An evening along the Indian Ocean at Port Elizabeth.
Monday, September 14, 2009
African Dance Troupe
On afternoon on a plaza at Nelson Mandela University, we were entertained by a great African dance troupe. Pictures cannot communcate the great sense of energy and excitement generated by their enthusiasm. The students loved it. The dancers were all ages. At top a group of the women work the crowd. The dancers pulled a number of our students out to dance with them. The bottom photos of a kind of conga line was great fun to watch.
Seaview II
Lions were not the only attraction at Seaview. They had large numbers of giraffe and zebra as well as other animals wandering about the park.
Seaview Lion Park
Lions are the feature attraction at Seaview Lion Park near Port Elizabeth. At top, we have a couple of lionesses, including a white one, napping in the noonday sun. Next, we have a favorite of the park, the lion cubs, and next is a photo of a student, Emily, petting one of the kittens. At bottom is a old male lion waking from a nap and looking not too happy about it. One of the women who was working with the lion cubs was from the US and working in Africa as part of a veterinary program.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Grahamstown - National Arts Festival
Streets were crowded for the festival as seen in the top photo. We went to the performance of a steel drum band that was very entertaining. Two of the guys were excellent tap dancers. The guy with the huge pineapple was a fixture of the festival, walking around with a kind of maniacal laugh, and asking people to go to his website that was called something like "givemeyourmoney.com" At bottom, President Obama is certainly popular in South Africa.
Grahamstown - Boer War Memorial
In the city center of Grahamstown, there is a great Anglo-Boer War memorial. At top, Telie takes a break on its steps. Next you seem to have a photo of farmers (Boers) laying down their arms and becoming productive subject of the empire (not likely) with a herd of ostriches in the background. Next is a tribute to the settlers and soldiers. Next, the dedication. Albany was the British name for the region, kind of like a county, where Grahamstown is located. At bottom, another view of the impressive monument.
Grahamstown
One of the highlights of our trip to South Africa was a weekend spent in Grahamstown, a historic community founded by the 1820 British settlers. We went to Grahamstown for the National Arts Festival. This is a smaller and less industrial city than Port Elizabeth, somewhat more quaint and more English (architecturally anyway) than most of PE. The festival was partly on the grounds of Rhodes University and partly in the city center. It was very busy and colorful with some very cool artwork. At bottom is the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. George, a beautiful and historic church which opened for services in 1830. At right, you can see our students ready to cross the street.
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