BUMPER POST: RAG PROCESSION 2010 and FIFA WORLD CUP 2010

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!!!

MAXDOG here...

Hello there to all my fur-friends and my "not-so-furry-friends" from around the globe!

I, the MAXDOG want to play TOUR GUIDE today and I have a bumper post of some wonderful photos for you all.

As you know, SOUTH AFRICA is the host country for the FIFA SOCCER WORLD cup this year and our country is alive with preparations of different kinds. Around the country, stadiums are being built and roads are being dramatically upgraded. Our "GAUTRAIN" (Rapid train transport system) is well on its way to completion...

Yesterday, our humans went to THE UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA to watch their annual RAG PROCESSION. Every year, the students spend hours of their time building beautiful floats made out of small paper flowers. When these are complete, they parade their creations through the streets of the city in order to raise money for various charitable causes.

I, the MAXDOG, present pictures of this incredible rag procession for your viewing pleasure...

Obviously the theme this year was FIFA WORLD CUP 2010...

(The float above is the "GAUTRAIN" with the 'rainbow' of our Rainbow nation in the background.)

Next...a float of the 'AFRICAN WAY!'...


Some Scottish pipers gave the procession an international flavour.
I wonder if this was for your personal enjoyment, HAMISH?!

Each residence at the university produced a float for the procession. Students from each residence marched behind their floats with money tins - obviously to "rob" the spectators of their cash...all for a good cause though!...

Obviously, the FIFA WORLD CUP 2010 is about SOCCER!!!

Above...the front of the float.

Below...the back of the same float. Check out the spectators and also the goalie!...

PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN!!!

...means that we also contribute to science and technology. This university is well credited in terms of world standards. Space technology is high our the agenda too.
The front of the float...

The back of the float...

No SOUTH AFRICAN experience is complete without a "braai" (barbeque) and a trip to the bush (camping). You will need an umbrella and lots of sunblock when you visit our country...

Above: ..The BIG YELLOW sunglasses (Specially for the NSLM...Murray!)are also symbolic of the spectators at the WORLD CUP.

Below: Our wild-life is also on offer! Check out the LION and RHINO on the L.H.S. and the Buffalo on the R.H.S of the back of this float.

The float below has a few features which are somewhat hidden:
The VUVEZELA (South African trumpet...the green trumpet on the right)...

"OUMA" RUSKS (in the warthog's hand) are also produced in our country.

The word: "LADUMA" ..(Which means GOAL!)will be heard echoing through the stadiums.

Another float with a spectator blowing the VUVEZELA.

Behind this float, in the background is the

University of Pretoria's main administration block._

Some more SOUTH AFRICAN PRODUCTS:

"MRS BALL'S CHUTNEY"

"BLACK LABEL BEER" ( A student favourite!)

"OUMA RUSKS" in the background...

Our famous "TAXI"s and Madiba himself:
MR NELSON MANDELA...
in "INVICTUS" mode

A typical rural homestead...

The next float is a VERY interresting one!!!

Some ingenious person has designed (in real life) a WATER PUMP for a township or rural setting. It is propelled by a childrens' playground and "round-about" and therefore does not need electricity....It is an EXCELLENT invention in a time where we have to be environmentally friendly!

I would like to personally compliment the University and its student body on a well organised, well planned and thoroughly appropriate RAG PROCESSION...

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

So, my friends, what do you think?
Which float is your favourite?

Are any of you perhaps considering coming to our country for this big event?

Hope you enjoyed my bumper blogpost. I love you all!

Lotsalicks

MAXDOG IN SOUTH AFRICA

I'M MUCH BETTER!...PHOTO OVERLOAD

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!!!

MAXDOG here...

Hello there dear friends!...I am much better!!!

Thank you all again for your 'get well' wishes! They have worked enormously and I am on the road to recovery. Mom is delighted with my progress, but more of that later...

It would be remiss of me if I, as your TOUR GUIDE, didn't give you the latest news from JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA..

This was the headline on yesterday's local daily newspaper...

Remember I told you about the incessant rain we have had over the past two weeks. Well such an event has consequences. For example, on one evening this past week there was a cloudburst and over 98mm fell in 2 hours. Can you can imagine that amount of water!

Well our main water source - THE VAAL DAM - was 106% full 2 days ago, so the authorities decided to open 9 sluice gates to the dam. This is equivalent to releasing water which would fill 72 000 average swimming pools, EVERY HOUR!!

That is an unbelievable amount of water, I am sure you will agree, so I thought you might be interested in this snippet of news!

Let's move on to the news of me...THE MAXDOG...

Yesterday morning I woke mom up with a muzzle nudge! She responded with a wide grin - probably because I haven't done this for over a week. There was also a spring in her step when I later gobbled down my food. She says that these are the signs that I am on the mend...

Well last night I decided that I'd had enough of being holed up, so I gently went to tell the "Boss that it was time for a walk!!!". I think he got the wrong idea...

But hey!...who says "NO!" to an ear rub?!?

But I persisted in trying to get the message across...


He didn't seem to hear me, so I went to tell mom.
She was playing with my giraffe, so I made sure that I got it back and manoeuvred
her into the house again...towards our leads...




TAMMY was with me when they finally got the message!

We were very excited about our walk...




I'm looking much better, don't you think?

TAMMY doesn't look too bad herself!...


Since we have had so much RAIN, the grass has taken off. Some folk just haven't managed to keep up with the mowing of their lawns.
(Something like me not managing to comment on all your blogs...sob!)
We don't mind the long grass at all!...


This is the part of our walk where we are allowed to go
"FREE!!!"

We finally got home. I was panting a lot, but I think it was from happiness!...


So THANK YOU again to all my buddies for helping me get better. I'm still on my medication and still have a while before it is finished and I have to go back to Dr Ernie for a check, but for the moment, I am well!




Hope you are also frisky!
...and have a happy weekend!
Lotsalicks
MAXDOG IN SOUTH AFRICA

.......x........




AN IMPORTANT "PS"



HAMISH: Thank you for coining the term..."Distinguished"!!!

STELLA: Thank you for suggesting that we should age backwards!!! (It means I have 10 more years left...yay!)

ANNA: You may, with absolute pleasure, grow Zebra stripes with Tammy!

ANGUS: Toffee is just fine!!!

KB: Thanks for admiring my poses...they are not quite like yours, but thanks anyway!

COCO: Thanks for caring for me...you're still my 'sideline' dearest one!

TESSA: Thanks to your humans for all their great suggestions for mom's foot!

SUGAR: I really love your "WOOF!"s!!

KIM: There is no way that I want to become a zebra...that's girl stuff!!!

JAKE & FERGIE: Thanks for just "being YOU!"...and good luck for MM

HOUNDSTOOTH & THE OP PACK: Glad you like my garden...I'm growing it for mom!

TWINKYTINYDOG: Thanks for the suggestion of 'Nutrical'...we're still trying to establish if it's available here...but maybe I won't need it afterall!

BENNY & LILY: Thanks for being patient about my tour-guide duties!

TWEEDLES: You may, with pleasure play with Tammy in the mud...just take a photo!

DEBORAH: Hope Ariel got her walk!

BRUTUS: Get better soon, buddy! It's not fun having the sickies!

LORENZA: Hope your momma's meds are actually making her better too!

HUSKEY & HERSHEY: Thank you for the compliment about my silky ears...of course your mom may rub them...hope the dirr...r..eeeee...a... solidifies!

MANGO: Good luck with your Minster!!! (I'm watching all the fun from the sidelines this year!)


EVERYONE ELSE: You have been truly FANTASTIC with all your well wishes...I love you all. Sorry mom hasn't been getting to comment on all your blogs, but we try our best.

Lotsalicks
MAXDOG IN SOUTH AFRICA

IT'S STILL RAINING

GREETINGS FROM A RAINY JOHANNESBURG!!!

MAXDOG here...

Firstly, let me say a big thank you to everyone who has sent me "get well" wishes. We really appreciate all your comments and support. I am an ageing dog now, so it's expected that I should slow down a little, don't you think? But more of that later.

My friends, I have neglected my TOUR GUIDE duties for some time now, so let me simply tell you about the rain!
It has really has settled in here in JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA!!!.

We have had so much rain lately that they will be opening the flood gates of our main dam soon...the VAAL DAM. Many shack dwellings in the Johannesburg area have been flooded and many people have lost all their possessions. I am so thankful that I have a good house to live in!

Although we have been getting some sunshine, the humidity levels have been really high. TAMMY has been romping in mom's garden and getting herself really dirty! I think we should consider her for some mud wrestling competitions.

(Sorry no photos, but you can imagine! She looks like a zebra!)

Anyway last night, Mom went out into the garden at 7 pm.

Look at the clouds in our evening sky...

As the sun started to dip into the horizon, they looked like this...

...and finally like this...

Although I went out with her, I preferred to stay on the cool patio...

I am still not very well, but am I am chugging along. Mom says that the liver meds might be making me nauseous...I think so. I still stay close to her for comfort, but this afternoon she insisted that the two of us go and check out the garden...

I managed to appease her with a few sniffs here and there...

Then I heard something in the shrub and pricked up my ears...
This old Maxdog is still on alert!

...but it was nothing worth writing home about!

The big surprise was a new flower in Mom's garden...

...aint that stunning!?!

The small ones are just as pretty...

Well eventually Mom said to me,

"Max, your bloggie friends are worried about you! Don't you want to strike up a pose for them?"

So although it's not my best picture, I did make the effort for you guys!

Thank you again for thinking of me.

I love you all so much too!
Lotsalicks

MAXDOG IN SOUTH AFRICA