This day will be divided into two sections – the first about Port Elizabeth and the surrounding area; the second about our safari at Kwantu. So, in this entry, it’s mostly facts about this area.
In the 1700s Port Elizabeth was a military post near the dock. Now it is an industrial city where lots of car parts are made and exported.
Khoi-San tribes (blended communities of S. Africa’s indigenous Khoikhoi and San people) lived in long-established villages on Algoa Bay when Portuguese Perestrello “discovered” the area and claimed it for Portugual. Eventually, the British took it over and it was named after the British leader’s wife who had died – not the queen.
It is now considered to be the rainbow nation – a melting pot of many cultures. It has a population of 1.5 million and is also called the “friendly city.” It also has the most sunlight of any other S. African city and has beautiful beaches.
A special shaped rock formation called “dolosse” was first developed here to protect the land from the sea. It started with
a wife who used her broomstick to do what the rocks do. Her husband then realized he could do the same
thing with rocks that would be stronger. He didn’t patent his idea, and it was later patented by someone outside Port Elizabeth. It’s an interesting formation.
Wives started another enterprise outside the city limits. Originally a pineapple farmer’s wife brought pineapple juice to sell at a little stand for people traveling through. Eventually, more wives participated making homemade goodies as well. Now there is a renowned large farm store where women have started a business of making and selling their homemade items. Everyone knows to stop for these delicious goodies.
By bus we traveled from Port Elizabeth to our game reserve on the Entu Highway, which is the main artery between Cape Town and Durbin. We passed a lot of farmland with cattle and sheep. There is not enough rain to grow crops. Before the private game reserves were developed, farmers had elephants and other large animals to contend with on their farms.
Closer to Port Elizabeth, they are making a new harbor called Coeka (sp!) mainly for cargo ships. It will cut travel time in half for ships coming from east to west and vica versa. Now they will be able to meet at this new harbor and switch cargo so they only have to go halfway around the southern coast of Africa. Also, along this area we saw where they are harvesting salt.
As we got closer to Kwantu, we saw a baboon crossing the road, a couple of monkeys in trees by the road, some zebra and two giraffes. Along side the road there were a lot of prickly pear bushes which some of the animals enjoy eating. Excitement was growing with all of us on the bus. We were ready to get out of the bus and into our landrovers!
Next blog entry is about Kwantu Game Reserve about 1 1/2 outside of Port Elizabeth.
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