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Grey Heron on a pole

This Grey Heron was taking a break on a pole in the Sundays River at Colchester and wasn't really bothered when we cruised past it on the Sundays River Ferry.  The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae and grows to about one meter in height with a wingspan of between 1,5 and 2 meters.  It normally feeds in shallow water, catching fish, frogs and insects with its long bill.  Herons will also take small…

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04/04/2014
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Overberg churches along the N2

My last trip down to Cape Town from Port Elizabeth took a slight different form from the usual.  Normally one would barrel down the N2 trying to cover the distance as quickly as possible but on my last trip down I decided to turn off into each of the towns along the N2 through the Overberg for a closer look.  The one thing I do when I get to a new town is to look up the local historic Dutch Reformed Church…

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04/04/2014
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Van Stadens railway bridge – the highest narrow gauge bridge in the world

When the Apple Express used to run (and lets hope it will be running again some time) it always stopped at the Van Stadens Railway Bridge to allow passengers to walk across the bridge if they wanted to get photos of the train crossing it.  I decided to drive out to Van Stadens to look for two Geocaches at the bridge and got to visit it for the first time in over ten years.  The Van Stadens Railway Bridge is…

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03/04/2014
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The Lourensford River at Morgenster

The search for a Geocache while visiting Somerset West took me to a beautiful spot I probably wouldn't have seen otherwise.  Travelling down a narrow road I came up to a closed gate and parked the car.  Walking through a side gate this was the scene waiting for me.  Turned out to be the old entrance into Morgenster Wine and Olive Estate.  Although the property on the other side of the river was private property, this side of the river had trails running…

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03/04/2014
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Mosaic patterns

If creating the 470 m2 Piazza Mosaic as part of Route 67 did one thing it was bringing vibrant colours to the Donkin Reserve.  The mosaic has so many different pictures and figures that I literally see something new every time I visit the Donkin.  One of the great things about it is the different angles you can look at it.  Either close up or from a distance with the third option being from the top of the Donkin Lighthouse.

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02/04/2014
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The pretty girl and the dung beetle

Looks can be deceiving.  You tend to think young pretty girls would only be interested in fashion, nightlife, tanning on the beach, spending time in the shops and hanging out with their friends. Yes, yes, I know I'm generalizing but I'm trying to get to a point so bare with me.  Late last year I hosted a travel blogger visit to Port Elizabeth and the surrounding area and the first blogger of the five to arrive was Rachel Lang, known…

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02/04/2014
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Then and Now – Queen Victoria Statue and Public Library

One of Port Elizabeth's best known historic landmarks is the Public Library with the statue of Queen Victoria in front of it.  The statue of Queen Vic was unveiled by major of Port Elizabeth, J.C. Kemsley, on 30 September 1903.  It was carved from Sicilian marble by Edward Roscoe Mullins of London to commemorate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee which took place in 1897 and was paid for my public subscription.  The first site preferred was in front of the City Hall but…

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01/04/2014
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Sir Lowry’s Pass view point

After nearly a day on the road between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town (roughly about 800km and normally an 8 hour drive if you only stop once or twice briefly) one starts to be in a hurry by the time you get to the top of Sir Lowry's Pass just west of Somerset West.  The end destination is within reach after all.  I like to pull over on top of the pass at the view point for a couple of minutes first…

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31/03/2014