FIFA - the tourists guide ?!!

daveza

daveza

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Who wrote this - and do they know where Africa is ?

I've lived here all my life and wouldn't go near most of the places FIFA suggests would be fun to do in 48 hours.

For Cape Town the day begins with a walk to Century City and Canal Walk....
In the afternoon you can go to Robben Island then to the top of Table Mountain - then ' in the evening ' take a walk down Long Street ... :D

On day two take a drive to Langa, Crossroads then Khayelitsha. On your way back, it's well worth making a stop at the famous Cape Flats.

Or from Durban head to Shakaland then Ladysmith, Spionkop, Colenso and other site. ' In the afternoon ' pop to the Drakensberg, then as night falls head to Umlazi and look for the nearest ‘sheeben' where you will spend your evening.

I'm too scared to see what they suggest for other areas - but I did see day one was a breakfast at Melrose Arch before a jaunt around Alexand'er' township and the Midrand.

Feel free to look at the wonders that tourists will experience in your area...

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/destination/cities/index.html
:erm::eek:
 
I'm afraid we going to lose a few tourist in Pretoria:

Then on the following day, take the drive back to the city and explore other townships in the area including Mamelodi (where one of the country's top club, Mamelodi Sundowns originates) and Atteridgeville.

Atteridgeville is a township of particular significance for it contains the cemetery where Kgomotso Ditsego and Irene Phalatsi are buried. They were among the first victims of the 1976 Soweto Uprising and their memories are still treasured by the city's inhabitants. Learning about the importance of these two influential people may give a poignancy to your trip. It's also a great way to feel connected to this beautiful place.
Click to expand...

And I can promise you Atteridgeville is not a place of beauty:erm:

Seem like the person who wrote this had an agenda.
 
Someone in the funeral business perhaps ?

I'm surprised they missed out on other terrific adventures such as Show a Taxi the Finger, Tour Soweto on a Bicycle, and hand out Down with the King pamphlets in Eshowe.
 
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Hey Dave

It may sound strange, but I've had a few days not too dis-similar from what is described in the FIFA article, and absolutely nothing happened to me. I've taken a walk down Long Street to Long Street Cafe for an early brunch , then went up to Table Mountain with the cable-car to take a bunch of pictures, and rounded it off with a trip to Mzoli Braai Place in Gugs. Mzoli's is an awesome experience - something that can only be experienced, and not described. )I work for a large Blue Chip, and some of us are having our end-of-year do there. My point? Some of us have to break out of our cocoons to experience what we have in our own back-yard. Of course, I'm not advocating anything reckless - there are some no-go-zones in ZA land (Loftus in a Stormers outfit :) ). But to assume that some place will not offer a good tourist experience just because it is located on the Cape Flats, or is based in a township, smacks of complete ignorance i.m.h.o.
 
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Oh come on - some tourists here from the safety of say Switzerland are recommended to go to Umlazi at night and find a shebeen to spend the night at ?

The Cape Flats - have you ever seen a sign to the Cape Flats? Maybe they could take a stroll through Manenberg - now that would be an adventure...

Drive from Durban to Shakaland, Colenso, Ladysmith and the Drakensberg then back to Durban in a day ?

Walk to Canal Walk ?

Like Lou says - keep it real.
 
daveza said:
Oh come on - some tourists here from the safety of say Switzerland are recommended to go to Umlazi at night and find a shebeen to spend the night at ?

The Cape Flats - have you ever seen a sign to the Cape Flats? Maybe they could take a stroll through Manenberg - now that would be an adventure...

Drive from Durban to Shakaland, Colenso, Ladysmith and the Drakensberg then back to Durban in a day ?

Walk to Canal Walk ?

Like Lou says - keep it real.
Click to expand...
Keeping it real indeed. I grew up on the Cape Flats. I'm there every single week-end. I take my mates there. My gardener, Charles, lives in Manenberg, and I've been to his house. My dad still lives in the house he built in Belgravia Rd, on the Cape Flats. If you've never experienced Wembley Road House's Masala Whoppers, or Club Glaxy on the Cape Flats, you haven't experienced Cape Town culture. And contrary to popular belief, the experience is completely safe. I can hook you up whenever you want the "real" tour - no bullet-proof vests required. Promise. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more "real" people experience.
 
I'm sure the people are very real but rightly or wrongly I prefer to err on the side of caution. My loss perhaps.

I am however suggesting the FIFA must-do's are somewhat irresponsible and misleading.
 
daveza said:
I'm sure the people are very real but rightly or wrongly I prefer to err on the side of caution. My loss perhaps.

I am however suggesting the FIFA must-do's are somewhat irresponsible and misleading.
Click to expand...
I completely respect and understand the caution, daveza. I have a family, and a young kid, so err on the side of caution too. One thing I've learnt in my long-life, is to respect the theory of relativity - not Einstein's one. But the one that describes ordinary life experiences. One man's wealth is another's poverty. Beauty for one, is unattractive for another. Given where I, and I guess many others grew up, we instinctively consider our old hoods as safe zones - they're home after-all, and we feel completely safe there. For others, given what they may have heard, or probably even experienced, it will never make the cut of "safe places to go". It's all relative.
 
Fifa said:
Take a drive north of the town to the rural villages nearby to experience the Venda culture. As night dawns, make your way down to the Meropa Casino and Entertainment World which is situated only five kilometres away from the city.
Click to expand...


These guys are gonna have their throats slit... I lived on a mine village in these area's and even inside a village, enclosed with barb and electrical wire and armed security guards 7 people have lost their lives to crime inside.

Outside it's friggen chaos, in the evenings you could hear gun fire, we thought it was fireworks till the army and maybe 100 police showed up and stormed in the township. I wonder if they record crimes for that area as I am sure it was way above the national average. :rolleyes:

I loved the maropa... that's where they rob you! :D

Rofl at their spelling.
 
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daveza said:
Who wrote this - and do they know where Africa is ?

I've lived here all my life and wouldn't go near most of the places FIFA suggests would be fun to do in 48 hours.

For Cape Town the day begins with a walk to Century City and Canal Walk....
In the afternoon you can go to Robben Island then to the top of Table Mountain - then ' in the evening ' take a walk down Long Street ... :D

On day two take a drive to Langa, Crossroads then Khayelitsha. On your way back, it's well worth making a stop at the famous Cape Flats.

Or from Durban head to Shakaland then Ladysmith, Spionkop, Colenso and other site. ' In the afternoon ' pop to the Drakensberg, then as night falls head to Umlazi and look for the nearest ‘sheeben' where you will spend your evening.

I'm too scared to see what they suggest for other areas - but I did see day one was a breakfast at Melrose Arch before a jaunt around Alexand'er' township and the Midrand.

Feel free to look at the wonders that tourists will experience in your area...

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/destination/cities/index.html
:erm::eek:
Click to expand...

This is so not good, they'll be easy pickings in those areas :(

Perhaps they'll be on a bus or escorted by tour guides? I would never even dare venture to countries like Russia or Romania without a tour guide.

Edit: O M G Alexander township are they friggin kidding? That place is almost a no fly zone.
 
Thousands of tourists do township tours daily.

Nobody is suggesting you do these tours without a tour operator or tour guides.
 
sybawoods said:
Hey Dave

It may sound strange, but I've had a few days not too dis-similar from what is described in the FIFA article, and absolutely nothing happened to me. I've taken a walk down Long Street to Long Street Cafe for an early brunch , then went up to Table Mountain with the cable-car to take a bunch of pictures, and rounded it off with a trip to Mzoli Braai Place in Gugs. Mzoli's is an awesome experience - something that can only be experienced, and not described. (here's just one of many samples from a travel blog)I work for a large Blue Chip, and some of us are having our end-of-year do there. My point? Some of us have to break out of our cocoons to experience what we have in our own back-yard. Of course, I'm not advocating anything reckless - there are some no-go-zones in ZA land (Loftus in a Stormers outfit :) ). But to assume that some place will not offer a good tourist experience just because it is located on the Cape Flats, or is based in a township, smacks of complete ignorance i.m.h.o.
Click to expand...


4 out of 5 people can survive playing a game of Russian Roulette... but does that make it safe ? I have seen this all over Africa, any group of people getting off a bus are meal tickets and fair game - just waiting for the tourist to make one mistake. (I have been the tourist in that situation, and I have the scars to prove it)
 
Fate

Barring a "natural-disaster" 2010 is going to happen.

All we have to do is sit back and watch. ( for good , bad or worse )

Think of it as a wonderful opportunity to do field studies on "aliens"

Get out those pens and notepads.

Perhaps it will be like 1994 -- everyone beguiled ( for about two months or so )

So as they say in ad heaven -- "sit back and enjoy the ride"


MW
 
You people act like South Africa has never had tourists. We have twice as many as Australia each year and a lower rate of murder. Per capita and ACTUAL numbers. Nothing dramatic will happen. It will be great much to the disappointment of many of you.
 
I have no real issue with the activities they suggest... I've done most of them in and around Durban, but their timeframes are beyond optimistic at the best of times.
 
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