Author: fitravel

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The lions’ heads at Prince Alfred Guard Memorial

It's surprising how few Port Elizabethans know that the Prince Alfred Guard Memorial in St Georges Park stands on top of one of the city's oldest reservoirs.  The 2 million gallon reservoir was completed between 1906 and 1907 at a cost of  £15 525 back in the day.  This memorial actually forms the central ornamental feature of the Service Reservoir.  On each side of the memorial is a lion's head and it turns out that these were fountains with jets of…

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14/01/2015
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10 not to miss activities, restaurants and accommodation in the Tsitsikamma

Ahh, the Tsitsikamma.....  My favorite Sho't Left destination for a couple of days' breakaway.  Beautiful indigenous forests to sooth my soul, mountains on the horizon, streams running past ancient indigenous trees and forest giants to a rugged coastline where the blue ocean crashes as white waves on black rocks at the foot of sheer cliffs.  This part of the Garden Route must be one of the most beautiful places in South Africa.  Truly paradise.  The Tsitsikamma is a lot more than natural…

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13/01/2015
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St George killed the dragon

The Cenotaph outside St Georges Park was unveiled in 1929 and was erected to the memory of the men from Port Elizabeth that fell during the First World War.  After the Second World War memorial panels were added to the walls.  The memorial was the work of James Gardner of the Art School.  On two sides of the memorial are different figures - one representing a mother and child and the other St George.  The woman, or warrior's wife, symbolises the protecting of the home,…

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13/01/2015
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Langenhoven Drive from the Bridge

While the Damselfly was in hospital a couple of weeks ago, I went for a walk through Greenacres and The Bridge while waiting for visiting hours.  I don't get to go to Greenacres that often as Walmer Park is much closer and more convenient for me so its been a while since my last visit.  Standing on The Bridge I snapped a photo of Langenhoven Drive with my phone and only when, looking at it afterwards did I notice how quiet…

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12/01/2015
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Swimming at my favorite gully at Kini Bay

Tomorrow is back to work for me.  Summer may be here but my holiday is over.  It didn't quite turn out the holiday I was looking forward to last year but we did try to make the most of it.  Last week we spent a day at our favourite gully at Kini Bay near Seaview.  A safe and uncrowded spot we like to go to when the main beachfront's beaches are overflowing.  I'll be longing to this scene when I am back in…

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11/01/2015
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Exploring ruins with Chaos Boy

I've still be on leave this past week and on Thursday morning grabbed Chaos Boy and went looking for a new cache situated on the edge of Lorraine.  The container is located inside the ruins of a building which means one has to always be on the lookout for any slithering guardians around.  Finding a nice "regular" sized container was the reward though and we got to write our names second and third on the log after CrazyNinja who got the First to…

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10/01/2015
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Port Elizabeth Beachfront timelapse over New Year

https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/fuTKcAdzXgY&source=udsI spotted this timelapse by Chris Wright on Facebook the other day and just had to share it with you.  The timelapse was put together from webcam footage taken between 31 December 2014 and 2 January 2015 and shows the New Year's Eve and New Year's Day activity on Hobie Beach.

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09/01/2015
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Sweet juicy red strawberries at Mooihoek Farm

Sweet juicy red strawberries.... I don't need to use any more fancy words to get your mouth watering.  Actually, you just need to have a look at the pictures in this post and not read anything at all.It's always great to get an exclusive behind the scenes look at something and in this case it was a tour around the Mooihoek Boerdery strawberry farm. Mooihoek is situated next to the Gamtoos River outside the town of Hankey in the Eastern Cape.  Back in…

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09/01/2015
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Old Port Elizabeth coat of arms

A week or so ago I went for a walk around St Georges Park and at one stage spent a little time at the Prince Alfred Guard Memorial.  On the memorial I found this old Port Elizabeth coat of arms and I decided to go and do a little research about it.  Turns out this one evolved into a more elaborate coat of arms that was used until Port Elizabeth became part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.The later arms (above) were…

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08/01/2015
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The St Georges Park war memorial cross

People interested in history in Port Elizabeth should know the war memorials around St Georges Park.  The Cenotaph, the Prince Alfred Guard Memorial and the bronze plaque where the South African Heavy Artillery Memorial used to be.  Not many people know though that there is a fourth war memorial in the park.  Right behind the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Gallery is a plaque with a small hedge in the form of a cross.  Unfortunately the one side of the cross has died a…

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07/01/2015