Blogger of the week: Thomas Coggin from Johannesburg, South Africa
|
Version 0 of 1. How long have you lived in your city? I'm a Joburger – born and bred. What's the best way to get around? We're unfortunately a very car-centric city, but if you don't have a car then a taxi (which is a minibus van, like a matatu in Nairobi or a trotro in Accra) can get you anywhere quickly, cheaply and fairly safely. If you want to travel further within the broader Gauteng city-region, our super-efficient Gautrain will get you there quickly and comfortably, although it is more expensive. What does your city do better than any other in the world? Summer thunderstorms. After a hot summer's day, there is nothing better than the approaching fresh smell of rain amid darkening grey skies, followed by a quenching downpour. This is then superseded by a dazzling sunset in which the sky is illuminated by an array of orange, pink, purple and blue hues. If you could change one thing about your city, what would it be? Better information about the multitude of public transport options available to you, and how you can use these – I'm talking here about route maps, schedules, pricing. What one item is indispensable to life in your city? Culture. Joburg, or "Jozi" as it is affectionately known, is a fantastic city because it is made up of different cultures and subcultures. These do not present themselves immediately though, so you have to explore the city to unearth this cosmopolitanism. But if you do explore, then you are rewarded handsomely. Tell us something about your city that only a resident would know Joburg has a fantastic Ethiopian quarter known as Little Addis. At its core is a non-descript five-storey plus building filled with Ethiopian traders, restaurants and an entire floor of coffee shops. |