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Citrus farms

The Eastern Cape is South Africa’s second-largest producer of citrus fruit.  Oranges make up the vast majority (80%) of citrus products, but the province is also well regarded for its production of ‘easy-peelers’ such as clementine and Satsuma tangerines, as well as navel oranges.  Lemons, grape fruit and naartjies make up the balance of the harvest.  Port Elizabeth has two major citrus producing areas right on our doorstep, the Gamtoos Valley to the west and the Sundays River Valley to the…

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24/06/2013
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Citrus Festival photos gallery

The annual Patensie Citrus Festival took place on 15 June 2013 in the Gamtoos Valley west of Port Elizabeth.  The Gamtoos is mainly a farming area with beautiful scenery, not forgetting true farming hospitality, so I take any excuse I can get to visit.  After really enjoying the 2012 festival we decided to head out there again this year and bundled the family in the car on the Saturday morning, headed out to the countryside.  Here are a some scenes from the festival. 

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24/06/2013
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Old McDonald had a farm

Old McDonald had a farm, E, I, E, I, Oand on his farm he had some cows,E, I, E, I, Owith a moo, moo hereand a moo, moo there,here a moo, there a mooeverywhere a moo, moo Have you ever wondered where Old McDonald's farm really is? Well I found it right here in Port Elizabeth on the Old Seaview Road.

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23/06/2013
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Van Stadens Gorge

Travelling along the N2 towards the Garden Route from Port Elizabeth, most people cross over the Van Stadens River Bridge in seconds as they hurry along.  I often wonder how many of those have ever taken the time to take a leisurely drive along the pass on the old road.  At the bottom of the pass one can pull over and enjoy the view, both up towards the bridge as well as down the gorge.  It felt like such a…

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22/06/2013
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Twelve Apostles wine room

While having lunch at the Twelve Apostles Hotel, I took a walk around the restaurant between the starter and main meal to snap a couple of pics and stumbled on their wine room.  Its not so much a wine celler, as you don't go down steps into a dark stone room full of vintage wine and cobwebs, but a seperate cold room to store and display their wine in.  But that doesn't matter.  Now I'm not much of a wine drinker…

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22/06/2013
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Another view from the fort

Whenever you see pictures of Fort Frederick its usually of the view towards the harbour, the entrance or the interior of the fort.  I dug up a photograph which I took standing inside the fort while looking towards the Donkin Reserve.  The top of the lighthouse as well as the giant South African is visible.  Part of the Prince Alfred Guard Drill Hall can also be seen just below the lighthouse.   Fort Frederick was built in 1799 by the British to…

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21/06/2013
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The aloes are bloomng

It's that time of the year when the aloes are in full bloom and they can be seen both around the city as well as in the surrounding countryside.  It doesn't matter if you're driving west, north or east (not south cause then you'll drive into the sea), the countryside is awash with the mostly reds and oranges as well as the occasional yellow of the different species of aloe in flower.  The aloe (I think its called fence aloe) in the…

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20/06/2013
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Boardwalk Hotel lights

The Boardwalk Complex in Port Elizabeth has always been a beautiful sight at night but since the completion of the new 5 star Boardwalk Hotel and Convention Centre it's become an absolute visual feast for the eyes.  The lights become even more obvious when seen from inside the Boardwalk Complex itself where it reflects off the Boardwalk lake.

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20/06/2013
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31 miles to PE

31 miles from Port Elizabeth just off the Addo road (R335) is Addo Drift.  The drift was the first convenient natural crossing point on the Sundays River when travelling inland from the sea, and was used by wild animals and earlier human inhabitants as a ford.  When the Europeans arrived, they followed the same route, outspaning their oxen at a point nearby.                      The military post “Ados Drift” appears on the site maps dated 1815.  In 1823 one William Wright, an 1820 settler, was…

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19/06/2013
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Atlantic Point Backpackers

When you mention the word "backpackers lodge" to anybody, most people would probably associate it with "dorms where youngsters from all over the world travelling with backpacks would sleep".  If that was your answer as well you would partly be right.  But only partly as you could also be totally wrong.  Let me tell you why.  Firstly, although most people staying in backpackers lodgers are youngsters, there are also more mature people backpacking these days.  Secondly, backpackers lodges are so much more…

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19/06/2013