We immediately boarded the bus, so I didn't really felt the cold, and we headed straight to Soweto (South West Township). It is one of the places where the majority of the black people in Jo'burg live. We were actually given a choice whether to see th CBD or to visit the place where the lower income people live. In the end, most of us voted for the latter. I was quite surprised to find the shanty town weren't as filthy as I imagined, or as seen in some of the footages on TV, like those in Asia.
The shanty town in Soweto
One of the "Elephant"Houses
Since we reached there on a weekend, there weren't so many vehicles on the road. On the bus, Gerhard, our guide, told us that in SA, there are 3 types of people namely the white, the blacks and the coloured people. The coloured people represents peopel of the mixed races. On our way, we visited the memorial for the first youth that was killed in the youth uprising in 1976.
The memorial of the death of the first youth
We soon left Jo'burg and the upper veld to the low veld. On our way, we visited several scenic spots: The Blyde River Canyon, the God's Window, the Three Rondavals, and Pilgrim's Rest. The scenery here are truly spectacular; and it makes you feel like you are really in heaven and appreciate mother nature's wonder.
Three Sisters Rondavals
God's window - I can spend the whole day here gazing at the view and that's what a bunch of Italian tourists was doing
The Bourke holes.
Some locals trimming hair at Pilgrim's Rest
Finally, we booked into a chalet style lodge in Adventura Blyde Canyon. By the time we went for dinner, it was already 8 pm (2 am in SG). Worried about not phoning home, I asked the souvenirs shop owners for help to change notes to coins. They were very helpful and a friendly old couple. Finally phoned back, sis picked up the phone and demanded if I know the time was
2 am in the morning...hehehehe...sorry sis.
