by 2summers | Oct 26, 2023 | Johannesburg Day Trips, Pretoria, Tours
This week, the last week of October, is peak jacaranda week in Joburg. The trees are laden with flowers and each breeze brings a shower of purple blossoms raining down onto the street. But the Pretoria jacarandas peaked about two weeks ago, and I was lucky enough to...
by 2summers | Apr 12, 2023 | Food and Drink, Johannesburg, Markets/Shopping, Pretoria
Centurion, an anonymous no man’s land between Joburg and Pretoria, is home to a magical place called Buyuk Chamlija: a self-described “Socio Eco Techno Village” that grows fat, juicy pomegranates and has a Turkish restaurant shaped like a beehive. I...
by 2summers | Jan 12, 2022 | Food and Drink, Johannesburg Day Trips, Markets/Shopping, Pretoria
Ludwig’s Roses, a huge rose farm north of Pretoria that has been running for more than 50 years, had been on my radar screen for a while. Several people told me I should visit, but that I must go at the height of summer when the roses are all in full bloom....
by 2summers | Feb 1, 2021 | Ekurhuleni (East Rand), Food and Drink, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Roadhouses of Gauteng
First in my Roadhouses of Gauteng series. Browse all of my roadhouse posts or view a map of the roadhouses I’ve visited. I’ve been planning to blog about South African roadhouses — the equivalent of American fast-food drive-ins — since...
by 2summers | Jan 7, 2021 | Emotions, Joburg Weekend Getaways, Parks/Nature Reserves, Pretoria
NOTE: I originally wrote this post before January 6th, when pro-Trump insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol and mounted the biggest threat to American democracy since the Civil War. I’m having a hard time feeling quite so positive today, on January 7th, but...
by 2summers | Dec 26, 2020 | Parks/Nature Reserves, Pretoria
Happy Boxing Day, everyone. It’s the height of summer in South Africa and Christmas trees (at least real ones) aren’t really a thing here. But in recognition of the holiday spirit I am writing a post about a different kind of tree, which is festive in its...