Minggu, 31 Januari 2010

WILLIAMSTOWN

It's a ritual really - Sunday morning I get home from my ride and we wander off for brunch somewhere in Melbourne. This week it was Williamstown.


From the Williamstown website.
"In November, 1835 Captain Robson Coltish, master of barque NORVAL sailed from Launceston, then ventured over the waters of Bass Strait with a cargo of 500 sheep and 50 Hereford cattle which had been consigned to these virgin shores by Dr. Alexander Thomas. After reaching the coastline of Port Phillip, Captain Robson chose the area we now know as Port Gellibrand, as a suitable place to unload his cargo. Within weeks of the first consignment, a stream of vessels began making their way across Bass Strait. "


Before the Westgate bridge was built, Williamstown wasn't as accessible from the eastern suburbs where we live. The bridge was being built in 1970 but was delayed by a disaster when a span of the bridge collapsed into the murky waters below. The link below is from the ABC news.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UR8eYevYcg8
I remember the day as a young lad of 20 and my future brother inlaw John worked at BP and was located in Newport just up from Williamstown. He heard the sound of the bridge span collapsing.
The suburb today is still a little bit of a backwater due to its location to us easterners, but definately worth the visit.
After a short walk up Nelson Place we decided to have brunch at Breizoz, a French Creperie. It's located in an old bank building. It brought some memories back on our trips to France as we have always enjoyed our crepes and galettes.

I think the best that we have ever had was in the small village of Mirabeau, up the road from Poitier on our way to Chinon in the Loire. We went to a local bar inquiring if a meal was available as it was around 1.00 pm but were told that there was a creperie around the corner. We were asked where we were from and saying Australia, one of the patrons said he had spent time in Brisbane. Anyway, I digress. The Madam behind the bar said,"follow me." Who are we to argue? I love a dominant woman.
She took us behind a small church and around a winding street to this small entrance and said this was where we could have an enjoyable lunch.
After stepping across a sleeping female boxer, dog that is, we entered the establishment and were ushered to the most peaceful courtyard where we had the never to be equalled to date galettes.
The guard dog of our Mirabeau Creperie on the way to Chinon. Doesn't she look vicious?????

Ooops. I'm digressing again, this is about Williamstown isn't it?

Anyway, the chef is from Brittany, Jean-Marie Blanchot and his partner Catherine Ryan create a lovely ambience within the building. I had a cider with my Mushroom Galette and Sue had a miguez sausage and tomato Galette. Read more on their website.
The old bank building that is now the Creperie.

Being a bit of a backwater, many of the buildings have been preserved and several hotels, and there were many in it's heyday, have been transformed into eating houses. After our brunch we took a quiet drive around the backstreets of Williamstown and were rewarded with sights of the old ship building yards and some grand homes of the ship captains of the past.

Part of the street scene of Nelson Place

This weekend starting from Friday night has been a bit of cooking frenzy for Sue, so I expect we will have a few mid-week blogs for you. I am a lucky man.
You might like to check out Williamstown further by following the link below.

Looking across from Williamstown, Melbourne glimmers through the morning heat of 30+ degrees

This fountain was erected by a local tee-totaller Reverend for the weary seafearing traveller, although I suspect that most went to the many hotels that were in abundance during these times.

Hope your weekend was as enjoyable as ours.

GRAFFITI BUCHSTABEN "Letter N,O,P"

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ALPHABET GRAFFITI : LETTER N,O,P

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Sabtu, 30 Januari 2010

GRAFFITI BUCHSTABEN "Letter L,M"

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Jumat, 29 Januari 2010

GRAFFITI BUCHSTABEN "Letter K"

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Kamis, 28 Januari 2010

Yep! Its FUNKY FRIDAY again

Why does time pass so quickly - Funky Friday arrives without warning to put me under stress for a post.
This week's Funky Friday is as much about the people who produced this creative mosaic within their timber decking. Denise and Darren are friends who are more than a decade younger than us and I class them as Funky.
These mosaics say something about Denise's amazing talents - she designed this and then has cut and adhered the tiles to give this amazing effect.



Oh well, I have another seven days to find a Funky Friday.

GRAFFITI BUCHSTABEN "Letter H,I,J"

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Rabu, 27 Januari 2010

Adelaide Photos

Just a few more photos from my week in Adelaide.
Some architecture and a little bit of whimsy..................

I just love windows, verandas and walls.


These scenes are from the city centre where many of the early buildings have been preserved or restored.




I Just had to have a photo in the jaws of the shark. This house was littered with many weird items from the sea.

The Cooper's Pub where each ride finished here with a pint or two before dinner - note the unusual cooling fan at the top of the picture.


Not sure what this really means but the poor fellow didn't have much of a view.

Devilish Alphabet Graffiti : Letter A-Z

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ALPHABET GRAFFITI : LETTER A-Z

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Devilish Alphabet Graffiti : Letter A-Z

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GRAFFITI BUCHSTABEN "Letter F-G"

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GRAFFITI BUCHSTABEN "Letter F-G"

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Selasa, 26 Januari 2010

GRAFFITI BUCHSTABEN "Letter C,D,E"

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GRAFFITI BUCHSTABEN "Letter C,D,E"

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BLACK CREATIVE ALPHABET GRAFFITI : LETTER A-Z

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Senin, 25 Januari 2010

Adelaide & the Tour Down Under

Primarily I we went to Adelaide to enjoy the atmosphere of the “Tour Down Under”. Its like a mini Tour de France but held over only one week. Many of the international cycling professionals come to the TdU in Adelaide as the beginning of their season. This year Lance Armstrong from the US returned. Our own World Road Champion, Cadel Evans joined the list of stars. Adelaide is 750 km from Melbourne and an easy shared drive of approximately ten hours.

Below: Adelaide, like Melbourne has its markets - This is the facade of the fruit and veggie market.



This stall specialises in the lean kangaroo meat.


But Adelaide is more than a one week bike race. For me it was an excuse to return to one of my favorite Australian cities. With a population of approximately 1.1 million, it is listed in the top 10 of most livable cities and I can’t help but agree. Set out on a grid pattern, Adelaide was founded in 1836 and one of the few cities colonized by free settlers. Other cities such as Hobart and Sydney were colonized by mostly a population of convicts from the UK.


Architecture in Adelaide varies with examples of modern within the city yet it retains its heritage with an enormous amount of buildings from the 1800s.
The fountain above recognises the indiginous tribes that walked the hills, plains and beaches of Adelaide before white settlement in 1836. They were known as the Kaurna tribe.

The city is surrounded by the Adelaide Hills on one side which contain some beautiful villages and vineyards that produce some of Australia’s best wines. While following the TdU, we cycled through the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and the Clare Valley. The hills offered some tough climbing but also some exhilarating downhill experiences. Each ride took us to a morning coffee stop and a lunch time stop while viewing the professional cyclists at different points of their route. Racing in temperatures from high 20s to high 30s, they were assured of some tough conditions in the hills. Many of the Europeans will go home with a suntan for their spring racing season.




Tanundra is a normally a sleepy villages and home to many of the Barossa wines of Australia - that is until the Tour Down Under comes to town. The locals dress up and show off their village to the many spectators from all corners of the world.



Adelaide has a calm and relaxed feeling about it that many say is a little slow. Their peak hour traffic is probably only 30 minutes and both the beach and the hills are no more than a half hour drive from most points from the city centre.





Three times green jersey Tour de France winner, Robbie McEwan leans across to World Champion Cadel Evans to share a laugh - we were so close that you could hear the conversations between the riders.

The beaches are situated on the shores of the St Vincent’s Gulf and as one looks out across the waters, it’s possible to see dolphins frolicking and the occasional whale passing by. One of our rides took us down to Glenelg and Henley, then along the coast to Semaphore for an eggs and bacon breakfast. These coastal suburbs were originally the beachside holiday resorts of the wealthy of Adelaide and consequently there are many grand homes overlooking the Gulf. Many have now been turned into apartments or guest houses.





Glenelg was one of our favorite riding destinations for a morning coffee. The monument above marks the landing place of the first white settlers to Adelaide.



Adelaide has a small population of German and Italian settlers from the early years and this is partly where the wine growing industry grew from. After our rides we would congregate at our favorite eating spots in the city. Bocelli’s and Alphonso’s, both originating from the Italian heritage of Adelaide.



Under the shade of this spreading tree, we enjoyed a breakfast before moving on to the start of another TdU stage. The owner had travelled to France several times and had created an atmosphere of a rural village cafe. The garden even had sunflowers and lavender, a touch of Provence.


Up in the hills we climbed to the villages of Tanundra in the Barossa and Handorf on the entry to Adelaide from Melbourne. Handorf is an early German settlement which hosted one of the tour stages and they made the most of their heritage with the locals being dressed in the clothes of the ancestor’s period.

Tanundra also hosted a stage finish. While on our ride to see the this stage, we passed many of the well known Australian vineyards including, Wolf Blass, Grant Burge and the TdU’s past sponsor, Jacob’s Creek are all in the area. Last year Sue and I travelled through Burgundy and the village of Chablis. Other than the Gum trees, the ride brought back many pleasant memories.

As much as I enjoyed the cycling and the TdU, Adelaide deserves more of my time as a tourist as it has so much to offer. Maybe later in the year we will return to do just that.


Having said that, Sue and I have only eight weeks before we find ourselves back in France.

GRAFFITI BUCHSTABEN "Letter A - B"

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Sugared Alphabet Graffiti Stickers : Letter A-Z

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Sugared Alphabet Graffiti Stickers : Letter A-Z

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Minggu, 24 Januari 2010

Paper Alphabet Graffiti "Letter"

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Paper Alphabet Graffiti "Letter"

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GRAFFITI BUCHSTABEN Letter Symbols - Verzierungen von Balkenenden

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Sabtu, 23 Januari 2010

GRAFFITI BUCHSTABEN VON "Letter A-Z"

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Best Color Alphabet Graffiti : Letter A Z

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Jumat, 22 Januari 2010

Red Black - GRAFFITI BUCHSTABEN "im Kunstunterricht"

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Still in Adelaide



Unfortunately I have had limited internet access but more to the point, having a great time in Adelaide. It's a beautiful city with a lifestyle pace to my liking.
Great architecture, marvelous eating places and the best bike riding scenery apart from home.
More news and pictures when I return Monday.

Graffiti Alphabet : ALFABETO DE KP " Letter A-Z"

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Graffiti Alphabet : ALFABETO DE KP " Letter A-Z"

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Kamis, 21 Januari 2010

Alphabet Graffiti : Letter A-Z "Company"

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Alphabet Graffiti : Letter A-Z "Company"

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Rabu, 20 Januari 2010

Banksy Graffiti Art "Kid with Syringe"

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Banksy Graffiti Art "Kid with Syringe"

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