AUSTRALIA
My son Jim arrived in Sydney the day before us so he met us at 6 am when we arrived from Korea (10 hour night flight). Jim's generous friends Brian and Grant live on Goodlet Lane and moved in with nearby friends so we could use their house for our three days in Sydney. When they served us breakfast, I thought it odd because I thought it was dinner time!
Jim and Bob are making themselves at home. The resident cats, Billy and Buttons, are British shorthairs, big cats with pug faces.
DESTINATION #6: Sydney
Our Home away from Home
The mirror over the kitchen counter reflects the beautiful garden a step away. Our bedroom doors also open onto this lovely place.
Sydney Harbor
Our first tour with Jim was Sydney Harbor, a lovely place starting with a cup of coffee to warm our bones as our summer is their winter. We enjoyed the tour of the magnificent Sydney Opera House. How did the architect ever figure it out.
While sunning against the Sydney skyline, we watched a Princess Cruise ship barely make it under the harbor bridge. The people climbing over the top of the bridge looked like ants. This costs a lot of money.....but I wouldn't have done it for free.
IBrian and Grant drove us to the magnificent Blue Mountains on a gorgeous day. Jim was pleased because the last time he was here, the Three Sisters were in a cloud. Below, right, we could see people on the bridge between the Three Sisters.
Blue Mountains and Three Sisters
These mountains have many hiking trails and camping places. One could hike from our vantage point to the waterfalls in the picture above.
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For $21 we each bought a ticket that took us anywhere on all transportation for 24 hours. We bussed to downtown and spent the entire day getting off and on different ferries to different parts of this enormous bay full of islands. The ferries are the main transporation for people to get from their island homes to the City.
On the harbor dock we tried the pies for
lunch. I had spinach and cheese.
IReturning to Sydney, we realized on this whole trip around the world, we were never in a country that drove on the right side of the road proving: "The sun never set on the British Empire."
Ferry Day
From the ferry, the Opera House is even more beautiful, looking like an agregate of shells.
Our last ferry ride of the day took us to the mouth of this huge bay where surfers were enjoying the waves. After a glass of wine and snack at a waterfront cafe, Jim and Bob decided to check the temperature of the water. A wave caught them by surprise and they both went down. Bob got the worst of it and unfortunately had to ride all the way back soaking wet. I, on the other hand enjoyed a nap.
Ferry Tale
IWe sailed under the bridge several times during the day.....this time with the train crossing over us.
We sailed in and out of harbors, with people embarking and disembarking along the way.
Every island seemed covered with houses stacked on top of each other. The house below is my son's favorite. He loves Australia and lucky for him, he gets to visit almost every year. He wants the room on the third floor of this house at Birchgrove Station.
Always a warning so we don't look the wrong way crossing a street. Don't know about the Alcohol Free Zone?
Returning at sunset, the harbor began to light up. Under the bridge is a fun zone already inviting customers. After wash-ing the sandy clothes, we had a lovely supper at Jim's favor-ite beach lookout. End of a perfect day--well almost! Bob had to buy a new wallet after the dunking ruined his old one.
It was a must to visit Jim's favorite store David Jones, elegant with people who actually served you.. Actually it is two stores across the street from each other: one for women and one for men connected at the basement level which was a lovely market, including bakery and coffee. We found out our dollar isn't worth much as the cheapest wallet was $99.
Sydney Downtown
Across the street is the Queen Victoria Buiding built in 1898. Quite a fancy "Lady".
IQueen Victoria reigned near an obelisk claiming to have every place in Australia measured from this point.
Old Sydney and new are juxtaposed against each other.
Starters: Roasted capsicum, prociutto & goat cheese on skewers; Mushroom and Ricotta cheese Tartlets.
Pasta: Grilled gnocci with mushrooms, peas, spinach and onion jam; Sandcrab lasagna with lemon and chive bechamel, spinach;
Main course: Marinated pork filet served with a lemon thyme butter;
Five desserts (below): Strawberry meringue remoulade; chocolate mouse, sticky date pudding with carmel sauce and mixed gelato.
All too soon, our days in Sydney were coming to an end. Our last supper at Pazzo's with Brian and Grant was so spectacular that I wrote it down:
Our train traveled through sparse farmland for 12 hours. I tried to take pictures of sheep from the train window. It seemed they were always on the other side of the train. Those white animals below might be sheep?
DESTINATION: Melbourne
The 125 year old Victoria Hotel was our home in Melbourne and close to everything as their public transportation is phenominal. The address on Ltl Collins Lane means little as every other street alternates a wide boulevard with a little lane. Hence, Ltl Collins Lane runs parallel with Collins Lane.
A short walk to our breakfast at the CoffeEx that really satis-fied Bob even though it cost $18. We had already realized Australia's economy was considerably higher than ours. Later, when I discovered one shoe missing and I was forced into buying a pair of shoes ($160) this really hit home!
Many of the city's sights were within walk-ing distance of our hotel. A huge complex replaced the old train yards and housed the magnificent Aboriginal Museum where we saw some awesome folk art. Not allowed to take pictures, the three below are inter-net copies to give you an idea of how mag-nificent is their art. Some had an almost spiritural mesmirazation. Others featured animals and sea life.
City Sights
A theater within the museum surrounded by glass windows in every imaginable shape looked out upon the river that flowed through the city.
These strange window glass shapes framed the opera house with its tall spire across the river and also the tallest building in the Southern Hemis-phere (the Edge) that we would later visit.
Alleyways were taking on new shops and importance.
I'm pointing to the trains scheduled to the minute that made city travel easy as we headed to the library. The Ausies' sense of humor emerges through the pavement..
I looked to see what this statue in the front of the library was looking at across the street..... More Aussie humor!
There are many lovely reading rooms and displays sur-rounding the main hall. We saw a 1788 map of the United States with Florida having a very strange shape. I was fascinated with a Rajasthan Indian painting of Alexander the Great's flying machine: Griffins were pulling Alexander up by holding meat just out of their reach.
Lots to see on foot in this great city--the towering opera house, sparkling department stores and the great imagination that preserved this old brick tower buidlng by putting a whole new building around it. We had a nice lunch in this building.
We took a tram to see the harbor where the ship is docked that goes to Tasmania. Like all boys, the ones getting out of school and getting on the tram, first took off their nice sport jackets and then pulled their shirttails out. It was time for afternoon tea and crumpets. Typical of restaurants in Australia, they provided a water dish for dogs outside.
IA little rest in our room and it was dinner time. We walked through China Town to Greek Town, all lit up with blue and white lights strung across the intersection, to an interesting Greek restaurant with the ceiling hanging stalactities. We chose three different lamb dishes, all were dilicious with a bottle of Chardonnay.
Ladies Only meant nothing as we saw three men eating lunch here later. Jim and Bob enjoying a wooden wambat in this Aboriginal Memorial garden.
Our tram pass took us to the beach and Jim's favor-ite Prahran Market, founded in 1864, where the variety was astounding and so were the prices. That is 49.99 a kg not a pound for steak, but still high.
Greek Lamb with feta cheese! Southern Italian Lamb?
Chicken spinach and pinenut sausage???
Intriguing varieties of bread.
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EUREKA SKY DECK
The tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere offered the EDGE. We could have walked out onto a glass platform, but chose not to. The floor was wavy on purpose to make you feel dizzy, and I did. Mailed some postcards.
Scampi
Can there be that many different kinds of olives?
Baby vegies and mushroom varieties.
ILoooking down on Flinders Street Station from the Edge. Aboriginal Museum, right upper corner.
Some really interesting (quirky, strange, weird) architecture in Melbourne. Bubbles, glass configurations, and bees???
MEETING JIM'S FRIENDS
Lucky us to be entertained royally by Jim's Aussie friends. Lunch with Marie George in St. Kilda on the right, after which we visited her home and her husband Dennis took us on a tour of Western Australia in his video.
He had climbed Mt. Everest to the third level.
Below, Afternoon Tea with Sister Mary Ann and her sister Trish. Hanging on the wall behind Bob and Trish is an amazing picture of her grandson put together by her son done from many photographs of him growing up.
We were invited to a fabulous Dinner-Recital given by Jim's friend Kevin Meese in the striped shirt. Other guests were a friend from India, Kevin's mother and sister and a girl from England. Between courses, Kevin played his Steinway Grand. Tchaikovsky's "Prelude" with the hors d'oeuvres (dips, cheeses and olives that we got at Melbourne's huge Queen Victoria Market.)
IBrahms accompanied the entre: Lamb in sauce with parsnips, carrots and onions served on a beautiful Indian tablecloth.
Mozart accompanied the spectacular billowy blue berry meringue made by Kevin's mother.
ON THE ROAD TO ANGLESEA
Meet Rose and Ross Dennis, our host and hostess for the next few days. They drove us southwest from Melbourne to Corio Bay.
Below, Rose's favorite house, prefabri-cated in Edinburgh in 1855 and shipped to Australia. It overlooks the bay--a good swimming area as a net keeps the water safe from sharks.
IAusssie humor on the beach. Bob found some girlfriends.
Destination: Anglesea
Anglesea is a golf community, a very unusual one in many respects. Rose and Ross have their vacation house on Bogie Court. It was obvious that all the birds in the area knew Rose had arrived and began flying about the minute she stepped out of the car with bird seed in hand.
IMy hand feeding the parrot.
Rose's hand.
From my bedroom I could see a bird sitting on top of the umbrella on the porch.
I loved looking at this beautiful knarled tree from my window. Note the water saving device. California needs to learn ways to save water from Australians. The house next door had a huge water-saving tank.
This is the comfortable living room with a puzzle set up. To the left was the dining room where it seemed like we ate non-stop, starting with tea and goodies. And then wine and hors d'oeuvres. Rose prepared a beautiful dinner of chicken and par-mesan tortelini pasta with tomatoes and avocados and pumpkin sauce served with a salad of greens and corn off the cob.
Anglesea Golf Club
After breakfast, we played golf with kangaroos --lots of them!!
Don't aim for the sandtraps!
My shot in the midst of the kangaroos didn't faze them.
FORE!!
We played nine holes and felt so good, we played some more and then enjoyed the club's lentel tomato soup and hot crusty roll with a draft beer.
Australian flag wth the Union Jack, the big seven-pointed Commonwealth star and the Southern Cross Constellation was flying high at the Clubhouse.
When we went back to the Club for dinner, I took a picture of their entrance sign. I wish our club enforced these great rules.............. especially regarding no mobile phones!! And the instruction for children! When we returned to the Denis' home there was a kangaroo in the backyard!
The Great Ocean Road
Construction on the road began on 19 September 1919, built by approximately 3,000 returned servicemen as a war memorial for fellow servicemen who had been killed in World War I. An advance survey team progressed through dense wilderness at approxmately 3 kilometres a month.
Construction was done by hand; using explosives, pick and shovel, wheel barrows, and some small machinery and was at times perilous, with several workers killed on the job; the final sections along steep coastal mountains being the most difficult to work on.
The Great Ocean Road starts at Anglesea and travels 244 kilometres westward to finish at Allansford near Warrnambool, the largest city along the road. The road is two lane (one in each direction),
The soldiers were paid 10 shillings and sixpence for eight hours per day, also working a half-day on Saturdays. They used tents for accommodation throughout, and made use of a communal dining marquee and kitchen; food costing up to 10 shillings a week. Despite the difficulty involved in constructing the road, the workers had access to a piano, gramophone, games, newspapers and magazines at the camps. Additionally, in 1924,the steamboat Casino became stranded near Cape Patton after hitting a reef, forcing it to jettison 500 barrels of beer and 120 cases of spirits. The workers obtained the cargo, resulting in an unscheduled two-week-long drinking break.
Below, the beautiful town of Lorne looks across Bass Straight toward Tasmania. Of course, Jim, born on the cusp of Aquarius and Pisces must go down to the sea and touch the water.
Bob and I ordered the kangaroo steak and found it is quite tender. A little bird also came for lunch.
All along the coast with lots of lookout places, there were many signs warning American drivers to be careful. We drove west, turning inland at the Kennet River.
Now we were on our quest to see the elusive koala bear. The first signs are eucalyptus trees completely bare of their leaves due to the consumption of the koala bears. As we came across trees with leaves still intact, we finally spotted six munching along the branches.
We drove through a beautiful rain forest in the rain! I was enjoying seeing Australian tree ferns in their natural habitat. I loved the ones I had in the front yard of our house on Carter in Sierra Madre. California.
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Geelong to Sydney
All too soon our Anglesea visit was over and it was goodbye to Rose and Ross and also Number One son Jim who was staying a while longer in Australia. We packed up our bags, and headed for the Geelong Airport , stopping for lunch at the Ocean Corner Cafe. Besides the big ocean mural behind Ross and Jim, this cafe had the most interesting water saving toilet. When you wash your hands in the sink over the toilet tank, the used water goes into the toilet tank. How ingenious is that?
Ice cream time
at the Koala Cove Cafe.
A little girl was doing her homework assignment about recycling.
The ice cream tided us over until Rose's marvelous lamb dinner. It seemed like Rose was always in the kitchen preparing something delicious morning, noon and night!
I finally got a picture of sheep on the way to the Geelong Airport.
Below, Bob says goodbye to a Geelong sweetie.
Jet Star, our eighth airline on this trip around the world, flew us back to a sunset-lit Sydney. Below, acres of solar panels along the coast.
Sun is setting on Sydney Harbor as we come in for a landing. Bridge and the Opera House on the left. Now it is plain to see why ferries are needed to get around in this big city of many islands..
A night in the Airport Hotel with a 4:00 am wakeup call got us to our flight to Korea, one of two flights it will take to get us to the States (21+ hours).
Taking off in the early morning, I saw our plane reflected on a sunspot (?) out my window. I used the picture on the right for the "footer" at the bottom of my website.
Homeward Bound
Sydney to Korea. Korea to Los Angeles, and a 24 hour layover. Thank Goodness!
Korean Air serves plenty of food and all the wine, beer you wish. The stewardess gave me instructions on how to eat Korean bibimbap. I should have drunk more wine to knock me out. No way can one sleep on coach class.
My cousin Jean in California had dinner ready for us and a much needed bed for our 24 hour respite. Bless the bed for a good night's sleep. We enjoyed breakfast with her son Chris and my No. 2 son Jon and Ken who drove us to L.A.X. for our last leg.
Four hours in the air on Delta completed our 48-day circumnavigation of the globe and into the loving arms of daughter-in-law Jessie and my No. 5 son, Tony on camera.
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MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
by two senior citizens 86 and 87 years young.