The Orbit Jazz Club and Bistro in Braamfontein has been on my Johannesburg must do list for quite some time, but it took a colleague visiting from Malaysia to organize an evening of Jazz for a group of work colleague – all of whom are likely in bed on a Sunday evening instead of listening to amazing Jazz. The Orbit Jazz Club and Bistro opened a year ago and hosts many jazz performances (some blues, salsa acts) throughout the month and with ticket prices that average R120 for a show, this is a must do for any visiting tourist of Joburg denizen.
A few months ago I was in Parkhurst and a bustling corner restaurant called Craft caught my eye. Last night, accompanied by two work colleagues, I finally made my way back to 4th Avenue to try Craft. When we arrived, every table was occupied and we squeezed into a small space at the bar and ordered some beers while we waited to be seated.
For having lived here a year and half, I know remarkably little about the Joburg restaurant scene. In Washington, DC I knew which restaurants were opening and closing and most of my socializing involved sampling new restaurants and returning to old favorites. I even prided myself of keeping up with the goings on in New York City and San Francisco. So when I say that Katy’s Palace Bar is one of the more vibey (as they say here) places I have been to, it might simply be because I have nothing to compare it to.
When I original conceived this blog, the focus was intended to be on food and the memorable to middling meals eaten with the people you encounter while traveling – hence the name of the blog, sharing a table. Between conception and execution, I moved to South Africa and fell in love with going on safari and exploring my adopted country. The focus of the blog naturally shifted from food to more of a travelogue and safari tips. And, despite living in the most cosmopolitan city on the continent, Joburg is woefully underrepresented. With six uninterrupted weeks in Johannesburg, I decided it was time to start exploring Johannesburg and ticking off the restaurants I have been meaning to try.
The difficulty in determining the right tip is that it is highly discretionary, dictated by local norms, and industry specific. If you are staying at a luxurious safari camp, the suggested gratuities will likely be higher not only because it takes more people to cater to your every whim in the middle of the bush, but because the standards are incredibly high. Which may leave you wondering, how much should I tip when I go on safari?
People coming to South Africa often ask me for advice about what to do while they are here. Of course, the answer largely depends on whether you have been here before or if you have a specific interest in something like fly fishing. But, if this is your first visit and you want an introduction to the country, here is the trip I would plan for you.