Aug 2010 Survey - Durban, South Africa

My survey in Durban was brief, with no scheduled free-time. I stayed in Umhlanga, a suburb that is maybe 15 minutes outside of the city. It was super convenient for work, as I was across the street from the mall, but otherwise the area has that generic modern feel to it, meaning that it could have really been anywhere...

The one touristy outing that I did was to see the Moses Mabhida Stadium from the 2010 World Cup. It's a beautiful structure with a 100m-high arch that spans its length. You can take a funicular up the arch to get nice Durban-city views; you can also strap yourself in and swing off of the arch.

The Moses Mabhida Stadium

From the top of the arch, looking down into the stadium

I enjoyed watching the World Cup in Brussels, and so it was neat to be able to actually visit a stadium (especially after seeing the calabash in Joburg). I took a tour of the stadium, going to the VIP areas, the locker rooms, and of course, walking on the pitch itself (at which point, of course, my camera died)!

The VIP areas had some really nice artwork on display. Here we seem to be under water...

The locker room!

The color of the seats are supposed to represent Durban's beaches: blue for the water and orange/red for the sand and the sun. It's a beautiful affect when you see the whole stadium.

The team benches on the sidelines... thank you Blackberry camera!