Lotus Lane …

Although most of us Midlanders (old and new!) like to think of ourselves as strictly out-of-city dwellers, the closest I can find to an official map of the area broadly covers the area from Ixopo to Kranskop and Mooi River to Edendale. Which means that the city of Pietermaritzburg can rightfully claim a spot in our spotlight. And for today at least, that’s a good thing. An annual highlight of the city’s calendar is Cars In The Park – which after 35 years is the longest running event of its kind in South Africa. As a self-confessed petrol head, yesterday I was there. In the attractive grounds of Alexandra Park, from around 06h30 in the morning, car lovers from around the country came to see what enthusiasts had brought to show under the banner of “restoration – work in progress”, and no-one could have been disappointed. With over one thousand vehicles, and seemingly more than that in owner numbers, plus an exhibition by the local Model Engineers club, there certainly was something for everyone.

Naturally, an event like this had local photographers there in droves. The only difficulty I have had today was in trying to choose a single shot to try and sum up the event. With many marques largely grouped together, this colourful row of Lotus models captures the outdoor ambience, the glorious weather, and the crowds. Roll on CITP 2012!