Shopping Centre sights in Africa
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A
Long Street
This busy commercial and nightlife thoroughfare once formed the border of the Muslim Bo-Kaap, so you’ll find several old mosques along the street, including the Palm Tree Mosque (185 Long St), dating from 1780 and one of the city’s oldest. By the 1960s, though, the street had fallen into disrepute – Pieter-Dirk Uys’s play Karnaval was inspired by the goings on in one of the many whorehouses that lined the strip – and it remained that way until the late 1990s, when savvy developers realised the street’s potential.
The most attractive section, lined with Victorian-era buildings featuring lovely wrought-iron balconies, runs from the junction with Buitensingle St…
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B
Montecasino
Jo’burg’s answer to Las Vegas, Montecasino, a shopping and entertainment centre based around (surprise) a large casino, is cheese personified. It includes a recreated Tuscan village complete with an artificial early-evening sky, fake trees, cobbled pavements, hilltop towers and even a vintage Fiat. It also includes the Pieter Toerien Theatre and the earthy Montecasino Bird Gardens, where you can get a blast of country air in the heart of the city.
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Praça do Município & Praça do Metical
The heart of the city is the area around the squares of Praça do Município and Praça do Metical (the latter marked by a large metical coin perched on a pedestal). Near here, you'll find shops, banks, telecom and internet facilities, plus an array of sidewalk cafés. North of the two squares is the baixa (old commercial area), with the port and some charming old colonial-style architecture, while about 1km east is Maquinino, the main bus and transport hub.
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C
Bus Factory
South of the cultural precinct, you will find the refurbished Bus Factory, which includes several outlets selling art and crafts from around Southern Africa as well as homewares, jewellery and other products by young designers. The on-site Drum Café has a free drum museum and stages regular drumming events.
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D
Plaza Américas
Most of the interesting sites in the town centre are somehow related to Columbus (in either real or contrived ways), and they form a route you can follow around town. Begin at Plaza Américas, where you can get a juice in one of the terrace bars.
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E
Post Street Mall
The throbbing heart of the Windhoek shopping district is the bizarrely colourful Post Street Mall. It's lined with vendors selling curios, artwork, clothing and practically anything else that may be of interest to tourists.
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F
Calle Mayor de Triana
This street, now pedestrianised, has long been the main shopping street in Las Palmas. In between window shopping, look skyward to enjoy some real architectural gems, including several striking examples of modernism.
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G
Madrassa Arcade
Madrassa Arcade is next to the Juma Mosque in the Indian area, between Grey St and Cathedral Rd near the Catholic Emmanuel Cathedral.
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H
Village Market
The beautifully conceived Village Market shopping centre has a selection of entertainment activities to while away an afternoon, including the Nu Metro cinema, a bowling alley, pool hall, water slides, mini golf and a children's playground complete with toy-car rides and a mini-train circuit.
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