Johhannesburg

Pictures are Here.

I was in Joburg on business. Security concerns are such that wondering taken photos--especially in the evening hours after work-- is a bad idea. A such I only got a few shots around the hotel and at an interesting restaurant we visited.

It's unfortunate I could not take a few days off and visit a game park, but I needed to be back on the continent (Europe) for March 1st, so it was not in the cards this trip. I don't think I will be back on business.

Carnivore is a Joburg restaurant that serves various wild game meats on open skewers in the fashion of a Brazilian Barbecue. I tried everything:

• Warthog tastes like...well warthog--yuck.


• Crocodile is kind of nasty--Ammonia like flavor.
• Giraffe is some tough meat to gnaw on. I think it takes more calories to chew than what you get out of it.
  
• My favorite was Hartebeast. It had substance without being tough, was lean with only a slight game flavor. It was somewhat reminiscent of Elk from the American West.
  
• Also very good was the ostrich which was lean, tender, and not gamey at all. It was like a fine cut of pork.

I did not get to see much of the underbelly of Joburg. Most of what I saw was around the upscale Sandton. It actually looks much like a western American city does with its liberal use of abundant space, modern architecture and city planning. It departs from there in the slums where millions like in crude huts with few facilities.

One morning I was waiting in front of the entrance to a client campus while people streamed by on their way to work in the facility. I had my suit and tie on so I was clearly dressed for business. People entering the office had to pass within a few feet of me to get in. The native manual laborers that came past me, gardners, janitors, ect, all turned their eyes away from my and said "sorry" as they walked by me. I can only guess they felt that I had some power over them and that I might be upset that they approached me. I have never had the imbalance of of wealth and power throwing so crudely in my face. This country has long hard road ahead of it.

However, there is hope. As the country struggles with poverty and corruption, the economy booms and opportunity is growing for everyone in the country. In Sandton I saw a little blond girl cling playfully to the massive bronze leg of the Nelsen Mandela statue in the square named for him. We can hope this is symbolic of South Africa's future in becoming more free of its past.