a travel guide to Durban :-)

Finally, it is July 1st and new internet cap has arrived and i can tell you all about the past week :-) I have not written in a while, so this is a long one...but totally worthwhile :-)

So, what has been happening in the last week? Well, it has been a busy past few day; well busy by Durban's "just chill and enjoy the sun" standards. The weekend started with a trip to Florida road, Durban's version of Long Street, which was filled with foreigners getting ready for the Brazil Chile Game. It was packed! We eventually found a table at Bangkok Wok...right next to some Portuguese men :-) We had great thai food there- curry and stir-fry...i definitely need to go to Thailand now! The game itself was not very exciting but the company was fun. Got a little awkward when Meg P had to save me from this very determined Portuguese man! But that's what friends are for :-) The party continued...but in the aid of avoiding unnecessary groping and because i had to be up EARLY the next day, i left.

On Saturday morning, we left, bright and early, to the farmers market in Shongweni. It starts at 5am and they recommend you get there no later than 7am so the good stuff is still there. Well, we got there at 7:30, and there was plenty of wonderful things to buy. Mainly fruit, vegetables, cheese, baked goods and meat. But some other random food items, as well as art and random bits and bobs. After spending far too much money, we sat down to have breakfast. Now this is what the market is really known for- its great breakfasts! Croissants, bacon, eggs, omelettes, vetkoek, breakfast in pita, fruit salad, avo samies...anything and everything! As well as some good coffee :-) I definitely recommend taking a trip, if you are in Durban. It is open every saturday till about 10am. Very Very cool! :-)

From the market, we went on to Nottingham Road. My parents have just finished building their 'retirement home', which has only two bedrooms- the main room and guest room/study...ie, no space for the kids! Nottingham Road is about an hour and a half from Durban, in Natal Midlands, and is where my dad grew up. It is surrounded by some of South Africa's top private schools- Kersney, Michael House and Hilton. It is a strange little dorpie- literally a one shop town, but it is known for its brewery, The Nottingham Road Brewery, which makes beers called the 'Pickled Pig', 'Whistling Weasel' and the 'Tidily Toed'. It is super good local beer. If you ever see it in a shop...give it a try :-)

The house is in a wonderfully quiet area with cows and buck running everywhere. We were lucky because it was a beautiful day; not cold at all! I spent most of it reading in the hammock on the veranda! I could i have stayed there all weekend...Sadly, there is no furniture, so it may have gotten a bit rough in the night :-)

Anyway, we had to get home by 8pm because it was USA vs Ghana and we had to watch it! And what a game. I know i should have supported USA but Ghana all the way friends! They are Africa's hope and i hope they make it far! The Ghanian government had said it will sponsor Ghana fans, because they have fun out of money, to stay on as long as Ghana is in the game. If that goes not get them all the way...nothing will. I think we must all by Ghana Flags :-)

Sunday was dominated by the anticipation of the England Germany game...which was an amazing game. All i can say is, yes yes Germany deserved to win...but soccer...get with the program and use technology and replays! For goodness sakes!

Yesterday was super awesome! I went to Goudans, which makes the best and spiciest bunny chows in the world! It blows your brain but it is so good. The bunny chow is so funny because it was originally used because the indentured indians did not have enough time to eat their lunch, so they would put it in some bread to keep it and then eat it later. Well, that is one of the stories...there are loads! Goudans in the arch rival or Govender's which is just 100 meters up the road. I think Goudans is better :-) It is a great place, which really represents the new South Africa with people of all races! And you know if Indian people eat there, the food must be good! it is cheap and spicy...Definitely worth a visit (corner of Umbilo and Eatton Road in Glenwood)!

Tuesday was a very exciting day for me. I have lived in Durban pretty much my whole life and today I had a day of new places I have never been. First off, we went to lunch at this place called 'little Gujart'; a little vegetarian restaurant. Yes, it was a curry overload, but it is the official food of Durban. This place, though, was not spicy which was a good change and had no meat, which was a nice change too. And it was so cheap! R140 for lunch for 5 people plus drinks! I don't know what street it is on, except it is in town and very little but packed full all the time! Good food!

Then we headed to Warwick Junction. Warwick Junction is one of those places with a reputation of 'don't go down there because you will be mugged/stabbed/killed'. Well, let me tell you, that is definitely not the truth. It is a market which is divided into different areas- you have fruit and veg, clothes, beads, spices, herbs and animals. It is a traditional market mainly, so by herbs I mean traditional medicines and there are some sangomas there, and my animals, I mean live chickens which can be de-headed at your request and a wide range of traditional foods available such as tripe. Warwick Junction was created by the city as a place to house all the informal traders. Basically, a long time ago, all these traders set up all over the city, and the city of Durban didn't really know what to do- they did not want to get rid of them but did not want to have them spread everywhere. So they created one area where the sellers could rent a area to sell, and over time, Warwick Junction expanded and grew to what it is today. The evil city manager, Mike Sutclife, wants to destroy the market and make, yet another, shopping mall. Never fear though, because the people of Warwick have united together in a form of union organisation and have put up such a fight that it does not look like it will happen...we hope! If you come to Durban, it is a definite place to visit...and lots of presents you can buy for your foreign friends :-)

Finally the day ended with a visit to Ike's Bookshop. Now this is not a new place for me but rather a regular spot. It is an old bookshop that focuses on academic books and has everything you can think of. It is found right at the bottom of Florida road, near bean bag bohemia (a big spot for durbanites), and had been there for ages! You walk upstairs and see the walls signed by all the past authors who have had book launches there and will be amazed at the books you can find- for SA politics, to Marx, to sporting books, to anything! It is a great place to go, with great prices and a good vibe! If you haven't been there...GO! Also look out for launches they have- I am going to one tonight in fact :-)

Well...that has been what i have been doing for the past week. A fun-filled week and i hope this has enticed you to visit durban and try these new places :-)