2010 - a great year for Durban

This is the end of a great year and we're finishing on a hot note. This is the year South Africa hosted the FIFA World Cup Football event and our Guesthouse was spinning with hot fans from all over the world.

We travelled the world as well with a trip to Dublin, skiing in Bulgaria, and Amsterdam in February, as well as a road trip to Cape Town after the World Cup in July. August saw us on a gay-only Baltic Cruise from Copenhagen to Estonia, St Petersberg, Helsinki, Stockholm and Amsterdam gay Pride. And in October we did a short work-related trip and conference on a cruise from Hong Kong to China and Vietnam. We also visited Cape Town again - one of our favourite world cities.

After the rescession of 2009, business confidence in South Africa improved, particularly with the World Cup taking place and my office business grew once again. In March this year I took on a partner and we go into 2011 with renewed vigor and confidence for an even better year.

2010 was the year our hot Charl van den Berg, Mr Gay South Africa, also lifted the Mr Gay World title - well done Charl, we are so proud of you. My Gay Cape Town, Gay Johannesburg and Gay South Africa blogs also took off and I introduced a Google Map of each city linked on these blogs.

So here's to all of you on this last day of 2010. We in  South Africa, with a time zone difference of between 6 and 9 hours compared to New York and San Francisco, will get to 2011 first- around midday in the States.. so party hard and will chat to you again next year. Thanks for following - reaching our all-time record readership of our Hotbodz blog this month - will bring you more of the hottest bodz next year.  Dave



Last days of 2010

As 2010 comes to an end we celebrate with Cape Town guests Garth and David in the photo with guesthouse co-owner Llewellyn (right).

Eating out in Durban

We don't eat out often enough, but when we do, our favourite pub and restaurant where the guys are hotter and the food good and resonably priced is Billy the Bums. We even have a loyalty card going there.

We joined guests Phillip (left) and Renier (right) for a drink and dinner at Billys, forgetting that Tuesday was ladies night, so there were a whole load of hot chicks there... Mondays are best when it's Burger and Beer special... mmm

Nightcap at Harveys

Friend and waiter at Harveys, Graham, with Llewellyn (centre) and myself (Dave)

Fine dining and elegant decor at Harveys

We don't often have our main course there as it's fine dining and top of the range, but last night we popped in after dinner at Billy The Bums, for a nightcap at Harveys.

A glass of sherry and a delicious Chocolate Mousse cake to share.. just the trick before home.

Christmas Fun in Durban

Enjoying the Christmas spirit at the full Guesthouse and later at The Lounge gay club in Durban are Llewellyn (top left), myself (Dave), Peter and Francois from Johannesburg and in the second photo we join Warren the Manager of The Lounge.

Christmas Breakfast

It's Christmas morn and we managed to russle up a small feast for guests on this our 7th Christmas together and 6th running the Guesthouse.

Happy Christmas guys and glad you could share this special day with us.

Christmas Guesthouse fun

It's been a party every night for locals and Guests at the Guesthouse in the run-up to Christmas. A lot of this has to do with party animal and hooligan Marc who has been working on a ship in the Gulf of Mexico - 5 weeks on duty and 5 home - which means a  horny and thirsty "seaman" - in the middle seen here with Llewellyn (left) and Garret.

In the top photo Duane, Celeste and Pieter ( a  dentist... where was he when we needed him - see story below) from Britz are finding out what Durbanites do for fun. Enjoy guys!!

Dr Marc to the rescue

What a day Friday turned out to be. I had chipped my tooth and was booked in at the dentist. Guest Marc co-incidentally had the same problem so I hauled him off to the dentist with me going a bit earlier to see if he could be squeezed in.

My dentist died that morning, much to our shock and berwilderment. Marc is a paramedic though and serving as a ship's doctor on an oil exploration ship in the Gulf of Mexico is used to improvising and fixing any emergency. So out he came with some dentist-filler and stopped up the chipped wall of my tooth as well as his own. Although a working day, that was the end of all prospect of work and Marc, his friend Dimitri and I mixed all known cocktails and spent the rest of the day downing them. Thanks Marc!!

Durban's first Pink Parade

Durban's first Pink Parade took place this morning down Florida Rd. The event formed part of the Pink Mynah Festival which took place in Pietermaritzburg and Durban this week.

Durban View Guesthouse was represented in the Parade and next year we want to go even better with our own float and involving the guests in floatbuilding the night before.

Kevin Ellis was the star of the parade with a glitzy and feathered pink (of course) glam outfit  and a thumping band swept us down the street. The gathering was small but this was a great start to what hopefully will be a growing annual event.

Make sure you are kept in touch with events like this by joining our Gay Durban Facebook group. You  can also see more pics of the Parade loaded there. Check out the YouTube video clip here.

Hot weekend

Having fun in Durban are guests from Cape Town Byron and Travis (left in photos) joined by locals Shaun and Stuart (middle). Guesthouse owners Llewellyn and myself Dave are on the right.

We revved up the pub music a bit with an excellent selection the Cape boys brought with them and enjoyed some fun and laughter around the pub and pool. Great meeting you guys!

Happy times

The guesthouse was the scene of an engagement last night.. not ours, but friends of my daughter's and we took the opportunity for a happy snap of ourselves in the Guesthouse Pub as we waited for Steve to pop the question to Andy on the rooftop.

Pink Mynah Festival 11-18 Dec 2010

Our brothers in Pietermaritzburg have been working hard to extend their Pink Mynah Festival to Durban and this year sees the crowning of the Mr and Ms Gay KZN at the Bat Centre on the 18th.

The Festival takes place over the period 11th - 18th December and includes workshops, drama performances, movie screenings culminating in the parade down Florida Road and pageant in Durban.

Here is the full programme:

PINK MYNAH FESTIVAL PROGRAM

Saturday, 11 December- kick-start festival

Soccer Day PMB 11am

Pink Party @ Kismet Hotel, PMB @ 8pm

Pink Mynah festivities at the Lounge Stamford Hill Rd &Angelos West Street, Durban

Monday, 13 December

10h00 Hate crime workshop – Darkchildz office, DBN

19h00 Book Fair –The Butchery PMB(Exclusive Books)

Tuesday, 14 December

10h00 Heterosexism workshop – Imbali PMB

18h00 Drama performance by Thespian drama group & Injongo Performing Arts & Entertainment – BAT Centre, DBN

Wednesday, 15 December

10h00 Homosexuality and the Bible (Q&A session) – Deo Gloria Family Church48 Gordon Road, Morningside (off Florida Road)

19h00 Film show screening – Nino’s Restaurant Golden Horse Casino, PMB &BAT Centre, DBN

Thursday, 16 December

10h00 Drama performance by Thespian drama group &Injongo Performing Arts & Entertainment –Winston Churchill Theatre PMB

Friday, 17 December

Preparation for parade and pageant

Saturday, 18 December

10h00 – 14h00 Street parade starts at Mitchell Park in Florida Rd to Bean Bag

19h00 – Mr & Ms Gay KZN pageant – Sipho Gumede Hall, BAT Centre, DBN

PROGRAMME TIMES & VENUE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

STAY GAY IN DURBAN

 There is still space at the inn if you would like to stay over in Durban.. remember the 16th is a public holiday here so most people will be making a long weekend of it.

Patrice takes some pics



Enjoying a drink at Billy the Bums are guest Patrice with Llewellyn and myself (Dave)







Beach rugby and hot boys in Durban

 


Surfing the wave at Durban's North Beach



The Guesthouse pool at night



 I love it when guests snap some photos of the guesthouse or Durban. Here Guest Patrice from Canada and now living in Atlanta provided some great photos of the guesthouse at night. In the top photo we enjoyed drinks at our favourite pub, Billy the Bums.

Read Patrice's review of the Guesthouse here.

The Guesthouse - photo from the pool area towards the guest Patio

Friend and Durban photographer Ryan snaps guest Patrice from Atlanta on Durban's beachfront Pier

Shooters all round

Guests from Johannesburg Gerrit, Anrich and Kim from Johannesburg join Joe and Jaco from Namibia for shooters before going off to The Lounge for some fun on the town. 

Our Mr Gay World 2010 in Durban

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I was priviledged to meet Charl van den Berg, our current Mr Gay South Africa, and Mr Gay World 2010 right here at the Guesthouse last night (that's Charl on the left..lol).

The Mr Gay South Africa ™ finalists for the 2010 pageant were in Durban for their Mocambique cruise which sailed today and we hosted them for a pre-cruise Cocktail function at the Guesthouse. Charl is delightful and a beautiful person and certainly an excellent ambassador for South Africa and the gay world. See the further post below for more pics of our Guests and the stunning contestants in the pageant which holds its grand finale' later this month.

Rainbow Cruise send-off



Alan, Llewellyn  and Kevin




Dustin with Alternative Travel's Leon Nel and Ernest




Finalists Errol and Karl




Francois and Jared




Gavin and Juanne




Guests Jaco from Namibia, Elad from Israel, Juanne from Joburg, guesthouse co-owner Llewellyn and Joe from Namibia




Jared with guesthouse co-owner Dave




Joe with Mr Gay South Africa organiser Coenie, Jaco, and Mr Gay World 2010 Charl van den Berg




Juanne with Finalist Prince from KwaZulu-Natal




The Guesthouse was full for the weekend and enjoying drinks at The Lounge on Saturday were Guesthouse co-owners Llewellyn and Dave with their Namibia guests Joe and Jaco




Hamming it up are guests Peter, also from Namibia with Elad from Israel and Juanne from Johannesburg



Enjoying a weekend of fun at the Guesthouse we had an evening of drinks and pantomime on Saturday, followed by a pre-cruise Cocktail party on Sunday for the Mr Gay South Africa finalists and judges and the Rainbow Cruise passengers who left for a 5-night cruise to Mocambique today. Enjoy the cruiseguys and we look forward to your return for more fun with us on Friday.

Mr Gay South Africa ™ contestants cruising from Durban

Rainbow Cruise operator

Ms Sinfonia sailing from Durban

It's going to be a bumper weekend in Durban with the Mr Gay South Africa 2010 ™ Contestants arriving for the Rainbow cruise on the Ms Sinfonia which leaves Durban for Mocambique on Monday.

The action hots up right here at the Guesthouse on Saturday evening as we start our Pink Night welcoming guests at a Cocktail Party, followed by the adult pantomine Peter Pan at Musgrave Supper Theatre.

Durban's fabulous, famous and hilariously funny cast will present their annual show featuring Captain Hooker (Anthony Stonier), Rowan Bartlett (Peter Pan), Rikki Hastings (Wendy) and Thomie Holtzhausen (Mrs Darling). So get your weekend off to a great start and join us here at the guesthouse from 6pm this Saturday.. and see where the weekend takes you....

Ernest Gravett, Mr Gay South Africa ™ finalist

Internationals tour South Africa

We love the international flavour of the Guesthouse. In the photo are Ton and Robbert  (from Utrecht, Natherlands) and travelling for the first time in South Africa... following a tried and tested itinerary - land in Johannesburg, travel to the Kruger National Park, drive down through Swaziland to the east Coast visiting the Game Reserve Mkuze and St Lucia Wetland Park (Hippo and Cocodiles) and then to Durban. From Durban fly to Port Elizabeth and then drive along the Garden Route to Cape Town visiting the Tsitsikama Forest, Storms River, Knysna, possibly Oudshoorn and then Stellenbosch. Another route, and perhaps better would be to drive from the Kruger Park down through our Drakensberg Mountains to reach Durban rather than the coastal road and through Swaziland.

Joining us at the guesthouse also in the photo with Llewellyn (guesthouse co-owner, middle) are Ian and Nick from Melbourne, who have been working on contract in Johannesburg for the past nine months and are taking some time out to see our country.

Welcome guys and enjoy!! Great to have you with us.

Welcome to Shisa

Welcome to Joe from the fun Guesthouse north of Cape Town - Shisa, where the locals go to play.

It's always a bit intimidating to have other guesthouse owner's come stay with us, like for the annual Indaba Tourism Conference in May each year, but then it's also a good opportunity to network and get to know the other gay operators in South Africa. We will be sure to visit you guys soon. We love trips to Cape Town, especially since my son is now studying there, so it's a chance to visit him, drink wine in Stellenbosch and play.