Comments on: South Africa 21 — Hunting Down James Bond’s Next Bottle of Wine (touring Stellenbosch & Franschhoek Wine Country)

By: bagito

bagito — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 03:30:19 +0000

very nice family pic! it’s hard to explain but after reading all that and then seeing the family pic just makes me feel warm and loving towards your family. maybe because it’s like we’re part of your vacation since you’ve shared so many great details and tidbits. basta, hard to explain. just accept thse hugs and kisses and positive vibes from all of us…xoxo!

By: Marketman

Marketman — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 00:17:23 +0000

Connie C, you rightly point out… yes, they do use black, coloured and white classifications because of affirmative action for schools, jobs, etc. and so now that’s causing problems of its own…

By: Connie C

Connie C — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 21:41:01 +0000

Perhaps it isn’t viewed as derogatory to be called black or colored or mixed in South Africa but the evil and cruel thing of racial classification is the preferencing attached to the color of one’s skin and that the classification can shift (during apartheid) depending on political or economic expediency, ex. the Japanese being considered “white” because they “continued to do business with South Africa when most other nations refused to do so”.

In post apartheid Africa , the new black political majority must be careful to avoid racial preferencing to their advantage in order to achieve a truly non racial and integrated society committed to political, social and economic justice and prevent abuses to the minority by the ruling majority. This is a dangerous tendency and reality not only in South Africa but in other nations as is evident in many conflict ridden countries in the world today.

By: Marketman

Marketman — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 13:33:45 +0000

Richard, yup, Delaire Graff coming up in a post soon…

By: Richard

Richard — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 12:39:43 +0000

I hope you had time to make a quick stop at the Delaire Graff Estate if only to soak up the views and the captivating ambience.

By: Footloose

Footloose — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 12:22:48 +0000

Oh the South African natives definitely fared much better than their American (both North and South) equivalents. The Indians were exterminated passively with Old World disease and what survived were pressed into slavery and the rest were hunted down by Rosas in Argentina, by the bandeirantes in Brazil and white sundry settlers in North America.

By: Marketman

Marketman — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 12:12:34 +0000

Footloose, I would have wholeheartedly agreed with your take on things before arrival in South Africa, but after a 10 day stay there, I think it does get much more complicated than that. The relatively early arrival of the white folks in areas not heavily populated by local Africans and the infusion of Javanese slaves in the 1600’s? makes for a really unusual mix. But yes, a country with 80% black, roughly 9% coloureds or mixed race (they actually use to the term, it isn’t viewed as derogatory), 9% white and 2.5% Indian/Asian/others, it certainly seems the black population is at a far, far, disadvantage. Oh, and an interesting tidbit, during apartheid, Japanese people were considered “white” — as they continued to do business with South Africa when most other nations refused to do so… Actually, in some sense, I don’t think it is too much different from the Europeans landing on North America and taking over from the native Indian populations… But this discussion requires days and several bottles of wine. Suffice it to say, Mrs. MM and I, both absolutely fascinated by the setting and history, learned a lot more than we would have ever imagined in such a brief stay.

By: Footloose

Footloose — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 11:44:57 +0000

“… the sometimes tense relationship between whites, blacks and coloureds (mixed race)…”
Reasonable in a wine post but a vastly understated encapsulation of the South African saga nevertheless. Apartheid was officially in force from 1948 to 1994, if one is a math wiz, 46 years in all but Lord only knows how much longer before and after that unofficially. It was a long period of sustained aggression and attending atrocities brought against the native black population of this beautiful land by the organized thugs of the white settlers that started from the day they landed on its shores. It involved unremitting battles between grossly uneven adversaries where the only ally of the native blacks were the malarial mosquitoes against which, over generations, they have developed a resistance. This is the crucible and forge that gave us not one but two giants of the human spirit: Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.

By: Kasseopeia

Kasseopeia — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 05:45:00 +0000

The family photo on this post, and the one with the giraffes are two of my current favorite MM Family photos. You do look very much in control of your faculties! I would think i’d be one of those who are drunk by 11am :P

Nice idea of enjoying a glass or two of Three Cape Ladies at the next Bond movie – that’ll be a great profile picture. Haha!

By: bearhug0127

bearhug0127 — Fri, 27 Jun 2014 12:02:19 +0000

Thanks, MM. I thought they were stirrups too, but i wasn’t sure, hence the question.