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The Cast Of Culture In South Africa
rive along one of South on. You picture yourself dragging
Africa's scenic strips and your dehydrated self over the
you will notice a landscape many kilometres of parched
composed of a backdrop of wide semi-arid terrain towards the
open spaces, blue mountains and nearest town, while hordes of
blood-red sunsets. These scenes hungry vultures looming overhead
abound, but given the nature of contemplate you for lunch.
the culture in South Africa, your
attention could swiftly switch to
a small boy gallantly escorting
herds of cattle, end to end, over Thankfully, a small,
a rainbow-like walkway crossing dust-battered truck pulls up and
one of the largest and busiest this nightmarish vision quickly
highways in South Africa. Culture dissolves. Tough looking men gaze
makes Africa special and aside out of the back of the truck,
from beautiful landscapes, this peering at you with hardened
kind of exuberant and contrasting looks acquired through labouring
culture in South Africa is what this tough, untamed land. The
you really should experience. uncertainty and tension is broken
by their sympathetic smiles and
they drive you, happily and with
good cheer, to the nearest
Imagine this scenario for a service station and back to your
moment: You are hopelessly car where you are kindly helped
stranded deep inside the African to fit your newly repaired tyre.
interior, without a spare tyre
and waiting for help. You prepare
to flag down the first car that
passes by. "When will that be?" Now that you're safely back on
you think to yourself. Time wears the road you begin to realize the
meaning of genuine hospitality, nation of altruistic saints.
known within the culture in South Leave your camera in your car on
Africa as 'geselligheid'. a downtown side-street and the
Thankful that you have just had chances of it being there after
the actual experience (a certain lunch are less than great.
something you felt) you now have
a connection, whole-heartedly,
with the people and culture in
South Africa.
What then is being said of this
country? These vast unspoilt
spaces and unbridled
This is not a heat-induced wildernesses. This wild place
delusion or an isolated event. It where the civilised nature and
is the actual story of one of our unique culture of its people are
clients, who broke down while measured by the kind-hearted
driving across the arid West attitude experienced so
Coast diamond fields of Namibia. frequently by many travellers.
Travellers have confirmed many of
these kind-hearted acts that have
occurred during their
experimental African odysseys. What is the simple reason so many
of our visitors from the Northern
Hemisphere return here again and
Perhaps it has to do with the again? It can only be found in
land itself or its unrestricted the actual experience of South
nature. The reason why people Africa's culture and the
help each other, whether a friendship of its people.
stranger or a friend. This
doesn't mean South Africa is a
The many answers to this question
can be shown over and over in the The herds of elephants do exist,
friendly smiles you receive relegated to the African game
walking through a township farms existing in remote areas
market; in the respect and throughout the continent. The
tolerance shown, visiting the pristine hills stretch from one
sacred sites and cultural icons end of the Cape Peninsula to the
of the people; and in the other, like a giant smile peering
greetings and genuine concern down over the valleys below, but
felt while within the hospitable the wild beasts have long since
arms of local establishments. been tamed and the hills are
safely open to all who would
venture into them.
Perceptions about "Africa" have
been changing slowly, but they
are nonetheless changing. Foreign If you are looking for the
visitors used to believe that archetypal African adventure,
herds of elephants roamed the laden with richly diverse
dusty streets of local areas and wildernesses and infinite
that to go hiking alone in the possibilities, come and
pristine African hills meant experience the warmth and
meeting lions, giant spiders and hospitality characteristic of
possibly being attacked by masked this country. Trust South Africa
warriors with six foot spears. to set the stage and the cast to
be our culture.
About the Author:
Escape Tours (http://www.escape-tours.com) are a group of experienced travellers who have been exploring Southern Africa since 1976. We would like to share with you our combined experience and extensive travel knowledge, acquired through our passion for exploring the unlimited potential that South Africa has to offer.
Source: www.isnare.com
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