Page 254 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

252  THE WESTERN AND SOUTHERN C APE

Exploring Port Elizabeth = The Boardwalk
Beach Rd, Summerstrand.
Port Elizabeth sprawls inland and northwards on the windy Tel 041 507 7777. 7 - 0 F
shores of Algoa Bay. Many of the city’s most popular ∑ suninternational.com
attractions are situated along Humewood Beach. The city is Situated right on the seafront
proud of its settler heritage, and a wealth of historic buildings and centred around a man-
and museums, as well as memorials and statues, await made lake, this is a slick
entertainment complex from
exploration further inland. Port Elizabeth, along with the Sun International of Sun City
neighbouring towns of Uitenhage and Despatch, is part of fame. It features a shopping
the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. mall, numerous restaurants,
fast-food outlets and bars, a
P Donkin Reserve P Horse Memorial grassed open-air theatre,
Belmont Terrace. n Donkin Cape Road. a Nu Metro cinema, a 24-hour
Lighthouse (see p250). = During the South African casino and a hotel. An
This park-like reserve, a War, Port Elizabeth was impressive attraction is the
national monu ment the port of entry for musical fountain in the lake,
since 1938, includes the horses of British and children can be entertained
the Donkin soldiers. After the on the Victorian-style carousel.
Lighthouse (site war, local resident
of the tourist Harriet Meyer + Fort Frederick
office), and the raised money Belmont Terrace. Tel 041 582 2575.
tallest flagpole to honour Open sunrise–sunset daily.
in the country, the esti- In 1799, a British garrison was
with a South Donkin Memorial mated sent to Algoa Bay to prevent an
African flag about the size 347,000 horses that had invasion by French troops
of a tennis court. Its most died. The statue by sculptor supporting the rebel republic
unusual attraction is the Joseph Whitehead, unveiled of Graaff-Reinet (see pp362–3).
pyramid-shaped memorial in 1905, was relocated to its Small, square Fort Frederick
which the acting governor of present site in 1957. The (see pp52–3) was built on a
the Cape, Sir Rufane Donkin, inscription reads: “The great- low hill overlooking the mouth
dedicated to his late wife in 1820. ness of a nation consists not of the Baakens River, and
The settlement was named so much in the number of its named after the Duke of York,
Port Elizabeth in her honour. people or the extent of its who was commander-in-chief
territory as in the extent and of the British army at the time.
justice of its compassion.” Although it was defended by
eight cannons, no salvoes
Y St George’s Park were ever fired from them in
Park Drive. an act of war. The arrival of the
As the setting of the well-known English settlers in 1820 was
play, Master Harold and the Boys, super vised by the commander
by Athol Fugard, this lovely park of the garrison, Captain Francis
is home to the oldest cricket Evatt, whose grave can be
ground and bowling green in seen at the fort.
South Africa. It also contains
tennis courts, a swimming pool,
a botanic garden and several
The Horse Memorial historic monuments, such
as the War Memorial in the
F Port Elizabeth Opera north-east corner of
House the park.
Whites Rd. Tel 041 586 2256. The Pearson
∑ peoperahouse.co.za Conservatory, named
On the southern edge of the after Henry Pearson
reserve, the Opera House was who served as mayor of
established in 1892 on a gallows the city for 16 terms,
site where public hangings once was comp leted in
took place. It is not only the 1882 and houses a
oldest opera house in the collection of exotic
southern hemisphere, but the plants. Always hire a
last Victorian theatre in Africa. tour guide to visit
The two stages are not large by St George’s Park, since
modern standards, but host it is not safe to walk The gateway to The Boardwalk, an entertainment
many plays, musicals and ballets. there alone. complex on Port Elizabeth’s seafront
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp387–8 and pp404–5

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