My first visit to South Africa took me to Port Elizabeth, located on the country's Sunshine Coast. As an avid Star Alliance Gold member, I made sure my air carriers were members of the alliance, which then necessitated a lengthy two-stop itinerary. My journey began at the Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) on a United Airlines flight to Frankfurt, Germany (FRA). I especially enjoyed the United International First Class Lounge, then located in Terminal C nearby Gate 17 (it’s now a Polaris Lounge), which served as the prelude to an indulgent journey in the forward cabin of one of the airline's Boeing 777-200 aircraft. Flying time to FRA from IAD is roughly eight hours, which was just long enough to enjoy the onboard service and catch a few hours of uninterrupted sleep before arrival into Germany the following morning.
The Lufthansa flight to South Africa wasn’t departing until 10:00 PM that evening, so I booked a day room at the Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel. Located directly in Terminal 1, this large hotel features 1,008 modern guest rooms and suites, as well as several restaurants and lounges, a fitness enter and conference facilities. It was an ideal location to catch up on some work and relax before another overnight trip. This second flight was scheduled aboard the German carrier’s Boeing 747-400 aircraft and the First Class cabin consisting of sixteen sleeper seats was located upstairs in “the bubble.” The ten and a half hour flight put us into Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport at 8:30 AM the next day. On arrival, I went straight to the airline’s Baobob Premium Lounge in Terminal A and found a quiet corner to enjoy some juice and coffee before catching my final leg aboard a South African Airways Airbus A320. It whisked us safely to the Port Elizabeth Airport (PLZ) in less than two hours, touching down close to the noon hour after two days of traveling!
The Boardwalk Hotel, Casino and Convention Centre was to be my home for the next two nights. The hotel complex is located less than three miles from the airport and is situated in the hub of Port Elizabeth, within easy walking distance to the ocean and a multitude of retail outlets. The four-story, 5-star beachfront hotel on the Indian Ocean charmingly captures the grace and detail of Victorian architecture with the added benefit of every modern convenience in its 140 rooms and suites. I was booked into a lovely King-bedded Junior Suite boasting over 667 square feet of living space, including a separate sitting room with a small dinette table. These accommodations also featured floor to ceiling windows, free WiFi and a very realistic 40” LED-backlit Liquid Crystal Display TV with any number of satellite channels. The Boardwalk is home to no less than 13 onsite restaurants, a full-service spa, indoor and outdoor pools, a fitness center and the city’s only licensed casino. A must see for me was the water spectacular with over 25,000 Tivoli Lights accompanied by perfectly timed music. Utilizing the power of over 80 pumps capable of shooting 1,000 tons of water per hour, this record-breaking musical fountain makes for an unforgettable show every night with over 800 colored lights and more than 100 individual water jets.
Although this was a business trip, I did have some free time and my hosts made sure I made the most of it The first thing I’d mention is that “PE,” as it’s known by the locals, is South Africa’s third-largest port with some of the country’s cleanest city beaches. With nearly 25 miles of coastline on the Eastern Cape, water sports are very popular, from surfing, sailing, swimming, and fishing to windsurfing, kiteboarding, and scuba diving. Since I wasn’t really prepared and preferred to stay dry, we took a Raggy Charters catamaran cruise which explored Algoa Bay. I learned it’s an extremely important area for seabirds, having the largest colony of African penguins. Luckily, we were treated with island sightings of a number of these penguins, as well as seals and several schools of bottlenose dolphins, many of which leaped out of the bay right before our noses!
One afternoon we drove just 44 miles north of the city to visit the Addo Elephant National Park, offering a taste of a true African safari. The park encompasses over 630 square miles and was established in 1931 to preserve the last eleven South African bush elephants from extinction. Today, more than 600 of these majestic beasts roam the park, as well as over 400 Cape buffalo, almost 50 black rhinos, as well as lions, leopards, zebras, spotted hyenas, antelope and more than 185 species of birds. As day visitors, we explored the park at our leisure in our own vehicle, but the park does offer guided tours as well as accommodations ranging from budget cottages to chalets to camp sites, all with access to a restaurant and gift shop. The hours we spent in Addo Elephant National Park were among the most exciting and memorable of my first visit to South Africa.
Port Elizabeth is one of South Africa's largest cities, but is often overshadowed by its cousins Johannesburg and Cape Town. That’s too bad. It’s one of the friendliest cities with a rich history dating back to the hunters and tribesmen who inhabited the area before its settlement by the British, first during the Napoleonic wars to protect it from the French, and more permanently, between the late Eighteenth and early Nineteenth Centuries. In 1820, the Acting Governor of the Cape Colony, Rufane Shaw Donkin, renamed the seaport of Algoa Bay in honor of his deceased wife Elizabeth. The city has undergone various changes over the decades, as has most of South Africa, and has a number of treasures I discovered during my walking tour. The first was the Cathedral Church of St. Mary the Virgin. Affiliated with the Anglican Church of South Africa, the edifice is located at St. Mary’s Terrace in the central portion of the city. The building opened for worship in 1832 and external alterations and additions were made in 1860. Near the close of the century in 1895 ,the church burned down but was rebuilt and opened for worship the following year. The choir area is the finest part of the church. It contains the Bishop's throne, twenty-two clergy stalls in addition to choir stalls, and honorary stalls for the dioceses of the Province, with the colorful coats of arms of each on the walls behind every stall.
A walk down Route 67 proved to be one of the most fascinating ways to spend the balance of my free afternoon. In the city’s historical hub, Route 67 is an art and heritage trail spotlighting 67 artworks created by Eastern Cape artists, one for evert year Nelson Mandela devoted to public life. The trail weaves together the city’s British heritage and African history and tells the story of the lead-up to the end of the repressive Apartheid era and the historic1994 elections, the first in which citizens of all races were allowed to participate. The trail begins at the Donkin Reserve, a park with harbor views also featuring a stone pyramid and 1860s lighthouse. From there, it's a short walk to admire colorful mosaics, sculptures and engraved poetry. Along the way are several prominent sites, including a series of 67 steps leading up to the second-largest flag in Africa and a metal cut out of Nelson Mandela, fist pumping as he leads a line of South African voters to their first democratic elections. The trail ended at the Campanile Memorial, a 170 foot high tower with a carillon of 23 bells erected in 1923 in honor of the city’s first settlers.
Before too long it was time to bid the city farewell. My impressions of Port Elizabeth were positive and my memories are good ones. Its natural setting on the coast sets it apart from other locales and its residents are working hard to preserve and celebrate its natural and cultural heritage. I would certainly make a return trip there on a future visit to South Africa.
Until next time…safe travels.
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