So, I’ve finally met Port Elizabeth, and what a wonderful meeting it was.
Thanks to some work Flow Communications did for South African Tourism, I spent two days getting to know what visitors to Port Elizabeth and the Eastern Cape can look forward to.
I enjoyed meeting different people on my trip, visiting gorgeous hotels and lodges, seeing the famous Route 67 – an art-filled walking trail that celebrates the diversity of post-apartheid South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s contribution to this achievement – and climbing to the top of the iconic lighthouse near the Donkin Memorial.
Having never experienced the Windy City, as it’s sometimes called, and thinking that nothing could top the wind in Cape Town central, PE quickly schooled me when I nearly dropped my phone from the top of the lighthouse while trying to take a panoramic photo of the view.
My Port Elizabeth highlights include the laidback (but in no way sleepy) atmosphere of the city; the close proximity of the beach (obviously); Route 67; a cruise around the bay; walking around The Boardwalk, an entertainment complex that has shops, restaurants, a hotel and a nightly water and lights show; and the interior of the Stage Door restaurant at the Phoenix Hotel, which was covered in all sorts of fascinating American memorabilia.
I also loved finally seeing a Saaz hop, and even tasting it in its raw (and bitter) form when learning how the Bridge Street Brewery makes its beer.
But what stood out the most for me were the friendly people (PE is also known as the Friendly City) and the wind they confront in accomplishing their daily tasks. I also enjoyed the feeling of the wind sweeping over my skin and blowing through my hair and, although it kept me on my toes, I enjoyed the feeling that it might sweep me off my feet and send me flying through the air as though I had wings.
Whether you’re a city-lover, a nature-lover, a beach-lover or just a person who wants to see another city, then PE is definitely one for the shortlist.
Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism is a great source of information on the area’s history, as well as for ideas of places to visit and to eat, so be sure to contact it when planning a trip to PE.
