Places of Worship #2

The remains of the old St Peters Church in South End.
This was a vibrant area with many races living happily together side by side. During the Apartheid era, in one of the many inhumane decisions taken at that time, it was demolished and the people relocated to racially divided areas. It is now covered with modern townhouse complexes, which surround this ruin.

December Theme: Bridges

This is the Bridge Shopping Mall, built in the 80's, which forms a bridge over a major arterial road leading down to the Northern Areas of PE. If you click and enlarge, you will see the name emblazoned on the building, and a bus which has just driven through under it. The cars travelling left to right are on the Old Cape Road, which used to be the main road to Capetown , until the freeway was completed about 40 years ago.

When you are inside the mall, you are totally unaware of being on a bridge, unless you make a point of walking through a bunch of fast food places and stand at the front windows.

Other participants in the Bridge Theme:
Boston (MA), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Stayton (OR), USA - New York City (NY), USA - Portland (OR), USA - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Inverness (IL), USA - Singapore, Singapore - Stockholm, Sweden - Setúbal, Portugal - Brussels, Belgium - Phoenix (AZ), USA - Seattle (WA), USA - Hyde, UK - Manila, Philippines - Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA - London, England - Austin (TX), USA - Toulouse, France - Weston (FL), USA - Sesimbra, Portugal - Selma (AL), USA - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Saarbrücken, Germany - Cleveland (OH), USA - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Seoul, South Korea - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - North Bay (ON), Canada - Arradon, France - Paderborn, Germany - Durban, South Africa - Philadelphia (PA), USA - Cypress (TX), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - Portland (OR), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Wichita (Ks), USA - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Petaling Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Grenoble, France - New York City (NY), USA - Nottingham, UK - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Arlington (VA), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Miami (FL), USA - Cheltenham, UK - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Saratoga Spgs. (NY), USA - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Nashville (TN), USA - Toruń, Poland - New Orleans (LA), USA - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Melbourne, Australia - Moscow, Russia - Trujillo, Peru - Château-Gontier, France - Quincy (MA), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Joplin (MO), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Brookville (OH), USA - Chateaubriant, France - Chandler (AZ), USA - Stavanger, Norway - Baziège, France - Auckland, New Zealand - Wellington, New Zealand - Ocean Township (NJ), USA - Subang Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Detroit (MI), USA - Riga, Latvia - Nelson, New Zealand - Budapest, Hungary - Cape Town, South Africa - Sydney, Australia - Dunedin (FL), USA - Sofia, Bulgaria - Radonvilliers, France - Turin, Italy - Montpellier, France - Kansas City (MO), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Wailea (HI), USA - Lubbock (TX), USA - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Terrell (TX), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Budapest, Hungary - Montréal (QC), Canada - Sharon (CT), USA - Le Guilvinec, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - London, UK - Crepy-en-Valois, France - Orlando (FL), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Paris, France - Mainz, Germany - Newcastle (NSW), Australia - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Darmstadt, Germany - Naples (FL), USA - Torino, Italy - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Bogor, Indonesia - The Hague, Netherlands - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - Melbourne (VIC), Australia - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Christchurch, New Zealand

Bonus Friday Post...

I know this is meant to be A photo A day, (as in 1 each day!) but I just had to pop this extra one in, because things are cooking here today, and tomorrow is the 1st day of the month, which means it is theme day, so tomorrow will be a BRIDGE picture.
The SA Proteas Cricket team played the NZ black caps here today, in fact as I am typing this, the match has just ended, with New Zealand giving South Africa a very decisive hiding!

We have a unique cricket ground, it is called the St Georges Oval, after the Park in which it is situated. It has a pretty grandstand, designed by top local architect John Rushmere, and is renowned in South Africa as the only cricket ground which has a resident brass band. The music always adds great atmosphere to the matches here, and it is a small ground, so boundaries are often hit and matches are exciting.

Pre-Dawn in Richmond Hill

Richmond Hill, last Sunday at 4.32 am. The streetlights, floodlights over the park and rising sun combine to create a glowing palette of tones. On the left is Richmond Park, and on the right the Doxa Deo Church (a hideous piece of architecture which we will probably only ever show you as a sillouette against cool views, because buildings this ugly should not be allowed in an old historic area!) The road in between winds down the hill towards the sea (which you can see as the pink strip between the houses, lit up by the rising sun.

Time is Tight

Remember the other day I showed you the Urban Renewal project going on in our City Centre?

Well the grand opening is scheduled for tomorrow night, with an evening street festival, live bands etc. This is how it looked when I went to pay our tax (grrrrrrrr) on Friday. With holes in the street, barricades and mess everywhere.... looks like the builders will have to shake a leg to get it ready in time! The pretty old building in the centre, with the domed clock tower, is our City Hall, which was completed in 1861, without the clock tower. The tower was removed from a church further up Main Street and added in 1884.

The Lizard Lounge

In the old historic Central area of the city, old meets new, as a settlers cottage becomes a hip cafe and jazz club. Previously known as the Lizard Lounge, the metal gates were custom made to suit the theme. After a change of ownership, it is more boringly known as 52 Parliament Street, but they have luckily been retained! The historic building opposite can be seen reflected in the window. A great move is being made to restore these old buildings, and retain as much of their original character as possible.

The (formerly) Grand Hotel

I love this graffiti, and this one is a real depiction of the vibe now going on inside, some cool Afro-Jazz takes place there. But as you can see, the place is pretty run down. In the past it lived up to its name. It was a Grand Hotel in a wonderful old historic building. Hopefully the move towards urban renewal in this part of town will include restoring this once gracious old lady, without losing the cool new ambience of the Jazz club.

Just Another Shopping Mall

I had lunch at Wimpy last week, (note Christmas decorations already up, can you believe it?)
With the growth of franchises around the world, it seems that, in many countries, shopping malls have become so similar that, once in them, you could be just about anywhere in the world.

places of worship #1

This is the Greek Church in Parsons Hill. PE has a close knit Greek community, many of whom keep close ties to the traditions of their motherland, even after several generations here. This beautiful complex houses, amongst other things, their church, as well as the Hellenic Hall where functions are held.

The congregation gathers...

A flock of pigeons greets the dawn on the roof of the old St Philips Anglican Church in Richmond Hill.