SURPRISE SURPRISE

Well I told you that we were going somewhere special and we did. GOLD REEF CITY.

As you may know Jozi as she is affectionately known was non existent until 1886 when Gold was discovered at Langlaagte (the last g is pronounced like a guttural sound in your throat.) Jozi sprang up in no time and went from dusty mining camp to metropolis within a matter of about 5 years.

Anyway Gold Reef City is a theme park with hotel and casino and is also the site of the Apartheid Museum where you see many sites which we had forgotten. Dottie was up there on the wheel but you can't see her.

The theme park is great as the houses are Victorian in style but there is also this ultra modern casino and hotel over the road from the theme park. Anyway here are some pictures to enjoy.

Unfortunately it was not carnival time yesterday but from these web pictures you can see how great it is.

The casino and hotel complex.

The streets with Victorian buildings and the people dressed in the clothes of the late 19th century

Tribal dancers perform each day at Gold Reef City and you can see them doing the traditional 'gum boot' dance. They have beer bottle caps strung around their boots to make a shuffling noise. By the way in the gold mines they have a separate language which miners need to learn and is made up of a mixture of so many different languages. It is called fanagalore. Anyway way to serious here so lets get a move on with this update.

There are also water rides and the big wheel. We couldn't get a picture of Dottie on here as it just went to fast. Also tended to get me soaked, which on a day when temperatures were around 8 degrees was not too pleasant. We are having a real cold spell just now and even was down to -4 the other morning although day time it is around 10 to 12 degrees but at least the sun is shining like mad with no clouds around. I love high veld winters although this one is having to many cold spells in fact can a spell be two months long?

Well the highlight I think for Dottie was a trip down the mine. Mines in Jozi go down for miles and can be quite scary. You get in the cage and travel down with miners and see how they drill for gold the real stuff. You even get to see them melting the gold into an ingot and if you can lift with your one hand you get to keep it. Well of course Dottie thought she ought to give it a go but it was way to heavy for her and so we had to come home without the gold bar. Ach well you can't win them all.

Here she is in the mine. We did try getting her to wear a hard hat but unfortunately she got covered by and so it was a no go for her. But we made sure she was safe and at the first sign of trouble e would have grabbed her and covered with ourselves. My DD was so paranoid about Dottie but she seemed to like all the attention she got from the miners. Big muscle bound men. Okay enough now I guess you get the picture.

Well next we went to the casino for a look around and to see all those glittering machines which pay out occasionally. Dottie spent R50 in the casino just for a flutter you know and she came away with R100. So not too bad for a half hours playing.

Oh by the way guys Dottie has been reading those comments from you on the blog and she just wants to let you know that Woolies here is Marks & Spencers in UK. They sell the same products but instead of marks and sparks label it is Princess label inside.

Anyway we wound our weary way home late yesterday afternoon - as usual writing this at 5h30 in the morning and have decided not to fight it as I am a mornings person and with Dottie in bed I can sit down and think much clearer. Tonight we are going for supper at a local restaurant called Ora Bellas as DH goes back to Abu Dhabi tomorrow and it is going to be a traumatic weekend as Dottie flies home with Virgin Atlantic on Sunday - oh weep I will miss her as I have had a ball showing her things around home. You know I always think we live in a boring place with nothing to do but that is utter rubbish. I have realised how much there is to do within about 50kms of home - although with petrol at R10.50 per litre it is not cheap. I know that if you convert from Rands to Pounds it doesn't seem bad but salaries here are much lower with average one being probably about R7000 per month or £500 before tax.

Anyway enough griping check out these show girls we saw.

Hugs and kisses from Dottie and from me have a great day.

Love Jessie

ps just heard on the news that in Bethlehem in the Free State it is -8 degrees. Now remember we have no central heating or double glazing and our homes are built to keep cool