Blogs from Soweto, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa, Africa

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg » Soweto June 4th 2022

On our full day in Johannesburg, we embarked in a tour mostly consistent of apartheid significant sights. It was nice not to have one of those ultra early wake up calls, partly because we needed a little extra time to maneuver around our hotel room's quirkiness. It was one of those hotels with the bathroom sink and glass shower in the bedroom. They did provide a partial curtain divider, but it was still awkward and limiting when two people who are not in a naked relationship start trying to get ready in the morning. A drive through Soweto would lead us to visit the houses of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela, who lived a short distance from each other in Soweto, although not at the same time. The Tutu house is still occupied so we ... read more

Friday 23 February, Day 27, 2018 – Johannesburg

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg » Soweto February 23rd 2018

Pam Gareth Yvonne Shorty Annelisa Johan

Pam and Tom

Friday 23 February Day 27, 2018 – Johannesburg As we were going to breakfast Wesaw lots of activity with 2 Nomad trucks already left and the 2nd 2 just about to leave. We said our final goodbyes to Yvonne and Johan and went into breakfast to have lovely fruit, yoghurt, eggs & bacon and coffee. We were picked up at 9.00am for our all-day tour around Johannesburg and Soweto. Tom had already visited Soweto but for convenience, he would stay the whole tour rather than come back at lunch time (1100R and for me, 800 Rand for Tom – exchange 9.8 R per AUD). We met 4 other travellers for the tour at Constitution Hill, 2 from Mumbai and 2 from Belgium. After the guide buying us tickets we watched a 15 minute video on the ... read more

Saying thenk you to our guides at Belveder Estate (5)

Saying thenk you to our guides at Belveder Estate (6)

Day 12: Johannesburg - Thu 04 Feb 2016

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg » Soweto February 4th 2016

Smokestacks with Bungy jump in Soweto

the antipodean adventurers

Our last day on the tour we were allowed a lie-in as we didn’t start our touring until 8.30 am. We had our last Jeff breakfast and made up our lunch boxes, made sure that all of our stuff was loaded on the coach and left the hotel for a coach ride round Johannesburg. . We drove through Sandton which is only about 30 - 33 years old and passed the largest mall in South Africa. Amos was rather cynical as to what kind of stores are in the mall - expensive ones. The buildings are high rise and the new buildings are getting higher and higher. Just like all modern cities (more's the shame). The Sandton area is clean and bustling. . For the World Cup in 2010 the government started building an underground transit ... read more

Star of David on former Hillbrow Synagogue dome

SOWETO

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg » Soweto August 12th 2015

football stadium built for the world cup

mikedalager

Time for a proper tour of Johannesburg! Today I found myself heading on an organized tour heading to the Apartheid Museum, Soweto, Nelson Mandela’s house as well as Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s house, and a few other museums and points of interest. So I really like going to museums. I believe it is a good representation of what the people have decided is important in a certain area, culture, or field. For those of you who don’t know, apartheid is basically legal racism. Similar to the discriminatory rules used in the 60s in the US, but a lot tougher with a lot more severe consequences. Very rough stuff. So this museum was said to take 3 hours to get through. I usually burn through em pretty quickly so I was disgruntled when that was how long the ... read more

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA—Friday, March 28, 2014

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg » Soweto March 28th 2014

1403-550 Honoring Mandela's death on museum wall

RamblingRosies

Southern Sun Garden Court Tambo Hotel, Friday, March 28th We were up early to have breakfast at 7:00 in order to be ready to get on the bus for an 8:30 departure. Our first stop was at the Apartheid Museum that opened in 2001. As you entered, your ticket randomly assigned you as a White or a Colored person. You then entered the museum in those separately marked entrances and wandered through reading narratives about conditions you faced as a white person, or as a colored person, if you were, Colored. I understand the point they were trying to make, but I felt I wasn’t getting the other ½ of the story, no matter which side I was assigned. It is a difficult museum to navigate, especially for people with limited mobility. You never were sure ... read more

1403-545 Highway scene-B--our only view of Jo'burg downtown

Scuba Diving in Gauteng, surprised??

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg » Soweto October 16th 2012

MsLesMcCoy

With the weather so hot anyone would feel like a swim, so I decided to go scuba diving and no I didnt go all the way to Durban or Cape Town I did it right here in Gauteng, just outside Johannesburg near Magalisberg. The water was beautiful and clean giving you amazing vision under water. As we swam further down you come across an aeroplane and bus that we couldnt help but go in to take amazing pictures. After the scuba diving at the Miracle Waters my cousins and I rented out a chalet and had a awesome braai, we are South African like that. Now this was an amazing experience.... read more

Power swing, the perfect adrenalin pump

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg » Soweto October 16th 2012

MsLesMcCoy

I've always wanted to do something extreme for my birthday to get my adrenalin pumping like crazy and with just R360 I got that. My friends and I headed out to the Orlando Towers in Soweto for the power swing and OH MY GOSH, standing 100m above the ground looking over Soweto and the Orlando Dam was scary. With the thought of that power swing I was about to do I didnt hear a word of the safety procedures being told to me by the swing technician. There was no way I was going to turn back and lose a R100 bet with my friends. I did it and one day I'll go for more.... read more

GoldReef City

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg » Soweto October 10th 2012

MsLesMcCoy

During school holidays my friends and I would have a girls day out and Gold Reef City is our favourite spot where we just feel like kids again, let go and have fun. Our most favourite rides have to be the Anaconda, Jozi Express, Tower of Terror, Golden Loop and Dream Boat. An hour before the Theme Park closes we go dine at Wimpy and after we go freshen up and continue our night at News Cafe in Gold Reef City Casino.... read more

all i want for christmas it some tripple therapy

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg » Soweto December 28th 2011

lachlanhannan

On christmas day we walked into a packed full trauma casualty. Instead of going to morning rounds, and without discussion between us, we began to see patients who were waiting. It was a crap morning but at least it seemed that some things were in our favor, like the suturing kits that usualy are in short supply, meaning patients have to sit arround with their faces hanging open, were in steady supply. My mistake occured while suturing a man who had deep lacerations across his face, after re-anethetising the last layer of the wound i turned to put the needle back on my tray and pricked myself in the finger. At this point we had been working strait for 9 hours. I told an intern who I was working with and she asked if the man ... read more

the worst man i have met

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg » Soweto December 14th 2011

lachlanhannan

Over the first few days in south africa, we were consistantly warned about the guy who runs the trauma unit at bara. He was always described using advoident words like interesting. On wednesday morning rounds finished up in the boad room with everyone sitting in rank when the guy who calls himself prof arrived. He is a balding, small, feirce looking person who from the outsed did his best to not only intimidate but it seemed to embarass and hurt most anyone arround him. When there was laughter allong with one of the senior doctors misfortune in a case he mirthlessly yelled, "no! shutup stupid students! why are you smiling! dont smile, ok!" He went on making sure each person was identified to him by race, apparently using this to judge their character. Hy heart sunk ... read more

Brief history of South Africa

After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjug...more history

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