First day in Jo'burg

The Apartheid Museum
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Lukanyo prepared a "continental breakfast": ham, cheese, fresh bread, muesli cereal, and tea. We were properly nourished to head out for my first day of lessons from South Africa's haunting history.

We drove through the heart of Johannesburg, where Lukanyo pointed out the still standing police station where anti-apartheid activists were imprisoned, tortured and often killed. Our destination was the Apartheid Museum where we spent at least four hours taking in South Africa's history of racial segregation and domination.

Twelve years ago in South Africa, it would have been illegal for Lukanyo and I to be in the same place together.

Upon arrival, visitors are given a pass with a racial category printed upon it and must enter the museum according to their assigned race. It had been declared by the Dutch and British in South Africa that God had ordained whites to rule over all other races, becoming the system of apartheid, which was finally disbanded in 1994 after years of resistance. You can find out much more if you're interested by looking at any number of websites.

Twelve years ago in South Africa, it would have been illegal for Lukanyo and I to be in the same place together. As we were in the last room of the museum where we could place a stone in remembrance of the victims of apartheid, a tour guide who was ahead with a group of students, pointed to us (a black man and white woman) as an example of the progress that South Africa has made.

We ate a late lunch of sandwiches at the outdoor museum café. Lukanyo told me of a guy he knew who had said when asked about his thoughts after seeing the museum, "Yeah, it was good, but it was bit biased." Amazing that somebody can go through several hours of witnessing the horrid conditions resulting from racist oppression of an indigenous population by colonists and want to see more of the oppressor's perspective.

We attempted to see the gold mines that were next door but the gates had closed at 4pm. We made our way back home where I ended up taking a nap since I had gotten up for the day around 2am my time. We stayed in for the evening with some pizza (bacon and mushroom, mmm), salad, and watched a movie.