The mudane

Traveling can elevate the mundane to a new level; not quite magnificent, but maybe interesting. Things function in a manner you are familiar with, but are different in form or execution. Such ordinary things can force you to reflect on how your surroundings change you. So, while I'd never try and tell you about say, hair salons in the United States, I might just do so here. Without apology, here are some of the minutia of our existence in South Africa.

The Main Road, looking toward the city center

Our apartment is in an area that I think is now euphemistically called 'urban'. It is situated on a major road called "Main Road". Noise from the road is significant, even annoying.

There is commerce here; things like hair braiding, inexpensive lunch counters selling delightful "bunny chow", second hand stores, and street vendors selling single cigarettes or pieces of candy. This is Africa as I remember and love, but it's no place to live. We'll be moving at the end of this month, but for now, I am enjoying the culture on Main Road, Mowbray.

My favorite lunch counter

I like the 'Sunrise Chip N' Ranch', one block away. It's inexpensive and colorful. Food is plentiful, honest, and occasional even good; if you have a taste for oil laden chips. From the counter on the street you can look deep into the interior, over a vast, clean kitchen finished in stainless steel. A dark skinned Indian man watches, smoking, over a large African staff.  Maybe like a homegrown White Castle, but with a much saner clientele.

A small business

Micro-commerce. These guys will sell you a single piece of candy for about 2.5 cents.

Minibus taxis

Noise is as you would expect from a busy street. On top of cars, lorries, buses, and  boisterous college students, there is a near constant 'hooting', or honking of horns. This is almost entirely due to the taxis, or minibuses. These are mini-vans, with four rows of seats, a driver, and an attendant. The driver honks in rapid bursts, and the attendant shouts the destination, whistles at people (to entice them), and gets out to hustle business at busy stops. He also holds the cash bag,  counts change, and gets out to press the cross walk buttons at busy stops, forcing competing mini-vans to fall behind in the race to collect customers. Predatory commerce.

Simplicity

The apartment is utilitarian. 3 bedrooms, one bath. Equipped, but minimally. This has its pleasures, see the photo; do your cupboards look like this? Ours never did. Instead it was a jumble of confusing stuff, promotional mugs and hold overs from very young children. It was all piled high,  conspiring to tumble down on the next person to open the cupboard.

Courtyard for soccer

There is a nice courtyard the boys have been using for soccer. There are a lot of other people here,  and some of them are interesting. Like the Nigerian Mathematician, the Chinese Confucian, and the South African Physician. The boys get some attention, being the only kids around.

There's no problem getting what you need. Malls are of shamefully extravagant, more so than  I've ever seen in America, although I confess, that they are not often a place I want to go. They are well stocked with amazing produce, inexpensive clothing, and expensive electronic gizmos. I like that there are supermarkets and pharmacies in the malls, then there is something useful to buy. Oh, they've got a lot of underpants too, apparently one can never have enough of them.

A 2005 1986 Corolla hatchback. Razz-a-ma-Tazz!
It's got a carburetor.

Cars are expensive here, but as with everything, easy to shop for. After a little deliberation, we opted for a best seller with good fuel economy. As it happens, something very similar to the 1986 Toyota Corolla was manufactured in South Africa until 2005 and sold under the "Tazz" name. This is a very stable, basic car. No power steering, brakes, or windows. No cruise control, ABS, or airbags. 38 miles per gallon, very reliable, and very likely to sell for what we paid. I wish I could buy one in America. What a great idea, take a really good car, and just keep right on making it.

I should really show a screen door from South Africa. It's worth thinking about.

Screen doors just aren't a happy thought. Let me close instead with a image from our marine environment. Boats are nearly always photogenic. It would be an exaggeration to say this is in our neighborhood, but it is just around.