debut, full length album “After Robots”.

Check them out:
www.myspace.com/blkjks
www.blkjks.com



Also. The world’s football organisation/federation FIFA has released the new ranking for women’s football/soccer. To probably many fans’ surprise, the US ladies are in pole position, ahead of more traditionally football crazy nations like Germany and Brazil. South Africa’s Banyana Banyana is on 55th place. That’s ahead of Ivory Coast and Cameroon, but behind the likes of Pap New Guinea (yes indeed) and the ladies from Ghana.

You can find the whole FIFA list here: http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/ranking/lastranking/gender=f/fullranking.html



Finally. The other day I had to find a guest house in Joburg’s Melville district that I had not heard of before. The 7th Street Guesthouse at number 22 on, yes indeed, 7th Street. But to make things a bit complex and also annoying is that 7th Street in Melville has two number 22s. The one I firstly discovered is on the main stretch of the street, which goes from the bit with all the restaurants down to Auckland Park. But that number 22 is just an ordinary house. No sleeping guests welcome here. At least not on a daily basis I guess. After a u-turn I end up at the upper part of 7th Street, where you are facing a T-junction with 5th Avenue. After a brief cell phone call, I discovered that 7th Street continues around the block. So if you are looking for the above mentioned guest house start with 7th Avenue till you turn into 7th Street. That’s the hidden part of 7th Street. Mystery solved. End of confusion.

www.sleeping-out.co.za/member_details-MemberID-12511.html

District 9

Just picking up from that lunch memory at the Troyeville Hotel I mentioned yesterday. The cold Castle lager I was happily sipping away that day should have been to celebrate my friend’s Hollywood breakthrough. But my friend James Taylor, fully present at that Portuguese lunch, didn’t mention then that he had worked on the now famous sci-fi thriller District 9 which was shot in South Africa.

Indeed James helped building some of the props and sets for that blockbuster. Made in South Africa by a South African with South Africans,.... and with little big help from a Kiwi brother (aka Peter Jackson). A down under partnership with little cash but an awesome result. 112 Minutes of it.

But James didn’t boast about it at all. He just mentioned it en passant a few days or weeks later when we were hanging out together again. For him that District 9 job seemed just another creative matter done. Done and dusted and moving on.

Anyway. Indeed we should have toasted that Castle for James’ District 9 artwork. Sadly James won’t participate in any follow up to District 9. He died earlier this month. Just like that. A matter of a missing heartbeat. Or maybe he was just taken away by those District 9 aliens? Maybe they loved his artwork and hijacked him to their home turf. Joburg style.

And as September slips further down history second by second, some life is gone while other life gets born. The proof is in this photo below. Just some baby pigeon in my garden getting ready to face the universe. Tough task ahead.



p.s. It’s Heritage Day today in South Africa. Remembrance of the past while building the future. In football/soccer terms (to get some 2010 fever inserted) it would be: remembering the early games while building a better, winning team.

SA publishing house Jacana Media released a few years ago their “Exploring our national days” series. 7 Books about South Africa’s national days (public holidays) written for the youth of the land. The one on Heritage Day is this one here below. Check it out....

lunch @ the Troyeville Hotel

The fact that it rained in Johannesburg last night says it all. Winter is now really over. It was welcoming rain. Nature is smiling today. For those unknown to the meteorology of the City of Gold, be advised that winter here on the so called Highveld is dry. Very dry. As dry as the Algerian desert on a hot summer day. And thus as the flowers are waking up to the new season and the birds are happily busy with a new family, the rain was very much welcomed. Drops of life.

260 Days to go to high fever. That’s 37 weeks and a few days to the kick off whistle of the opening game in Africa’s football/soccer first world cup ever. Madness guaranteed. The opening game will be played in the brand new FNB stadium in Johannesburg’s south-western township Soweto. That stadium is now officially named Soccer City. Joburg is also host to another world cup football temple. Ellis Park. I think it’s called Coca-Cola Stadium now. That is TBC.

Ellis Park lies in the middle of town. Down town is a metropolis with a bad reputation. But down town is also a city with a shiny new bus system. And a stone throw away from Ellis Park stands the Troyeville Hotel. It’s indeed just a stone throw away. You don’t even have to be an Olympic athlete to throw this imaginable stone. From the terrace of the hotel you could nearly touch Ellis Park. The giant from Gulliver’s Travel would not even have to stretch his arm. So that stone throw is for us mortals easily within reach. Unless of course you are a plastic-human, socialite type like the Paris Hiltons of this world. Then that stone throw might upset your hairdo or undo your botox treatment.

Anyway. Last Joburg winter the 4 of us were having a relaxed lunch at the Troyeville Hotel. Portuguese lunch because that is what the menu there has to offer. Simple but perfectly tasting. The company was great, the food good and the winter sun spreading warmth through the large windows. I see that this week the menu highlights grilled kalamari with chips. Mouth-watering. I wonder when a game is on in next door Ellis Park if the rolling thunder of the fans stamping their feet and blowing their by now famous Vuvuzela trumpets would tremble your plate of fine food. An Ellis Park earthquake ripple effect.

For more on the Troyeville Hotel just copy and paste this link: www.troyevillehotel.co.za



Last year November the Troyeville Hotel was also host to a pretty big and loud party celebrating Barack Obama’s victory in those historic US presidential polls. It was red, white and blue all over.