A day in Pretoria/Tshwane

Considering Pretoria isn't that far away from Johannesburg (35 min by car) it took us a while to decide to take a trip and visit the capital. That was well planned by us, because this time of the year Pretoria is known as the ''Jacaranda city'' and we were fortunate enough to see the city in its purple glory. (Kitsch!!)

We visited the Voortrekker Monument, the Union Buildings, Church Square and the Freedom Park. 

Let's begin: 

The Voortrekker Monument 

Andries Pretorius, one of the four statues (the four leaders) around the building.

The Monument is located on a hill in the south of the capital. The smog doesn't really help...

UNISA: the space ship university! (the biggest one in SA)

Jacaranda trees and the Jacaranda Hospital

Union Buildings 

Nelson Mandela Statue on his freedom walk in front of the Union Buildings.

Jacaranda in the city.

 Palace of Justice in Church Square

WF Nkomo Str. right next to Church Square

The museum in Freedom Park

The past is all packed up and stored away

//hapo Museum in Freedom Park

 Cool architecture

The African olive tree

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S'khombuto the remembrance sanctuary. 

The Pretoria CBD

The CBD No.2

After enjoying a great day in Tshwane we spent 3 hours stuck in traffic because a bridge collapsed and the high way closed down for 24 hours after that, Fun times! 

The time is flying by! We can't really believe it and are trying to ignore the fact that we will be flying back in two weeks. 

Till the next blog
Lou and Katrin 

Jo'burg through our lens

We have been driving around the city and took some pictures. We thought we would show you a bit of the city where we spent the last 5 weeks:

Our daily view around 6pm

This is how we cruise! 

Witwatersrand (Wits) University: Great Hall

Wits rugby field

Wits Physics (that on the left is not a finger btw.)

Wits 

Wits: Stacked windows

Johannesburg Botanical gardens: Rose garden

Rose (I know, shocking!)

44 Stanley

44 Stanley bookshop

Our motto! 

CPD Jo'burg from above

 Nelson Mandela Bridge

CBD north

west view

Behind the smog you can see the Orlando towers in Soweto and the FNB stadium 

street art

The reality of this you see everywhere. People selling stuff under the hawkers prohibiting sign.

Hillbrow

The Carlton tower, the tallest building in South Africa.

Interesting city, with many different corners. Many security gates, and electric fences. There are a lot of safe areas, but also areas like Hillbrow where we get minimum 2 assaults (stab wounds, blunt trauma, gunshots) a day from. One turn and you are in a whole new world. 

More posts to come! 

Hope you enjoyed,

Lou and Katrin 

Johannesburg Zoo

Cheers everyone!

We finally managed to go to Johannesburg Zoo after postponing it a dozen of times. I was so keen on going there because THERE ARE RED PANDAS THERE!!!!!!! It took us some effort to find them, but we saw like really everything about this zoo along the way. :) We are not huge fans of imprisoned animals but I simply had to see red pandas for the first time in my life! :) (Just to add - they have turtles as well!!!!!!!!) 

P.S. Sorry for the reflections you get in some pictures. Glass sadly reflects light and that fact made my life a bit harder. (but the pandas made up for everything!!!! :) )

Katrins best friend! 

Ring-tailed lemur from Madagascar 

Leave me alone!

I am called ''Nasus nasus'' in Latin! 

Look at those colors! 

What do you mean I am a camel? Of course I am a dog!!

Croc the man!

that's what lions always do

Just take the picture already, I know I am fabulous! 

Casually scratching her belly.

RED PANDAS!!!!!!! damn those fences..

SO CUTE!!!

Look at those ears!!!

Indian Buffalo

(The TURTLE WAS THERE!!!!) *schniiief* (that's crying in German!!)

Love from your  animalaniacs 

Louiza and Katrin