A Magical Visit to Master Mansions
A couple of weeks ago I attended the book launch for Master Mansions. Master Mansions is the eighth in a ten-book series called “Wake Up, This is Joburg”: written by Tanya Zack, photographed by Mark...
View Article#Gauteng52, Week 33: The Hare Krishnas of Lenasia
Welcome to Week 33 of my #Gauteng52 challenge, for which I visit and blog about a new place in Gauteng Province every week for 52 straight weeks. This week I visit ISKCON Lenasia, home to Gauteng’s...
View Article#Gauteng52, Week 37: South Africa’s Only Russian Orthodox Church
Welcome to Week 37 of my #Gauteng52 challenge, for which I visit and blog about a new place in Gauteng Province every week for 52 straight weeks. This week I visit the Russian Orthodox Church of St....
View Article#Gauteng52, Week 45: The Jesuits of Auckland Park
Welcome to Week 45 of my #Gauteng52 challenge, for which I visit and blog about a new place in Gauteng Province every week for 52 straight weeks. This week I visit the Jesuit Institute in Auckland...
View ArticleMeditating at the Buddhist Centre in Fietas
I’ve been in the U.S. for the past three weeks dealing with very frustrating South African visa problems. I’ve been ridiculously stressed. Then yesterday, in the middle of my most recent meltdown, I...
View Article5 Beautiful, Secret Places in Downtown Joburg
I was on a walking tour today, talking to someone about Joburg. It suddenly occurred to me there are so many insanely beautiful places in downtown Joburg that Joburgers either: a) don’t know about...
View ArticleSt. James Presbyterian Church: A Tribute to South Africa’s Covid-19 Dead
In the middle of 2020, I started seeing social media posts about the fence outside St. James Presbyterian Church in Bedford Gardens. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the staff at St. James were...
View ArticleThe Awe-Inspiring Shiva Temple of Actonville, Benoni
Several months ago I spotted a post in the @WhatsOnInJoburg Instagram feed. “Africa’s tallest Shiva Shakti Statue is in Benoni”, the post read, with a photo of the biggest, boldest, most colorful Hindu...
View ArticleHidden Joburg: The Lemon Squeezer Church
I recently bought a copy of Hidden Johannesburg, a hardback coffee table book featuring 28 of Joburg’s most interesting (and difficult to access, in some cases) buildings and interiors. I’m enchanted...
View ArticleSt. Nicholas of Japan in Brixton: A Balm for My Messy Brain
I’ve been doom-scrolling too much and sleeping too little lately. The U.S. government has been hijacked by right-wing zealots. Women’s rights have been rolled back by 50 years. The South African...
View ArticleHidden Joburg: The Lions Shul
Yesterday I visited the Doornfontein Shul — commonly known as the Lions Shul — in downtown Joburg. The shul, built in 1905, is featured in Hidden Johannesburg, which I blogged about recently in my post...
View ArticleHidden Joburg: The Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen
For the newest installment in my Hidden Joburg series, I visited a church in Hillbrow that I’ve been curious about for years. The Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen is around the...
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