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…
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…
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…
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…
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.
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…
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…
Port Elizabeth has some beautiful Art Deco buildings, some in good condition and others in need of repair. Pleinhuis (plein meaning square as in open space and huis means house) on Market Square is one of the prime examples in the city. I went to a meeting at Pleinhuis and before I entered looked up at the gargoyles on the side of the building. It just screamed out to be photographed, so I did.
The figures of two fighting Zulu warriors in the main entrance of the Sibaya Entertainment Kingdom outside Durban
I had a Sunday lunch of note today and I am seriously stuffed. What's the special occasion? Its Fathers Day of cause and I got thoroughly spoiled today. I was looking for a father themed picture to post and decided on this one I snapped at the new Kings Beach skate park the other day of a father and his son enjoying a nice warm day to try out the new facilities.