November 26-27: Nelson Mandela Square

Monday, November 27

It was another quiet, relaxing day at the Reef Hotel.  We did make it to lunch at Trumps Grillhouse and Butchery – don’t worry, it’s not owned by the evil American.  The food was amazing and reasonable with a perfect location inside of Nelson Mandela Square. The square is elegantly designed with the centerpiece being a huge statue of the courageous anti-apartheid activist who served as the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.  

Sunday, November 26

We made the three hour drive to Johannesburg today and had lunch at a Korean restaurant.  Next, we checked into the Reef Hotel, a 4 star accommodation, close to downtown and convenient to the airport.  We spent a well-deserved day relaxing in air conditioned comfort and accessing fast wifi.  According to Google, “Johannesburg, South Africa's biggest city and capital of Gauteng province, began as a 19th-century gold-mining settlement. Its sprawling Soweto township was once home to Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.”