Third day in Joburg

After breakfast we took a cab to Sandton Mall, a huge modern shopping mall in the area of the city that is fast becoming the new central business district.  The mall surrounds the Nelson Mandela square with a giant statue of this beloved man.

Many of the shops are the same ones we see at home, but we know we are not in the U.S because:
Many of the women have beautifully braided hairstyle , much more intricate than any I've seen before
Some woman are carrying babies on their back in a sling
The down escalators are on your left
You know people are speaking English but you still can't understand what they are saying
The elevators are lifts
There are security guards everywhere

Joel picked us up at the mall and took us to their neighborhood to see it during the day and to visit their kosher grocery store.  It was very interesting to learn about the way of life in their "shtetl".  Joel and Adele own the only completely kosher grocery in South Africa - a relatively new, but thriving business endeavor.  Lunch was at a kosher Israeli restaurant, and the food was wonderful, but we tried to pace ourselves, since we are invited to their home for Shabbot dinner tonight.  Adele is including some authentic South African dishes on the menu.

We are very much looking forward to tonight's dinner , but I will publish this post now to keep you up to date.  I'm not sure when I'll have a chance to describe our dinner since our "official" tour starts tomorrow morning and includes a tour of the Soweto township and two hours at the Apartheid Museum.  We are a little tired, but we are energized by the excitement and fun and discovery.

Update on last night's dinner:

We had a lovely Shabbat dinner at Joel and Adele's home with their children, grandchildren, and family friend.  Adele served a beautiful meal that began with soup, and included South Aftrica pap, which is similar to grits and is eaten by most South African Lmost daily.  It's commonly served with tomato sauce.  We thoroughly enjoyed the malva cake, a uniquely South African dessert-sweet and dense and served with custard.  Most enjoyably was sitting around the dinner table, sharing conversation with all of the family, asking questions, comparing observations, and telling stories.  Thanks to Joel and Adele, Bruce and I have a unique perspective on the history ands culture that we are learning about in museums and from our tour guides. We are grateful for their generosity and friendship.