1. Top: "The Belle tote at a fountain, in the heart of the city of Cape Town, celebrating all the nations participating in World Cup 2010, with Table Mountain as a backdrop". Photo credit Tania Blignaut
2. Bottom left: "The blasted horns—the vuvuzela—which most of us didn't know existed 6 months ago, even in South Africa—have now taken on a life of its own the world over.

Did you guess where our Belle bag is? Akeela in Cape Town, South Africa has sent us these.

June and July saw South Africa abuzz with guests from across the globe, here to share in the excitement and entertainment of World Cup 2010. Only on two occasions before have South Africans felt this kind of exhilaration take the country by storm—when Mr Nelson Mandela was first released from prison in 1990, and again in 1994 when millions of ecstatic South Africans queued in lines to vote for the first time, after years of struggle and bloodshed.

But never before have we seen the level of patriotism now displayed openly by all and sundry, as the gorgeous geometric colors forming the South African flag flies proudly from cars and homes, and is sported openly on all manner of clothing by South Africans, young and old.

As Belletrista goes to print, the winners of the World Cup 2010 remain to be established and the levels of excitement and anticipation worldwide reach fever-pitch. What a place to be, at this exciting juncture in sporting history!

3. Bottom center: "Table Mountain dwarfing the suburbs below, taken from Signal Hill."
4. Bottom right: "Robben Island, just over 4 miles off the coast of Cape Town, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years along with numerous other political prisoners during the apartheid era. Tourists are now able to visit cell number 46664, which was inhabited by the Nobel Laureate and future President of South Africa."
(click on each thumbnail for its entire picture)

Is your Belle bag travelling? Email us at info [at] belletrista [dot] com and tell us about it.