Meelup

Posted on March 3, 2017 by kathy

Our first morning at Dunsborough was overcast as we set off to discover the beautiful coastline of Geographe Bay. Nature has painted the rocks with her wondrous palette,

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a stunning contrast to the calm waters.

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Nestled in the next bay is Meelup Beach, a perfect swimming beach, sheltered from wind and waves with crystal clear water. Meelup means “Place of the Moon Rising” and is one of the few beaches in Western Australia where you can see the moon rising over the ocean.

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There is a phenomenon called “Staircase to the Moon” when, during summer, the silvery light of a full moon rising is reflected in the ripples of the water all the way to the horizon. I would love to witness that, it seems a return trip is in order.

Montepulciano

Posted on February 28, 2017 by kathy

It was after siesta before we reached Montepulciano, another town I had longed to visit. Renowned for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a red wine produced in the surrounding vineyards, it is also a major producer of cheese, pork, lentils and honey. Entering at Porta al Prato,

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it wasn’t long before the magic of this ancient town revealed itself.

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The 16^th century Palazzo Avignonesi has a handsome smiling lions head either side of the entrance.

The intricate façade of Palazzo Bucelli is made up of sculptures, added in the early 1700s. Etruscan tombstone fragments, funerary urns and frieze plaques combine to create a magnificent feature.

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Chiesa di Sant’ Agostino was built in 1285AD and was completely renovated in the 15^th century.

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Above the imposing doorway is a beautiful carved portal featuring the Virgin and Child flanked by St. John and St. Augustine.

The shops were enticing

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and the sight of a bus traversing the narrow streets seemed out of place.

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We explored as much as we could in the time we had

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and our final discovery was the oldest shop in Montepulciano.

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It was superbly rustic with fabulous leather goods beckoning from every nook.

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The clock had beaten us and after a last gelati indugence, we made our way back to Il Castagno.

Aonach Mor

Posted on February 21, 2017 by kathy

After a wander along the main street of Fort William, we drove to Aonach Mor to experience the Nevis Range. The 2.3km gondola ride up the north face of the mountain was exhilarating.

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650 metres up, the ski lifts were still slumbering

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but the light snow gave a hint of things to come.

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The heavy cloud promised more snowfalls and the shafts of sunlight painted beautiful hues through the Great Glen.

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We enjoyed a hot chocolate to warm up at the café and, fortunately, it was after 12 o’clock so we added a Drambuie chaser to fortify us for the trip down the mountain.

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The cloud had lifted a little and the scenery was spectacular. The Great Glen follows a 100km geological fault from Inverness to Fort William, bisecting the Scottish Highlands into the Grampian Mountains to the southeast and the Northwest Highlands.

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We returned to terra firma and continued on our northward journey.

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Toby’s Inlet

Posted on February 17, 2017 by kathy

The day after arriving in Perth we were whisked away to Dunsborough, our base to explore the Margaret River Region. The house of a friend of our friends was the perfect base for day trips.

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The front door was guarded by the most beautiful moss covered dog I have ever seen.

The garden hugged the banks of Toby’s Inlet,

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a small estuary that offered some magnificent morning reflections.

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The pontoon was a convenient perch for the gulls

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to observe the downstream drift of the pelicans

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who were sometimes accompanied by an entourage of ducks.

The home was a wonderful, peaceful place to return to each day after our explorations.

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Montalcino

Posted on February 14, 2017 by kathy

Montalcino is another gorgeous hill town in Tuscany, not far from Sant’ Antimo Abbey. Dating back to 814 AD, the town is renowned for its precious Brunello red wine. After parking the car, my first image was this beautiful bell tower.

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