Player Pics

Berenene

The aftermath of the 2000 hectare fire that got very very close to my place about a week ago.

Kresslack

^ Damned Mhaldorians at it again.

Berenene

I know. They need to nerf inferno!

Kazu

@Kresslack Rangor was there?

Rangor

@berene Dunno if I should like because it's a cool picture and your house is ok. Might be misunderstood......

Aitox

Okay, so I just returned from one of the best vacations ever, see: Cape Town. The beauty of South Africa keeps on astounding me; the more I explore my country, the more I appreciate its naturalistic diversity. Here are several pics for your enjoyment.

Me on the day of my arrival. Just had to do a quick trip to the beach; was treated with the prowess of the kite surfers that frequently visit the beaches on a windy day:


Table Mountain in all its glory. It is now one of the 7 natural wonders of the world (and rightfully so):


Clouds rolling over the expansive mountain ranges that are prevalent in Western Cape. This particular picture was taken in Camps Bay:


The view from Chapman's Peak:


Me and the boy on Blaauklippen wine estate (happiness!):


Popped a bottle of my favourite pinotage on top of Table Mountain. This was on my birthday:


@Aurora coming to say hello. She's less threatening when her enemies appreciate Creation:


Gordon's Bay is one of the few places where the water is nice and hot. They also have a few jetties like this one:


And since my I love crayfish like no other, I got treated to five of them on the braai, smothered in lemon-butter-garlic (barbecue):


Harbour Island waterfront. I tried to capture the sea lion, but it disappeared before I could snap it:


Endless stretch of beach:


Experiencing a sun set on Table Mountain:


And lastly, the actual city from Table Mountain during twilight:

Jurixe

I would've hated you just for the scenery but then you said barbecue crayfish with lemon-butter-garlic and now I despise you.

(but seriously, that looks awesome and I'm jealous!)

Garao

It's beautiful, Aitox!

Aitox

@Jurixe, if it is any consolation, they were terribad, really, really horrible.






I lie, they were mouth-watering and sent little shivers down my body.

@Garao, thanks! From the 211 pics I took, it was really difficult to choose, erm, the more beautiful ones.

Sherazad

@Aitox is cute, teehee.

And omg, good nommins. 

Melodie

It looks so gorgeous and I am incredibly jealous.

Also, you put in a good word with Aurora for me, right?

Riiiiiight?

(Jk, glad you had such an amazing time.)

Xae

So hipster. (good photos!)

Antidas

Reminds me of the time I spent in Tanzania. South/southeast Africa is so beautiful, would totally move there.

Arador

@Aitox is like the gay version of me. With better style. And more hair. And more handsome. And better camera skills. And better at decor. But with the same tastes.

Blaauklippen is lovely, my best friend got married there. I am still on a 5 year plan to move back to the Cape. Stayed in Stellenbosch for 5 years and I want a house on the west coast (Yzerfontein) when I retire.

Seriously though, how brilliant is Van Loveren's African Java Pinotage?! Love that smoky undertone. It is all I have been drinking for the past few months!

Katzchen

@Aitox @Arador

How do you manage to make such a scary country look appealing? It must be the photography skill.

Kyrra

Africa is beautiful. I spent two months there when I was nine and it was such an amazing experience. Going on safari, camping in game parks with free roaming lions, canoeing down the Zambezi.. I got to travel around most of South Africa.

Only really scary experience was always having to lock the car doors to avoid getting carjacked at traffic lights etc.

Edit for missing words.

Sherazad

Kyrra said:

Africa is beautiful. I spent two months there when I was nine and it was such an amazing experience. Going on safari, camping in game parks with free roaming lions, canoeing down the Zambezi.. I got to travel around most of South Africa. Only really scary experience was always having to lock the car doors to avoid getting carjacked at traffic lights etc. Edit for missing words.

:O I thought you always have to do that.

Kaevan

I thought that's what one was supposed to do all the time. That's what I get for growing up around Houston, I guess.

Katzchen

Wait, people have to do that? What? Scary. Man, at my old place, if I couldn't find my keys I'd just leave the house unlocked if I had to go out. Not often, but still. Chances of being robbed/etc were so slim. Valden has a terrible habbit of leaving bikes/lawnmower on the driveway in full view of the street unlocked too. Never had anything taken.

Darlah

I don't think my house is ever fully locked, normally the front door is but there's always windows open n sometimes I come home to partially closed doors too. Guess that's what happens when my flatmate doesn't have a key to our house

Kresslack

Someone made me a pirate flag!

Aitox

@arador I do love the Cape and I have an opportunity to move there, but I just can't. I am a Pretoria boytjie through and through; I thrive off Gautengs fast paced, stressful lifestyle. Cape is waaaaay too relaxed, they'd irritate me within the first month. Also Langebaan > Yzerfontein for me. And as far as the wine goes: my boyfriend reps for Van Loveren, Gallo, and Namaqua, so wine is always free and plentiful.

@katzchen Regarding the crime, well, South Africans are use to it by now. An unlocked house?! Wow. Think more along the lines of: locked security gate, locked door, locked passage gate leading into rooms, alarm system, inside a security complex INSIDE a security estate. That's pretty much 50% SA residences. But like I said, its there, in the background and our country is just so awesome culturally that it trumps the negatives.

Sherazad

The only thing we do for security is have dogs with rabies. And all things locked down.

Kidding about rabies.

Arador

A lot of what you hear has been blown out of proportion. We have muggings, we have hijackings we have house robberies and murder. But so does the rest of the world.

I am not saying it is acceptable, the levels are still very high but this whole idea that you could die at any moment just by being here is complete and utter bullshit. I have not felt unsafe in all my years. I lock my doors and car, I avoid dark shady areas of the city and if I have to go there I stay alert.

It is not perfect and there is a lot of room for improvement but this whole "SA is soooooo dangerous" is nonsense spread by bitter ex-pats.

Hayte

Arador said:

A lot of what you hear has been blown out of proportion. We have muggings, we have hijackings we have house robberies and murder. But so does the rest of the world.

I am not saying it is acceptable, the levels are still very high but this whole idea that you could die at any moment just by being here is complete and utter bullshit. I have not felt unsafe in all my years. I lock my doors and car, I avoid dark shady areas of the city and if I have to go there I stay alert.

It is not perfect and there is a lot of room for improvement but this whole "SA is soooooo dangerous" is nonsense spread by bitter ex-pats.

I'm not trying to be contrary @Arador but I from what I've seen on documentaries SA is pretty dangerous. I'll give you a list:
1. Wildabeest stampedes
2. Hyenas
3. Uncles with facial scars who covet your father's kingdom

Jules

Aitox said:

@arador I do love the Cape and I have an opportunity to move there, but I just can't. I am a Pretoria boytjie through and through; I thrive off Gautengs fast paced, stressful lifestyle. Cape is waaaaay too relaxed, they'd irritate me within the first month. Also Langebaan > Yzerfontein for me. And as far as the wine goes: my boyfriend reps for Van Loveren, Gallo, and Namaqua, so wine is always free and plentiful. @katzchen Regarding the crime, well, South Africans are use to it by now. An unlocked house?! Wow. Think more along the lines of: locked security gate, locked door, locked passage gate leading into rooms, alarm system, inside a security complex INSIDE a security estate. That's pretty much 50% SA residences. But like I said, its there, in the background and our country is just so awesome culturally that it trumps the negatives.

Holy crap.  I do hear that this is the future for most places though as economies (and societies) unravel and large segments of those societies without a future or prospects have nothing to lose.  /srs  Those really are some beautiful pics.  When I think of South Africa though, I always think of Planet Earth, and those seals trying to escape Great White sharks, heh.  

Mishgul

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21498878

Chryenth

Me at BUCS over the weekend. I have no idea what I was so happy about. Possibly the female kata teams. 

Looking for photos of me competing, but I don't think there are any.

Cooper

The shadow of the bottle makes it look like you might have peed your pants.

Daslin

@Cooper show us your happy face with a bottle then! (Shirt on) See if you don't look like you pee your pants!

Maybe he was so happy for the female kata teams he DID pee his pants! It'd be manly!

wait, what?