Running into the First Week of Spring

September 7, 2014

I took you for my run this morning, along these streets (photo taken after the run, post-shower).

It's the first week of spring in Johannesburg, and the air smells amazing. It's warm and sweet, and no longer has that crisp chill to it (it was 20 degrees this morning, going up to 27 later today). We started the run around the Johannesburg Zoo, where I used to do the Zoo Trots when we first moved here. While I now explore a little further beyond the zoo walls, I still really love the area around the zoo, and it makes frequent appearances in my running routes. From the zoo we headed into an area called Westcliff, where we ran on the road since the streets are closed to outside traffic. The houses in Westcliff are mansions and the streets are lined with gorgeous Jacaranda trees. The Jacarandas will start to bloom in the next couple of months, but for now they are all silvery and twisty, and the sun looked gorgeous shining down through them.

Mid-way through Westcliff we reached an unassuming area where many cars were parked along the street; this is where the Westcliff Steps are. People from the area (and all over, really) come to "do the steps". It reminds me of the Kings Park steps in Perth, Australia. Despite my arguments that the Kings Park steps are far nicer and the view is much better at the top, we went up anyway. The view over the Joburg suburbs is gorgeous from the top (perhaps even worth the awkwardly spaced cobble-stoned stairs that bisect several streets on their way up), and it was nice to see a dozen or so other runners and walkers out enjoying the steps too.

We went back down the steps and continued on our way into the quiet neighbourhood of Parkview, which has a small shopping and restaurant district. We ran past a middle-aged black couple walking along the sidewalk; they were in western clothes, both listening to iPods as they walked, the man carrying a shopping bag in each had and the woman carrying one on her head. This contrast epitomizes South Africa for me for two reasons. One, in traditional African culture the man would not be carrying the shopping together with his wife, and two, the woman was carrying the bag on her head like it was nothing. I love the mix of western and traditional cultures and the blending of the very best of South Africa. 

After we passed the couple we headed down a hill towards Zoo Lake, a beautiful inner city park. We took the lovely little cobblestone path circling the lake, where we passed, a massive traditional Indian ceremony taking place on one of the lawns opposite the lake, many families out for a stroll with the kids, and people feeding the ducks on the lake. We watched the lone worker of the row boat company, row out to untie the other row boats and prepare them for the day.

As we left the lake and headed up the hill to exit the park, we passed a huge colourful playground jungle gym with kids climbing all over it. I'm always sad for the old wooden one that sits a few hundred metres away that no longer is played on. This reminds me of an old Ikea commercial: "Why are you sad for the lamp? The lamp does not have feelings. It's only a lamp.". Yes, it is an inanimate object. This thought helps distract me as I drag myself up the hill as we exit the park. After living here for over a year and a half I still feel the altitude every time I run. I am constantly reminded that we are nearly 6000 feet above sea level...whew!

While Joburg doesn't have the pedestrian-friendly amenities of pathways and smooth sidewalks like Cape Town or Calgary, it does have some gorgeous tree-lined suburbs and parks that make for a lovely jog on a sunny spring day.

Thanks for coming along on my run today!