Goodbye Charl

So sad to hear of the passing of our hero and Mr Gay World 2010, Charl vd Berg. You were a really beautiful person and an inspiration to many. The excitement as you captured the Mr Gay South Africa 2009 title then went on to dazzle the world in 2010 was amazing. Rest in peace dear soul, you will be missed. Llew and I pass our condolances to his partner and family.

Charl van den Berg who passed away this week

Charl meets Dave at Durban View Guesthouse

Rainbow Cruise Sail-away Party

Mr Gay Sa 2011 Finalists at Durban View Guesthouse

Barman Ian and fiends meet the Mr Gay SA finalists

Llewellyn (Durban View Guesthouse co-owner) with Gavin Deale

Durban View Guesthouse co-owner Dave (left) with Rainbow Cruise organiser Leon Nel (centre) and former Mr Gay SA Finalist Gavin Deale (right)

Coenie Kukkuk, organiser of the Mr Gay South Africa pageant with his Finalists

The November Rainbow Cruise which sails from Durban to Mocambique is the most festive with the finalists of the Mr Gay South Africa competition on board. The sail-away party at Durban View Guesthouse gives us a chance to meet the finalists and the other rainbow passengers the night before the ship sails.

Mr Gay South Africa 2011 gets under way

Contestant Fahraaz

Contestant Prince

The Mr Gay South Africa 2011 contest is under way and the KwaZulu-Natal contestants, Fahraaz, Mngobi and Prince, came for preliminary judging to the Guesthouse today. Judges Trevor, Gavin and Prince put the contestants through their paces and a decision will be taken by the Mr Gay South Africa team as to the finalists for the main event to take place in Pretoria later this year.

South Africa's 2nd Mr Gay World !! Well done Francois

The new Mr Gay World 2011 chosen tonight in Manila, Philipines, is South Africa's Francois Nel seen right above with Mr Gay South Africa organiser Coenie Kukkuk.

This makes it second in a row for South Africa as Charl van den Berg (left in picture right) handed over his reign as Mr Gay World 2010 to Francois. Charl is pictured in Durban with Durban View Gay Guesthouse co-owner Dave Mc Naught.

We are so proud of both you guys holding up the flag for South Africa at such a prestigeous competition.

Andre Lammers In Durban



Mr Gay South Africa ™ Cape Town finalist Andre Lammers is in Durban taking up his prize sponsored by us of a weekend at the Guesthouse.

Gorgeous Andre is seen here with his friend Lindi and Guesthouse co-owner Dave en route to Mocambique where they are going for a week getaway to Ponta do Ouro. Andre will be launching his fashion design range in May so watch this space and we will post some pics.



Durban View  Guesthouse sponsored Andre's stay in Durban



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

Prince in finals for Mr Gay South Africa

We recently held the Provincial finals of the Mr Gay South Africa Pageant at our Guesthouse here in Durban and the organisers asked me to take some pics of the 1st runner up - Prince - for the underwear sponsors Bonewear.

So I was on the roof of the Guesthouse today and took this pic of Prince as well as quite a few others around the house, outside shower and jacuzzi.

Kzn Finals of Mr Gay South Africa 2010

Jared (left) is the winner of the Kzn finals of the Mr Gay South Africa 2010 pageant held at the Guesthouse last night, while Prince (right) is the 1st runner up who both now qualify as finalists in the competition which will take place in Pretoria in Noveember with finalists from the other regions.

Mr Gay South Africa fun at the Guesthouse

Dave and Llewellyn hosted the Central region (Kzn) finals of the Mr Gay South Africa 2010 Pageant at the Guesthouse last night and pose here with winner Jared who goes through to the national finals later this year.

Mr Gay South Africa Durban View Guesthouse Sat 24 July

It's the Mr Gay South Africa Central Reginal Finals in Durban and we have scooped the venue for the event - right here at the Guesthouse.

This Sat 24 Jul is the big night and bookings for accommodation at the Guesthouse are now open.

Bookings for the event are being handled by Mr Gay South Africa and entry is R80 which includes a free drink at the Bar. To book for the event send an email headed "Durban" to Hennie. To enter follow this link.

Vryheid

Vryheid is the Afrikaans/Dutch named town in South Africa, it's name meaning 'Freedom', so it's fitting that Wiep and Steven (back right) are the first openly gay couple in Vryheid and are tasting the freedom of the town.. although from all reports it is a conservative rural town and not the best platform to be shouting 'gay' from the rooftops.

Etienne and Stefan (left front) also joined us at the Guesthouse this week and are enjoying the revitalised Durban in the wake of the World Cup here.

Accommodation Bookings are open for the 24th July hot weekend at the Guesthouse with the KZN finals of the Mr Gay South Africa happening here, so come and visit and see what the 'new' Durban has to offer.