Visiting South Africa - any places I should visit for shave stuff?

Discussion in 'General Shaving Talk' started by Vlasta, Mar 14, 2018.

  1. Vlasta

    Vlasta Well-Known Member

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    I am visiting Johannesburg and Pretoria - anywhere I can look for something different or only available in RSA?
     
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  2. Enrico

    Enrico Popcorn

    Cape town has the Olde English Shaving Shop. I wish I could go I miss SA.
     
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  3. alesmv

    alesmv Member

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  4. Heljestrand23

    Heljestrand23 Well-Known Member

    Never been, but I wish you safe travels. I’ve heard there are some nefarious things occurring in South Africa currently.


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  5. Vlasta

    Vlasta Well-Known Member

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    Thanks - I intend to take no risks and stick near my hotel.
     
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  6. Heljestrand23

    Heljestrand23 Well-Known Member

    Good choice, hopefully you’ll find some cool shaving stuff, not just Gillette crapola. Best wishes!

    Matt


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  7. Enrico

    Enrico Popcorn

    Where you staying in J-berg?
     
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  8. Vlasta

    Vlasta Well-Known Member

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    Hotel is actually in Pretoria - Sheraton. Working in Sandton.
     
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  9. Yehuda D

    Yehuda D Israeli Ambassador to TSD

    River Valley Trading is owned and operated by my dear friend Mohamed Peer in Durban, SA. I joined the South African Master Shave forum back in November and I couldn't believe what an awesome selection he has, however he's not yet geared for selling outside South Africa but he hopes to be in the near future. He and I arranged a trade in February and I received five of some of the finest soaps I ever used in my life. They're so good in fact that they've become my second favorites after Stirling. As I type this I have another four soaps from him in transit to me.

    There was the nice, rosy-scented Williams stick which was made in South Africa but discontinued several years ago. There are also two variants of Palmshave (nothing whatsoever to do with Palmolive) cream as well as Reitzer shaving soap - both these are the only two commercial brands made in South Africa, and there are several other artisan soaps such as:

    Wriggly Tin
    Bundubeard (Boendoebaard in Afrikaans)
    Simply Bee
    Rebel Razor
    Antjes

    Hope this helps!
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2018
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  10. Enrico

    Enrico Popcorn

    I never stayed in Pretoria, but did at the casino hotels of J-berg. :happy088:
     
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  11. Yehuda D

    Yehuda D Israeli Ambassador to TSD

    We have relatives in Johannesburg, Benoni, and Bloemfontein.
     
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  12. Vlasta

    Vlasta Well-Known Member

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    I might order a few soaps and have them delivered to the hotel.
     
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  13. Keithmax

    Keithmax Breeds Pet Rocks

    Have a safe trip. I’m not sure where but the Zulu Greay hones are from SA.
     
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  14. Yehuda D

    Yehuda D Israeli Ambassador to TSD

    There are also Lion blades (not that great, though) and Minora blades. My wife and I have been to SA twice. It's a beautiful country indeed but yes, you have to be careful. We were lucky that we stayed with the family and they strictly forbade us to even walk one block away from their house even in broad daylight. Yet, we found the people we met to be very friendly although back then it was almost impossible for me to speak English. I do understand Afrikaans very well now and I can have a decent conversation in it.
     
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  15. Enrico

    Enrico Popcorn

    We stent three days in J-berg in January 2016 and never felt threatened or restricted there. I often felt they liked Americans better than white South Africans (societal wounds still fresh in their minds). Though we spent most of our time in Swaziland (five months ), we never had any issues that weren't typical of not knowing the language well. We got use to seeing the military with there AK47 and often they're far nicer than our local police.
     
  16. Yehuda D

    Yehuda D Israeli Ambassador to TSD

    Being Israeli I feel very kindly towards South Africa because of the close ties the two countries have. There's still a large Jewish community living over there. I can still remember the first time when we went to a restaurant in Johannesburg and the waitress taking our order. I tried to speak to her in English and it fell apart after a few words. She herself was of Lebanese origin and I guess because of my swarthy coloring and appearance she asked me straight up "Sir, are you Lebanese"? I told her in perfect Lebanese Arabic "No, but I speak Arabic perfectly. I'm Israeli" and she freaked out. She was a young attractive woman who was very polite. She also spoke excellent French which was also good for us, because it's my wife's side of the family who live there. My wife and her relatives are Israeli of Moroccan origin, so French is the main language for them and for me. My English only began to shape up well around three years ago.
     
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  17. Yehuda D

    Yehuda D Israeli Ambassador to TSD

    Johannesburg is actually a fun city if you know where you're going. I found out that Benoni, another nice place is where the lovely Charlize Theron is from.
     
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  18. Vlasta

    Vlasta Well-Known Member

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    You English is better than mine. I wish my Hebrew was this good.
     
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  19. Yehuda D

    Yehuda D Israeli Ambassador to TSD

    Where are you from? Your English seems perfect.
     
  20. Vlasta

    Vlasta Well-Known Member

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    England...
     
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