Today I arrived at the airport. The mix of passengers on my plane was interesting to me. It appears that they fall into three categories: residents of South Africa (both black, white, colored), students on an educational program and pure tourism of which there are two groups: those going on safari (primarily older and of higher economic status) and students (generally younger and of lower economic status). These groups were more clearly defined than any other plane trip that I have ever been on (except maybe to Amsterdam). It will be interesting to see if these groupings exist in the city itself.
On the ride from the airport to Stay City, R. took us on a brief tour of Johannesburg. It reminds me of a west coast city, specifically LA. Things seem spread out and there is little discernable planning structure. There seem to be many strip malls that are interspersed with wealthy neighborhoods and poorer neighborhoods. The geographical terrain seems to provide a considerable barrier to the urbanization process. There are vast swaths that have yet to be encroached on. R. was telling us that a high percent (upwards of 80%) of the vegetation is not indigenous to the city. What I find fascinating is the mix of vegetation: from the tropical of the palms to the arid of the soil to the semi-arid of the pine trees.
At about three, a small group of us when out to go shopping. We went to the Rosebank shopping center briefly to look for necessities. It seems like a nice shopping area. What caught my attention is the open structure that exists for the mall shops. This reminds me of Miami’s open-air malls. There always seem to be people out and about in the streets. Reflecting back to the readings this relationship seems to be well established. Many small vendors work out in the streets and the necessity of travel to and from the townships would require a close relationship with the physical surroundings. This may also be a quiet form of remembrance; now that all have access to the land they will enjoy what was denied.
As we were leaving Rosebank, J. pointed out that further up the road was a shopping center where “Brad Pitt” shopped in stores with “gilded doorknobs”. I think this would be something to see, not only for comparison with the lifestyle in the States but also for inner city comparison. Hopefully we will get there.
The next stop is the Oriental Market to buy cheap cell phones. It is amazing how you can turn a corner and suddenly the demographics changes (this reminds me of New York). J. advised us to remove all jewelry and to take all our belongings. This surprised me, as I didn’t feel that uncomfortable. There were some belligerent (this might not be the word I want) vendors but other than that the area seemed to be a lot like my neighborhood in Brooklyn (Bay Ridge- above Fourth Street it is predominantly Turkish and Lebanese).
After some time had elapsed, the same group heads back to the Oriental Market for dinner. This is my first Indian meal. The food is wonderful (although I have no basis for comparison) and the restaurant is vibrant. We walk around the little open-air market after dinner to see all of the offerings. This is similar to both the Grand Bazaar and Sultanahmet areas of Istanbul. The market really comes alive at night in both places.
I must say that my first impression of Joburg is interesting. Perhaps my first impression is not accurate since we spent the day in a middle class shopping area and then an Indian neighborhood. It is also refreshing to see the vitality of the city. When there are news reports they tend to associate Africa with suffering and poverty (I guess they lead with what sells). While these certainly exist (and I’m sure we will come into contact with them), it is nice to get and alternate perspective. It is nothing like I expected it to be (not that I know what I expected). It does not feel like Africa; part of it feels like the Middle East, America, Europe, and Latin America. I suppose that this is because all of these groups have left their particular mark on the city.
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