South Africa

What a long day we just had. Our guide, Dukes, picked us up from the hostel before 8am this morning to give us a tour of Joburg, Soweto, and museum. By the way Sean, Dukes speaks the "clicking" language. It was so cool to hear them talk and click!!! haha! So we got on the road and to see the house where Nelson Mandela lives, and took plenty of pictures of the outside of his house. We are continually amazed at Joburg altogether. The city is so huge and beautiful, we don't feel like we are in Africa. Everything is so metropolitan and expansive. There were so many random trees as well, I wasn't expecting palms this far south. Dukes said all the trees were brought in from different nations that were coming to mine the gold. The trees that were planted provided a root system to prevent erosion and keep the soil stable for all the gold mining that was going on.

Nelson Mandela's house

Soweto and the Apartheid museum were heartbreaking. I was unaware of all the racism and segregation that had taken place in the very recent history of South Africa. I learned so much today and am almost on information overload.

On the tour we also go to see the stadium where the 2010 World Cup will be played along with the practice fields.

2010 World Cup Stadium

We just got back to the hostel and booked flights to Zambia for tomorrow morning! We plan on staying in Zambia for about a week. Maybe I will get to see Victoria Falls for my birthday tomorrow!!!

We are having a fantastic time, learning so much history, and meeting amazing people!