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Installing the new Boardwalk fountain

Work on the new 5 star Boardwalk Hotel and the Nelson Mandela Bay International Convention Centre is at an advanced state with the opening date of 14 December approaching fast.  I got a preview of the convention centre a week or so ago and its looking stunning.  Another new feature at the Boardwalk after the opening will be a multi media fountain in the Boardwalk lake.  The fountain's mechanics arrived not to long ago and they are busy installing it with…

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28/11/2012
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Cape Recife WWII Forward Observation Post

Port Elizabeth has arguably the most complete collection of surviving coast artillery buildings and equipment dating from the Second World War (1939-45) of any port in South Africa. Before the Second World War the Port Elizabeth Harbour actually had no defence in place except for Fort Frederick which was built in 1799 to guard the original landing place in the early days long before a harbour was even built. In 1942 it was decided to put harbour defences in place…

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27/11/2012
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Station paintings

The beautiful old Victorian Railway Station in Port Elizabeth has existed on the present location since 1875 when the first line was constructed to Uitenhage about 40 kilometres away.  The original building was designed by the then Resident Engineer of  Harbour and Public Works in Port Elizabeth, James Bisset, with extensive additions, including the cast-iron supported roof of the main concourse, being completed by 1893.  The round painted panels depicting scenes from the city were painted by Bernard Horn in the late 1980's.

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27/11/2012
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Addo fygies

Addo Elephant National Park is looking stunning after all the rain the area had during winter and spring.  The veld is green with swaths of yellow flowers and purple fygies while there are a lot young animals about as well.  Unfortunately my visit was a quick one for business so I didn't have time to take a nice leisurely drive through the park.  Hopefully I'll get that chance again soon. 

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26/11/2012
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Kaap die Goeie Hoop

 Die Kaap die Goeie Hoop is die naam van die mees suid-westelike landpunt van Afrika en is letterlik 'n klipgooi van Kaappunt af geleë.  Dit is tradisioneel (en verkeerdelik net soos met Kaappunt) geag as die punt waar die Atlantiese Oseaan en die Indiese Oseaan mekaar ontmoet, terwyl die eintlike ontmoetingspunt verder ooswaarts by Kaap Agulhas - Afrika se mees suidelikste punt - is. Die koue Benguelastroom wat van Antarktika af noord vloei, ontmoet wel die warm Agulhas-stroom naby die Kaap die Goeie Hoop. Die…

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26/11/2012
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Future dairy cows

The area around Nanaga and eastwards is one of the biggest dairy producing districts in the province.  These calves will one day form part of the milk producing herds at Nanaga Dairy Farm.

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24/11/2012
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Freeway graffiti

This rather angry looking, Mickey Mouse dress-a-like (and going by the description is also famously dead) character sits on the side of the Settles Freeway close to its end in South End.  I've Googled and surfed the net a bit but couldn't find anything remotely related to him so I have no idea who or what he is. 

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23/11/2012
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Heron on a pole

The banks of the Sundays River is home to a huge variety of birds ranging from herons and kingfishers to waders and bee eaters.  Amongst the herons are Black headed herons, Goliath herons and Grey herons, like the one sitting on top of the pole in the picture.

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22/11/2012
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The Mackay Bridge

Yesterday's photo of the Sundays River was taken from the Mackay Bridge which was opened on 5 March 1895.  The Colchester area was a very busy spot in the mid 1800s and early 1900s, as it had the only pont over the Sundays River on the main road between Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown.  In 1874 the original pont washed away and they started looking at plans to build a bridge.  This bridge was constructed entirely of steel and iron brought all the way from…

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21/11/2012