Mini Town

Part 2 of my awesome weekend, a follow up to part 1 'Give Me All Your Cheese' which was a summary of Lungee's birthday. Today I spent the day with another favourite friend - Rev (short for Reva, short for Revanidhi). Reva felt alive today but it was a different kind of liveliness. For a while now she has been wanting to explore Durban and everything this amazing city has to offer but she didn't want to do it alone. So of course she asked me to join her because she is well aware that I am always up for an adventure. It's what I decided after I got back from Korea - be a tourist in my own city. And now I have a partner in crime.  

As young people, our lives are on repeat, constantly. I think about Katy Perry's song Last Friday Night where she recalls the previous Friday night's activities which included singing on tabletops, taking too many shots, kissing guys, mixing up credit cards, getting kicked out of bars, streaking in the park, skinny dipping and then doing it all again this Friday night. That's pretty much the reality for most young people these days, so I was delighted when Reva contacted me and said she wants to be a tourist in her own city. It's refreshing to find someone who actually wants to see and do more than just drinking and staying out until 5am. We made an agreement to do something fun and touristy at least once a month. 

With that being said, our first stop on this new adventure was Mini Town. R20 for adults gets you in, children and pensioners R15.

Mini Town is listed as a tourist attraction in Durban. The thing to note though, is that Mini Town is not a miniature representation of Durban. While it does include many buildings which can be seen in Durban, it also includes a few buildings from other cities.

First sight of Mini Town. 

It was a glorious morning in Durban... the afternoon got a little overcast but I still managed to get some good photos.

Spar - Mini Town

Nedbank - Mini Town

Mini Town

A pic to demonstrate the actual size of the building(s). I'm seen here with the City Hall. 

One of my favourites is the harbour. The ships actually move. As you can see in the pic, there's a track underground which guides them. 

It was really nice walking around seeing remnants of Durban. Mini Town is at least 30 years old and includes buildings and landmarks of Durban from the 1970s. Obviously waaaay before our time.

Mini Town. 

Vodacom Network Tower 

Rev at the sugar factory. 

After a couple of hours wandering around, we headed over to Circus Circus at the beachfront for a yummy lunch. That's all folks, until next time!!! :) 

My Year In Pictures 2010 (Part 1)

This has been a long time coming. When I first got to Korea in 2010 I decided to start a scrapbook but that didn't go too well because I didn't have the discipline. I decided to stick to what I love more and that's photography. For that reason I decided to turn my scrapbook into digital format by creating a video slideshow of my life in Korea.

It was an exciting project that I was working on and it kept me up at night for many long hours.

This segment goes through my first 6 months in Korea- experiencing snow for the first time, experiencing Korean food and culture for the first time and so forth. This was pre-dslr so my photos are lookin' a lil dreary.

Hope Y'all Enjoy! Part 2 coming soon!

Red Brick Beauty

I've been living in Pietermaritzburg for about 4 months and one building I just can't stop admiring is the city hall. I can't help but look at it every time I walk or drive pass. And rightfully so, the city hall is remnant of a very interesting history of South Africa and the city itself.

The City Hall is the largest red-bricked building in the Southern Hemisphere (google confirms that it still has that title). The original red-brick building was destroyed by fire in 1895 but was rebuilt in 1901 using the same style of brick. I've only ever been inside the hall once. 

One side of the City Hall.  The largest red-brick building in the Southern Hemisphere. 

The building itself is absolutely beautiful. The city hall organ is also one of the largest pipe organs in the Southern Hemisphere. The building was declared a national landmark in 1969. The regal city hall in all its glory, is a constant reminder of our Victorian past with its prominent 47m high  bell tower which rings every hour, on the hour. 

I haven't explored much of the inside but certainly from the outside I can admire its beauty and the high level of craftsmanship that went into its construction.

The west-side of the hall. 

The building looks its best when the sun is setting and all the lights are on. It gives it an amazing glow. 

Located at the intersection of two very busy streets. 

As with most city halls, the hall is used for all sorts of events. The KZN Philharmonic Orchestra also makes regular visits to the hall and you can hear the sound of violins and harps through the hallways. 

Workin' The Big City: SAB World Of beer

On Friday my Uncle and Aunt made a surprise visit to Jo'Burg. My weekend adventure was awesome. I really got to know city and I got the most out of my trip.

Bright and early on Saturday morning, we headed out to see a very interesting and famous site- the SAB World of Beer. Unfortunately beer was not flowing from waterfalls, but we did get a lot of freebies (including beer) all for only R55.

Up until this visit, I was unaware that such a museum existed. Again, I was excited to see what it's about.

We joined a 10:30 am tour group which had about 10 people. Our tour guide was a chirpy, middle-age man with detailed knowledge of the process of making beer as well as its history. The tour was about 90 minutes.

The World of Beer is a museum that shows the history of beer by way of videos, demonstrations, models and information from our guide. It includes the traditional and modern ways of making beer as well as specific focus on the South African Brewery (SAB). Beer is of course a staple in the alcohol-consuming world so this is a major tourist destination in the city and the country as a whole. Of course you have to be interested in history and how beer is made, otherwise you'll be extremely bored. 

Barley and hops 
growing.  

To celebrate the SAB's long brewing tradition and its 100th anniversary, SAB established the SAB World of Beer in 1995 in the heart of Johannnesburg. 

The tour starts with an introductory welcome from Charles Glass the brewmaster who brought us Castle Lager, and the man who laid the foundations of SAB as it is known today. He's projected on 6 large independent screens. 

We then take a look at beer's earliest origins in Babylonia, Mesopotamia. 

After a long and detailed tour of the origins of beer we moved on to the actual process of beer brewing. We started off with the actual planting, harvesting and curing of barley, hops and malt. You are taken on a detailed journey through the beer making hall also known as the Green Fields Greenhouse where you will be up close and personal with the natural ingredients used to brew SAB beers. The room is flooded with a natural light and you are greeted with the pungent smell of barley as you enter. 

Beer first arrived in South Africa through the harbours of Cape Town, the main stopover between Europe and the East Indians. South Africa's first brewery was first established in 1696 in Newlands. Over the next 200 years Newlands became the center of brewing activity in South Africa. 

A quick stop is made at a bar complete with draft beer and a free glass. The glass comes with beer (if you're a beer drinker). If you're not a drinker you can just give your beer to someone else or spill it down the drain, but remember to keep your free beer glass!  

A mock shebeen. 

We also stopped at a traditional South African beer house called a shebeen. This is a replica of a Sowetan shebeen. Shebeens are most often located in black townships as alternative to pubs and bars, where under apartheid and the Rhodesian era black people could not enter a pub or bar reserved for whites. Originally shebeens were operated illegally selling home brewed and home-distilled alcohol providing people with a place to meet and discuss political and social issues. Shebeens also provided music and dancing. Today, they still form an important part of the social scene. 

Still in the shebeen. 

The Sowetan shebeen concludes the historic journey through the world of beer. Thereafter we're taken to the barley tasting room which is the first step in the beer making process - the malting process. The doors of the brewing chambers swing open and you're greeted by large replicas of the brewing vats used in the SAB beer making process. After the malting process the malt rests and moves on to the other steps in the process. It's a rather long and boring process. 

The final section of the tour leads us to the Celebration Hall. A panoramic film is screened showing the celebration of beer. It shows us the final stages of the beer being delivered to the people for enjoyment. From there we are led to the Tap Room to cash in our drinks vouchers. You can take a seat on the balcony and enjoy Newtown or you can just stay inside while you sip on a selection of SAB's finest products. The two vouchers are included in the price of the ticket. 

Overall I really enjoyed the tour. You have to be really patient and remember that all the good stuff comes at the end. Great for photos and great for increasing ones knowledge of beer. 

The World of Beer website:

http://www.worldofbeer.co.za/

Hollerrrrrr!!