Tag Archives: NAMIBIA

5 ROMANTIC DESTINATIONS FOR TROUBLED COUPLES ON BUDGET

Posted on Categories LIFESTYLE & ARTS, TRAVELLeave a comment

Are you tired of the daily grind? Worse than that, are you tired of your partner? Don’t want to walk through the door because you know you’re in for another fight? Feel guilty every time you catch yourself rolling your eyes at something they said?

Well, rest assured that you’re not the only one. Couples experience problems all the time. From newbies to those who have been together for decades, relationship troubles are certainly not new to the world.

Whether you intend to stay or go, you may want to consider giving it one last shot before making your final decision. No matter what you’re going through, there’s no denying that you once loved your partner with all you heart. Isn’t that reason enough to save the relationship? If so, you should consider rekindling the romance, and a great way to do so is to head off on a romantic adventure together. There’s no harm in trying to save what you’ve built together, and even if the trip is fruitless, at least you can say you tried.

 

 

 

Sometimes, all it takes is a little getaway to fix what’s broken. Take a vacation at these romantic vacation spots, and fall in love all over again.

1. Maldives. It’s hard not to feel love for the person you’re with when you’re surrounded by absolute beauty. The Maldives is one of the most pristinely perfect places in the world, and no matter which atoll you end up on, you can rest assured that it will be paradise on earth. From all-in resorts like Club Med to exclusive private islands, take your pick from the myriad luxurious and romantic options available to you.

2. Namib Desert, Namibia. Imagine ever-changing sand dunes as far as the eye can see. Minuscule grains of sand are being blown around by the wind, their tiny surfaces reflecting the sun’s brilliant rays billions at a time, shifting and changing the landscape with every blink of the eye. As you trudge over yet another dune, you suddenly see the Atlantic Ocean in front of you in all its cold, choppy, and harsh glory.

The Namib Desert stretches all the way to the ocean, and those who are unprepared will think that they just stepped into a surrealist painting. It is a place that’s unreal, untouched, and unfettered by conventional tourism and perfect if you want to fix your broken relationship. The harsh landscape will put things into perspective, especially if you’re able to see how raw and beautiful nature is.

3. Big Island, Hawaii. Hawaii is renowned for its rich culture, beautiful heritage, amazing landscape, and perfect beaches. There’s no better place to douse yourself in love and lust than on the Big Island, the largest of Hawaii’s eight islands.

The Big Island boasts everything from black sand beaches to a live volcano, and will be the perfect place to rekindle your love if your relationship is on the rocks. You can opt for absolute privacy and stay barricaded at one of the many luxury resorts or opt for an adventure getaway and indulge in hiking, camping, kayaking, and so on.

4. Chamonix, France. They say that Paris is the most romantic city in France, but there’s no denying that Chamonix in the French Alps offers unparalleled romance. The magnificent mountains will be sure to take your breath away, and there’s no denying that indulging in fine wine, cheeses, and strolling through the adorable town will make you fall in love with each other again.

Whether you want to take it easy and breathe in the crisp mountain air from your chalet or get closer to the sun by skiing thousands of meters above sea level, Chamonix will be sure to revive your love life in ways that you never imagined.

5. Seychelles. There’s a reason why Britain’s Prince William and Princess Kate selected the Seychelles as their honeymoon destination. Diverse coral reefs, pristine beaches, dense forests, amazing seafood, rare wildlife, and myriad ultra-luxurious resorts call this African archipelago home.

There’s certainly no reason why you can’t rekindle the romance here. Known as one of the most beautiful places on earth, the Seychelles offers everything from utter relaxation to nonstop adventure, so depending on what kind of holiday you want, you’ll get it.

 

Originally appeared in lovepanky

VIDEO: WHY IN NAMIBIA’S HOT WEATHER,THE HERERO WOMEN STILL ADORN HEAVY DRESSES ADOPTED FROM THEIR OPPRESSORS

Posted on Categories FASHION, STYLE5 Comments on VIDEO: WHY IN NAMIBIA’S HOT WEATHER,THE HERERO WOMEN STILL ADORN HEAVY DRESSES ADOPTED FROM THEIR OPPRESSORS

In Namibia, where the average temperature in the summer is 80 degrees, Herero women deck themselves out with long sleeves and petticoats. Their gorgeous dresses, elaborate headpieces, and vibrant patterns showcase their pride in their identity, all the while alluding to the suffering they’ve endured within the past 100 years — including a genocide that nearly wiped them out.

But what produced the Herero sense of style is clearly known. In the late 19th century, the Germans took possession of “German South Africa” (nowadays Namibia). They then systematically appropriated Herero grazing land and brought Herero people in to work for them. The wives of the German colonialists and missionaries took upon themselves to teach the women working in their houses how to dress “properly”.

The Herero people resisted expropriation for many years and started a “great rebellion” that ended with their near destruction in the early 1900s. One would think that the Hereros would have rejected a style of dressing imposed by the colonialists, yet the Herero women embraced it fully and to this day have fiercely protected their dress as a crucial part of their cultural identity.

Herero dress is important to their personal identities, and individual, clan, and national expressions of remembrance and protest.

So even in Namibia’s tropical climate, Herero ladies wear heavy dresses, reflecting the style of the Victorian period with numerous petticoats worn to add roundness to their skirts.Though it’s evolved in the past century, much of the ensemble’s main features have endured: floor-sweeping hemlines, long sleeves, petticoats (which can total up to 24 meters of fabric), and signatures like bold, waxed prints, fringed capes, and a horned hat that honors the Herero’s cow herding roots. 

One can see them while visiting Herero villages but also in larger cities, like in Windhoek, Namibia’s capital. The dresses are hand-sewn, with women adding their own personal flair, and are topped off with an elaborate horn-shaped headgear sometimes made of a matching fabric. The headdress is said to represent the horns of the cattle, which are so important to the Himba and Herero communities. These elaborate dresses also convey social status as only married women wear them. (Unmarried women wear more typical, modern western clothes.) Also, the size of the hat is an indication of the size of cattle herd own by the family; a larger hat suggests a more prosperous family. The Herero women take enormous pride in their outfits.

VIDEO CREDIT: Refinery29