Trevor Noah knows this but I bet he'd like to hear these comments anyway

[Mira]

South Africa - their state flower is the bird of Paradise, and their flag was designed from it.

I was lucky enough to score a trip to South Africa and doubly lucky because I got to hang with natives of all kinds and colors. That makes it more possible to ask questions and integrate with them for a minute while staying safe and protected.

What this post is about is that whenever I mentioned Trevor Noah all faces lit up. I'm talking about the man on the street, the uber drivers, the folks who put me up, and people so poor they have to live in the townships which are the areas of town so desolate that the word slum is almost a step up. Where they squat for free except for their water and electric hookups.

Absolutely everyone's faces shone with deep pride. I never had to say the name twice.
(they all, by the way, speak English 'cept for a few percent, plus they speak several other languages)
Trevor Noah is a national treasure for them.

When they heard me say that I have the chance to watch his show 4 times a week, and how he tears Trump new ones and is gaining in ability and acceptance, they loved me for bringing them those news.

Having read Trevor Noah's book "Born a Crime" helped me a lot in understanding what I saw in Johannesburg, but I must say Trevor downplayed greatly what a city is like that is living in mortal fear. But then, the description of that is not the subject of this post.

[Lucinda]

1. KNR

[Heartstrings]

2. K & R

[Nonhlanhla]

3. Protea is the national flower of South Africa

Nice words about South Africa and Trevor Noah!

You do have your facts wrong, though. The national flower of South Africa is the King Protea.
http://www.southafrica-newyork.net/consulate/protea.html

The South African flag, first used in 1994 (the year apartheid ended), represents the country coming together in unity. That is why it starts out with a horizontal V-shape that then turns into a straight line. Three of the colors (black, green, & yellow) are from the banners of the African National Congress, the Pan Africanist Congress and the Inkatha Freedom Party, thus representing the country's black population and the major political groups that fought against apartheid. The other three colors (red, white, & blue) are from the Dutch tricolor which formed the backdrop for the old South African flag, as well as the British Union flag - it thus represents the country's white population and its colonial history. The design therefore represents a converging of paths, the merging of both the past and the present.
http://www.southafrica-newyork.net/consulate/flag.html

[Mira]

5. I bow to your knowledge and thanks

I was repeating what some native person told me, and took it for gospel. I'm happy to know better now, thanks for the valuable information.

[Nonhlanhla]

7. As long as you enjoyed your time there!

South Africa is so beautiful. I still go back every few years, since my family is there, but life and career led me to the US (I never planned to emigrate, but life is strange sometimes). I love the US too, but of course I miss South Africa.

Anyway, I hope I wasn't too pedantic in my response. I could not sleep last night due to coughing from bronchitis, so I was reading DU, and had nothing better to do than so post here.

[Mira]

8. You brought me joy.

I like knowing things are correct, and my emotions sometimes make me forget to check facts.
Hope you are better, I got soaked on safari and am battling a cold. I am changed for life by all I saw and experienced, and fell in love with the country and the beauty and kindness of the people.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

4. The South African national anthem

is the very best one I've ever heard. I could almost move there just for that. Five of the languages spoken there are incorporated into the anthem.

Here's a link:

[Mira]

6. I loved it at first hearing

and was enveloped by the sound often. The photo of the flag I posted was taken in Johannesburg at the Apartheid Museum. The flag takes up a huge wall and that wonderful anthem plays in that room with full resonance and acoustics. Thanks for the link!