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1995
Durban - Cairo to Capetown
Bec2004-09-20 13:49:14
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Durban
Durban is South Africa's Acapulco, Vińa del Mar, Mar de Plata or Surfer's Paradise if you know what I mean. It wasn't too crowded when I was there in march.
Hotels, bars, restaurants and fantasy amusements of all kinds on the beach front are extensive and lavish. The place must be a madhouse in high season!
Durban was the first place where I saw the black culture being put to the fore as a tourist attraction. Zulu tourist rickshaws on Marine Parade and native artifacts along the beach front added a welcome touch of colour.
This ferris wheel equipped shopping mall fitted well in showplace Durban. It would not have been out of place in Las Vegas! In spite of all that jazz, I managed to find a cheap place to stay just around the corner from that crazy mall. I stayed at the Durban Beach Hostel which was OK and only 6.50 US$ per day.
Durban is also a busy port and an important commercial center serving the north-eastern part of the country. The Indian community is large, successful and quite visible around the Indian Market.
The large Victoria Street Market shows that there is more to Durban than its touristic beach front. I was pleasantly surprised to note that the black majority was more visible here than in the other cities I had visited so far.
Zulu Village
I took a tour to the "Zulu Village" tourist attraction featuring Zulu dances. I seldom go on such tours but I enjoyed this one.
The dance show was varied and excellent. It featured mock war, village rejoicing, several traditional dances and, at the end, modern rock to which the audience was invited to participate.
She was a good dancer and we got along well. I was enthusiastic and got a little winded but it was fun, she was real sweet and friendly and we even drew applause from the tourist audience!
Copyright Bernard Cloutier
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See photographs from:
South Africa Gallery
