White (wijdmond) Rhino

Popular theory is that the White Rhino got its name from the fact that the English misunderstood what the Dutch meant when they referred to it as the Wijdmond Renoster.  Wijd is Dutch for wide which referred to the rhino's wide mouth.  The white rhino or square-lipped rhinoceros is a grazer and eats grass, preferring the shortest grains, hence the wide mouth comes in very handy.  Kinda like a living lawnmower.

Drakensberg wandelpad - Die Wandellied

Vir die een of ander rede het ek vandat ek met RaakREIS begin het en bloginskrywings in Afrikaans doen, skielik baie van die ou Afrikaanse Volksliedjies begin onthou as ek na van my fotos kyk.  Dis eintlik hartseer dat ons dit nie meer so baie sing soos wat ons gedoen het jare terug nie.  Hierdie foto is geneem op die Tigerfalls wandelroete in die Koninklike Natalse Reservaat in die Drakensberge en het my dadelik laat dink aan die Wandellied.

 

Wandellied

 

As ek moeg word vir die lewe in die stad, lok my die wandelpad;
As ek moeg word vir die lewe in die stad, lok my die wandelpad;
in die veld pluk ek 'n wandelstaf van die naaste doringboompie af,
en sing my wandellied, en sing my wandellied.

Of ek luister na my eie voeteval op pad oor berg en dal.
Of ek luister na my eie voeteval op pad oor berg en dal.
Dan's ek weer die eensaam wandelaar na die lekker landstreek wie-weet-waar,
'n swerwer lewenslank, 'n swerwer lewenslank.

En die blou plafon wat oor die velde strek sal saans my sluimer dek.
En die blou plafon wat oor die velde strek sal saans my sluimer dek.
En die sterreheer sal kom en gaan oor die maanverligte hemelbaan
en vriend'lik wink van ver, en vriend'lik wink van ver.

White lion

Don't you want to just cuddle up to this big furry mane and fall asleep with him?  White Lions is quite a rare sight and the only Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape where you can see them in the wild is Pumba Game Reserve (which I hope I'll have the opportunity to visit some time soon).  The second option to see them is the Seaview Game and Lion Park just outside Port Elizabeth where the park has a breeding program for white lions.  This bug guy's name is Thor and on my visit he wasn't really in the mood to get up out of his sunny sleeping spot.  Not that I think he would have been too impressed if I slid in next to him for a snooze. 

Dias Museum

Daai dag in 1488 toe Bartolomeu Dias in 'n storm om die Kaap gevaar and kort daarna in wat vandag Mosselbaai is geland het, sou hy seker nooit kon raai dat op daardie selfde plek vandag 'n museum sou staan wat sy naam dra nie.  Die Dias Museum kompleks het 'n fantastiese verskeindenheid van attraksies en sluit 'n skulpiesmuseum, die Munrohoekhuisies, die oorspronklike varswaterfontein waar Dias se matrose water geskep het om aan boort te neem en die Poskantoorboom in.  Die Poskantoorboom is 'n 800 jaar oue melkhoutboom waar vroeë matrose boodskappe in ou skoene gelos het met die hoop dat bote oppad terug Portugal toe dit sou optel en terugvat.

Die hoofrede hoekom mense na die Dias Museum toe kom is die Maritime Museum wat 'n lewensgrote replika van die karveel waarmee Dias en sy bemanning in 1488  die groot onbekende aangevat het bevat.  Die replika is 500 jaar na die oorspronklike een gebou en is in 1988 vanaf Portugal na Suid-Afrika gevaar voor dit in die museum gehuisves is.

Sour fig flower with insect

The sour fig grows quite easy and being a succulent they can survive well even in dry conditions.  This one I found on the coast on the Sacramento Trail outside Port Elizabeth.

Springende krokedille

Die Kango Wildlife Ranch in Oudtshoorn het 'n lang pad gekom van die dae toe dit net 'n krokodilplaas was.  Alhoewel daar deesdae baie ander dinge is om te sien by hierdie bekende attraksie speel krokodille nog altyd 'n rol.  By die Springende Kake (Jumping Jaws) word die krokodil uit die water uit gelok met 'n stuk vleis.  Hy spring letterlik halflyf uit om die vleis te vat en terwyl dit gebeur staan besoekers met opgehoue asems om te sien of die gids darem met altwee sy arms gaan terugkom.  

Kidz Adventures - Exploring PE's history

During the school holidays its always a bit of a challenge to keep bored children busy.  Most parents end up taking them to the movies, for ice cream at Micky D's, playing putt putt and games or one of the party places with jungle gyms and trampolines.  Me? Well, I try to spend at least a day with the Kidz exploring Port Elizabeth or surrounding area for them to get to know the city better.  During the past holiday we headed out to discover some of the city's historic sights along with their friends AB and JB. 

The first stop of the day was the oldest building in Port Elizabeth.  Fort Frederick was built by the British in 1799 to protect Algoa Bay from French invasion but never fired a shot in anger.  In actual fact the fort was the first permanent stone structure built by the British in Africa south of the equator.  The fort is perched on top of the cliffs above the Baakens Valley has a magnificent view of the lower valley and Port Elizabeth Harbour.  The guns on the fort are ship cannons which were placed there symbolically since the original guns were removed.  JB wanted very badly to direct a salvo out to sea but there were no enemy ships in sight.

The next stop on our tour was just a couple of hundred meters down Belmont Terrace.  The Donkin Reserve with its historic lighthouse and pyramid is my favorite historic site in Port Elizabeth.  The Donkin is surrounded by a number of other historic sites and the new Route 67 development has blown new life into the area as an attraction.  The pyramid (Donkin Memorial) was built in 1820 by Sir Rufane Donkin as a monument to his late wife Lady Elizabeth Donkin after whom he also named the town.  The lighthouse was originally built in 1861 and the old lighthouse keeper's cottage is now a Visitor Information Centre run by Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism.  Some of the Route 67 art pieces like the untitled Anton Momberg conversation piece and the Voting line make for great pictures, with or without human subjects.

While walking around the Donkin with the Kidz I noticed their eyes kept going to the lighthouse so I decided it was time to climb.  Entrance to the lighthouse is only R5 per person payable at the NMBT office.  The climb up the lighthouse is done by a few sets of steps and ladders and even though Drama Princess was a bit hesitant at the start they all flew up there like a bunch of monkeys.  The view from the top of the lighthouse is breathtaking all around with the beachfront, harbour, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium as well as the surrounding area visible.  The Donkin Lighthouse is well worth the climb.

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From the Donkin we followed the winding Route 67 path down towards the city centre for a visit to the city's historic Public Library.  Stopping briefly for a quick pic with Queen Vic (made of Sicilian marble and erected in 1903 to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee) we headed inside with the Kidz under strict instructions to keep it quiet.  The Kidz were amazed with the library's interior with its balconies and stained glass windows.  They immediately went exploring and found their way up onto the balcony walkway where, not before long, they stood admiring the beautiful windows.  The Public Library was opened in 1902 with the front stone facade built in England before being shipped to Port Elizabeth in numbered block.  I remember how we roamed the library as kids and it was awesome to introduce the Kidz to a place from my childhood memories. 

The last stop of our outing was at St Georges Park to visit the newly restored Pearson Conservatory.  The conservatory is another of the places we roamed around in as kids on Art in the Park Sundays while my mom had her stall there.  Although the inside of the conservatory has changed a bit from how I remember it, its still well worth a visit.  By now I had used up my quota of good behaviour made available to me for the day and the four of them started to get a bit too active for my liking.  With St Georges' play area close by the four set off to play in the park and expend some built up energy before coming back complaining that they were getting hungry.  It just never stops, does it?