Carie’s guidebook
Neighborhoods
Holiday in my home town*
The owner follows in the footsteps of the travel writer Alain de Botton by travelling in her own neighbourhood.
The concept of travelling usually entails a suitcase, a vehicle and a destination. But in 1795 the French military man and writer Xavier de Maistre said enough of navigating spice routes and discovering continents. He put on his pyjamas, lied down on his couch and wrote down his “Journey around my bedroom”. The travel writer Alain de Botton, who revisited De Maistre’s musings for his book “The art of travel”, wrote that the Frenchman recommended this kind of travelling for the poor and those who are scared of storms, robberies and high cliffs.
De Botton thought of exploring his own bedroom, but because it was so small, he decided to rather undertake a journey in the neighbourhood where he stays.
De Maistre’s trick, he wrote, is a pair of fresh eyes. You have to really see those things that you look at every day and don’t see. He says the attitude with which you do this, is important: Pack your curiosity and make sure that your preconceived ideas are not in the bag where you can easily reach them.
Thus, as he starts to walk Hammersmith in London, he immediately philosophises about a woman and her blonde children, a billboard advertising gravy and cobblestones. Things he is not tuned to when he walks to the underground station every day.
Now, I have to get to the Gautrain every day too, but a philosopher I’m not, and definitely not about gravy ads. But, as I’ve only been in Parkhurst for about a year, can I, as he suggests, imagin¬¬e that this is the first time I’m in its streets?
Thus, even though I don’t fear storms or high cliffs – and how would De Maistre have known most South Africans are more aware of local pickpockets than those in far places – I decide to walk the neighbourhood. Now that I've bought a house I feel poor too.
One always notices the high trees.
With me in the streets are dogs, joggers and cyclers. One or two tramps. It’s going to be difficult, I realise, to pretend that I see these things for the first time. Because it is a daily ritual when I drive past the park and then down the high street with its restaurants on both sides: Moms or dads in neon shirts run with their babies in prams, every dog in the neighbourhood is on a leash and the bicycle stands in front of the coffee shops are no longer empty.
Waiters are unpacking chairs, cleaners sweep the pavements, and the coffee machines of the baristas are hissing away already. And, blow me down, just like any other day the new coffee shop on the corner is giving a gentleman of the road his takeaway coffee.
I can’t pretend that I haven’t eaten here either. I have even ordered a pizza from the narrow window at the place run by volunteers from the area. And I have been in the book, antique and gift shops to browse. I’ve eyed the boutique clothes and retro furniture. I have walked the labyrinth at the Anglican church and sat on its garden bench in the omega shape. (I don’t think it counts for this story how the hardware store has contributed to my poverty.)
I’ve heard of the new, private movie house that’s opened, but because I don’t walk past it, I cannot follow the fake news trend and claim I’m seeing it for the first time. Once a month there is a Sunday market at the sports club, but I’m not going to lie about beautiful food at lots of stalls on a weekday either.
Not even the thing that lots of travel writers and sites love, to number things on to do lists, will save me today. Because in Parkhurst there is really only one thing to do – to sit back and relax. And have a coffee, a beer or wine while you’re at it. I’m not sure how these fancy restaurants will handle it if you only order a glass of water.
Will I be unfair to the area if I mention the empty beer bottle and spot of graffiti? After all, there are also tin birds on a metal branch in front of a store, plastic flowers cover a shop wall like an ivy and another shop sports a pink dog drinking bowel in the shape of a bone. And a barber’s pole turns its candy cane turns in red, white and blue.
Maybe that’s the thing. My neighbourhood is so bent on curiosities for visitors, and because I’m still new too, I still look at everything with new eyes every day.
Maybe there is only one answer to wrapping up my holiday in a world where everything has been explored and mapped, according to De Maistre. I have to climb onto the high cliff of my stoep, take a selfie and WhatsApp it to everyone I know. Then I would have travelled, wouldn’t I?
*This story originally appeared in Beeld newspaper in Afrikaans.
102 locals recommend
Parkhurst
19 17th StraatHoliday in my home town*
The owner follows in the footsteps of the travel writer Alain de Botton by travelling in her own neighbourhood.
The concept of travelling usually entails a suitcase, a vehicle and a destination. But in 1795 the French military man and writer Xavier de Maistre said enough of navigating spice routes and discovering continents. He put on his pyjamas, lied down on his couch and wrote down his “Journey around my bedroom”. The travel writer Alain de Botton, who revisited De Maistre’s musings for his book “The art of travel”, wrote that the Frenchman recommended this kind of travelling for the poor and those who are scared of storms, robberies and high cliffs.
De Botton thought of exploring his own bedroom, but because it was so small, he decided to rather undertake a journey in the neighbourhood where he stays.
De Maistre’s trick, he wrote, is a pair of fresh eyes. You have to really see those things that you look at every day and don’t see. He says the attitude with which you do this, is important: Pack your curiosity and make sure that your preconceived ideas are not in the bag where you can easily reach them.
Thus, as he starts to walk Hammersmith in London, he immediately philosophises about a woman and her blonde children, a billboard advertising gravy and cobblestones. Things he is not tuned to when he walks to the underground station every day.
Now, I have to get to the Gautrain every day too, but a philosopher I’m not, and definitely not about gravy ads. But, as I’ve only been in Parkhurst for about a year, can I, as he suggests, imagin¬¬e that this is the first time I’m in its streets?
Thus, even though I don’t fear storms or high cliffs – and how would De Maistre have known most South Africans are more aware of local pickpockets than those in far places – I decide to walk the neighbourhood. Now that I've bought a house I feel poor too.
One always notices the high trees.
With me in the streets are dogs, joggers and cyclers. One or two tramps. It’s going to be difficult, I realise, to pretend that I see these things for the first time. Because it is a daily ritual when I drive past the park and then down the high street with its restaurants on both sides: Moms or dads in neon shirts run with their babies in prams, every dog in the neighbourhood is on a leash and the bicycle stands in front of the coffee shops are no longer empty.
Waiters are unpacking chairs, cleaners sweep the pavements, and the coffee machines of the baristas are hissing away already. And, blow me down, just like any other day the new coffee shop on the corner is giving a gentleman of the road his takeaway coffee.
I can’t pretend that I haven’t eaten here either. I have even ordered a pizza from the narrow window at the place run by volunteers from the area. And I have been in the book, antique and gift shops to browse. I’ve eyed the boutique clothes and retro furniture. I have walked the labyrinth at the Anglican church and sat on its garden bench in the omega shape. (I don’t think it counts for this story how the hardware store has contributed to my poverty.)
I’ve heard of the new, private movie house that’s opened, but because I don’t walk past it, I cannot follow the fake news trend and claim I’m seeing it for the first time. Once a month there is a Sunday market at the sports club, but I’m not going to lie about beautiful food at lots of stalls on a weekday either.
Not even the thing that lots of travel writers and sites love, to number things on to do lists, will save me today. Because in Parkhurst there is really only one thing to do – to sit back and relax. And have a coffee, a beer or wine while you’re at it. I’m not sure how these fancy restaurants will handle it if you only order a glass of water.
Will I be unfair to the area if I mention the empty beer bottle and spot of graffiti? After all, there are also tin birds on a metal branch in front of a store, plastic flowers cover a shop wall like an ivy and another shop sports a pink dog drinking bowel in the shape of a bone. And a barber’s pole turns its candy cane turns in red, white and blue.
Maybe that’s the thing. My neighbourhood is so bent on curiosities for visitors, and because I’m still new too, I still look at everything with new eyes every day.
Maybe there is only one answer to wrapping up my holiday in a world where everything has been explored and mapped, according to De Maistre. I have to climb onto the high cliff of my stoep, take a selfie and WhatsApp it to everyone I know. Then I would have travelled, wouldn’t I?
*This story originally appeared in Beeld newspaper in Afrikaans.
Sightseeing
History, art, shopping.
Get Johannesburg history in a nutshell, from colonial to apartheid, and end with the story of the greatest constitution in the world and a most interesting building. See a small but wonderful collection of local art. Safe parking and close enough to uber.
193 locals recommend
Constitution Hill Human Rights Precinct
11 Kotze StGet Johannesburg history in a nutshell, from colonial to apartheid, and end with the story of the greatest constitution in the world and a most interesting building. See a small but wonderful collection of local art. Safe parking and close enough to uber.
The Cradle of Humankind is not in the Johannesburg area for nothing. Visit this well laid out museum and fantastic bookshop.
Wits Origins Centre Museum
1 Enoch Sontonga AvenueThe Cradle of Humankind is not in the Johannesburg area for nothing. Visit this well laid out museum and fantastic bookshop.
Buy curios from all over Africa and chat to the stall owners for their stories.
African Cultural Market
11 Cradock AveBuy curios from all over Africa and chat to the stall owners for their stories.
Walk the lovely park of the botanical gardens in the fresh air of the Highveld. Chat to the locals walking their dogs and grab a cold drink at the basic coffee shop.
141 locals recommend
Emmarentia Dam
Walk the lovely park of the botanical gardens in the fresh air of the Highveld. Chat to the locals walking their dogs and grab a cold drink at the basic coffee shop.
Look at beautiful ceramics, cloths and carpets from all over Africa. Or buy something if you want to.
12 locals recommend
Kim Sacks Gallery
153 Jan Smuts AveLook at beautiful ceramics, cloths and carpets from all over Africa. Or buy something if you want to.