Muizenberg community festival
April 2nd, 2008We moved in to our fantastic new offices on the 1st of March in front of the Victorian era Muizenberg railway station. The building was an old English/Dutch blockhouse of the late 1700’s and so must rank up there as one of the oldest buildings in the country.
Muizenberg has come a long way to restoring its image as a must go to seaside resort. Since the late 1990’s, when the area was infested with slum landlords, drugs and prostitution, over 90% of the town has been cleaned up, villains evicted and buildings restored.
What has emerged is a rare gem of a seaside resort, oozing character with its classic Edwardian/Victorian architecture coupled with a relaxed slightly bohemian atmosphere at its village core with a more hip surf culture on its beach front. You’ve got to remember, this is not Camp’s Bay, you can actually swim in these warmer waters and surf of course. In any case, this is an area which suits the Uyaphi style and in that spirit, we want to support and promote this town.
Hence our sponsorship of the beach soccer tournament at the inaugural Muizenberg Community Festival, on Saturday morning. Three teams slid on the sand and played ball for the Uyaphi.Com Trophy on the main beach by the famous coloured beach huts of Muizenberg. The Uyaphi team was out in force to cheer on the teams and generally enjoy the vibe and good spirit of the day. As you can see from the photos, it was one of those perfect days; the sun was shining, no wind, the camera framing a picture of coloured beach huts, the blue waters of False Bay with the Hottentot Holland mountains behind. The trophy was won appropriately by the Muizenberg team. The competition was enjoyed so much by players and spectators alike that the organizers hope to establish a weekly league and, we at Uyaphi, will certainly be supporting those efforts.
So thats how it goes in South Africa, private enterprise giving a helping hand to the local community and all of us, enjoying the benefits.
Review: Addis in Cape - Ethiopian Restaurant in Cape Town
February 5th, 2008I recently joined a group of friends at one of Cape Town’s latest eateries, Addis in Cape.
Most of the time when I told people I was invited to an Ethiopian restaurant, I was regaled with all the old Ethiopian famine jokes and comments on whether food would actually be served at the place. I must admit I did not know what to expect … but I was very pleasantly surprised.
Addis in Cape is the latest addition to the eating culture in Cape Town’s trendy Long Street. The area comes alive at night and I notice that the number of African themed eateries is growing alongside the other trendy shops, restaurants, bars and nightclubs.
Addis in Cape offers a uniquely African experience in sophisticated surroundings. Located in an historic Cape Dutch building in Long Street, it comes complete with polished Oregon pine floors, long steep Dutch style staircases and beautiful artwork from Ethiopia.
Dining is casual. Guests sit on low wooden Ethiopian chairs around a small round grass table with complete with a unique cone lid. Food is presented in large enamel bowls which slot snugly into the table under the cone.
We shared a selection from the set menu, a lovely sociable way to dine. Most meals are accompanied by spiced Injera bread. This looks like a large round pancake and is the staple food in Ethiopia. It is traditionally made with a grain unique to Ethiopia, but Addis in Cape substitutes rice flour. The bread is light and slightly sour tasting, pepped up with a unique Ethiopian spice blend on top.
The meal begins with a charming hand washing ceremony. The waiters bring around a bowl and earthenware jug of warm water. Each person takes a turn to wash their hands and is presented with a crisp linen serviette to lay on their laps.
We soon realise why : there are no eating utensils, so you scoop up the selection of food with pieces of Injera bread. A selection of wooden bowls arrive, from prawn to lamb, chicken to spicy lentils. The dishes are upended onto a piece of Injera bread on the plate and from here we dig in. The spicy prawns were a hit and I really enjoyed the unique zest of the chicken (not hot, just tasty). Ethiopian cuisine features a wonderful blend of spices that I have not tasted before.
Another round of warm facecloths is presented to us before desert: a somewhat uninspired ice cream and chocolate sauce. This is followed by coffee. Known as Buna in Ethiopia, the coffee comes out in a special earthenware pot. The tray is set with small delicate cups and a bowl burning something sweet yet spicy. Buna is served strong and black, like espresso, and serving it is quite a ceremony – a perfect end to an exotic evening.
Be warned, I have heard that service becomes very slow when the restaurant is busy. It is advisable to get there early and put in your order in before the masses arrive.
Addis in Cape owner, Senait, hails from Ethiopia herself and is passionate about sharing her culture with others. Addis in Cape is actually her second restaurant. Addis in Dar was introduced to the people of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, some 10 years ago. It is now one of the most popular eateries in Dar es Salaam.
Addis in Cape – 41 Church Street, Cape Town. Telephone 21-424 5722
Addis in Dar - Ursino Street, Regent Estate, Dar es Salaam. Telephone 0741-266-299
(ps. please excuse the quality of the images - they were taken by cellphone!)
Tanzania: A New Species is Discovered!
February 5th, 2008
Rhynchocyon udzungwensis is a curious creature with spindly legs, about the size of a cat.
The new addition to the sengi family was first spotted in 2005 when Francesco Rovero of the Trento Museum of Natural Sciences in Italy set up motion-sensing cameras in the forests of Tanzania’s Eastern Arc Mountains.
A photograph appeared of a creature with a long snout that no-one could identify. It was only a year later that a team expedition laid traps to catch live specimens of the creature they suspected was a new species. The traps they brought along were not really big enough for this giant among elephant shrews, so the team had to rely on the traditional hunting snares instead.
They finally managed to capture 4 of the animals and could confirm that this was indeed a new species of elephant shrew. The elephant-shrews are mammals of an order called Macroscelidea; from the Greek meaning “long legs”. Though they have some resemblance, they are actually not related to the shrew – a small mouse like animal found in many parts of the world. Scientists now prefer using the African name “sengi” to prevent the confusion with shrews.
Sengi form their own order of mammal, and get their common name from their long elephant-like snout which they use to flick up tasty insects. Curiously, genetics has shown that sengi share a common ancestor (estimated to have lived about 100 million years ago) with golden-moles, the aardvark, manatees, dugongs, hyraxes … and their namesake elephants!
Rhynchocyon udzungwensis, or gray-faced sengi, is the first new species of sengi to be discovered in more than a century. It is much larger than the other species, weighing in at 700g and measuring about 30cm in length. It has a distinctive grey colouring on its face and black lower rump.
There is a lot of pressure on the forests from surrounding villages and the sengi are known to be on the menu of local tribes people. The creature will probably join the endangered species list, but is probably saved from extinction by its remote location in the heart of the mountain forests.
Udzungwa Mountains National Park
This exciting new species discovery was made in the remote Udzungwa Mountains National Park, a 1990 km2 area in south central Tanzania. Lohomero, its highest peak lies at 2,576 metres above sea level.
The name Udzungwa probably originates from a distortion of the name of one of the tribes living on the slopes of the Mountains, “wadsungwa”.
These mountains form part of the Eastern Arc, a mountain chain of isolated mountains running through Tanzania and southern Kenya. They are covered in spectacular forests which receive a lot of rain from the prevailing east wind carrying humid air from the Indian Ocean. The eastern arc is a “World Biodiversity Hotspot” which excites scientists with the large number of plant and animal species endemic to this part of the world.
The surrounding lands have been deforested by the pressure and needs of the people living in inland Tanzania. And so, the mountain forests have become islands in-between the arid heavily populated savannah land. These forest islands are home to over 30% of Tanzania’s plant and animal species. The much loved African violet, which graces homes all around the world, originates in these forests.
The region harbors at least 100 species of mammals, birds, amphibians, and other vertebrates found nowhere else on earth, making it one of the densest concentrations of endemic species.
And … the gray-faced sengi is the latest addition to the list of creatures known to call Udzungwa home.
Kenya - Vintage Africa
January 2nd, 2008Dear All,
Arising from the recently concluded General Elections, the outcome has led to reported violent
confrontations that began yesterday (30th December) between crowds of demonstrators and the
Police.
In Nairobi:
The disturbances have been largely contained to some of the high density housing estates on the
outskirts of Nairobi (e.g.Mathare, Eastleigh, Kibera, Huruma etc). These are areas not normally visited by tourists and all safari operators are urged to ensure that they avoid these areas until the situation reverts to normal.
There is a strong Police presence along all the main roads and highways between the airports and
the City hotels and as a result, traffic is moving along these routes without a problem.The main roads and highways linking Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Wilson Airport and the Nairobi city hotels are also all secured and tourist vehicles are able to be driven along these routes as normal.
Safaris to the main game parks continue to operate as normal both by air and by road. The Tourist
Police Unit is also available to assist tour operators and hoteliers as the need may arise.
The Police have undertaken to keep any further demonstrations away from the City Centre.
In Mombasa:
The situation is similar in Mombasa with demonstrations also being confined largely to the
residential areas. The roads are clear but TPU in Mombasa are providing an escort service between
the hotels and the airport in a convoy for ease of logistics.
Up Country:
Through the KTF safety and Communication Centre, the tourism industry had before the start of the electoral process established observer stations in key locations across the country and reports are flowing in to the Centre on a regularly basis. Where there were no observers posted, KTF is
maintaining close liaison with the Tourist Police Unit.
There has been no disruption to flights and all scheduled airlines are flying as normal and the airports in Mombasa and Nairobi are operating normally.
It is intended to continue to closely monitor the situation in the country and advise of any significant
changes as and when they may arise.
Members are request to contact the KTF safety Centre if in doubt or in need of assistance.
Elections come and go every five years but Kenya will remain beyond all of us and we therefore urge the political establishment to respect the rule of law by addressing the election disputes in a manner that does not reverse the important gains made to the economy. The Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF) is the umbrella body for all the mainstream Associations representing the Tourism industry whose members include this country’s leading tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers, air operators, eco-tourism operators covering all of Kenya, Nairobi, up-country and coast.
Members of the tourism fraternity have noted, with grave concern, the developments arising from the recently concluded General Elections 2007. The violent confrontations that have been witnessed between groups of demonstrators and the Police, as well as the reports of conflicts between supporters of the various political parties are causing hardship and suffering for all the Kenyans caught up in the violence as well as tremendous harm to the country’s international image, and to the economy.
Tourism has established itself as one of the most important industries in Kenya contributing enormously to the economy and providing livelihoods and employment to hundreds of thousands of Kenyans. So we are very concerned that having recently recovered from an 8-year slump occasioned by precisely this kind of activity, we are once again faced with the ugly prospect of politically connected clashes. While we fully respect the right of all Kenyans to express their sentiments and grievances, such expression should however be done in a responsible and peaceful manner that in itself also respects the sanctity of human life and private property.
Kenyans came out in their millions to vote in an orderly and peaceful manner which was hailed as setting a wonderful example of democracy in action. However the riots and violence which followed the disputed results and the claims of irregularities and mismanagement are a terrible set-back for this country. The scenes we are witnessing of rioting mobs and unchecked looting of business premises have no place in a civilised society where the proper rule of law should prevail.We appeal to our fellow citizens to shun violence, hooliganism and thuggery.
During the campaign period, all the political parties were at pains to assure Kenyans of their commitment to enhance economic growth.The current spate of activity will achieve precisely the opposite of this since tourism is an important sector of the economy and a labour intensive employer.
The tourism industry is calling upon the country’s political leadership on all sides to put their words into action, to obey the law and to help to bring peace and calm back to the country.
Tourism, despite being Kenya’s highest employer directly and indirectly and the number one foreign exchange earner, is also very sensitive to insecurity and civil unrest and can collapse overnight, bringing economic problems to Kenya and its people. As demonstrated in the past, it could take years to undo damage caused in a very small space of time.
In the meantime,we wish to reassure all intending visitors to Kenya that:
1. The international airports in Nairobi and Mombasa are open and operating as normal with daily
international flights from all over the world.
2. The main highways and roads between the airports and hotels in Nairobi and Mombasa are open
to traffic and tourist vehicles are driving as normal along these routes. There is a strong police
presence on these main highways to ensure the safety of visitors and Kenyans alike.
3. The main highways out of Nairobi are open for traffic to the main game parks of Tsavo, Amboseli,
Nakuru, Laikipia, Samburu and others. Road and air safaris continue as normal.
4. Most of the areas where violent incidents have occurred are well away from the main tourist routes
and are not normally visited as part of a tourist itinerary.
5.We have many thousands of tourists in Kenya right now who are continuing with their safaris and
beach holidays without a problem.
Chairman:-
Kenya Tourism Federation
Kenya Association of Tour Operators
Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers
Kenya Association of Travel Agents
Kenya Association of Air Operators
Mombasa and Coast Tourism Association
Kenya Budget Hotels Association
Ecotourism Kenya
Vintage Africa has set up a team of staff who are monitoring clients movements and also liasing with all
overseas clients for any further information. If anyone requires any further info pse call the following:
For any emergency, kindly contact us on :
Preston Muhando,Operations Manager : +254-733 414785,
Andrew Lailvaux, General Manager - East Africa : +254-735 289745
Frank Mugambi, Senior Safari Consultant : +254-720 251564
John Munoru, Senior Safari Consultant : +254-720 371202
Abdullahi Ibrahim,Asst. Operations Manager :+254-721 207742