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South African (Off-Topic) Quiz

DamhuisClan

By DamhuisClan
in South Africa

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cownchicken

+cownchicken

Posted
Posted (edited)

It means 'needle' in Portuguese.

Have no idea why it was called that though - the Portuguese were long gone when the strange lighthouse was built.

Edited by cownchicken
Discombob

+Discombob

Posted
Posted

I know the reason its called cape Aghulas.

 

just off cape aghulas, True North and magnetic North are the same.

So the portuguese seafarers would stop just off the coast here to calibrate their compasses, or needles, which is why it is named after a needle ;)

GEO936

+GEO936

Posted
Posted

Ding to Discombob! CnC got one half right. CH was on the right track.

 

Agulha means needle in Portuguese and although the "needle sharp reefs" around Cape Agulhas seems to be where the name comes from, it was actually as Discombob said. ...."Early Portuguese explorers to the area found that their compass readings showed no deviation from true north and magnetic north and thus the Cape of the Needle was christened".

 

Here is something interesting about the lighthouse:

 

"It is not surprising then, that this is lighthouse territory. Unsurprising too, that the Cape of Needles should claim the second oldest lighthouse in the country. What is unexpected , perhaps, is that it is modelled on the oldest recorded lighthouse in history; the Pharos of Alexandria; one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

 

Although smaller than the 140metre tower of the original, the Agulhas lighthouse faithfully reproduces the limestone façade and trio of towers that distinguished its more famous predecessor. Here, far removed from their northern deserts, the winged sun and twin serpents of ancient Egypt look towards the Antarctic.

 

Somewhat more modest in size, our African replica is also much younger. At a hundred and fifty years old the Agulhas beacon is a granddaddy among the lighthouses of our coast. In comparison, the wood-burning fires of the Pharos were maintained for fifteen hundred years before an earthquake finally destroyed the long-famous edifice in 1258.

 

By 1849 wood was in short supply at the southern reaches of the continent but fat-tailed sheep there were a-plenty. Their tails provided the oil for the first light at the southernmost point of Africa. In later years, paraffin was trekked in by ox-wagon." Taken from an article by Laurianne Claase

GEO936

+GEO936

Posted
Posted

I thought Carbon Hunter actually had it! Maybe that is the totally 'hey, shoo wow, cool, go for it bru' mindset we have here down south! :rolleyes:

 

Nope, the fact is that there is no deviation from true and magnetic North at Cape Agulhas...CH was on the right track but not entirely correct. Discombob was correct - they are the same at this point. ;)

Discombob

+Discombob

Posted
Posted

huzzah ;)

 

I have just returned from Rome, where I bagged 10 geocaches. I also bagged myself a T-shirt with the letters SPQR on them. Anyone who has read Asterix and Obelix, or perhaps seen Glatiator, will know this is the motto of ancient Rome.

 

What do the letters stand for? - as you might have guessed, its in Latin :rolleyes:

cincol

+cincol

Posted
Posted

Is it not Septus Populus Que Romanus as said by Asterix? From my high school Latin that has something to do about the People of Rome.

Discombob

+Discombob

Posted
Posted

Nice one Bouts777, but Cincol, you are close enough, I'll give it to you.

It is Senatus Populus Que Romanus

Yep, it means "the senate and people of Rome"

 

Your go!

cincol

+cincol

Posted
Posted (edited)

OK - let's get back to so geography again.

 

Which countries in the world have the lowest and highest average altitude respectively? For bonus points, what are the respective figures?

 

Hint: The one country also has the smallest capital city in the world.

Edited by cincol
malo mystery

+malo mystery

Posted
Posted

I have never been there so dont know the proportions of land above and below sea level, but is the area around the dead sea not below sea level, bringing the "average" altitude down a bit, so my guess would be Israel for the lowest, average altitude unknown.

cincol

+cincol

Posted
Posted

Maldives and Bhutan?

 

Maldives has an average altitude of less than 2m ASL with the highest point being quoted as 2,4m!!! Bhutan on the other hand has an average of over 14,000m ASL. Difficult to believe but apparently correct. The next closest is Peru, which I never would have guessed. I would have thought Tibet or Nepal would be higher.

 

Go for it CH.

Discombob

+Discombob

Posted
Posted

Maldives and Bhutan?

 

Maldives has an average altitude of less than 2m ASL with the highest point being quoted as 2,4m!!! Bhutan on the other hand has an average of over 14,000m ASL. Difficult to believe but apparently correct. The next closest is Peru, which I never would have guessed. I would have thought Tibet or Nepal would be higher.

 

Go for it CH.

 

thats quite something considering peru has a really long coast line!

I beleive bhutan is the only country in the world which has completely banned smoking!

cincol

+cincol

Posted
Posted

Maldives and Bhutan?

 

Maldives has an average altitude of less than 2m ASL with the highest point being quoted as 2,4m!!! Bhutan on the other hand has an average of over 14,000m ASL. Difficult to believe but apparently correct. The next closest is Peru, which I never would have guessed. I would have thought Tibet or Nepal would be higher.

 

Go for it CH.

 

thats quite something considering peru has a really long coast line!

I beleive bhutan is the only country in the world which has completely banned smoking!

 

Yeah DB - I think it is because Peru has such a long mountain range as well that is pretty high that cancels out that coastline. I must say that I was surprised to read about Peru. OTOH Bhutan is small and high - that helps for the average. Interesting about the smoking ban - wish a few other countries would follow suit!! :rolleyes:

GEO936

+GEO936

Posted
Posted

Bhutan is also noted as having the Happiest people in the world and is also known as "The Land of Gross National Happiness".... :rolleyes: I agree with cincol about the smoking ban! :rolleyes:

Carbon Hunter

+Carbon Hunter

Posted
Posted

Must be NBS - Natal Building Society

 

Trev

Yes, yes - NBS.

 

A great example of inflation. They started in the 60's with getting your bunch - then it was the man with the golden banana - then you could come on in and get your slice - and it ended up with positive thinking - a cockatiel saying "yes, yes, NBS".

 

Guess that's one of the reasons they are not around anymore :rolleyes:

 

You're it Trevor

cincol

+cincol

Posted
Posted
OK trying my luck here - what about Gerard Depardieu. Even if is not the correct answer, he is still an amazing actor...

 

No - similar industry though!

 

Hey Trev - this is a family show! ;):lol:

Carbon Hunter

+Carbon Hunter

Posted
Posted
OK trying my luck here - what about Gerard Depardieu. Even if is not the correct answer, he is still an amazing actor...

 

No - similar industry though!

 

Hey Trev - this is a family show! :):blink:

 

OK Trevor - let me take a bash at this.

 

He was the first actor to appear au naturelle full frontal in a mainstream producion?

trevorh7000

+trevorh7000

Posted
Posted (edited)

 

OK Trevor - let me take a bash at this.

 

He was the first actor to appear au naturelle full frontal in a mainstream producion?

 

Not an actor - but he appears in his movies in small cameos with his clothes on!

 

I think there have been enough clues now that some one will put forward an educated guess - don't be shy now!!!. Its been sometime now but I think the long weekend meant people have not been checking the forums as much - not too mention the dreadful internet problems because of the seacom cable.

 

Trev

Edited by trevorh7000
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