Good old Adelaide

Adelaide.  And we have been here a week.  The older one gets, the faster time goes, or so it seems.  But we are having a great time.   

Walter enjoyed eating a giant beef schnitzel in a pub in Penola.  Unfortunately the downfall of being in Australia is that one eats too much.  The food here is generally just too delicious and portion sizes in pubs are too large.   I ordered a plate of salt and pepper squid last Friday and received a huge pile of squid with chips underneath the squid.  Our stomachs are starting to expand already.

On the way from Point Lonsdale, Victoria, we drove along an inland route, around Colac, and into South Australia.  A very pleasant drive in cool weather.

We stayed in a comfortable motel in Penola, just over the South Australian border.  A pleasant small country town.  It is also the home town of St Mary of the Cross Mackillop, who helped found the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart (the Josephites).  They established schools and welfare institutions throughout Australia, with an emphasis on education of the poor.

Penola is also on the edge of the Coonawarra wine area, which we travelled through on our journey to Adelaide.

There were Father Christmas figures everywhere; waving from old vans, sitting on hay bales, hugging letter boxes, etc.  Yes it was a competition.  Namely the annual Coonawarra stuffed Santa competition.  Good old Google provided the answer to my question.

Santa bursting through the wall in Penola.

There was also an abundance of hay bale sculptures in one of the south eastern towns. Another competition?  When I searched Google, it came up with plenty of hay bale sculptures, in Victoria and South Australia, including an interesting sculpture of a cow and a bull together.  It was burnt down by some vandals.  The sculpture and the burning of it caused quite an uproar apparently.  It would appear that interesting events take place in these quiet country places.

The Santa figure at the front of a Coonawarra winery, enjoying a bottle of wine as he watches television.

Well looked after rows of grape vines.

Finally we arrived at the small town of Keith, which is on the main Melbourne to Adelaide highway.  Keith is very much a small country town, blink and one will miss it.

The one and only cafe, I think.  But the coffee was very good, thank goodness.  We sat and watched the people walk by, about three I think.  Everyone smiled and said good morning.  People are very friendly in country towns.

We arrived in Adelaide a week ago and so good to see our family again.   We spent two days frantically catching up on news and Christmas sbopping and then it was time to relax a little.

A selfie photo on Largs Bay jetty,  with Lucy, Donna and Walter

A delicious lunch at Largs Bay hotel, which is where I ordered the huge plate of salt and pepper squid, my favourite dish.  However, I think my craving for squid was more than satisfied and I will not be ordering this dish for a while now.

Patrick works for the chain of hotels that own Largs Bay hotel so he was able to take a lunch break and join us for a  hour.  He is currently doing some maintenance work at this hotel, and what a beautiful place to work in, plus the glorious views of the sea and beach, which he can enjoy as he is working.

Coffee time, in Darren's back garden, in glorious weather.

Glenelg beach.  A perfect beach scene, except that there was a chilly wind.  Not seen in this photograph of course.

The picturesque and tropical looking Moseley Square, Glenelg.

Scott has sold his car and bought a brand new Honda CBR 500, which is very exciting for Scott but not for any non motorbike people in the family.  I must admit it is a very good looking bike.

Walter and I have been trying to go for a nightly walk along the cliff tops at Aldinga Beach.  As well as being a picturesque walk, we hope to walk off some of the lovely food we have been eating during the day.

The view across the sea last night.  Very cloudy and a chilly wind.

A fleece jacket was definitely needed.

There is a new fitness area beside the clifftop path.  Walter tried out a few of the exercises displayed on the boards.   He was very careful of course, as he did not want to spend the rest of his time here recovering from an injury.

The new toilet block, looks very impressive.  This toilet block is badly needed as it is opposite a takeaway shop, and people often eat their food while sitting at the adjacent picnic tables.

We were also very happy to be here when Jay and Jespa brought their school reports home and both are to be congratulated on their efforts this year.  Fantastic reports.

Also Lucy received her Year 12 SACE results yesterday, with credits for all subjects so it will be off to university next year.  Another teacher in the family.  A tremendous achievement, especially after moving to another country two years ago, which included a new school and education system as well.  Congratulations, Lucy.

And now we have Christmas in a few days, with an accompanying heat wave.  After two weeks of mild, sunny weather, which included a few chilly days, the temperature is expected to rise dramatically.  A heatwave is expected for the Christmas period with temperatures of 40 degrees.   Thank goodness we planned a cold buffet.   No turkey roast with accompanying hot vegetables and gravy, followed by Christmas pudding, for us this year.