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Finding Johannesburg

By Rita Cook

Upon arrival into Johannesburg decide on how much money to spend on your digs and enjoy a few moments taking it all in as you find all the concierges helpful and polite.  I stayed at the hip Ten Bompas hotel located on, you guessed it, Ten Bompas street in the trendy Dunkeld West area of the city.

While many people find Johannesburg frightening, a watchful eye and good sense will make the experience worth the time and quite uneventful.  I had 24-hours to spend before setting off on safari further outside the cosmopolitan world of Jo’burg and I was determined to discover what all the latest fuss is about. After all, Jo’burg, as it’s called with loving admiration by the locals, has really become a hot little city these days.

Ten Bompas’ restaurant Sides is one of the best in the city so decide on lunch or dinner and make a reservation early to assure proper seating.  Check out the unisex bathroom too because it’s all the talk of the town with television in the floor and men and women waiting for the next available stall together.

Fast-paced, like me, I found Johannesburg to be nowhere near as immoral as I was told to expect.  Sure, the large mansions still sit behind high walls and barb wire,  but it’s not the first city to give me that impression.  The shanty towns or not too far away from the glaring wealth either, but the city is making strides to cope with the housing issues while keeping order as well.

First stop is of course, shopping so get yourself to the African Craft Market in Rosebank.  I picked up all my best souvenirs from jewelry to masks to a few things in between.  I then high-tailed it over to the coffee shop for a strong dose of caffeine to get my day really started.  

You need to find the best way to get around and for me that was a car and driver. It was relatively inexpensive at about $75 for a full day and with such a sprawling city, it was worth it.

I knew that Jo’burg wasn’t going to be touristy.  However, I decided to seek out a few of the tourist things that were available and I threw in a few historical sites and nature escapes for a relaxing couple of moments after taking in the intense energy of the city.

Ready to start in on the action I visited Gold Reef City where visitors can get a good idea of old-time Jo’burg up close and personal.  There are mining houses, museum exhibits, a hotel with staff who are wearing period costumes and the biggest draw, a gold mine, said to be the richest in the world.  And no, I didn’t come home a millionaire.

The museums and theatres are abundant, and while I didn’t have time to take in a show I did visit the National Museum of Military History , the Bensusan Museum of Photography, Barnberg Fashion Museum and the Johannesburg Zoo.

Since time it was a’ wasting, I got over to the waterfront, appropriately called Randburg Waterfront and found a pub for lunch.  I didn’t have time for the 40 retail shops (or even to duck into one), but I’ll be back someday.  I did, oh so want to go bungee jumping too, but no time for that either.

The botanical gardens are huge at 365-acres so I only took a short walk.  I had to see the 24-acres of rose garden and the herb and Shakespeare gardens to make my trip complete.  Ah, the fresh air and foliage did my spirit good and lifted me up to keep me going for the rest of the day.

Joubert Park is the city’s oldest park and here is your chance to experience the Wolmarans, King George and Twist Streets.  This part of a Jo’burg was a must-see as well, if only for a few moments.

Other quick stops before I called it an evening were the Oriental Plaza, Africa Cultural Center, Crafters Marketplace and a quick peek at St Mary's Cathedral (what’s a trip without one church visit)?

Johannesburg really found its spirit as a well-developed mining town back in the late 1800s.  In fact, the boom in the mining kept the town going for quite some time.  Unfortunately, this was cut short by the discovery of a layer of phyric ore, which made gold mining tough and uneconomical.   Despite problems in the city, past and present, it is still the largest in the country, one of the largest on the continent and an important industrial and financial center for South Africa.

Before calling it a night I took in some of the sights and sounds of Jo’burg in the evening.  It’s a happening little place despite what people say and there are any number of pubs, clubs, restaurants and exhibitions to enjoy.

For a real dinner that wouldn’t be forgotten I had my meal at The Saxon in the Sandhurst area. The Saxon is a five-star hotel and was the home of Nelson Mandela after he was released from prison.  It is also where he wrote his autobiography.  Now, the prestigious walls and casual African elegance make visitors feel right at home before a good night’s sleep and a new adventure in the morning.

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