#ECMeetUp food

I attended the third Eastern Cape blogger meetup event at The Plantation this morning and there was food.  I mean it was great networking, meeting fellow bloggers, awesome talks and... food. Ok, so I'm not going to post about the event and all the great bloggers who attended, but I am going to show you the food The Plantation dished up for us.  The first thing you saw when you arrived was the pancake table.  Pancakes coming straight off the pan to be topped with all this. 

I decided to mosey over to the Mastertons Coffee table first for a cappuccino and only then back to the pancake table to join the line over there.  I wasn't the only one to have sweets for breakie.

The pancake aftermath.

If breakfast had starters then this was it...

... and this.

And finally breakfast.  If you are curious about what was going on at the event, who was there, what we did and more, then go and check out the #ECMeetUp hashtag on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Things to do in Port Elizabeth #Blogathon

Nine bloggers (seven of those based in PE) were asked to create posts about things to do in Port Elizabeth as part of the Cheap Flights Port Elizabeth #Blogathon 2016 in collaboration with Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism and Travel Concept Solution.  All nine posts have been published in the last two days and covered a range of things to do for both big and small.  Rather than a photo I decided to post the nine links for you to enjoy today.

Firefly the Travel Guy - Things to do in Port Elizabeth - Grab a backpack and take a hike

Chasing the Rainbow – Things To Do In Port Elizabeth – 1, 2 and 3 Day Itinerary

IndiKate – 48 tried-and-tested hours in Port Elizabeth

Tazz Discovers – Things To Do In Port Elizabeth: Family friendly Nelson Mandela Bay

Going Somewhere Slowly -  Things to do in Port Elizabeth in 48 Hours

Passing the Open Windows – My favourite things to do in the Friendly City

Just Ella Bella – Kid & Wallet Friendly Places in Nelson Mandela Bay

By Megan Kelly – Things to Do in Port Elizabeth (Kids + Budget Friendly!)

My Spreadsheet Brain – Things to do in Port Elizabeth (with your toddler) this summer!

When bloggers get together - #ECMeetUp

This morning the first (of I'm sure many more) Eastern Cape Bloggers Meetup - #ECMeetUp - took place at The Boma on Sardinia Bay Road.  About 30 bloggers - including travel, mommy, fashion, lifestyle, girly stuff, guy stuff and hair & makeup bloggers and more - and journo's got together for lots of good company, informative talks, excellent food and just plain and simply getting to know people you only know online.  The event was organised by Eleanor Douglas-Meyers of Just Ella Bella and Luchae Willaims of My Spreadsheet Brain and featured talks by Megan Kelly Botha of By Megan Kelly and Dorette de Swardt who runs websites and social media for a print media house.  Mo-aasha Ismail of Mo Firefly Photography made sure everybody got a head and shoulders photo taken for them to use on their social media channels. 

What is a breakfast event without coffee? Mastertons Coffee to boot.

Not just did the name badges come in handy to identify everybody, but Elle and Lu put together a booklet with everybody attending's details and social media links. 

The breakfast spread put out by Sarah and Ralph, 

who isn't just the owners of The Boma but also blogs over at Chasing the Rainbow, was out of this world.

We started out with Canapes which wasn't just a can-of-peas like I initially thought.  It was anything but peas.

I'm not a drinker so don't do shots, but today I discovered shots I'm willing to do any time.  French toast and crispy bacon syrup shots. Ladies and Gentlemen... WE HAVE A WINNER!!!

Did I mention that the food looked so good that everybody stood taking photos of it and nearly forgot to actually eat?

After stuffing ourselves on what was not a can-of-peas, the main breakfast of individual Boma Breakfast Bakes came out.  Yum yum yummy yum.

In between the food talks on blogging and social media were done...

...Tweets were tweeted...

...and selfies taken.

Lots of selfies.  Plus bulging goody bags and lots and lots of prizes.  

Elle and Lu really set the bar high for a first event.  I can't wait for the next one.

An Incidental Tourist at Shark Rock Pier

Last week two fellow travel bloggers, Dawn Jorgensen (The Incidental Tourist) and Di Brown (The Roaming Giraffe) came on a four night Sho't Left trip to the Eastern Cape which I was very privileged to play some part in.  Unfortunately I was busy over the weekend otherwise I would have joined them on the trip.  I did get to meet the two of them and show them around a little bot of Port Elizabeth though.  Here Dawn is getting a photo of Shark Rock Pier to place on Instagram.  Check out their blogs in the weeks to come for some of their posts from the trip.

Bushbound Girl getting some penguin training

Blogger Rachel Lang of Bush-bound Girl's first love is nature and conservation and with her bubbly personality and  inquisitiveness she made for a fantastic travelling partner during the #PERocks blogger visit to Nelson Mandela Bay and surrounds.  When there was a need for a volunteer to try something out she was always first to stick her hand up.  This is how all bloggers should be as it gives them the opportunity to really experience things and then be able to describe it in their posts.  Here Libby Sharwood of SAMREC is showing Rachel how they treat new penguins that come into the centre in need of medical assistance.  *Please note, that is not a real penguin*

Penguin photography, blogger style

One of the things I loved the most about the #PERocks bloggers visit to Port Elizabeth was the fact that the bloggers always had their cameras close by and took photo of everything and from every angle.  Like here at the South African Marine Rehabilitation and Education Centre (SAMREC) in Cape Recife. Penguin photography at its best.

Woolie fun

Three of the #PERocks bloggers, Heather Mason of 2Summers, Meruschka Govender of Mzansi Girl and Rachel Lang of Bushbound Girl, having that sinking feeling in the sheep wool on the Hinterveld Mohair Mill Tour.  Not something one can do just anywhere.

Route 67 mosaic blogger selfie

In November I hosted the #PERocks blogger visit to Port Elizabeth when I was still with Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism and I had the most amazing time with bloggers Rachel Lang (Bushbound Girl), Heather Mason (2Summers), Dianne Tipping-Woods (SA Tourism blog and more), Theresa Lozier (Fine Places) and Meruschka Govender (Mzansi Girl).  I just couldn't get enough how how they did things differently from regular media.  A lot more informal, a lot more fun and a lot more insightful.  Here Heather was taking a selfie of the five of them lying down on the mosaic on the Donkin Reserve.