One moment a skinny tiny little African bloke painted up as a clown is juggling and dancing in front of the car at a 'robot', the next two white boys ultra trendy, 'with it' clowns come mincing and flirting along the road. A white old boy off on his bicycle, all different ethniticities buying gourmet bread.
Driving around Johannesburg is also all to do with contrast. You drive down roads like huge arbours with superbly lush gardens, a golf course and wonderful landscapes with gems of Cape Dutch style do modern movement houses tucked in behind 3 meter high walls with 8 strand electrics and razor wire. Then you are between crumbling concrete and render buildings lots of white burglar proofing grills, milling people and bicycles. All oriental suddenly; the Chinese Cyrildene ex Jewish area; sprawling around the old synagogue.
For lunch you would have sworn that we were in any sophisticated, high octane, fun gathering of the young and beautiful; white people. Parkhurst is nestled safely between suburbs and therefore the young white kids can safely gather in funky restaurants and shop in creative boutiques. Everyone a personal fashion statement accessorised with tats, that is the males - South African women would never allow themselves to become Bogons. In fact the number of amazingly skinny females with of course the maddest highest shoes was quite astonishing. Interestingly, it would seem that anorexia is still a hush, hush subject here, never to be spoken. One would not go near discussing the possibility of it affecting anyone you know for fear of great offence.
No comments:
Post a Comment