From Maropeng’s February 2010 newlsetter
On April 10, Maropeng and iHominin will give budding palaeontologists a rare opportunity to explore a 1.5-million-year-old fossil site. Cooper’s Cave, 1.2km from the famous Sterkfontein Caves near Johannesburg, is a relatively newly discovered fossil site, where several species of animals and a number of stone tools have been found. The [...]

My favourite of all is Boekehuis:
Boekehuis, corner Lothbury Road and Fawley Avenue, Auckland Park, 011 482 3609, Mondays to Saturdays 9am-6pm    In addition to its wide range of Afrikaans books, the discerning reader can find books which cover topics from cultural studies to history to literature, and much more besides.  Boekehuis is also a [...]

Johannesburg has wild life parks on its doorstep: Pilanesberg Game Reserve a two hour drive away – has the Big Five and although the Rhino and Lion Park is much more restricted and on a way smaller scale, it does provide an interesting introduction to Africa’s wild life species.  Given this, the Johannesburg Zoo is still a good option [...]

I have written before about the live New York Met opera productions which are screened at Cinema Nouveau in Rosebank and at Cedar Square in Fourways. Pucinni’s Turandot is showing at the moment. What a production. If you are in Joburg … don’t miss it.   Upcoming operas include:  Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffman from 15 January; Strauss’s [...]

… with thanks to the November issue of House and Leisure (page 140).  Of the ten reasons  to visit Johannnesburg, seven are in the Greater Rosebank Region. The other 3 are:  Joburg CBD, including Arts on Main, and the Cradle of Humankind.  The 7 in the Rosebank Region are listed by House and Leisure (with different numbering) [...]

The town is a-buzz with its latest architectural and cultural landmark.  Circa, a striking elliptical building on the corner of Jellicoe and Jan Smuts Ave, is the daring project of Mark Read of Everard Read Gallery fame.  Seemingly encased in dark streamlined metal fins, the Gallery space has 3 levels.  Exhibition spaces are visiblethrough glass from the [...]

Descending to look at the underground dig

Another great opportunity here in Jozi.  Yesterday, two friends and I visited Swartkrans, near Sterkfontein in the Cradle of  Humankind.   What a wonderful day!  One of South Africa’s 8 World Heritage sites, the Cradle is rich with fossil-bearing cave deposits spread over 13 different sites .  Fossils from several [...]

Yes we are spoilt. South Africa faces so many challenges, challenges with which both locals and the rest of the world are ALL  too familiar. However a day like this last Sunday makes up for a lot. In the spring, SAPPI a very large paper making public company, generously sponsors concerts at the National Botanical [...]

It’s Women’s Day in South Africa this Sunday 9th August. It marks the day in 1956 when 20,000 women, in an extraordinary brave, resolute and powerful show of  protest, marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against the extension of the pass laws to women.  Although I am sorry to be missing commemorative celebrations here in Joburg, I [...]

Am very excited as I’m off to the Kruger Park this coming week-end, leaving the guesthouse in the very capable hands of Zac, Catherine and Thandi. My locum Olga, who moves in with her husband Dick, takes over my daily tasks and role in the running of the guest house. I can barely wait for the early morning [...]