PETER MAYLE'S RESTAURANT PICKS

British author Peter Mayle spent 15 years in advertising before leaving the business, in 1975, to write children's books. In 1990, he published A Year in Provence, which became an international bestseller; his books have since been translated into 20-plus languages. Mayle’s novel A Good Year was the basis for a 2006 film of the same name...directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe, it

Spotted Hyena Facts

Latin Name: Crocuta crocuta

Weight: Males 50 – 60 kg, females 60 – 70kg.

Lifespan:
Both males and females live 20 to 25 years in the wild. In captivity the spotted hyena can live as long as 40 years.

Sexual differentiation:
At one stage the spotted hyena was actually classified as a hermaphrodite (to have both male and female genitals).

The females have higher levels of testosterone than the males do, resulting in them being larger. They are also more aggressive. At a glance one could easily mistake a female for a male, as the genitals of both the sexes are very similar in appearance. The female has an enlarged clitoris, which she can erect at will, she also has a fake scrotum that looks similar to that of the male’s scrotum.

Social grouping:
Within a group of hyenas there are predominately more females than males. The males have a loose association with the group, often roaming alone or with other males.

Group sizes vary considerably from area to area. Large clans of spotted hyena may have as many as 70 – 80 related individuals. The females being larger than the males, dominate with a definite hierarchy between the females.
The alpha female (matriarch) is normally the oldest and most experienced member of the clan, her young are of a high ranking at birth and often take over the leadership of the clan, if old enough and should the matriarch die.

Reproduction:
Females looking to mate, seek males from neighbouring clans to mate with, thus reducing the chances of any inbreeding.
After a gestation of about 120 days the female gives birth to 1 or 2 cubs which are hidden in old abandoned aardvark (antbear) burrows. The cubs, if of the same sex will often try to kill each other, otherwise known as siblicide. This allows only the stronger and more dominant cubs to survive. Single cubs also get more food and thus develop a lot faster. The cubs are totally black in colour, gradually getting lighter and developing spots as they mature.
The cubs may suckle for more than a year but are normally weaned by 4 months.
They reach sexual maturity by 3 years of age.

Diet and Feeding:
Although hyenas scavenge off other predators such as lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dogs, they are in actual fact superb hunters.
Instead of speed, spotted hyenas rely more on stamina and as a group they take turns in running after their prey over long distances, until the point when the animal exhausts itself and can’t run fast anymore.
The hyena then grabs hold of the prey with its powerful jaws, often tearing chunks of flesh off, resulting in the animal dying from loss of blood and shock.

Bones are no problem for the hyenas jaws to chew though and make a meal there of.

Habits and Territoriality:
The sizes of spotted hyena territories vary considerably, from as little as 30 square kilometres to 800 + square kilometres. Factors that influence the territory size are the availability of food and water as well as pressure from neighbouring rival clans.

Territory boundaries are marked by scent glands from the hyena’s anal region. When scent-marking the spotted hyena bends its hind legs slightly while walking and then smears a thick paste-like substance onto the grass and sticks.

Encounters between rival clans often start with an increase in scent-marking and vocalisations such as whooping. Vocalising acts as a warning signal to the rivals to move out of the area as well as attracting the attention of the other resident clan members to make them aware of the intruding hyenas.

If the all warnings are ignored, a battle between the two clans may begin, often resulting in serious injuries or even deaths.

Quick Facts:
-Statistically, Spotted Hyenas are responsible for EATING (NOT KILLING) more people than any other predator in Africa every year.
-Their jaws are capable of exerting pressures of up to 800 kg/square inch!
-Another name for the spotted hyena is the “laughing hyena”.

Ryugyong Hotel Pyongyang North Korea City tallest hotel

Pyongyang is the capital city of North Korea. It is situated on the Taedong River in the northwest of the country.Pyongyang is the largest city in North Korea. Most tourists fly into Beijing and then connect to the flight to Pyongyang. Trains from China arrive at Pyongyang's main central train station.

Pyongyang recommend hotels, based on the fare from lowest to highest :

1. Heabangsan Hotel*, Sungri Street, Central district, +850 2 37037. A five-storey building which is the cheapest option in Pyongyang. It has 83 rooms, but you cannot be certain that you as a foreigner will be allowed to stay here.

2.Pyongyang Hotel, Sungri Street, Central district (near Pyongyang Grand Theatre), +850 2 38161. Class 2 hotel with 170 rooms, open since 1961.
Taedonggang Hotel, Sungri Street, Central district (beside Taedonggang river), +850 2 38346. 2nd class hotel that has been around since 1956.

3. Yanggakdo Hotel, +850 2 381 2134. Opened 1995. This is where most tourists in Pyongyang end up staying. It is situated on Yanggakdo Island, in the middle of the Taedong River. It is 47 stories tall, has several restaurants (including a revolving restaurant on the top), and a kitsch casino in the basement where you can watch Chinese gamblers go wild. Also has a bowling alley, shoe repair shop and (genuine) massage service. The staff are Chinese. Prices range from €70 for a third-class room on one of the lower floors, to €420 for a deluxe room high up. Meals are included.

4. Koryo Hotel, Changwang Street, +850 2 381 4397. The most luxurious hotel in the city together with Yanggakdo Hotel. Has 45 floors and over 500 rooms. Centrally located in downtown Pyongyang near the train station, makes you less isolated than the Yanggakdo. Singles €175, doubles €290.

5. Potongang Hotel, +850 2 381 2229. First-class hotel situated next to the Potong River about 4 km from the city centre. It has 216 rooms equipped with air conditioning, refrigerator, telephone and satellite TV. The facilities include restaurants, bar, souvenir shop and a beauty salon.

6. Sosan Hotel, Kwangbok Street, +850 2 71191. Another first-class option, recently renovated. Features a pool, bars, internet access and cable TV.
Ryanggang Hotel, Chongchun Street (at the junction of the Taedonggang and Potonggang rivers), Mangyongdae district, +850 2 73825. Opened in 1989, this first-class hotel has 317 rooms and a rotating restaurant on the roof.



Now Pyongyang still developing its future hotel, Ryugyong Hotel, a structure that if it were ever possible to finish would have been the world's tallest hotel, is symbolic of the state of North Korea itself.




The Koryo Hotel in downtown Pyongyang. Walking is the main mode of transport in North Korea, and there are virtually no foreigners. One of the Koryo's towers has a revolving restaurant with a good Korean Barbecue. It used to close promptly at 9pm, whether you were finished eating or not. Recently, with the introduction of tipping, you can stay and drink all night.

Watch The Ryugyong Hotel (or Ryu-Gyong Hotel or Yu-Kyung Hotel or the 105 Building) video here

FREDERIC CLOT, MY HERO!!

I returned to St. Remy last week to find that my Internet modem was kaput. So I called Frederic Clot, who was recommended to me by friends. He arrived when he said he would and speaks lovely English. He quickly diagnosed the problem and put in a work order for me at AOL and France Telecom. They said it would take four days and it did. When Frederic returned to make sure it was all sorted out, he

Difference between Leopard and Cheetah

At a glance one could easily mistake a leopard for a cheetah, but if you take a closer look at them you'll see they are actually quite different.
Here are some of the main physical differences between the two animals:

Leopard

•A very large, muscular predator, weighing 100kg and even more.
•The leopard is a far more powerful animal compared to the cheetah.
•The spots of the leopard are rosette in shape, covering the whole body as well as the face.
•They have white eye-linings at the bottom of the eyes. The white colour assists its vision at night by amplifying light which is reflected off objects around it, into the eyes.
•Just like a "true cat," all of its claws are fully retractable.

Cheetah

•They have a tall and slender build.
•The head of a cheetah is quite small in relation to its body, when compared to leopard, making the cheetah more stream-lined.
•Their nostrils are large in size to allow maximum oxygen in-take for their muscles, while running at high speeds.
•Cheetah's tails are quite flat towards the end, acting as a rudder to balance it while running.
•Instead of having rosette shaped spots, they have single large spots (like thumb prints), covering the whole body. The front of face has very few spots and is more a light brown colour.
•Cheetah's have black "tear lines" which run from the eyes down to the sides of the mouth. They hunt mostly during the day, so the black "tear lines" help absorb light, to prevent a blinding effect from the bright sunlight.
•The cheetah can only retract its dew claw. The dew claw is hooked onto an animal that it's hunting to try pull it down. The rest of the claws are non-retractable, just like dogs, giving the Cheetah better grip on the ground while running.

Seoul Goyang City Best Bars Cafe Clubs Korean

Seoul is not only a city that is renowned for its natural attractions, but it is also known for its unlimited entertainment options. Things to do in the city are countless and one of the major sources of entertainment in the city is the bars and pubs in Seoul. The bars and pubs in the city are world class and contribute considerably to the Seoul's nightlife.

Some of the popular bars and pubs of Seoul are Aura Bar, Groove Bar and Embassy Lounge Bar.

There are a million bars in Seoul. They can be basically lumped into 5 categories:
1. Western Bars -- this doesn't mean there will be any western people, just lots of beer. Number 10, Wa Bar and others fall into this category.
2. Real Western Bars -- replete with real western people. And you can actually stand by the bar.
3. Korean bars -- Places that serve different Korean liquors.
4. Soju Tents -- Little tents set up serving Soju. Often frequented by middle-aged men and less expensive than any other places.
5. Juicy Bars -- The deal here is that you go in and a girl (employee of the bar) will sit down and chat with you, usually wearing skimpy clothing. She'll ask, "Can you buy me a drink" and the drink will cost 20 000 won. Apparently half of the price of a drink will go directly to the girl working there.
6. Nightclubs -- Entertaining if you're feeling frisky. The waitstaff will drag unaccompanied girls to your table to enjoy your company and alcohol for as long as you're able to keep their attention. You're free to send them away when you get bored, and they're likewise free to leave if you're a lout.


Best bars, cafe, and clubs in Seoul City
1. JJ's
Housed in the basement of the Hyatt hotel in Discover JJ's
Itaewon, JJ’s is a popular ex-pat to hang out in the nite.

2. Mafia Bar
A hard-to-find gem in typically upscale Apku-Jong Dong where the hottest stars can be found Discover Mafia Bar
in the hippest bars…

3. Mr. Chow
The exclusive restaurant chain of mercurial designer, painter, actor and art collector Michael Discover Mr. Chow
Chow has now opened in Seoul.

4. Nashville Steak House
Enjoy the best steak in the town.

Here are a few pics of Sinchon in Seodaemun-gu. Seodaemun is located west of Jongno on the way to Goyang-city (one of the biggest Seoul suburbs). Along with Gwancheoldong, Hongdae, Daehangno, Myeongdong, and Gangnam station, Sinchon is a very popular hangout area for the youth. This is probably due to several universities being located nearby, such as Yonsei (one of Korea's most prestigious tertiary-level schools).




Watch Wa Bar, a nightlife bar in Seoul City video here

Difference between Black and White Rhino

Black Rhino (Hooked-lip Rhino)

•Smaller than the white rhino. A large bull weighs around 1000 kg.
•They have a rather small hooked shaped mouth for feeding on trees and shrubs.
•The black rhinos' natural head posture is face upward, so there is no need for it to lift its' head when feeding off trees.
•Black rhino are often found in thick vegetation which is possibly the reason why the female will often run in front of her calf to clear a pathway.
•The black rhino is short tempered and extremely aggressive compared to the white rhino.
•They are very solitary and seldom join up with other individuals.

White Rhino (Broad-mouthed Rhino)

•Larger than black rhino. Large bulls reaching weights of 2500 kg.
•They have a very broad flat mouth which aids in feeding off large quantities of grass.
•A white rhinos' natural head posture faces downward so its' mouth is always close to the ground while grazing.
•They have a very distinct hump above the shoulders as well as a very prominent fold of skin at the lower parts of the shoulders.
•Being a very social animals it is not uncommon to see 10 or 15 white rhinos moving together and sometime more.
•White rhino are normally found in very open areas such as plains.
•The calf normally runs in front of its mother, with the mother using her horn to direct the calf by tapping it on the rear.

There is no colour difference between the two rhinos. The Dutch people named the white rhino the "Weid mond rhino", meaning “Wide-mouth rhino”. The English thought they were saying "white", so it was all just a misinterpretation of the name.

Even though the white rhino is less aggressive, there are still more incidents of them attacking people as they have a higher population and thus regular encounters with people.

The African Big 5

What are the Big 5 and how were they chosen?



1) Lion
2) Leopard
3) African Elephant
4) Black Rhino
5) Cape Buffalo

These 5 animals were chosen by the first European hunters as being the most dangerous animals to hunt and were responsible for killing the most hunters on their hunting safaris’

Why is the Hippopotamus not part of the big five, as statistics show it kills more people in Africa than any other mammal?

The Hippo is very dangerous, but not dangerous to hunt. When Hippo are in water they are quite relaxed when approached on foot, making it very easy for a hunter to get close to them without much threat of an attack.

Man-eating Lions

Why do some Lions become man-eaters?

It has been said that once a Lion eats a person they will often try hunting people again as they then like the taste of human flesh.

This is not the case. A lion does not have many taste preferences, as they will eat just about any meat, especially when they’re hungry. They will even eat rotting meat filled with maggots. A few weeks ago we had a pride of lion eating a large male giraffe, it took them 7 days to finish it. By the 6th day the giraffe meat had tuned into soup it was so rotten, yet the lions kept eating.

The Lions that are most likely to become man-eaters are often old, injured or very ill and are struggling to hunt, so they start looking for alternative prey that might be easier to catch. In some cases a Lion might feel threatened by a person that walks to close to them, and in defence it attacks and kills, possibly turning it into a meal.

Once a Lion has killed a human it may then realize how easy it is to kill us. We are slow and very weak compared to most of the animals that they normally hunt. We are easy prey. In many cases like this, Lions may try hunt humans again, so sadly they must be destroyed to prevent it from happening again.

For more on man-eating lions read: The man-eating lions of the Kruger National Park.

African Elephant Facts

Latin name: Loxodonta africana

Weight:
The average large Elephant bull reaches a weight of 5.5 tons. Some males can be as heavy as 6.5 tons. The females average about 3.5 to 4 tons.

Sexuall differentiation:
Bulls are heavier in weight and generally have thicker tusks than the cows do.
A cow has a more prominent forehead when compared to the bull. With young calves it is rather difficult to see the difference in the forehead.



Gestation period:
The female is pregnant for 22 months.

Breeding and reproduction:
By 10 years of age both males and females are sexually mature. The male however, may only have his first opportunity of mating at the age of 20 to 25 years of age.
The female can give birth to her first calf at 12 years of age.

Only the stronger more dominant bulls get to mate and roughly once a year for about 1 week or as long as 2 or 3 months, the bull goes into a reproductive condition known a musth. When in musth, the male’s temporal glands start secreting excessive fluid and there is also a very visible flow of fluid from the genitals, which has a very prominent /powerful smell. This is all as a result of an increased level in testosterone.

Bulls in musth actively seek breeding herds to find potential females to mate with.
After a successful copulation the female gives birth after a gestation of 22 months. The newborn calf suckles for 18 months or as long as 2 years.
The reason for such a long weaning period is because of the many thousands of muscles that they have in their trunks, making it very difficult for the calf to control. As the calf learns how to use its trunk, it will start feeding more off vegetation and become less dependent on its mother’s milk.

The female’s on average give birth every 5 to 7 years.

Social Life:
There are two main types of herds to be found, breeding herds and bachelor herds.

The breeding herd consists of predominantly females which are related in some way or another. The oldest female normally leads the herd and is known as the matriarch. The matriarch has the most knowledge of the area in which they live. She knows where to find the best feeding areas as well as water.
Over time a breeding herd can get quite large with as many as 200 individuals or more. Large herds will often split with the second oldest female taking charge of the new herd. The two herds will go separate ways and on occasion will join up again for short periods.

Young males, at the age 13 years are chased out of the breeding herd by the adults to be on their own or to join up with other males in the bachelor herds.
Bachelor herds consist of only males. The size of a bachelor herd changes on a regular basis as the males come and go as they please.
Competition for dominance between males is fierce with a definite hierarchy.

Lifespan & Feeding:
A large Elephant bull will eat as much a 200 kg of food a day. Only 40% of that is digested as they have a very weak digestive system. They will eat on average 18 hours a day.

The age will vary from one area to the next. In South Africa they normally reach 60-65 years. In Kenya & Tanzania about 70-75 years. The world record oldest Elephant reached an age of 86 years.
The reason why there is such an age difference in the different countries is due to the type of vegetation that the Elephants are eating. The softer the vegetation is, the longer the lifespan of the animal.

Excluding the tusks, an Elephant has 8 teeth in its’ mouth, 4 molars on the top and 4 on the bottom. They eat on average 18 hours a day so eventually the teeth start cracking and fall out. A new set of teeth will then replace the old set. An Elephant goes through 6 sets of teeth in a lifetime and at the age of about 47 years the last set will push through. Once the last set of teeth have fallen out Elephant starts rubbing the vegetation between its’ gums to try break it down. The condition of the animal deteriorates as it can’t chew its’ food properly to get enough nutrition and eventually dies.

The Elephants in Kenya & Tanzania feed mainly on grass, which is their favourite food. The grass is soft on the teeth, so the Elephants last set of teeth last quite a long time.

The elephants in South Africa also prefer grass but in the winter period when there less grass to eat they then start feeding more on leaves, roots and the bark of trees. This vegetation is a lot harder on the teeth so the last set of teeth don’t last as long as the Elephants in Kenya/Tanzania.

Elephant's Trunk:
No one knows for 100% how many muscles there are. I have heard two figures, one of
40 0000 and another of 140 000 muscles. With so many muscles so close together it makes it difficult to count. What might look like 1 muscle could be a small group of muscles.
So the correct answer would be "the elephant has thousands of muscles in the trunk".

Quick Facts:
- An Elephant is capable of running at a top speed of 45km/hour.
- The African Elephant's closest relative is the Dassie (Hyrax)
- The collective name for elephant is a parade or memory of elephants.
- A Mature elephant bull produces on average 120 kg of dung every day!!

African Animal Names

Lion
Sotho - Tau
Tsonga / Shangaan – Ngala
Tswana - Tau
Swahili - Simba
Xhosa - Isigidi
Zulu - Ingonyama
Afrikaans – Leeu

Leopard
Sotho – Nkwe
Swahili – Chui
Tsonga / Shangaan – Yingwe
Tswana - Nkwe
Xhosa - Ingwe
Zulu - Ingwe
Afrikaans - Luiperd

Cheetah
Sotho - Lengau
Tsonga / Shangaan – Xikankanka
Tswana – Lengau
Swahili - Duma
Xhosa - Ihlosi
Zulu - Ingulule
Afrikaans - Jagluiperd

Caracal
Sotho - Thoane
Tsonga – Nandzana
Tswana – Thwane
Xhosa - Ingqawa
Zulu - Indabushe
Afrikaans - Rooikat

Serval
Sotho - Tlodi
Tsonga / Shangaan – Ndloti
Tswana – Tadi
Xhosa - Hlosi
Zulu - Ndlozi
Afrikaans - Tierboskat

Civet
Sotho - Leqaqane
Tsonga / Shangaan – Mfungwe
Tswana - Tsaparangaka
Xhosa - Inyhwagi
Zulu - Iqaqa
Afrikaans – Siwet

African Wild Dog
Sotho – Lekanyane
Swahili - Mbwa mwitu
Tsonga / Shangaan – mahlolwa
Tswana - Lethalerwa
Xhosa - Ixhwili
Zulu - Inkentshane
Afrikaans - Wildehond

Black-backed Jackal
Sotho – Phokojwe
Swahili - Bweha
Tswana – Phokoje
Tsonga / Shangaan – Mangawana
Xhosa – Impungutye
Zulu – Impungushe
Afrikaans – Swartrugjakkals

Side-striped Jackal
Sotho - Phokojwe
Tsonga Shangaan - Mhungubya
Afrikaans - Witwasjakkals

Cape Fox
Tswana – Lesie
Xhosa - uGqeleba
Afrikaans - Silwervos

Bat-eared Fox
Tswana - Tlhose
Xhosa – Motlόsi
Zulu - Udlamhloshwana
Afrikaans - Bakoorjakkals

Aardwolf
Sotho – Thikgwi
Tswana - Mmabudu
Zulu – Nehi
Afrikaans - Aardwolf

Spotted Hyena
Sotho - Sentawana
Swahili - Fisi
Tsonga / Shangaan – Mhisi
Tswana - Phiri
Xhosa - Mpisi
Zulu - Mpisi
Afrikaans – Gevlekte hiёna

Brown Hyena
Swahili – Nyani
Xhosa - Ingqawane
Afrikaans – Strandjut, bruinhiёna

Lesser Bushbaby
Swahili – Komba
Tsonga / Shangaan - Nwana kahina
Tswana - Kgajwanamasigo
Zulu - Nhlathini umntwana
Afrikaans – Nagapie

Vervet Monkey
Sotho - Kgabo
Swahili – Tumbili
Tsonga / Shangaan – Nkawu
Tswana – Kgabo
Xhosa - Inkawu
Zulu – Nkawu
Afrikaans – Blou-aap

Baboon
Sotho – Tshwene
Tsonga / Shangaan – Mfenhe
Tswana - Tshwene
Xhosa - Imfene
Zulu – Isidawana
Afrikaans - Bobbejaan

Porcupine
Swahili – Nungu
Tsonga / Shangaan - Jelwana
Tswana - Noko
Zulu – Ngungumbane
Afrikaans - Ystervark

Giraffe
Sotho – Thuhlo
Swahili - Twiga
Tsonga / Shangaan – Nhutlwa
Tswana - Thutlwa
Xhosa - Indulamithi
Zulu - Indulamithi
Afrikaans – Kameelperd

African Elephant
Sotho – Tlou
Swahili - Tembo
Tsonga / Shangaan – Ndlopfu
Tswana – Tlou
Xhosa – Indlovu
Zulu – Indlovu
Afrikaans – Olifant

Hippopotamus
Sotho – Kubu
Swahili - Kiboko
Tsonga / Shangaan – Ndlopfu
Tswana - Kubu
Xhosa - Imvubu
Zulu - Imvubu
Afrikaans - Seekoei

White Rhinoceros
Sotho– Tshukudu e molomo o sephara
Swahili - Faru
Tsonga / Shangaan – Mkhumbi
Tswana - Tshukudu e tshweu
Xhosa - Umkhombe
Zulu - Ubhejane
Afrikaans - Witrenoster

Black Rhinoceros
Sotho - Tshukudu e molomo wa haka
Swahili - Faru
Tsonga / Shangaan – Mhelembe
Tswana - Tshukudu e ntsho
Xhosa - Ubhejane
Zulu - Ubhejane
Afrikaans – Swartrenoster

Zebra
Sotho – Pisti
Swahili - Punda milia
Tsonga Shangaan – Mangwa
Tswana - Pitsi
Xhosa - Iqwarhashe
Zulu - Idube
Afrikaans - Sebra

Warthog
Sotho – Kolobe
Swahili - Ngiri
Tsonga / Shangaan – Honci
Tswana - Kolobe
Xhosa - Ingulube
Zulu - Intibane
Afrikaans - Vlakvark

Bushpig
Sotho - Kolobemoru
Tsonga – Khumba
Tswana - Kolobe ya naga
Zulu - Ngulube
Afrikaans - Bosvark

Nyala
Sotho - Phuthiatsana
Tsonga / Shangaan – Inyala
Xhosa -
Zulu - Inyala
Afrikaans – Njala

Kudu
Sotho – Tholo
Swahili - Tandala
Tsonga / Shangaan – Nhongo
Tswana - Tholo
Xhosa - Iqudu
Zulu - Umgankla
Afrikaans - Koedoe

Bushbuck
Sotho - Pabala
Tsonga Shangaan – Mbbavala
Tswana - Serolobotlhoko
Xhosa - Imbabala
Zulu - Imbabala
Afrikaans - Bosbok

Common Reedbuck
Sotho - Lekwena
Tsonga Shangaan – nhlangu
Tswana - Sebugatla
Xhosa - Ntlangu
Zulu - Nxala
Afrikaans - Rietbok

Waterbuck
Sotho - Phitlwa
Tsonga / Shangaan – Mhitlwa
Tswana - Pitlhwa
Zulu - Phiva
Afrikaans - Waterbok

Impala
Sotho – Phala
Swahili - Swala pala
Tsonga – Mhala
Tswana - Phala
Xhosa - Impala
Zulu - Impala
Afrikaans - Rooibok

Sable
Sotho - Phalafala
Tsonga / Shangaan – Mhalamhala
Tswana - Kwalata
Zulu - Mpalampale
Afrikaans – Swartwitpens

Roan
Sotho - Hlaba-ka-lela
Tsonga / Shangaan – Ndakadsi
Tswana - Kunkuru
Afrikaans - Bastergemsbok

Gemsbok
Sotho – Nyamatsane
Tswana - Kukama
Xhosa - Inkukhama
Afrikaans - Gemsbok

Eland
Sotho - Phofu
Tsonga / Shangaan – mhofu
Tswana - Phofu
Xhosa - Impofu
Zulu - Impofu
Afrikaans - Eland

Red Hartebeest
Sotho – Tlohela
Tswana - Kgama
Afrikaans - Rooihartebeest

Tsessebe
Sotho - Kgama ya lebasetere
Tsonga / Shangaan – Nondo
Tswana – Tshesebe
Afrikaans - Basterhartbees

Blue Wildebeest
Sotho – Kgokong
Swahili - Nyumbu
Tsonga / Shangaan – Hongonyi
Tswana - Kgokong
Xhosa - Nkhonhoni
Zulu - Nkhonhoni
Afrikaans – Blouwildebeest

Cape Buffalo
Sotho - Nare
Tsonga / Shangaan – Nyarhi
Swahili - Nyati
Tswana - Nare
Xhosa - Inyathi
Zulu - Inyathi
Afrikaans - Buffel

Nile Crocodile
Swahili – Mamba
Tsonga / Shangaan - Ngwenya
Tswana - Kwena
Zulu – Ingwenya
Afrikaans – Nyl Krokodil

LUXE IN THE LUBERON

The French soap maker L’Occitane (and two investors) have opened the 46-room Couvent des Minimes Hotel & Spa in a restored 400-year-old stone convent outside Mane, in the Luberon. (It's about an hour from Avignon.) I haven't been there yet but I hear, from well-traveled friends, that it's amazing. The four-star hotel is home to the first L’Occitane Spa in France. Chef Philippe Guerin, 38,

LOST IN TRANSLATION?

I just happened on a wonderful new program called MeGlobe. (Register free at MeGlobe.com and choose a username and password.) It's basically a real time translator for instant messaging, which allows you to "chat" with people all over the world, in their own language. As you type, you'll see your original message as well as the translation of it, into the language of your choice. (There are many,