Eastern Cape Archives - Page 3 of 6

THE BARE BEAUTY OF THE KAROO

The Karoo with its long dusty roads may seem quite barren and desolate and without life if you visit for the first time, but do not be fooled. Here you will discover fossils and interesting plants, look closer and you might be surprised at what you see and hear. Make return trips, in different seasons, and you will experience the Karoo like never before! Heading north or south Graaff Reinet is sort of the resting point and leg stretch for motorists. It is the heartbeat of the Karoo with blue skies and wide open spaces yet it has a beauty and a charm of its own. Make that trip, even in the middle of the winter, when it is freezing cold and the water stops flowing in the waterpipes because of minus temperatures. This is a time to dress up nice and warm, muffled against the cold with beanies, scarves,… Read more >

YOU HAVE MAIL IN TWEE RIVIERE

If you mistake Twee Riviere for Twee Rivieren you will end up in a totally different province of South Africa. The one is on the R62 in the Eastern Cape, but you can easily overshoot it as well, and the other one is in the Northern Cape where you enter the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Today however we are visiting Twee Riviere in the Eastern Cape, about a two hour drive from the friendly city of Port Elizabeth. The little hamlet has its origin as far back as 1765 when land was first allocated to Jacobus Scheepers. Once a blooming farming community over the years it also fell victim to the economic trends and hardships and today it is a real rural community. One beautiful feature of Twee Riviere is the Belfry Kitchen in the hoofstraat. Make sure you pinch yourself, because you can soon forget that you are in the… Read more >

SPOTTING BLACK AND WHITE IN ADDO

Addo Elephant National Park is one of the smaller parks in South Africa, but did you know it is the only park in South Africa that boasts the Big Seven? Are you able to name the Big Seven? What better way to start this post with an appropriate shot of an elly! Situated in the adventure province of the Eastern Cape it is within easy reach of the Friendly City of Port Elizabeth and is a firm favorite for a day escape from hectic city life. I feel like experimenting as 2017 is drawing to an end and thus decided on an all-out black and white theme. One of my favorite objects to capture is zebras as they are really patient while you are zooming in and set your focus to snap that perfect moment. This was another black and white shoot done and dusted. Did you know that you… Read more >

OUR OWN LOVE LOCK BRIDGE

There are not a lot of swing bridges left in this modern world of ours, but it always brings some nostalgia for me. One of them are the one that spans the churning waters of the Storms River in the Tsitsikamma National Park. If you start at the restaurant/shop follow the 900 metre wooden walk under the indigenous tree canopy to the mouth. It is a fairly easy walk, but when reaching the end of the walkway you will need to descend some steep steps into the gorge to get to the bridge ……. just remember you have to return the same way …… so if the knees are not in that brilliant state anymore take note! After you crossed the 77 metre long bridge that hangs just seven metres above the river one arrives at a small pebbled cove which is protected from the elements and is a nice… Read more >

THIS IS EAT, PORT ELIZABETH HARBOUR

From the outside this eatery does not look like much, but definitely do not be fooled. They serve excellent seafood! We popped in here for something to bite after our first ever “amazing race” we did as a family as a fundraiser to make a sporty girl’s dreams come true and I can proudly add that we slotted into third place from 15 teams! After the event our stomachs were running on empty so it was time to pop in and fill up before heading home. As it was a windy Saturday afternoon in Port Elizabeth the shutters were drawn against the elements, but did not dampen our spirits as we finished in third place in the “amazing race”. So we had something to celebrate. The eatery was rather quiet as it was still early and there was some major rugby matches on television. Situated in the harbour area it… Read more >

GROOTKERK, GRAAFF REINET

Entering from the South you drive up the long main road of Graaf Reinet. After greeting some friendly locals on your way you will find this historic church at the top end of … well, Church Street! The church is probably the most recognizable and photographed landmark in Graaff Reinet. The church which claims to be the third oldest congregation in the Eastern Cape was designed by James Bisset. He (Bisset) incorporated some features from the Salisbury Cathedral in England into this majestic design. The stone for the church was obtained locally and the church, which can seat 1,250, has a steeple of 45, 72 metres. It also boasts a chimney – rather an unusual feature for a church I would think! On the church list are some famous dominees (preachers). Andrew Murray as well as Dr D F Malan, who later became Prime Minister of South Africa, were some… Read more >

AT THE WATERHOLE

Plan your trip and times and choose a waterhole where you want to spend some time. The best time to observe the activity at a waterhole is early morning or late afternoon when the animals come for a drink. You may see different animals at different waterholes as the vegetation may differ considerably – be choosy. When approaching the waterhole drive slowly as to make the less possible noise and dust when arriving. If you arrive in a fanfare the animals and birdlife will be gone before you even know it. We are all there to have a once in a life time experience! Be considerate and pick a spot where you will not obscure the view of other people already present. Wait your turn. They were there first and we all want to experience the animals. After all that is what we all are there for. Go prepared. Take… Read more >

Tag Archive: Eastern Cape