JULY 2009 Photos of the upgrading and re-configuration progress on the new Green Point Common

The photo shows all of the Green Point Common, the island on the left/NW is Robben island, the distant shore is Blouberg with Milnerton on the right(NE)a suburb of Cape Town

Scheduled for completion early March 2010 Considering they started the work on Jan 12 2009 the new golfcourse is taking shape at breakneck speed I wish I had an old photo to compare of how it was before It used to be all brown in summer in future they will use underground spring water for irrigation as opposed to using expensive potable water in the past

This is the site where the old Green Point Soccer Stadium used to be The part which hasn't been dismantled will be refurbished post 2010. During the World Cup it will serve as the FIFA commercial hospitality area the Media will use a bridge from the old stadium into the new stadium media centre and press facilities.
This midlle part of the Common is IMO the most impressive and dramatic change with the huge new water features clearly taking shape

The Western side of the GP Common where the Public Park is allocated, still looks like the moles have been at it, but they are working very hard to sort that part out too

Green Point Soccer Stadium July 2009 As seen from the new Golf course

Several people mentioned the starry lights in my night shots .... I like to explain that I am not using a filter or a computer generated program or a sock :) its just thesetting I dont know how to capture a nightshot any different then I do now, its the only way I know how to keep the details and its my camera more or less who dictates whats right and whats not

The last shots from the Golf Course.. Btw These trees were newly planted I have seen the lorries and tractors ferrying them around

When you click the photo you will see there is a whole nursery of trees waiting to be planted
I have spend half the afternoon on top of Signal Hill today shooting you will see tomorrow
It was cold and now and then even some drizzle yet I felt so happy walking there
My God what a gorgeous city this is ! You know..its funny how many people smile at you when you are happy :)

Huge diamond found in Cape Town !

Click photo to see it large
Ok its the new Green Point Stadium which twinkles like a diamond at night
I took this shot from the new golf course on the Green Point Common and when I saw this photo it reminded me of the first time I ever saw the concept photo of the Green Point Stadium
Look here

The Urban Park of the Green Point Common is still a mess

The West side of the Green Point Common is where the new Urban Park is going to be, but right now its just one mud bath Imagine trying to navigate there after dark like I did last night !
This part of the Common looks the most unfinished the East side where the Golf course is looks already fabulous and green Its such an improvement from the brown look of the old Green Point Common !

I know that butyl liners have a limited lifeline so I was surprised to see they aren't using cement but I must admit this one is very THICK as you can see here
The water is still from the heavy rains we had it a week ago, it must be so difficult to work under those circumstances
Click photos to enlarge

Compare this water feature with the 10 story building behind it and you get an idea of the size !

View from the new Green Point Common and Golf Course

I had seen lorries with trees being ferried around this last week and I was also amazed to see that they are using Butyl lining for the water features so I wanted to check that out and found a gap in the fence , I walked around the new Golfcourse until well after dark which was a mistake since it was hard to find my way back to the gap with all the mud and the huge waterfeatures blocking my way I should have brought a flash light
Thankfully Hamilton's (Football club) lights were on

I took photos of the waterfeatures and the stadium ofcourse More of that tomorrow
Signal Hill on the left, thats where I live and Lions Head on the right I have to mention the weather again, it was a hot 25° !

Working day and night on the 2010 Green Point Soccer Stadium now that the strike is over

Click the photo to see how many men there are working on this half of the roof, its hectic !
I have no idea what they were going to do with that tent which is hanging on the crane I dont see it anymore

The middle part of the stadium

They worked through the night on friday and saturday Lights blazing, cranes moving, I love to see all this activity because the stadium looks stunning at night all alight

Only on Sunday night all is quiet

Notice the snow on the mountains in the distance You will not believe how hot it was today people are in their swimsuits on the beach and its supposed to be winter here This is very typical for Cape Town It can be cold and wet in winter but it can also be sunny and warm or even hot like today

Sunset Evening and Night shot of the new World Cup 2010 Green Point Stadium

How beautiful the sunset was We are in the middle of a spell of exeptional beautiful warm weather and its supposed to be mid winter here !
There was not a cloud to be seen

Green Point Stadium on fire

Click photo to enlarge

If you are coming to Cape Town for the Soccer World Cup 2010 next year, then I know for sure that you will be totally awestruck by the amazing "can't believe my eyes" sunsets you will see
I got quite a series of good shots this evening, which in itself is a pain, since its hard to choose but I liked this one for the men on the edge

Doesnt the glass roof look amazing ? Actually it looks amazing any time of the day taking on the colours of the sky I hope you noticed that these shots are a different angle from my usual shots :)

The SW side of the Green Point Stadium as seen from my home on Signal Hill

Do click the photo to see it in its full glory
Sometimes I think I have a whole sequence of photos to choose from, only to discover that the horizon is wonky in all of them ! I know you can correct it but thats what I dont like to do I usually discard those shots
Today was such a day this was the best of the lot it usually happens when I zoom in as I did here
I always love the moment ...and its a very short moment when the sun sets the stadium on fire, just before sunset, its a very special light
I gave this shot an editing treatment to add some interest
Let me know if you like it or not

Cape Town from the sky

Click photo to enlarge

I arrived back in Cape Town last night and wanted to show you this photo which I took exactly a year ago coming back from the USA. I shot this through the window of the plane while it was landing in Cape Town after a heavy burst of rain
My first day back has been extremely busy but I did manage to take a photo of the Green Point stadium which I posted in Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joannecapetownsa/3724690574/
I am happy to say the week long strike at Soccer World Cup construction sites in South Africa has ended

Buffalo Bay beach ...what a magical place this is !

I can't count the times when I thought, how can I ever capture the beauty of this landscape in my photographs ? South Africa is stunningly beautiful You know those kind of places where when you look around you and it doesn't matter where you look, all you see is pure beauty ?
Those kind of places where you feel sheer happiness and joy just being there ?
Buffalo Bay Beach is such a place
I loved it, there were very few people and the colours of the beach,the rocks,the drama of the far away * Outiniqua Mountains in the mist, all added to the mistique and beaty I could have stayed on and on

I walked carefully toward the estuary as I didn't want to disturb the birds until the very last moment but a man and his dog walked on the opposite side along the beach and the dog broke away, ran to the birds scaring them

and all what was left, were their feathers lining the edge of the river

When finally the sun set, I walked back to the car, picking up a piece of driftwood from the beach which I will place at my own rock pools as a memory of this awesome place which is Buffalo Bay beach
You know what ? I loved Knysna so much I'm returning in September Its already booked !

*Outeniqua Mountains, Western Cape/South Africa are named after the people of a Khoi tribe whose name means ‘Men Bearing Honey’, the area being known for its bees.

Buffalo Bay beach near Knysna on the Garden route

I think his name is Narcissus :)

He kept me company for quite a while and even got in the way of my shots

After touring around in Knysna in the morning and a delicious lunch in Ile de Pain,a drive out to Buffalo Bay revealed this fabulous beach with shattered quartzites rocks and an estuary teeming with birds

Couldn't resist showing you his soulful eyes

I spend the rest of the afternoon walking along the beach and shooting whatever came in my viewfinder :) Loved it there !

Knysna I am smitten ...I will return

No wonder its South Africa's favourite town ! It was my first time but by no means my last !

View of the beautiful lagoon of Knysna from "The Heads" suburb, the eastern Head where the lagoon joins the sea, with Leasure Island on the right the most upmarket suburb in Knysna with old homes and modern mansions

A close up of Leasure Island and the flowers of the Aloe
While Cape Town was flooded by monsoon rains today we had a summers day of 24 degrees in Knysna

If you’d wondered why both the Heads of the Knysna Lagoon aren’t covered with houses, it’s because the Western Head is a private nature reserve, called the Featherbed Nature Reserve

These caves are part of the Featherbed Reserve

Sunset over the pretty lagoon at the mouth of the Knysna River.

I woke to pouring rain in Knysna and even though it was supposed to be 23 degrees it really was fleece weather then to my dismay the sky stayed grey the whole day but at sundown, just as I was about to down a glass of delicious Chenin, the sky briefly cleared and coloured red, forcing me to grab my cam, ruining my moment of peace. :)
The above photo was the fabulous view from my hotel room

See this view on webcam here
I was at Cornuti's a super nice but very busy restaurant at lunch time, its on top of a hill over looking the limestone cliffs of the Heads which dramatically separates the tranquil lagoon from the pounding surf of the Indian Ocean and while waiting for my table I shot this tiny lighthouse, warning sailors of the dangers ahead
The Knysna lagoon at low tide on a rainy day

Passing through the Transkei

I have been traveling most of the day from East London and have now arrived in Knysna in time for the oyster festival
Since it was such a long journey there was no time to stop and take photos, these 2 were taken from the car

Transkei the Wildcoast has its own eery beauty with its gaily coloured rondavels dotted around on grass covered hills and warm coloured rocks and sand but it also looks like a desolate place
Interestingly 2 ex presidents were born in the Transkei: Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki