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Check out these images from the Hluhluwe Guest House.  We stayed here on our amazing quest to see all of South Africa’s animals.  To learn more about the Hluhluwe Guest House and read it’s review click here.

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What’s up with these street signs?

So, when you get to South Africa you should be aware of this. Through out the country, locations, places, buildings, cities, streets and even regions have been converted and changed to different names. The most obvious effects of this will be seen in the street names. These places and streets were established by the once ruling aparteid regime, that brought about decades of oppression and segregation. So, when the party was dismantled, a new SA for all black South Africans is just over the horizon.  Although infrastructure and years of racial discrimination need to be addressed, the country is taken steps towards a brighter future. This is a time when aid is needed and the suffering poor continues to search for hope, there is no easy fix and along this unstable road to a new South Africa, there has be changes that causes further uproar segregation among the country, and among the people. These street signs are no exception to the controvertial changes sweeping the nation.

It is very interesting to hear some of the different opinions on changing street signs.  Of some of the black local Durbanites, this change can causes some confusion but is seen as a positive change and gives more recognition to the Zulu culture that the majority of the people belong to.  Other the other hand, some local white Durbanites disagree.  The feelings are that the signs are confusing, and most of the sign names are impossible to pronounce since the are mostly Zulu names. There is an overwhelming feeling is of practicality, where they feel street names are street names, and that “they shouldn’t be changed, because they can only cause mass confusion for no good reason.”  Even still with practical notions aside, the presence of racial tension is everywhere.  It is truely amazing to hear oppsoing options on this matter.

There really seems to be a mixed reaction amoung the people who maneuvur through the changed street everyday, and they definitely span the entire spectrum of far racial disgruntle to positive alterations, and they certainly surpass the common practical opinion on this change.  Very, very interesting. 

More to come on this sensitive, but REAL subject.

Anyway, if you’re ever by the 2010 World Cup Durban Stadium, come by where I stayed…the cross streets are Percy Osbourne Road, Stamford Hill Road and or Mathews Meyiwa and Adraine Road. YES…that’s one spot.

Livin’ in Durb’s

Five Percy Osborne. This is where we stayed while in South Africa.  Conveniently located three blocks from Senzangakhona Stadium, also know as “Durban Stadium” and for all of you that aren’t so familiar with that…the new 2010 World Cup stadium in Durban. 

It is absolutely an amazing feeling to be able to walk out on our huge front deck and look several blocks down to see the water front lined with this magnificent stadium.  What a massive structure with study beans and heavy metals. It was almost like watching a grand metallic rainbow grown from the sandy beaches only to merge above the crucial kick-off point of 2010.  Everyday on our morning run we would see, piece by piece, this magical arch emerge. What a great view. 

Anyway, being able to live in an area where sports is such a major part of culture and life is truly amazing. I have to say, although I couldn’t train beyond normal workouts, feeling the emotion and the inspiration in the air was really powerful. The second you walk out that door to see stadium, it gives you an overwhelming boost to your day, and stirs up every possible emotion connected to what you grew up aspiring to, what you enjoyed working for all these year, and what visions you still dream about. 

This stadium means a lot to the people Durban and to all of South Africa. In many ways, it  is truely symbolic of current times on South Africa.  A time of upcoming triumph, a period of rebuilding, a transition of power to the people, and an era of reconciliation.  As much inspiration, hope, motivation and power such a symbolic structure can bring to us soccer players, and athletes alike, so too do the people of Durban and all of the country have to look forward to and be excited for.   As one of the largest stadiums in the country located the sports captical in all of the African Continent, Cheers Durban!

So, yes…very cool being able to life a few blocks from the 2010 Durban World Cup Stadium. More to come on the stadium itself, sports venues, and all Durban has to offer. Not to mention, world cup frenzy spreading through the country.  Are You Ready?