T For Travel

It is estimated that almost three million tourists will descend on the cities and the towns surrounding Johannesburg next June, for the sixty four soccer matches that make up the whole of the 2010 World Cup.  The television audience for the final games alone is expected to reach upwards of twenty eight billion people from around the world.  All with their eyes not only glued to the games, but on the country of South Africa as well.  This is going to provide opportunities for the large businesses, the entrepreneurs, and the small businesses and boutique hotels.  South Africa has been developing and growing since the end of apartheid, but this will speed up that process tremendously and provide new opportunities for new ideas and local companies.

Some of the commercialism has been regulated, that having anything to do with the Cup itself, with restrictions being placed on the advertising, and the sales and marketing, however there are still many openings for the local companies and businesses to boost the sales of their goods and/or services.  The government is not getting too involved in the sector of the larger financial systems and companies,  as they will perhaps understand better how to take advantage of the opportunities for economic growth, aside from ensuring that the larger companies will support the small ones.

They do plan to intervene in the smaller companies run by people with less experience or those who have been marginalized.  One way in which they will help the smaller informal businesses is by providing them with the means to electronically process transactions, ensuring that the tourists will be able to use their credit cards.  The ripples that will be caused throughout the country when the tourists start arriving will serve to boost all, from the entertainment industry, to the arts and crafts markets, and even the health service industry.  And the hope is that this sort of growth will continue even after the games have ended, as the international audience will see that South Africa truly is a great place to visit.

The East River is one of the locations in the city of New York that is steeped in history, and one of the places that is most loved by the residents along the banks of the river.  Much of the development of New York has been along this river.  Much of the city owes part of their existence to area, from the New York boutique hotel, to the hot dog stands on the corners.  Previously the Native American Tribe, the Nechtanc, made this river their home.  The Dutch began arriving to the island in the late 1600′s.  Once the neighborhood was further colonized by the European immigrants, trade ports were built along the river to ensure a viable means to promote trade with Europe and with the West Indies.  In the first part of the 19th Century the industry of shipbuilding was booming.  Many travelers and sailors were filling the area, and the waterfront developed into a bustling market center.

By the end of the 19th Century, in less than one hundred years, other industries dotted the shores.  There were yards for the railroads, power and electric stations, factories producing glass, and slaughter houses.  Many tenement buildings were built and the area had a vibrant life.  It was during this time that the city park was built.  Throughout the years, the East River Park has seen good times and bad, but was always in the process of being renovated.  Playgrounds were built in 1994, as well as up-grades on the basketball courts and baseball fields.  And then the city added to the park further by the 1996 construction of the comfort station…which is the term used for public bathroom facilities.  This was celebrated, as is everything in this city, in grand style, with the First Flush Ceremony.  Park lights were added to the baseball field in 2000, and by 2001 a bike path was laid that winds through the park and along the river.  Many now enjoy this park and it has become a popular spot for recreational activities and outdoor performances of music and theater.

The sculptures that line the banks of the Singapore River are known for the stylistic diversity, illustrating the history of the rise of Singapore from a modest fishing village, to the internationally known business and tourism mecca that the city has become today.  Set with the backdrop of the hustle and bustle, the busy city streets, the sky scrapers and the charming here-and-there boutique hotel, Singapore has the history of the people laid out in bronze and symbolism, right there by the river.

One of the main contributors to this outdoor exhibit is Singaporean sculptor, Chong Fah Cheong.  Chong is well known throughout the country, and the rest of the world as well, for his iconic, often whimsical, portrayals of the lives of those he sculpts.  And while Chong does create abstract works, those along the river are life sized and realistic.  One of the pieces contains five figures, of boys jumping into the river for a swim.  These sculptures have been known to turn heads, as spectators really need a second look to make sure that they are not seeing real people jumping into the river.  This piece illustrates his love for the joy of life, and for the joy the river has provided the people of Singapore throughout the history of the growth of the nation.  His, “People Fishing” illustrates that at one time, every day life was not filled with stress and work.  It serves to remind those who pass by, that simple pleasures of life are so very important.

Another sculptor exhibited along the river walk is Dr. Aw Te Hong.  His piece illustrates the historical interactions between merchants and local tradesman.  It also honors the hard work of those working along the river, loading goods onto boats and carts.  The piece titled “From Chettiars to Financiers” depicts the change of the systems of banks and commerce.  Locals loaning goods, services and finances to each other and then the transition to the big business and financial institutions of modern times.

The abstract pieces along the river include the works of Fernando Botero and Salvador Dali.  Botero’s piece, “Bird” symbolizes joy, the desire for harmony, optimism and peace.  And Dali, his piece is titled “Homage to Newton”.  This is one of Dali’s finest bronzes, and sits just outside the entrance to the Overseas Bank Building.  A ball falls from the hand of the figure, which symbolizes the moment Isaac Newton was inspired by the apple falling from the tree, the discovery of gravity.  His piece is like a skeleton, with an open chest revealing a heart suspended, and an open skull…this signifies how important it is for humans to remain, throughout all that life brings, with an open heart and an open mind.  Necessary not only for discoveries to be made in the natural or the scientific world, but for success in all endeavors.