Joburg

A few weeks ago, I took a short vacation to Johannesburg (aka Joburg or Jozi). Some of my friends that I met in Grahamstown are from Joburg, and are back at home for the summer vacation. So I took the opportunity to experience the city with locals; it has such a notorious reputation that I wasn’t planning on visiting it otherwise.

Joburg is an amazing city; it’s just a matter of finding the right places to go. My first full day there I went to the Apartheid Museum, where all of the horrors of that era are on full display (in some cases quite disturbingly). You begin by being classified randomly as White or Non-White on your ticket, and enter the museum via the appropriate door. I was Non-White, and was greeted by sign after sign of where I could not sit or enter or be – WHITES ONLY. The museum continues with photographs, videos, and mementos from across South Africa’s rich political history. There was even an amazing temporary exhibition on Nelson Mandela which I really enjoyed, having just finished A Long Walk to Freedom recently.

Part of the Mandela exhibit - you'd pick your favourite quote, take a stick of the corresponding colour, and place it in a nearby area (not shown). My favourite quote (thus far - there are so many!) is "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."

I experienced Joburg nightlife (much more diverse than that of Grahamstown or St Francis), and had a blast. I explored amazing markets in up-and-coming neighbourhoods, tasted new foods, and was thrown into the overwhelming bustle of a busy African metropolis. I got to see mansions with extreme security measures (there was not a single house without a security gate), wandered around the mildly depressing Joburg zoo, and got caught in multiple massive thunderstorms. Overall, I had a great trip, and was glad I got to see the city first-hand so that I can honestly say that Johannesburg is an incredible city. 

Rosebank Market - an overwhelming amount of African goods for sale!

The saddest polar bear I've ever seen... he's a bit too far from the Arctic.

Neighbourgoods Market - food from all over the world - SO TASTY!!