Africa looks awesome

[Casey]

Check these pictures out of various places in Africa.

African Cities II (lots of pics-no 52Kers) - Page 15 - SkyscraperCity

 

[Shahin]

Yeah it does, I'd love to go to someday.

 

[Preach]

Actually being there looks no different to me than being anywhere else I haven't been before. It's quite interesting for people who never thought about it and have some misconception about what Africa is, but the continent itself is huge, there's a bunch of countries, and you have climates ranging from desert to rain forest. You can find all those things in those pictures in South-eastern Europe, Asia, America and South-America. Most people don't relate those kind of pictures to Africa though. When I was a kid I pictured villages with straw huts and lots of military tanks lol. Cause it was war in Africa

Wish the guy on the forum had separated the pictures into the countries they come from, I'm too lazy atm to search it up myself based on the place and city names he provided, but I bet these pictures are from all over Africa. I can make a collage of pictures from Norway that would blow you away just as much, more so if I could use all of Scandinavia. I guess my point is that there is nothing special here unless you're ignorant about Africa, and that just because it looks nice doesn't mean it's European-friendly always If going to Africa I would be going to the West/North-West.

 

[Synful*Luv]

Looks cool, idk if I'd want to visit any particular area in the continent. Perhaps South Africa? IDK.. but yeah those pics are amazing.

 

[Flipmo]

I'd love to visit cities in Africa, it's an amazing continent, but what pisses me off is that many of these cities are an illusion to the real issues of African countries. These great looking cities are usually filled with the richer people, which usually is less than 5% of the population. South Africa is notorious in making itself look so socially modern, while the gap between rich and poor, white and black in some cases is worse than during it's apartheid era.

 

[Casey]

I'd love to visit cities in Africa, it's an amazing continent, but what pisses me off is that many of these cities are an illusion to the real issues of African countries. These great looking cities are usually filled with the richer people, which usually is less than 5% of the population. South Africa is notorious in making itself look so socially modern, while the gap between rich and poor, white and black in some cases is worse than during it's apartheid era.

True enough, but when you hear the word "Africa" - it's not the modern cities like these that come to mind. Of course, it's good for the West to highlight the problems of poverty, famine, etc in Africa but there's a lot of people in Africa that don't want to be seen as "third-world citizens" and it's probably quite frustrating to them that that is how they are depicted most of the time.

 

[Shahin]

I'd love to visit cities in Africa, it's an amazing continent, but what pisses me off is that many of these cities are an illusion to the real issues of African countries. These great looking cities are usually filled with the richer people, which usually is less than 5% of the population. South Africa is notorious in making itself look so socially modern, while the gap between rich and poor, white and black in some cases is worse than during it's apartheid era.

I don't think there are many people who have any illussions about the state of africa....if anything people think it's even more backward than it really is.

 

[Bobby Sands]

There are alot of muslims in Africa though especially in the northern countries. you might not like it there.

they arent too happy if your insult them or disrespect their beliefs either (as i sort of did by mistake. i walked into part of a mosque with my shoes on because i didnt know you had to take them off. they werent happy)

you should be safe if you stick to doing that over the internet though.

 

[Flipmo]

Shanin, you'd be surprised.
Especially with the World Cup in South Africa and how they're trying to make the country look progressive, and creating jobs, while on the other hand there is forced evictions into small camps, banning of locals trying to sell their goods to tourists, money taken out of an already strained education and medical system. Shit, there are areas that are completely fenced away from the population. They're doing all their can to hide the poverty of the country. Touristic commercials I've always thought is a great way to cover it up, and usually the money from tourism in some of these countries never goes to the locals who need it. There's no trickle down effect.

This is not taking anything away from the beauty of Africa though, I just really don't like their leaders and the corruption within the system... lol.

 

[_carmi]

Actually, what I find surprising is how people are surprised that Africa has cities and call them beautiful. Of course Africa has cities like any other continent. I think people often think all Africans are poor and living in dumps and when they see pictures like this they freak out at how beautiful it is. Wake up people, these cities look like any other city. Let's be real here.

 

[Da_Funk]

Actually, what I find surprising is how people are surprised that Africa has cities and call them beautiful. Of course Africa has cities like any other continent. I think people often think all Africans are poor and living in dumps and when they see pictures like this they freak out at how beautiful it is. Wake up people, these cities look like any other city. Let's be real here.

Well no shit Africa has cities. I don't think anyone is surprised to find that out. If you are, give me your money because I'll put it to better use. That being said, if you think these "beautiful" cities are an accurate betrayl of life in Africa, give me your money because I'll put it to better use.

As a whole the continent is all kinds of fucked. Probably 95% of the population lives in absolute poverty. The average life expectancy in most countries is below 50. Many countries suffer from famine, made worse by civil war, etc. The entire continent has been raped and pillaged for the past 400 years. I hate to be the cynic, but really, there is almost no recovery from that.

 

[Kobe]

^^Probably 95%? That's a bit extreme don't you think?

Sure, Africa has plenty of problems but, that's for some other time. I mean, the problems here are real. Americans argue about health-care but, we can only dream of our governments even thinking of something like that. With all the vices happening and greed for power, this continent will be sitting on riches forever but, a lot of people here will be broke from the day they are born till the day they die.

There are many weird ideologies about Africa as a whole but, some are really far fetched. Some of the things I get asked are really weird. Like: Do you own a lion? I used to but, finding 80 kgs of meat to feed it everyday was a bit cumbersome. Do you have electricity? Actually, we're still building the power lines from the USA and, they haven't gotten to Kenya yet. Do you have running water? Yeah, it runs down the river all day. Do you have to hunt for food? I'd rather order pizza, with all this school work, hunting is a bit too time consuming.

In Kenya we get a host of A-list type coming in here and they really seem to genuinely like the country. It's crazy the amount of celebrities that have holiday homes in a coastal town called Malindi. I always wonder what actually broke that mental barrier. What made them even think they should splash their funds on a house in Kenya? Serena Williams is really cool in terms of blending in with people, I hardly saw her react funny even when she spoke to the lowest class of people. I once saw Fernando Alonso play football on the beach with some locals and, he was really having a great time. Will Smith spends hours talking to people at the airport before him and his family get onto their private jet. I always wonder, how come these guys just come here and don't even act like their is a difference between us and them? Surely, they must have heard some strange stuff before they even dared coming here.

Others like Alicia Keys come here thinking something really weird is going to happen to her once she steps out her plane. I mean, the way she looking at people and hotel staff was so wrong. Like they were going to give her some disease or something. Michael Jackson stepped out of the plane in Tanzania and he was holding his nose as he walked to the VIP area. Tanzanians got really ticked off by that gesture. PR said his nose was giving him trouble (true story, no dissing) Why do artists say they are on a world tour and they don't even come to any part Africa? Is it that Africans don't buy their records or do they just think Africa doesn't exist?

We have our stereotypes too about Europe and America as well that are really shallow. All in all, you never know about a place unless you actually go there. I'd recommend to anyone Malindi, Mombasa, Zanzibar and Cape-town as must visit places if you ever take a trip to Africa.

 

[Casey]

Michael Jackson stepped out of the plane in Tanzania and he was holding his nose as he walked to the VIP area. Tanzanians got really ticked off by that gesture. PR said his nose was giving him trouble (true story, no dissing)

Like this?

I wouldn't read anything into that. Michael did have a lot of problems with his nose and respiratory system and there's loads of instances where he did that, it wasn't anything to do with where he was.

Might be worth mentioning that the last tour performance he ever did was in Africa. Final date of the HIStory tour, October 1997, in Durban, SA.

 

[Flipmo]

^^Probably 95%? That's a bit extreme don't you think?

Sure, Africa has plenty of problems but, that's for some other time. I mean, the problems here are real. Americans argue about health-care but, we can only dream of our governments even thinking of something like that. With all the vices happening and greed for power, this continent will be sitting on riches forever but, a lot of people here will be broke from the day they are born till the day they die.

We had a guest speaker in one of my classes from Zimbabwe, Philemon Matibe, dunno if you've heard of him. Anyways, I talked to him a bit after class and his lecture and he was telling me how Zimbabwe has enough farm land to provide enough food for the country itself. One of the only countries in the world that doesn't have to import food; this is something common with other countries in Africa. They have the resources to become self-sufficient, but sadly the Government is stupid, and years of colonization has twisted the country around. What you say is true though.

There are many weird ideologies about Africa as a whole but, some are really far fetched. Some of the things I get asked are really weird. Like: Do you own a lion? I used to but, finding 80 kgs of meat to feed it everyday was a bit cumbersome. Do you have electricity? Actually, we're still building the power lines from the USA and, they haven't gotten to Kenya yet. Do you have running water? Yeah, it runs down the river all day. Do you have to hunt for food? I'd rather order pizza, with all this school work, hunting is a bit too time consuming.

I hate people like that... Makes me want to break their heads in.

In Kenya we get a host of A-list type coming in here and they really seem to genuinely like the country. It's crazy the amount of celebrities that have holiday homes in a coastal town called Malindi. I always wonder what actually broke that mental barrier. What made them even think they should splash their funds on a house in Kenya? Serena Williams is really cool in terms of blending in with people, I hardly saw her react funny even when she spoke to the lowest class of people. I once saw Fernando Alonso play football on the beach with some locals and, he was really having a great time. Will Smith spends hours talking to people at the airport before him and his family get onto their private jet. I always wonder, how come these guys just come here and don't even act like their is a difference between us and them? Surely, they must have heard some strange stuff before they even dared coming here.

Others like Alicia Keys come here thinking something really weird is going to happen to her once she steps out her plane. I mean, the way she looking at people and hotel staff was so wrong. Like they were going to give her some disease or something. Michael Jackson stepped out of the plane in Tanzania and he was holding his nose as he walked to the VIP area. Tanzanians got really ticked off by that gesture. PR said his nose was giving him trouble (true story, no dissing) Why do artists say they are on a world tour and they don't even come to any part Africa? Is it that Africans don't buy their records or do they just think Africa doesn't exist?

I think that depends on the artist. For example, Halle Berry comes often here to Montreal, and she walks in the streets and nobody really bothers her. Hell, her bf is from here. Same with Johnny Depp, he's been seen around here often, and loves it how he can go along with his day with almost no bother (obviously, some ppl will pass by and say that they love his movies), but it won't be like London or L.A where the paparazzi jump on you like animals.

Then again, some stars are just plain fucking assholes and seem to forget where they came from.

We have our stereotypes too about Europe and America as well that are really shallow. All in all, you never know about a place unless you actually go there. I'd recommend to anyone Malindi, Mombasa, Zanzibar and Cape-town as must visit places if you ever take a trip to Africa.

Couldn't agree anymore. I can talk all day about stuff I've read, or pictures I've seen, first accounts I've heard, but I'll never know the real Africa until I see it with my own eyes, and smell it with my own nose. That's the only time you can really say something concrete about a country, also, it cultivates you and adds life experience.

I knew someone from Tanzania, not a close friend, just someone I talked to in class sometimes. It [Zanzibar] looks amazing. It's funny cause she went to my country, Croatia, on vacation and she freaked out saying it's the most beautiful country she's ever been to, but I look at pictures of Zanzibar and that looks like a piece of heaven right there to me. LOL. That's the difference between knowing the line and walking it (no Johnny Cash pun intended)

 

[vg4030]

Thats what my wife does when she uses the bathroom after me :embarresd:

 

[Casey]

[video]http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=7433512[/video]

 

[vg4030]

^^ LMAO My cousin and I quote that all the time.. except its more like 55-65 mins

 

[_carmi]

One of my friends was born and raised partly in Africa and visits her family over there regularly. I expected poverty everywhere but she told me how life there wasn't much different from here. She doesn't see poor people on every street like they show on TV.

When I said people shouldn't be surprised that Africa has cities and that not everyone is poor, I meant most people I know believe all Africans are half-naked, dying of famine, like you see on TV ads for African charities. Clearly 95% of Africa's population isn't living in extreme poverty. A good portion is, but I'm pretty sure not to that extent. African countries are like Haiti, suffering from corrupted government. Where do you think all the $ collected for the Haitian earthquake went to? Certainly not to help the Haitian people.

 

[ArtsyGirl]

Those cities look ugly. But then I'm not a city type, I'd take natural beauty before concrete anyday. Although first pic on post #289 is nice.

Also on what Kobe was talkin about, I find it funny when people ask if you have electricity in your country when you are talking to them on a computer. I've had people ask me that. Dummies.

 

[Kobe]

^^Umhm, there is loads of natural beauty here believe me.

This is one of my favorite pictures of Nairobi. I saw it on that forum. Actually plenty of us like this picture because it shows a unique aspect of the city. It has a natural game park right outside it.

The other thing we lack here is unity. On a small scale, I could go to a neighboring country like Tanzania and those guys would be thinking that I'm proud because I'm from Kenya. When Tanzanians come here, all we think is damn these guys telling us how to speak our Swahili On extreme cases, you have incidences like what went down in Rwanda when the genocide happened. I mean, that s!@t had to be the most terrifying experience for anyone that lived through it. It's embarrassing that top people in the Kenyan government are hosting Kabuga (one of the masterminds behind it) here and keep on denying it. I hope Kabuga dies the most horrible of deaths a human can endure.

Casey: I didn't know M.J toured in SA. I'm sure I heard about when I was young but, I didn't even have access to information then as I do now. (We'll shift this discussion over to the official MJ thread anyway)

Flipmo: I once saw a Croatia tourism promo on CNN. My friends and I were like, "We have got to go there!!" So yeah, loads of us this way are totally blown away by Croatia as much as you may think likewise of here. Crazy huh?

Carmi: There's a joke this part of the world about the new version of "we are the world". People are glad the clips of starving Ethiopians take a break. That's one of the videos that totally generalized this continent. Loads of people back then (maybe even now) thought Ethiopia was the whole of Africa.

Artsygirl: Hopefully I'll end up in Perth to study for my Masters in July next year........I mean, if all goes well in life. I've got loads to see in Australia, if the cost of living doesn't get the better of my foreign student life.