The Only Quick Guide to visiting Johannesburg (Part2)
Johannesburg, Jo’burg, Jozi, let’s face it – the city is one major sensory overload for any visitor – we hope you’ve read our introductory article ‘Unlikely Johannesburg (part one)’ for tips on how to handle her curves and moods during this FIFA World Cup (and any other time you’d like to visit)…If so, you’ll be feeling confident and right at home on her golden streets. And soon you’ll discover that this hidden jewel of a metropolis is not quite the dragon everyone makes her out to be, but instead that she deserves to be listed as one of the world’s greatest cities! A lot of people have worked really hard to bring out the best in our city and we salute and thank them for that. Sharpile! Go on now Joburg… Represent! We’ve made visiting Johannesburg easy for you and put together a quick INSIDER’S guide based on what we love to do – this is how we like to spend our time in Jozi and we hope you’ll enjoy our favourite spots. We won’t send you anywhere we don’t love. Enjoy! Our top entries in each category are marked in Red. Thanks to all our friends and Representahs for the heads up. Contributors list at the bottom of this article – follow local Joburgers on Twitter. Feel free to add any other ideas to the comments section – HAVE FUN! And please let us know if you have found this useful! Basic rules: Don’t drink and drive – rather take a taxi – we always use Roses – the car may feel like it’s on its last legs as it rattles you around, but your driver will get you there and have a story to share. If you’re nervous about going somewhere at night, take a taxi. It’s simple. Call them and get a quote and an arrival time – it’s so worth the money not to have to drive and just enjoy the parties. You can also use a brand new homegrown business service called Jozi Chaperones… support local business and get a passionate Joburg ambassador to show you the city. Get a local simcard – we’re not promising it will be easy but we have 4 providers: MTN, Vodacom, CellC and Virgin Mobile. It gets cold at night and some mornings although the afternoons can warm up- take a jersey or jacket and boots or shoes warmer than flipflops. It’s winter now! Suburbs to avoid unless with a guide – Hillbrow, Yeoville and parts of the inner city as well as visibly impoverished areas where people may need what you have. (Sorry guys in these areas,...
Unlikely Johannesburg – Part One
The other day I got a call from New York – a friend’s Uncle on his way to the World Cup in South Africa called me to get some advice. His faraway voice calmly explained that bien sûr, he was excited to be visiting South Africa, but after reading a couple of recent scathing media reports citing violence, violence, violence, he was beginning to question the wisdom of choosing to stay in Johannesburg for their entire visit. Ironically enough, I was on a train out of Brussels and nowhere near the city of my birth, I have been away from Jozi for over two years now, so despite my heart & head being firmly rooted there, I couldn’t say I’m a local right now. This recent absence, coupled with the fact that talking rather loudly on a cellphone in downtime traintime in this part of the world incites targeted headrest incineration, meant that I had to think fast. And so, I took the path of least resistance, I told him to relax and enjoy himself, that yes, Johannesburg had a dangerous side, but that everything was going to be just fine. The police are on diet and the security companies on high alert, I told him, big brother is awake; ‘people are living there and life goes on’ I drawled- conscience of my slow accent I fell on old ways of explaining things away. Let me explain, when I read the email preceding the call and saw that he and his family were staying in Johannesburg only, for nearly two weeks i.e. for their entire visit…I felt a thrilled kind of fluttering in my chest. At last, I thought, our soulful neglected city, most often treated as a trampoline for tourists to bounce off to some other fabulous beached or bushed corner of our country, was being taken seriously as a tourism destination. By a New Yorker nogal! Let’s face it, when have I, or you for that matter, ever met tourists who have come to South Africa with only one destination on their list: the scary city of Johannesburg? I could feel the swelling pride in my voice as I described to him the place he was lucky to be visiting and the place that I can never quite shake off, that always pulls me back no matter how much of my oyster I believe the world to be. I was flattered, appeased and willing to please. And so, I started to tell him the inside story that any (and only) good Johannesburg-loving citizen can and probably will tell you. We’ll all agree Johannesburg is a bit of...
We will be back!
