I was standing between two cows, three piles of garbage, four recently ‘deposited’ piles of cow dung and a shopkeeper trying to sell me everything from silk scarves to Ali baba pants…..when another shopkeeper asked me ‘have you seen ‘The Holy Mother’?  I say, ‘oh you mean them, pointing to the two cows laying next to my feet’.  The shopkeeper says ‘no, those are just cows and repeats it a second time, ’just cows’…in a tone as If i was  crazy for even suggesting that the cows could possible be ‘The Holy Mother’. How could i even conceive that a cow could possible be anything more than a cow…..given India is the only country I have been to that won’t eat the cow, allows the cow to roam at will throughout the country; in streets, train stations, train tracks and houses (basically holding up traffic and making it nearly impossible to walk anywhere without walking into their many piles of dung)……Excuse me!  The shopkeeper says again, “Have you seen the Holy Mother” and clearly I did not know what “The Holy Mother” was but I did know, it was not the two cows between feet!  So, I dared asked the question, what is “The Holy Mother”?  The shopkeeper replied back, ‘The Ganges’.  (more…)

 Part 1-

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Part 2-

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Deon (my guide for the Safari) picked me up from my ’backpackers’ in Jo’burg.  The tour consisted of a 4night/3day safari in Kruger National Park….and from the point of pick-up, I should have known it would be an interesting Safari!  Upon entering the mini-van, Deon made it clear he did not like Americans and ESPECIALLY the ones who were associated with any volunteer organizations from the states.  So, prior to taking my seat in the van I had to confirm I was not part of any such organization!  I made my way to vacant seat in the back of the van with six other people who signed up for the Safari (who were not Americans).  The drive to the park would be about twelve hours from Jo’burg, but included a few stops along the way.  So, I sat back in my seat for the journey that lay ahead. (more…)

So, knowing this i was shuttled between the tourist attractions I visited, which began with Soweto (which I have previously posted on) and then visited the “Hector Peterson Museum”. The “Hector Peterson Museum” is located in Soweto and is a museum named after a 12 year old boy student who was shot by the police on June 16, 1976 and died on the scene. On the same day about 566 other students died by police officers. The museum is to commemorate the students (and Hector Peterson) who died during the uprising on June 16, 1976. The studenst where protesting against being taught Africans in school (considered the white language). The museum is located across the street from the corner Hector Peterson was shot. Also, Hectors sister (who was with him at the time he was shot) runs the museum. If you are lucky, you may have the opportunity of meeting her on the day you visit.

On the following day I visited the Apartheid Museum. The Apartheid Museum requires A LOT of time as it has information that spans decades in one building. The museum is set up makes for an easy flow, it starts from the beginning when the Dutch arrived, the Boer War and proceeds up until 1994 when blacks FINALLY got the right to vote. This museum is not a one hour event, it really requires at the minimum four hours. However, for me I would have preferred to visit a portion of it on one day, go home take in the information and then return the following day and visit the remaining sections of the museum.

After visiting Soweto and the museums, I decided on my next destination……Kruger National Park…..for a four night, three day Safari! And off I went, from Jo’burg to Kruger!