as the official first week of my holiday draws to a close and my older sister is about to return to cape town, a last-ditch effort to enjoy johannesburg was made by the three of us which resulted in a beautiful morning at the his people rosebank church, followed by a wonderful afternoon in the maboneng precinct in town. similar to the braamfontein/neighbourgoods vibe, maboneng is filled with food, drinks, fashion, but in particular, art. there are galleries upon galleries filled with trippy and beautiful exhibitions and people proclaiming “these hipsters…” with less venom than draco malfoy spat ‘mudblood’, but only just. it’s days like this that make me wish i could art, but since i can’t, i just want to enjoy it and be absorbed by it. my sisters and i took turns being typical hipster/tourists posing with graffiti and street art, only on the premise that no one actually knows us so their judgement is meaningless (or so we [or i] told ourselves). lime cordial beverages and passion fruit slushies, chicken curries, falafels and burgers – the smell of crepes and ethiopian coffee and the subtle clicks of cameras, today was a day to revel in johannesburg and the culture it provides; to feel like a cool kid and rebel against the system by walking (douchebaggily) in the road. God-willing if i go to cape town next year, i know that it may seem better than this, but it can never feel the same as this.
