Moving onto Melville then...

So the problem with the last post was; firstly it was Monday and secondly it was Monday afternoon, which greatly curbed my enthusiasm for all things Jozi. Turns out that most places of interest are closed on Mondays. So there, my first piece of truly useful information posted on a blog.

I have however found a treasure of a list to work myself down in the coming weeks from historical sites to unusual art galleries so watch this space. Some that might only seem appealing to a history nerd like me, so you'll have to deal with that. Unless you yourself are of nerd orientation in which case I hope we connect and become lifelong friends.

I also fortunately have a smoke screen in all my touristing around in the form of an extended American 'guest' which I can use. Who also happens to be great to look at.
So excuses can be made for going to places like the war/transport/apartheid/Africa museums. Excitement is!

I did however in my optimistic notions for finding Jo'burg interesting decide to go to Melville that fine Monday afternoon.

Why are you raising your eyebrow at me? I know 7th street in Melville isn't exactly a historical museum but it is on the top of the list when consulting any guide book on places to be in Jo'burg. So there.
see the tourist bus stops here, therefore it warrants as a Jozi tourist spot

I also just happen to have a favourite little restaurant in Melville so wasted no time in going anywhere else.

Ant cafe is filled to the overflow with cool and kitch things that warms the heart of any hipster young and old. Along with some background music from 60's rock to Karoo classics this place is unique.

And here with yet another useful tip (nogal), visit Ant cafe on a Monday to enjoy their R40 on any pizza deal.

There's not much street cafe culture in Jozi so finding spots like 7th Street in Old Melville feels like a touristy thing to do. There's also second hand book stores, antique and vintage style shops and countless other bars/ restaurants and cafes to choose from. It's going to be cliche and I'm going to say it anyway... but there really is something for everyone.
(that's apart from parking now)

window display at Reminiscence
inside Ant cafe, there's a lovely outside area to the back too by the way
uhm... erotic plant over the weekend... really??

Challenge

I'm so stuck for words today.

Not only words, but sentences and paragraphs and ideas and topics about the Joy of Jo'burg.

The problem is that 2 years in Vietnam makes for pretty high standards for topics in blogging.. or just in my own mind.

Already and (sigh) again I feel such an itch to be travelling. These blogs I follow on the side don't help much, read them by the way! They all look like the kind of blogs this one wants to be when it grows up...

So I have resolved to become a tourist in Jo'burg... it's easy enough to take on such an identity in the rest of my gorgeous country, but for some reason not here...

Challenge created, challenge accepted.

Okay I'm off now to go visit some museum or something... (and take pictures of jacarandas cause that's a joy in Jo'burg for sure)

Thanks goodness I'm not trying to this in Pretoria.... Challenge acce..... hold on, take it easy now, don't let me hurt myself here.

Dear Tourist...

Firstly, sorry about the boring first 75% of your trip from O.R Tambo International to the Kruger National Park.

I bet you wish it looked like this:

or this:

I sure wish it looked like this:

but instead you get this:

and this:

But all that boredom after a 16 hour flight and 6 hour drive will be worth it, because you'll end up here:

and find things like this:

and see this, if you're super lucky...

or even this.
Why not capture the next You Tube sensation with your iphone while you're here. Try however to find something different and original in the Park now that we've all seen the baby buffalo survive the lion and crocodile.
Ooo I have a great suggestion... how about filming something like 'South African grandma feeds Australian rugby supporter to a badger during a sunset saffari just outside Lower Sabi'... just a thought.

We hope you have the best time ever!

Kind Regards

a Saffa

a Jo'burg reality

I woke up to the sound of a police chopper yesterday. It was really close and was circling my area for quite some time.

Before knowing what was really going on in the outside world, (being the suburb of Fairland) countless images race through my imagination. With good reason too, could it be some big shoot out between the cops and the baddies? Or perhaps (living up to the African stereotype here) a group of elephants had escaped from the zoo and now they're going shoot them with tranquilizer guns. Well it was the first, luckily uhm unluckily??!

Now we (we Saffa's/Jo'burgers) hate crime, we can spend hours and hours talking, complaining, sighing about it. It's our thing, in a scary way a part of our identity, sadly. Spend enough time on News24.com and you're instantly carried away in a vision of landing in perfect Perth.

I know my American man often worries at the integrity of my affections towards him knowing that he's a key factor in obtaining that sought after 'green card'. No no darling, it's not like I want to move the US anyway, like whatever, US is stupid... with their at times crime free charming towns where kids still play in yards without fences and...

Moving on,

because I actually have a point to make.

There was an epic commotion going on yesterday morning, something about an armed house robbery in the early hours of the morning, which eventually led to a helicopter waking up all the Fairland late sleepers (by late I mean 07:30am). As well as some blocked off streets and neighbours that hardly say hello asking you and other neighbours for more detail, nothing like the scary things to bring people together right?

Good news, no great news is that they caught all 4 of the baddies, those super cool crime-fighter heroes , and I think that is freaking wonderful. So there is my point. I just want to point out the positive for a change. So forget Perth and Green cards for a while.

Good thing I never went into news journalism judging by these last two paragraphs.

I don't want to get all happy thoughts and rainbows on you I just thought a job well done by the crime-fighting heroes deserved a mention. Keep it up.

a Barks and Trees therapy theory and something about liking Emmerentia

On a personal note...

Things have not been moving along as swiftly as I had imagined months back, staring out over Hanoi rooftops I had pictured my life back in South Africa and had images of "own place", "awesome job", "weekend breakaways", "a Jack Russel puppy".

Now a solid 3 months on we're still living with my parents, the job market might as well be another fantastical country for which we don't have the right visa and everyday seems like a day closer to the end for my 'sort of a type of a kinda jack russel' dog. Sad face.

But this blog is about the joys of being back so moving on then.

A major joy of going through all these character building challenges is that it forces one to find delight somewhere else. Not selling a house today, sucks. Painting a picture of blue trees, rocks.
No reply from sent out CV's, sucks. Running 3km, rocks.
No control of dstv remote control, sucks. Dog watching (more like stalking) at Emmerentia, rocks.
Delighted face.

I have found three major delights in the last while, them being: Running, painting and the wonder that is the botanical gardens Emmerentia. For today let's focus on the escape that is Emmerentia Botanical Gardens. Why more Northern Jo'burgers don't make more use of this wonderful place escapes me. Going there really helps with those moving to Cape Town fantasies, kicking the electrical fence walls around my parents house in rage cravings and the unhealthy obsessive desire for puppies. Jack Russel for me and a Ridgeback for the man.We especially love the dog walk (more like run free as the wind) section of the park. If you see the only sad couple walking around without a dog that would be us, staring at other dogs like a fat teenage girl on a diet at a cupcake.

We've even taken to borrowing my sister's dog just not to look so suspicious. Also test out how it would feel to take our own dogs there one day when we're grown ups. Like babysitting to check out the whole parenthood vibe.Dogs aside it's honestly one of my favourite places in Jo'burg hands down. I could go there everyday, I almost do. And with all this time that we have at the moment we are taking every opportunity to appreciate the park instead of worrying ourselves into a frenzy.Seems to me that a certain amount of blossoms (and barks) can cancel out certain amount of stress. (I'm still working on the scientific proof on this one) But go test it out for yourself if you're around, try go before the blossoms in the rose garden fade.

Green and Gold... so hot right now

I consider myself a sort of a stylish gal at times, I'm no slave to fashion, who can afford that anyway, but I do like to stay on top of things.

You'd imagine my disappointment in Marie Claire this month, as I discovered how wrong they have been. Almost the equivalent of discovering that your own mother doesn't eat her vegetables kind of disappointment.
Tsk Tsk dear MC this seasons must have item is not the romantic floral jumpsuit as you declare but rather the 'supporter' look, as in green and gold daahling.
(Because it's the rugby world cup this month which is way cooler than the soccer world cup because we're actually good at rugby...usually)

so hot right now


it's cute but does it say "go bokke go"... didn't think so

The worst part is that I don't own any type supporter rugby shirt. It's embarrassing really, I should be right there along with 75% of Jo'burgers in their gear, especially on match days. Especially because it's so easy to get too. If you're not South African then think 'drive through' but better.


Intersection vendors

That's right, in a matter of yellow to red to green you too can be the proud owner of a bok jersey. Add a springbok flag, and a cellphone cover and a car charger if you're feeling it.

Despite shamefully not walking around in the national colours myself I do love seeing the rest of the city in it. All races, all classes, all sexes, never mind Julius Malema's comments of declaring war on white criminal imperialist something something blah blah blah.

Thankfully the Bokke did win on Sunday (nail-biter right!?) otherwise I'd be surfing copy cat blogs of 1001 things to do with my springbok rugby jersey, like that one guy's blog about 1001 things to do with my ex wife's wedding dress.
Let's hope not.

For now I'll just grace public with my 'of-course-I-have-a-bok-jersey-it's-just-in-the-wash-so-that-I-can-wear-it-again-tomorrow' face. Which I think is way more convincing than my 'I-totally-love-rugby-and-understand-what-off-side-means-face'.
Well that is until I my next red light and the vendor has my size... (for the shirt, not for the actual love of rugby)

Another Spring Fling

Being the self confessed weather brat that I am I find it quite obvious that this next post is yet another burstful babble of springin' Spring.

I suppose that the biggest reason for my deep love and giggling outbursts are due to the fact that I returned to Jo'burg mid dreary winter, so every week passing by is like Jo'burg blowing gentle kisses my way in the form of new greens and warm breezes. Thanks for that Jozi xxx.

Below is from my " Capture the warm Jo'burg changing weather on my crappy{not as good as Belinda's} phone from the comfort of my bed" collection.




Speaking of September delights;

I'm really looking forward to driving past the cemetery!

Let me explain so that, if possible, you can go look for yourself.

Ever since my first year (just the other day...2004) I fell in love with driving past the Wespark cemetery during the month of September, because of the gorgeous blossoms that line that part of Beyers Naude Drive.
Dark pink, light pink, white.
I love it, I look forward to it, I drive super slow around that long bend and I'll probably try to take pictures of it for "my collection" this year. Yes so look forward to yet another future springy post... maybe.

Keep on skipping along.