The C.B.D. of Bulawayo Has Moved...
No longer does one buy ones furniture at Meikles, ones lingerie at Haddon and Sly and ones school uniforms at Sanders !!
Oh no, the Central Business District of Bulawayo has definitely moved away from what we once knew as the centre of the City of Kings.
If you need a recharge card for your cell phone you will find a willing seller sitting patiently at every robot, every intersection, every cross roads in the city. One on each corner diagonally facing the talk-hungry passengers in the vehicles, which hoot for attention, and then the nimble footed seller winds his was hazardously to sell you a card , in just the right amount of time it takes for the traffic light to change (or who cares if it takes longer !!)
Oh by the way, a traffic light is called a robot in Zimbabwe !!
Now if you do not have a cell phone (mobile phone) you can find a phone shop just about anywhere, phone booths are a thing of the past, cos someone stole the phone !!
I think the most ingenious phone company I have ever seen is the one right outside the Posts and Telecommunications Building in Bulawayo. There in the middle of the pavement (sidewalk) is a table, an umbrella and an array of bright blue telephones !!
Manned by a lady who takes your money, times you with a stop watch, and it does not take a genius to see that the wires are cunningly concealed under the tablecloth and lead their way into the storm drain and most possibly into the Posts and Telecommunications mainframe phone system !!
Now if you need flowers forget the once famous Joan the Florist or Wright's Florist, they no longer exist, BUT the City Hall flower sellers are doing a roaring trade.
They no longer sell just those loose flowers in colourful plastic buckets, they have become very talented florists in their own right. You can buy anything from your entire wedding floral requirements including the brides bouquet, to a funeral wreath, an upright arrangement featuring proteas, gypsophila and a magnificent array of flowers, to a very tastefully done Valentine's posy with cellophane and satin ribbon !!
Morrison's and Zippers Dress Shops of course no longer exist where one can buy that special imported outfit, but there is always the Bend Over Bazaar out side the City Revenue Hall.
Imported outfits abound here, imported from China, Botswana and Swaziland !! You need a good strong back here because you need to bend over and examine the goods which are lying on the pavement on a polypropylene sack !! But you can get some good bargains here they tell me and the vendors are lovely people... And if you need to try the garment on .... no problem ... off the vendors' backs come the babies... dumped unceremoniously on the floor and the towels used to tie baby on back, are smilingly held in a neat square while you undress, in the middle of the market square, accompanied by a great deal of appreciative clucking, nodding and squeals of delight at how nice one looks in ones new garment!!!
An Hairdo is also hard to find these days unless you make an appointment with Mark at least six weeks in advance !! But if you stop off outside the Renkini Bus Station or outside any suburban shopping centre, you can have your hair braided beautifully (if you have about seven hours of spare time) or if your hair is too short, you can have long extensions carefully woven into your existing locks !! Right on the sidewalk in the nice open fresh air too, sitting comfortably on a wooden crate.
Broken a heel on your shoe Well don't worry about trekking lopsidedly all the way to Jivans or Jacobs, there is bound to be a shoe repairer in your neighbourhood, probably sitting right outside your garden, with his various stiletto heels or pieces of leather from which to cut you a whole new sole !!
If you are looking for fuel, don't be daft and expect to find it at the more traditional garages (service stations) like Dulys and Thelwalls, pop into the alley behind any garage and there is bound to be an enterprising fellow with a 44 gallon drum and a hose pipe !!
And the piece de resistance, if you need bird seed, veggies, millet, sorghum, dried bean, macimbi (mopani worms), solar panels, ghetto blasters, anything electrical smuggled (oh sorry I mean "Brought in") from Botswana, in fact dried or fresh anything at all, the colourful, bustling, noisy vendor markets in Fife Street and Fifth Avenue are your very best bet.
Bulawayo is indeed Beautiful.
WATCHDOG
LOOKING FOR ASSISTANCE
Queen Elizabeth Children's House is appealing for assistance. Due to the heavy rains part of the durawall has collapsed . We are looking for durawall panels. Kindly contact the Administrator on landline 60753 or cell 0771 976 077 or visit our home
OLD MUTUAL HEATH STREAK CRICKET ACADEMY TRUST
4th Extension Ave, 7th Street, Suburbs, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Tel: + 263 292 230084. Email: heathstreakacademy@gmail.com
OLD MUTUAL HEATH STREAK CRICKET ACADEMY TRUST REQUIRES AN EFFICIENT ADMINISTRATOR CUM COACH
Old Mutual Heath Streak Cricket Academy Trust urgently requires a young, professional, sincere, hard-working and dedicated Administrator who could independently manage this prestigious institution with passion and enthusiasm. Knowledge on cricket coaching and accounting would be an added benefit. The Administrator would report directly to the CEO.
Kindly email your CV to heathstreakacademy@gmail.com
Shortlisted candidates would be called for an interview immediately.
The Old Mutual Heath Streak Cricket Academy Trust is a non-profit making institution striving for excellence in sport. Established in 2012 the renowned institution boasts of a luscious green grass cricket field, state-of-the-art floodlit net practice area, fully equipped Health Club, Fitness Centre and Sport Massage Parlor, Coffee Shop & Restaurant serving healthy dietary delicacies, WI FI and other recreational facilities for parents, Junior Sports Field, Swimming, Soccer, Karate, Kick Boxing and Rugby Academies at the venue, in an atmosphere and ambience unparalleled to any other sporting facility in Zimbabwe. There is no doubt that Zimbabweans are already witnessing the fruits of our labor seeing children from less privileged environments stand up to the challenge and compete at par with those coming from more affluent background.
In-spite of the serious financial crises and economic slow-down the nation has been facing, Heath Streak International Cricket Trust has made giant strides in the growth and development of cricket in Zimbabwe.
The Academy offers talented youth and those with a desire to LEARN, the opportunity to showcase their abilities with the hopes that they may perhaps one day represent their School, Club, Province or Country with pride, determination and above all - a SMILE.
With a genuine intent and desire to shape a brighter world for the children of Zimbabwe, the Academy employs professional coaches capable of providing leadership, direction and quality programmes that result in the development of the game at the grassroots level, producing young cricket stars ripe for the International stage 5 years from now. Youth Cricket has grown tremendously over the last few years. The development agenda focusing on age groups structure adopted by the Heath Streak Academy has been very successful and more local Zimbabweans are being attracted to the game. Our age-group teams U11, U12, U13, U14, U15, U17 and U18 levels have been winning International tournaments with great distinction. The Academy is very passionate about the sport and our aim is to ensure that our talented cricketers have the very best opportunities and a first class future which will help Zimbabwe regain her past sporting glory. The Academy nominates players to attend provincial age-group trials relevant to ability and potential. We expose our cricketers with cricketing interests, knowledge and methodologies that can be utilized to develop a high level of professionalism.
The Academy hosts its prestigious flagship Under-15 cricket tournament brand - 'The President's Afro-Asia Cricket Cup' featuring various African & Asian nations annually. The popular tournament has been growing in leaps and bounds and is destined to turn into an Under 15 Cricket World Cup in the coming years.
The Academy inspires and motivates the girl-child to get involved in playing cricket and engage in outreach programmes to support young talented girls to train and coach at the Academy.
The Academy inspires corporate conglomerates and business houses to incorporate sport and education into their community responsibility programs.
Heath Streak International Cricket Tours offer talented youngsters immense International exposure, helps develop their potential to the fullest, strengthens their abilities and mental strength to play in tough and challenging conditions and enhances their overall personality. Coaches are offered the opportunity to LEARN and improvise on their coaching skills, abilities and techniques.