SOUTH AFRICA

Greetings from South Africa! Groete van Suid-Afrika!

The wonderful diversity of South Africa - from the magnificent wildlife and scenic splendour to the sophisticated metropolises:

• Johannesburg 
• Durban
• Bloubergstrand

The beach featured in the main picture is Bloubergstrand

• Eastern Transvaal - The eastern Transvaal still has more than a hint if wildness in its glorious visual scope. Mountains, valleys, rivers, waterfalls, pockets of primal forest and a colourful profusion of flowers and birds decorate the countryside. The savannah lands of the lowveld teem with wildlife, including the 'Big Five': lion, elephant, rhino, leopard and buffalo, offering an unparalleled experience.

• Garden Route - Between Mossel Bay and the Storms River, the Garden Route runs parallel to a coastline which features lakes, mountains, golden beaches, cliffs and dense indigenous forests. From sources high in the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma Mountains, ambercoloured rivers plunge into an ocean of mercurial moods. Surrounded by indigenous forests, the delightful town of George (principal town of the Garden Route) nestles on a coastal plateau at the foot of one of the highest peaks in the Outeniqua mountain range.

Received from Lynne, Cape Town

PASADENA

Pasadena is located 10 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city is bordered by the San Gabriel Mountains to the north and seven cities - La Canada Flintridge, South Pasadena, Arcadia, Sierra Madre, San Marino, Glendale, Los Angeles and unincorporated Altadena. The latitude is N. 34 9' and longitude is W. 118 10'. The elevation is 864 feet above sea level. The word Pasadena literally means "valley" in the Ojibwa (Chippewa) Indian language, but it has been interpreted to mean "Crown of the Valley" and "Key of the Valley", hence the adoption of both the crown and the key in the official city seal.

Elegant gardens and tree-filled courtyyards provide a lush landscape for Pasadena's City Hall and City College

Pasadena City Hall was built in 1927 to inspire a city with beauty, boldness and vision. It is an important part of this community's rich architectural heritage. Pasadena City Hall is one of the finest examples of the California Mediterranean style. It is the dominant building in the Pasadena Civic Center, a complex of government, institutional and cultural buildings that epitomizes the City Beautiful movement. 

Website: City of Pasadena

NORTHERN IRELAND

Within its compact area, encircles a wealth of surpassing scenic splendour. Vibrant, fresh and green in appearance, the natural features it encompasses are as diverse as they are exhilarating, from barren plains to expanses of lakeland, and from low-lying areas to lofty mountain ranges. Quite apart from its aesthetic charm, historic castles and ruins are scattered lavishly throughout the country, recounting tales from Northern Ireland's rich history.
The scenery is the prime allure - the Giant's Causeway, one of the wonders of the world on the Causeway Coast, the Mountains of Mourne, the Glens of Atrim, the Fermanagh Lakeland are the top districts to head for.

Not only in friendliness is Northern Ireland like the rest of Ireland. The pace of life is slow. The cuisine often lacks finesse, but comes in mammoth portions. In the bars the Guiness and the "crack - as the repartee is called - are great, as are the "sing-alongs". Some would say that the most significant differences between the two neighbors are that it is cheaper in the north and the roads are better.

MOUNT ASSINIBOINE

Mount Assiniboine, at 11,870ft (3618m), is the tallest mountain in the southern region of the Canadian Rockies. The mountains distinctive pyramidal shape has led to it being referred to as the ‘Matterhorn of North America’. Visible for many miles in every direction, it soars well above other nearby peaks, and serves as the focal point of the Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, a 386 sq. km reserve created in 1922. 

 

Mt. Assiniboine was given its name by George Dawson, a renowned Canadian scientist, who spotted it from Copper Mountain on the south side of the Bow Valley in 1885. It was named ‘Assiniboine’ as on the day Dawson set eyes on the mountain, a plume of cloud trailed the summit, reminding him of the smoke he had seen rise from the Assiniboine Indians’ tipis. The first successful ascent of Mount Assiniboine to take place. In 1901, the British climber James Outram and Swiss guides, Christian Bohren and Christian Hasler claimed the accolade.