Places in SA: Maropeng - Cradle of Humankind

Maropeng is a Tswana word that means "return to your roots" and it is a museum dedicated to the archaeological finds of the origin of man. The area in and around Magaliesburg is called 'The Cradle of Humankind' as it has produced the largest and oldest number of the fossil finds of hominid man ever found.

Gastronomy in Lesotho: Renaissance Coffee & Cafe

I met a friend for a coffee or rather, Red Cappuccino - a very strong rooibos tea filtered and made in the same manner as cappuccino served with honey. It is packed with anti-oxidants and tastes great. It was milk shakes for the kids. It was late afternoon, the cafe was relatively empty but I was absolutely charmed by the decor. They have on the walls prints of the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Malcolm X - with accompanying famous quotes.

Gastronomy in SA: Tsunami Seafood Emporium

The lunch was pre-arranged a month ago...a reunion with former colleagues. We chose Tsunami Seafood Emporium in Morningside; a restaurant that first opened in 2005 after the Indonesian Tsunami of 2004.

Gastronomy in SA: Vida e Caffe - Hyde Park

Internet access at last! Between travel and trying to find a quiet spot with a free wi-fi service, the posts had to wait...
Vida e Caffe (Life and Coffee); just the name brings a smile to my face; is a franchise of coffee shops in South Africa that first opened about 5-6 years ago; with the first opening in Cape Town and several more following in the rest of the country - I remember it being one of my stops every day to the office...ahhh fond memories of caffeine-filled mornings.

Gastronomy in Ghana: Tribes Bar and Restaurant at Afia Beach Hotel

I am continuously surprised by a view of the ocean a mere five minute drive from Accra city centre. Being in the inner city one forgets that we are actually by the coast and that reprieve from the traffic, smog and tro-tros is just a short drive away. My son had yam sticks and kelewele with shito - no worry about carb content with him. I had the fruity mango chicken curry; also sampled off my other dining partner's plate the steamed paw paw and rice with beef at Tribes Restaurant.

Places in Ghana: Till's Beach Resort

It was a long weekend this past weekend and we had no plans to travel beyond the immediate borders. Farmer's day  is a public holiday in Ghana falling on the first Friday of December that was first introduced in the 80s as a way to honour the farmers of the country and their contribution to the economy - a sign of the times, when sub-saharan Africa was experiencing boom times in agriculture. For now though, with the agricultural sector not performing that well, due mainly to crippling droughts and food security under threat in Ghana and much of Africa, one wonders as to how much longer this holiday will hold much significance.
That aside, Accra was relatively quiet, a refreshing change. We decided to go to Till's for the day yesterday.