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After my first two
exciting days in Johannesburg, I was looking forward to Day 3 of
my FUNDI trip as I was scheduled to visit some of the most
exciting places that one should see when in Johannesburg. Our day
started with one of the most scenic drives to GOLD REEF CITY which
is also popularly known as a CITY WITHOUT LIMITS as in this unique
complex, you have a casino, an amusement park and if you want to
be part of the fun and adventure all day long and late into the
night you could even stay at one of the hotel properties within
the GOLD REEF CITY. To reach the GOLD REEF CITY we had to take the
road which leads to Bloemfontein, the judicial capital of South
Africa and at the Booysens exit you have to take a detour to reach
one of the most interesting places and well worth a visit around
Johannesburg. |
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Since we are on the
subject of Gold and Gold mines let me tell you the interesting
history of Johannesburg and why it is known as the city of Gold.
In 1885 this region which was known as Witwatersrand or the Ridge
of White Waters was virtually an uninhabited ridge- a watershed
1800 metres above sea level from which streams running north found
its way into the Indian Ocean and in the southern side emptied
into the Atlantic Ocean. Once it was identified that there were
Gold Mines in and around this area, within a span of a decade,
Johannesburg grew to become the most populous city in southern
Africa and in no time it was known as the city of gold and instant
riches. Soon you had people migrating not only from different
parts of South Africa but also from neighbouring countries such as
Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique and as the gold rush period came to
an end, it lead to many miners becoming unemployed and hence this
eventually lead to a place with one of the highest unemployment
rates and led to a city which has a very high crime rate. Although
in my previous article, I have emphasized that even today
Johannesburg is like one of many cosmopolitan cities of the world
like New York, London or Mumbai and most of the city is safe
barring a few areas.
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Coming back to our
trip, at GOLD REEF CITY you will find one of Africa's greatest
theme park which is built around an authentic 19th Century gold
mine and for those who want to see how the miners used to explore
gold, it is worth taking the underground tour. Once in Gold Reef
City, you can book your tour at mine 20 and it costs approximately
R45,00 per person and even children over 6 years can take this
trip and go back in time. First you have to gear up for the trip
by wearing one of the colourful helmets along with an outfit which
the miners used to wear to go several levels below the ground to
explore gold. Then a lift takes you down under and your tour
begins. As in the mine it used to be pitch dark in the 19th
century, and to give you a feel of how miners used to work, you
walk through areas with a torch to help you find your way. There
are scheduled tours normally twice a day and professional miners
take you around and besides taking you several levels below ground
level, they take you back in time narrating to you the history of
miners and how they used to go about exploring gold.
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As South
Africa has 11 official languages, it would have been difficult for
persons to communicate with each other, so before working in the
mine, all the miners had to learn a common “miners” language
which would be comprehended by one and all. The tour which lasted
around 40 odd minutes took us through the entire process of how
mining is carried out and the risks taken to mine gold. No wonder
we pay such a price for gold. (For those interested in knowing how
gold is mined you can read the separate box which is an extract of
the commentary given as part of the mining tour). After the tour
ends, we are taken to show how a gold bar is made and this turned
out to be the most interesting part of the tour especially for
those who visit the gold mine to take back a souvenir or two. One
of the most priced collections is undoubtedly the 1 oz KRUGERRAND
which is indeed a collector's item and it comes to you after
creating a real big hole in your pocket. There are other
interesting souvenirs that you could get as well but nothing to
beat the KRUGERRAND. Those interested in doing a bit of window
shopping before the BIG PURCHASE can visit
www.goldreefcity-mint.co.za and carry the extra couple of thousand
dollars to bring back a collection of gold souvenirs.
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After experiencing
darkness in the mines and thereafter the glitz of gold in the
souvenir shops, it was back to reality and to see the other
interesting sight of GOLD REEF CITY - the amusement park, a must
for kids and kids at heart. There are as many as 31 thrill rides
you could choose from and for the strong hearted, it is worth
taking a ride in the TOWER OF TERROR - a real terror ride where
you are taken extremely slowly right on top of the tower in a
carriage and then literally thrown down the tower in a matter of
few microseconds. I would highly recommend the trip for those who
want to have a preview of high altitude falls before venturing out
for a bungee jumping ride. Then there is the Anaconda roller
coaster, the river rapids as well as a 55metre giant wheel
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HAVE A BALL AT THE
AMUSEMENT PARK AT GOLD REEF CITY
Rides ranging from the thrill- a-second Golden Loop to the
Swinging Coco Pan to the more sedate fun train and the Magical
dragon land for the smaller children, Gold Reef city has succeeded
in providing something for the entire family.
There are also robotic shows, clowns, bands, tribal dancing
displays, magicians, can-can girls, strolling minstrels, gumboot
dancers and even a mini farm. To give you the flavour of South
Africa just as you enter the Gold Reef City complex is the most
colourful presentation of tribal dancers thumping their feet and
shaking their bellies to some of the most liveliest of music which
is simply breathtaking.
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There is loads of
stuff to do at GOLD REEF CITY and we were glad to find out that we
would be making yet another trip later in the night to experience
the bustling city at night at the CASINO HOTEL where we would not
only enjoy some exotic cuisine at the “Back of the Moon”
restaurant at the Gold Reef City Casino Hotel but also witness one
of the longest running musical plays in South Africa - the African
Footprint which was being performed at the Globe Theatre located
within the same complex.The "Back of the Moon" is a restaurant which creates a
fusion of the romantic past with the exciting present. Based on
the theme of a Sophiatown shebeen or pub in the turbulent fifties,
you can experience great cuisine and at the same time rub
shoulders with great musicians from Africa. |
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The restaurant has
live entertainment and for those who want to get cosy, they can
enjoy intimate dinners or personalized celebrations for a group of
20 to 30. Normally there is a minimum cover charge of 65 South
African Rands per person and if you want live entertainment you
can pay another 13 to 15 Rands per head. After enjoying a
sumptuous meal you can either try your luck at the casino or see a
play at the Globe Theatre just as we did. We were extremely lucky
to witness African Footprint - an explosive stampede of song and
dance with an interesting ensemble of Euro African music. African
Footprint first premiered in May 2000, has played to over 500
capacity packed houses and is one of the most successful musicals
in South Africa.
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There is a bit of history and significance associated with Richard
Loring's musical as the first public performance was a part of the
Global Broadcast of South Africa's millennium celebrations from
Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned during the
apartheid era. And talking about apartheid a visit to Johannesburg
and more specifically to Gold Reef City is incomplete without
visiting the Apartheid Museum which is located on the Gold Reef
Road very close to Gold Reef City. To know more about Apartheid
Museum, Soweto and Nelson Mandela's house you would have to read
the next issue of Opportunities Today.
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to be continued)
Subhash Motwani
South Africa FUNDI(expert)
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