Leaving is never easy; especially leaving your eight week old grandson who now focuses on you, listens to what you say and melts your heart with his little smiles. Did I mention he’s adorable???
Adelaide has inveigled her way into my heart too, during our time here. It’s such an easy city to live in and to get around and from where we stayed, it was a 10 minute drive to the beach and boardwalks, 15 minute tram ride into the city, 30 minutes to the wineries of McLarenvale and the Adelaide Hills and an hour to the Barossa Valley.
The city and leafy suburbs had everything we needed and would cover the spectrum on any shopper’s list. Parks, cafes and restaurants abound. The Pacific coastline and beaches are pristine and beautiful. It would take hours to do all the boardwalks.
North Terrace gave us all the culture we needed, boasting an international art gallery, museum of Australia, the National Library, botanic gardens, Government House and we even did a brief tour of the South Australia Parliament. Hallett Cove is a landmark to also see with its millions of years old rock formation and strata.
Australians everywhere seem a friendly bunch. I had to smile to myself as I passed a street workman, sauntering back to the job with his morning tea in hand - a pie and a bottle of Coke. His response to my greeting of ‘morning’ was a beaming ‘G’day. How are ya, love. Alright?’ Typical, good-humoured Aussie.
The abbreviated or exaggerated names of everyone and everything has made us laugh out loud — Deano, San, Sar, Si, Meg, Daz, Ali, Nicko, Tomo. A schnitzel is called a Schnitty, chicken parmigiana is a Parmi - to name a few! We’ve been lucky to have only had a few intense, one-off hot days and not an actual heatwave but sadly, experienced the fear and sadness of an Adelaide bush fire. The smoke filled the city, animals died and homes and buildings lost.
My affection for Adelaide has also grown because of the open arms of the Lord family, which gathered Steve and me in and made us part of theirs. Always an invitation to this and that and even going on the annual family few days away. This year it was to beautiful Normanville. To say we have been lucky is an understatement.
Thank you so much Dean and Sandra, Darren, Tom, Nick and Meagan, Simon and Sarah and of course, our son, Cam and Alexandra, mother of our darling little Rex. It’s been the best time.
I’ve met up with online book club members from WLM (We Love Memoirs) several times and it’s like we’ve known each other forever. Thank you Sandra, Letitia and Kate. We had fun.
Thanks too, to Margaret for the wine get togethers and mini tour of Adelaide city. Great to see you again.
🎶 We’ll meet again, don’t know where, don’t know when. But I know we’ll meet again some sunny day. 🎶
Flying over the gorgeous Adelaide Coastline - stunning beach all the way.
At Karrawatta vineyard in the Adelaide Hills for a platter and bottle of their delicious wines.
In the vines at Karrawatta
The beautiful old library at the National Library in North Terrace.
The library again
This changed colour, depending whether you looked at it from the right, the left, or centre
This was a bit weird. A web with arms and legs caught in the base. Something about life catching up with us???
I found this fascinating but others were horrified by it. Made out of stainless steel and bronze screws.
Not sure about this chap ... but was pretty intriguing.
Outside the front of the Art Gallery on North Street.
A stunning pumpkin
16th centuary Samuri outfit.
Here it is, looking from the right.
Our sweet little grandson, listening to his mummy talk.
Drunk as a skunk ... on milk!
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