When you work in the virtual tour business, you have the privilege to witness technological advances almost daily.
But every once in a while these changes combine to create an effect that can only be described as a Game Changer.
Today we are proud to share such an culmination of technological advances.
For a lack of a better word: we’ll call it a Hyper Definition Virtual Tour , but before we get to the technical details, have a look at it:
Virtual Africa presents: Thehighest definition picture ever taken of Cape Town.
It might not look like much on first glance, but try the following and be ready to be blown away: click on the full screen button (bottom right) and then ZOOM !!
Some details as to the size of this image:
It was created by stitching 1850,fully zoomed (x 20 optical zoom), 10 MegaPixel images together.
The time it took from the first shot (top left) and last shot (lower right) being taken, was about 3 hours.
It’s 205 000 pixels wide.
The end result was a 25 GigaBytes RAW file which takes about an hour to open on my Macbook Pro.
Despite the size of the image, you can view it here because of a method called ’tiling’.
It works exactly the same way as mapping platforms such as Google Maps.
for example: When you view the whole of South Africa in Google Maps, the image obviously does not contain the high detail imagery of every rooftop in the country. It’s only when you start zooming in, that Google Maps loads the relevant information.
The same happens here. We’ve taken our very big picture and created hundreds of thousand lower definition pictures (or tiles) from it. As you zoom into the picture, only the appropriate tiles are loaded.
This allows you to explore a very large image on a relatively slow internet connection. Simple, but smart.
In the coming months we hope to use images like these to organize data, visually.
Once again, similar to Google Maps, we can overlay information on top of this image to further enhance your exploration of Cape Town and the good news is that we are currently working on a few projects which will allow us to do just that.
In the mean time, we would love to hear your suggestions as to what we should call this kind of image/virtual tour…..
We know it’s unique, we don’t always understand why, but we like the look of proteas and believe the experts when they say it’s important to conserve and protect these plants. Even UNESCO has pitched in by declaring the Cape Floral Kingdom a World Heritage Site.
One of the lesser know floral classification within this Kingdom of ours is called: Renosterveld (translate: ‘Renoster’ = Rhino; ‘veld’= bush/plain/plants).
There are only a few pockets of Renosterveld left in the Western Cape and in this panorama, Justin Basson, the owner of Clara Anna Fontein and passionate Renosterveld conservationist, shows us some of the unique flora and fauna associated with the Renosterveld.
For me, the highlights of the video include the carnivorous plant and parrot beak tortoise.
(click and drag to look around and click on the video icon to see what Justin has to see)
Many South Africans take rock art for granted, but if you stop and think about it for minute…….these paintings are extraordinary .
The Mona Lisa was painted about 500 years ago and today hangs in a climate controlled secure room in Paris.
These paintings at Alfred’s Rock in the Mapungubwe World Heritage site were created +-3000 years ago and have been outside since.(If you’ve had the privilege to experience a summer day and a winter’s night in Africa – you’ll understand why that fact alone deserves respect.)
Sure, they’re quite different pieces of art, but art all the same.
In fact, these paintings, as you can learn from the video embedded in the virtual tour, have great spiritual and religious significance too.
How blessed are we as South Africans to have such a rich heritage?
If you’re a regular here at Virtual Africa, you would know that we have a soft spot for World Heritage Sites.
We’ve had the privilege to shoot all 8 South African World Heritage Sites on behalf of South Africa Tourism a few years ago, but when the good people of the African Heritage Epic approached us with their grand idea, we quickly learnt that the first round was just a warm up.
We couldn’t believe our luck:
Their passion was to capture 55 (yes, FIFTY FIVE!!!) African heritage sites in the best ways possible!!
As part of the African Heritage Epic they’re busy creating documentaries, aggregating literature, making video’s and writing books about anything and everything that has anything to do with these amazing African sites.
But not only are they doing the research, they’re planning to visit each of these sites and have started doing so already.
Now it might sound like a small thing, but I’ll give you consider that the Aldabra Atoll 1200km South West of the Seychelles main island, Mahe, is one of the sites and the Valley of the Kings in Egypt is another – you realize why they call it the EPIC.
Anyway, our part in this is to help capture the sites in glorious 360º and we’ve been doing just that for the past few months.
We are happy to announce that the first 6 sites have been completed.
We have created 25 full screen 360º images of each of the heritage sites, each image with an embedded video clip to tell you more about what you’re seeing. (That’s a whopping 150 scenes, for those who are reaching for the calculators.)
In the light of September being Heritage month and 24 September, South African Heritage Day, it’s the perfect time to start sharing the ‘fruits of our labour’ with the world.
And where better to begin, than the beginning: The Cradle of Humankind.
Very important for maximum coolness: click on the square in the top right corner of the virtual tour below, also, click on the icon next the the gentleman to hear what he has to say.
Remember to subscribe to Virtual Africa, by dropping you email address in the space allocated to the right.
This will allow you to get updates on the other 150 images we have to share…..
Table Mountain has been nominated to become one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and the World (that’s us) has until 7 July 2009 to cast their votes.
Unlike party political elections, voter intimidation is totally acceptable when it comes to the Wonders – and we’re getting into the act.
So, here’s how it’s going to go down:
If you’ve been to Table Mountain before, it’s a bit of a no-brainer and no intimidation will be necessary, simply click here to vote and then enjoy the virtual tour of the mountain below.
If you confirm that you’ve done so in the comment section, we’ll send you on a 5 star holiday to an island paradise.(**There are some Terms and conditions to this prize, but you really don’t need to scroll down to read it. Do that after you’ve voted.)
If you haven’t been to Table Mountain before, read the rest of this post, explore the virtual tour and then vote.
The virtual tour is fully interactive and has numerous informative video’s for your enjoyment.
Off course Table Mountain should be one of the New 7 Natural Wonders of the world! As a matter of fact, they should have called the competition the 6 New Natural Wonders of the World, seeing that the number 1 spot is such a sure thing.
That would have allowed other mountains like Everest and Kilimanjaro to say “Well, they’ve made up there minds – we’re not even going to take part in this”, and spared them the embarrassment of being whipped by a stocky city dweller who has her head in the clouds most of the time.
Let’s get the most obvious reasons out of the way then:
Number 1: Table Mountain is MAGNIFICENT!I mean look at it!
Number 2: Table Mountain is Accessible.
Not only is it beautiful and unique, but quite a few people get to enjoy its beauty every day.
What’s the point in making Aldabera Atoll in the Seychelles a Natural Wonder if only 0.00000000000000001 % of the world population will ever be able to enjoy it?
Don’t get me wrong, it’s on my list of places to visit before I die, but I’ll be one of only a few people who would have had the privilege to visit this island paradise in the middle of nowhere.
Table Mountain, on the other hand, receives more than 800 000 visitors a year, via the Cable Car alone – not to mention the millions of people enjoying the view from every part of Cape Town, every day.
Number 3: Table Mountain has some SERIOUS eco-credentials
It is part of the Cape Floral Kingdom (read more on this) – which is a World Heritage Site. That’s right, you heard it: WORLD Heritage Site , like in 7 New wonders of the WORLD.
It has more floral species than the whole of Britain!
(Loch Ness , cry your heart out.)
Number 4: It’s the mother of all lungs. New Yorkers are always going on about how Central Park forms the ‘lungs’ of their city – and you have to give it to them, it is a great spot. It really is.You can just escape the the chaos of the city: sit on a park bench and watch the people walk by, go to a concert, go ice skating in winter or visit the animals in the New York Zoo.
But the reality is that Central Park has a bumper sticker somewhere on the upper West side, which reads:
“When I grow up I want to be Table Mountain”.
Table Mountain is the mother of all ‘urban lungs’.
I know of spots you can reach within 15 minutes of the City Centre, where you can’t see a building or hear a car. Honestly: 15 minutes from the city centre and you can drink cold water from a mountain stream.
Brilliant!!
Bottom line: New York got Frederick Law Olmsted to design their lung. Cape Town got God to do the job!
(I know Central Park is not in the running – the point is not that Table Mountain is better than Central Park, it’s that Central Park is great!! And Table Mountain is UNBELIEVABLE.A Natural Wonder ‘co-existing’ with an urban community!!One of a kind! Truly unique. Deserves your vote. If you phone now ……..got it?)
OK, with that settled then, there are just two things left to do :
Go here to vote for Table Mountain as one of the 7 New Wonders of the World.
Go here to explore the fullscreen virtual tour of the mountain.
We created the virtual tour with embedded video on request from the guys at SmartGuide.
We used our pictures and embedded their videos to create a complete ‘users guide to Table Mountain’. Check it out – and explore the mountain like never before.
Also, if you know a teacher – send them the link, it’s a great tool to show kids what the mountain is about. (and kids can vote too ….. nudge-nudge-wink-wink)
In this second installment in our Virtual Africa series on the South African World Heritage Sites, we take a brief look at and share a few 360º virtual tours of The Cape Floral Kingdom.
The Cape Floral Kingdom consist of 8 protected areas in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa.
Of these, the best known would probably be the Table Mountain National Park and Baviaanskloof, but wonderful places like the Cederberg and De Hoop Nature Reserve are also included.
Although it is the smallest of the world’s 6 floral kingdoms it is also recognized as the richest in terms of species per area.
When you read what the experts say about this part of the world, it is obvious that those in the know view the Cape Floral Kingdom as a little peace of heaven on earth.
They explain how the the type of soil, the climate and regular fires combine to make this part of the world so unique and diverse.
For those of us who don’t understand the difference between a Leucospermum and a Leucadendron, here are a few facts and stats to help explain why the Cape Floral Kingdom is a World Heritage site:
it contains more plant species per square meter than anywhere else on our planet!
it contains 20% of all floral species on the African continent
of which 70% is endemic (if they die here – they are gone)
the 8 protected area’s are some of the most beautiful spots on our planet …….
The Richtersveld is found in the north-western most corner of South Africa, right up against the border with Namibia.It’s a dry and arid semi-desert with some of the most rugged landscapes you’ll find on the continent of Africa.
It’s a place of strange and unexpected beauty with wonderful rock formations, big blue African skies by day and mind boggling star gazing at night.
The Richtersveld is where you go to recharge – to get away from cellphones, dairies and people, a place of near desolation where only the toughest of natural adaptations have survived.
(click on these images to load fully interactive 360º images)
Why is the Richtersveld a World Heritage Site?
It is therefor slightly ironic that the reason why the Richterveld is a World Heritage Site, is not because of its ‘desolation’ but because of its population.
The Nama people have made this part of the world their home about two millennia ago and because no one else has been willing or able to survive in this landscape, their lifestyle has not changed much in that time.
“The extensive communal grazed lands of the Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape are a testimony to land management processes which have ensured the protection of the succulent Karoo vegetation and thus demonstrates a harmonious interaction between people and nature.” (UNESCO :http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1265)
In short: long before Al Gore, Green Peace and the concept of sustainable development, the Nama got it right!
They live in harmony with their surrounds even though, when looking at the surrounds, one wouldn’t expect it to be possible.
Some cool FACTS about the Richtersveld:
the Richtersveld contains the most diverse desert flora on the planet
one of the strangest plants found only in this area is the “Halfmens”, which translates to “half person” and resembles the shape of a human.
the Nama revere the “Halfmens”and see it as the embodiment of their ancestors
temperatures of up to 53º have been recorded in summer time
Why the Richtersveld makes us proud to be Africans:
not only the land, but the lifestyle of the Nama has been protected under law
a large part is owned and managed by the local community
Ok, I have to admit it in a public space: I, Tinus le Roux, grew up in Camps Bay, Cape Town, at the foot of the famous Table Mountain.
Now, if you haven’t been to Camps Bay, you won’t understand why most of those readers who have, just had a negative emotional response toward me.
If I take my life of reactions to this tidbit of useless information as a guide, most of them would think one or both of the next two things:
“Ahhh ….. rich kid” or
“You privileged little ………”
The irony of growing up in paradise though, is that you don’t have the capacity to realize it.
You don’t know anything else – it’s just how it works.
(The other reality not many people take into account, is that Camps Bay of 30 years ago, was not the ‘playground of the rich and famous’ as it is today”. Yes, Madonna and Sting do have houses there , but I know for a fact that my high school science teacher also still lives in The Bay – and we know what they earn.)
This is the view from an top of Table Mountain.
(click here to see a full screen version of this panoramic image)
Anyway, why all this rambling about where I grew up?
Well, it’s quite simple…….I spent my childhood playing in one of the most amazing, most important places of natural beauty and biodiversity in the world, and I never knew or appreciated it.
The fact is, 20% of all floral species in Africa are found in the Cape Floral Kingdom.
It only takes up about 0.5 % of the African landmass, but 1 in 5 species of plants are found in a series of 8 protected area’s in and around Cape Town – my backyard.
Table Mountain alone has more floral species than the British Isles.
The point is this: as I was oblivious to the importance of things I accepted as ‘everyday’, so many South Africans, like me, are oblivious to the wonder and importance of this country we have the privilege of calling our ‘backyard”.
My hope is that the next few posts, which will look at the 8 South African World Heritage sites, will help cultivate a greater appreciation of the privilege of visiting and or living in South Africa.
14 years after Apartheid, the people living in this beautiful country are struggling to find a collective identity a history they can all claim and be proud of.
The South African World Heritage sites can help us because they are more than 8 interesting spots on a map -they represent very real and very important stories.
Stories of the first ‘ape-men’ surviving in the caves near Johannesburg.
Stories of the Nama people of the Richtersveld, still living the way they did 2000 years ago.
Stories of an ancient golden rhino, the biggest meteor crater in the world and people sitting in an island prison because the stood up for equality.
We will do our best to (virtually) take you there and give you a feel for each of these extremely interesting places.
We will share links to more information, video’s and stories and ask you to share these with friends and family in an effort to spread the ‘gospel’ of being Proud Africans.
(If you like to receive email notifications every time we post – simply type your email address in the space provided at the top right of our home page.)
There are a thousand reasons why I am proud and privileged to be a South African – and recently I found 8 more to add to the list.
South Africa has 8 World Heritage sites, a collection of places as fascinating and intriguing as they are beautiful – and Virtual Africa has 360º images of all of them.
In the next few weeks, we will invite you to explore the:
We’ll keep this post up here to help with the navigation and add a post for each of the sites below.
You are also welcome to subscribe to our site to get automatic updates when we post by typing your email address in the space provided to the right.
Let’s explore South Africa’s World Heritage Sites!
Thousands of South Africans celebrated Heritage Day (24 September) by gathering at Maropeng, near Johannesburg.
Maropeng means “returning to the place of our origin” and is situated in the Cradle of Humankind, a famous World heritage site where excavators have found some of the oldest hominid remains on earth.
The most important and most famous of these fossils are “Mrs Ples”, a 2.1-million-year-old Australopithecus skull, and “Little Foot”, an almost complete Australopithecus skeleton that is more than 3-million years old.
Virtual Africa has also created a virtual tour of the Sterkfontein Caves, for those who are interested in seeing the inside of the caves where these fossils where found.
It’s a fascinating place, with absolute world class exhibitions.
The official Maropeng website is also very informative and really worth a visit.
