Stay a while Crocodile

Make haste while the sun shines! Time waits for no man as we trundle along. It's true,   we can  see our lives flash past us when we have fun. When those glass doors at the Johannesburg International airport swooshed open I became one happy Mama, my girl was safely back on African soil.

I spent the eighteen hour road trip to Johannesburg knitting a new blankie while we listened to an exciting Audiobook  titled “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins.  The N1 was all business as usual, busy, frenetic and somewhat tedious, of course the "stop and gos" are a necessary evil but cost us an extra hour on the road.  

Johannesburg I owe you an apology, I’ve always thought you were much ado about nothing I must confess, besides the Apartheid Museum which I thought was well executed and gets the message across I never really got what appeals to visitors, until now! Johannesburg is about its people, their hospitality and the party. While I burnt the candle at both ends my light shone brightly, we danced, ducked and dived, ate well, laughed and caught up with friends and family. In the wee hours my Precious catapulted me like a diving diva from the 50’s from his shoulders into the icy waters of the pool, all thought of his torn shoulder ligaments and buggered knees anaesthetised!

We supped at a local eatery, 11th Street in Parkmore delicious morsels beautifully plated which tasted as good as they looked. The Marrow bones on toast were a popular choice and my Oysters were plump, fresh and yummy. Our main courses were Pork Belly, Steak and the Sea bass was original; all our plates were done to perfection. Our server was friendly and professional. The busy restaurant is cosy, vibey and cleverly decorated with a cast iron stairway leading to an upstairs bar and private dining area. I maintain a good meal is remembered by the impression made by the Starter and cemented by what’s on your Dessert plate. My eyes always zoom in on a Panacotta, this one was unremarkable and disappointing, but then, who says “one should always have it all?”   The cook in me says “Me!”

On Saturday we marvelled at the monstrous, claustrophobic walled and gated properties, more bricks and mortar in one wall than a whole neighbourhood in our village, Italian ironmongers could re-beautify Tuscany with the craftsmanship displayed in Parktown, Houton and Sandhurst. Here the old adage “if you’ve got it flaunt it” was coined I’m sure. 

We spent a good few hours at the Military Museum in Saxonwold. I was transported back to Dachau when I saw the WW2 Military hardware used by the German Army and Luftwaffe, always emotive and once again typifies our cruelty and inhumanity towards our kinsmen. Our senseless bush war can never be justified in my books but I do have respect for the engineering and ingenuity our military forces showed during our border wars. I stood stock still as I looked at the uniforms worn by the South Africans and recalled my brother doing his military training, and in my minds’ eye I still see him getting on the train a mere boy to go off to the border and I remember my friend who slipped a needle into a vein to rid himself of the pain.

For lunch we were treated to the Neighbourgoods Market in Juta Street. Braamfontein. This is another treasure not to be missed, trendy, pumping with good food good music and lots of good Cape Wine and Hand Crafted Beer. The crowd is eclectic, young and spirited, packed into a relatively small space we all enjoyed a myriad of fabulous food from Asian to Zebra. I wish I could’ve gone undercover with my camera, I’ve not seen so many beautiful people in one spot for a very long time. Oh to be young and carefree.