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Africa

Entertainment sights in Africa

  1. A

    Turbine Hall

    Much of the area around Mary Fitzgerald Sq was once taken up by a giant power station. The huge Turbine Hall, next to SAB World of Beer, is one of the city’s more impressive buildings. The north boiler house was imploded in 2005 and now houses the impressive headquarters of AngloGold Ashanti, beautifully developed to blend in with existing architecture. The south boiler house remains empty but is used for some wonderfully creative events. The area is now known as Turbine Sq.

    reviewed

  2. B

    Municipal Theatre

    This appealing theatre on Jules Koenig St has changed little since it was built in 1822, making it the oldest theatre in the Indian Ocean region. Decorated in the style of the classic London theatres, it seats about 600 on three levels, and has an exquisitely painted dome ceiling with cherubs and chandeliers. Photos of Margot Fonteyn, who danced here in 1975, adorn the foyer. Performances are in the evenings - usually at 20:00. Unless you get lucky and someone lets you glimpse inside, you'll need to buy tickets for a performance to visit.

    reviewed

  3. C

    Pueblo Canario

    Designed by artist Néstor Martín Fernández de la Torre, and built by his brother Miguel, the Pueblo Canario borders the gardens of the Parque Doramas. With a restaurant, central plaza, handicraft shops and children's playground, it is designed as a pleasant bit of escapism in a quasitraditional Canarian village.

    You can enjoy free performances of Canarian folk music in the every Sunday morning from about 11:30.

    reviewed

  4. D

    Gran Teatro de Cervantes

    Beneath the Terrasse des Paresseux in Ville Nouvelle, in a side street off Rue Salah Eddine el-Ayoubi, the Gran Teatro de Cervantes is a remnant of the days when Spaniards formed the largest non-Moroccan community in Tangier. Opened in 1913, the theatre enjoyed its zenith between the wars. You can't miss the dazzling Art Deco façade, but the building has long been in decline.

    reviewed

  5. E

    Merryland

    Merryland is a large park and entertainment centre with kids' rides and lots of places to eat, from TGI Friday's to Egyptian snack joints. It was changing management on last visit, so the restaurants and other entertainment may vary, but in general it's a good place to eat and people-watch.

    reviewed

  6. F

    Go-Down Arts Centre

    The Go-Down Arts Centre, a converted warehouse in the Industrial Area, contains ten separate art studios and is rapidly becoming a hub for Nairobi's burgeoning arts scene, bringing together visual and performing arts with regular exhibitions, shows, workshops and open cultural nights.

    reviewed

  7. G

    National Theatre

    The National Theatre is the huge round building you see on the drive in from the airport. It has galleries of modern Nigerian art, Nigerian crafts and other African arts. The best time to visit is between 10:00 and 15:00 Tuesday to Saturday, when all three galleries are open.

    reviewed

  8. H

    South-West Brewery Building

    Formerly the home of Windhoek Lager, the old South-West Brewery building was where the company used to produce Namibia's favourite liquid. The building now houses the Warehouse Theatre, which is now a well-known nightspot, in addition to the Namibia Crafts Centre.

    reviewed

  9. I

    Teatro Guimerá

    Three blocks southwest of Calle Castillo is the 19th-century Teatro Guimerá, fronted by a suitably theatrical giant mask sculpture. The sumptuous interior is reminiscent of Madrid's Teatro Real, with semicircular balconied seating and plenty of gilt.

    reviewed

  10. J

    National Theatre

    Fabulously ornate façades dot the city. Supreme examples include the Art Nouveau National Theatre, built by the French in 1902, which has a meringue-sculpted frontage that looks as if you could crack it off and eat it.

    reviewed

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  12. K

    Dah Dah Happy Land Park

    The entertaining Dah Dah Happy Land Park is an amusement park with lots of rides. It's part of the developing, trendy district of Berges de Lac, and there's a lively corniche (coastal road) to wander up and down.

    reviewed

  13. Gaborone Film Society

    Screens classic films (mostly in English) every two weeks for members, but nonmembers are welcome. Contact the society for details, locations and prices, or check out the notice board at the National Museum.

    reviewed

  14. L

    Aqualand

    An enormous water park, Aqualand boasts its own surf beach with seven types of waves and miles of rides and slides. Take bus 45 or 70 to get here from Playa del Inglés or Puerto Rico respectively.

    reviewed

  15. M

    National Theatre of Namibia

    Attached to the Owela (State) Museum is the National Theatre of Namibia, which was built in 1960 by the Arts Association of Namibia, and still serves as Windhoek's major cultural centre.

    reviewed