Roxilla

City Pig: a regular in my hood

After reading Brazen’s account of the maggots, I was inspired to do a round up of all the disgusting, weird, bizare and just plain wtf things I’ve seen around this city in the few years I’ve been living in these ghettos. Some are disturbing, others are amusing, some are even quite cool. Sadly, I don’t always have a camera present (this will chance when I get my Blackberry next month, yay) so I lack photos to back up the weird sightings. Nevertheless, as anyone who lives in the city can attest, you see some weird shiz around here.

So in no particular order, here are some of the things seen around the city…

* City Pig who escapes from the Military Road farm
* Goats from the farm on the abandoned lots on Upper Buitengragt
* Giant squashed rats in the road
* Giant dead blue rats in the road
* Bald, tattooed men with breast implants and piercings at Lola’s
* Car bumpers sellotaped to lamp posts
* Palm trees with no leaves or anything aside from trunks
* Police horses on a daily basis
* Firetrucks on a weekly basis
* Cars crashed into palm trees on Buitenkant
* The Egg Man on Greenmarket Square
* The roaming Ethiopian around Loop
* Dead (shot/stabbed) guy on Upper Buitengragt
* Bergie-in-a-box aka Sophie on Upper Buitengragt
* The elusive and infamous Bo Kaap ice cream truck
* The not-so-elusive and infamous drive by snoek bakkie
* Tiny puzzle pieces scattered across New Church
* Hot topless tourist guys weekly on Buitengragt/New Church
* Film crew turning the old Mountain View Cafe on Long into a Parisian flower shop
* The Bo Kaap street kid drumming band

Here’s the thing about the city, while not all may share my love for the messed up dodginess and grime, for me, the weirdness goes hand in hand with the energy, diversity and the constant noise – from firetrucks in my road, to the streetkids making a racket outside, and the cacophony of Long Street at night… it’s both comforting and inspiring all at once.

It may be a different city and a different vibe, but Empire State of Mind sums it up quite well really. The lights will make you feel brand new indeedio.

In other news, this city is cooking to the depths of hell as we enter the millionth day of this heatwave in Cape Town. Surreal stuff.