Off to Port Elizabeth

November 2, 2025

Today was our last day in Cape Town until we come back at the end of the cycle tour. We had to get out of our hotel by 11 so we filled sometime with a “free walking historical tour” of Cape Town. We had a choice of this tour or one about apartheid but since we went to Robben Island yesterday we opted for the historical tour. This tour covered the long history from the Portuguese discoverers, to the Dutch East India Company, to the British colony, the wars and the native populations. Like Canada they have had a Truth and Reconciliation process going on since 1996, which of course pre-dates ours. The history is quite complex and fraught with many warring conflicts between the above groups. We likely know the 2nd Boer War best where the British (with Canadians and Australians) defeated the Boers but there were many other conflicts throughout their history. Apartheid came into being in the late 1940s when the then Prime Minister JC Smuts lost the election to a nationalist aka racist party that brought in apartheid. This policy remained until it was struck down by Prime Minster de Klerk in about 1990. There is still much poverty here among the non-whites but you can see many societal changes given the relatively short time period. It is hard to imagine that all of this took place in my lifetime.

We also did little retail therapy with my new friend Margaret who with a group of women called Women Power make these beaded souvenirs. I bought a few Christmas decorations and she gave me a big hug.

We flew to Port Elizabeth known as PE late afternoon to our accommodation for the next 2 nights. It is called the Elephant Footprint Lodge right next to the Addo Elephant Reserve that we will visit 2 days hence.

The internet may be a bit spotty from now on but I will catch up when I can.

Pin cushion Protea at the flower market.

The new city hall with a statue of Mandela where he gave to famous speeches.

JC Smuts a former Prime Minister and WWII war hero. A Rhodes scholar and a brilliant man.

The Prime Minister’s residence in Cape Town. SA has 3 capitals Cape Town (legislative), Pretoria (administrative) and Bloemfontein (judicial).

It is spring so ducks are having chicks.

Cecil Rhodes who has a very checkered past here. He made his fortune in diamonds and is the founder of de Beers diamonds. He was a bit of a tyrant. His estate is what funds the Rhodes scholarship at Oxford.

The oldest tree the company garden at 300+ years called the crutch lady because of the braces holding up tree limbs. It is a Saffron Pear.

A fascinating Commonwealth War Grave monument for soldiers who have no grave from WWI.

At lunch these you people were smoking this hookah pipe. I ask her to explain to me how it works. It is basically ancient vaping.

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	3
Comment on this entry	Comment	0