Entries from December 2008
Well what a wonderful way to spend Goodwill Day in South Africa!
As a gift for Christmas me, my husband, Fred and my sister Pene, were given tickets to zip through the forest canopy at Karkloof.
Yup we flew, Literally. We were strapped into a harness driven up a slippery bumpy mountainside, walked into a forest and hooked onto a skinny steel wire 30 metres above the ground. Then told -”Go!”
All very well but it was a bit misty on our particular day so all we could see was the first 10 metres of the zip line, so we had no idea where we were heading. All a bit eerie but definitely exhilarating.
I got told off for going too slowly on the first zip, which I thought was mean of them but it did mean I had to be hauled in by a rope which was a bit infra dig!
The next zip-line I whizzed down and thought I’d never stop as I really couldn’t feel any braking when I tried to brake, however I got there just fine. Then it was the time for the longest and steepest and I really wanted to see what was down below so I cruised down peering below at the trees somewhere down there. So intent was I on my mission, the next thing I know is I’m being yelled at to speed up to get up to the finish step. Oops I missed again, but this time by so far I had to turn round and haul myself in hand over hand up the line. M mm, I didn’t make that mistake again. When they said don’t break I listened and did not break and I did make it to the end in a fast whizzle stop – but what fun.
It was over all too soon. All 8 zip-lines done and dusted just when we were getting the hang of it all. Anyway the walk out of the forest was lovely with a little stream, some pretty flowers and a couple of bird sightings. The perfect end to an astonishingly fabulous trip in the trees.
I thoroughly recommend it to anyone who can take one.
Check out my video
Categories: family · photography · south africa · travel · watercolour painting holidays
Tagged: karkloof, zip-line
Well it’s an exciting time of year. Families make great strides to get together and as with my sister some people cover many miles to be with their family.
It is a fun get together time when I try to show my gratitude to family and friends for being there for me. We usually have some good old laughs like you only can with your nearest and dearest.
I would like to share this time of bonhomie with you and have a special gift for you, an added 10% discount on any of our painting holidays (should you be in the next 100 people to book a 2009 South African Painting Holiday)
We at South African Painting Holidays wish you the very best time during this holiday period
May you relax, have fun and build up a store of ideas for your future paintings!
SEASONAL PAINTING TIP
When using your camera to compose a painting, use the viewfinder as you would use a cardboard viewfinder. Not to record everything you see, but to focus on the important detail
Keep an eye out for more tips in 2009!
Categories: art · painting holiday · south africa · travel · visual art · watercolour painting holiday · watercolour painting holidays
Tagged: painting holidays, SEASONAL, south african painting holidays, watercolour painting holidays
New York-based retailer ABC Home is hosting a five-week exhibition featuring 29 life-sized dolls dressed in southern African traditional garments, with the intention of illuminating the art, spirit and vision of Africa during the 2008 holiday season.
The move follows a July 2008 trip by members from Design South Africa and the South African Consulate General, the purpose of which was to secure the attendance of US craft industry representatives at the South African Handmade Collection, held in late July in Johannesburg.
“ABC Home was one of the companies recruited by the DSA-SACG team to attend the SA Handmade Collection exhibition,” Deputy Trade and Industry Minister Elizabeth Thabethe said in a statement this week.
“A customised seven-day programme across four cities of South Africa was put together by all role players, including the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development.”
Exhibitions, demonstrations
The display of the dolls, which form part of Durban-based Phansi Museum’s main exhibition, follows ABC’s initial purchase of products from various South African vendors to the value of some US$100 000 (about R989 000).
According to the department, the South African Consulate General in New York facilitated the importation of this mini-expo to the US, and his since confirmed the availability of another US museum, the Hugh Museum of Atlanta, to host the Phansi collection, prior to its return to Durban.
Thabethe added that the department has also funded competitive and quality crafters to travel to New York to give live demonstrations of their handicraft work at the height of the city’s holiday season, including:
- Busisiwe Delina Mabunda, silk weaver (November 11-16)
- Ngaka Veronica Mathapelo, artisan beader with MonkeyBiz Cooperative (November 28-30)
- Esther Nikwambi Mahlangu, Ndebele beading master artisan (December 6-7)
- Aboubakar Fofana, visionary designer using natural Indigo dye on organic textiles (December 6-7); and
- Angeline Bonisiwe Masuku, Zulu basket weaver (December 12-14)
Source: SouthAfrica.info
The all-in-one official guide
and web portal to South Africa.
You can come and visit the Phansi Museum when you come on a South African Painting Holiday
Categories: art · watercolour painting holidays
Tagged: ABC Home, beading, Phansi Museum, Zulu basket weaver
