Durban

South Cape DC, Western Cape, South Africa
Friday, January 22, 2016

It is a short flight from George to Durban, in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Natal was named by Vasco da Gama when he landed here on Christmas Eve 1497, calling it Terro do Natal - Christmas Country. Rolling hills are immediately evident on emerging from King Shaka Airport, but now clothed in grasses as opposed to fynbos. This area is known as The Midlands and we could instantly see how it acquired its English regional name.
We are staying at The Oyster Box at Umhlanga, some twenty kilometres north of the city on the Indian Ocean. The hotel is old and full of tradition and when we arrived, you could have been forgiven for thinking that you had stepped back into the days of the Raj! The bellhops are dressed from head to toe in Indian dress complete with turban, there are belted jackets and pith helmets galore, the receptionists are in salwar kameez and there is a permanent curry buffet for lunch and dinner set up on the ocean terrace! True to it's name, on the immense breakfast buffet laid out in the Palm Court was a large silver salver of prepared oysters to help yourself to. It was a novel start to the day, but not to be missed. However, I did pass on the offer of a glass of champagne to go with it, This is of course a beautiful hotel and the opportunity for people watching is just fabulous. Take Mr Fox for instance, who we encountered at lunch, dinner and breakfast this morning, sometimes accompanied by a young thing, sometimes alone, but on every occasion by a bottle of wine and an ice bucket!! There are the usual young ladies of interesting dress sense, with a phone stitched to their ear and conducting their business at full volume, usually in a flat piercing monotone. Oh, I could go on and on! However, this morning we were to take a guided tour with Cyril, who is of Zulu ancestry and a mine of information. The City of Durban is the third largest in South Africa, and it's biggest sea port. Ships are anchored off shore, literally awaiting the green light from the control tower to enter the harbour. Pilots are ferried backwards and forwards by helicopter! Durban was named after a Cape Governor, one Benjamin D'Urban and began life slowly, fought over by the Zulu, Voortrekkers and the British and from the mid 1800s developed as the most important port in the British Empire, mainly for the huge export of sugar cane, that was and is grown in abundance in its hinterland. The Zulu refused to work in the fields and as a consequence Indians were imported for the task, hence the large Indian population in the city and the sub-continental influence. British soldiers poured through the city during the Zulu and Boer Wars, to fight their final campaign in their famous redcoats and to wage the first campaign in khaki, then a controversial move. Durban was also the home of Mahatma Ghandi at this time, when both he and Winston Churchill were involved with the Boer War. This is clearly a city of the British Empire, as can be seen from the many public buildings dating back to the 1800s. As is often the case, our ancestors erected buildings in the London classical style to remind them of home and to make the statement that the British were in charge. We drove the Golden Mile, which bears little resemblance to Blackpool, as it is a stunningly beautiful golden beach that stretches for mile after mile and is now available to all. In the days of apartheid, only one small section was open to Africans. Victoria Market was a shopping stop. It is a massive bazaar housed in a turn of the century building. The spice stalls were particularly interesting and we had a long chat with a young lady stall holder, tasting the spices and finding out about mixes favoured by the various ethnic groups. The Botanic Gardens were, as ever, a joy and we spent a lovely half hour wandering around with an iced coffee in hand. Approaching the tea garden we encountered a troupe of monkeys who took a distinct interest in our drinks. We knew not to encourage them, but before we could work out what to do, a large lady with an even larger water pistol came charging out of the undergrowth to the rescue and they scattered. "They are naughty boys" she announced " I chase them away for you!" Not too many would have stood their ground I can tell you! We finished in the high end residential district with its beautifully manicured properties and the Greyville Racecourse, Durban Golf Club and various Sporting Stadia. Cyril made a very telling statement regarding a very young democratic South Africa winning the Rugby World Cup in 1995.
South Africa were the definite underdogs against New Zealand in the final and It was only a year after the first democratic elections. As you may recall, President Mandela, dressed in a South African rugby shirt, presented the trophy to Francois Pienaar, which they held aloft together. "Like everyone else, I was watching the game wherever I could and with friends. In my case it was with my boss and his family and our working family. When South Africa won everyone was overjoyed, we really felt the country had become one. My boss's wife threw her arms around me and gave me a hug. I was overcome. It was the first time a white woman had touched me, let alone hugged me!"
As I said, a first class morning in every respect.Read more