So last weekend I returned to Durban with the Burmese doctors to throw away my car rental. The doctors were also attending an Ultrasound Conference at the Cherrywood Bed and Breakfast, located in the suburbs of Durban and near one of the two large malls of Durban. This second showing of Durban displayed a recognizable gated suburbia. Nowadays Durban has shanty towns cozying up the affluent suburbs, but the lines are solid and definite.
The Pavillion Mall has the essentials of any mall – stores, stores, and more stores. The Mall felt like home, but with entirely different demographics. Oddly, the modern mall illustrates the end of Aparthied and true merging of the races in a safe environment. Another random note, the fashionable Indians carry the bling bling in this town.
The docs and I went to a commercial steakhouse called Spur, a South African imitator of Outback, but the theme is Native American with singing waiters. Huh?? Smothered in BBQ sauce, chili cheese or whatever sauce you want, the steaks lack real juicy beef heaven. Yet for whatever reason, people love it here.
The docs and I dined at the better of the two Chinese restaurants in Durban. The Asian waitress came out with a South African accent, which was way too weird for me. But then again, I must sound bizarre to another Asian with my American accent. The eggrolls were massive and greasy; the pork ribs were mostly ribs; the duck was drowning in sauce; and the mussels were adequate. I feel bad for the Asians living in South Africa. It is far from home.
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