London

Posted on February 2, 2016 by kathy

Our British adventure began with a few days in London. Neither of us had been for many years and we couldn’t resist seeing the postcard sights. The best view had to be from the London Eye.

1.London Eye

Opened in the year 2000, it is Europe’s tallest Ferris wheel at 135 metres. One revolution takes about 30 minutes, travelling at a rate of 0.9km/hr. This allows enough time to get on and off without stopping and do a quick sweep for explosives in between.

2.The Eye

The 32 pods each hold 25 people. I’m pleased to say we only had 8 in ours.

3.The Eye

Before long, the iconic landmarks came into view. St. Paul’s Cathedral and Waterloo Bridge.

Charing Cross Station with Embankment Place shopping complex above and Hungerford Bridge, often called Charing Cross Bridge.

A little higher

8.The Eye

and we could see across the 23 hectare St. James’s Park

9.St James's Park

to Buckingham Palace.

10.Palace

From the top

11.The Eye

it was a long way down

12.The Eye

and we were awed by the dimensions of the Palace of Westminster, otherwise known as the Houses of Parliament.

13.Parliament

As we descended, we had a close look at the intricate architecture of County Hall and a glimpse along the Thames to Westminster and Lambeth Bridges.

After lunch and a beer on Southbank we embarked on a Thames River Cruise. On the way we had a different view of County Hall and a closer look at Big Ben.

The Houses of Parliament were just as impressive from the water.

19.Houses of Parliament

The Tate Modern was not an attractive building, it looked like the power station it used to be.

20.Tate Modern

Hay’s Wharf was a trading wharf from the middle ages until 1969. The Wharf and Galleria now house offices, restaurants, shops and flats.

The glass facade of City Hall contrasts sharply with HMS Belfast, moored nearby and now owned by the Imperial War Museum.

Tower Bridge blends with the hue of the river and sky.

25.Tower Bridge

The Tower of London stands proud

27.tower

despite competition from The Gherkin.

28.Tower & Gherkin

The 40 storey commercial skyscraper in the financial district has dominated the skyline since 2004.

29.Gherkin

We walked the scenic route back to our hotel, past the Horse Guards Parade,

up The Mall, through Admiralty Arch

32.Admiralty Arch

to Trafalgar Square. Nelson oversees the hustle & bustle from his Column, keeping watch on The National Gallery.

Piccadilly Circus concluded our sightseeing.

35.Piccadilly Circus

I think we did well for one day!

Hartzview Vineyard

Posted on January 29, 2016 by kathy

When my sister was here on holiday, we ventured on a girl’s road trip to Strahan and Hobart. Having sampled the produce of Hartzview Vineyard at Salamanca Market, we realised an expedition further south was in order. The complimentary lunchtime dessert voucher was added incentive. On a gorgeous overcast, drizzly day and after a few diversions along the way, we arrived at Hartzview in time for lunch.

1.Hartview

Hartz peak was shrouded in mist.

2.vineyard

The shop was filled with tempting produce, some of which came home with us.

The views through the stained glass windows of the tasting room were lush and peaceful.

There was no need to reserve a table

9.dining room

and the meals were superb.

Did I mention the free dessert?

12.lunch3

After lunch, we explored the Heritage listed fruit pickers’ huts.

13.huts1 14.huts2

The seven restored huts, dating from 1934 and 1943, were used by seasonal fruit pickers who came to pick berries from December to March.

15.hut1

Whole families would live in a hut, sleeping up to eight people.

20.hut2

During the Second World War, Italian prisoners of war worked as fruit pickers and farmhands and were housed in these huts. 25.hut3 24.hut2-4

This unexpected journey into the past, coupled with a wonderful lunch in a beautiful location, made for a very memorable day.

26.final

Caddo Lake

Posted on January 22, 2016 by kathy

While staying with Michael’s brother and sister-in-law in Texas, we were taken to Caddo Lake, the largest freshwater lake in southern U.S.A. Half in Texas and half in Louisiana, the 26,800 acre lake was once home to the Caddo Indians. The land was bought by the Government in 1835 and within a year all were moved out.

There are a number of theories as to how the town of Uncertain, on the shore of Caddo Lake, got its name. We lunched at Uncertain General Store & Grill, their specialty being catfish, along with other tasty offerings.

1b.Uncertain

I chose the safety of a bowl of fries but Michael had no trouble tucking into a mug of refried beans.

1c.Uncertain

After lunch, we boarded the Graceful Ghost, a replica 1800s steamboat, for a leisurely paddle around the lake.

1.Caddo Lake 1a.Graceful Ghost

The wood-burning paddlewheel steamboat hypnotised us with rhythmic harmonies as we skimmed along Big Cypress Bayou.

2.Caddo Lake 3.Caddo Lake 5.Caddo Lake 6.Caddo Lake

The majestic cypress trees, draped in Spanish moss, were surreal and eerie.

4.Caddo Lake 7.Caddo Lake

The egrets were magnificent

8.egret

and the occasional beaver nest broke the surface.

9.beaver nest

This hitchhiker was enjoying the sunshine.

12.Caddo Lake

The Tea Rooms could do with some renovation

13.Caddo Lake 14.Caddo Lake

and if you don’t want to dine there, you can always catch your own.

15.Caddo Lake

Our Caddo Lake experience was enchanting

10.Caddo Lake 11.Caddo Lake 16.Caddo Lake

and the tempo of the Graceful Ghost inspired Michael to create a musical composition.

17.Caddo Lake

This is where you can listen to “The Graceful Ghost” https://michaelcannon.bandcamp.com/track/the-graceful-ghost

remarkable river

Posted on December 15, 2015 by kathy

I was going to start this post with the story of our amazing seaplane flight up the Gordon River from Strahan but, I’m sad to say, I’ve just found out Strahan Seaplanes have closed their doors due to family health issues. Hopefully, their situation will change and they will resume their wonderful service.

The other way to experience the river is the Gordon River Cruise. Departing Strahan early morning, the clouds were ominous as we crossed Macquarie Harbour, six times the size of Sydney Harbour.

1.macquarie harbour

The lifesaving apparatus was reassuring.

The reflections in the calm waters of the river were stunning, the wake of the boat hardly disturbing the surface.

4.reflections1 5.reflections2 6.reflections3 7.reflections4 8.reflections5

Looking back downstream, the remoteness was realised.

9.downstream1 10.downstream2 11.downstream3 12.downstream4 Later in the morning, we disembarked at Heritage Landing and walked through part of the largest tract of temperate rainforest surviving on earth.

13.rainforest landing

The return journey started with a delicious lunch, sipping on a beverage as we enjoyed the wonderful scenery.

19.island

The next destination was Sarah Island. A penal colony from 1822-1833, the ruins of some of the buildings still stand. The guided tours are apparently very entertaining, we opted to explore the island in our own way.

20.boat at S island

The views from the island highlight the rugged isolation

34.sarah island14 35.view from SI1 36.view from SI2

emphasised further as we meandered back to Strahan.

37.view from SI3 38.mountains1 39.mountains2

If not for the efforts of conservationists and public opinion in the early 1980s, much of this area would be underwater if the Franklin Dam had eventuated.

Strahan serenity

Posted on December 4, 2015 by kathy

Strahan is a small town located on the beautiful Macquarie Harbour on Tasmania’s west coast. Rich in convict history, it is the gateway to World Heritage Wilderness. It is one of those special places where you immediately feel relaxed with the gorgeous harbour and buildings oozing historic charm.

1.town1 2.town2 42.Risby cove