South Africa to Zimbabwe Day 11

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A morning tour

Thursday, August 26. We are supposed to tour Joburg, but half the town is on strike and some of them are behaving badly and others are just crowding the streets so we stay on the freeway that circles the town and drive directly to Soweto, a Johannesburg suburb of over 3 ½ million people. Thoroughly modern freeway system incidentally, complete with heavy traffic.

This is just brutal

Homes seem to be divided into three types in Soweto. 1) Miles, upon miles, upon miles of tiny tin-roofed shacks make up the majority of homes here. 2) A smattering of larger homes, but with shacks in the yards. Owners of these homes sell space for the shacks. 3) And finally a newer level of homes that belong to the professionals like doctors and attorneys. These are three and four bedroom homes that might be found in many middle-class neighborhoods around the US.

A glance at apartheid

First stop a memorial to the fallen, filled with images and history of apartheid. We are rushed through so we can stop at a market. Anyone sense a theme here? Hurry up so we can go shopping. Well, actually we have about an hour at the memorial, but we could use at least another ½ hour. There is a lot of history in that museum. It is dedicated to the first person, a 12-year-old boy, who was killed by police during the Soweto uprising of 1976.

You've come a long way . . .

A final stop at the former, tiny home of Nelson Mandela where we see bullet holes in the walls, the remnants, we’re told, of police harassment of Winnie and her children after Nelson was taken to prison.

More money, honey

We have the afternoon free, but Ahren and I decide to pass on any optional trips. Instead we visit a throughly modern and expensive shopping center to squeeze a few Rands out of an ATM, a seemingly relentless quest, which we have made several times since we arrived in S Africa. Money does seem to disappear on a trip.

Our first goodbye

That night we meet for a goodbye meal. Sad because about 15 of our group won’t be continuing on to Zimbabwe, but will be leaving for the US the next day. Lots of pictures. Lots of hugs. Lots of goodbyes. And a promise to share photos and stay in touch.

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