The Donkin Lighthouse (actually called The Hill Lighthouse) was built in 1861 and taken out of commission in the 1970's due to the fact that ships couldn't see the light over the city's lights anymore. I love climbing to the top of the lighthouse cause the view from up there is absolutely stunning and I have taken many photos from up there in the past. Finding myself at the top again this week I realised that I have never taken…
The first part of our walk through the Plaatbos Nature Reserve took us on various trails through the forest before taking a halfway break next to the Storms River by the old low water bridge. This left us with the walk back up to the village on the Storms River Pass. In 1879 the famous pass builder Thomas Bain was busy surveying the area east of Plettenberg Bay and found it to consist of almost impenetrable forests and deep river gorges. To get…
Yesterday (Wednesday, 5 December 2012) was the inaugaral flight by Mango Airline into Port Elizabeth with the airline now offering low cost flights between PE and Johannesburg as well as Cape Town. I was invited to the launch function at the Port Elizabeth Airport to see the first flight land although I wasn't able to join the pro togs on the tarmac to get some closeup pictures. The view from the function venue was awesome though when the two fire trucks…
Enjoying fish and chips in the outside eating area of This is Eat at the Port Elizabeth Harbour
After a couple of hours hiking through the Plaatbos Nature Reserve we emerged from the forest close to where the old pass road crosses the Storms River. We headed straight down to the river, kicked off our shoes and soaked our feet in the cool, soothing water. Just what we needed at the halfway mark of our hike.When the pass was originally built the road went through the river with the low water bridge only being build by soldiers during the Second…
I have discovered the most awesome fish and chips shop at the Baakens River entrance to the Port Elizabeth Harbour. There used to be a small fish and chips take-away called Catch 22 which recently expanded into what is now called This is Eat. This is Eat is a typical local fish and chips shop like you would find in the Cape at places like Hout Bay and Kalk Bay harbour. You order by the counter and the food get served…
I find forests to have some kind of therapeutic effect on me, hence the fact that I will find any excuse to go and spend some time around forests. It's no surprise then that I found myself and Family Firefly on a family outing in Storms River Village in the Tsitsikamma. Three days around the forest for me is probably comparable to somebody from Gauteng spending a week at the beach. I did make it clear to the family that I wanted…
Do you ever wonder where the peacocks around the St Georges Hospital and Settlers Park come from? How did they get there in the first place? I have to be honest and say that I have never really thought about it until I recently visited the Shri Siva Subramanier Aulayam Temple in Upper Valley Road next to the Baakens Valley. Peacocks are associated with the Hindu faith in various ways while the temple has a number of permanent peacock residents. The…
Op die eerste Sondag van die maand stroom baie families met klein (en ander met nie so klein) kinders na die Port Elizabeth Model Locomotive Society se maandelikse oop dag. Families staan al van vroeg af tou om op die treintjies te ry met veral die stoom lokomotiewe wat baie aftrek kry. Die rit vat wel net 'n paar minute, maar sluit in 'n tonnel, die Groot Grasrivier brug en 'n paar draaie deur die gronde in. En die beste…
"If nothing is done to conserve the African Penguin then they will be extinct in only 4 years." Quite an alarming statement, isn't it? The buzz word may be rhino conservation, but I truly think that people should also start to seriously look at penguin conservation at the same time. One place that does a sterling job here in Port Elizabeth with penguin conservation and who desperately need people to support them with funding as they support the rhino initiatives,…