Johannesburg Journals

Jo'burg and the Burbs

Best of IgoUgo

A September 2006 trip to Johannesburg by MikeInTown

Nelson Mandela Home Photo - Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa More Photos
Quote: Two nights in Johannesburg allowed us explore the Apartheid Museum, Soweto, and the city's excellent restaurants.

Jo'burg and the Burbs

Best Of IgoUgo

Overview

Johannesburg Skyline Photo - Johannesburg, South Africa
Quote:
Johannesburg was the first stop of our 12-day tour of South Africa. Here are the highlights of our 2-night stay:Apartheid Museum: This museum chronicles the history of South Africa's racial discrimination. This overview of the country's dark days gave me an appreciation for some of the positive changes we witnessed during our journey. It also helped me understand how some of the depressing scenes we saw came about.Soweto Tour: Our tour guide has lived in Soweto all his life. He gave us an outstanding tour of this township which included the homes of Nobel Peace Prize winners, Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.Quick Tips: Curre...Read More

Crowne Plaza Johannesburg-The Rosebank

Best Of IgoUgo

Hotel | "Rosebank Hotel"

Fitness Center Photo - Crowne Plaza Johannesburg-The Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa
Quote:
The Rosebank Hotel is located in Rosebank, a quiet suburb of Johannesburg. Downtown Johannesburg is approximately 15 minutes away by car. Our stay at The Rosebank was part of a tour package so we were picked up from there by a tour van for our tour of Johannesburg, the Apartheid Museum, and Soweto.The hotel rooms are neat and spacious. The bathroom had the biggest bath towels I have ever seen. Our "double bed", however, consisted of two twin beds pushed together. I found this to be the case at several of the hotels in which we stayed during our South Africa trip.The hotel ame...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on December 30, 2006

Crowne Plaza Johannesburg-The Rosebank
13 Tyrwhitt at Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank
Saxonworld, Gauteng, Johannesburg 52025
0861 747 7444

Ocean Basket

Best Of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Served In A Pan Photo - Ocean Basket, Johannesburg, South Africa
Quote:
The Ocean Basket is located in a plaza called The Zone @ Rosebank, which is adjacent to the Rosebank Mall. One of the ladies at the front desk of our hotel (The Rosebank Hotel) strongly recommended we eat at the Ocean Basket if we were interested in seafood. It was only a five-minute walk for us. Our group of six arrived at the restaurant around 7:30pm on a Saturday evening in early September and were seated promptly. However, there was a waiting list to be seated by the time we left around 9pm. We chose the outdoor seating under the heat lamps. Several of the restaurants in this ...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on December 30, 2006

Ocean Basket

Johannesburg, South Africa

Apartheid Museum

Best Of IgoUgo

Attraction

Apartheid Museum Photo - Apartheid Museum, Johannesburg, South Africa
Quote:
Our first excursion in South Africa was a half-day visit to the Apartheid Museum. Apartheid means apartness or separation. During the apartheid years, the South African government classified its citizens as white, black, or colored (mixed or Asian). The blacks were at the bottom of the social status. This systematic discrimination and oppression was the law of the land from 1948 to 1990. As a reminder of this dark period in South Africa's history, the entrance of the museum has two doors - one for whites and the other for non-whites. The door through which you enter is actually randomly deter...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on December 30, 2006

Apartheid Museum
Northern Parkway & Gold Reef Road 2001
Johannesburg, South Africa
+27 11 309 4700

Soweto

Best Of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Soweto Tour"

Nelson Mandela Home Photo - Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa
Quote:
Soweto is the largest township in South Africa. It was started by the blacks who migrated from rural areas to Johannesburg in search of work in the gold mines. Since apartheid laws forbade them from living in Johannesburg, they lived in single-sex hostels and squatter camps just outside the city. This community became known as Soweto (South Western Township).We were fortunate to have an outstanding tour guide who has lived in Soweto all his life. Our ride through this township was quite an eye-opening experience for me. Before this trip, the images I had seen of Soweto on TV were those of shanty towns, crime, and protests. While we definitely saw our share of shanty to...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on December 30, 2006

Soweto

Johannesburg, South Africa 2000
+27 11 340 9000