Botanique Beauty in Tropical Durban

Having spent some years of my upbringing in this city...I always thought to myself... I hope I never have to live in this town... its tropical... its HOT... and its sweaty...its reprobate...In fact.. Usually its quite humid and cloudy and horrible.Whatever you do dont go between January and March...Its stinking hot..!

I asked a car guard called "CALL"-WIN (!!!)how old he was... When he said 53 - I was shocked... he looked 70 and I replied...youve been too long in the sun old chap...!- he was wrinkled like a prune...BEWARE, SUN CANCER IS A KILLER! and South africa is one of the most dangerous places in the world for it...(- due to ozone holes...-its the invisible rays that kill)- be very aware of this especially if you come from a Northern Hemisphere country.

Anyway, I met this lovely girl from Germany... who had been volunteering with some organisation looking after AIDS orphans in Cape Town. We had an afternoon to spare - and well...I thought... we could get fried on the beach like callwin - OR we could do the shopping mall surf... OR we could go to the botanical gardens... I thought... theres not much else in the city worth looking at ...- trust me... the people are very lazy and laidback... easy going... Durban has nice winters...and it usually attracts all the homeless people in winter which is around June... However, it is good for a few other things... It is tri-polar... - no seriously , it has three strong cultures living side by side... ZULU-INDIAN AND COLONIAL... traditionally it is the centre of trade and imports from the world ... its port is the largest in southern Africa... ( next to Richards Bay)... although most of South Africa's imports come through this port... - Also it has another thing its famous for...: DURBAN POISON!(Mari-jane/or dagga as it is known in SA)- and thus we come to our subject for today...-" Botanika Beauty."...

If theres one thing you see on your visit to tropical Durbs - by the Sea... its the fantastic and visionary Botanical Gardens. Whoever started it 200 years ago really did have a great vision! But what else is happening?...

Durban , to be fair has got some great shopping malls ...beaches and it is generally warm throughout the year... the only problem is living there... most people look like they have spent too long in the sun... just make sure you are aware of the strength of the radiation before you venture out...I've been fried a few times...and had the sunburn to prove it..

Theres a good museum in the centre of town... Shaka World THEMEPARK is worth a visit -where you can toss the sharks the tidbits of your MEAL..- make sure you pay the bill -else you might join them! No Kidding... Wilsons Wharf is good for a meal and a drink...you can meet a few yachties on their way to the caribbean or the resident bank robber at the Pirates restaurant.. and the WORKSHOP is good to buy curios from... or to use the internet - and the tourism bureau is nearby..

Across the narrow entrance to the giant harbor...is " the bluff" - this is where an army base is slowly rotting away... prime real estate...by the way!..worth millions and millions... anyway, Graca Machel - Nelson Mandelas Wife and Samora Machels ex-wife... has a dream to make it or transform it is a better word... into a PEACE CENTRE...A WORLD PEACE CENTRE... woopee...! I HOPE it come true...what do we need a crusty old army base and whaling station for anyway,...

Actually , It was in Durban that I witnessed what I call the MIRACLE of South Africa... in 1994.

I was present in the Kings MEAD STADIUM where there was an open air jesus peace rally attended by around 10 000 people. I witnessed a mighty rushing wind that entered the stadium as we were all praying to God to HELP south africa and to AVERT it from bloodshed...!!
- it was one of those experiences one never forgets! The main leaders of the Zulu people (CHIEF BUTHELEZI)were PRESENT there and they were PLANNING to boycott the election and START a civil war ( THEY WANTED INDEPENDANCE)- THE ZULUS BY THE WAY ARE A FIERCE AND PROUD NATION WITH A HISTORY OF WAR AND FIGHTING..

... but God in HIS mercy and grace turned the whole affair around... and they changed their minds after this meeting and decided to enter the election process after all.

I was fortunate enough on this journey to hook up with the man that organised it... Mr. Michael Cassidy of the Africa Enterprise. His ministry is to empower the church through education and he disseminates materials and gives bible courses to pastors all over africa - for the last 40 years... hE IS BUSY BUILDING A SEMINARY NOW JUST OUTSIDE PITERMARITZBURG...

I also was fortunate to attend a violin recital and meet another mighty man of God... Angus Buchan who inspired the film : FAITH LIKE POTATOES... On the whole Durban is for the Chrisitan church anyway... an apostolic place... Even many great Islamic and Hindu clerics have started their ministries here... for example: Gandhi - He was chucked off the train in Pietermaritzburg - about one hours drive from Durban- and thats where he committed his life to non-violent non-cooperation... a philosophy inspired by JESUS actually... : His famous quote:" My life is my message"- is in fact inscribed on a statue of him at the tourism centre...

Mohammed Deedat - the radical muslim cleric who inspired people like Osama Bin Laden and others also found his roots here in Durban after immigrating from India-like Gandhi. And weve had other famous celebrities - like Churchill (JUST AFTER HE ESCAPED FROM THE BOERS - MADE A SPEECH HERE)- Billy Graham and William Brennan( The American prophet) - WHO HAPPENS to still have a lot of followers around... in fact one of largest Hindu temples is located in Chatsworth - an indian suburb of Durban. The main social problem in Durabn is a 50% plus unemployment factor... lack of adequate housing and one of the highest AIDS stats in the world... partially due to the fact that Zulus dont like wearing condoms... - as they feel it takes power from their manhood... and finally , there is a very interesting cult called : SHEMBE... this is a zulu cult following passed down from father to son and amongst the superstitious - Shembe is all powerful...! He certainly has a big following in Zululand.

Durban ,in short is very much the SPIRITUAL CENTRE OF SOUTH AFRICA- just as JOBURG IS THE FINANCIAL CENTRE-And Cape Town the Tourism,Media,Arts and Cultural centre.

Phoenix and Inanda are not far away - they are the homes of Mahatma Gandi 's first ASHRAM... ALSO if you are interested you can visit some really cool missions like KWASIZABANTU... - the largest mission in the world... SHALOM FARM - the home of Angus Buchans faith like potatoes - and JIVANADI... one of the worlds premier healing and deliverance centres... Durban by the way is the second largest city OUTSIDE INDIA...with the largest asian population...and finally, alongside the highways and mansions...you will see the shacks of migrant labourers and homeless unemployed and dispossessed...

in fact DURBAN is now fast becoming the crime capital of south africa..( not good news.).. but on its good side... Durbanites are generally friendly people and real...its a place of restoration , of soothe comforting healing... and its certainly a place to "stupify" yourself from the world...(veg out)- it can be good to you...and it wont be too hard on you...

its not the kind of place where you can expect the electricity of johanesburg or the ecleticism of cape town... but it is spirtually minded...and its easy to get up here early before 6 am... and catch the runners on the boardwalk as the sun rises over the beachfront.

In my book Durban has been the place that helped bring races, cultures and polarised people more together, it has a fabulous conference centre where every year the largest tourism show in africa...called the INDABA - WHICH IS ZULU for coming together and talking...the local rugby team - the sharks... are quite popular... and oh yes, Durban has one of the best aquariums and shark research centres and surfing spots in the world...

But for me...what does it for me ...it the BOTANICAL GARDENS! - Durban certainly has the BEST botanical garden Ive seen in a long time... maybe Kirstenbosch is equally as good... but the Cape certainly cant grow soem of the plants that Durban can...

its like ...EVERYTHING in these gardens is a turn on... I am not kidding... have a look at these shapes and if you dont come out of these gardens aroused ...then you need a few viagra to sort you out... I was enthralled by the pulsating vibrancy of the colors and shapes ... almost like a symphony...

Putting that aside for a moment... You can see some amazing stuff here... its probably the most under - rated botanical gardens I'VE VISITED... I mean I just went in to buy a mothers day card...and well ... to practise my photography...and wll.. life is what you make of it...

Beauty can be found in the smallest minutest and miniscule things... and everything is subjective in botany... ying and yang...male and female...BOTANIKA is the expression of Gods art in living format.Enjoy...experience...explore...E-MAGINE...

Durban on the whole is a great place. Sanibonani! Welcome...to D'Urban...!The city with the people of the heavens... the ama zulu... and another reason to visit south africa.

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