The Blue Train October 2012

www.bluetrainmag.co.za

Complimentary Guest Magazine

October 2012

Le Prince Maurice • Smart Houses • St Francis Bay

contents 24 www.bluetrainmag.co.za

Hanlie Kotze Letter from the Executive Manager

Noeleen Maholwana-Sangqu Letter from the Editor

News Keeping You Informed

From The Mailbag Passenger Letters and Comments

EVENTS Dates To Diarise

BITS Need To Know

A SLICE OF THE GOOD LIFE St Francis Bay

THE SMART HEART OF YOUR HOME The Uses of Home Automation Systems

RAISE A GLASS TO THE LITTLE GUY The Craft Beer Taste Revolution

THE REWARDS OF RECYCLING Up-cycling for a Better Community

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Complimentary Guest Magazine

October 2012

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SAILING AWAY The Yachts of Seabourn

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THE ALLURE OF THE AMBER SPIRIT

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Whisky

A TASTE OF THE ISLANDS

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Le Prince Maurice Hotel & Spa

PAINTING THE CITY OF GOLD RED

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Touring Johannesburg like Never Before

BIGGER IS BETTER FOR CONSERVATION

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The Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Park

A TOUCH OF FRENCH FLAIR

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L’Ermitage Franschhoek Chateau and Villas

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Chef Jonathan Hodder

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A CULINARY GLOBE TROTTER

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LUXURY – THE LEXUS WAY

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The Lexus GS

Destination Listings

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Luxury Accommodation & Dining Guide

IN THE TRACKS OF A LEGEND

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The History of The Blue Train

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SUITE LAYOUT

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Coach Info

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Letter from the Executive Manager Hanlie Kotze

A very warm welcome to you all.

Recently I heard a colleague mention the phrase: “No news is good news, right?” I imagined that my colleague was probably waiting for an answer, and this got me thinking – should no news really mean good news? I suppose we cannot blame those who abide by this idiom, especially with all of the rubbish we see, read and hear about in the media everyday of our lives.

It is because of this that one of my favourite pastimes is to look for inspirational stories. Brand South Africa’s new television commercial, “We can change the world”, which features several prominent South African celebrities, sports stars, entertainers and entrepreneurs immediately comes to mind. This advert is inspired by the Play Your Part campaign – a national initiative by Brand SA and powered by the organisation ForGood, to encourage all South Africans to contribute to positive change in the country, to become involved and to simply play a part.

However, my favourite inspiring story recently has to be one I came across on the SA Good News website, posted on a weekly blog by a Nottingham Road resident in KwaZulu-Natal. It was about an article that appeared in their local newsletter, and which was written by the doorman of one of the local pubs, Mr Tafadzwa Dliwayo. Tafadzwa speaks of his appreciation for his job as a doorman, the challenges he encounters on a weekly basis and the overall resilience one needs to manage sometimes abrupt and disorderly patrons.

Tafadzwa writes that his weekend begins at 15h30 on a Friday afternoon, when he has to catch two commuter taxis, and travel for two hours to get to the pub, for a five-hour work shift that lasts from 21h00 until 02h00. During his shift, Tafadzwa meets all kinds of people – some pleasant, others less so. One of his greatest challenges is trying to control the underage teenagers who want to enter the pub unlawfully.

Tafadzwa writes: “When you are strict, it makes you unpopular with those underage kids. The most rewarding thing, however, is keeping your conscience pure. At the end of the night, the elderly always come and say: ‘Thank you, at least there is someone who sticks to the bar rules, keep it up.’ I always keep the rules, no double standards. Some leave angry, but who cares? Rules are there to be observed.”

What a lesson to learn. I am sure Tafadzwa does not make a lot of money from his job. Yet his passion, his devotion and commitment to it – a job that many of us would not consider to be too important – are incomparable! Now that is a piece of good news!

Best wishes,

Hanlie 8

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Letter from the Editor Noeleen Maholwana-Sangqu There is definitely a difference between visiting a foreign country and living in one.

When you visit a foreign country, your impressions can seldom be more than superficial – which is often a good thing. You often see the best that a country has to offer – its best hotels and restaurants, its most popular tourist attractions and its most important museums and monuments.

You are also on holiday minus all of the stresses of everyday life, like traffic jams, paying bills and going to work, which automatically makes your holiday destination seem that much more relaxing and exciting than your normal surroundings usually are.

On the downside, visiting a place only briefly can give you a distorted view of what that place is really like. You may meet a handful of really helpful and friendly locals and by extension assume that everyone in that country is equally as friendly and helpful. But by the same notion, you could meet one or two unpleasant people and it could sour your impression towards the entire bunch. You may find the local culture and customs baffling or fascinating, but it is unlikely that you will have the time to fully understand what is behind them and why they are so.

Living in a foreign country, on the other hand, allows you the time and the opportunity to truly immerse yourself in that culture and, through time and experience, to learn and understand the reasoning behind the cultural mores that exist there. You get a chance to see the best that that country has to offer, but also the worst, and because of this to form a far more well-rounded and realistic perception of it – which can be disheartening at times, but also incredibly illuminating, if you allow it to be.

You experience all of the realities and difficulties of daily life, which makes you realise that daily life can be difficult no matter where you are, but this also gives you insight into why certain nationalities are the way they are, and how different cultures may choose to tackle the difficulties of life in very different – and sometimes better – ways than we are used to.

There are certainly advantages and disadvantages to both ways of experiencing a country, but as we welcome a new group of excited tourists (and equally excited South African residents) on board The Blue Train this month, my wish for you is that you experience our beautiful country a little bit in both ways.

I hope that you will marvel at our beautiful train and the spectacular landscapes that it passes through, but that you will also take the time to see the immense pride we as South Africans have in our country – even if we are not so good at showing it. I hope you will not only experience our rich culture and marvel at our renowned diversity, but also try to understand what lies behind it and why many of us are the way we are.

I hope that you will enjoy all of the excitement and relaxation and fun that being on holiday is all about, but be forgiving if you happen to meet someone who may not be as friendly and helpful as you would like – not everyone is on holiday after all, and one bad egg, in this case, does not spoil the whole lot.

I hope that you will not only take away wonderful memories, beautiful snapshots and souvenirs from our country, but also an insight or two on how we approach life and ultimately some understanding and a greater appreciation of just what makes South Africa special. Every country is special in its own way, and I truly hope that you get to experience all the magic and beauty and joy ours has to offer while you are here.

Enjoy the journey.

Noeleen

editor@bluetrainmag.co.za

THE BLUE TRAIN www.bluetrain.co.za Pretoria, Gauteng Tel: +27 12 334 8459 Fax: +27 12 334 8464 Cape Town Tel: +27 21 449 2672 Fax: +27 21 449 3338 United Kingdom Tel: +44 1403 243619 Fax: +44 1403 217558 Central Europe Tel: +44 2089 245126 Fax: +44 2089 245126 United States Tel: 001 305 864 4569 Fax: 001 305 675 7693 PUBLISHER Deidre Theron-Loots deidre@africanspiritmedia.co.za African Spirit Media (Pty) Ltd PO Box 11273, Hatfield, 0028 Tel: +27 861 THE MAG (843 624) Fax: +27 88 012 346 2367 mail@africanspiritmedia.co.za

EDITOR Noeleen Maholwana-Sangqu editor@bluetrainmag.co.za MANAGING EDITOR Nicky Furniss nicky@tcbgroup.co.za ADVERTISING SALES Bryan Kayavhu+27 78 248 5245 bryan@tcbgroup.co.za Mlungisi Ngwenya +27 76 703 3433 mlungisi@tcbgroup.co.za Robyn Shillaw-Botha +27 83 629 8818 robyn@tcbpublishing Images © Le Prince Maurice, Constance Hotels Cover Image © Le Prince Maurice, Constance Hotels DESIGN & LAYOUT Joanne Mc Laren joanne@virtualdavinci.co.za Virtual Da Vinci Creative Room

PRINTING Business Print Centre, Pretoria CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE Nicky Furniss, Nicola Weir, Keith Bain, Cadine Pillay/mediaclubsouthafrica.com, Keri Harvey, Jacqueline Cochrane, Ray Maota/mediaclubsouthafrica.com, Bernard K Hellberg, Janine Erasmus/mediaclubsouthafrica.com The Blue Train Magazine is published monthly by African Spirit Media (Pty) Ltd. Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of African Spirit Media (Pty) Ltd, The Blue Train or any of their clients.

Information has been included in good faith by the publisher and is believed to be correct at the time of going to print. No responsibility can be accepted for errors and omissions. No material (articles or photographs) in this publication may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without specific written permission from the Publisher.

Copyright © 2012. All copyright for material appearing in this magazine belongs to African Spirit Media (Pty) Ltd and/or the individual contributors.

All rights reserved.

news

The Blue Train Steams Ahead in Africa

The Blue Train was recently named “Africa’s Leading Luxury Train” at the World Travel Awards 2012 – an accolade it has now enjoyed for four consecutive years.

Hanlie Kotze, The Blue Train’s Executive Manager, could not hide her excitement: “We are thrilled and very proud to yet again be named amongst the crème de la crème of the African continent. The World Travel Awards are hailed as the ‘Oscars’ of the travel industry and aim to reward those travel brands that have excelled and made a great contribution to the industry. This award is evidence of the hard work everyone has been putting in – especially over the last couple of months. It also serves as a signal that our plans to take this brand to another level are on the right track,” she said.

“This award qualifies us for the Grand Finale, which will take place in New Delhi, India on 12th December 2012, where The Blue Train will compete with the world’s best for the coveted ‘World’s Leading Luxury Train’ award. We will be keeping our fingers crossed!” Hanlie concludes.

The Blue Train Wins Silver The Blue Train is delighted to have been announced as the second placed Runner Up at the exclusive Conde Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards in the category of “Favourite Specialist Train Operator”.

This prestigious awards ceremony was hosted at The British Museum in September 2012. The Blue Train previously won Gold in 2010, and came fifth in 2011. This year, the top prize went to The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, which is a worthy winner.

Other trains in the Top Ten included The Palace on Wheels, The Maharajas’ Express and Deccan Odyssey in India, The Rocky Mountaineer and Royal Canadian in Canada, The Hiram Bingham in Peru and The Old Patagonian Express in Argentina. Rovos Rail, the other specialist train in South Africa, won tenth place which is fantastic news for South Africa – playing host to two of the world’s Top Ten trains.

“We are truly delighted with this achievement. The nomination alone in these prestigious awards is a great honour for us,” comments Hanlie Kotze, the Executive Manager of The Blue Train. “We always strive to meet and possibly exceed all of our guests’ expectations, every time, all the time. It is through great nominations and awards

such as the Conde Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel awards that one finds time to reflect and iron out any shortcomings or complacency that may have crept in on our service standards,” she adds.

Condé Nast Traveller is a highly respected publication that is largely regarded as the only authority on travel and lifestyle in the UK. Its ‘Truth in Travel’ ethos along with its policy of never accepting sponsored press invitations means that the publication never yields to pressure and is a magazine readers trust.

The Blue Train Magazine in the Spotlight The Blue Train Magazine once again did us proud at the recent 2012 SA Publication Forum Awards which reward excellence in custom publishing. The magazine was awarded certificates of excellence in two judging categories, namely design and communication, and was not only selected as a finalist in the Communication category but went on to place third overall in the category, which included over 150 other corporate publications. The magazine was also selected – for the first time – as a finalist for the award of “Best External Magazine Category A” (magazines with a higher budget).

This effectively recognises The Blue Train as one of the best external corporate publications in South Africa – an accolade which the magazine’s production team are extremely proud of.

Business “Unusual” Charters A special tailor-made, all-inclusive charter on The Blue Train is a wonderful way for guests to explore South Africa’s landscapes and landmarks, lasting from a few hours to several nights. From a VIP cocktail breakfast, lunch or dinner, to a business “unusual” conference, a product launch with a difference, a special wedding reception, staff incentives or even a birthday celebration, the experience is up to you.

The Blue Train follows any route, provided the rail networks are compatible to its technology.

The Blue Train is now a Heart Save Area Several Blue Train staff have completed a Heart Saver CPR/AED Course and are now proficient in the necessary knowledge and practical skills to recognise life threatening cardio-pulmonary emergencies on board. This will enable them to respond swiftly and effectively in the event of an emergency. The staff will be aided by the Samaritan Pad 500P with CPR Advisor, which is a small, portable and easy to use device, which helps to restore a pulse in most heart attack victims. It also aids rescuers by giving precise visual and voice instructions on how to use the device and how to administer effective CPR.

For Further Information For more information on The Blue Train’s exciting packages and to read the booking conditions for advance reservations, visit www.bluetrain.co.za or contact The Blue Train reservation office in Pretoria on +27 12 334 8459 or Cape Town on +27 21 449 2672. Email any general enquiries or feedback to info@bluetrain.co.za. n

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From the Mail Bag

Passenger Letters & Comments

It was an extremely rewarding experience which makes us proud to be South African.

Judge BM Griesel, South Africa We enjoyed every minute of the experience.

Ms JM Otto, New Zealand We had an amazing experience. All the staff provided very friendly and helpful service.

Mrs S Mudau, South Africa The staff are an absolute treasure and asset to the company.

Mrs PM Berg, Australia The meals were outstanding. Peter (dining waiter) and Herman (lounge waiter) provided very friendly and helpful service. Thank you Herbert for organising a children’s video. Fritz, our butler, was excellent. It was a great experience.

Mr LDG Pegrau, South Africa Esther (chef) provided excellent quality and selection of meals. The wine selection was outstanding. All the staff were also excellent and it was a wonderful experience all round.

Mr DWG Walker, United Kingdom The meals, staff and service were outstanding. Everyone should experience this once in a lifetime, if possible. Thank you for an outstanding experience. Everything was above our expectations.

Dr & Mrs G Pegrau, South Africa We were on a different route this time and we had a wonderful experience; everything was perfect.

Ms HB Wilkins, United Kingdom The quality and selections of meals were outstanding. All the staff provided very friendly and helpful service. It was a perfect experience and we will definitely travel on The Blue Train again.

Mr & Mrs N Pienaar, South Africa

Do you have a complaint or comment that you would like to share with us?

Please fill in the guest questionnaire that is available in your suite or alternatively send an email to info@bluetrain.co.za.

Please also feel free to send your photos from your trip on The Blue Train to the same address.

Comments may be edited, shortened or translated from the original language.

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events Reliving the Glory Days of Pop Fans of eighties music are in for a treat when the 80s Rewind Festival makes its big hair, neon-coloured, legwarmer-wearing appearance at Cape Town’s GrandWest Casino on 31st October and then again in Gauteng at SuperSport Park in Centurion on 3rd November. The line-up includes Rick Astley, who’s single “Never Gonna Give You Up” was a number one hit in 25 countries, Belinda Carlisle who is best known for her solo hit “Heaven is a Place on Earth”, Tony Handley from Spandau Ballet, New Wave band ABC, British Soul and Funk band Imagination featuring Leee John, and 80s teen idol Nik Kershaw who spent 50 weeks in the UK Singles Charts in 1984 with tracks such as “Wouldn’t it be Good” and “I Won’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me”.

The Human League will also be making an appearance at the Gauteng show.

Tickets are available from Computicket at www.computicket.com.

Down in the Valley The picturesque Breedekloof Valley is the place to be from 12th to 14 October when the annual Breedekloof Outdoor & Wine Festival takes place. Less than an hour’s drive from Cape Town, the area is renowned for producing excellent wine and promises visitors a weekend of fun for both young and old. Visitors can savour wines from the estates in the area, stock up for the festive season with special offers at the farms, or enjoy the live entertainment and delicious fare on offer. A wide selection of kiddies’ activities will be available, including pony rides, sand art, magic shows, jumping castles and tractor rides. Outdoor enthusiasts can also look forward to the Slanghoek Cellar Mountain-to-Mountain mountain bike race (which includes a 13 km, 33 km and 60 km route) as well as a tagged fishing competition. For more information, email info@breedekloof.com or visit www.breedekloof.com. th

The Place to Find the Perfect Present Visitors to the annual Festive Ideas market can discover an extravaganza of gift ideas this year. From 31st October to 4th November, Simondium Country Lodge (between Paarl and Franschhoek) will be transformed into a magical gifts market with inspiring ideas for any occasion. More than 120 exhibitors will offer a treasure trove of exclusive gifts ranging from fashion articles and accessories to delightful décor items, beauty and bathroom pamper products, as well as kitchenalia and even plants and flowers. Food lovers will be spoilt for choice in the deli section, which promises delectable gourmet goodies, including olive products, chocolates, toffees, nougat, cookies and biscuits, as well as canned delicacies and jams. There will also be several workshops on offer to inspire keen do-it-yourself crafters to create their own handmade presents. For more information, visit www.festiveideas.co.za or contact +27 21 874 1046.

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events Drop Anchor for a While The Cape Town International Boat Show (one of the country’s premier showcases for boating, water sport and related industries) will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) and the V&A Waterfront from 12th to 14th October. Visitors can look forward to the latest ‘must have’ trends and equipment, as well as all the products and accessories necessary to keep their boats, yachts and jet skis ‘ship-shape’. This year the show will also host the biggest indoor wakeboarding competition South Africa has ever staged, as well as a series of interesting talks on a diversity of topics geared to appeal to the sailing, fishing, boating and the water sports fraternity. Complimentary water taxis will operate between the CTICC and the V&A Waterfront’s North Wharf, which will be hosting a huge floating boat display. For further information, visit www.capetownboatshow.com.

Glorious Gardens on Display Over the weekends of 2nd and 9th November, 25 properties in the Elgin, Vyeboom and Bot River districts in the Western Cape will open their gardens to the public. The annual Elgin Open Gardens is renowned for its mix of contemporary art and rambling country gardens. As part of the event, Wildekrans Country House will be serving up melanzane and home-baked ham paninis followed by sticky berry pavlova and Aunt Rose’s lemon meringue pie for garden visitors. Olive oil – from Wildekrans’ own olive trees – and a selection of wines will also be available for tasting and purchase. For art lovers, a selection of work by artist Guy du Toit will provide an extra dimension to Nature’s own palette. Entry is free, although donations will be accepted on behalf of the Bot River Education Trust. For more information, email info@wildekrans.co.za or visit www.wildekrans.co.za.

A Jolly Wine Time Enjoy laidback country hospitality at its best as you taste more than 300 wines from over 40 wineries, while soaking up the rhythm of live jazz, ballads and blues at the ever popular Robertson Wine on the River from 19th to 21st October. There will also be a smorgasbord of delicious gastronomic delights on offer at the country food stalls and the Robertson Farmers’ Market. Tutored chardonnay tastings will be on offer in the Chardonnay Tent, and other popular attractions will include river cruises as well as arts and crafts from the Valley. Children under 18 enter free of charge, and the festival promises lots of fun activities to keep them entertained. This open-air festival is a favourite on the Western Cape social calendar and promises a weekend of fine wine, delectable treats, great music and complete relaxation. Tickets are available from Webtickets at www.webtickets.co.za. For more information, visit www.wineonriver.com.

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bits An African Adventure &Beyond’s Ngala Tented Camp in the Kruger National Park has recently been reopened. Rebuilt and freshly refurbished, the camp’s six sophisticated safari tents celebrate the romance of canvas in natural bush surroundings. Each luxurious tented suite features outdoor showers, deep baths and private wooden decks overlooking the seasonal Timbavati riverbed. The camp’s intimate new layout ensures that the tents are now even more secluded from each other.

Inspired by &Beyond’s trademark brand of warm local hospitality, the camp’s stylish new interiors are a fusion between easy living and contemporary design. Constructed with a light footprint, each tent sits on a raised platform and was cleverly designed to incorporate existing trees, thereby minimising environmental impact and reflecting &Beyond’s ethos of sustainable luxury.

The camp is one of two accommodation options at &Beyond Ngala Private Game Reserve. Visit www.andBeyond.com for more information.

The Perfect Spot for a Picnic Holden Manz boutique wine estate in Franschhoek is now offering a glorious indulgence for sunny days with a brand new picnic menu. With delicious eats and gorgeous mountain views, a picnic at this lush estate is the ultimate in relaxation, enjoyed under stately oaks at the tables provided or on your own picnic blanket.

Each picnic basket includes all the essentials needed for the perfect picnic, such as a tablecloth, napkins, cutlery and plates. Tuck into Executive Chef Cheyne Morrisby’s menu of local artisanal cheeses and charcuterie, juicy skewered chicken and beef satays, savoury mushroom quiche and smoked salmon pate, as well as chicken liver pate, seasonal farm jams, crisp garden salad and soft homemade bread, followed by delicious donuts and chocolate brownies. The picnics at Holden Manz are offered daily from Tuesdays to Sundays. Contact +27 21 876 2729 or email cheyne@holdenmanz.com for bookings.

For Summer Ready Feet Attractively manicured feet are a must in the summertime but deserve special care all year round. Since ancient times, elegant feet have been a beauty ideal yet over the course of a lifetime, feet will walk the equivalent of three to four times around the globe. The foot comprises a number of very different skin zones, which means that the requirements of a perfect foot care programme are very varied. All SPA Méditerranée for feet products by BABOR contain a specially developed complex of active agents, comprising basil, tomato and olive. As well as having a moisturising and soothing effect, these ingredients regenerate the lipid film and have astringent properties.

The SPA Méditerranée for feet specialist feet products (including Daily Feet Vitalizer, Clean & Peel Cream, Feet Smoothing Balm and Cooling Foot Spray) complement each other perfectly. For more information and stockists, visit www.babor.co.za.

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bits A Private Wilderness Retreat Meeting the increased need for ‘private villa vacations’, Koro Lodge at Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat is a popular private option for couples or families. Located in the foothills of the magnificent Cederberg Mountains just 270 km from Cape Town, elegant Koro Lodge is situated in the heart of the reserve. A welcoming home-away-from-home, children of all ages are welcome. Koro provides a fully independent experience, and includes the services of a hostess and a guide with game viewing vehicle, as well as a dedicated chef to prepare the delicious contemporary Cape cuisine for which Bushmans Kloof is renowned. Sleeping up to four adults and four children, it offers flexible accommodation options with two lavish suites and a loft bedroom for children.

Guest activities include guided rock art walks and nature drives, hiking, mountain biking and canoeing. Special children’s activities and family excursions are also available. Visit www.bushmanskloof.co.za for more information.

Ostrich Inspired Objet d’ Art Employing over 40 artisans in the Karoo, Avoova is a South African success story that shows how raw ingredients from nature can be transformed into fine artefacts. The genesis of this luxury art form starts with an egg: the ostrich shell. Only the best fragments of the eggshell are used to carefully mosaic an intricate design to produce functional art and collectible items. Wherever possible, sustainable natural products, including African leathers and woods, are used. Every Avoova hand-finished item undergoes at least 53 processes in its production. Avoova designs small luxurious items for the home, as well as bespoke pieces for hotels and mega-yachts. Alongside renowned designers like Haldane Martin, Avoova was awarded the Icon status by the Cape Craft & Design Institute for excellence in design. The Avoova Gallery is located at 97 Bree Street in Cape Town. Contact +27 21 422 1620 for more information.

Light and Luscious Summer deserves a light and refreshing, health-friendly wine and with its lower alcohol level (9,33%) yet fruitful character, Fleur du Cap Natural Light is the perfect choice for hot summer days.

The 2012 vintage is a slightly off-dry, crisp and refreshing blend of 83% Chenin blanc and 17% Sauvignon blanc with enticing floral and tropical scents and a touch of green pepper. Fleur du Cap Natural Light sets the tone for a laidback, guilt-free summer, which means that you can indulge and enjoy life a little more responsibly without having to compromise on taste. Fleur du Cap Natural Light is the ultimate patio wine and works wonders with a variety of tantalising dishes including salads and light pastas. Fleur du Cap Natural Light 2012 is available at leading stores nationwide. For more information, visit www.fleurducap.co.za.

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Travel

Good Life A Slice of the

St Francis Bay

While no man is an island – as the old adage goes – he certainly can be a beach village. St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape began as one man’s idea for his own realm, and has since maintained a very unique culture and atmosphere because of it. These days, however, the town is growing rapidly as a prime holiday destination, not least of all because of its distinctive canals and houses, pristine beaches and year-long summer.

Text: Nicky Furniss Images: © Nicky Furniss, St Francis Bay Tourism

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The existence of St Francis Bay can be attributed to its excellent fishing and pristine beaches – like this one, just below The Sands @ St Francis Guest House

Travel St Francis Bay’s pretty canal system is the perfect place for a holiday home right on the water Text: Nicky Furniss Images: © Nicky Furniss, St Francis Bay Tourism

The Sands @ St Francis is an opulent home away from home

While St Francis Bay was first spotted and named (after the patron saint of sailors) by Portuguese seamen in the 16th Century, it remained virtually untouched until an intriguing advertisement in the Farmer’s Weekly caught the attention of Leighton Hulett. The year was 1954 and the prospect of 273 morgen of ideal fishing land at the bargain price of £1,750 was too tempting an offer for Hulett to ignore. He duly sold his house in Zululand and moved his family to the Eastern Cape, where they discovered that as well the fishing friendly stretch of beach they had been promised, they had also bought a beautiful sheltered bay and a 3 km stretch of sand dunes. Plus the ad had neglected to say that the only way to their land across the tidal Kromme River was by ox wagon!

Undeterred, the Huletts built a small fishing camp of seven thatched rondavels and opened it up to friends and holidaymakers. Soon, enticed by the area’s untouched natural beauty, visitors sought to buy property of their own.

Thus, the village grew into a small township and later into the town it is today. Nowadays St Francis Bay boasts two doctors, a vet, a dentist who comes three times a week, two local schools, two banks, several restaurants and a supermarket.

From a single family almost six decades ago, St Francis Bay now has about 4,000 permanent residents – a number that virtually doubles come holiday season, as tourists and holiday home owners flock south for the summer.

Thanks to some early foresight by “King” Hulett, all of the homes built in St Francis Bay adhere to the same aesthetic of white walls with black (often thatch) roofs. This has the tendency of making the town look a little like something out of The Stepford Wives, and you would be hard pressed to find any daring architectural designs or – heaven forbid – a bright purple feature wall anywhere within its precincts. But there was some good reasoning to Hulett’s fastidiousness. The muted tones blend in beautifully with the town’s natural surroundings, and also add to the upmarket feel of the place. This, no doubt, plays a large part in making St Francis Bay such a popular spot for wealthy

A recovering patient at Cape St Francis’ Penguin Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre

individuals looking to add coastal property to their portfolios.

St Francis Bay offers two very attractive waterfront property options, namely overlooking the Indian Ocean, or as part of a canal system. One of Hulett’s other innovations was to establish South Africa’s very first marina when he started dredging St Francis Bay’s canal system in 1967. Today it consists of 10 km of meandering channels, fronted on both sides by pretty houses, many with their own docks or even little slivers of beach on which to “park” their kayaks. A good way to experience the canals (other than being one of the lucky few to actually live on them) is to sign up for a boat cruise leaving from The Big Time Taverna (which is also incidentally a great spot for sundowners).

Gliding through the canals, waving at children fishing from their lawns and at residents paddling past on their kayaks, is a relaxing way to spend an afternoon and see how the other half lives.

And it is not hard to see why they choose to live or holiday here either. The area’s slow pace and laid back lifestyle is intoxicating, and its Mediterranean climate allows visitors and residents to make the most of the area’s bounty of outdoor activities all year round.

Several nearby nature reserves allow for a variety of walks, while the St Francis Links Golf Course (designed by Jack

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Travel

Nicklaus) is one of the country’s best. Then, of course, there are the beaches (perfect for strolls and dips) and a whole host of water sports. Staying true to its origins, St Francis Bay is still a top fishing destination. Divers are also spoilt for choice under water, particularly when the annual sardine run makes its spectacular appearance. August and September is whale season and opportunities abound (both on land and sea) to spot Southern Right and Humpback whales, while dolphins can be seen throughout the year.

Other marine creatures that you are likely to spot in St Francis Bay are surfers. The bay is regarded as one of the world’s surfing hotspots, and was made famous in the 1966 movie The Endless Summer about two surfers travelling the world in search of the perfect wave. They eventually found it in St Francis Bay, which is susceptible to swell all year round thanks to low pressure systems that form between the tip of South Africa and Antarctica. This accounts for the town’s curious mix of moneyed property owners and less moneyed surfers, who, when the conditions are right, are only too happy to close up their shops in town for an obligatory “board meeting”. “Bruce’s Beauty” is the perfect surfing spot for long boarders in particular. Even if you are not a surfer yourself, it is fun to sit on the beach and watch the surfers in action.

Port St Francis, one of South Africa’s few privately owned harbours, was built in 1995 to house the large freezer vessels that have plied this part of the coast in search of “white gold” (squid or “chokka”) since the 1980s. St Francis Bay has a lucrative squid industry, but sadly most of the calamari you will sample in town has been brought in from elsewhere, since the really good stuff is taken away for export. (Except, as the locals tell us conspiratorially, at Chokkablock Restaurant, which boasts the local variety on the menu.) Whether you get the chance to taste St Francis calamari or not, the Port is the perfect place to see the chokka boats up close, scattered in between leisure yachts and recreational fishing boats. It also offers some vibey restaurants and shops.

The Seal Point Lighthouse has been a guiding light to ships travelling along the Eastern Cape coast for over 130 years

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Further down the coast is the more informal community of Cape St Francis, which has a stark windswept beauty to it.

It boasts one of the area’s best beaches, and as part of the Cape Floral Kingdom it is the perfect spot for birdwatchers and nature lovers. The Seal Point lighthouse guards the coastline here, as it has done since 1878. The museum it houses is currently closed to the public, but it is worth the drive just to see this National Monument from the outside and to marvel at its 27.5 m high tower. It is, in fact, the tallest masonry tower on the South African coast.

Another reason to visit is the adjacent Penguin Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre which cares for injured marine birds, including gannets, cormorants and seagulls, with a special focus on the endangered African penguin. Visitors can see the recovering patients as they sun themselves or cool off in the pool in the rehabilitation centre. It makes for a heart warming outing, and you can continue to make a difference by becoming a member or by sponsoring an injured bird.

While it may have started out as a single man’s personal kingdom, St Francis Bay has become a justifiably popular beachside destination that allows both residents and visitors a share in its beautiful views, lovely weather and sun drenched spoils. n Visitors can head to Port St Francis to sample some of the delicious seafood that is dished up fresh everyday in its many restaurants

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The Smart Heart of Your Home The Uses of Home Automation Systems

It’s not just sisters who are doing it for themselves anymore – our homes are too. Home automation is becoming increasingly more popular, and not just because it is a novelty. Automated security is a very practical issue, and many automation products are becoming gradually more affordable. They are also not as complicated as you may think – simplicity is essential when it comes to the way we live in our homes.

Text: Nicola Weir Images: © The Line Communications

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The BeoLiving Range by Bang & Olufsen provides the ultimate home cinema experience with surround sound and home automation integration

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HFX Systems, leading audio-visual and home automation distributor, are experts in the installation of interactive home theatres that can be fully integrated into your home automation system

Smart home technology is used to make electronic appliances found around the home “act smart” and work together through home networks and the internet in order to make daily tasks easier. This includes products and appliances used in your home which are programmed to work together. These products can include security and surveillance equipment, home theatre systems, lighting, appliances, climate control, access control and energy management.

The applications available are advancing rapidly as home automation is becoming more common place due to increased availability and improvements in broadband internet. The ability to connect to a fast and stable internet connection is bringing more practical functionality to the installation options that are available on the South African market.

Home automation is now a must-have for any home worth its salt says Ryan Goosen, a product specialist on new technologies for leading audio visual and home automation distributor, HFX Systems. “In today’s modern age, technology influences practically every aspect of our home environment.

As a result, home automation is becoming increasingly popular in residential homes,” says Goosen.

You may think that home automation is way out of your league and yet the majority of us are already using some basic home automation tools to make our lives easier. Do you have a doorbell?

And if so, did you know that it was one of the first incarnations of smart home technology? As were electric gates, automated garage doors, alarm systems and automatic garden sprinklers.

These days, however, new inventions are taking home automation far beyond these rudimentary devices. Lights that work with motion sensors to turn on when someone enters a room and air conditioners that prepare the temperature of your home to your liking before you return home are now not

just possible but are becoming standard components in the construction of up-market homes.

Smart kitchen appliances such a refrigerators, microwaves and stoves are available at most local retailers and their applications are becoming more and more advanced. LG Electronics, for example, recently released the Internet Refrigerator that allows users to communicate with it using the internet, a cell phone or a tablet. The refrigerator is able to download recipes from the internet and display them on its LCD screen before taking an inventory of the items it has inside it to compile a shopping list of whatever you might need in order to cook that dish. It also alerts you when certain items are running low, and tells you how long some items have been stored for.

This may sound complicated but most home automation systems have been designed to be as easy to use as possible.

To make them more complicated, would in fact, defeat the purpose. Goosen agrees: “The main aim of any well designed home automation system is to create a flexible, practical and user-friendly environment – allowing even the most nontechnical people to easily operate the most advanced systems.”

What makes home automation even more convenient is that the systems installed give you the ability to control home functions remotely using the internet or a cell phone.

Just consider the possible benefits that some of these nifty gadgets could bring to your daily life.

When you are out of the house, nagging little doubts can start to crowd your mind. Did I turn off my coffee maker? Are my kids doing their homework or just watching TV? With a smart home, you can restore your peace of mind with a few taps on your iPad. You can even program the TV so that your children can only watch it at certain times. In fact, anything in your home that uses electricity can be added to your home

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network and programmed to follow commands.

Convenient applications such as these are most commonly chosen for the kitchen. Imagine you are in the mood for snack but do not know what to eat. Why not have your refrigerator make a suggestion based on what it has inside it. Want to eat as soon as you get home? Your microwave can be set to start at a certain time so that when you arrive, a hot meal is waiting for you. Even your coffee maker can be programmed to start brewing shortly before you wake up in the mornings and more advanced models will even learn how each person likes their coffee and then can brew it to each individual’s liking.

Besides these attractive lifestyle uses, specific safety applications also present a compelling argument for installing home automation technology. Cameras that monitor your home can be installed, as can motion sensors with the ability to distinguish between residents and strangers and alert you of an intrusion. Doors can be opened using finger prints or codes, eliminating the need for house keys which can be lost or stolen. A central locking system for all windows and doors can also be installed to allow you to control your home’s perimeter at the touch of a button.

Smoke detectors can be programmed to communicate with the rest of the house in the event of a fire: to turn on the lights, unlock the doors, light a path to the exits and notify the fire department, for example.

Smart homes can also go a long way towards helping households to save energy. Having the lights turn off each time the house senses that a room is empty can do wonders for your electricity bill. The same principle can be applied to air conditioners. In more advanced systems, devices can even track how much energy each appliance is using and command them to use less.

Every function of the smart home systems described above can be easily controlled from telephones, laptops, smart phones, cell phones or tablets. Ryno Breedt of the HFX group, the local distributor of RTi products explains: “Providing

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secure local or remote access to an RTi system from any internet connection means that whether you are at work, out with friends or on holiday, you can remotely view, assess, and adjust the various electronic systems that form part of your home automation system. You can monitor your security systems, turn lights on and off and even irrigate your garden while you are away on holiday.”

When designing your smart home you can choose to include as much automation as you want. However, if you want to start with a more extensive system, it is crucial to design it carefully as extensive renovation or rewiring might be necessary. According to Goosen, most homeowners are left in the dark as to how to plan ahead particularly because they are not aware of the enormous benefits of home automation and so do not plan for it when renovating. “Even if you do not have the budget, your home should still be designed in such a way that you could integrate one seamlessly when you do eventually have the money,” says Goosen. He advises that it is all about creating space: “Installing conduits that connect to all the rooms in your house is a great start. Remember that there can never be too many conduits on site – and the bigger, the better.”

The installation of your system must also be carried out carefully. “It is important to remember that these are very specialised systems and that the majority of electricians do not know how to correctly design, integrate or programme them,” warns Goosen. He notes that for peace of mind, homeowners should always choose CEDIA-accredited professionals to install home automation systems. The Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) is an international trade association of companies that specialise in planning and installing electronic systems in the home. Consumers benefit from CEDIA accreditation because it allows them to find a qualified, reputable and insured design and installation contractor to advise them and work in their homes.

For more information, visit www.hfxsystems.co.za, www.rticorp.com and www.cedia.net. n

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Whether bottled or on tap, craft beer – from independent microbreweries and other qualityover-quantity focused beer makers – is all the rage at Banana Jam Cafe in Kenilworth

Raise a Glass to the Little Guy The Craft Beer Taste Revolution The news we have all been waiting for is finally here: beer can be good for you.

But do not blithely head out to the pub for a nutritious pint – choosing a wellcrafted, quality beer that is not mass produced is key. Local brewers are taking on the giants with their genuine craft beers, and aim is to revolutionise South Africans’ tastes for their pint of choice at the same time.

Text: Keith Bain Images: © Greg Casey & Keith Bain

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At &Union, “The Godfathers of Craft Beer” have dared to stand up to the corporate beer giants

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Man on a mission: Loading Bay’s Jon-Paul Bolus is obsessed with provenance – and that goes for the on-tap beers from The Devil’s Peak Brewing Company he is now serving

After weeks of waiting, the new beer taps have finally been installed at Loading Bay. At this slick daytime eatery in Cape Town’s historic De Waterkant, owner Jon-Paul Bolus has always cared more about the quality of what he serves than the quantities he sells. To prove the point, it has taken him years to find an on-tap beer he is happy to pour.

“People who drink craft beer are the same people who, the world over, choose to support local, sustainable, quality products, be they coffee, meat or beer,” says Jon-Paul.

“Choosing craft beer over the mass produced stuff is the equivalent of turning your back on the supermarket chain store in favour of the little guy.”

During the last century, beer drinking has become homogenised by the bottom line. Huge conglomerates swamped the market with cheap, rapidly produced beer that, thanks to simple economics, became synonymous with our understanding of what beer is about: light lagers, with little to distinguish one from the other. And because it takes chemicals and other unnatural additives to speed up the fermentation process to meet demand, these beers make themselves felt the morning after.

But what many people do not realise is the huge impact mass production has on flavour. Beer is perishable, so commercial manufacturers usually filter and pasteurise it to extend its shelf life. By removing proteins, microbes and yeasts that add to the beer’s flavour, they also filter out nutrients like vitamin B and lower the beer’s potential health benefits.

While there is a focus on traditional brewing techniques, and on using only natural ingredients and an unhurried fermentation process, a major hallmark of craft beer is innovation. Artisan brewers often bring novel and surprising

flavours to their brews. If you have not yet heard beer described as having “undertones of blueberries” or “bitter with a Turkish chocolate flavour”, then you have probably been limiting your beer experience.

Loading Bay’s new taps are dispensing two distinctive beers: First Light Golden Ale and Kings Blockhouse IPA from The Devil’s Peak Brewing Company, which is one of the youngest microbrewers in the country. “The Golden Ale is easy drinking,” says Jon-Paul. “But the IPA (or India Pale Ale) is a style that is quite new for South Africans, so it is likely to become a talking point.”

Devil’s Peak, which is based in Somerset West, is aiming big, vowing to compete at a global level. “This is why we’re excited to serve their beer,” says Jon-Paul. “These guys have been making beer as a hobby for years; it’s what they love.

They’re driven by passion, rather than profit.”

Meanwhile, a few minutes away, at &Union, the guys who kick-started the South African craft beer revolution are plotting. Their mission? To get craft beer into “every bar, restaurant and retailer” in the country. Brad, Rui and Simon, the triumvirate running the Brewers & Union empire, could well be the godfathers of craft beer, and remain unyielding in their reproach of all things mass produced.

Ask them what they think of the high volume beer brands, and without hesitation Rui Esteves extends his middle finger.

He leaves it to Simon Wibberley to calmly explain that the problem with large beer producers is that they operate solely in pursuit of corporate profits; quality and flavour inevitably take a back seat.

“Sometimes things need a good kick in the butt,” says Simon of their direct, full frontal assault approach. “The big industrial brewers

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have been poisoning our minds with big budget advertising, whilst serving us low budget beer flavoured soda water for a long time.

Transforming perceptions and educating consumers takes time, but when a good thing catches on, it’s awesome.”

When Rui and business partner Brad Armitage started Vida e Caffè, they fundamentally altered the South African coffee drinking culture. Next they turned their attention towards revamping local beer culture.

They sought the oldest family run breweries in Europe and enlisted traditional German brew masters to develop a range of authentic lagers and ales for their new endeavour, an unassuming beer salon on Bree Street. &Union was quickly noticed, along with their artisanal bottled beers. Much about their product was unfamiliar: the name; the unusual sized bottles; even the terms “craft” and “real beer” which they punted fiercely. And they were also not afraid to charge.

Capetonians came, drank, and returned. And word spread.

Now the brand has spread countrywide.

Beer drinkers are generally a lot wiser these days about the advantages of quality focused imbibing. With the rise in demand comes a plethora of microbreweries. Brewing is something to be proud of again.

Nowadays a pub crawl includes all kinds of surprises. Apart from a string of well known craft and microbrewers (Boston, Darling, Jack Black, Napier and Windhoek based Camelthorn), you might encounter up-and-coming Triggerfish, Bierwerk, or Valley Brewery. And if you want to sample a range of craft beers in one easy sitting, head over to Kenilworth, where Banana Jam Café is calling itself the “Headquarters of the South African Craft Beer Revolution”.

When asked how they feel about the wave of competition, the guys at &Union hardly blink. They welcome the strengthening of

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What started out as the in-house tipple at Bree Street’s &Union has become a nationallyrecognised brand, now making waves abroad, too

ranks in the battle against a common enemy: “More competition means better quality.” Vive la Rivoluzione! n

Where to Join the Revolution • &Union (www.andunion.com) is the original home of the Brewers & Union range.

• To taste beer from The Devil’s Peak Brewery, head to Loading Bay (www.loadingbay.co.za).

• Cape Town has a festival dedicated to craft beer (www.weloverealbeer.com), and a beer tour (www.coffeebeansroutes.com) that includes time at Banana Jam Café (www.bananajamcafe.co.za) for a craft beer tasting.

You can also join a township tour to taste the original home brew, umqombothi.

• Just outside Stanford, Birkenhead Brewery (www.birkenhead.co.za) serves freshly brewed beer from the tap in its on-site pub.

• The Saggy Stone Brewing Company (www.saggystone.co.za) in Robertson produces a California Steam beer and a Stone Draught.

• Bierwerk (www.bierwerk.com) was started by a Scandinavian who is doing interesting things with his range of “Afrikan Ales”.

Look out for his coffee-infused sweet stout, called Aardwolf.

• Head to Knysna for Mitchell’s beer (www.mitchellsbrewery.com), which has been in production since 1983.

• Based in KwaZulu-Natal’s Valley of a Thousand Hills, Shongweni Brewery (www.shongwenibrewery.com) produces craft beers which are available exclusively at Unity Brasserie & Bar in Durban.

• The Zululand Brewery (www.zulublonde.com) in Eshowe produces their flagship beer, Zulu Blonde, which is now available in pubs across the UK.

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The Rewards of

Recycling Up-cycling for a Better Community

The term “up-cycling” is often used to describe the conversion of unused items into tools of value that benefit communities. In the case of Copenhagen-based shipping company Safmarine, formed in Cape Town in 1946, decommissioned shipping containers are being used to uplift and improve the quality of education in disadvantaged communities across the country.

Text: Cadine Pillay/mediaclubsouthafrica.com Images: © Safmarine

This container classroom was built for the Grade R pupils of Vissershok Primary School in the Western Cape, by Safmarine and Woolworths and was designed by a pupil at Stellenberg High School

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The “Sport in a Box” container in Piketberg provides a safe after-school environment for more than 100 children in the area

Thusanang Creche in Gauteng, now has a roof over their heads thanks to Containers in the Community

Containers became popular as multi-purpose tools in the 1990s, rapidly gaining popularity as cost-effective alternatives for infrastructure such as day care centres, school classrooms and even libraries in some communities.

One of the latest innovative transformations of a container is into a sports centre for the community of Piketberg, 120 km north of Cape Town in the Western Cape.

The centre – also referred to as “Sport in a Box” – forms part of the Containers in the Community initiative, pioneered by Safmarine in 1991. Through the programme, the company has donated more than 8,000 containers to more than 3,000 projects nationally.

A Team Effort The sports centre is a collaborative effort between Safmarine, Tsai Design Studio (which designed the facility), and marketing company Star South Fruits. It provides a safe after-school environment for more than 100 children in the area, thanks to the efforts of the NGO Stars in their Eyes Foundation, which approached Safmarine.

Stars in their Eyes is run jointly by Dutch fresh produce company Cool Fresh International and the Western Cape’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport. Each participating disadvantaged community is paired with a Dutch football club to give local coaches training in football techniques and life skills, which are then passed on to the youngsters.

“The foundation innovatively combines the joy of football with the alleviation of social problems,” says Johan van Niekerk, Marketing Director of Star South Fruits.

Among the centre’s key design elements is a grandstand seating facility for spectators. This runs along one of the container’s long sides and is sheltered by corrugated iron sheeting to provide shade for the audience and the centre.

Another innovative element is the advertising space on the opposite side of the container that can be used by local businesses to help generate income for the centre.

Alternatively, this space can be converted into a screen for local children to watch movies on.

Safmarine has, over the past few years, started working with socially responsive industrial designers to come up with design ideas that are sustainable and environmentally sound.

The current average investment per project is around R500,000 (approximately $60,500), but this amount will vary according to the size and scale of the project.

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Winning Design Ideas While Containers in the Community has won numerous shipping industry awards in the past, it has more recently caught the attention of the design community.

“Sport in a Box” is one of 12 contenders in the running for the 2011/2012 AfriSam/SAIA Sustainable Architecture Award, the winner of which will be announced towards the end of the year.

According to AfriSam, a construction materials company, the awards are aimed at recognising outstanding achievement in sustainable architecture. Their partner in the initiative, the South African Institute of Architects (SAIA), is the industry authority on sustainable architecture and the awards programme supports SAIA’s goals of recognising and promoting excellence in architecture, as well as creating public awareness and debate on architectural issues.

“We are delighted that Safmarine’s shipping containers, which spend many years at sea carrying cargo from one end of the globe to the other, are increasingly becoming a source of inspiration for talented architects and designers around the world,” says Safmarine’s Debbie Owen. “The recent contribution made by the design and architectural community in helping us to creatively and sustainably convert these boxes, has been an important one and recognition – such as with the shortlisting for the Afrisam/ SAIA Sustainable Architecture Award – is important as the shipping container, and its contribution to our society, is now being viewed in a more holistic manner.”

Community Designers Besides acquiring the services of talented designers, Containers in the Community also puts the challenge to members of the community. In 2011, Safmarine and food and clothing retailer Woolworths launched a design competition where contestants were required to create a classroom for the Grade R pupils of Vissershok Primary School near Durbanville in the Western Cape, using a container.

A concept by Marshaan Brink, a pupil at Stellenberg High School, took top honours, and he had the opportunity to work with professional designers and architects and see his idea come to life. Brink was present when the brightly painted classroom was handed over to the pupils.

Containers in the Community projects have also been implemented in Brazil, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Kenya and Tanzania. n

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Sailing Away The Yachts of Seabourn

Cruising is so much more than just about getting from point A to point B – instead, it is about the journey, the ease of travel and the genteel pace… especially when it’s aboard a luxury mega yacht.

Text & Images: © Keri Harvey One of the Yachts of Seabourn – the world’s most exclusive cruise ships – the Seabourn Odyssey is a luxurious and elegant way to ply the world’s oceans

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Travel This luxury mega yacht may be smaller than an average cruise ship, yet still offers a host of on board facilities including four restaurants, a fitness centre, swimming pools and a spa

As evening light dusts Athens in shades of soft gold, we watch this majestic city grow smaller in our wake. The magnificent Acropolis, the Temple of Zeus and the ancient Olympic stadium all give the city an air of immortality.

Now, leaning over our private balcony aboard the Seabourn Odyssey, sundowner in hand, life has a gentle pace and a sense of journey. These Yachts of Seabourn are special boats, smallest and most exclusive of the cruise ships that ply the world’s oceans; they are both luxurious and elegant.

Guests enjoy personal attention and a friendly, can-do attitude from the crew, which is drawn from around the world including South Africa.

The Mediterranean air is crisp as we watch our yacht cut quietly through the hushing sea. It is a liquid rhythm that brings with it perfect calm. Actually, there is no sense of movement at all aboard the mega yacht, and you have to look out to sea to know that you are actually sailing.

Cruising is a clever way to see the world, not just for the luxury of the journey, but also for the hassle-free travel experience it offers. You drift off to sleep at night in one

country and wake up next morning in another. No fuss, no customs to clear, no bags to pack or planes to catch, so the focus is entirely on enjoying the journey and the places you visit en route.

There is so much to do on board, it is almost impossible to experience it all – unless you are on a round-the-world cruise – but it is certainly worth a try. Seabourn Square is the yacht’s living room, which includes a business centre, coffee bar and library. There are also shops and boutiques, different bars and observation areas, a spa and salon, a fitness centre and retreat area, swimming pools and whirlpools on board. Dining options include four restaurants and everything from fine dining to poolside meals, themed dinners and tasting evenings. But, if you are not in the mood for any of these, just order in and dine in the privacy of your suite – Seabourn is after all renowned for both its decadent cuisine and its impeccable service.

The next morning we wake up in the Ionian Sea, docked at the picturesque Greek town of Pylos on the west coast of the Peloponnese. The harbour is still guarded by two

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The Kotor Fjord in Montenegro is Europe’s only fjord, and undoubtedly one of the best ways to see it is from the deck of a luxury mega yacht

The beautiful city of Pylos in Greece is just one of the many stops on a luxury cruise around the Mediterranean

forts, and all the activity here remains around the water’s edge – especially at lunchtime when travellers filter into the seaside restaurants. Renowned Greek dishes like kleftico and moussaka are always on the menu, but so is fresh seafood for which Greece is renowned.

“If you want to see something spectacular, be on the viewing deck at 06h00 tomorrow morning,” says Captain Mark Dexter, as we pass him in the passage on board the yacht. “It’s one of my favourite experiences, and if you’re there you’ll see why.”

The next morning we stand speechless at the sight before us. We are in Europe, yet we are sailing up a fjord flanked by land on both sides. Little fishing boats pass us on early morning sorties, while red-roofed villages wake up to the new day. It is spectacular and As the yacht docks all over the Mediterranean, passengers never have far to travel a unique experience, since Montenegro to sight see – like here in Athens’ market with the Acropolis in the background has Europe’s only fjord.

One of the world’s newest countries, its stone city walls and cobbled streets.

Montenegro, is a former republic of We watch the flashes from the lighthouses and turn in for Yugoslavia. It may be new on the map, but it is ancient at the night. Soon we will be in Venice, the city that appears heart with quaint villages, hilltop stone churches and city to float on the sea. There is a lot to see and do and we walls of solid rock that tell of history and times of both war are heading straight to the Piazza St Marco. A gondola ride and peace. The country has a wild, rugged beauty and is is also on the list, because we are completely seduced by still undiscovered by mass tourism. sailing and the seamless travel it offers so that you can truly Looking like the spots on the dog, the Dalmatian Coast savour the journey and the destinations. It is a luxurious consists of hundreds of little islands strewn in the ocean, odyssey, 21st century-style. some with lighthouses flashing like stars at night. Set in the dark turquoise waters of the Adriatic Sea, the coastline is For more information, visit www.cruises.co.za, email utterly enchanting, as is the elegant city of Dubrovnik with michele@cruises.co.za, or contact +27 11 327 0327. n

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The Allure of the

Amber Spirit Whisky used to be the drink of choice for uncles and grandfathers; a little staid, a little old fashioned. However, recently there has been a marked revival of interest in this classic amber spirit. Whisky shows and specialist tasting events have popped up all over the world, and the drink is experiencing something of a renaissance, as it is fast becoming the tipple of choice for the young and trendy, the wealthy and aspirational. Scotland still undoubtedly leads the way in terms of producing exceptional – particularly single malt – whisky. Recently, Dr William Lumsden, Head of Distilling and Whisky Creation at two of Scotland’s finest distilleries, Glenmorangie and Ardbeg, visited South Africa and took some time out to talk to The Blue Train about this exceptional drink.

Text: Nicky Furniss Images: © Glenmorangie

When it comes to whisky experts, Dr Lumsden is undoubtedly one of the best. Combining his passion for whisky and his PhD in Biochemistry he easily found his calling in the distilling industry and has since earned an impressive collection of accolades, including being honoured with The Malt Advocate Magazine, Industry Leader of the Year award three times. He is renowned in the industry as an innovator in terms of maturation times and cask choice and under his guidance, Glenmorangie was awarded the industry’s coveted Innovator of the Year award for two years in a row (2007 and 2008).

So as someone who has dedicated his career to the whisky industry and is a passionate consumer of whisky himself, why does he think it is now so popular? “Firstly to give some credit to our industry; we have done a very good job of educating people about what makes malt whisky so special. Then I think, in general, a lot of the world has moved over to a more aspirational lifestyle and demands better things – and malt whisky is in an ideal position for this. Plus underpinning it all is the fact that it is genuinely a

very interesting, complex and quality product.”

When it comes to picking your own whisky, Dr Lumsden advocates that consumers should look for a whisky “that is multidimensional in terms of character with a lot of different nuances in flavour. It should have an interesting, relatively soft texture in the mouth and be part of a range that can offer different flavours. A lot of the top brands, like Glenmorangie, Glenfiddich and Macallan, have a whole range of different products so that once you have tried one you can try other things in the range.”

When Dr Lumsden talks of fine whiskies he is admittedly biased towards the Scotch whisky of his native Scotland, but he explains that this is with very good reason. While they have the Irish to thank for introducing the craft of distillation to Scotland six or seven hundred years ago, the Scottish are widely regarded to have been the ones to have honed and perfected the craft in the intervening centuries. Nowadays that process is strictly controlled by the Scotch Whisky Association, which ensures consumers have an absolute guarantee of purity.

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“The laws state that to be called Scotch whisky, it has to be made with certain raw materials (cereal, yeast and water); it has to be made in either a patent column still for grain whisky or a copper pot still for malt whisky; and the resulting spirit then has to be matured in oak in Scotland for a minimum of three years,” explains Dr Lumsden. “The reason we use oak wood is because firstly, it is very dense and as long as you cut the wood in the correct alignment, the liquid will not leak through the cask. The second reason is that when you heat the inside of an oak barrel by charring it with a naked flame or toasting it with heat, it facilitates the release of a very attractive range of flavours from the oak wood – flavours which make you think of vanilla, almond, toffee, crème brulee and coconut. A lot of other woods don’t do that.”

That said, as someone who likes to innovate, Dr Lumsden thought he had discovered a loop hole in the Scotch Whisky Act: “I thought if I took a Glenmorangie whisky that has been matured in Scotland in oak for ten years and then transferred it to another type of barrel, I would still be adhering to the local requirements.” With this in mind, he acquired some Brazilian cherry wood barrels that had previously been used to mature a small quantity of kashasha (a type of Brazilian spirit) and placed ten-year Glenmorangie whisky in them for a further one and a half years. “The end result, sadly, was not a success – it tasted like a combination of marzipan and shoe polish!

However, I showcased it at a small tasting event in Edinburgh which caused much hilarity and amusement.”

Shortly thereafter, however, Dr Lumsden received a letter from the director of legal affairs at the Scotch Whisky Association threatening legal action should he bottle this particular whisky as it convened the Scotch Whisky Act. “I resigned myself to defeat and poured the whisky down the sink. They then rewrote the laws to say that Scotch whisky can only be matured in oak and nothing else. So that could be one of the things on my epitaph – that I led to the tightening up of the laws of the Scotch Whisky Association!”

While these laws are in place to maintain the exceptional quality of the Scotch whisky brand, they can be limiting in terms of ways that whisky makers can differentiate their products. There are however, still many ways of innovating while still working within the laws. Dr Lumsden, for example, now concentrates his efforts on the effect of using different types of oak casks – with wood grown in different regions, or oak casks previously used for the maturation of other spirits, such as wine or sherry. These factors all add distinctive nuances of flavour to each Glenmorangie whisky.

Distilleries can also differentiate themselves through the skill of their whisky masters, their location and their raw products.

Glenmorangie, for example, boasts rather unusual water in its whisky production. “Our water comes from a private spring called the Tarlogie Spring. It bubbles up through limestone rock, so it picks up calcium and magnesium and is very hard, which is unusual in Scotland.” While there is no way of knowing how much this affects the flavour of the whisky, Glenmorangie is certain that other measures in its production do – such as only using their maturation barrels a maximum of

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two times each and having the tallest stills in Scotland.

All of these factors affect the flavour, colour and feel of every whisky produced and so any malt whisky connoisseur should strive to have a wide range of whiskies in their collection, to fully appreciate the spirit. Dr Lumsden recommends the Scotch powerhouses of Glenmorangie, Glenlivet, Glenfiddich and Macallan, the peaty Islay whiskies of Ardbeg and Lagavulin, as well as Highland Park (Scotland’s most northerly distillery) and family-owned Springbank. Outside of Scotland, he recommends Penderyn from Wales, as well as a number of Japanese whiskies, including those from Yamazaki Distillery near Kyoto and Yoichi Distillery in Hokkaido.

Ultimately though, as the spirit’s recent resurgence of popularity has proven, whisky is meant to be enjoyed by the drinker, so whichever brand or vintage tickles your fancy and excites your palate is well worthy of a place in your personal collection – along with an extensive collection of Scotch, of course. n

How Best to Savour your Whisky “The best way,” explains Dr Lumsden, “is the way that the consumer enjoys it most themselves. It is not up to us to dictate how our whisky should be drunk, but we can make recommendations. My recommendation, particularly with a single malt whisky, is to try it neat to start with, and then try it with a bit of water to open the bouquet up – we call it releasing the serpent. Then you can try it on the rocks or mix it in a cocktail. I enjoy Glenmorangie Original with ginger ale and fresh lime juice.”

Travel

Islands

A Taste of the

Le Prince Maurice Hotel & Spa

So you thought there was nothing new to discover in Mauritius? To be honest, so did I – that is, until I visited Constance Hotels’ Le Prince Maurice. A truly exceptional Mauritian hideaway, Le Prince Maurice introduced me to aspects of the island’s character I had never glimpsed before.

Text: Nicola Weir Images ©: Constance Hotels

Let’s face it – a beach is a beach. No matter what island paradise you find yourself in, the white, sandy beaches, thatched cabanas and dazzling ocean are all pretty much interchangeable.

However, on this trip, I uncovered the one thing that had been missing from every other Mauritius trip before it – authentic, unabashed Mauritian cuisine.

One would think that this is a given at any Mauritian resort, but actually, the opposite is true. Yes it is there, at the buffet, alongside the roast potatoes and creamed spinach, but the fact is that the resorts receive visitors from all over the world and need to ensure that they are catering for those less adventurous palates. But at Le Prince Maurice, instead of being hidden away, or added as optional extras at the bottom of the menu, local flavours take centre stage.

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Mauritian cuisine is unique in that it is a blend of tastes and influences. The island’s strong tie to French culture is given added zest by combining it with the exotic flavours of traditional Creole, Chinese and Indian cooking. This translates to fish and seafood dishes made as curries, vindaloos and stir fries that blend flavours and textures that appeal to any palate. The chefs here have conceptualised a menu that includes the exotic fusion of the flavours that characterise Mauritius and its people, presented in artful and inspired ways.

When dining at Le Prince Maurice, your day begins at Archipel, the main restaurant, with a simple and uncomplicated buffet complemented by the unparalleled personal service that characterises the resort. Fresh and exotic fruits beckon while a hot buffet featuring both western and Mauritian flavours will

Travel

keep you full way past lunch. But, seeing as you are on holiday, I recommend indulging in a light meal anyway. The Laguna Bar was my favourite lunch spot as the water level bar means that you don’t need to leave the water to enjoy your meal – or your next cocktail – you just need to swim up and place your order.

Dinner can, and should, in typical island tradition, be a lengthy affair. From the moment you leave your room to discover that the gardens and pathways have come alive with lanterns to light your way, small touches here and there invite you on a journey of discovery into both the culture and flavours of Mauritian dining.

Artful table settings and flower arrangements adorn the restaurant, celebrating colours and textures, lit up by hundreds of lights, lanterns and candles. Coloured grains of rice and miniature palm pods depict sailing scenes right on your table while star anise, the symbol of Constance Hotels, can be found scattered below exotic flower displays. Fragrant petals and frangipani flowers float alongside glowing candles in the hotel’s many water features and cast their fragrance across the grand reception hall, leading you toward the Lounge Bar. Set beside the entrance to Archipel, the Lounge Bar’s magnificent décor puts you in the mood for an indulgent and relaxed evening with just a touch of exotic glamour – which is enhanced by the evening’s smart dress code. Overlooking the infinity pool, the high, raftered ceiling is balanced by the intimate spaces below created by steel screens with beautifully detailed laser-cut patterns that separate each seating area.

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Complementary canapés, which change daily, appear as if from nowhere on your table as you make your way through the extensive beverage menu that contains wines, champagnes, cocktails, whiskies and more from all over the world. Spoilt for choice, many guests choose to stay at the bar for more than one drink, taking the time to sample the huge list of options available.

Once you move on to the beautifully lit and appointed Archipel, the waiters welcome you with their usual warmth and smiles, and always have a table waiting, set precisely for your party. The service here is exceptional as you are questioned, for example, on whether you would like to continue drinking what you had at the Lounge Bar or whether you would like to see the list again. Wine pairings can also be made based on what food you choose to order.

A different seafood inspired amuse bouche is brought to you every night, as you make your selection from the dinner menu, which is where Le Prince Maurice’s Mauritian offering truly comes alive. A page of chef recommendations expertly guides diners through a three or five course authentic Mauritian meal while specialty dishes, which need to be ordered the night before, might already be waiting for you. We pre-ordered the Indian Ocean whole fish in a salt crust with pink peppercorn, coriander and Sichuan pepper.

In addition, the chefs often plan fun, specialty nights such as the Chinese menu we enjoyed on our first evening. Set to one side of the restaurant was a selection of fresh sushi, an overwhelming selection of fresh fish, Asian fusion salads and

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several stir fries coupled with a variety of light desserts. We loved the sweet and spicy beef salad, the seafood vindaloo inspired stir fry and the coconut crepés.

End your night off by returning to the Lounge Bar for a port or cognac – my advice is to leave the tea or coffee to be enjoyed to the sounds of the breaking waves on the balcony back at your room.

As the food served at Archipel awakens your thirst for exotic cuisine, you will find yourself seeking an experience to top that one, and you will not have to go far to discover Mauritius’ singular dining experience. Le Prince Maurice’s Barachois is a one of a kind floating restaurant. An extensive raised wooden walkway, several hundred metres long, leads you to the floating marquees. Set on pontoons, each houses two or three tables and lit up at night, it is a sight you will not easily forget.

The food served at Barachois, on the nights that it is opened to guests, is specially prepared to complement the setting and the menu includes dishes such as the Sipaye chili and tiger shrimp salad on a green papaya with a grilled peanut starter and the Saffron and lagoon seafood creole-style bouillabaisse main dish.

To allow you to take home some flavours of Mauritius, Le Prince Maurice invites guests to take part in cooking classes hosted by their chefs. The classes start with a trip to the nearby village of Post de Flaq to visit the local fresh produce market.

The overwhelming sights, sounds, and most importantly, smells of the market hit you instantly. The chefs guide you through the crowded and noisy market, introducing you to fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices unique to the island, cutting open passion fruits for you to taste and inviting you to rub coriander between your fingers to take in its heady scent.

Once you return to the hotel, you will find that individual stations have been set up on the deck next to Archipel, overlooking the ocean. Here the chef will demonstrate the preparation and cooking of both a Mauritian starter and main course, while providing interesting facts about the local cultures and cuisine. After that it is your turn to create your own taste of the island – one that can journey home with you, to be shared with friends and family.

For more information on Le Prince Maurice’s luxury accommodation offering, visit www.contancehotels.com or www.princemaurice.constancehotels.com, or contact Constance Hotels Central Reservations on +230 402 2777. n

Travel

Painting the

City of Gold Red Touring Johannesburg like Never Before

Beginning in January 2013, both Johannesburg locals and visitors to the City of Gold will get a chance to see the city in a way they have never seen before.

Text: Ray Maota/mediaclubsouthafrica.com Images: Š City Sightseeing

City Sightseeing will be launching their Johannesburg tours early next year. The route will include such attractions as the Apartheid Museum, Gold Reef City and the World of Beer

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Travel

Bright red, open-topped buses will ferry passengers through the everyday sights and sounds, culture and heritage of the city as part of a new tour operation by a company called City Sightseeing. The international city tour operator, which has been running a similar venture in Cape Town since 2002, has operations in 100 other countries around the world.

CEO and founder of the Cape Town business, Claus Tworeck, would like the Johannesburg operation to benefit locals. “The tours promise to open up a whole new side of this amazing city for locals and tourists alike, and in doing so we will grow tourism spend while providing employment for the city’s residents.”

This employment will come in the form of locals working with City Sightseeing as ambassadors for the project. They

are also targeting local tourists to comprise as much as 60% of their clientele.

Greener Buses The four buses that will make up the Johannesburg tour operation comply with the Euro 4 standard for emissions and environmental impact.

City Sightseeing South Africa is also the first bus company in the country to be declared carbon neutral and the first of the City Sightseeing franchises around the world to achieve this status.

Seven years into its existence, the Cape Town branch was recognised as the International City Sightseeing Operator of the Year in 2009 in an annual competition that pits all of the company’s international operations against each other.

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Travel Thanks to City Sightseeing’s “hop on, hop off” concept, passengers can choose to visit only those attractions they are interested in seeing, and can then stay for as long as they choose at each one

The accolade was a reward for their innovation, customer service, overall brand experience and their commitment to environmental sustainability. “We’re ecstatic! It’s especially satisfying knowing that we can beat top international open top bus operators from cities like New York, Paris and London,” said Tworeck at the time.

A single bus can carry 22 passengers on the bottom in single and double seats, and 55 passengers on top in double seats.

Each seat has an FM radio attached and, with the complimentary and high quality earphones they receive when they board, passengers can listen to music while waiting for the bus to depart. Once the tour commences, the music stops and GPS triggered commentary takes over.

The tour is available in ten different languages.

Hopping On and Off To potential tourists, the company’s website describes Cape Town as a place that gives tourists a taste of the world in just one day: where one can have breakfast in a New York-style deli, lunch in an African shebeen (pub), cocktails on a sunset cruise and dinner in a fine British colonial-style restaurant.

The Johannesburg route, by comparison, will be more historically orientated. The Johannesburg tour will begin at Gautrain Park Station and will then proceed to Gandhi Square, the City Hall, the Roof of Africa at the Carlton Centre, the James Hall Transport Museum, the Apartheid Museum and Gold Reef City, the Mining District, the World of Beer, the Newtown Precinct, and the Origins Centre at Wits University, before ending at Constitution Hill. “The buses will change people’s perception of the city,” says Tworeck.

With the first tour starting at 09h00, the buses will

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operate on a hop-on, hop-off basis at designated stops along the route so that passengers can explore the city at their own pace before hopping onto the next bus. There will be 30-minute intervals between the last bus and the next one at each stop.

The tour will cost R140 (approximately $20) for the day trip, but a 20% discount is guaranteed for online bookings.

School groups can book tours for weekdays during school terms.

The tours are also family orientated, as there is no smoking or alcohol allowed on the buses.

“Good news for parents is that our buses are childfriendly. Children receive a free activity book on the bus and can also join our kids club,” adds Tworeck.

Aiming for Local Passengers The perception of downtown Johannesburg as a criminals’ haven has changed in the last decade with greater police visibility and investment by city authorities in monitoring former crime hotspots with closed circuit camera technology.

With many of its historic buildings now restored, and a host of heritage sites and markets now open to the public, Johannesburg has experienced many positive changes. With the tours, City Sightseeing is aiming for a large percentage of their customers to be local Johannesburg residents who will be able to see these changes for themselves.

Dawn Robertson, the chief executive of the Gauteng Tourism Authority, welcomed the business venture. “We are very excited about the new hop-on, hop-off buses.

They are sure to become a premier tourism experience in Johannesburg. In future, we are looking at bringing the buses to Pretoria too.” n

Feature

Bigger is Better for Conservation The Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Park

Years in the making, the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Park is now a reality. The world’s biggest conservation area, known as Kaza, spans five countries and was officially launched earlier this year after almost a decade of planning.

Text: Janine Erasmus/mediaclubsouthafrica.com Images: Š Peace Parks Foundation

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Feature

The ceremony took place in the border town of Katima Mulilo, situated on the banks of the Zambezi River at the eastern end of Namibia’s Caprivi Strip. The town sits plumb in the middle of the Transfrontier Park. Covering an area of almost 444,000 km², which includes parts of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, Kaza is located mainly in the wetlands of the Okavango and Zambezi River basins where the borders of the five countries meet.

It is not the only transfrontier area in Southern Africa, but is by far the biggest. Existing transfrontier parks in the region include the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, which straddles Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe; the Lubombo, shared by Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland; the Maloti-Drakensberg in South Africa and Lesotho; and the /Ai / Ais-Richtersveld between South Africa and Namibia. Kgalagadi (Botswana, South Africa) was Africa’s first transfrontier park.

At the launch, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the Namibian minister of environment and tourism, reaffirmed the commitment of the five partner countries to jointly ensure that Kaza is developed sustainably. “Harmonising natural resource management approaches and tourism development across our international boundaries will enhance the ecosystem’s integrity and natural ecological processes,” she said.

Regional Conservation Cooperation The idea of establishing the Kaza conservation area was first discussed back in 2003, and in December 2006, the Kaza memorandum of understanding was signed by ministers of environmental and tourism affairs from the five participating nations.

During a Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Luanda, Angola, in 2011, heads of state of the five countries came together to sign a treaty, which legally established the boundaries of the park.

The late South African billionaire and conservationist Anton Rupert, a founding member of the World Wide Fund for Nature, was one of the champions of the Kaza cause. Along with former president Nelson Mandela and the late Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, Rupert was also a co-founder of the Stellenboschbased Peace Parks Foundation, another major player in the establishment of transfrontier parks in Southern Africa.

Bringing More Tourists to Southern Africa Kaza is a tourist’s dream, encompassing 36 game reserves and management areas, national parks and community conservancies. These include the Hwange, Matusadona and Chizarira national parks in Zimbabwe; the Nxai Pan, Makgadikgadi, Moremi and Chobe national parks in

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Botswana; the Kafue and Sioma Ngwezi national parks in Zambia; and the Bwabwata, Mudumu and Mamili national parks in Namibia.

A number of wildlife sanctuaries also fall within Kaza, including Simatalele in Angola, Kanyaurira in Zambia, Siachilaba in Botswana, as well as 19 others.

Kaza incorporates the popular Victoria Falls or Mosi-oaTunya – the Smoke that Thunders – located on the Zambezi River between Zimbabwe and Zambia and one of Zimbabwe’s five World Heritage Sites.

Also part of Kaza are the beautiful Lake Kariba, famous for its houseboats and fearsome tiger fish, and the nearby Kariba Dam; the age-old Makgadikgadi saltpans in Botswana; and the Okavango Delta, which sees thousands of animals pouring into the region to romp in the waters during the seasonal inundation.

Those visiting the area for thrills and spills can choose from extreme sports such as white water rafting, 4x4 and horse trails, hiking, fishing, birding, microlighting, ballooning, elephant safaris, and a host of other activities. Visitors hoping to learn about the ancient culture of the area will delight in the San Bushman rock paintings in Botswana.

Kaza boasts remarkable diversity in terms of animal, bird and plant life. The area features woodlands and wetlands, around 3,000 species of plants, and over 500 species of birds.

In conservation terms, the park is highly significant as it will eventually be home to 250,000 African elephants, the largest single population of the great animals to be found on the continent.

The establishment of the Kaza area will allow large herds of wildebeest to again assume their traditional migration routes.

Botswana’s elephant population is the largest in Africa, while Angola has virtually no elephants, but once the park is in place, the animals will once again be able to move between countries.

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This natural migration will mitigate the need for culling.

Besides the large elephant population, visitors can see buffalo, hippopotamus and lion, a variety of antelope including sitatunga, puku, lechwe, roan, sable and eland, as well as zebra, wildebeest, wild dogs and Spotted hyena.

The park’s establishment is also expected to speed up developments such as the SADC univisa, described by Zimbabwe Council for Tourism president Emmanuel Fundira as a “fait accompli”.

All these attractions combine to produce a variety of new tourism opportunities for the region, as well as improved socioeconomic development. In 2006, the Peace Parks Foundation and the Development Bank of Southern Africa published a feasibility report in which they stated that, properly managed and marketed, the area could attract up to eight million visitors every year, which will result in increased employment for local communities.

For more information on the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Park, visit www.kavangozambezi.org. n

Travel

A Touch of

French Flair L’Ermitage Franschhoek Chateau and Villas

South Africa’s natural beauty meets quaint, elegant accommodation at L’Ermitage Franschhoek Chateau and Villas. Surrounded by the Fransche Hoek Olive and Wine Estate, the picturesque mountain views of the Franschhoek Valley are sure to captivate all who retreat here, whether for one night or an extended stay.

Text & Images ©: African Hotels & Adventures

Just 45 minutes from Cape Town, L’Ermitage keeps the bustling city out, while being close enough to be easily accessible. The facilities at the hotel are state-of-the-art, but this certainly does not take away any of the French village-like charm that is worked into every element of the L’Ermitage experience. The cobbled streets, French architecture, tranquil lake and superior finishes add to the distinct ambience of the location.

A wide range of facilities means that the hotel is more than just a holiday retreat – the chapel, spa and conference venues are ideal to host weddings, teambuilding experiences and day trip getaways, as well as other

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activities. This led the hotel to win the Best Development in Africa award at the 2009 International Residential Property Awards. No expense has been spared to provide guests with the finest amenities available including air conditioning, complimentary WiFi internet access, flat-screen televisions and mini-bars.

With a strong focus on relaxation, L’Ermitage’s motto of: “Our Sanctuary for Your Soul” certainly holds true, even for the most discerning of worn-out travellers. The Gingko Spa is a haven of tranquillity, and has a wide range of treatments on offer. The spa treatments available have been carefully developed for healing and rejuvenation,

Travel

and are based on the traditional health and beauty treatments of ancient cultures. These, coupled with enchanting views of the Cape mountains and the option to add an a la carte dining experience, create a unique atmosphere that cannot be found elsewhere. The Gingko Spa is open every day until late, so guests can treat themselves whenever it suits them.

Another must do during your getaway, is to relax by the pool at sunset with a fruity cocktail and some snacks from Kizzy’s Bar. Dining is a tranquil experience at the hotel, with the main restaurant overlooking the lake. Lunch on the garden patio is an excellent way to take in the beauty and fresh air that the Franschhoek Valley is so well-known for. The full range of wines from the surrounding Fransche Hoek Estate is available at the hotel for tasting, whether you are a guest or a day visitor.

L’Ermitage is also child-friendly. Babysitters are available when parents want a romantic night out at one of the several five-star establishments in and around Franschhoek, or at one of the hotel’s superb restaurants. If you are planning a day of sightseeing in the area, the hotel chefs will prepare a personalised picnic basket designed around your dietary needs and group size.

The conference and banqueting venues at the hotel provide delegates with everything needed for an elegant, modern meeting. The facilities can accommodate up to 80 delegates, with the option to host smaller events. Audiovisual equipment is state-of-the-art, and the hotel can arrange customised team-building programmes for small and large groups. The sophisticated restaurant, which serves good wholesome home styled fare, is headed by chefs Mark Jacobs and Sean Stevenson, whose refined creations reflect the class of the hotel as a whole.

The charming chapel set amid lush French gardens is the ideal location for a wedding, or to renew your vows. L’Ermitage offers wedding packages, as well as accommodation for the bridal couple and the wedding guests.

A wedding planner is also available to make all the arrangements, and remove the stress of planning the big day. The professional planner will adapt the arrangements to best suit a budget, the size of the reception and the season in which it takes place. The bridal couple can also design a personalised menu for their reception, and the highly skilled chefs will prepare it to their specifications.

For more information and to book a getaway or venue, contact +27 21 876 9200 or email reception@lermitage.co.za. n

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Chef

A Culinary

Globe Trotter Chef Jonathan Hodder

Port Elizabeth’s favourite seafront restaurant Ginger has recently appointed UK-born Jonathan Hodder as their new Head Chef. Jonathan comes with an impressive pedigree which includes stints at a number of top European restaurants, many of which boast Michelin Star status. The Blue Train recently chatted to Jonathan about his move to South Africa, his cooking philosophy and his plans for Ginger.

Text: Nicky Furniss Images: © Ginger

The Blue Train: You have had the privilege of working with a number of Michelin Star chefs – what were the best lessons that you learnt from them?

Jonathan: I have been taught many lessons in the kitchen, and have mostly learnt them the hard way! The most important ones are to be critical of your work before the head chef is, to do the little jobs really well for the overall product to be the best, and that passion and attitude will take you far.

The Blue Train: What lessons or skills do you hope to pass down to the young chefs who work in your kitchen?

Jonathan: I like to instil a sense of positive teamwork in my kitchen. When a brigade works as one unit and moves together in service, it is almost like theatre and wonderful to see; but the moment they divide themselves, it will all come crashing down fast. This is a very important lesson they have to

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learn. I also like to inspire them with new cooking techniques because keeping things fresh and interesting helps with the efficient functioning of the kitchen.

The Blue Train: After experiencing such success in so many acclaimed restaurants, why did you decide to move to Port Elizabeth?

Jonathan: I met and fell in love with a beautiful girl from Port Elizabeth; we decided to get married over here, and I haven’t looked back since. We have been married for two years and now have an eight-month-old baby boy.

The Blue Train: What challenges do you think you face adapting to the South African dining culture?

Jonathan: It has been difficult yet interesting. The dining culture in South Africa is very different to that of Europe, so adapting has been like learning all over again. I find it

Chef

interesting that peoples’ attitude to dining varies depending on where you are in South Africa, whereas in the UK, diners pretty much have the same attitude towards dining and meal times wherever they are and they don’t vary much at all, so the target market is easier to read.

The Blue Train: You have experience cooking Italian cuisine, seafood and modern British cuisine – what culinary flavour are you planning on introducing to Ginger?

Jonathan: My style of cooking focuses on a modern interpretation of familiar flavours. It’s important for us to deliver on flavour, without confusing the guests.

The Blue Train: Since moving to South Africa, have you been inspired by any of the local ingredients you have found here?

Jonathan: There are so many fresh local ingredients to play with; I want to cook with them all! Waterblommetjies (water lilies), different varieties of venison and guava fruit in particular.

I went on a game drive recently which ended up as a foraging expedition – the ranger introduced me to termites, of all things, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that they tasted like lemon and basil! These won’t be going on the menu, however, research and development is definitely on the cards for them.

The Blue Train: Do you consider yourself a culinary trend follower or an innovator and how difficult is it to keep your dishes fresh and interesting?

Jonathan: I am an innovator for sure and keeping dishes fresh is easy – you simply follow the seasons and Mother Nature will tell you what she wants on the menu.

The Blue Train: Can regular patrons at Ginger look forward to any exciting new menu options on the summer menu?

Jonathan: We have new as well as classic dishes on the Ginger menu, so there is something for everyone. I have recently put lamb back on the menu with goat’s cheese, black olives and two-day roast cherry tomatoes, plus there is a lot more seafood on the menu now, which seems fitting as you can see the ocean from your table!

The Blue Train: What is your pet peeve in the kitchen?

Jonathan: Untidy fridges and work surfaces – nothing grates me more!

The Blue Train: What has been the proudest moment of your career so far and what do you hope to achieve at Ginger in the future?

Jonathan: My proudest moment was the opening of Paris House in the UK with Chef Alan Murchison and Chef Phil Fanning. Within seven months of opening it, we were awarded a Michelin Star, which was our proudest moment ever and the hard work really paid off. I want to achieve the same here in South Africa, preferably at Ginger or at my own restaurant one day. n

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Feature

Luxury – The Lexus Way

From the immaculately fitted body panels to the superior quality of the stitching on the leather seats, the latest generation Lexus GS models have effortlessly entered the ranks of the chosen – where, until now – Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Jaguar and BMW have reigned.

Text: Bernard K Hellberg Images © Quickpic

The new Lexus GS is more than just a luxury car. It offers an engaging and safe driving experience, bolder design and a more spacious, contemporary interior. A four model range is available in the local market. For the first time in South Africa, a V6-powered 2.5 litre GS 250 model provides entry into the prestigious GS range. The first of the four models, the GS 250 EX, boasts a 154 kW V6 petrol engine and six speed automatic gearbox. The second model available is the GS350 EX, with its 233 kW V6 and six speed autobox, which is visually identical to the GS 250, with the same equipment grade.

Third in the line-up is the GS 450h F-Sport, with a similar V6 petrol engine as on the GS 350, but with the addition of a powerful electric motor and high voltage battery to boost the total system output to 252 kW. This brings us to the GF 450h SE, with the same drivetrain combination as the F-Sport model, but with a comprehensive standard specification grade – the ultimate in luxury.

As a distinctive Lexus design feature, combined with high tech headlamps and L-shaped LED daytime running lamps, the unique grille expresses the GS’s confident and dynamic character. For design and dynamic inspiration, the engineering team looked to the Lexus LFA supercar. The end result is a luxury sports sedan that is more driverfocused than ever before, delivering a far more engaging and dynamic driving experience.

The Drive Mode Select control allows the driver to choose between three different dynamic modes depending on the driving conditions and the driver’s mood. ECO, NORMAL and SPORT modes are available on all models, while SPORT+ mode is available on the GS 450h F-Sport only.

The GS 250 is at the forefront of technology when it comes to offering a desirable, thoroughly modern and up-to-date sedan. The ECT-i sequential gearbox has been engineered to deliver faster shift speeds, earlier torque converter lock-up and downshift throttle blips, complementing the range of different drive modes – Eco, Normal and Sport – available through the GS 250’s Drive Mode Select System.

The standard EX specification grade, which includes 18” alloy wheels, automatic bi-xenon headlamps and windscreen wipers, LED daytime running lights and a rear-view camera with parking guidance, to single out but

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some of the comprehensive equipment, sets the tone for the entry level model in the GS range and proves that it is not just another luxury car.

The GS 450h was the first hybrid-powered luxury sport sedan to enter the market when it was introduced for the first time in 2007. Today, it is part of a five vehicle hybrid line-up in the Lexus range – boasting more individual offerings than from any other luxury brand.

Despite an increase in overall power delivery, fuel consumption is improved by more than 35% compared to the previous GS 450h and boasts lower emissions than clean diesels. Like all other Lexus hybrid vehicles, the new GS 450h is a full hybrid capable of operating in petrol-only or electric-only modes, as well as a combination of both.

The F-Sport’s trump card is the Lexus Dynamic Handling system, the first on a hybrid car, with Dynamic Rear Steering.

This new, cutting-edge technology offers Lexus’ first integration of DRS, Electric Power Steering and Variable Gear Ratio Steering.

The GS 250, GS 350 and GS 450h SE feature as standard 18” alloy wheels paired with 235/45 tyres, while the GS 450h F-Sport comes with a 235/40 R19 tyre and rim. All GS models – except the GS 250, which has eight – are equipped with ten airbags, including a knee airbag for both the driver and front passenger. Safety equipment on all GS models includes ABS, BAS, EBD, EPS, VSC and TRC. Attention to detail, such as changing the steering column

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angle from 23 to 21 degrees, and redesigning the seat frame, enabled engineers to improve the driver’s seating position for increased comfort, better forward visibility and overall command of the road. The interior includes a number of premium features as standard equipment. A new energysaving auto climate control system called S-Flow uses an occupant-detection system to focus airflow only to the front area where passengers are actually seated.

A next-generation Remote Touch with one-push confirmation is standard on all models and enables smooth, intuitive operation of the climate, audio and phone controls as well as use of the navigation system, which comes standard on all models. A new analogue clock with LED indicators, carved from a single ingot of aluminium for a smooth consistent look, adds a unique retro-modern touch to the centre of the dash.

The clock illuminates when the vehicle is unlocked, welcoming driver and passengers into the cabin.

The launch drive experience revealed a car of immaculate precision and quality – a car that provides comfort and luxury – but handles like a top-of-the-range sports car. Pride of ownership and value retention, are obviously a given.

Prices start at an extremely competitive R494,400 for the GS 250 EX, right up to R771,700 for the GS 450h SE. The other two models are priced at R564,900 (GS 350 ES) and R753,700 for the GS 450h F-Sport. All models are covered by a four-year/100,000 km warranty. n

Accommodation Guide

Sani Pass

Hotel & Leisure Resort

Nestled in the beautiful Mkhomazana Valley at the foot of the famous Sani Pass, Sani Pass Hotel and Leisure Resort is well known for its warm hospitality, its breathtaking views of the Drakensberg and its personal service.

In operation since 1958, the Resort has played host to many generations and has helped to create many wonderful memories. Only six-and-a-half hours from Johannesburg and two-and-a-half hours from Durban, the resort – which can accommodate 175 guests – boasts an extensive range of facilities and offers a host of both indoor and outdoor activities to keep leisure and business travellers entertained. Now under new management, the hotel has also been undergoing renovations since 2011 which will restore this historical hotel to its former glory with accents of modern styling.

Contact

Sani Pass Hotel & Leisure Resort • Call: +27 33 702 1320 • Email: reservations@sanipasshotel.co.za • Website: www.sanipasshotel.co.za

WiFi

Universal AC

Spa/Pool/Gym

Smoking Rooms

Disabled Access

Room Service

Child Friendly

Guided Drive/Walk

Walks/Quads/Horses

Malaria Free

Conference Facilities

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access Two and a half hours from Durban

Accommodation Guide

Franschhoek Country House & Villas

This five-star hotel combines local charm with fine dining and pampering, where the best local wines and cuisine come together in an idyllic setting.

Situated in the heart of the Franschhoek Valley, much is on offer at the Franschhoek Country House and Villas for guests to enjoy and indulge in. Complemented by the well known Monneaux Restaurant, the hotel is ideally located on the outskirts of the Franschhoek Village, only 1 km from the town’s centre. It is an ideal base to indulge your tastes for fine wines and world-class cuisine. Guests can choose between staying in the original and charming Franschhoek Country House or in one of its many modern and sumptious Villas. Whichever you choose, the accommodation on offer is designed with complete comfort and luxury in mind.

Contact

One hour drive from Cape Town

Franschhoek Country House & Villas– Franschhoek • Call: +27 21 876 3386 • Email: bookings@fch.co.za • Website: www.fch.co.za

WiFi Spa/Pool/Gym

access

Universal AC S/P/G

Smoking Rooms

Disabled Access

Room Service

Child Friendly

Guided Drive/Walk

Air-conditioning

Malaria Free

Conference Facilities

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Restaurant Guide

Bosman’s Grande Roche Hotel

An aura of timeless elegance sets the tone for Bosman's Restaurant at the five-star Grande Roche Hotel, where fine dining and attentive service are the order of the day.

Situated in the Manor House at the Grande Roche Hotel in the Paarl Winelands, this 70-seater restaurant and terrace has a multitude of awards to its name including being listed as one of the top ten restaurants in South Africa, as well as one of the top 100 restaurants in the world. These richly-deserved accolades are recognition of the superb harmony of flavours and textures that are the hallmark of a truly magnificent dining experience combined with unsurpassable service and spectacular views across the Paarl Valley.

Contact

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Bosman's Grande Roche Hotel, Paarl Winelands • Call: +27 21 863 5100 • Email: reserve@granderoche.co.za • Website: www.granderoche.com

The Blue Train

access 50-minute drive from Cape Town

Restaurant Guide

Dutch East Franschhoek

The menu of homely but stylish Dutch East Restaurant is inspired by the seasons, combining local produce with eastern flavours.

Dutch East Restaurant serves a variety of simple, eastern-inspired dishes. Head Chef Pasch du Plooy was introduced to eastern ingredients, flavours and combinations at a very young age. Later on he started to incorporate these ingredients into his style of cooking. Techniques like pickling and searing, as well as ingredients such as soy mirin and sesame have become staples in his kitchen. This makes for an eclectic and exciting dining experience in the heart of Franschhoek.

Contact

access One hour drive from Cape Town

Dutch East Restaurant – Franschhoek • Call: +27 21 876 3547 • Email: info@dutcheast.co.za • Website: www.dutcheast.co.za

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History

In the Tracks of a

Legend The History of The Blue Train

For over half a century, The Blue Train in South Africa has enjoyed an international reputation as one of the world’s pre-eminent travelling experiences. Officially named The Blue Train in 1946, the train’s predecessors trace their history to the 1890s and the discovery of diamonds and gold.

Text & Images: © The Blue Train

For the empire builders of old, the unchartered African interior was the landscape of a dream in the making. A dream that would etch its course in parallel lines that snaked their way northward from the Atlantic shoreline, conquering the distance from Cape Town to Cairo.

This dream was not to be, as the Great African Railway reached only as far as a bridge across the gorge of the Zambezi River, overlooking the thundering smoke of the Victoria Falls. But in the fading years of the 19th century, the discovery of gold and diamonds drew thousands to the edge of the continent, and those lines of tempered steel began to bear the burden of industry, commerce, and society on the move.

Soon, as the moneyed classes made their presence felt, the network added leisure travel to its list of duties, and in the slipstream of leisure came luxury. The Union Limited and the Union Express, ferrying passengers between the mailships of Cape Town harbour and the goldfields of the Witwatersrand, were the standardbearers of steam-powered opulence in the easy-living heyday of the 1920s, boasting everything from card tables to hot and cold water on tap. A coat of royal blue and cream would later give the trains their distinctive livery, and it was from this line, in these shades, that The Blue Train – a “Palace on Wheels” – would ride the rails to legendary status.

Withdrawn from service during the dark days of World War Two, extensively refurbished and modernised in the seventies and nineties, The Blue Train went on to define a new era of luxury travel, making the switch from steam to electric and diesel, linking veld to sea, and tradition to progress, with a sense of style, grace, and mesmerising power that have never come close to being matched.

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History

Keeping Up With Technology From the Age of Steam to the Age of the Internet, The Blue Train has kept on track with ever-changing technology. In the process, it has lost none of the charm that anchors it to a bygone era. In its earliest incarnation, as a direct descendant of the Union Limited and Union Express that plied their way between Johannesburg and the Cape coast, The Blue Train thundered down the rails at the command of a mighty steam locomotive. A wisp of romance still lingers from that coal-fired era, clouding the memory of an energy source that proved to be less powerful, less efficient, and far more difficult to maintain than its whisper-quiet replacement. Today, the dual Blue Train sets, differentiated only by their number of suites and the option of a Conference Car that doubles as an Observation Lounge, are hauled by a fleet of diesel or electric locomotives. Whatever the motive, The Blue Train glides through the countryside at a maximum service speed of 90 km/h, ensuring that the noise level of 55 decibels, somewhere between the sound of soft rainfall and normal conversation, is never exceeded. Inter-suite sealing ensures utter privacy for guests.

In the world of ever-shrinking boundaries, ever-intensifying demands, rail travel in the grand old tradition has become a luxury in itself. The luxury of time: time to indulge, time to reflect, time to savour sights, sounds, senses and sensations. You’ll feel it from the moment you step into your suite, transformed by a magical act of alchemy from an elegant, spacious lounge by day, into a sanctuary of comfort and slumber by night.

Bringing together cultures and travellers from across the globe, The Blue Train is an exclusive society on the move – one that will undoubtedly prevail for years to come. n

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Train Layout

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