Hermanus Coffee-Table BOOK
After 3 years in the making, the glorious, glossy and full-on colour Hermanus lush coffee-table book is finally launched at the Marine Hotel and oh my is it a wonderful creation to keep you trance-fixed cover-to-cover.
This gorgeous hard-back book is a 210 page delightful creation that has only had an initial limited pressing of 5,000 copies, so get a copy NOW, because it is a treasure-trove of outstanding pictures, history and incredible stories of the lovely & pretty seaside town of Hermanus.
Nelson Mandela celebrates 90 years old
It is unlikely that you were able to escape the world’s phenomenal media exposure of South Africa’s giant-of-giants Nelson Mandela, who celebrated his 90th birthday at so many locations around the planet. The London Hyde Park concerts were televised on SA TV on his birthday and a week b4 the date. Happy Birthday.
Football
Man Utd were in South Africa in July 2008 to play in their 3rd Vodacom Challenge against the Kaiser Chiefs and Orlando Patriots. Alex Ferguson praised the South African sides for their much improved team strategies and commitment.
The national side Bafana Bafana beat Paraguay 3-0 as well as participating in many other soccer games over the last few months. Raising some hope that the South Africa national soccer team will do a good job at the 2010 World Cup, but they have their work cut-out, especially with Carlos Alberto Parreira deciding to leave as manager of the SA national side, so as to be with his ill wife who is back in Brazil. His replacement is little known Brazilian Joel Santana.
World Cup 2010
Everything is full steam-ahead for the 2010 World Cup with construction work at all sites working around the clock. The Cape Town Green Point stadium is now up to it’s second level of grandstand seating and is scheduled to be completed in December 2009. This monster 68,000 seater stadium, which will cost about R4billion to construct and will rise to a height of 258m and was only a golf fairway 18 months ago, so it’s amazing how quickly it has grown. See picture below, taken in July 2008.
Percy Tours has been working hard in all aspects to provide an excellent World Cup for all our future clients and has been able to obtain tickets to games in luxury seating. More information on this and much more when we have it all sorted.
Luxury brand NEW minibus joins Percy Tours
Percy Tours is extremely proud to announce that we have given birth to a brand
NEW luxury minibus to escort all our clients about in. Please check out the report below this one, for a full write-up on this fantastic new vehicle, which has
SO many comforts that you will feel like a Movie Star while you are transported in this limousine :-)))
The WHALES return to Hermanus
From about mid May, Hermanus has had it’s annual Whale migration of Southern Right Whales arrive at our shores. The aerial Whale count at the end of August was 114 Whales in Walker Bay. The experts are predicting that the record of 172 spotted in one day in 2006 will be shattered this year. Fingers crossed that occurs :-)))
New Shark deterrent
After a 2 year research project, the Natal Shark Board has finally yielded results for a modified Shark-shield which is an electric repellent device against sharks. Fitted to an inflatable rescue boat the device is effective for up to 6 metres and will be used to steer sharks away from bathers in immediate danger of attack.
When a shark siren is activated on the beach, the rescue craft will be launched to clear bathers from the water and be positioned between bathers and the shark, obviously with the new electronic pulsing system sending out signals to ward off the shark.
King Of Jordon here for his 3rd Great White Shark diveThe King of Jordon recently arrived in Hermanus for his 3rd time to go Great White Shark cage diving, with a large group of friends who equally wanted an adrenaline fix. They drove thro town on a mass of Hayley Davidson motorbikes.
Richard Gere was also here recently to do some Shark diving, between breaks in his film shots for a new movie Amelia. Richard Gere stayed at the 5 star Marine Hotel in Hermanus for a few days.
New Shark Research CentreIf a new generation of South Africans grow up thinking of sharks as warm and cuddly, it will be partly due to a mystery benefactor who wants to help the world’s sea life. He has pumped millions of rand into buying and equipping a prime sea-front property in Kalk Bay, Cape Town, for use as a research and education centre to spread the word that humans need to be nice to sharks.
The centre is funded by the Save Our Seas Foundation, which was originally set up 8 years ago by the benefactor, who is referred to in the organisation’s literature only as “The Founder”.
Chris Clarke, shark scientist and the executive director of the foundation, said the world’s shark population was now only 10 percent of what it had been in the 1950s.
“There’s a real need for the shark centre … to teach people about marine conservation and the myths about sharks.” Clarke said the threat of shark attacks on humans was highly exaggerated. “Last year, only one person was killed by a shark in the whole world,” Clarke said. “They might bite a human, but usually when they realise it’s not a seal they let go.”
Clarke said sharks, as the top predators in the ocean, played an essential role in weeding out weak or diseased fish. “If you take the sharks out … you’ll end up having a collapse of the food pyramid. If we remove them from the environment, it would be a catastrophic event.”
Clarke is a big fan of the great white shark cage-diving industry based in Gansbaai, south of Hermanus. “It’s a very good thing. It’s a way for the public to get up close and see the animals, while learning first hand what they are all about.”
Percy Tours escorts the Discovery Channel film crew
During late March, it was
Percy Tours privilege to have escorted around our pretty region a film crew from the Discovery Channel, who were here for a week to film the Great White Sharks for a film called “Surviving Sharks”, so keep your eyes out for this program during aired on their Shark Week in afew months time.
Cape Argus & Pick’n’Pay cycle race
In early March 08, the Cape Argus & Pick’n’Pay cycle race took place from Cape Town city centre, travelling all the way down to the Cape of Good Hope and back up the western coastline, closing off many roads for this feast of peddle-power. A total of 39,000 riders took part and the mens winner was Robbie Hunter, who won last year too, finishing the 110kms in 2 hrs and 27mins (5 mins faster than last year.)
Cape Epic Mountain Bike race (sponsored by Absa Bank & Adidas)
Starting in Knysna on the 28th March, 2008 was what the organisers have called “the most gruelling and exhausting mountain bike race in the world”. With 2000 mountain bike riders competing; travelling over 1000kms; ascending a total of 18,500metres; over just 8 days. At the end of stage 6 the whole race rolled into Hermanus, including the massive logistical support teams supplying not only mechanical assistance, but also - a large village of tents & mobile homes, food, drinks & bar, evening entertainment in huge marquees, medical & massage facilities, media coverage, helicopters, 4x4 vehicles & quad bikes, and much more. It’s literally like a large town on the constant march.
Food Olympics
In October 2008, Germany will hold the Olympics, but not the Olympics you are thinking of, these are the Culinary Olympics and the South African team are working hard on their local ingredients of Springbok, Crayfish and SA wines for this forthcoming event. Competing against 42 other countries, each team has to prepare and cook a meal for 110 people in just 5 hours, judged by a jury of top international chefs. South Africa currently rank at 16 in the international league after the last event 4 years ago.
Abbey National competition winners, win a tour with Percy Tours
During April
Percy Tours were delighted to have provided Abbey National (Bank) competition winners with a tour that they would never forget. Staying in luxury accommodation right in the heart of Cape Town, we zipped them off to savour the excellence of Cape Town - by visiting the must-see sights of Table Mountain, Signal Hill, Long Street, African markets, Camps Bay, V&A Waterfront, as well as dining like Kings and Queens on many ethnic South African culinary delights; going on an African Safari trip to see all the African animals in their natural habitat; a Wine Tour of Stellenbosch to savour all sorts of tasty alcoholic liquids and of course shopping for those unique items for the mantle-piece back home :-)))
Hermanus Festival Season starts
The 12th Hermanus Food & Wine Festival occurred on the second weekend of August and was a massive event showcasing over 60 separate Wine Estates of the local area. Additions to this year were the Brandy & Beer Lounge, a kiddie entertainment area with clown, Punch & Judy show and much silliness, Musicians performed all weekend long to keep your feet tapping, as well as a Gourmet Food Marquee. The organisers surpassed themselves once again by providing a massive marquee village.
Over the next few months Hermanus will hold the Flowers Festival; Whale Festival and Great White Shark festival.
As usual there are many new
Percy Tours photos on your Gallery site, so check them out by clicking here at -
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Chat soon,
Percy :-))))
Contact us for more details on how we can assist you on your perfect South Africa holiday, at -
www.percytours.com
Designer Tours (& transfers) of Hermanus, Cape Town and the whole Western Cape region.
