My last day in South Africa have flown fast. The World Cup has completely changed the atmosphere of a European city surrounded by skin African soul. People walk through the streets and experience the city with a new freedom. "There are more cops than tourists", I said the other day a friend. It is true. Get to embarrass some Spanish newspapers see full-page opening their issues because a correspondent Mark had been stolen from his hotel (for him, certainly, an ordeal). Great news for open a newspaper, in a place with high crime rates, but has made a huge effort to offer their best face (that did not read a word). One gets the feeling that the media are waiting for the first hook, I include, to explain what we had already written from home: This is an unsafe country and unable to organize a World Cup. Make an editorial about it from a comfortable office, Thousands of kilometers and with the only fact that a partner has been stolen seems to me a sovereign idiocy.
Actually, What do we expect western ones when we travel to countries that are not part of our culture, good or bad (I do not enter demagogic debates about the blame of the whites or the goodness of the blacks)? The same way of life? I made this reflection one day that I went to make a discouraged visit, near the Kruger Park, by boat, to a place where they told me there were hippo to photograph (By my brother's influence – Not because of my brother's weight- It has become my favorite animal over my years). After the anodino boat walk for tourists fools like I return to the van: The driver takes 15 minutes to return (I was saying goodbye to a friend); Then go up to a guy, What tells you that if you approach home (many other minutes); then to pick up another type, to the one who also brings home ... and there I discovered myself, Something stressed with delay, About to tell the guide to try not to convert the van into the region bus. Until I thought: This guy would also take me home. There was no evil in his behavior, Not an attempt to take advantage of foreigners with pasta, There was a way of life, normal, which is to pick up people in a truck with space (We were three and fit fifteen). I cut my mouth and ended up sharing chocolates with the whole van, since before the already assumed delay in the return to the hotel, We told him to deviate to buy some food (The thing to distribute is a saying, The driver ate half a package).
An African puts on a mask at a wedding and it seems to us that it is a primitive to take photos, But we do the same, Only we wear a suit and tie.
Does the World Cup have the best transports in the world? No is this safe place? Not (Probably the same response could be answered in many Spanish cities, although not at these levels). But what do we do then, Do we never give them the opportunity to organize an event like this because they do not have a subway car at the door of the stadium or do we get on the chaotic Minibus and enjoy the party? Today I met a Spanish, Luis, which has a craft shop and African masks in Green Market Square (Store recognizes their homelands by the two flags you have in the entrance). The man has lived here for seven years, with his family. "Venimos Africa with preconceived ideas, for better and for worse.
An African puts on a mask at a wedding and it seems to us that it is a primitive to take photos, But we do the same, Only we wear a suit and tie. There are different ways of understanding the world, but project our ideas on them and the judge ", I explained. Is security? It's complicated, but I have not had any problems. We must tread eye, yes. In Africa they do not give value to give us death. In Granada (there is) I have put my knife in the neck or have seen the junkies burn doors for heating houses in winter. But that we are used, Here we seem to be in another world (I thought of images of the Cañada Real, Madrid). I say again, without demagoguery, caution must be rationally.
The effort made is so great that pity seeing as we still have concern on what we had already written from home.
Yet, understand nothing. We talked constantly of the World robberies. I live in Cape Town, the best city in European terms across Africa (not me, I know nothing and only took three months to live here. It is the opinion of many travelers who have kicked this continent and I have met on this earth). But in this "paradise", to do anything, people never left alone to wander the nights and the obsession with security was very high. I say this in the past because everything has changed since a few weeks ago. Tell two stories: I went to see the France-Uruguay with Delphine, a French friend who invited me to the party. After, after taking some, I said that a taxi accompanied. “No, May voy andando. I like walking for once alone at night in this city ". It was about two o'clock. I grabbed one of the dreaded minibus to go home. They get three young white South Africans, with their Bafana Bafana shirts, and the first thing they do is ask how much it costs? It was the first time I took a minibus in your life, probably, sure that there was no danger. The effort made is so great that pity seeing as we still have concern on what we had already written from home.
PD. Tomorrow I can come up with something serious, people not invented the high numbers of deaths and robberies in South Africa, but I've been living here for three months without any problems (intend only reflect my experience, not instruct anyone).
The photo is a joke to degrease
