African SmilesWritten by Suzanne Whitby
Home of hundred-mile smile. That was name of a portrait I found painted by Stephen Bennett. It was a glorious painting, quite captivating. A young woman from Botswana, her skin luxuriously dark, smiles disarmingly at photographer who captures her. Mr Bennett has super-imposed streaks of colour over her, not disguising her but enhancing her. Every shadow ripples with colour. Her smile hardly seems static, her eyes are alive.The moment I saw painting, I knew that it symbolised home for me. Although smiling woman in painting was from Botswana and I am from South Africa, her face struck me. When I think of people smiling in South Africa, I think of them smiling like that woman. Where their eyes light up, creasing, and smile seems to come from their very soul. I recall stopping at an intersection in Johannesburg recently. Unemployment is rife in South Africa and this has given birth to an extraordinary entrepreneurial spirit. You can buy anything at robots (traffic lights) – from a cooldrink, to rubbish bags, to a mobile phone hands-free kit. Within seconds, 6 “businessmen”, their wares draped around their necks and overflowing from their pockets and carrier bags, bombarded me. “Hello pretty girl! Look at all these – why not buy one from me today? Special price for a special lady!” My first assailant, wearing a red baseball cap, American-style. Young, probably only a year or two younger than me. A twinkle in his eye, and dozens of hands-free kits in his hands. “But I have an Ericsson, not a Nokia. I’m sorry.” It’s a standard reply I give, being from a British background, used to being evasive in order to avoid offending people. I make eye contact to be polite, but not so much as to encourage him. It doesn’t work. “Red cap” grins – this is what he was expecting!
| | Williamsburg Virginia: A Mecca for RetirementWritten by Elaine VonCannon
Williamsburg Virginia is a familiar name for many because it is steeped in colonial history. In 1920s, Rockefeller sunk millions into renovation of historic homes, pubs, and properties. Today, Williamsburg is an early American gem, as well as a mecca for retirement. A Temperate Climate The greater Williamsburg area includes James City and York Counties, and these areas are also steeped in early American history. Many retirees prefer this part of Southeastern Virginia because it has a temperate climate and an excellent mid point location on Eastern seaboard. The temperature in winter months rarely dips below 40 or 30 degrees, and snow is a rarity. For six to eight months out of year, temperatures range from 55-90 degrees. Gardening For plant lover, this area of Virginia represents northernmost tip of a sub-tropical zone, so variety of plants, flowers, shrubs, and trees are vast. Outdoor gardening can be done 9-10 months out of year. Near coastal or tidal areas a good deal of soil is mixed with sand, which makes for fertile gardening. Birding Bird lovers will find it an excellent place for birding, because it's a flyover zone for many species of migrating birds heading south for winter. From November through March, there are an abundance of flocks of feathered visitors to area. Golfing in Williamsburg The golfing enthusiast will find much to love in Williamsburg. There are 10 major golf courses in and around Wiliamsburg area. Three highly regarded courses are located at Kingsmill, Fords Colony, and Golden Horsehoe , James City County and York County. Williamsburg is known for its highly coveted signature golf courses.Low Property Taxes Many retirees relocate to Williamsburg area because property taxes are much lower than other regions. In City of Williamsburg property tax is .57 cents per hundred dollars (as of 2005.) Bordering James City County is currently .87 per hundred and York County is .86 per hundred.
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