Lisa's Travels

Posts Tagged ‘Food’

When you take a trip someplace, it is always nice to eat the local foods because it really permits you to get to know a country. South Africa’s cuisine accurately mirrors its political situation, having various cuisine for each ethnic group. Specific recipes have actually stayed true to their beginnings however other dishes are a mix of the cooking styles of the various other ethnic groups.

To understand where particular tastes originate from, it serves to understand how the South African Population is divided. On the one hand we have the indigenous Bantu population, then we have the European colonialists who were mainly Dutch and English, and then we have the Muslim community which has created its own ethnic group over centuries.

The Muslim ethnic group originated in the 17th century, when the colonialists brought slaves in from Madagascar, India and Indonesia. They were forbidden to follow the Christian religious beliefs therefore slowly turned to the Islamic faith. They had children with the native Koi and San populations who were also enslaved and slowly, in time, gave birth to an ethnic group with physical traits which were halfway in between the Africans and Indians.

The food of these people is very much influenced by the Indian culture, and spices such as cardamom and curry are plentiful. corner shops will sell ‘samosas’, thin triangular pastry savories filled with veggie or meat curry. Another very common meal is called ‘sosaties’ which is similar to the kebab found in the middle east.

From the native African population, we have a number of meat dishes which use antelope, springbok and ostrich meat. There is likewise a typical Xhosa dish called ‘samp’, which is made from dried corn kernels which have actually been partially ground, but not entirely.

From Dutch descent, we have a specific way of drying meat which produces rather hard, but very delicious strips of meat. This is called ‘biltong’, from the two Dutch words ‘bil’ (rump) and ‘tong’ (strip). A variation of this is ‘droewors’ which is dried sausage. The word ‘braaivleis’ is likewise of Dutch origin and has become one of South Africa’s greatest culinary traditions. It is essentially a barbecue, but the marinade is commonly sweet and can consist of Indian chutney, beer or even Coca-Cola! Any South African, Malay, Bantu or Dutch descendant likes a ‘braai’ with pals over the weekend!

The Dutch cooking custom is really rather vast and includes dishes which were made use of by the first ‘Settlers’. One such recipe is called ‘potjiekos’ and is a vegetable and meat stew which is cooked in a three legged pot over the fire. In some cases beer or sherry and Indian spices are added to this delicious stew.

From the English custom, we have the traditional fish and chips, which have obtained an entire new flavor in South Africa! If you go to the little harbor of Hout Bay, you will have the pleasure of tasting some of the most unforgettable fish cakes you are likely to ever eat! The chips are served with vinegar and are great smelling and soft.

When reserving your South Africa holidays, ensure to thoroughly plan where you will be eating. The best thing is to go to some great South African restaurants that serve many of the national meals, however also book for a traditional Malay meal and a typical Xhosa meal.

Speak to your tour guide, or to some local residents, and see if it is possible to get invited to a braai. In the South African tradition, the men prepare the meat whilst the women organize the salads. Quite a lot of beer is served before the meal prepares and this creates a very dynamic event!

We are a little South Africa based business with a genuine love for our country. It is a pleasure to give travel info, obligation free! Come see us at South African Tours.

When you have worked for a lengthy period of time there is no doubt that you deserve a break. Of course you have very many options when it comes to the destination of your vacation. There are numerous places within the country that you might visit. However, you might consider taking a trip to Spain. The capital city of Spain, Barcelona is one of the best places in the world that you can go to. Numerous people have enjoyed the healthy diet of the country as well as other things.

Anytime when travelling to Spain, Barcelona strikes as a prominent place capturing the attention of tourists and local visitors alike. The city is second-most enormous and populous to prominent Madrid capital. Very many people have gone back because of the good times they had.

This situation is an interesting contrast to its lowly beginning as a town established on a little hill made up of less than 1000 people at about 15-10 B. C. Two main Spanish dialects are spoken by inhabitants here including Castilian and Catalan. This notable destination does not only possess attractive Mediterranean coastline, but also fantastic Roman colonization heritage.

Sepulchral Way necropolis meaning Roman graveyard; Roman walls, gateways of Barcino and turrets are avid testimonies to this. There are dried aqueducts which were once active in supplying water to city inhabitants and industries and this is captured through display by two workshops where washing and dying of clothes is undertaken.

Architecture present is very unique here since part of it reflects gothic origin and churches are very pleasing to the eyes, especially the most toured Sagrada Familia city monument. Industrial Revolution which happened in early 20th century was able to revive dynamic potential of Barcelona. The 1888 World Fair displays achievements made by this city to this effect.

Such phenomenon is yet a prominent showcase to this day. The arts as well as culture flourish within this popular destination, which retains its historical authenticity, offering present-time tourists all imaginable form of comfort. Access the coast of Barcelona via the very famous Las Ramblas, which refers to path to the sea.

The Four main beaches greeting your arrival at this destination include renowned Olympic Marina and village, which were appropriated for hosting the global event staged some time back in 1992. A dominant characteristic of Spain, Barcelona is very eager to maintain excellent standards of safety together with hygiene. Temperatures on average at this place range between 10 degrees Celsius in January and 29 degrees Celsius in August.

One of the intriguing places to visit on a tour is Barcelona Spain on the Iberian peninsula. For more information about schedules and costs, visit the website at http://spainbarcelona.org/tours-and-cruises/ now.