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The new Opera House extension and renovations

Yesterday's post was a Then and Now post featuring the Port Elizabeth Opera House.  As the photo was taken from the street corner, the latest addition to the building wasn't really that visible so I decided to post a second photo.  The wine coloured section is is the part that was built on to the original building in 1985 and was part of the extensive renovations that took place over the last year and was painted this was as part…

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05/04/2016
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Hofmeyr’s pink church

Most Karoo towns have a historic church with a church tower that keeps an eye out over it.  The Karoo Heartland town of Hofmeyr is no different...  or perhaps it is.  Why? Because it has a pink church tower standing out above the town.  The Dutch Reformed Church in Hofmeyr was built in 1875 and at some stage went pink.  It definitely didn't go pink for breast cancer awareness because it happened way before that but whatever the reason it…

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04/04/2016
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Then and Now – The Port Elizabeth Opera House

The first meeting to discuss a new theatre for Port Elizabeth took place in 1890 after which a company was formed, shares sold and a site was agreed upon with the Town Council.  The building was designed by G.W. Smith and opened on 1 December 1892.  The first lessees of the building was B and F Wheeler who also presented the opening performance of JM Barrie's "Walker, London".  By 1916 the theatre was taken over by African Consolidated Theatres and…

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04/04/2016
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A new coffee shop at the Athenaeum

There seems to be a coffee shop around every second corner these days, so you tend to look for the special ones.  Last week I got to visit the newest one in town and it may just become one of those special ones.  It is located inside the historic Athenaeum building in Central and is called Bakery Treats.  I was there on the first day and they are still getting their ducks in a row, but they will be open…

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03/04/2016
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Taxis in Whites Road

One of the Route 67 art pieces that gets the most comment from visitors is the taxis on the wall in front of the PE Opera House in Whites Road.  The taxis represent the mode of public transport used by most South Africans. "History is often shaped by momentus events, while cities with their alleys, streets and avenues are formed by the layers rhythms of the daily necessity.  This rhythim of place, shaped by the everyday, becomes the song of…

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02/04/2016
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Ironman African Championship 2015 highlights

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE4BkXrfXpA&w=500&h=400]Next weekend the 2016 edition of the Ironman African Championship takes place here in Port Elizabeth.  The Ironman vibe is going to be picking up around the beachfront and Boardwalk over the next week and to put you all in the mood, here is the highlights video of the 2015 event.

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01/04/2016
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Then and Now – The Athenaeum building

The Port Elizabeth Athenaeum Society of Port Elizabeth was founded in 1856 to promote the interests of science and literature among the members and general public.  In 1859 land was granted for the erection of the Town Hall and it stated that the building had to provide space for a library and athenaem as well.  In 1887 the athenaeum was dissolved and the Council took over it's assets, which included a museum, which was housed in the Town HallIn 1894…

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31/03/2016
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Harmony in Nature on Route 67

One of the more unusual art pieces along Roue 67 is the Harmony in Nature piece in front of the Atheneaum building.  The piece uses an old optical technique used by the likes of Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo and uses optical illusion and mathematics to create a 3D picture that reflects from the flat and distorted mosaic surrounding the pole.  The artwork shows fauna and flora from the Eastern Cape and truly is a must see.

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30/03/2016
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Then and Now – Lower Baakens Valley

Way back in the early days when the first ships started coming past our coastline they used to sail into the bay to get fresh water in the lagoon near the mouth of the Baakens River.  The Baakens River got it's name from the Dutch East Indian Company beacon that was placed at the fountain below Fort Frederick from where sailors could collect fresh water from for the ships.  The fountain later supplied water to the early settlement that later…

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29/03/2016
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Moonrise over pink clouds

Not long ago I spent a night at Angler and Antelope Guesthouse in Somerset East.  Coming out of the guesthouse on my way to dinner, the near full moon was rising in the east over clouds painted bright pink by the setting sun behind me.  I rushed back to my room to grab my car keys, dashed to the car to get my camera and by the time I got back to my view spot most of the pink had…

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29/03/2016