Film Festivals and Exploding Towers

One of the bigger South African film festivals, the Encounters 12th International Documentary Festival, is on until the 29 August.  There’s a great lineup of local and international films with special focus on “green” films, Reunion Island, and South African heritage.  Showings are booking up quickly so make sure to plan ahead and book your tickets through the Nu Metro theatres or Computicket.

This Sunday, 22 August, the Athlone cooling towers are coming down.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Some structural integrity issues, and the fact that the towers haven’t been doing much in the last few years, have led to their demolition.  They aren’t particularly tall, large, or attractive but they are a landmark.  Crews have been laying dynamite and cordoning off the towers.  A section of the N2 highway will be shut (affecting those coming/going to the airport) for the action which is scheduled to happen at 12 noon.  Good places to view (and relive childhood lego-demolition days), are Rhodes Memorial, Devil’s Peak, and the University of Cape Town.  Avoid planning any trips that involve the N2 (possibly wine tasting, whale watching trips to Hermanus) though there are alternative routes.