What is the best viewpoint in Port Elizabeth? In my opinion its the view from the top of the Donkin Lighthouse. This is the view across the Donkin Reserve showing the King Edward Hotel, Grey Institute, Donkin Street Houses and some of the Route 67 art pieces, including the 65m high flagpole. To think of it, I should have taken a panorama towards the city centre side as well. Next time, I promise.
In 1866 a group of Port Elizabeth businessmen decided to start a social club where they could come together after work for a drink while playing snooker and billiards. The Port Elizabeth Club was born. The club originally started in Western Road opposite the Trinder Vlei and then moved to the present location when membership started to grow too big for the premises. The present building was completed in 1903. The club's facilities were quite primitive back then compared to modern standards. Gas and oil lamps and…
The view down the Baakens River Valley towards the Port Elizabeth Harbour from the Knysna apartment building in 1st Avenue Walmer.
Everything has a proper name although as far as the animal kingdom goes us humans often just refer to them by the "overarching" or general name. That was the case when I found this locust at Brakkeduine close to Oyster Bay west of Port Elizabeth. It was just a locust. But I started wondering what kind of locust as to not look too stupid when I do my post. Where to start? Well, when it comes to insects I go straight to…
Today is World Lion Day. It's the first global campaign to celebrate the importance of the lion world wide. People tend to be very aware of the plight of animals like the rhino, the gorilla and the African penguin due to their vulnerability, but very few know that it won't take much for the lion to be in the same situation. The king of the jungle is probably the most iconic of the animal species and have over the ages fascinated man,…
The Pearson Conservatory was originally built in 1882 and restored to its former glory between 2009 and 2011. The centre piece of the conservatory is an ornamental fountain made by Andrew Handyside at the Duke Street Foundry "Britannia Iron Works" in Derby in the UK around the same year. The Britannia Foundry's work was well known for its fine quality so these fountains can be found all over the globe. This particular design of fountain is listed as Design Number…
The narrow gauge railway line between Port Elizabeth and the town of Avontuur in the Langkloof was built by the government of the Cape Colony between 1890 and 1906 and at 285 kilometres it is the longest 610-mm-narrow gauge route in the world. Along the way the line crosses over the highest two foot narrow-gauge railway bridge in the world. In 1965 the Apple Express tourist train started operating on part of the line and finally seized operations in 2011 due to…
The space between the Port Elizabeth City Hall, Old Post Office Building and the Feather Market Centre in Fleming Square and it contains a monument which is the only of its kind in the world. The Prester John Cross was unveiled in 1986 by the Portuguese Ambassador and is dedicated to the mythical king-priest, Prester John, and the Portuguese explorers who discovered South Africa. It was the quest for Prester John as a Christian ally that led to expeditions to reach him…
This is the view towards town from the Forward Observation Post in Bluewater Bay with the N2 bridge over the Swartkops River in the foreground.
During the hot dry summer the Karoo veld can be somewhat of a bleak affair, but during the winter it's a different matter. Aloes bloom in all their fiery glory decorating the landscape like Christmas lights. Aloes, like proteas, are often found in the most unlikely and inhospitable places, growing in hot temperature and low rainfall areas and not needing the delicate hands of somebody with green fingers to nurture it. One of natures natural wonders.The post is part of the…