One of the old Wild Fig Trees in St Georges Park. The Wild Figs around St Georges are over 100 years old and with their wide branches and big trunks you just want to look around and search for fantasy characters lurking in its shadows. I was very interested to read this week that the municipality has plans to develop St Georges Park along with Settlers Park and Victoria Park into botanical gardens. It is something that is long overdue…
The Swartberg Mountains just after sunset seen across a field full of ostriches
The Grey Institute across the road from the Donkin Reserve was built in 1859 with the clock tower being added in 1875. The land on which it stands was made available by the then governor of the Cape Colony, Sir George Grey, for a school to be built on. Grey School got too big for the old building and moved to its present site in Mill Park in the early 1900's after which the old building was used by a…
We spend a weekend at the very interesting Tuishuise in Cradock recently. The Tuishuise is an elegant collection of beautifully restored Victorian era craftsmen’s houses in this Karoo town about 3 hours north of Port Elizabeth. The more than two dozen Tuishuise line Market Street and are furnished with mostly antique furniture. Each house constitudes unit so you won't be sharing your house with anybody else. We were there in winter so the fireplace in our unit came in very…
The Addo Elephant National Park has recently launched its new Interpretive Centre at the main rest camp. Unfortunately the day we were there it wasn't open yet, so I didn't get any inside pictures. On one of the outside walls visitors will find the Wall of Bones. The wall contains the bones and horns of a number of animals that are found in the Greater Addo Park. With the completion of this centre, a webcam has been added overlooking the…
I was walking exploring around the back streets of the Karoo town of Prince Albert and to my delight stumbled on discovered this old cemetery. It belongs to the NG Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church) and the graves date between 1844 and 1884. Non of the graves really had grave stones, but they were all covered in stone mounds. It was interesting though that there was a couple of graves with small structures built over them towards the back of the…
Over the last week or so we have had absolutely stunning summers weather right in the middle of winter. Perfect for walks on the beach.Want to see more pictures featuring the sky, visit Skywatch.
The other evening Chaos Boy asked me why the moon has a second moon on top of it. I couldn't figure out what he meant and went to check. It was a crescent moon, but the part of the moon in shadow was clearly visible.For more pictures featuring the sky, visit Skywatch
At the bottom of Market Street in Uitenhage railway enthusiasts will find the Old Railway Museum. The museum is housed in what is reputed to be one of the oldest railway stations in the country. The museum is quite quaint and has two vintage locomotives, a variety of coaches and lots of period furniture and equipment. Now if only the guy in his run down blue bakkie would leave while I wanted to take the photo, but he just sat…
Situated on top of a hill overlooking the Gamtoos Valley just outside Hankey is the grave of Sarah Bartmann (Saartjie Baartman). She was born somewhere in the Gamtoos Valley in 1789 and moved to the Cape as a teenager to find work. From here she was lured to London under false in 1810 and was exhibited around England as the "Hottentot Venus". She was sold to a Frenchman who also exhibited her around France before here death. Sarah died in…