Through Diwali festivities, daily visits to the temple and
visiting practically everyone in Malabar, I managed to squeeze in a day of
exploring PE.
We started out at the Donkin Reserve. It’s a little park to
commemorate the history of PE and struggles of South Africa. We mostly walked
through the park and checked out the little statues representing things from
our past that shapes what South Africa is today. There’s also an old lighthouse
on the premises. I’d never been inside a lighthouse so I was very keen to pay
R5 to check it out. Bad idea! Lighthouses were designed for 10 year old boys, I
think. To get to the top, you have to climb dozens of stairs which spiral and
keep getting steeper and narrower. I also managed to bump my head on the way
up. Once we got up there it was all worth it: 360 degree views of the city. You
can see the entire Donkin reserve including where all the new artworks are
still to be added. The view of the harbour from up there is stunning and there
were tons of PE landmarks that my boyfriend pointed out to me.
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| The lighthouse I climbed |
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| Artsy stuff on Donkin Reserve |
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| Amandla! |
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| Apparently the biggest flag in the country |
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| Beautiful artwork depicting our past |
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| Loved these headline type billboards filled with quotes |
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| A close-up of the billboard |
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| A view of the Donkin Reserve from the lighthouse |
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| A view of the harbour from the lighthouse |
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| A cute little walking trail from town to the Donkin Reserve |
Next was a trip to the South End Museum. I love to know
about the history of a place when I visit it. This doesn’t give you an overview
of how PE came in to being but it shed some light into how the Group Areas Act
affected people of colour in PE. This museum is specific to PE but its
representative of how the Act was effected everywhere in South Africa, the
things people were involved in before they were forcible removed, how they were
moved and how their lives mostly took a turn for the worse.
After that I desperately needed some cheering up. What
better way to do that than to take a stroll on the beach. PE boasts blue flag beaches but they are freezing cold. This is still the Indian Ocean; what happened to
their warm Benguela current? For those who don’t want to get wet, the promenade
is stunning. There are tons to see and do.
Within walking distance of the beach is the Boardwalk
Casino. I don’t enjoy idling time away in front of a slot machine but I did
enjoy sitting at a cafe near the musical water feature. It’s pretty much like
Brightwater Commons musical water fountains; only better! The fountains shoot
water high into the air in various spirals and forms all in tune to some
awesome music. It was a pity it was only 10 minutes though. I would have loved
to enjoy a longer show.
Everyone in PE has given me the nod of approval so it seems
like I’ll definitely be going back. Is there anything else in PE that you
really enjoy? Leave a comment and let me know so I can try it out next time I’m
there.
About the Author
Blogger | Aspiring columnist | IT auditor by day | Dancer by night | Superstorm | Offensive | Hopeless romantic | Double-jointed | Having a pants-related crisis
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