Johannesburg: The City of Gold and Concrete
so i just got back from johannesburg and wow, what a place. it's this massive city in south africa, like the economic heart of the whole country. founded in 1886 after they found gold on the witwatersrand, which is this ridge that runs through the city. it's crazy to think it's one of the youngest major cities in the world but also the richest in africa by gdp. the whole place is built on gold mining, literally. the mine dumps, these huge artificial hills made from waste rock, are everywhere. they're like these giant reminders of how the city got started.
i just checked and it's 29.2°c there right now, feels like 28.31°c. it's that warm to hot subtropical climate, so if you're into afternoon thunderstorms in the summer and crisp, dry winters, you'll love it. but man, the air is thin up there at 1,750 meters above sea level. takes a bit to get used to.
the city is huge and sprawling. the central business district is this grid of narrow streets with these towering concrete buildings that cast everything in shadow. it's like walking through a concrete canyon. and the architecture is a total hodgepodge, which i guess makes sense for a city that grew so fast. they've got this multiple nuclei model thing going on, so there's not just one center but like several districts doing their own thing.
if you get bored, randburg and sandton are just a short drive away up north, and soweto is over to the southwest. they're all part of this bigger urban region. and if you're flying in, you'll probably land at o.r. tambo international airport, which is the biggest and busiest in africa. from there, you're basically in the heart of it all.
someone told me that the city lacks natural water sources, which is wild for a place this big. just a few small streams and some artificial lakes. everything else is brought in. and the witwatersrand ridge, that's the watershed between the indian and atlantic oceans. geography nerd in me was geeking out over that.
the traffic is nuts, and the johannesburg ring road is infamous. but honestly, the energy of the place is something else. it's chaotic, it's loud, it's alive. and yeah, it's got its issues, but it's also got this raw, gritty charm that's hard to find anywhere else. if you're into cities that don't sleep and have a story to tell, johannesburg is it.
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