DINNER PARTY INTEL: Egypt gives Netflix a black mark

1. Cleopatra colour clash

Cleopatra, immortalised by Shakespeare and Hollywood, has found new notoriety in her homeland. The recent Netflix portrayal of her as a black woman has caused a racial imbroglio in Egypt where she once reigned as queen. Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, the government agency in charge of heritage, declared the show a “falsification of Egyptian history” and there have been calls in the country to shut down the streaming service.

2. Best walks in South Africa

Two walks in the Western Cape have been included in the world’s best 35. The Robberg peninsula walk in Plettenberg Bay (9km, three to four hours, 27th place) and the Cecilia forest stroll in Cape Town (4.3km, about two hours, 29th) scored high for weather, distance and duration, though not so well on Instagram potential. The best was the Perito Moreno glacier trail in Argentina, which is 4.6km and takes 1½ hours.

3. Top dog

A petit basset griffon Vendéen (PBGV) named Buddy Holly was chosen as dog of the year last week at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York. The show is considered the world cup of dogs. Buddy Holly, named after the rock & roll star, is the first PBGV to win the title.