Johannesburg Impressions

The next stop on my tour around the world was Johannesburg – a huge city that emerged from gold mining and became famous as the home of Nelson Mandela and the apartheid movement.   I was excited to visit South Africa because it is a completely new part of the world for me. 

Driving to the hotel, my first impression of the city was that it reminded me of Los Angeles.  Public transportation is really underdeveloped, so everyone is forced to have a car.  The homes are all set behind high walls and most appear to have painted stucco exteriors.  No one really wants to go downtown because all the higher-end restaurants and shops are all in suburban areas. Plus, the weather in the winter never gets too cold and rain is very unusual.

Of course there are also some key differences.  Remember those walls I mentioned that surround the homes?  They’re topped with barbed wire.  Water, beaches, and surfers also do not exist in Johannesburg like they do in LA.  Also, as expected, the cultural makeup of the population is completely different.  One other big difference: Every intersection is like a mini shopping mall.  Flowers, food, newspapers...these people sell it all!

Every intersection provides an opportunity to shop in Joburg!

I arrived at my hotel and checked out the view… Not impressed.  The hotel is attached to a mall and located in the middle of a neighborhood.  To be honest, there really isn’t anything worth looking at from anywhere in Johannesburg so I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything. 

View of the mall from my hotel room in Johannesburg

The next day, I wasn’t feeling adventurous enough to explore the city so I decided to just browse through the mall.  Near the entrance was a group of children, dressed in traditional African garb and doing a tribal dance.  I shouldn’t even admit this, but it looked to me like a bunch of Americans were asked to dress in costume and imitate an African dance.  Maybe I still haven’t embraced the fact that I’m actually in Africa, not LA.  I felt immediately guilty and gave them 20 rand.  

Authentic African entertainment

As I walked through the mall, the feeling of being in America came to an abrupt end.  There was a “J Crew” store that looked nothing like any J Crew I have ever seen.  It was more like Sears pretending to be J Crew.  I actually laughed when I looked at some of the clothes on the racks.  

This is nothing like any J Crew store I have ever seen before.

I was actually on a mission to buy new running shoes but the ones on display in the Nike store looked even less authentic than the ones I saw in the medina of Casablanca.  There were some shoes on display in a department store but when I walked in, I was distracted by the Gap and Banana Republic displays.  The khakis looked like second-hand styles from 2001 and the prices were literally three times what I would expect to pay in the US.  If this store manages to sell any of these clothes at full price, I need to take a lesson from the Gap Inc. brand manager in South Africa!

Just when I thought my mall experience had reached the height of entertainment, I noticed a Marlboro clothing store.  Do people actually think that a “Marlboro” label will make their clothes look good? I don’t think I can shop in South Africa because it is like an alternate universe. 

I wouldn't be caught dead in anything from this store

In the end, I was forced to buy some shoes because the ones I’m using now are literally starting to cause me injuries.  I didn’t want to go with the plastic Nike’s so I opted for a pair of all-white Asics that look like they are designed for 60-year-old men.  It's sad when you buy shoes that you know are less stylish than what your Dad wears.  At least I don’t have to wear them around anyone who knows me for the next three months. These shoes will definitely not be making the flight back to America!

After all the retail entertainment, I was hungry and I decided to order the most unusual thing I could find on the dinner menu.  The winner was…wait for it…crocodile tail!  I know what you’re thinking: “Did it taste like chicken?”  No…it tasted more like pork – the other white meat.  My palette was thoroughly impressed.    

Crocodile tail: Even further from the 'other' white meat

By the time my first full day in South Africa had ended, I no longer felt like I was in LA.  Instead, I just felt like I was in the most hilarious city ever.  I couldn’t wait for the next two weeks. 

Abu Dhabi Layover

Traveling from Casablanca to Johannesburg included a quick overnight stop in Abu Dhabi.  For me, whatever Abu Dhabi lacks in history is overshadowed by mystique.  Landing there at night is always fun because the city is dotted with green lights that identify the mosques.  

Even though it was almost midnight when I arrived, I still felt a heavy punch of humidity as soon as I walked out of the airport terminal.  How can people tolerate this weather?  It's almost as bad as a Chicago winter. 

For this layover, I opted for a hotel that was close to the airport.  I literally just needed to sleep as quickly as possible - especially after such a late night in Casablanca the day prior.  

I woke up the next morning and peered out of the window.  It was funny to see a tiny trench next to the hotel, which I assume is supposed to mimic a pond.  There was even a little beach for hotel guests to enjoy the "waterfront" location!

Waterfront property in Abu Dhabi? 

The United Arab Emirates is such a funny country.  Cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi just appear in the middle of the desert with such elaborate displays of wealth.  Buildings are all new and shiny, but it just seems like everything is designed with the sole intention of being "the most", "the biggest", or "the tallest".  I suppose it is a good strategy for attracting tourists in a place without any significant historical sites.    

I actually visited Abu Dhabi last year and stayed in a hotel that holds the record for the "world's furthest leaning man-made tower".  During the trip, I also visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which is home to the largest carpet in the world.  I never would have believed that such a record could be achieved but it's an interesting discussion point nonetheless. 

The leaning tower of Pisa is nothing compared to this 18-degree  angle!

Here I am, standing on the largest carpet in the world!

My stop in Abu Dhabi may have only lasted 10 hours but it is always fun to experience a place that is still growing into its wealth.  This is definitely an area that I look forward to visiting again in five years because I can almost guarantee it will feel like an entirely different city.  Until then, I'll wait for new records to be broken...

Always yield to pedestrians in Abu Dhabi!

Casablanca, week 2

Celebrating a birthday alone is never very fun, but when you travel for a living, it is just part of the deal.  I thought about taking myself out to a nice dinner for the occasion, but then I remembered that my hotel has the best restaurants in the city.  So, I just woke up and went about my business like any other day. 

On my way to lunch, I was caught off-guard by the training manager, who wished me a happy birthday in passing.  Before I knew it, the group that I had been eating with the past week was ushering me into the fine dining restaurant.  To my surprise, the staff had somehow found out it was my birthday and they decided to celebrate with a champagne toast and a gourmet meal.    

Enjoying a fantastic birthday meal in Casablanca

After lunch, I couldn't stop thinking about the kind gesture on behalf of the team.  They really went out of their way to make it a fun day and I am so grateful for the memory. That afternoon, e-mails and Facebook messages continued to remind me of the many wonderful people in my life.  Even though I was unable to see any friends and family in person, I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend my birthday in a foreign country. 

Wednesday night, I joined the hotel manager and his girlfriend for dinner at the traditional restaurant.  We each tried a different tagine, which is actually the name of the clay pot used to cook various meats and vegetables.  The restaurant also had a live band and a belly dancer that stopped awkwardly at each table.  I think the most fun part of the evening was observing the obvious effort that the hotel manager took to avoid looking at the belly dancer!  His girlfriend must be the jealous type…

For my final night in Morocco, I was invited out with two other people from the local team.  As soon as I hopped in the back of the car and noticed that we had a personal driver, I knew it would be a good night! 

Overlooking Place des Nations Unies as I wait for my ride

We started with dinner at a trendy, yet smoke-filled restaurant that served surprisingly good food.  I even managed to communicate with the waitress solely in French (without her responding in English), which I consider to be a personal achievement. After dinner, we moved to a great nightclub that was literally right next to the ocean.  The bar was in the center of an open-air patio and it was really cool to hear the waves crashing as we enjoyed our drinks.  I met some locals who were clearly part of the elite circles of Casablanca.  How do I know?  Simple answer: It was 2AM on a Thursday night and we were enjoying bottle service at a club that charges more for a drink than I paid for my two faux-Zara shirts the weekend prior!    

On my way back to the hotel that night, I thought about all the wonderful things I experienced over the past two weeks in Morocco.  From the dirty cafes along the street to the swanky club on the corniche, this country is all about extremes.  Some of my friends would be content with exploring only the higher end of the spectrum.  I prefer both ends.  It is fun to overlook the medina from my five-star hotel but it is also fun to actually walk through the streets, to bargain with the shop owners for knock-off merchandise, and even to chase pickpockets through the narrow alleys. 

To those who prefer to travel only to major gateway cities in the developed world, I have only one comment: You don’t know what you’re missing!

Street signs, old and new

Casablanca, week 1

I think it’s funny that whenever I mention I am in Casablanca, the first thing most people think about is the 1940’s movie.  I have never seen that movie, so my only frame of reference was the long-weekend trip I took to Marrakech during my MBA program. 

During that trip, Sean and I stayed in the medina, which is an absolute maze.  Honestly, I have never seen anything like it.  Small alleys twisting in every direction, none of which are marked, and all are filled with young people who want to confuse you even more by telling you that certain alleys are “closed”. (Here's a video of us exploring the maze...)

On our first day there, we tried finding Jemaa el-Fnaa (the main square) and it literally took the entire day.  I am normally really good at navigating my way through new places but I lost all sense of direction there.  When we finally found it, the sights and sounds were worth all the hassle…well, most of the hassle.  We tried snail soup, fresh-squeezed juices, bargained for $5 tee-shirts (which shrunk to half the size after one wash), and took pictures with monkeys climbing all over us.  I was actually really impressed with the relentless sales approach of the shop owners.  They could be selling absolute rubbish, but they still manage to confidently offer a price that is 10 times its value. 

Snails...Yum! 

Fresh squeezed orange juice!

Dinner time!

After a couple days of urban madness, we took a tour into the Atlas Mountains to expose ourselves to a less chaotic side of Morocco.  We still had to bargain with a mountain guide and firmly decline all offers for faux “handmade” crafts but the scenery was really beautiful.  

Hiking in the Atlas Mountains

My least favorite souvenir from that vacation was food poisoning, which made for an awful flight home.  I only blame myself, though, for thinking it was alright to order chicken when I saw multiple places that kept raw meat sitting under the hot sun with absolutely no refrigeration. 

Don't eat meat that looks like this!

Casablanca, I told myself, would be totally different than Marrakech.  For starters, I am staying at the nicest hotel in the city, which reduces my fear of unsanitary food.  I arrived in my room and immediately peered out the window as I always do at a new hotel.  The views of the old medina, with the Hassan II Mosque in the background, were stunning.  The first thing I noticed was the sheer number of satellite dishes on the rooftops.  This is a city full of TV enthusiasts! 

View from my room: Old Medina and Hassan II Mosque

I turned on my computer to check e-mail and change time zones, but something confused me.  The computer said Casablanca time was 3pm, but both my watch and the clock in my room said it was 4pm.  I went to the gym and the clocks on at least two machines agreed to my computer.  I needed a tiebreaker, so I called the front desk.  As it turns out, the time zone (as well as the work week) was changed to match France because of the strong business relationships between the two countries.  

My office for the two weeks in Morocco used to be an Italian restaurant.  I even got to work in a booth and I spent at least a few minutes of each day imagining how hilarious this restaurant must have been when it was open.  One of the fun parts of my job is that I never know where I will be working.  Sometimes, the office is a gem.  Other times, it’s less than comfortable. 

My office in Casablanca

I have to give major credit to local staff in Casablanca.  They integrated me seamlessly and never made me feel like I was an annoyance.  Every day, I had lunch with senior management, who nicely spoke English around me since my French is very rusty. The staff canteen was remarkably good and I love how Moroccan cuisine integrates cinnamon into so many dishes.  It adds such a unique dimension to the flavor palette and is something I will definitely try to use more when I start cooking for myself again. 

During the weekend, I spent quite a bit of time exploring the city.  The streets reminded me of other places in North Africa but some areas were much nicer than I would have expected.  I was also surprised by the high prices in brand-name shops, specifically Zara, which produces a lot of its clothes right here in Morocco.  I didn’t realize that their clothes actually have to be exported, then re-imported (and taxed).  Contrary to better judgment, I did what any local Moroccan would do…bought a “Zara” shirt on the street and paid $12 instead of $75! (I know, the sleeves will probably fall off next time I wear it).   

Before going back to the hotel, I decided to walk through the medina to compare it with Marrakech.  My first impression is that it looks exactly the same: Overwhelming volumes of merchandise, displayed at the front to lure you into the shops.  The items for sale included branded clothes, shoes, household goods, leather bags, and food.  The big difference is that the shop owners were much less pushy in Casablanca. 

There is a lot of stuff happening at this shop

Then came the exciting part:  A guy came up beside me and said that I had stepped on his foot.  When I apologized and looked down, I noticed that my credit cards were in his hand.  He immediately started running and, without thinking, I chased after him.  For about a quarter mile, we wove through the tiny alleys as the adrenaline pumped through my body.  I eventually caught up to him, grabbed the back of his shirt, and started yelling at him in French to give me my stuff back!  He dropped the credit cards on the ground and I released my grip on his shirt.  I grabbed my cards off the ground and jogged back to the main shopping area with my hands in both pockets. 

On my way back to the hotel, I realized how incredibly stupid I was to run after him.  I could have been killed and no one would have even noticed.  I just could not let a cowardly pickpocket run away with my stuff, knowing that I was probably fast enough to catch him.  The thought of danger just did not cross my mind at that moment.   

Sunday morning, I took a taxi out to the Hassan II Mosque for a tour of the immense structure.  I am really intrigued by Islamic architecture because the detail is just amazing.  Most mosques don’t allow non-Muslim visitors, so I like to take advantage of those that do.  The minaret at Hassan II is actually the tallest religious structure in the world at 210 meters (60-stories).  I was amazed at the facts relating to its construction, which cost 585 million Euro and was financed entirely by mandatory, police-enforced public donations.  The grandeur of the structure stands in stark contrast to the surrounding neighborhoods.  It really goes to show the power of the government and the role of religion in the lives of Moroccans. 

Hassan II Mosque: The main hall can fit 25,000 people

Here's the neighborhood that sits just across the street from the mosque

After seeing the mosque, I continued the religious theme of the day by stopping next at the Casablanca Cathedral.  It is actually quite beautiful from the outside, but I almost started laughing when I entered to find a makeshift art museum.  I don’t think any religious services are happening at this cathedral!

Looks like a cathedral from the outside...

The inside doesn't look like any cathedral I have seen before!

I noticed a series of tents set up adjacent to the cathedral so, of course, I had to see what was happening.  Lots of people were watching from the perimeter because the entrance was blocked off by security/police. Inside were just a few people in suits and Minnie Mouse and one of the seven dwarfs.  Wait, what?!? Yup, that’s right…Minnie Mouse and a dwarf were just hanging out with the businessmen. 

I still don't know why Minnie and a dwarf were at this event!

So far, this was shaping up to be one of the funniest trips I have taken in a long time...  

Layover Weekend

I have had some crazy flight itineraries in the past, but my trip from Zurich to Casablanca may be the most ridiculous ever.  From Zurich to Dusseldorf to Madrid to Casablanca, my trip included a 7-hour layover in Germany and an overnight stop in Spain.  I suppose I could have just purchased new flights when my schedule kept changing, but I felt badly about wasting company money.  The result: 4 countries in two days!

My first stop in Dusseldorf gave me the chance to actually explore the city beyond just the 26.2 miles I spent running through the streets a couple weeks earlier.  I put my luggage into storage and hopped on the first train into the city center.  Everywhere was buzzing with activity because there was a football game that afternoon.  It would have been even more exciting if I had people to watch the game with, but I still enjoyed the energy of the everyone around me. 

In my mind, one thing that distinguishes Germany from other European countries is the modern element of its cities.  Of course this is inevitable when everything is bombed during the wars, but it just feels slightly different than most other countries in Europe.  That said, Dusseldorf has really embraced some modern architectural designs – particularly with the Gehry buildings by the harbor. 

Streets look like other parts of Europe...only cleaner and newer

Cool architecture makes up for lack of old buildings in Dusseldorf!

I would love to know what these apartments look like from the inside...

One of my favorite aspects of European lifestyle is the extent to which people enjoy life in the city centers.  It seems like every Saturday, the main shopping districts are packed with residents and tourists alike.  There is no need for shopping malls or mega supermarkets because people are comfortable walking around without their cars.  Europeans like to spend hours at their local café that has been around for generations, rather than national chain restaurants.  In my opinion, the only American cities that rival this sense of urban community are Boston, San Francisco, and Washington DC.     

Just another day in paradise.

After a relaxing day in Dusseldorf, I returned to the airport and boarded my next flight to Madrid.  I hate to admit it but those flight attendants on Iberia just looked miserable.  You’d think that Spanish people who are lucky enough to have jobs would at least put on a smile for the half-filled planes!

My short time in Madrid almost felt like being back at home (in a strange way).  The warm weather was a welcome change from central Europe and it felt good to be able to communicate with the hotel driver in his local language.  Even though I only had enough time for a quick night of sleep and a jamon bocadillo for breakfast before heading back to the airport, it felt good to be back in Spain!  

Thank you, Spain, for not allowing these hideous shoes!