Johannesburg - Maboneng

We all have some kind of phobia, I know most black folks are scared of snakes, my male friends are scared of frogs and cats*superstitions really* and my Mother is terrified of worms to the point that in her Will she has stated she wants to be cremated to avoid being devoured by worms.  I on the other hand am petrified of Johannesburg...the programs I watched on TV really messed me up.

So for the past few years I have been avoiding or refusing really any invites to come visit my friends who have relocated to the Streets of Gold.  I always imagined that the moment I got off Park Station, I would take a wrong turn, get mugged and the incident with the girl at Noord Taxi Rank  just put me off completely.

As life would have it, one of my closest friends Chocky moved to this side when I moved to Cape Town.  The long emails, phone calls, daily BBMs could not be enough for our friendship.  Plus I miss being in her presence, she is the one person who shares the same passion for books as I do, and has the most amazing laugh that comes from the pot of her belly.  So here I am blogging from her bed, in a room full of books, I did not get mugged, nor did I see the Tsotsis I have always imagined roam the streets of Johannesburg.

In the few days I have been here, she has shown me her Johannesburg, its the places I would have liked if I stayed here.  Newtown is more like Obz, the hub of the artsy fartsy people, my kind of people.  This city never sleeps, the building have so much character, there is something for everyone.   The Hip-Hop sessions are insane...I may not be back soon, nor will I leave my beloved Cape Town, but Johannesburg you not so bad after all...and please do be kind to my Chocky:-)