This post is for the #wednesdaywalk challenge and the #makemesmile challenge collaboration. This collaboration initially took place once a month, but due to its popularity, @tattoodjay (of the #wednesdaywalk) and @elizacheng (of #makemesmile) decided to make it a weekly thing.
If you want to know more about the rules, visit the Wednesday Walk Community, started by @tattoodjay where you will find all the information you need to become part of this great community.
The weekend before last, I wanted to do a test run by trying to get some shots of the Moses Mabhida Stadium with the sun setting in the background.
But nothing worked according to plan...lol. At first I didn't even want to share the photos from this outing. But I decided to not always only share the positive, but sometimes also the days that does not deliver what you expected. Sometimes even some disappointments too...
So with this outing, we arrived at Moses Mabhida full of expectations. But as I got out of the car and started taking photos, I was met with the first obstacle. I was approached by a security guard who informed me that I am not allowed to take photos of the stadium...(my first thoughts were "security)..."but then he added... "with a camera".
I asked him what he meant by "you are allowed to take photos with a camera"..., to which he replied that we can take photos with a cell phone, but not a camera.
Okay...this doesn't really make sense to me. I'm not allowed to take photos with a camera, but it's okay with a mobile phone. So, I can take as many photos as I want, as long as it's not with my camera, but with mobile phone.
The guy wasn't rude or anything. He was just doing his job. So I started a conversation with him, asking what the purpose was behind this rule. He couldn't give me any explanation besides that it is there instructions from management.
I asked him about tourists. What would they do if a tourist arrives there and wanted to get some nice shots of the stadium, seeing that it is a popular tourist attraction. Then he told me that if someone (such as a tourist) wants t take photos with a camera, they can ask for permission to take photos from management.
That made a light come on in my mind... There will most likely be a fee involved. And especially international tourists with dollars, will pay with a smile, while they will use the exchange rate to their advantage.
But why allow mobile phones then? Many tourists are also taking photos with their mobile phones these days...
Security still doesn't make sense to me in this scenario. I will take far more photos giving reasons for suspicion with a mobile phone, than with a camera...
Well, I wasn't going to take photos with mobile phone as it was on charge in the car where my wife was waiting for me. So this exercise will have to wait for another day.
Anyhow, I will share the odd photos which I managed to get before my discussion with the security officer.
The first one wasn't really focused on the stadium. I was more focused on this tree, while the stadium happened to be in the background.
After my discussion with the security guy, I took a walk to the King's Park Stadium, where we love to attend rugby matches. It's also a big, international stadium and it's beautiful inside. But from outside it doesn't really lend itself to get some spectacular shots.
So, coming out of the King's Park grounds through a parking area, I took this shot of the Moses Mabhida Stadium, showing some construction work going on on the arch over the stadium. IN this shot you can see the late afternoon sun shining on the stadium from the right. That was what I wanted to use as a background behind the stadium.
Standing between the two stadiums (with King's Park stadium to the right), I took this shot of the sun disappearing behind the skyline.
Not expecting this obstacle, my mind was now working overtime to think of another location to get some decent shots and time was running out with the sun already below the horizon.
I decided to give the Sun Coast Casino a go, thinking that the beaches wouldn't provide me with any outstanding scenes, seeing that we are on the east coast.
We arrived in the parking lot next to the Sun Coast Casino & Hotel. But what a disappointment...
I took this shot of the last visible sunlight with the hotel being visible to the right.
After this I walked to the area in front of the entrance to the hotel and casino.
I wanted to go onto the lawn between the entrance to the building and the beach, and see if I can get some photos of the building against the last light of the day. But to my disappointment, I found empty liquor bottles on the lawn, and the whole atmosphere just made me feel uncomfortable and irritable.
I was definitely not going to waste any time capturing the scenery in front of me...
I went back to the car and we decided to take a slow drive down a long the Marine Parade to see if there was something worthwhile.
But all we could talk about was how this area is by far not what it used to be. We haven't been down here for quite some time. And during this drive, both my wife and I remembered what Durban used to be some years ago. With that in mind, for us being used to what it was like, it is heart-breaking to see what it is becoming...especially this part of Durban.
We moved down the Marine Parade and passed by the harbour until we got to Wilson's Wharf. Wilson's Wharf is part of Durban Harbour, but it where you can find the private yachts.
I decided to enter Wilson's Wharf and see what it's like at this time of day. I've been here quite a few time, taking photos of the boats and sharing them here on Hive. But I didn't know what it would be like at this hour. It was already dark now and I didn't know what to expect.
But it was quiet inside only with a few odd people strolling around here and there.
I decided to park the car and see if can get some shots just to see what it would look like.
With only one friendly guy approaching me and asking for directions to the SPUR in Wilson's Wharf, it was quiet and peaceful.
I leaned over the railing and took tis shot of a restaurant wit it's friendly lights reflecting in the water below me.
I took a couple of shots of some of the boats, including this one, Mistress, from Cape Town, and then decided to call it a day. I took this shot against the background of the city lights in the background.
And that's it for today, folks.
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