East London coastline

I haven't spent much time in East London. Always in and out without much opportunity to explore.  My last visit was no different but I made sure I had a couple of minutes to swing by the Esplanade and snapped this picture of the beach as the afternoon shadows started to stretch out to sea.  

 

The East London Multicultural Man

 The East London beachfront has a very interesting looking statue which had me scratching my head when I saw it for the first time.  Multicultural Man is a bronze sculpture created by Italian artist Francesco Perilli.  It depicts a faceless man in the middle of the earth who is trying to unite two meridians, while the other meridians are lifted by doves, the universal symbols of peace. The bronze man himself is three meters high and has been designed to represent no particular cultural, ethnic or religious background.  There are five Multicultural Man bronze sculptures located on five different continents of the world.

 

These locations include:

• Toronto, Canada
• Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina
• Changchun, China
• The City of Whittlesea, Melbourne Australia
• and obviously East London, South Africa

South End Museum Heritage Trail

The area of South End in Port Elizabeth used to be a vibrant multi cultural suburb until it was destroyed by the Apartheid Government when its people were displaced in 1965 following the implementation of the Groups Areas Act.  The South End Museum on the corner of Beach Road and Walmer Boulevard is housed in the old Seamans Institute Building and remembers the people and places of South End.  One of the initiatives that they started was the South End Museum Heritage Trail which links a number of historic sites in the area on a self guided (or guided if you prefer it) walk.

Across the road from the museum stands an old Wild Fig tree which is thought to be over 100 years old.  The tree stands next to the then Chase Street and back in the days the kids used to climb the tree while the older people sat in it's shade.  When the people were removed and the buildings in the area demolished, the fear was that the tree would also be chopped down or pushed over by a bulldozer. Luckily this didn't happen.

 

As you continue on the trail you pass two mosques that, due to international pressure on the Apartheid government, weren't demolished along with the other buildings in the area.  The one at the bottom of Walmer Boulavard is the Rudolph Street Mosque (Mosque of Righteousness) which was completed in 1894.

 One of the main attractions on the trail is the St Mary's Cemetery.  St Mary's is one of the oldest cemeteries in Port Elizabeth and a number of the graves belong to some of the original British Settlers that arrived in Algoa Bay in 1820.

 Overlooking the St Mary's Cemetery is the ruins of the St Peter's Anglican Church.  St Peter's was completed in 1877 and even though the congregation of the church were been removed to the other side of the city they still came back to worship in the church to the dismay of the Apartheid government. To stop them from doing so it was decided to demolish the church.

Although there are a couple of other sites on the route, the last one that I am posting about is the remains of the old Walmer Road.  Walmer Road used to be the main road running through South End between the city centre and the suburb of Walmer.  In those days the main hotels and businesses of the area were found along this road. Today only a small section of this old road is still visible at the top of Pier Street and is slowly being overgrown by the grass and other vegetation.

Breakfast at Lavender Blue

On the morning of Day 3 of the Mini vs Maxi Adventure across the Eastern Cape, Team Mini stopped at Lavender Blue outside East London for breakfast.  Apparently we weren't the only ones with the idea of filling up on bacon and eggs as the place was packed with locals and visitors alike enjoying their famous breakfasts.

Lavender Blue is a farmers market and restaurant and according to the locals is THE place around East London to have a hearty breakfast, specially over weekends.  On entering you browse the menu up on the black board and decided what you want.  You then mosey over to the casher, put in your order and pay for it before joining the dish up line.  The method works very well as each station is manned and the staff dish up your breakfast very quickly and efficiently.

Farmstyle Breakfast and orange juice. 'Nuff said.

Lavender Blue also has a fruit and veg section with most of the products sold there sourced locally and being organic, healthy and natural produce.  On the weekends there are also a number of stallholders selling things like jams & preserves, olive oil, ginger beer, sweet & savoury muffins and much more.  I kinda wish we had a place like this in Port Elizabeth...

Ama Zing–Zing Skywalk Trail

The Mini vs Maxi Adventure across the Eastern Cape took Team Mini to Areena Riverside Resort on Day 2 for a quad bike game drive.  When owner Ed Rathbone asked the question "How much time do you have?" we knew though that he had more in mind for us than just quad biking.  We were kitted out in harnesses before our quad ride and on arrival on top of the hill overlooking Areena Valley we were informed that we will be doing Areena's new Ama Zing-Zing zipline experience.

The zipline experience that officially opened a week after our visit, consists of of 10 ziplines up, down and across a couple of valleys with the longest being 153m and the highest 70m.  Once you go on the first zipline you suddenly realise why its called Ama Zing-Zing.  The mechanism go "ziiiiiiinnnnnggggg" as you fly down the cable towards your destination.

Its not easy describing the feeling of ziplining, specially when you, like myself, afraid of heights .  You are slightly nervous when you get clipped onto the first cable.  Your heart starts beating faster and you really only hear the essentials of what the guide tells you before putting your weight onto the cable.  Deep breath... push off... and ... absolute freedom as you glide across the valley.  Once you have done the first one the fear and nervousness are gone and you can't wait to get onto the next slide.  Absolute awesomeness.

Ed showing off a little, but this photo really describes the freedom you experience while ziplining best.

Smack on the lips

On my quad biking experience at Areena Riverside Resort during the Mini vs Maxi experience I met Abby.  Not being very tall myself, I've never really been into tall girls.  Not that I disapprove of their long legs and lanky bodies, just that I always preferred somebody about my length. 

When we encountered Abby she seemed to take a liking in me and immediately came closer.   Ed, Areena's owner, suggested that I blow in her nose and, thinking that its a way to deter her, I did so.  Deter her, it did not. She nuzzled me and planted a kiss smack on my lips.

With her big eyes and sexy eye lashes, who can resist this face?  Her nose is a bit big though, but I'm not judging. 

Quad bike point of view

Quad biking at Areena Riverside Resort.  Not the easiest photo to take I tell you. 

Not while moving anyway.

Quad bike game drive at Areena Resort

One of the activities I looked forward to the most on the Mini vs Maxi adventure was to go on a quad bike game drive at Areena Riverside Resort  outside East London.  Other than going round and round on a little mosquito driven quad bike at the church fate with my son or daughter in front of me, I've never been on a proper quad bike before this.

Areena has three quad bike options with a short 20 minute ride, an one hour rise to the top of the ridge, which we did, or a longer two hour ride taking in the whole property.  After kitting up we went through a quick operational and safety briefing before we went off into the reserve.

The ride itself is not a race and the guide, which in our case was owner Ed Rathbone, leads the way with a steady yet comfortable pace.  The trails aren't too difficult and seeing that I was still learning the quad biking ropes I took it easy up and down the steeper sections.

The game viewing itself ranged from spotting zebra and a couple of antelope species...

... to seeing giraffe.  But to be honost, for me it was more about the quad biking experience than seeing the game.  The problem with this kind of thing is that once you have done it you want to know when you can do it again. Adventure, doesn't matter if its soft, mild or extreme adventures, is addictive. 

Inkwenkwezi cheetah interaction

When it comes to big cats in Africa people usually think of the lion and the leopard as they both fall in the Big 5, which means that the cheetah are often neglected a bit.  But a big cat stays a big cat and during the Mini vs Maxi trip through the Eastern Cape we just couldn't let the opportunity go by to have a cheetah interaction session at Inkwenkwezi Game Reserve outside East London.

Approaching the enclosure you hear a low growling coming from inside.  The ranger quickly assured us that its not them growling but in fact purring.  After a quick briefing we headed inside and once you start to interact with what at 120km/hour is the fastest land mammal in the world, you suddenly realise that they are nothing more than overgrown pussycats.

A hansom pair we make

"Barefoot on the Beach" at Cintsa

On Friday morning Max and I made drove from Port Elizabeth to Cintsa near East London for the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency's launch of Tourism Month.  We both had to go and make short presentations at the function about our participation in the Mini vs Maxi Adventure across the Eastern Cape which I am currently posting about. 

The theme for the function was "Barefoot on the beach" and it was hosted on the beach at the beautiful seaside town of Cintsa just east of East London.  Cintsa has a beautiful stretch of white sandy beach with a big tidal lagoon which I imagine is very popular during the summer.

The entertainment for the day included a fire dancer as well as traditional music provided by the team of African Drumbeat.

I found the fusion style used by African Drumbeat very interesting.  They were asked to give their entertainment a tropical beach / Caribbean feel mixed with African sounds and rhythms and I think they more than succeeded in what they did.

The formalities of the function took place in a big marquee tent on the beach, but after lunch our table decided to get some fresh air and decided to move, table and all, outside.  This did turn a couple of heads as I'm sure other people were sorry for not thinking of it as well.  The theme was barefoot on the beach after all.  Shortly after Max and I had to head back as the 350km trip back didn't allow us to mingle too late.  Wish we could have stayed longer though.

Inkwenkwezi burgers

There are normal hamburgers...

... and then there is the ultimate hamburger.  The Godzilla of hamburgers, the Mount Everest of hamburgers, the type of hamburger that can feed whole villages.  Yes, the one I'm trying to figure out how I will be able to get in my mouth.  But just like with eating an elephant you do it one bite at a time, until you are so stuffed you can't but help to fly the white flag of defeat.

Just to explain.  Wednesday night burger nights at Inkwenkwezi Game Reserve outside East London has become an institution over the last 10 or so years  and people go there in numbers every week to try and finish these gigantic burgers.  Those with a really big (and I mean BIG) appetite can take Inkwenkwezi up on their challenge of finishing two of these along with its chips and trimmings within an hour and will win for themselves 24 cases of beer.  I couldn't finish one, so it explains how only three guys have ever succeeded in this challenge.

Day 2 of the Mini vs Maxi trip

Day 2 of the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency's Mini vs Maxi Adventure across the Eastern Cape started with a beautiful sunrise in Morgan Bay for Team Mini.  After a long day on Day 1 having left Port Elizabeth at 5am, I had a very good night's sleep and was ready get rolling after a hearty breakfast.

The first stop of the day was back at Inkwenkwezi Game Reserve outside East London where we had the maxi burgers on day 1.  They had two activities planned for us, the first being a fantastic experience of walking with elephants.  Its one thing viewing these magnificent animals from a game drive vehicle but its something totally different walking arms length away from them through the bush.  It such a privilage to be so close to these giant creatures and being able to touch and interact with them while they are just mozying along. 

After our walk with the elephants we headed to Inkwenkwezi's cheetah enclosure.  Here we had the awesome chance to get face to face with the fastest mammal in the world.  When you walk into the enclosure you hear something that sounds like a growl, but you quickly find out that they are purring. The cats weren't at all bothered with us and allowed us to scratch them behind their ears and on their tummies.

After a hearty lunch we hopped into the VW Polo and headed down the road to Arena Riverside Resort where we were kitted out in harnesses and helmets.  The first section of our visit involved a guided game drive on quad bikes during which we spotted a number of animals like zebra, giraffe and wildebeest.  The ride, specially up and down the steep hills, was absolutely exhilarating, specially seeing that it was my first time on a big quad bike.

We received the fortunate opportunity to try out Arena's new zipline experience called AmaZing Zing.  I say "fortunate opportunity" as they only officially open it on the first of September.  So wê wê wê.  It wasn't hard to see where the name comes from as the cable go ziiiiiinnnnngggggg as you fly down it.  There are 10 slides although time only allowed us to do 4 of them.  What an absolutely awesome experience.  From Arena we headed to Stokkies and Skulpies Self Cottages at Sunrise on Sea where we are, as I'm writing this, having a braai while watching some rugby.  A boys night in.

The Symbol of Multiculturalism

Situated next to the German Settler Memorial in East London is The Symbol of Multiculturalism. With Wednesday 16 December being Day or Reconsiliation, I thought that this is actually a very relevant post.

The Symbol of Multiculturalism was created by Francesco Perilli and was donated by the Nereto Municipality in Italy to the people of the Eastern Cape Province and for the African continent.

It quotes Nelson Mandela in saying: "We might have our differences, but we are one people with a common destiny in our rich variety of culture, race and tradition."

German Settler Memorial

On the Esplanade in East London visitors to the city will find the German Settlers Memorial. It was erected in remembrance of the than 2000 German settlers (men, women and children) who arrived in East London in 1858 as part of the colonial government's plan to try and introduce the black Xhosa speaking people of the Eastern Cape to a European type of society.

Originally the British Government offered the colonial government the services of the British German Legion who was recruited for the Crimean war but never saw and action. After their arrival in 1857 it was found that their settlement was unsuccessful as soldiers didn't make very good farmers although they were ideally suited to defend the area from Xhosa attack if necessary.

The soldiers were followed by new immigrants who came in family groups and who were much more hard working and successfully despite all the hardships they had to endure. It is thanks to the German Settlers that there are many places in the Eastern Cape around East London that has German names as these settlers named places after where they came from in Germany. Some of the names in the area are Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Breidbach and many others.

For more information on the German Settlers, visit Knowledge4Africa and the following document.

East London Aquarium

I spent a couple of days in the city of East London, 300 kilometers east of Port Elizabeth, the other day. I didn't have much free time, but I did get to visit the East London Aquarium.

The East London Aquarium is by no means a very big facility. It was officially opened on 2 December 1931 which makes it the oldest public aquarium in Southern Africa. The aquarium has a number of large fish tank displays that feature most of the fish population found in the oceans around East London.

Outside the aquarium is a huge deck overlooking the ocean for visitors to keep an eye out for whales. The deck also overlooks the seal pool where the resident seal does displays a couple of times a day.

There is also a number of African penguins at the aquarium. Just this week there was an interesting article in the newspaper regarding the penguins. Two of the penguins starting building a nest together and sitting on it, but no egg was forthcoming. As you can't differentiate between male and female penguins, they had blood tests done on them and it turned out that they were both male penguins. The staff provided them with an egg from a "donor" female and guess what... they hatched it. Does this mean that you actually get gay penguins as well? Very interesting.