Johannesburg: 1st December
What a city! The sprawling metropolis of Johannesburg was quite a sight. We were a bit afraid of the crime, so haven´t any photos nor souvenirs of the place. In fact, we weren´t there very long in any case.
We stayed with In Africa Lodge in an outer suburn of Jo´burg (Edenvale, for those from the dark contintent.) We really only did two things: drove through downtown Jo´burg en route to see the amazing Apartheid Museum. The drive through the city was eerie & scary, it was so empty & desolate. Almost all the building were vacant & many broken in disrepair. The streets were largely empty, and this at 10am. Amazing for a city that virtually runs the finances of southern Africa, such is the wealth that flows through it´s coffers.
The Museum was absolutely fantastic though, well worth the trip. Takes a good 4-5 hours to see properly, but if you put in the time you are rewarded with the single most moving historical experience we´ve come across. Tracking in time from before the arrival of Europeans & early South African history up to around 1948 (when the Nationalist Government was elected, who instituted or formalised the apartheid state) - then focussing on ´48 to present in incredible detail.
The museum is an amazing mix of displays with evocative use of multimedia. Right from when you enter (through different gates according to your racial group), it is a powerful and moving experience. We left truly in tears at the inhumanity of it all.
We stayed with In Africa Lodge in an outer suburn of Jo´burg (Edenvale, for those from the dark contintent.) We really only did two things: drove through downtown Jo´burg en route to see the amazing Apartheid Museum. The drive through the city was eerie & scary, it was so empty & desolate. Almost all the building were vacant & many broken in disrepair. The streets were largely empty, and this at 10am. Amazing for a city that virtually runs the finances of southern Africa, such is the wealth that flows through it´s coffers.
The Museum was absolutely fantastic though, well worth the trip. Takes a good 4-5 hours to see properly, but if you put in the time you are rewarded with the single most moving historical experience we´ve come across. Tracking in time from before the arrival of Europeans & early South African history up to around 1948 (when the Nationalist Government was elected, who instituted or formalised the apartheid state) - then focussing on ´48 to present in incredible detail.
The museum is an amazing mix of displays with evocative use of multimedia. Right from when you enter (through different gates according to your racial group), it is a powerful and moving experience. We left truly in tears at the inhumanity of it all.
posted by Aditi & Brent at 3:02 am
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