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Happy 14th birthday to the Boardwalk

This weekend the Boardwalk complex celebrates it's 14th birthday.  The Boardwalk started out as a casino and entertainment complex and now also features a 5 star hotel, international convention centre and a spa.  When the Boardwalk was built a fair amount of eyebrows lifted and people gave it 18 months before nobody would go there and the shops would close.  On the contrary, it has become a Port Elizabeth landmark, standing central to most activities and events hosted on the beachfront.  Somewhere most visitors to…

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05/10/2014
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Stadium view

Last weekend on a Geocaching outing with the KidZ we swung through the Parsons Hill area to pick up a couple of caches and I snapped this photo looking down on North End with the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in the middle and Algoa Bay in the back.  Yes I know it's skew but I uploaded straight from my phone so I didn't get a chance to edit the photo.  Just tilt your head slightly and it will be fine. *wink and smile*  

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04/10/2014
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Spending a weekend at the 150 year old Ann’s Villa

Its a hot day in the southern Karoo just north of the Zuurberg in the Eastern Cape.  Not a breath of air moving.  Cicadas are chirping away in the surrounding veld.  Its been four days since you left the small port town of Port Elizabeth and after struggling up the rough Zuurberg Pass the previous day and camping out near the Zuurberg Inn, the day is spent making your way down the pass and into the dry and flat area beyond. …

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03/10/2014
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Double ziplining in the Addo area – video

Not having a GoPro means that travel videos have never been part of my arsenal as a blogger, but I recently realized that even though the quality may not be perfect, there is no reason not to take videos with my little ol' superzoom digital camera.  So I tried it out last week while experiencing the stunning new Adrenalin Addo double zipline experience, downloaded a video editor program and played around with it.  Its my first attempt and even though…

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03/10/2014
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I am an African

Under the Settlers Freeway on the flyover pillars between the Campanile and the bus station there are a series of 10 art pieces that form part of Route 67.  The paintings, called "Identities" by Lubhi Mtathi, is a series of colourful and evocative portraits that depict young South Africans from a range of cultural backgrounds.  Its all about cultural stereotypes and misconceptions.  This is one that I strongly relate to.  I am a South African and an African.  I was born here…

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02/10/2014
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Air plant flowers

 I think the one thing in my mother's garden that always fascinated me was her air plants.  They used to hang in a rubber tree close to the front gate and once a year these grey spikey looking plants that doesn't grow from the ground got the most beautiful pink and blue flowers.  When my mom sold her house she gave all her air plants to me and I now have them all over my garden.  This time of year they are…

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01/10/2014
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Waterfall reflection

The Tsitsikamma is a world of indigenous forests bordered by mountains and a rugged coastline.  One of the most beautiful places there is.  At the heart of it lies the Tsitsikamma National Park.  The Mouth Trail takes visitors from the park's restaurant area to the Storms River Mouth with its three suspension bridges.  Just after you start off on the trail there is a little waterfall on the left hand side flowing into a pool.  A tranquil spot even with tourists…

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01/10/2014
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Election Queue

The pathway winding its way up the Donkin Reserve from the back of the Opera House to the Great Flag wasn't just made like this by accident.  The winding path represents a 1994 election queue winding its way towards the election box.  An addition to the Election Queue path is over 3000 crosses left by youth of the city during the official opening of Route 67 and representing future votes in a democratic South Africa.  This is the Election Queue as seen…

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30/09/2014
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Ziplining in Addo on the longest double zipline in Africa

The first thing people think of when they hear the name Addo is elephants.  On that front the Addo Elephant National Park is doing an awesome job attracting people to the Sundays River Valley.  But the Addo area is so much more than elephants and the rest of the big 5.  More than just animals for that matter.  The whole Sundays River Valley is a beautiful area with scenic drives and views, history, great eateries and a wide variety of accommodation…

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30/09/2014
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Rainy day in the Bay

The last couple of months have been a bit on the dry side and after the previous weekend's rain it seems that the weather has suddenly discovered some more moisture to share with us.  Over the last 48 hours we've had some good rains in and around Port Elizabeth with apparently more to come in the next day or so.  I know its not the most exciting picture but here is one I snapped while sitting in wet traffic this morning.  Wet traffic…

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29/09/2014