Carlisle Castle, Durban

OK, I'll admit my inspiration for going to Durban tonight is the Cricket. Ponting and Hughes look very comfortable at Kingsmead and the Test at the moment is going Australia's way.

In fact I've just flicked over to The Saint. It's an old B+W episode from 1964 called Luella. I'm a sucker for the old British ITC shows so I'll stick with Simon for a while. But I digress.

This beautiful apartment block is in the Grey Street precict of Durban, next door toVel-Vet Mansions. It is called Carlisle Castle and while the basic shape of the building is very similar to Vel-Vet, the colouring and decoration is completely different.

The building is a yellow-cream colour with rouge-red decoration. Between the second and third floor the is a large geometric panel bearing the name of the building.

An larger, more elaborate panel incorporating diaomonds and other geometric shapes, sits above the third floor windows just below the roofline. Centred in this decorative element is the remants of the supports for a flagpole, now sadly missing.

Above the windows the decoration consists of simple row of squares.

Back at ground level the use of red and black bricks, arranged in diagonal stripes flank the communal doorway.