Author: fitravel

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Cradock Moederkerk

Driving through the Karoo Heartland town of Cradock the other day I just couldn't help but to stop and snap a few pics of the "Moederkerk" in town.  I've played around with a couple of effects and this is what I came up with. Oh yes, and what is a post without a little bit of interesting historic info? The first Dutch Reformed congregation (and also the first church) in Cradock was established in 1824.  The present building was completed on the original site…

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10/09/2015
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Donkin Street Houses

The Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism head office recently moved from their old premises in South End to new offices in the Donkin Street Houses.  The newly renovated Donkin Street Houses form part of the Donkin Village precinct which includes the city blocks of Donkin Hill, Constitution Hill and Victoria Street. This post isn't intended to start yet another discussion on how the restoration was done and how the houses doesn't look like they historically did.  Regardless of all this, the houses are finally…

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09/09/2015
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Water under the bridge at the dip

During the recent heavy rains the 3rd Avenue Dip was closed a couple of times again.  After it opened up Drama Princess asked if we could stop down at the bottom because she wanted to see the water.  The Baakens River was still flowing strong and water was gushing through the pipes under the road.Looking down the river from the bridge

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08/09/2015
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A stolen grave fence

The very first Geocache I placed was in the historic South End Cemetery.  I found a nice little spot on the gate section of a fence around a grave that dates back to the late 1800's.  Placing this cache was my way of showing other people this historic gem.  On Saturday evening at my birthday event a couple of visiting Johannesburg cachers mentioned that they couldn't find it and that the fence was gone.  I just thought they were looking…

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07/09/2015
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Have you ever visited the GFI or Ron Belling Art Galleries?

Do you know any of these two art galleries?  The Ron Belling Art Gallery and the GFI Art Gallery. Perhaps the former sounds familiar.  Not sure about the latter? Well, they are one and the same thing.The gallery is housed in a landmark Art Deco style building across from St Georges Park on Park Drive.  The building, named "Ridgewood", was commissioned by Axel Stockelbach, then managing director of Ford South Africa, in 1936 and was designed by Gertruida Brinkman, the first woman Architect to qualify…

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06/09/2015
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Firefly’s Fourtief Bifday

The last time I had a proper birthday party was for my 21st.  For the past five years I've wanted to have a party and this year was the year.  I just had to have one to celebrate as it was a milestone birthday.  Rather than sending out invites to individual people, I decided to double my birthday party with an official Geocaching event.  About 27 people rocked up for the event which was done as a bring and braai…

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05/09/2015
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Silver Rocket Cadillac by Stuart Reece shot in PE

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgwAPwy4cfI&w=500&h=400]I love watching music videos and adverts (I don't say movies and tv programs cause we haven't really had any) that's been shot around Port Elizabeth and spotting places I know.  One of my friends posted a link to this music video for Stuart Reece's Silver Rocket Cadillac on Facebook yesterday and as it started I realized that it was shot right here in PE.  See if you can identify a couple of the places they filmed at.

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04/09/2015
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Ancient earthquake fault lines in Port Elizabeth

Have you ever wondered why the road at the bottom of Valley Road is always wet?  Why there is water running over the road even if it hasn't been raining.  Well, here is the answer why.Port Elizabeth isn't really know for it's earth quakes, but that doesn't mean that it's never happened.There are three ancient fault lines in Port Elizabeth where some slight movements can still occur. One of them, the Moregrove Fault, runs along the Port Elizabeth beachfront from…

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03/09/2015
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Hart Cottage at Glen Avon Farm

I told you a little bit of the history of Glen Avon Farm and the historic Glen Avon Watermill outside Somerset East in my previous post.  Glen Avon has a number of other old buildings on the property with the oldest being Hart Cottage.  Built around 1817, Hart Cottage is the only remaining of three of the original cottages built on the farm.  It's was painstakingly renovated and is being used as self catering accommodation for visitors to the farm.  In the background on…

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03/09/2015
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The Jazzy, Boozy, Cheezy Affaire is coming

This morning I got to attend the media launch of the upcoming Jazzy, Boozy, Cheezy Affaire that will be taking place on 26 and 27 September at Africanos Country Estate in Addo.  Anybody who is into wine, cheese, food, jazz, chocolates, flowers or perfume would really enjoy the event as all of that and more will be represented over the weekend.A “sensory spring sensation” will provide a fine feast for all five senses of lovers of laid-back jazz, full-bodied wine…

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02/09/2015