It is early afternoon and we are sitting by the pool waiting for the Joburg version of subway for lunch.
It is Father's Day at home and Harry has had many messages. Connie's message will always be remembered "I love you Poppa, more than space".
We have managed to squeeze in a visit to Mandela's house and the Apartheid museum in the few spare hours this morning.
Talent, our uber driver (who charged a lot for the morning excursion - but we had no other way of getting there) took us along 4 lane (each way) motorways, past reasonably expensive houses encased in high walls and electric fences. He told us of the crime rate and started to get quite animated when he spoke of those still living in shanty towns (we were pleased when he had run out of comments because both hands went back on the steering wheel).
The township was relaxed and calm. Lots of empty restaurants waiting for lunch time customers. Stalls with colourful dresses and shirts and a few ornaments and jewelry. Some shanty town houses still remain on the borders - but many residents are in homes which reminded me of retirement villages (little sections with the houses all looking the same) or estates in the UK.
The home of the Mandelas is on a corner - across from the stalls and restaurants. We arrived at the same time as a big 40 seater bus. We rushed in, saw as much as we could before the guide with the booming voice let them free. Fortunately the guide spoke for a while - problem was we couldn't hear the videos well. It was good to see that the little museum honoured both Nelson and Winnie in their fight for freedom.
Had a drive by the football stadium and a whirl wind tour of the apartheid museum. We really needed 3 times the 1 hour we had allotted. It was interesting to read about the roots of apartheid and the struggle for equality and freedom. The first exhibition was a walk highlighting the fact we are all equal. "We all walk", "we all think", "we all fight", "we all survive" and so on. We came back to Talent snoozing in the car - decided to wake him so we would have time for lunch. We ordered subway and was thinking of home and the 6 and 12 inch. Here we were offered 20 cm and 40 cm. Far too large for kiwi tums but rather yum and very fresh bread. We sat under the trees by the pool and washed subway down with tea and smiled at th he reheating instructions for the sub.
Definitely now the hard travel begins.
I didn't set off the security alarms with my knees. There was extra security at the gate which created chaos. People avoided it by going to the loo or ignoring the long queue we had been told to stand in. I wasn't allowed to keep the water I had bought after security. And now it is time to board. It's been a great holiday but it is time to go home.
It is Father's Day at home and Harry has had many messages. Connie's message will always be remembered "I love you Poppa, more than space".
We have managed to squeeze in a visit to Mandela's house and the Apartheid museum in the few spare hours this morning.
Talent, our uber driver (who charged a lot for the morning excursion - but we had no other way of getting there) took us along 4 lane (each way) motorways, past reasonably expensive houses encased in high walls and electric fences. He told us of the crime rate and started to get quite animated when he spoke of those still living in shanty towns (we were pleased when he had run out of comments because both hands went back on the steering wheel).
Desmond Tutu's family home. We stopped at a high fence which ensures his privacy but no electric fence or barbed wire. We couldn't go in cos it is still his home. We recalled the time in UK when were visiting an old stately home. We were sitting on a wall watching Desmond Tutu arrive with his entourage. Lots of photo opportunities - at one point we were asked to move - apparently we ruined the photo. I have a feeling if he had known the Archbishop would have asked us to stay.
The township was relaxed and calm. Lots of empty restaurants waiting for lunch time customers. Stalls with colourful dresses and shirts and a few ornaments and jewelry. Some shanty town houses still remain on the borders - but many residents are in homes which reminded me of retirement villages (little sections with the houses all looking the same) or estates in the UK.
The home of the Mandelas is on a corner - across from the stalls and restaurants. We arrived at the same time as a big 40 seater bus. We rushed in, saw as much as we could before the guide with the booming voice let them free. Fortunately the guide spoke for a while - problem was we couldn't hear the videos well. It was good to see that the little museum honoured both Nelson and Winnie in their fight for freedom.
Had a drive by the football stadium and a whirl wind tour of the apartheid museum. We really needed 3 times the 1 hour we had allotted. It was interesting to read about the roots of apartheid and the struggle for equality and freedom. The first exhibition was a walk highlighting the fact we are all equal. "We all walk", "we all think", "we all fight", "we all survive" and so on. We came back to Talent snoozing in the car - decided to wake him so we would have time for lunch. We ordered subway and was thinking of home and the 6 and 12 inch. Here we were offered 20 cm and 40 cm. Far too large for kiwi tums but rather yum and very fresh bread. We sat under the trees by the pool and washed subway down with tea and smiled at th he reheating instructions for the sub.
Definitely now the hard travel begins.
I didn't set off the security alarms with my knees. There was extra security at the gate which created chaos. People avoided it by going to the loo or ignoring the long queue we had been told to stand in. I wasn't allowed to keep the water I had bought after security. And now it is time to board. It's been a great holiday but it is time to go home.
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