The Windpomp

The windpomp is one of the icons of the Karoo Heartland and as part of the landscape as Karoo koppies, sheep and Angora goats and a good ol' farm gate.  But have you ever wondered where the windpomp came from and how long they've been around?The first windpumps were used to pump water since at least the 9th century in what is now Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan.  They later became widespread across the Muslim world and also spread to China…

Comments Off on The Windpomp

Run dad, keep up

This is a scene that played itself off over and over at Saturday's Ironkids event.  Fathers doing the run leg along with their kids (often with mothers a few steps behind).  But if it only was as easy as it sounds.  Most of us huffed and puffed along carrying bags and cameras, taking photos, encouraging the kids to keep going and sidestepping other parents and the general public along the way.  Not quite as easy (or dignified) as it sounds.…

Comments Off on Run dad, keep up

Supporting the Ironman runners till late

One of the main reasons we wanted to go down and support the runners along Beach Road during Ironman was to cheer on four of our friends taking part.  We parked our camp chairs in front of the McArthur pool complex and settled in for the evening. Our friend B had a tough time on the second loop of the bike so she was slightly behind the others but we decided to stick it out till she passed us the last…

Comments Off on Supporting the Ironman runners till late

Moenie omkyk nie – the Ironman run

After we spent most of the day on Sunday supporting the Ironman cyclists we headed down to the beachfront after dinner to spent some time supporting those same Ironmen and women on their running leg.  Loved Die Burger's poster that said "Moenie omkyk nie" (Don't look back).  I don't think I saw anybody look back.  I think they are just too tired to care what is happening behind them.

Comments Off on Moenie omkyk nie – the Ironman run

A shady spot for the Ironman cycle leg

Due to the change of route for Ironman this year we couldn't watch the cycle leg from our usual spot next to Buffelsfontein Road at Mount Pleasant.  After church this morning we packed our lunch in a cooler box, grabbed the camp chairs and headed off to the intersection of Victoria Drive and Sardinia Bay Road.  After having to walk from the previous intersection because the road was closed way back there (with tons of tuning space and parking at…

Comments Off on A shady spot for the Ironman cycle leg

Drama Princess at Ironkids 2016

Ironkids takes place the day before Ironman and consists of a swim and a run.  The Ironkids in Port Elizabeth is the biggest Ironkids competition in the world and would probably have been mush bigger if they didn't have to cap entries.  Drama Princess took park in her 5th Ironkids competition this year and had to do a 100 meter swim in McArthur Pool and then a 2 km run that ended on the main red carpet at Hobie Beach…

2 Comments

Ironkids video

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GucppFH6TxU&w=500&h=400]Ironman weekend is upon us and tomorrow (Saturday 9 April 2016) we will be in the beachfront to support Drama Princess participation in the Ironkids event.  Ironkids take place on the Saturday afternoon and is made up of a swim in McArthur's pool and a run to the main Ironman finish line at Hobie Beach.  The video I've posted is a highlights video from a few years back as I couldn't find one from last year.

Comments Off on Ironkids video

The new Opera House stained glass feature

One of the new additions to the newly revamped Port Elizabeth Opera House is a stained glass window featuring the only three Africans on the continent to win the prestigious Tony Award – John Kani, Winston Ntshona and Athol Fugard.  And best of all, they're all from our city. Forty years ago, the trio were nominated for the best play Tony Award, for their co-written play The Island.  Kani and Ntshona both walked away with best actor awards for The Island and…

Comments Off on The new Opera House stained glass feature

Inside the Port Elizabeth Opera House

When last have you attended a performance at the Opera House?  Do you even know what it looks like in the main theatre?  I am ashamed to say that I haven't been there for many many years, but I got to see it while on a tour of the facility last week.  The curtain isn't the main stage curtain but the fire curtain, which they demonstrated to us.

Comments Off on Inside the Port Elizabeth Opera House

Somerset East’s whiskey bar in a church

I'm not much of a drinker preferring to do the sacrilegious thing of making beer shandy by throwing lemonade into a perfectly good beer.  But I am known to enjoy a good beer or wine tasting so it shouldn't come as a huge surprise that I'm doing a post on a place where you can do a spot of whiskey tasting.  As long as I only need to taste.  But this isn't sommer any place, it's a whiskey bar inside a…

2 Comments