Have you got your dance moves ready for the 2010 World Cup?

Let me guess, some of us are wondering if we’ll gain weight this winter with all of the invites to events during the World Cup. You don’t have to be a recluse and decline the party invitations as there are ways to party it up and keep fit and healthy at the same time. There’ll be no watching the games indoors, all alone, with a cup of soup on the couch. So let the dancing begin!

To get into the mood and get the party started, you can simply listen to the South African Afro-Fusion band, Freshlyground and Shakira’s newly released song “Waka Waka”. It is an official 2010 Football World Cup song which incorporates the element of the band’s unique sound with Shakira. The tone of the song will transform you into the soulful atmosphere of Africa and get your body moving.

The music video is remarkable and builds anticipation for the World Cup. Take a look at the ‘in the making’ video and listen to the song below – the official video is due to be launched soon and is the first ever 3-D music video to be produced.

Our guess is that ‘party central’ will undoubtedly be the Mother City, here you will definitely be accommodated with some of the best hospitality in the world. Cape Town is known for its rich heritage values, affordable accommodation prices, lifestyle and historical elements of South Africa as a whole.

The cheap accommodation in Cape Town offers you the perfect party lifestyle as it’s modern, authentic and only 5 minutes walk from essential places such as banks, restaurants, bars and the Rondebosch train station.  You definitely won’t be late for the games either, as this accommodation is less than 20 minutes away from the Cape Town football stadium and  international airport.

Thanks to Lebogang Mawelela for this guest post.

Tourism Radio for World Cup fans

Aerial view of Cape Town, Table Mountain and the new stadium

Visitors who will be travelling around the Western Cape during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in rental cars will be able to tune in to Tourism Radio, a station designed to inform and entertain them while en route.

After a full year of research 54 areas were identified as tourist hot spots, such as Cape Town’s City Bowl. Other surprising results included the towns of Riebeek Kasteel and Worcester.

The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront and Table Mountain are just a couple of the popular attractions found in and around the City Bowl. With highlights such as these, it’s not surprising that Tourism Radio’s users spend 8,42% of their time there.

The Atlantic Seaboard wasn’t far behind and bagged three of the top five positions. According to Tourism Radio’s statistics, tourists spent a lot of their time in Sea Point, Camps Bay and Hout Bay.Once a visitor opts to include Tourism Radio in their hired car – starting from R59 a day – they can tune into Tourism Radio on 91.4 FM to get cultural, historical and anecdotal information, as well as updates on nearby attractions and shows.

The station also airs entertaining and informative radio shows on topics like South African slang, local music and 20 questions a tourist would like to ask a South African.

This is a great way for visitors who have limited time to find the most interesting spots and get a real feel for Cape Town City and its surrounding attractions. Even those who are here to work during the World Cup such as the FIFA volunteers,  will be able to hire a car for a day or two and get to see the sites (with a virtual tour guide on board).

To find out more or to book your Tourism Radio device for the World Cup visit www.tourismradio.co.za

Getting around Cape Town during the 2010 World Cup

Unlike many European or American cities, Cape Town is not always that easy to navigate using public transport. As a rule, South Africans who can afford to be, are pretty addicted to their cars.

However things are changing and a variety of public transport initiatives are being put in place prior to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, specifically to help get visitors to town from the airport, and then to the Cape Town Stadium in time for the football matches, and then home again.

To help you plan your trip to Cape Town during the World Cup, here are some options for you to consider:

1. Car hire

If you are planning on doing some exploring while you are in Cape Town, you should consider hiring a car for excursions to the winelands, Cape Point, Chapman’s Peak, the West Coast and so on.

The usual range of rental car companies are available in the Cape Town and at the Cape Town International Airport, including, Avis, Hertz, Budget and Europcar.

Or perhaps you want something a bit out of the ordinary? Scoot around Cape Town in a classic car from Motor Classic Rentals.

Travelsupermarket has a handy car rental comparison tool here.

Finally, remember to always read the fine print, take out comprehensive insurance, and don’t underestimate how many kilometres you could potentially clock up – South Africa is a big country!

2. Trains

Trains are an affordable option for getting from Highstead Houses into the city centre (and then from there to the Stadium using the city of Cape Town’s new integrated transport system). Or proceed by foot for a walking tour of the city centre, or by taxi or bus.

For a scenic trip along the False Bay coast take a train south to Muizenberg, St James, Kalk Bay and Simon’s Town.

You can read the Metrorail timetables and routes here.

3. Taxis

There are two types of taxies in South Africa. Private metered taxis are booked by phone or at a taxi rank. The cars are clearly marked as taxis, have meters and clearly mark the rate per kilometre. One of our favourites is Rikkis Taxis – look out for the yellox Rikkis phone in many pubs and clubs.

Minibus taxis are cheaper, travel specific routes and can be crowded and unsafe, depending on where you are. For short distances in busy main roads these are ideal though and a great local experience.

You won’t need to look for a minibus taxi – they will find you and whistle or hoot. Confirm the destination and cost before getting on board, and also try to have the right change available.

4. Integrated Rapid Transport

One of the most immediate and most needed side effect of hosting the World Cup in South Africa has been the fast tracking (forgive the pun) of Cape Town’s Integrated Rapid Transport system. This aims to pull together public transport in the city to create a sustainable and balanced transport system.

It takes rail + buses + minibuses + taxis + park n ride + cycle ways + bike parking + pedestrian ways and makes them all work together. This is a 10 – 15 year project, as you might imagine, but World Cup routes have been prioritised: airport – city; city – stadium; west coast route.

5. Hop on, hop off sightseeing tours

A must-do while you are in Cape Town. Get the details at Citysightseeing Cape Town.

Dive with the Seven-gill Cowshark in Cape Town

While South Africa is well known for its Great White shark cage diving, did you know that you can also scuba dive with the Seven-gill Cowshark in False Bay, Cape Town?

The Seven Gill Cowshark, or Spotted Cowshark, is a prehistoric apex predator which local dive outfit Pisces Divers has been fortunate to see regularly enough at one location to be able to confidently guide dives there with an 85% chance of viewing success. The Cowshark is a social feeder and can be observed in large groups of up to 18 individuals. Pisces Divers has seen females of three metres in length, while males are slightly smaller. Distinctive features include their seven gill slits and the absence of the front dorsal fin.

Mike Nortje, owner of Pisces Divers, says: “We position the boat in a channel approximately 12m deep where we descend on to a sandy bottom and wait for the Cowsharks to approach us. They swim slowly up and down the channel, which runs roughly north/south and they pass at arm’s length from the divers as we kneel on the sandy bottom to observe them. It’s a great opportunity for underwater photographers and by the end of the dive, you will recognise the individuals by distinctive bites, scrapes or colouration.”

It is quite common to see Spotted Gully sharks in the water at the same time – they have a large dorsal fin and completely different swimming pattern to the Cowsharks, so one can’t confuse the two species. The Gullys are more “frisky” in comparison to the more lazy Cowshark style of movement.

If you would like to take advantage of this amazing opportunity while you are in Cape Town, please contact the Highstead Houses team to arrange a booking. Also take a look at some of our other “side orders”.

Take a look at these amazing photos:

Discover a new you

Have you ever gone to the hair dresser and left with a fantastic hairdo only to find you can’t get it to look great when you get home. Have you ever envied a woman who looks like she is so well put together and it seems so effortless?

Most of us have an ideal look we would like to create, but often lack the tools and skills to do so. Makeovers are so popular these days as they give us hope that we can improve our look with a few simple or not so simple changes. However, I often wonder how women feel after having a fabulous makeover only to go home with no skill or tools to re-create their new and improved look.

Learning any new skill takes a little time and some effort, but if it takes too much time and the skill seems impossible to learn, I think it leaves women feeling de-motivated, making it too easy to go back to their old comfortable ways.

It’s for this reason that we have especially designed makeovers that assist you to discover that goddess that is just waiting to be unleashed as well as giving you the skills and tools to help you re-create your new look every day.

We believe that it is important to assist you to create a look that reflects your personality, body shape, lifestyle, life stage and budget. And it’s also important to make it fun and easy to achieve.

Makeovers also need to be a pampering experience. We like to create a safe place for you to explore and discover the best you that you can be while making sure that learning your new skills and putting together your tool kit is fun, exciting and easy to do.

It is my belief that all women can look and feel fabulous. You don’t have to look like a super model to look and feel great.

Consider spending a day with us on your own or with friends to discover and create a new and improved fabulous you!

Situated in the heart of Cape Town, the House of Tracy Gold Boutique offers fabulous full day and half day makeover packages including top styling advise from personal stylist and head designer of The House of Tracy Gold collections, Tracy Gold, Bobbi Brown cosmetics and ghd specialists Maverick Hair.

All packages can be tailor made to best suit your individual needs.

While Tracy Gold works in collaboration with industry professionals, she arranges your entire makeover for you, ensuring that each professional is thoroughly briefed on the desired look.

For more information on makeover packages click here.

To view the makeover video of Janice Mulholland click here.

Organic and eco-friendly SA wines

There has been a lot of hype around organic wines recently, and many of you may be wondering what all the fuss is about and whether it is actually any different from other wines.

Charles Lourens, founder of BottlePlatePillow, decided to get to the bottom of it all and set off, camera in hand, to chat to organic wine makers at a couple of the top estates in the Western Cape. Following on from this escapade, he put together a succinct and informative video clip all about eco-friendly wines, which you can watch on WineTube, a new addition to his successful winery search engine, BottlePlatePillow.

The clip will give you an understanding of what organic wine is, how it is produced and how you can get involved and do your bit to offset your carbon emissions and help to preserve our natural surrounds. Here is a sneaky peak at some of the highlights of the clip:

Still wondering whether organic wine is the ‘way to go’? Michelle du Preez from Bon Cap Estate and Jonathan Grieve from Avondale Estate have some insightful answers. In a nutshell, it is produced without any chemicals or pesticides, which enables the wineries to contribute to the sustainability of our environment (and means that it is healthier for us to drink too!).

Grieve also explains how simple and effective this process can be, for example Avondale has one hundred ducks roaming around their vineyards eating the snails as a natural and cost effective alternative to toxic snail bait.

Simon Back from Backsberg addresses another important aspect of ‘eco-friendly’ wines, explaining how Backsberg off sets all their carbon emissions, and explaining how consumers can get involved in the project too.

According to Tielman Roos, Mooiplaas Estate also wants to educate their visitors about their wines and the environment, and invite them to take a walk in the natural veldt before their wine tasting (pre-booking necessary). Commenting on this section of the clip, Charles Lourens says “I thoroughly enjoyed this part of my trip, the fauna and flora and the views from the nature reserve were spectacular.”

Visit www.bottleplatepillow.com to watch the clip. When planning your next visit to the winelands, remember to use the search engine on the site and stop in at a couple of estates producing organic wine.

About BottlePlatePillow

Charles Lourens created BottlePlatePillow to provide an easy-to-use online directory for wine tasting and sales, winery restaurants, accommodation and fun activities on offer on wine estates in South Africa. He has recently incorporated a video streaming section called WineTube where users can watch, upload and share wine clips.

One of the most appealing aspects of this innovative concept is that the entire website is 100% dedicated to wine and information about South African wineries, so users don’t need to wade through heaps of third party advertising to get the information they want.

No tickets? No worries … enjoy the football fun in a fan park

The South African 2010 FIFA World Cup local organising committee announced earlier this week that public fanparks are going to be set up in the nine host cities, so that fans without stadium tickets can still enjoy the matches in a festive atmosphere. Even better news is that access is free … or mahala, as we say in SA.

Apparently over 18 million fans watched the football matches during the 2006 World Cup in Germany from fan parks.

As well in as the host cities, there will be fan parks in cities around the world including  Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Sydney, Rome, Berlin, London and Mexico City. FIFA is also talking to other African cities about setting up fan parks for local soccer supporters.

Source: Sport24

Emma’s Cape Town favourite favourites

Name: Emma Donovan

Where were you born? Harare, Zimbabwe

Where do you live today? Tamboerskloof, Cape Town, South Africa

What and where did you study? I studied Media & Writing and Politics at the University of Cape Town (UCT).

Why are you looking forward to the 2010 World Cup?

It’s going to be a month full of fun and festivities and I can’t wait to be swept up in it all!  It is also such an incredible opportunity for South Africans to show off their vibrant and diverse country, and I’m looking forward to being a part of that.

What is your favourite thing about living in Cape Town?

Having the sea, Table Mountain, my family, friends and endless things to do within a couple of kilometres of my doorstep!

What are your favourite restaurants in Cape Town?

Hmmm, that’s a tough one… I love trying new places but I’m also lured back to my favourite spots fairly often!

My favourite breakfast spot is Olympia Café in Kalk Bay.  It’s simple, rustic and slightly chaotic, with the most delectable food and breath taking views of the harbour.

If you feel like a treat, Paranga in Camps Bay is the perfect spot to soak up some sun and enjoy a decadent lunch with a glass of champagne.

Rhodes Memorial Restaurant in Rondebosch is ideal for tea and scones or a coffee and slice of cake.  The outside tables have stunning panoramic views of Cape Town, and there is a hearty fire inside the restaurant for cold, wet winter days.

Posticino in Sea Point is warm and cosy, and serves delicious authentic Italian pizza and pasta.  It is jam packed every night so be sure to book in advance.

What is your favourite Cape Town bar?

On a clear day, Wafu in Sea Point is a great spot to watch the sunset from.  They have an impressive menu, including delicious cocktails and sushi.

If I’m in the mood for somewhere a bit more intimate then Rick’s Café in Oranje Kloof is usually my first choice.  It has a wide selection of wines, beers and spirits, and also has delicious snack platters on offer.

What is your favourite South African wine?

My current favourite is an Organic Shiraz from Stellar Winery.

What is your favourite shopping venue?

If I have lots to get done I usually go to Cavendish Square in Claremont as there is an impressive range of shops as well as lots of cafes, restaurants and cinemas.  However when I have a bit more time I prefer browsing through boutique shops, such as The House of Tracy Gold.  There is also a fantastic range of boutique shops at the Cape Quarter.

What is your favourite outdoor activity?

I absolutely love walking along the promenade, all the way from Green Point to Camps Bay and then having a picnic on the beach or stopping in at one of my favourite cafes for a bite to eat.

Richard’s Cape Town favourite favourites

Name: Richard Wright

Where were you born? I was born in Zimbabwe at a little clinic on the outskirts of Harare.

Where do you live today? I live in an awesome old Cape Dutch house in Claremont, Cape Town.

What and where did you study? I studied a Bachelor of Social Sciences at the University of Cape Town majoring in psychology and politics. Strange combination I know but loads of fun nevertheless.

Why are you looking forward to the 2010 World Cup?
Because the tournament will give the rest of the world an opportunity to have a firsthand experience of South Africa and will go a long way to shifting perceptions about South Africa. Also the fact that tens of thousands of people will be flocking in to have fun is starting to get us locals excited.

What is your favourite thing about living in Cape Town?

The natural beauty and the oh so laid back lifestyle.

What is your favourite Cape Town restaurant?
Cape Town is littered with fantastic restaurants. There are so many to choose from it sometimes gets overwhelming but I have selected some of my favorites for you to check out.

For breakfast you have to visit Loading Bay in the De Waterkant, Cafeen in Kenilworth and you cannot miss Olympia Café in Kalk Bay.

If you like sushi grab some lunch at Silver on Kloof Street and Beluga in Green Point.

If you prefer something more substantial go to Camps Bay and check out any of the restaurants on the infamous Camps Bay strip.

For dinner the atmosphere is always kicking at the V&A Waterfront and there are dozens of fantastic restaurants to choose from.

If you would like a more intimate and authentic dinner (and you like Italian food) then you have to go to Posticino in Sea Point or Borusso’s in Kenilworth.

[Ed's note: Posticino seems to be a firm favourite of the Highstead Houses team. You would think we were being paid by them .... hmmm, that give me an idea....]

What is your favourite Cape Town bar?

Again you are spoilt for choice as there is a plethora of bars and cocktail lounges all over Cape Town. Some of my favorites include &Union, Café Caprice and for watching sport you have to visit Foresters Arms (locally referred to as Forries).

What is your favorite South African wine?

I’m a huge fan of Stellar Winery and Buitenverwachting Estate

What is your favourite shopping venue?

I try stay out the malls but if you like shopping then the Waterfront, Canal Walk and Cavendish Square are for you.

What is your favourite outdoor activity?

Hiking up Table Mountain is always a winner and you can never go wrong with time spent on one of the amazing beaches in Cape Town.

Vanessa’s Cape Town favourite favourites

Name: Vanessa Clark

Where were you born? Cape Town, South Africa

Where do you live today? Three Anchor Bay, Cape Town

What and where did you study? Journalism at Rhodes University in Grahamstown

Why are you looking forward to the 2010 World Cup? I can’t wait for all the visitors to South Africa to see how beautiful, friendly and unique our country is. Oh, and I believe some football is going to be played as well

What is your favourite thing about living in Cape Town?
Picking one thing is too difficult, I would say the sea, the mountain, the wine, the lifestyle, ….. did I say the wine?

What is your favourite Cape Town restaurant?

For breakfast: Buzz Cafe in Kloof Street or Signal at the Cape Grace Hotel in the Waterfront

For high tea: the Vineyard Hotel in Claremont

For dinner: Posticino’s in Sea Point for pizza, Vintage in Gardens for Indian, Saigon in Kloof Street for Thai, Blowfish in Dolphin Beach for Sushi, and Fat Cactus in Mowbray and Oranje-Kloof for Mexican.

What is your favourite Cape Town bar?

The Waiting Room and Neighbourhood, both in Long Street, for general fabulousness.

Planet Bar at the Mount Nelson for champagne cocktails.

Caveau in Heritage Square or Newlands for a great wine list and south of France vibe.

What is your favorite South African wine?

So hard to choose! I guess a Beyerskloof Pinotage because it’s uniquely South African, any Sauvignon Blanc from 2009 – this vintage is rocking, and for all-round good value for money, the Longmarket Chenin Blanc from Woolworths.

What is your favourite shopping venue?

Any of the city’s markets, especially Green Point market, the Neighbourgoods market in Woodstock, and the Triangle Market for organic goodies in De Waterkant.

What is your favourite outdoor activity?

Hiking especially on Table Moutain or Silvermine in the south Peninsula. And despite the chilly water, Cape Town has some great scuba diving spots as well as the chance to cage dive with great white sharks in Gansbaai!