Loving Joburg: She Said Walks

One of my favourite Joburg blogs is She Said She Said. Anna-Belle is one of those super awesomely quirky people who encourage you to look at life from a completely different angle. I'd been following her blog for a while, when last year I saw this photo on the She Said Facebook page:

I jumped at the opportunity, pulled out my camera and walking shoes, and met Anna-Belle and a bunch of other excited people on Juta street. In the next three hours I learned more about Joburg than in all the 25 years I've lived in it. Anna-Belle showed us all the big sights, but also all the small details that you'd never find in a history book.

One of the things that really stood out for me was how friendly the people were. Because our cameras and wide eyes made it obvious that we were a tour group, many passers-by assumed we were tourists. They stopped to welcome us to Joburg and ask if we were having a good time. The warmth of the city was overwhelming, and I now understand why tourists always marvel at what a friendly city we have!

Completely unplanned but serendipitously, it was the weekend that Tata Madiba passed away. I can't  think of a better way to honour his legacy than by appreciating the heart of the country he fought so hard for us to have today. We stopped for a few moments on the Nelson Mandela bridge where people had left flowers and balloons. We also stopped at the Shadow Boxer - one of the lesser known Madiba statues - outside Chancellor house, which once held Mandela and Oliver Thambo's law firm. The outpouring of love and honour at these auspicious locations was moving, and I was so terribly proud to be South African.

This was a day that I will remember for a very long time. Hopefully forever. Hugest thanks to Anna-Belle who didn't charge anyone a cent for the walk and sharing her knowledge. She mentioned something about doing it again this year, so be sure to keep a close eye on her blog so that you don't miss it!

PS: If you absolutely can't wait, Gerald Garner (my Joburg idol) conducts a variety of tours every weekend through his company Joburg Places. I haven't got around to doing one myself, but I have heard Gerald speak, and his passion and knowledge for this city is absolutely inspiring! If you'd like to get to know Joburg from the inside out, I hugely recommend his walking tours!