hills27

Celia, you mentioned that you love the African market in Rosebank. I have a day in Jo'burg in late August. Tell me more about the market. If I tell our driver to take me to the market in Rosebank, will he know what we mean?

It sounds like you know Jo'burg well. By the time we'll be in Jo'burg, we'll have spent 5 nights in Cape Town and then 10 nights on safari. We'll have one evening (staying at the Saxon) and one full day. I expect we'll want to have a nice dinner after we arrive in Jo'burg, and spend a good portion of the next day shopping since our shopping will be restricted in Cape Town by the charter flight weight limits. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Celia

Yes, your driver will know where to go if you ask for the African market in Rosebank. If your shopping interests are for African curios, that's the best place in Jo'burg. But you may have already bought a lot of that sort of thing at roadside markets or at the Waterfront in Cape Town. The Rosebank market is a narrow enclosed area right next to the mall. There are two floors of vendors selling pottery, carvings, weavings, etc., some traditional in style and some modern. The vendors love to show off their merchandise and talk to you about it.

If you're looking for exquisite gold and diamond jewelry, go to the jewelry store in the mall in Sandton. The store is located in the part of the mall right next to the entrance to the Intercontinental Hotel. (Which may be called the Sun Hotel -- I forget which name succeeded which.) This mall has everything; I love going there.

You can easily do some shopping in both Sandton and Rosebank on the same day.

My Jo'burg restaurant knowledge is not real current -- I looked up a couple of my favorite Jo'burg restaurants only to find that they've closed! The restaurant scene there is very changeable. One that I love that I think is still open is Linger Longer. (I think someone else who's active in this forum doesn't like it as well as I do, though.) Maybe someone else here has some current favorites. Arthur, maybe?

Otherwise, take the advice of your concierge. You can't go wrong at any of the fine dining places in South Africa, really.

It sounds like your trip will be wonderful!

Celia

ShayTay

If your shopping day in Jo'burg happens to be a Sunday, you'll get the added bonus of the rooftop market at the Rosebank Mall, next to the African Market that Celia is talking about.

Celia

Oh, yes, I meant to mention that. It's a flea market, huge and varied and interesting. It's on the roof of the parking garage.

I just happened to think -- if you're willing to go to Pretoria for dinner, La Madeleine is superb. The food is mostly French, I think, and scrumptious.

hills27

Thanks Celia and Shay Tay! Really appreciate the help. I arrive in Jo'burg on Sunday....hopefully early enough to take advantage of the rooftop market.