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Driving down Strand Street

Last week when I popped down to the Campanile to take some photos of the bells, I also took a photo of Strand Street where it runs under the freeways.  Don't think it's anybody's favorite part of town what with being covered by the freeways, having a bad reputation dating back some time for crime and having taxi's race up and down the whole time.  What does get me though is the 2010 FIFA World Cup branding that is still…

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08/05/2016
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The pipe at Pipe

Pipe at Pollok each is probably Port Elizabeth's best known and most popular surf spot.  But have you eve wondered where Pipe got it's name from? The perfect barrel (like a pipe) to surf?  Piping hot waves?  Waves piping in one after another? (Is there even a saying like that?) Nope, it's very simple.  There is a storm water pipe covered in concrete that flows out in the sea at the surf spot and right in the middle of the…

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07/05/2016
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A ray of light in the mountains

On my last trip to Cape Town I connected from Robertson to Grabouw via  a back road past Villiersdorp.  It was late afternoon and the sun was heading towards the mountain on my right hand side at a speed.  Suddenly it broke through the clouds and a sun ray reached down and touched the mountain side.  I pulled over as quickly as I could to grab a photo.  It looked much better in real life than it did in the…

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07/05/2016
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Skateboarders and Instagrammers unite

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m50OA9kRAZc&w=500&h=400]The King's Beach Skateboarding Crew jointed the Port Elizabeth Instagram community for a fun couple of hours out in the city center a Sunday or two ago.  Other than a whole bunch of Instagram pictures being taken, the skateboarders also filmed their own video which I'm sharing with you today.

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06/05/2016
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Perfectly Pollok

I think people are so used to Kings Beach, Humewood and Hobie that they often forget how awesome a beach Pollok Beach is.  It is a dangerous beach to swim at when the lifeguards aren't on duty, but it's great for a walk, to watch the surfers  and dolphins or to splash around with the kids in the tidal pool by the gap in the rocks in front of Something Good.

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05/05/2016
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A historic water trough in Mowbray

I often wonder if people really realise how many historic places and objects there are around our cities and towns.  I'm not only referring to the big and well known historic attractions but rather to smaller ones many people probably drive past without even a second look.  One of these I discovered in the Cape Town suburb of Mowbray while on my way to a meeting.  I was following my GPS to a Geocache that was on my way and…

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05/05/2016
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Crisp winters day

One of the things are enjoy most about winter is those crisp clear days.  They just make for much better photos than hot summer days.

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04/05/2016
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Off the off the beaten track in the Langkloof

Most tourists and holiday makers traveling from the Western Cape to the Eastern Cape (or vice versa) do so along the world famous Garden Route.  It means that they miss out on the very scenic Route 62 through the Langkloof which runs parallel to the Garden Route on the other side of the mountain.  You could say traveling through the Langkloof is travelling off the beaten track.  On my last trip up the Langkloof I detoured off onto a dirt…

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03/05/2016
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Then and Now – The Campanile bells

The Campanile, wedged between the Port Elizabeth Railway Station, the PE Harbour and the Settlers Freeway, was built to celebrate the centenary of the landing of the British Settlers in 1820.  The tower was built on the landing beach where the Settlers came ashore with the foundation stone being laid in 1921.  It was officially opened in 1923, the clock was installed in 1925 (started at noon on 28 April of that year) and the bells hung in 1936.  The…

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03/05/2016
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Lowering the Campanile bells

The Campanile was opened in 1923 with the bells installed in 1936.  Although the bells have received renovations while in position, the tower has only had cosmetic work done over the years.  Recently an inspection of the Campanile showed that the structure holding the bells was in a bad state and in need of urgent repairs.  It meant that the bells has to be taken out to replace the structure in the tower's top.  While admiring and taking photos of…

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02/05/2016