Hi"lighted" stadium

2010 is coming to an end and what it years its been!  The highlight of the year must have been the 2010 FIFA World Cup of which Port Elizabeth was one of the host cities.  PE had the privilege to host 8 games in this stunning event and did so successfully.  So as a parting shot for the year I am posting a night photo of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, as seen from Parsons Hill, which hosted those games.  See you all next year!

City lights

Port Elizabeth doesn't have a proper high point from where you can enjoy views across the city like in Cape Town.  I do love the view from up at Lovemore Heights though, especially at night when the city lights stretch away into the distance.

Fun Fair

One of the main attractions on the beachfront during the summer season this year is Pleasure Land.  Pleasure Land was an institution on the Port Elizabeth beachfront up until a couple of years ago when the stopped coming for some reason.  Their place was taken by smaller operators, but it was never the same.  This year the organisers of the summer season activities brought back the original Pleasure Land which is situated for the first time right next to Beach Road and the Kings Beach Flea Market.

Between the railway lines

The narrow gauge railway line, used by the Apple Express, leading to the west of Port Elizabeth runs through the western suburbs of the city before heading out of town.  It passes about 300 meters from my house and I decided to venture onto the line for a photo or two.

Another plane load coming

We are currently right in the middle of the summer holidays and thus our peak holiday period.  This means that every plane flying into the Port Elizabeth Airport brings us more visitors and more visitors means more money for the tourism trade.  Pity tourists don't realise how wonderful a destination Port E:izabeth can be out of peak season, because we can really do with more visitors then as well.

Shopping for bargains

Some of the best bargains in town can be found in the Traduna Mall in the Port Elizabeth city centre.  Most of the shops belong to Somalis and other foreign nationals and the prices can't really be beaten anywhere else in town.

Opening Christmas gifts

The Rugrats opening their gifts on Christmas morning

I want to wish all the regular, not so regular, by chance and "find it through Google" visitors to Port Elizabeth Daily Photo a Merry Christmas.  I hope it was a blessed day and that everybody received the gifts that they asked for in their Dear Santa letters. 

Peak season

It is peak summer holiday season and people are flocking to the Port Elizabeth beachfront

Mosaic lighthouse art

The upgrade on the Donkin Reserve is well advanced at the moment and as soon as most of it is completed I want to go and photograph and post all the upgrades and art pieces that has been added to the historic Donkin Reserve.  The Donkin Lighthouse upgrade was the first part of the project that was completed and an interesting feature that has been added to the lighthouse are these mosaic tiles around its base.

SAMREC Penguin Release

A couple of weeks ago I was very fortunate to be at a SAMREC penguin release at Hobie Beach here in Port Elizabeth.  The South African Rehabilitation and Education Centre (SAMREC) is based at Cape Recife and their main aim is to save and rehabilitate the endangered African Penguins which are found on the islands in Algoa Bay.  Once the penguins have been rehabilitated they are released back into the bay to return to what is said to be the biggest breeding colony of African Penguins in the world.  Read more on the release here.