Cinematic Vs Comic Universe Part 1 - Fantastic Four

Seeing as how all the best movies these days seem to be comic book movies, I figured I should help you understand why all the fan-boys (and girls) are crying after the newest release.

Hollywood has always confused me.  They have perfectly good source material but often decide to move away from this.  This doesn't just apply to Comics.  In the past everyone always complained how the book was better than the movie, or which version of The Shining was best.  Heck, Hollywood has even taken liberties with stories based on true events.  Then again, I can understand how writers, directors, and producers want to stamp their individuality on what is, to them, a work of art.  As such I will show you some of the differences in the comic book movies, and where I can, explain why these exist.

The Fantastic Four

Because this movie is one of many with a reboot, I will be detailing the differences in 3 parts.  The original movie, the sequel, and the Reboot.  These 3 movies remind me of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

The original movie was released in 2005.  With only a few core differences in the movie from the comics, one could almost say this was "the Bad".  Dealing with the origin story of the FF, a few changes were made which mostly made sense and really only affected Doom:

• Victor von Doom was included on the origin
• The FF were no longer accidentally bombarded by cosmic rays whilst flying, but rather went up to purposefully study a cloud of cosmic gas
• Doom was also affected by the cloud.  

In the comics, Doom had nothing to do with the origin story of the FF.  He was only in later years revealed to be a rival to Reed Richards.  This change was a necessary change, as no FF villain is as known as Doctor Doom and I doubt anyone would want to watch them fight Moleman.  Having Doom's powers originate from the cosmic cloud was also a strategic choice by Fox, as very few studios would dare tread in the realm of the Mystic/Supernatural.  Doctor Doom was originally only a threat due to his vast amounts of money and technological progress.  He was however at his best when he started mixing his tech with Mysticism.

"The Good", Rise of the Silver Surfer, managed to keep all the core elements of an important FF storyline.  Once again there were several changes that were likely brought on by the previous movies success (if you can call it that).

• Cloud Galactus
• Inclusion of Doctor Doom
• Destruction of Galactus

In the Comics, Galactus is an enormous human-shaped entity that devours worlds in order to feed his hunger.  The movie... a threatening cloud.  This change was likely done to make the whole scene a little more believable for non-fans (Having a Giant Man would seem a little silly).  The inclusion of Doom again built on the previous story line and allowed for a side story and proper fight scene before the confrontation of the Big Bad Cloud, this would have been seen as wanted by viewers.  Finally in the Comics Galactus was not destroyed, but rather dissuaded by the FF's threat of using an all powerful weapon.

Lastly, we have "The Ugly".  The reboot was universally panned by critics.  Several rewrites and director changes resulted in the movie being almost unwatchable.  The changes in this movie are so numerous that it is almost not even related to the comics (except that the four people gain the respective powers of the FF).  This film changed the origin story, Doctor Doom, the family bond of Johnny and Sue, included the military, changed Ben Grimm's Yancy Street origins, and much more.  If you want to ease into the comics, don't watch this one.

New York vs Boston

So... Guess who get to travel again.  Me!

This time L managed to win an trip through her company for great performance.  Her trip included 3 nights in Boston with some outings and an awards dinner.  However, as I had never been to the States, L decided to treat me with a few extra night in New York New York.

One thing I did pick up is that New York and Boston are two very different places.  The vibes at each area like day and night.  Granted I did not get to see everything and was man down for some of the trip (more on that later), but I did get a fairly good idea of what the towns were like.

New York

When we flew in we flew via Atlanta airport.  I found the Atlanta airport to be interesting and just a little confusing (maybe because I had not come across a sky-train before?).  It was in Atlanta that we came across our first problem. Communication. The attendants couldn't make out if we were saying New York or Newark, and we of course could not hear the difference between the two.  After a slight battle however we did eventually manage to board the correct flight.

View of ESB from the roof

Once in New York, we boarded the sky-train to the train station and took the train through to Penn Station. A brisk walk later we had checked into our hotel - Hotel Metro.  The hotel rooms were simple enough, but included everything a weary traveller needs.  One outstanding feature of the hotel is the great view of the Empire State Building from it's rooftop.  The hotel had easy access to the subway and more than enough places to eat in the area.

Once we had packed out and refreshed ourselved it was time to hit the town.  First stop: Souvenirs!  Being the geeky guy I am, most of our souvenirs involved geeky items we can't find at home.  A quick stop at Think Geek and I was sorted (my typical luck held and most of the items were marked down).

After this a not-so-quick stop at Barcade was needed.  Barcade is one of the must do's for anyone that enjoys a drink and a bit of gaming.  This was one place that, had I stayed in NYC, I would frequent on a regular basis.

Museum of Natural History

Inside the MOMA!

The next few days were jammed with sightseeing.  The impressive St Patricks Cathedral made me nostalgic about my last trip to Portugal, Rockefeller square had me practicing different camera shots, the Natural History Museum was incredible and definitely needs more than the half a day we spent there.  Cental park was filled with hidden and not-so-hidden secrets where one could easily spend days at a time.  The exhibits in the Moma were mind boggling, from the small to the supersized!  I shouldn't forget the Morgan Library and the obvious Empire State Building.

On top of all this, we also managed to arrive during Fleet Week.  Watching the ladies perv over the sailors was amusing, and seeing the different ships and subs was definitely worth it.  We also managed to see one of the memorial day parades and paid a visit to Brooklyn Brewery.

My last day in New York was supposed to be spent going to the Irish hunger memorial, viewing the Statue of Liberty, and having dinner at Ninja New York.  Sadly however I was struck down by a serious bout of the flu.

New York was constantly on the go.  Times square was packed on the night we went out there, and the night life was never ending.  I could spend another week there and still not have seen everything there that I would like to.

With our time in NYC over, we jumped onto the Amtrak to Boston.  The three hour journey was enjoyable with some nice views and a comfortable ride.

The view

We checked in to The Colonnade Hotel, with its magnificent views, and headed off to Massachusetts General Hospital to get my flu sorted.  I remained hotel bound for the first day whilst L enjoyed one of Boston's famous duck tours, and only came out for the evening awards dinner.

Can a library be more awesome?

The next day I was feeling mostly better and joined in on all the other sight-seeing.  A nice river cruise gave us the lay of the land (and my first lobster).  We also managed stops at the New England Aquarium, Boston Library (yes this is worth a visit), the Freedom Trail Tour (a slight letdown since this doesn't continue on the whole trail), and the Cheers Bar. We finished off our brief stay in Boston with a trip out to see the Cirque du Soliel Kurios show.

Boston was much calmer than New York, but with this calmness come a fair amount of friendliness.  Whilst the night life here seems more subdued, there is still just as much to do in the area and more than enough to keep me busy for a long time.

Can I choose between the two? Yes.  Do I want to? No.  I guess you will have to make up your own mind on which is your next destination.

Portugal - The Porto Leg

The Train ride to Porto felt as if it had gone past quickly (this might have been because I was studying on the train) and we arrived at a small station outside of Porto.  We promplty crossed the tracks and grabbed the bus to the hotel: The Yeatman.

The Yeatman has a more classical feel to it.  You feel as if you are surrounded by opulence, and that any person that stays there feels like royalty.  The views from the room are spectacular (especially in the evenings when Porto lights up across the river).

Once we were settled we were treated to a ride along the Douro river which provided great picture opportunities of the 6 bridges, after which dinner was to be had at Graham's Distillery.  The food was divine (slightly salty, but that is my preferred taste).  I also had my first taste of a Port and tonic cocktail (again, not my taste as I don't like tonic water.)

The next day we once again had a choice of activities, of which I decided to try the tuk-tuk, tram, and bike tour.  Our tuk-tuk driver was fantastically friendly, giving us a good run down of the history of the different sites we visited.  The tour took us through most of Porto town as well as some of Villa Nova de Gaia.  Once we were done there we stopped of at Calem Distillery for a Port tasting.  Whist these were nice, they were hardly the best ports I've had.

The next part was the bike tour.  Now I haven't ridden a bike in almost 15 years, so this was quite the scary part for me.  We rode all along the river and stopped off only to hear the leader give some history on the town, river and bridges.  At the turn-around point the organisers decided it would be best if I took a lift with the car back to the tram station.  The Tram was old, but fun to ride.

After a quick eye opening lunch (We are not quite used to being able to see topless sunbathers where we are from), we had the rest of the afternoon off to explore.  We decided to stop in at the Lello Library, a magnificent bookstore that had us hooked the moment we walked through the doors, as well as the Clerigos Tower and some of the churches.

After that it was back to the hotel for a dinner and a rest.  The following morning we decided to head to the beach and were greeted with really dull weather.  We opted to have cocktails at a small beach bar where none of the staff spoke a word of English.  I have never seen a waiter that looked so terrified as they had no idea how to handle the situation.  The afternoon was spent exploring more of Porto's city, churches and shopping areas.  I ended up buying a new shirt for our Final dinner that night and had lunch at the legendary restaurant: The Majestic

For our final dinner we could not have asked for a more awe-inspiring venue.  We were treated to a live show by one of Portugal's top performers in the Arabian room at the Royal Stock Exchange Palace.  The room was gold plated with lighting that made the venue absolutely magical.  Not a single person that walked into that room did not first have to stop and "wow".  I would love to include a picture but not one of my photos give the room justice.  After a wonderful dinner we had a chance to take photos outside on the balcony and finally dance the night away in the entrance hall.  We finished this off with a nightcap at the Yeatman.

On the final morning, my partner was stricken ill, so I had to do the last minute shopping alone and rushed back to pack.  Once this was all done it was back on the plane home.

A wonderful trip that will never be forgotten

Portugal - the Lisbon Leg

It's taken me a while to follow up on the last section (what can I say, life has a way of stopping all the fun things we do) so I hope I managed to remember everything accurately.

Our trip involved two legs, one in Lisbon, and one in Porto.  Below is some of our experiences in Lisbon.

After a many hour flight with Turkish Airlines and a brief layover in Turkey, we had finally arrived in Lisbon.  A quick disembarkation, easy customs pass through, and short wait later we were on our way to the hotel.

On the way to the Hotel we briefly stopped at the Mariners museum for a brief tea and cakes with a wonderful view of the Jeronimo's Monistary.  Our first taste of Pastel de Nada had me hooked.  Once the tea break was done we continued on towards our Hotel, the Penha Longa Resort.

The resort is a magnificent golf estate with many things to see if you take a walk through the premises.  A beautiful chapel, rose gardens, roman bath, and old shrine are just a few of the things that one can see.  The resort also had several great restaurants where almost any kind of food can be eaten.  The poolside bar is a great place to relax with a cocktail or two or one could lounge around at the inside bar where style meets comfort.  The rooms were well designed with a nice balcony overlooking the golf course

Penha Longa Resort

After a quick lunch at Il Mercato, we decided to stroll through the resort before getting ready for a surprise event... A wedding!  One of the couples on the trip with us had decided that this was the perfect opportunity to tie the knot.  Neither of the couple's parents were still with us, and all their friends had managed to make it on the trip.

After the Nuptuals it was on to our first official dinner... and boy was it one hell of a party.  I must say this about Portuguese wine and beer, its extremely light and easy to drink.

I would love to go into detail about each and every day's itenary, but to be honest I just can't remember it all.  However it wouldn't be much of a blog post if I didn't at least share some of the experiences.

One of our first stops was the famous Jeronimo's Monastery, the final resting place of Vasco De Gama.  Before this I had never seen such detail on any church.  Each sculpture was unique and beautifully crafted.  It was truly a blessed experience.

Jeronimo's Monastary

After this we navigated the narrow streets of Lisbon in Tuk-tuks and saw some beautifully tiled houses.  Unfortunately many houses were missing tiles, some buildings were starting to fall to ruin and one could not imagine the amount of grafiti everywhere.  Onwards and Upwards we went until we reached the Castle of St George.  The views over Lisbon were magnificent and well worth a few Selfies (I myself am not a great fan of selfies).

Through the next few days we also managed a trip to the quaint traditional castle town of Obidos (where their cherry liquor had me wanting more), a late night stroll past the Tower of Belem and the Padrão dos Descobrimentos (we almost missed the last train home for this), the Lisbon Dungeon (for which I am still asking L for forgiveness), and the Santa Justa Lift (we never ended up going up due to long queues).



Our last day in Lisbon will be remembered to me for two reasons.  Our engagement and the farewell to Lisbon dinner.

Whilst every woman loves an engagement story, I will spare you the gory details (I never could tell the story well anyway).  I popped the question at the Moorish Castle, and she said yes.  After which we went on to the Penha Palace and then finished off with lunch at a great restaurant in Sintra, Casa Porteguesa (where the owner gave me one of his recipes).  One of my only regrets is that we did not get to Quinta de Regaleira.

The farewell dinner was at Kais Restaurant, which was amazingly decorated and served what I believe to be some of the best food on the trip.


















Finally it was time to depart Lisbon and head on to Porto by train.

Portugal Trip - the Preparation

Yes yes, its been a while.  After reading this post you should know why.

At the beginning of this year my efforts, along with another 114 out of our 11000 staff, was rewarded with an all-expenses paid trip to Portugal.  This for a travel fanatic like me was a dream come true, and to boot I was allowed to bring someone with (my future fiance, but more on that later).

Now Portugal was never tops on either of our lists for places to go, but hey, a free trip changed that.  This post will be about the preparation for this trip, what we did, our frustrations, fun, excitement, and planning.

The announcement was made in February.  After which I let my girlfriend (apparently real names on the internet are bad, so I'll refer to her as L) know.  At first she thought I was playing some sort of prank; then she thought my colleagues were playing a prank; and eventually realised that she is going to Portugal.

The first week was the worst.  I had know I had won, but no communication was sent regarding what was going on, when the trip was, or what was needed from us.  After which I received the first of many emails, which congratulated me on winning the trip and said further information will follow.  This first while I could go nowhere in the building without first being congratulated and asked several stock questions: "where, when, how".  In the following months we received several emails saying what we needed, our dates (the group was split in two and we were between the first group to go), the documents we needed, timelines and finally invites to a formal awards dinner.

Now I won't bore you with every mundane detail and will just skim through the highlights up to where we head to the airport.

The formal awards dinner was a great evening of fun.  This was hosted at Summer Place in Johannesburg.  The venue has the most amazing gardens and fountains where one could relax with a cocktail made by Flair.  Everyone mingled and sipped whilst the sun set and we moved indoors.  The inside hall was decorated like a bright Portuguese cafe, complete with streetlights and banners.  The food was a mix of succulent fillet, chicken, and spicy seafood.  The MC kept us entertained and got the formalities out of the way speedily so that we could enjoy the live entertainment... Mi Casa

If anything the formal awards dinner just made me more excited for the trip, and I decided that this would be the best place to ask the most important question any man will ask a woman.  This of course meant ring shopping.  Now those of you that stay with your significant other know how difficult it is to get away for a day without raising suspicion. Under pretense of a helping a friend out I headed to the mall and tried unsuccessfully to find the perfect ring.  After this I stopped in at my mom's and told her of the predicament and asked her opinion.  She then offered me the perfect ring.

Now we all know that travelling requires a lot of additional admin.  This included trying to get a Shengan Visa.  L managed to submit hers early, whilst I waited to the last minute.  This almost backfired on me as the documents I had to submit were not correct and I had to rush to get the right stuff (I forgot a page of my bank statements and they picked that up).  One week later I managed to get my Visa, but it seemed no one else in the office had theirs, nor did L.  Three days before the trip people started getting edgy.  Turns out the majority of the Visas were only complete on the day before and the day of the trip (the organisers were running like mad to get everyone's passports with Visa's to them).

So with Visa and ring sorted only one last task remained.  Asking the parent's permission.  L's mom didn't quite catch what I was asking at first so I had to explain nicely.  There were tears, there were hugs.  Her dad was easier to ask, but harder to get a hold of. I stopped off at his work and asked him there.

So there we were, packed and ready, at the OR Tambo International airport ready for what would be a great adventure...

Marvel vs DC Characters part 2

The Avengers vs JLA

The Avengers (Marvel)

the Avengers fight "the foes no single superhero can withstand." The team, famous for its battle cry of "Avengers Assemble!", has featured humans, mutants, robots, aliens, supernatural beings, and even former villains.

Members (not complete list)
Iron man
Thor
Captain America
Wasp
Ant man
Hulk
Hawkeye
Black Widow
Hercules
Quicksilver
Beast
Scarlet Witch
Vision
Ms Marvel
Falcon
Captain Marvel
She-Hulk
Wonderman
Quasar
Spiderman
Wolverine
Sentry
Black Panther
Spider-woman
Iron Fist
Luke Cage
Mockingbird

The Justice League of America (DC)

The Justice League of America is the DC Universe's most powerful and premier superhero team, a strike force comprised of the world's mightiest heroes. They act as stalwart protectors of sentient life; Earth's first line of defense against terrestrial, extra-terrestrial, inter-dimensional and supernatural threats.

Members (not complete list)

Batman
Superman
Flash
Wonder Woman
Aquaman
Green Lantern
Martian Manhunter
Green Arrow
Atom
Hawkman
Hawkgirl
Black Canary
Cyborg
Zatanna
Elongated Man
Red Tornado
Firestorm
Fire
Ice
Guy Gardner
Steel
Blue Beetle
Power Girl
Bloodwynd
Jade

The Royal Rumble

This is entirely dependant on the line-up of each team.  However using what I deem as the strongest line-ups of both using their best known members it could end up something like this:

Avengers	JLA
Thor	Superman
Iron-Man	Batman
Captain America	Flash
Hulk	Wonder Woman
Goliath	Aquaman
QuickSilver	Green Lantern
Captain Marvel	Martian Manhunter
Wolverine	Firestorm
Wasp	Atom

Thor would dispose of Superman as his weakness is the Magic of Thor's Hammer.  Batman would hold back to analyse the Avengers.  Flash would outspeed Quicksilver. Aquaman's strength and durability should take down Goliath. Atom could outshrink Wasp where he who ends up smaller would win.  Firestorm would disable Wolverine by transmuting the air around him and knocking him out.  From there Captain Marvel would need to take on Firestorm which could go either way. Iron-man's Blasters could create an artificial fire to ring-fence the manhunter.  Hulk would demolish most of the opposition once Superman is out.

As such my result would be Avengers if Thor takes out Superman first. However if the JLA can keep Thor busy it would go the way of the JLA.

Marvel Vs DC characters part 1

In the next series I will be looking at several Marvel and DC characters that are similar (either in power or origins).  And just for the fun of it, I will pit these two against each other to see who would win in a fight.

 Man-thing (Marvel) vs Swamp Thing (DC)

Man-Thing

Origin

Man-Thing is a former scientist who was transformed into a creature composed of vegetable matter through the synergistic interaction of mystical energy and swamp mutagens. Though the beast now lacks a normal human intellect and has shed any desire to communicate with human society, it nevertheless often becomes an accidental hero as it stumbles upon various crime and horror scenarios

Abilities

• Empathic Senses
• Superhuman strength and durability
• Ability to secrete a powerful corrosive chemical agent and a counter agent
• Ability to teleport himself or others through 'the nexus of all realities'
• speaks the Universal Language

Swamp Thing

Origin

Alec Holland, a scientist working in the Louisiana swamps on a secret bio-restorative formula "that can make forests out of deserts". Holland is killed by a bomb planted by agents of the mysterious Mr. E, who wants the formula. Splashed with burning chemicals in the massive fire, Holland runs from the lab and falls into the muck-filled swamp, after which a creature resembling a humanoid plant appears.

Abilities

• inhabit and animate vegetable matter anywhere, and construct it into a body for himself.
• transport himself across the globe by leaving his current form, transferring his consciousness to a new form.
• superhuman strength.
• Swamp Thing has also mastered the elements of fire, earth, water and air

 

When they take it outside?

This would result in a long protracted battle.  I would probably side with Swamp-Thing winning out in the end due to his intellegence as well as mastery over the other elements.

Namor (Marvel) vs Aquaman (DC)

Namor

Origin

Namor was born in the capital city of the Atlantean empire. His mother was Emperor Thakorr's daughter, Fen, and his father an American sea captain, Leonard McKenzie, of the icebreaker Oracle.  He became the Prince of Atlantis, and a warrior for his people against the "surface-dwellers."  Namor (AKA The Sub-Mariner) has been both a villian and a hero over the years and has been a member of The Invaders, The Defenders, the X-Men, and The Avengers.  It has since come to light that he is in fact a mutant.

Imperius Rex!

Abilities

• Can withstand freezing temperatures
• highly developed vision
• Super human strength, speed and stamina
• Super durability 
• accelerated healing in water
• Aquatic Telepathy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Aquaman

origin

Aquaman was the son of Atlanna, an Atlantean princess banished from Atlantis; and Tom Curry, a surface man and lighthouse keeper. Two years after his birth, young Arthur was found by his father playing underwater after he had apparently been there for an hour without drowning. Several years later, both Tom and Arthur himself would learn the truth about Atlanna's origins, as she would reveal that she came from the lost continent of Atlantis while she lay in her deathbed.Later, after his father's death, Arthur Curry would leave the lighthouse to venture into the oceans and find his true destiny. He would later become the King of Atlantis

Abilities

•  Water adapted physiology grants him superhuman strength, endurance, durability, reflexes, agility, dexterity, healing, and senses
• Enhanced swimming speed
• Marine telepathy that grants the ability to compel and manipulate sea life
• Able to speak and understand any language on Earth thanks to telepathic abilities

New 52 version

 

Aquaman Costumes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Dust-up

Another tight battle with both of their abilities being similar.  Personally I go for Namor due to his extra experience in battle and his cooler battle cry.


So after Part one we stand one all in the battle between Marvel vs DC.  If you were curious who came first:

Swamp Thing - House of Secrets #92 (June-July 1971)
Man-Thing - Savage Tales #1 (May 1971)
Namor - Motion Picture Funnies Weekly (April 1939)Aquaman - More Fun Comics #73 (September 25, 1941)

Review of Gotham up to ep 8 *spoilers*

So I have recently started watching Gotham and thought I would share some of my views. Please note that this post contains spoilers.

First off, the cast. The casting done for this show was top notch. Here's a review of each of the characters as I find them (extracts from imdb):

Cory Michael Smith (Edward Nygma):
Great interpretation of the Riddler.  He's creepy and still uses silly riddles.  The only issue I have is with the character itself.  Using the linear time line for Batman, this would make him significantly older by the time Batman arrives.  I would have preferred it if this character was used as Edward's father with only small references to a son which we then know will grow up to become the riddler.

Ben McKenzie (James Gordon):
A great portrayal of a good cop in a bad city.  The last few episodes have him playing a far darker character, which is understandable considering what has happened to him.  His interaction with Barbara is a little too stereotypical at times and feels like it is used to fill episodes often.

Donal Logue (Harvey Bullock):
A great actor and true to what the character needs.  I know this character as the typical crooked cop.  He is supposed to be the cardboard cut-out for what not to do as a policeman.  The good turn he has had in the last few episodes is unexpected, but I don't think it will last overly long.  I think they are trying to portray him as a good cop doing his job in a bad way, fitting in with the corrupt and doing the job the only way he knows how.

David Mazouz (Bruce Wayne):
He plays the frightened kid and young detective well.  He pulls off the aristocratic manner well and soon has you conflicted on whether you like him or not.

Sean Pertwee (Alfred Pennyworth):
Slightly younger than I would have imagined Alfred, but a great fit none the less.  He gives off that feel of a combat surgeon and butler.  Always looking to mentor Bruce and steer him away from vengeance (with one exception).  I look forward to more of him.

Robin Lord Taylor (Oswald Cobblepot):
Although he starts off seeming a bit useless he get really good later.  The acting is superb and makes the character memorable.  The character that will one day become the Penguin is really a linchpin in this story.  I love the fact that he is not as 'useless' as he seems in the comics.

Jada Pinkett Smith (Fish Mooney):
One of the original characters brought into this story.  I must admit I am a bit disappointed with the acting.  Everyone else seems to love the way Jada brings this character to life, I find her to be repetitive and boring however.  A very one sided character bent on taking over the empire.  I hope to see her made a little more cunning.

John Doman (Carmine Falcone):
The original mob boss.  He reminds me of a real godfather of crime.  John brings this character to life and I enjoy all the scenes he's in.  His presence is dominating and you can feel the power he wields.

Other Cameos / Mentions:
Ivy Pepper/ poison Ivy
Richard Sionis / Black Mask (I'm a bit disappointed in this character, I hope they improve him later in the series)
Selina Kyle / Catwoman
Tommy Eliot / Hush (looking forward to more of this)
Bane (okay, not Bane, but the venom used to give Bane his power)


If you are serious about time-line issues, give this series a skip.  Otherwise, be sure to watch as there is some good intrigue and great acting.

A bushveld weekend

Long time no type hey.  Well, I'm back for a bit after a lovely weekend away, and I'm amped to tell you all about it.  So here goes...

Weekend to Mabula Game Lodge.

This was a great weekend, with plenty of fun, sun and adventure.  I'm going to break it down in the days to as its easier for me to remember that way.

Friday

I took a day's leave the Friday in order to pack and leave early.  This isn't quite how it worked out but hey, just roll with the punches. 

I woke up at around 6 (yes, that's sleeping in for me), where I started getting ready, packing bags etc.  I was probably done at around 8ish and my mom was still busy.  I figured it would be a good idea to get some admin done whilst I wait and ended up having my licence disk renewed for my car.  After a bit of a schlepp to get that done and a quick medical check for our medical aids, myself and my mom headed off.  Mabula Lodge, here we come!

After two hours of driving we stopped off in Bela Bela at a bar/restaurant.  Nguni Jacks was a great place, however that midday sun killed us.  A round of cocktails and a small appetiser later and we were ready for the last leg of the trip.  The last 40km went by quickly, and checking in was quite painless (despite us being early).  We then went on to our chalet, 51a on Sunset Hill.  A great view of the valley and a compact but well laid out chalet awaited us.

But that was not the last surprise they had in store for us.  Included in our stay was one free game drive on each of our days there!  So back to reception to book our three game drives, 8pm Friday, 9am Saturday, and 5:30am Sunday.

We unpacked and just relaxed until our night drive.  Roll around 8pm and we are in the Land Rover with our guide Quinten, a family of 6, and a young couple.  Now this game drive should have been great. Should.  Unfortunately there were a few factors that made it a bit of a downer.  The guy from the drive was not interested and kept nodding off, his girlfriend did not stop talking the whole way through (with the ranger, not the dozing s/o), the kids in the back were playing with their torches (not extremely helpful as they weren't the best quality) and the ranger was too busy making unfunny jokes and stroking his ego ("I can smell it's going to rain tomorrow").  Needless to say we didn't see much, just some zebra and impala.  When we got back to our chalet there was a Kudu, impala and warthogs in the area.

Saturday

Once again I managed to sleep late (yes, 6am).  Woke up and got ready whilst my mom made some breakfast.  Nothing like good old bacon and eggs on the patio to get the right start to the day.  Come around 9am and we were on the Land Rover again.  This time we were taken by George and joined by a family of greeks and a middle-aged couple.  This drive was also significantly longer than the night drive, with a time of two and a half hours in driving time.

This time our guide was quite sure of his facts and we also saw a multitude of animals:  Kudu, Giraffe, Blue Wildebeest, Zebra, Impala, Warthogs, Hippos and a group of barely visible Buffalo. I did get slightly annoyed at the greek family though.  They had a young child with them, probably 4ish, and could not get the child to wear her hat.  They kept nagging at her that she would get burnt (which is all good), but not one of them wore their own hats (not so good).  I believe if you want to say something like that to a child you need to lead by example.  No child will think its that bad if you aren't taking it seriously.

So after a mild amount of sun (and quite the sunburn) we got home.  My mom decided to relax and read, whilst I decided to see if I can try some Archery.  Now this was quite amusing.  After giving me a brief rundown of how to shoot an arrow (not how to aim), I was left to shoot.  Shortly after starting I was joined by a family of Indians that would make the event so much more fun.  After plenty of laughter and shooting I finished off.  I'd managed to hit the target a few times, and even once got a bulls-eye (no, it was more a case of luck.  Or as I put it "more ass than class"). 

After a brief nap at the chalet, my mom and I had a braai.  Add some wine, 'slet-sappies', and beer.  Dinner was a success.  Now I have a tendency to suffer from puppy-dog sickness (stomach full, eyes closed) and decided to call it a night.  Not long after a storm hit. A major one!  Outside looked almost like day with all the lightning (which hit our lightning rod a few times), our outdoor umbrella blew away and our power tripped.  But eventually I managed to fall asleep.

Sunday

Cue 4:30am alarm.  Groggy from the little sleep I stumble through getting ready and packed for the 5:30 game drive.  This time we headed off with our short sighted ranger Johan.  Once again joined by a family with several small children.  The drive was great with lots of shade and a cool breeze.  Much of the same animals were seen as on Saturday, except with the addition of a Rooi Hartebees and a close up Buffalo.  The game ranger also told us more about the habits of the animals, and included a short lesson on the yellow beaked Hornbill.  He also stopped for several of the smaller things, including bullfrogs, spiders and millipedes.  The highlight though was the spotting of a tree with a carcass in it.  Unfortunately the Leopard whose meal this was was nowhere to be found.

After the drive we decided to head to a craft brewery that was advertised nearby.  L'Abrie Fountain Brewery was hard to find and an extremely small place.  There we tasted their Stout and Lager and a Boston Brewery Lager.  Their Stout and Lager tasted disturbingly like those from another brewery in Pretoria (Dreyman's).  We settled for a stout and a lager with a biltong and grape foccacia bread for lunch.  Their prices were great, the food good, service friendly, and the quite atmosphere went down well.

Now after all this it was time to head back home.  A great relaxing weekend in the end.  I look forward to having many more such weekends.

The world of Beer

For a bit of a change in pace I will go on about different kinds of beer, Gauteng Beer fests, and a few of lovely beers I've had.

Beerfests

Admit it, you've either been to one or you're dying to go to one.  Let me start off with the best one:

Octoberfest
No, not the one in Germany, but still a great one.  The Deutsche Schule in Pretoria host this one, usually mid September (yes not in October, but hey, who really cares?)  This festival is great.  One stage for Oompa loompa bands, one for more pop/rock tunes and a stage for your more classical music. Lots of great beer, food and souvenir stores.

If going to Octoberfest for pure drinking purposes, then I would advise the Friday night.  The less popular day, which in turn means shorter queues, plus you can be certain that there will be stock of the mug that you want.

If you would like a family outing, Saturday through the day is a great choice.  There is always something for the kids to do, beer for the adults and not many annoying drunks. 

Saturday nights are the busiest at Octoberfest, this is due to the vibe, the fireworks, and not having work the next day.  This is one huge party and great fun.  Meet new friends and drink cool pints.

Sandton Craft Beer Fest
This sounded like an awesome festival.  Unfortunately for me I went in its first year and have since promised never to go again.  This festival only has craft beers, this year there were 11 breweries with 40 different kinds of beers and ciders.

Probably one of the worst events I've ever been to, and after giving my feedback to the organisers I was treated with disdain as if it were my fault.  The event started late, used a token system (which they didn't advertise at the entrance where you actually had to buy them), and didn't adhere to some of the things they promised.  Their 'big screen' for sports was actually just five 41cm (roughly) TVs, with no sound and big bands playing through the game.  The beer stall closed two hours early, leaving me to use up my tokens at the venue's overpriced champagne bar.

Food-wise you had a very limited choice, pizza, schwarma or gourmet hotdogs.  All the pizzas had Avo on them, all the schwarmas were extremely hot and I wasn't going to pay R40 for a hotdog.

As for parking, what a nightmare.  As it is the streets of Jo'burg don't have much space, but if you had to drive there you might have wanted to pull out your hair.  No dedicated parking area meant you had to park in the street, effectively turning a two lane street into a narrow one lane street.

Beers
Some of the types of beers, a bit about them, and an example of each

Ale
Usually fermented with top-fermenting yeast, meaning the yeast floats on top of the tank during fermentation.  I find this to have a somewhat stronger, more in-your-face beer flavour compared to other beers.
Recommended: Clarens Red

Lager
A Lager is a beer that has been bottom fermented, meaning the yeast lies at the bottom of the tank when it ferments. Probably the easiest to drink and recommended starter beer.
Recommended: Castle Lager

Stout
This one is nice bitter beer.  Usually a nice dark beer with a creamy white head, best served at room temperature (roughly 5-8 degrees, yes measured at european temps)
Recommended: Guinness 

Weiss
This is a bit of an acquired taste, so not really suited for everyone.  Distinguished by it's slightly white look.  This beer is made from wheat.
Recommended: Altstad


Mead
Yes, its not technically a beer, but its awesome.  Made from honey, this is a great sweet drink.

Of course there are many other kinds, such as your pilsners and dunkels, but its up to you to go out and taste them!

Other notable South African beers worth a try:
Jack Black Ale
Copperlake Brewery's light lager
SAB's Black Label
Boston's Pumpkin ale
The maboneng maverick (biere de saison) from Smack! Republic