Unused railway

The narrow gauge Humewood Station has been standing abandoned, neglected and unused for probably a decade now although some of it was cleared and fixed up in December for the Apple Express to be able to run through there.  It was while waiting for the train to pass wanting to grab some photos when I ended up getting into some abandoned railway photography.

Tjoekepaf, here comes the Apple Express

A busy schedule, working till just before Christmas and all kinds of other excuses led to us only being able to go on the Apple Express on the last weekend it was running in January.  And it seems I placed the photos in a folder to edit and totally forgot to do so.  

After nearly 8 years of inactivity, the first fase of the Apple Express' comeback took place in December with a partnership between the operator, the municipality and Transnet.  The interest in the train was unbelievable and even though it only did a short trip up to the airport and back to Kings Beach, something like 6000 people went on the trip during the season.  The process is on the go to get everything in place and back on track on a more permanent basis and to make this little historic steam train a more regular sight again.   

Sunday stroll at the beachfront market

On Sunday at about lunchtime, the Damselfly and I headed down to the beachfront for a walk along the stalls at the Kings Beach Fleamarket.  I'm sure many will agree with me that the flea market isn't what it used to be anymore, BUT... and I have to add this as a counter for everybody who keeps saying that going to walk at the flea market is a total waste of time.  Taking a walk through the flea market still is a very enjoyable thing to do, especially on a nice sunny day.  There are so many other markets selling handmade items these days that it really doesn't matter to me what is being sold.  In actual fact, the Kings Beach flea market is ideal for visiting international tourists to pick up some African craft, gifts and souvenirs to take home.  

St Mary's front and back

On Tuesday I posted a picture of St Mary's Cathedral in the Port Elizabeth city centre.  I realised that although people may know what the cathedral looks like from the outside, that not many may have been inside the cathedral yet.  So today I'm posting two pictures taken inside the building, one looking to the front...

... and one looking back at the pews.

The Cathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin

Before the arrival of the British Settlers in 1820 the needs of the British garrison in Algoa Bay were served by chaplains in passing ships. By 1825 the town of Port Elizabeth had grown to about 500 people and Revd Francis McClelland was appointed Colonial Chaplain.  The foundation stone for the Collegiate Church of St Mary the Virgin was also laid that year.  The church was finally opened for worship in 1832.

Looking up the Campanile

I wonder how many people visiting the Campanile look up before entering and think to themselves, "Self, how am I ever going to climb all those steps to get up there without dying?" Yes, there are 204 steps, but if you take it easy, visit every level and don't think about it too much, you'll be at the top before you'll know it.  Or just take the lift if it's working.  But ascending the Campanile with the lift just isn't quite the same as being able to say, "I climbed the Campanile."

Wine made in PE

I'm not much of a wine drinker, but I do enjoy tasting wine.  Here I'm tasting one of Port Elizabeth's own wines, proudly produced at the Theescombe Estate Wine Farm.