Kruger National Park

I have heard a lot about Kruger National Park over the last few years - and I admit it's probably all I know of the big game parks in Africa. We came to see big animals, and we did get that.

Rhino

A very full cheetah

Vulture

Owl

Soweto, Johannesburg

As much as I know how superficial it is to sit in the comfort of a car "touring" around a particular suburb connected to significant history and poverty, I still wanted to see Soweto and didn't know any other way, so that is what I did. I did a "tour" of Soweto.

Souvenirs

Soweto is significant - it is one of the first and largest townships built for "natives" (i.e. Blacks) in the apartheid era. Blacks, coloured and other Non-Europeans were forcibly removed from their place of residence and relocated to areas designated for them. These groups were not allowed to mix within themselves either.

Kids

Many significant events happened in Soweto, one of them being the Soweto Uprising of 1976, when Black students revolted against having Afrikaans being the medium for instruction in schools. The protest led to a riot of which many people died.

Shoes on a hanging line

Apartheid didn't really end till 1994 - which isn't a long time ago. We should never judge history with current eyes... but how could something so ugly happened so recently? And what did we do about it then? I could only hope nothing like that ever happen again.

The Regina Mundi Church - the marble table was cracked by soldiers who ended up firing onto the crowd in one of the gatherings.

Soweto

Exhibit at the Apartheid Museum

We also dropped by at the Apartheid Museum - this is highly recommended. It is not a typically museum, it is very, very well done. Very creative. We could have easily spent three hours in there.

African skies

This is one big change of scenery after three months of Beijing pollution. No two days are ever the same. Each one of them beautiful. I may struggle with some of the culture / attitudes here, but I do not fail to admire its beauty. This is what I am talking about...

Kruger National Park

Heavy clouds

Scattered clouds

On the road in the morning

Sunrise at Kruger National Park

Sun sets

Argentina vs Mexico (3-1)

Watched Argentina tonight. It sounds cliche but these guys aren't messing around - they are fast and they are good! Unfortunately for Mexico luck was not on their side. And even if it was it'd probably still take a lot to beat!

More about the city and other soccer matches later (been a bit distracted with soccer of late).

Mexican fan outside the stadium

Spectator and his vuvuzela

Volunteers having to clean up the grounds after fans welcomed in Argentina

Mexico contesting Argentina's first goal, could have been called offside

Haguain at work. I like.

He later scores a goal

Fans all fired up with their vuvuzelas

Argentina scores third goal. It appears that this is the way grown men choose to celebrate - the stack

Argentinian fans go crazy

Blyde River Canyon

The day after the game we decided to explore the Nelspruit area and drove up to Blyde River Canyon. Reminds me of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales but this is much grander. We were blessed with sunshine and warm weather - I began to see the beauty of this country.

Small waterfall

The rolling hill tops - one day I am going to find out why these things are flat on top...

Sunset on the way home

Socceroos

I only watched one Australian game (if we had qualified any better then I would seen more). This one we won, but too little too late.

Team and fans singing national anthem

Contemplating how not to embarrass ourselves

Fans

798 Art District 七九八

Had the chance to visit the art district today. The reason for it being so unfortunately named was that it did use to be a factory area under Communist rule. Then it was used by the army. And then it was left dilapidated until penniless artists found it as a place to showcase their art. The place turned mainstream as more and more visiting politicians graced the place with their presence.

Whilst I had expected it to be fascinating - it is more so than expected. Whilst the art that I did see today was fairly tame compared to the other, much more confrontational modern Chinese art I had seen offshore, it was a sombre reminder of the China that I am living in today. China is large. Its people spread the world - there are so many of us, in some way or other, have something to do with China. Its history is long, some celebrated, some dark. But the China that is today? I don't blame the Chinese for experiencing some sort of identity crisis. The need to be patriotic, and proud of where they have come from. But then now to where? And how? How much longer will it take?

If you're in Beijing and sick of seeing temples, palaces and squares - this is a refreshing look at (modern) Chinese culture.

Ceiling of one of an ex-factory / now art gallery. The inscription essentially says "Long live Chairman Mao" (the saying was previously reserved for Emperors of the Middle Kingdom)

One of the "exhibitions" - completely trippy, walking into smoke and lights - you lose sense of your bearing and direction. Almost felt like vertigo.

Some graffiti

Piglets for sale

Brooches for sale - some had modern Chinese sayings and some old Communist propaganda

Qingdao 青岛

I haven't really thought much of Sydney since I left. I suppose I was very ready to leave by then. Stepping into Qingdao, the smell of ocean, the relaxed attitude, brought memories of Sydney flooding back. I suppose it is common of all beach side cities - they eat (seafood), they drink (beer), and they swim (in the ocean). I miss my summer weekends by the beach, listening to my iPod, reading my book, going for a dip once in a while. I even miss putting on sunscreen.

Qingdao is a beautiful city. It is not as well organized nor well presented as Sydney, and neither is the sand as fine. But it surpassed my possibly-now-lowered expectations of what China could present in form of a beach. I was so excited to see a beach that I bought a bikini on the day and jumped into the ocean - it was freezing (with seaweed strewn everywhere) but it was worth it, just to get salt water on my body. The locals were slightly bemused (not sure if it was with a crazy Asian girl in the water or in a bikini). A classmate said to me: "It looks like you've returned home." I could be.

Qingdao is an interesting little city and I'd like to be back. There is quite a bit of German influence (architecture still evident). Amusingly the roads in Qingdao are named after the cities in China, and arranged in similar geographic fashion. It is a little quaint.

Tsingtao Brewery

The Australian Flag at the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center

Statue in form of an Olympic torch commemorating The Beijing Olympics

The Olympic Rings

The beach!

Tea picker

City skyline from the sea

Flowers in the park

City skyline from the park

Out yonder

Train on the way back