Happy Halloween

Halloween isn't the biggest thing around here in South Africa. There are a couple of shops that sell some Halloween party decorations and gimmicks, but other than the odd Halloween party here and there, it kinda passes us by without much of a hoohaa. But I do want to wish my American and Canadian blogging friends a Happy Halloween though.

At a loss of anything scarier to post, I'm featuring a picture taken in the historic St Mary's Cemetery.

Kragga Kamma Golf Course

I don't get much chance to play golf. Perhaps twice a year, which means I'm anything but a skilled golf player. I normally play a (half) round with my brother when I get a chance and then just share his clubs as well. What makes my game worse is that although I'm right handed, I hold a cricket bat left handed. This means that I play with right handed clubs and a left handed grip which makes my swing look a bit awkward. Anyway, because my lack of skill and clubs will probably make any main stream golf club make me turn around at the door, we play at either one of two 9 hole golf courses. Here my Boet is teeing off on the 6th over the water at the Kragga Kamma Golf Course just outside town. By the way, that little yellow ball of his (seen above the water) went *plonk*.

St Georges Park sunset

Sunset behind the Duckpond Pavilion at St Georges Park, South Africa's oldest test cricket stadium.

St Georges Park is the grounds of the second oldest cricket club in South Africa, the venue for the first Test, the first women's international Test, the last Test before South Africa's expulsion from world cricket, the first ever Test series win against Australia, the first Rebel Test, the first Test with the resumption of 'normal' cricket. . . and the sixth oldest cricket ground in the world. Not bad for a stadium that started out in 1859 on an open tract of veld alongside a cemetery on a hill outside the harbour town of Port Elizabeth. Today, of course, the world-class 18 500-seater stadium, set within the grounds of the beautiful St George's Park, is slap, bang in the middle of the city whose love of the game began with the arrival of the 1820 British settlers. To read up more on the stadium's facinating history, visit St Georges Park's History.

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Library Tower

One of the little towers on the historic Main Library in town.

No Fires

Today's post is a follow up on yesterday's post on the Veld Fire in the Van Stadens Wildflower Reserve. A week or so after the fire I got to go past that way again and popped into the reserve to check out the damage. I found this scene very ironic (and funny).

Veld fire

I was going through some older pictures I took some time ago and found this one which I haven't posted before. The veld fire was burning in the Van Stadens Wildflower Reserve and the picture was taken as we were driving over the Van Stadens River Bridge going towards Port Elizabeth.

Feather Market Centre organ

The organ in the Feather Market building was originally meant to be housed in the Town Hall. A fund was set up for such an organ through income derived from concerts and the hiring out of the Town Hall. In 1882, Norman Brothers, and Beard of Norwich, built an organ specially for the Kimberly exhibition. This was the biggest and most powerful instrument heard in South Africa at this time. The organ was offered for sale at the Kimberly exhibition. Mr Benson, who was spokesperson for the builders of the organ in South Africa, advised the Council on this purchase for the Town Hall. Mr Benson found the Town Hall too small, but the Feather Market Hall big enough to house the organ. The organ was first played on the 15th of June 1893. Roger Ascham, the municipal organist, gave more that 1 000 concerts on this organ between 1895 and his death on the 31st of March 1934.

I got the above information here.

Boardwalk fountain

One of the fountains at the Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment Centre

Tugging

This is a follow-up picture of Wednesday's Car ship post. It shows one of the Port Elizabeth Harbour tugs pushing the ship into place at the quay.

Airborne

A couple of kids from the neighborhood has developed themselves a bit of an informal bmx jump area on a piece of open ground next to the railway line close to us. Although some of the older people in the area are complaining about it, the kids are thoroughly enjoying themselves showing off the bmx jumping skills. I stopped to check it out the other day and even though I only had a couple of minutes I managed to get some pics of them flying through the air. For this one I was lying flat on the ground hoping the the dude doesn't loose control and come crashing down on me. Next time I'll try and make some more time to get a couple more shots.


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