Friday in Durban

The plan for Friday in Durban included a walk through the neighborhood with local government officials and high school students. The government officials forgot us, so we had to improvise our schedule. I spent a little extra time taking photos. Below are a few of my favorites, mostly of objects in the parking lot of the facility where we have been meeting.

In the evening, a colleague and I attended a rugby match between the Sharks and the Pumas. I walked up to a security guard and asked where to purchase tickets. He said he could get us in for free. After waiting a moment, he escorted us into the stadium. Then he said something about needing fifty dollars. I never quite figured out whether that was supposed to be a joke, but I was prepared to handle his ticket scalping, if that was where he was heading. I countered with, “Well, the website said tickets cost forty rand,” which is roughly five and a half dollars. He pointed us toward a ramp leading to the cheap seats, and we watched the game in peace – and with forty rand still in our pockets.

Interesting tidbits from the game’s ambiance:

• The cheerleaders (not pictured) were called “Flashers.”
• The vendors roaming the seats, selling ice cream were called “Hawkers.”
• A radio-controlled miniature dump truck delivered water and such to athletes during stoppages in the game.
• The visiting team not only changed shirts at halftime, they changed shirt colors.