Around the World with Bradley: Around Howick Part Two

Shopping at the Howick Curio Shop.

Outside stand six black children. Look stoned. ?glue and petrol sniffing. Look very unwell, thin, sick, undernourished. Shop is run and managed by whites. Selling African sculptures, drums, beads etc. I look closer at the sculptures. A lot of the African sculptures were made by whites. It’s good that whites identify with the black culture. Their heritage too.

 

Shopping at enclosed shopping centre called Cascades. All the staff are in slow motion. Buy a cup of coffee from an Indian girl serving slovenly and slower than slow.

Back at the car the car alarm goes off. Very hot. Well over 30.

Very hot in the car. Bradley hates the heat. Wet a blanket and drape it over him.

 

Shop at flea market in Pietermaritzburg.

Variety of African, Afrikaans, Indian and English crafts. Smoked snoek, braais, samosas, cottage crafts pillow cases, tapestries, sculptures, wire sculptures, bead work.

A colorful, mixed market. South Africa at its best.

 

A number of local, unrelated art and craft and shops are all featured on a brochure named the Midlands Meander. I notice on the map of the Midlands Meander we are close to Mandela Monument.

I say: I’d like to see that.

XXX (long look at me): I’m sure you’re joking.

 

We begin Midlands meander at some weavers. Big iron gates with a padlock. Dogs in the garden barking at us. We go to the second place.

Pottery. Beautiful gardens. Many acres. We park our cars and three big guard dogs run at us. Beautifully groomed. Barking. We stand and a man appears and says: Don’t worry. They won’t bite you.

XXX: This really pisses me off. Let’s go.

We get back in the cars and the man approaches us to try and get us to stay. We go.

 

Groundcover is a place which makes leather shoes, belts and bags.

A hippy in a VW Combi. The hippy has long unkempt hair. Sandals hippy clothes. Van has been painted with rural scenes, sun and stars.

Multiracial group of kids on BMX bikes.

Behind the hut is some African music coming from African huts. I investigate. Several obese African ladies sitting on plastic chairs. One fence of the paddock used as a clothes line for sheets and clothes.

 

Silkwood farm. Milking of goats. Flies everywhere. Smells of dirt. Salesgirl gives us minute samples of cheese. In the shed are silkworms. Kraal contains guinea pigs.