Sandton Sun

The streets of Sandton, Johannesburg are alive with the oddest characters...and countless FIFA World Cup soccer-related paraphernalia.
But while I've resentfully got soccer coming out of ears, I've no option but to confess that there's a sense of mounting excitement about the impending World Cup pervading the very streets.
For the record, tonight I walked from 20h30 to 22h30 safely through Johannesburg's streets to Seattle Coffee at Sandton's Mandela Square and enjoyed every minute of it.
Architecture takes on another dimension at night, especially when building's heart-light emanates from their very innards, through their rib cages and eerily-beautiful around their very skeletons.

Being a hot and breathless summer night I wore only shorts, slip-slops and a t-shirt for the expedition. I almost thought it was the summer holidays.

Not to mention that I collected some plants along the way... in the best possible sense of course.

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Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

In March 2007 this was just a piece of earth, just over two years later it's a 45 940 person capacity stadium that's damn impressive and got my blood pressure pumping. It's a fine piece of architecture and, according to external contractor, a specialist in stadium security and safety, Craig Miller (pictured), "this is the best he's come across in 25 years of eventing".
The stadium has 30 so-called vomatoriums, which should facilitate an evacuation in 6.5 minutes, which is expected to be world record. The current world record is 8 minutes.
The overall cost of the stadium is estimated at R1,7-billion.
Without have had a chance to research the position of the stadium, my guess is that it is ideally placed in an area that desperately needs the impetus and stimulation.
I'm impressed, but then again perhaps I'm just being emotional tonight: Viva 2010! (And I'm doing my best to imagine a crowd of 46 000 with vuvazela's...)

Joburg International

A thunderstorm on its way, thus the surreal light outside. The airport is inundated with foreign visitors and surrounded by cranes. It's full speed ahead to 2010... the atmosphere is crackling with anticipation, the energy is even palpable in the pavements.

I'm on a bus to my hotel...welcome to the Big Apple of Africa.
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Mpumalanga tourism title contract awarded

An empowerment consortium led by grassroots publisher HomeGrown Magazines has been awarded a three-year exclusive licence to publish Mpumalanga's official tourism magazine. HomeGrown JV will publish the Mpumalanga Tourism & Parks Agency (MTPA)'s Sunrise magazine and affiliated products launching with a Spring 2008 edition and running until July 2011 - covering the crucial period over the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The MTPA last week awarded the contract to a special purpose joint venture between HomeGrown Magazines and local empowerment company Kasi Media after a lengthy evaluation and due diligence process.

The quarterly Sunrise magazine is targeted at inbound leisure and business travellers, using worldclass writers and photographers to showcase the province's diverse tourism and cultural product. It will also be distributed to the hospitality and travel trade, including inward bound airline lounges, and will also be stocked by select news agents nationwide.

For the full story on www.bizcommunity.com click here: http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/39/26850.html