Dublin, the Apartheid Museum, and a Birthday

After a few days in Dublin, we were on our way to Johannesburg, South Africa, via Paris. We had planned three nights in Joburg before traveling on for a longer stay in Cape Town.

One thing we have been doing over the last six years is trying to spend a day or two at any intermediate destinations. The goal is to give our bags time to arrive, and it makes flight delays or cancellations less impactful. Since we have plenty of time in our lives, adding a few days here and there hasn’t been a problem. This policy came in handy on this trip.

Getting There

Our flight from Toronto to Dublin was blessedly uneventful. This time our bags arrived with us. Of course, it was a nonstop flight and our bags theoretically never left the plane between Toronto and Dublin, but you never know. I can’t say that for the rest of the trip.

A Short Visit to Dublin

We spent at least 10 days in Dublin a few years ago, so we didn’t feel pushed to go sightseeing. This time, despite the constant gray skies, we spent plenty of time walking around.

We stayed at a Radisson this time, near the castle, so it was possible to just walk everywhere, including to the far side of the river and then through the really old section of town. We also took a stroll down the pedestrian Grafton Street.

For this visit, Mike was focused on finding places to listen to Irish music. We found music both nights, but none of it was traditional Irish music. We did enjoy ourselves in the crowded bars, and we struck up a conversation with a German couple when we asked to use half of their table. The bars were very crowded. We did find an interesting new place called The Bank. The building is beautiful, and the drinks and food were good too.

Getting to South Africa

Our route from Dublin to Johannesburg went through Paris Charles de Gaulle, and we gave ourselves a few hours. This was good, because we walked a super long way from one gate to the next and back through security, too. So much for the water we brought from Dublin. That said, on this trip, we both carried plastic water bottles we could fill in the lounges.

Again, our long flight from Paris to Joburg was nice, but when we got to baggage claim, only one of our suitcases showed up, mine. A strange thing happened at the airport, too. When all the bags were off the plane, we talked to an attendant who was right there near the carousel. He had a list, found our name, and directed us to the Air France baggage desk. The guy there also had a long list with our name on it. Apparently, they were already aware that the bag didn’t make it onto the plane. That was a first.

So, he quickly filled out the form, told us the bag would be delivered to the hotel tomorrow, and told us we had 100 euros to buy anything we needed in the meantime. WOW, that was weird and efficient. We did, in fact, need some things. So later that day, after a nap, we took the hotel shuttle to a really nice mall and did a little clothes shopping. It only took a few emails to get reimbursed for the things we bought. So, everything worked out great, and our extra time at intermediate stops worked out very well.

Tour of Town on the Big Red Bus

In a new city, we sometimes take the Big Red Bus to get some history and an orientation to the city we are visiting. Since the bus stopped at the Apartheid Museum, we decided to get a tour of the city so we could see parts of the city while going to the museum. The most disturbing thing we saw and heard about was downtown. That seems to be where the social services are, and the poor people flock to. Many travel miles each day to work downtown as well. I’m glad we didn’t spend much time there. The bus also took us through lots of affluent neighborhoods, all with fences topped with razor wire and guards on the gate.

I’m really glad that I finally got to see the museum and Johannesburg. I think 2 days was just the right amount of time. It was a great way to acclimate before heading on to Cape Town.

Apartheid Museum

Our main goal for going to Joburg was to visit the Apartheid Museum. Our son told us we should go, and Mike went the last time we were in Joburg. He thought it was really well done and quite moving. After our visit, I had to agree with him. The thing that struck me was that over the course of only a few years, tens of laws were passed that nibbled away at the freedoms of a group of people.

There was also a very moving exhibit specifically about Nelson Mandela. Lots of pictures of the peaceful campaign to end apartheid. There is more Mandela history in Cape Town, so it was good to see this exhibit first.

Birthday Dinner at the Chef’s Table

Here we were in a strange city on my birthday, but Mike still wanted to do something special. He found a very good restaurant, called Level Four, that would do a special dinner. When we arrived, we were taken through the restaurant to the kitchen, where a lovely table was set up. Dinner was a tasting menu of more than seven dishes, but things came slowly with wonderful service and a chef’s explanation of each dish. At the end of dinner, we took multiple pictures of ourselves with the kitchen staff. Our opinion at the end was that this meal and the kitchen prep were as good as any Michelin-rated restaurant we have been to. It was a really delicious, fun, and different experience. As for the food, I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

Is there anything you would want to see in Johannesburg?