Comments on: Weekly Photo Challenge: Boundaries in Soweto

By: Oh, the Places We See

Oh, the Places We See — Sun, 24 Feb 2019 02:44:51 +0000

If only politics could be on the side, then travel would be glorious. But because we have to be careful of where we go and what we say, it becomes a bit sticky at times. Hopefully, all your travels are just the way you want them to be. We’ve had good luck so far, and hope to continue. More to come on Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand where we’ve just traveled and seen marvelous sites.

By: bestregardsfromfar

bestregardsfromfar — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 13:43:27 +0000

Thanks for sharing with us. We have just returned from South Africa and partially live there. Even though security remains a huge issue and fences, barb wire and electrical fencing can be found everywhere, we notice that everyone wants to move forward. In Soweto, we took a bike ride with Lebo, a local man who takes travelers through his hometown Soweto. Surely there are dangerous areas to avoid, especially on your own, but getting behind the fence, into the people’s home and talking to local people has unraveled a totally new world for us, creating more understanding of challenges and achievements. Hopefully one day soon these boundaries will vanish, but with a corrupt political system it seems far from now. Marcella

By: Oh, the Places We See

Oh, the Places We See — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 12:07:17 +0000

I’d love to go back to Soweto especially if I could see those street vendors on a Sunday. I’ve decorated my bedroom with some of my purchases — fond memories of this town.

By: gretalamfel

gretalamfel — Sun, 20 Mar 2016 19:16:31 +0000

Nice, I live in South Africa!

By: anotherday2paradise

anotherday2paradise — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 21:48:06 +0000

Yes, I’m afraid you’re right about that. We lived there for 44 years and it seems to have gotten steadily worse.

By: Oh, the Places We See

Oh, the Places We See — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 20:56:18 +0000

Thanks for this wealth of information. Wish I had known some of it prior to posting. Squatter camps is a new term. Our guide may have told us some of this but I was way back in the back of the van trying to take pictures out of the little oval window. Not great visibility, as you can imagine. I was afraid that security was a huge problem, but it may not be resolved any time soon. Thanks for taking a look.

By: anotherday2paradise

anotherday2paradise — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 17:20:13 +0000

Most houses in all areas of South Africa have high walls and protective fences. Even with 8ft walls and electric fencing plus burglar alarms with armed response, we were still burgled four times and had two cars stolen. Security is really big business there. As for the shanty towns, or squatter camps as they are called, it seems that a fast as the government provides these poor people with subsidised housing, there’s a continuous influx from the rural areas to take their place. It’s an ongoing battle. Of course there are many black people now living in the affluent areas, and there are also white squatter camps which you probably didn’t see.

By: Oh, the Places We See

Oh, the Places We See — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 20:19:10 +0000

It wasn’t hard to notice, but it didn’t make it any easier to take in. Thanks for the comment.

By: cocoaupnorth

cocoaupnorth — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 19:33:02 +0000

Welcome to Johannesburg or SA, where the gap is tangible.

By: Oh, the Places We See

Oh, the Places We See — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 02:26:38 +0000

We agree, the photos are sad, especially the last one of living conditions we’ve only seen in the movies. Travel brings much for us to see and “digest,” if only for just a little while — but the memories last forever.