More Jo'burg

One thing Chris didn't tell us was who Johannes was. But I didn't think to ask, and I suppose Wikipedia may know...

One of the quirks of the Apartheid era was the roof dwellers of downtown. Many of the highrises in Jo'burg required full-time caretakers. Although this was an appropriate job for a Black person with a few mechanical skills, they were forbidden to live in a "White" building, and thee were endless police and transportation hassles for a Black person trying to get to work in a White neighborhood. The solution? Build a Blacks-only house on the roof of a Whites-only building. Today you can still see small caretakers shacks built atop a 40-story residential highrise. It is amazing what hassles people wll go through for a little ideology.

Of course, South Africa hosted the World Cup in 2010, and much like Vancouver's Olympic legacy, there is both a physical and cultural legacy here from the event. It was clear from when our driver from the Airport asked us how South Africa looked on TV - did Canada think that South Africa did a good job? I had to explain to him that Canada's soccer team is ranked 130th in the world, and as such, the World Cup is enjoyed rather vicariously in Canada, but did not hear anything but good things.

Chris said that the event was spectacular, pertly because of the event itself, and partly because of the was South Africans came together to host the event. Even the regular thugs realized they could make money off the tourists, with even having to mug them.

The physical legacies are all about, from soccer ball motif coke bottles used as vases in our restaurant, to the soccer-ball adornment on the huge telecom tower in Jo'berg, to the main stadium. The stadium is a spectacular sight, meant to resemble a woven basket full of foaming beer (me likes!). The effect is stunning.













 (like all the pictures, click to make big)

We also got to enjoy the main bus terminal, as Tig needed to negotiate terms with our Car rental agency. It was a madhouse. This weekend was the start of Summer Holidays, and with schools, offices, and factories closed for a few weeks, everyone in Jo'burg is heading home to the rural areas to spend time with family. By the look of the Bus Terminal, that means everyone in Jo'burg.