Entering Sydney

My brother had come to stay the night with us at the University House because we would be leaving for Sydney the following day. Thankfully, I had my earplugs with me. On the morning of the 11th of December, everyone got dressed & packed up their suitcases. Before we carried them down 4 flights of stairs, we had our last buffet breakfast at The Fellows Bar & Café. As always, the food & drinks were delicious. After all of our suitcases were on the ground floor, we checked our email in the computer room while waiting for the taxi to take us to the bus terminal. The ride to the bus terminal was uneventful except for when the taxi driver jokingly suggested that we were moving to Australia because of the amount of suitcases we were carrying.

While my parents & older brother waited for their bus to Sydney, I took a bus to the airport to catch my flight to Sydney. During the planning stages of the vacation, my parents had bought me a Virgin Blue Air Pass that offers 3 cheap flights anywhere in Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, and Southern Asia. At this point in the trip, I was the only one in the family who hadn’t used up their Air Pass meaning I had the luxury of taking a one hour flight to Sydney while the rest of the family labored on a 3 hour bus ride. Lucky me.

Since I arrived early at the airport terminal I had to wait some time before I could check in and drop off my suitcase. Getting through security wasn’t a problem considering that this was the umpteenth time I was doing the same screening procedure. After another 90 minutes of waiting, I boarded the plane and it took off into the clear blue sky, heading towards the largest city in Australia.

Sydney was Australia’s first European settlement, established as a penal colony in 1788 by Arthur Phillip, commodore of the First British Fleet. Before the arrival of the Europeans in 1770, indigenous Australians had lived in the area for 30,000 years. The indigenous tribes resisted early European settlement due to the highly contagious diseases (ie. smallpox) that Europeans brought with them, which led to the deaths of thousands of Aborigines. Nevertheless, the settlement grew during the 1800s, officially becoming a city in 1842, and seeing a spike in population during the 1850s Gold Rushes. By the early 20th century, the population was well over 1 million people and today, is around 4.5 million, spread across 12,144 square kilometers of land. The city has also been the host of the 1938 British Empire Games, the 2000 Summer Olympics, and the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

The plane safely touched down at the Sydney Airport and parked at the domestic terminal. The international terminal is located on the other side of the airfield. After picking up my suitcase, I hopped on the subway to the city centre. Tickets cost about $14 AUD. While travelling theCityRail train to the Museum station, memories of my previous visit came flooding back in my mind. After stepping off the train, I walked only a short distance to the hotel where my family would be staying. The Hyde Park Inn is a 4 star hotel located on Elizabeth Street, just steps away from the ANZAC War Memorial. I waited in the hotel’s lobby for about 15 minutes before my family showed up. Our room was on the 12th floor, with 3 beds, small kitchen, tv, closet, washroom, and balcony. We had a clear view of the war memorial and the sunbathers lying around it.

For dinner we dined at the Mazzaro Restaurant that just happened to be right next to the hotel. Mazzaro is a formal restaurant that specializes in contemporary Mediterranean cuisine so wear something nice. We were welcomed by a greeter who was also the owner. Judging from his character, I imagine that he watches the doors like a hawk and swoops in the second people walk in. Upon being seated, we were greeted by a waiter who handed out the menus & the wine list. You know when a restaurant is formal when most of the wines on the wine list can only be ordered by the bottle. Customers can choose between two courses, three courses, or an a la carte meal.

Unfortunately, I can’t remember that far back so I can’t specifically say what we ate and drank. What I do remember is that the food & wine were of good quality but the prices are expensive. I also remember a large group of people (possibly a business party) entering during the course of our meal and taking up a section of the restaurant across from us. They could have been quieter but I guess they were celebrating something big.

War & Play

The following day, my father & I travelled by bus to the Australian War Memorial. I didn’t have enough time to visit the place during my first visit to Canberra so it was a good suggestion on my dad’s part. The complex is the country’s national memorial to the members of all Australia’s armed forces who have participated and/or died in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia. The memorial opened in 1941 during the Second World War and is divided into 3 parts: the Commemorative Area (shrine) that includes the Hall of Memory & Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier; the Memorial's galleries (museum); and Research Centre (records).

The sun was shining brightly as my father & I walked across several lawns to get to the memorial. Before entering, we walked around the complex looking at several military armaments on display such as: artillery cannons, ship guns, and even a Centurion tank. The tank on display made me think that I should have gone tank driving in New Zealand first instead of tandem skydiving.

The military museum is divided into 10 large exhibitions: Colonial Conflicts, WWI, WWII, Conflicts 1945 to Today, The Dioramas, Hall of Valour, Aircraft Hall, ANZAC Hall, Discovery Zone (for children), and Over The Front. (I should really say 11 because the Gift Shop is sort of like an exhibition). You should set aside at least 3 hours to visit them all. You have to turn over any large backpacks as well as cameras before entering the museum so my father & I were unable to take any photographs of the exhibitions.

The Colonial Conflicts exhibition focuses on Australia’s early military history, from European settlement to the African Boer War. This leads into the WWI exhibition, focusing on Australia’s contributions in Gallipoli, Sinai-Palestine, and the Western Front. Here visitors can read original letters and view photographs and works of art by soldiers and war journalists. There is also a large 3D map of the Gallipoli Peninsula that shows where major battles between Allied & Turkish soldiers. But my favourites were the model dioramas that depicted WWI battles.

Following the museum map we walked to ANZAC Hall which contains the museum’s largest collection pieces such as a Lancaster Bomber & a Japanese midget submarine. These two collection pieces are used as backdrops in two separate sound & light shows. The Over The Front exhibition is also located here and tells the story of aerial combat during WWI. Before leaving ANZAC Hall, we grabbed a quick bite to each at The Landing Place Café.

The Aircraft Hall is exactly what it sounds like: various aircraft on display. But these are classic life size aircraft such as: Mosquito, Kittyhawk, P51 Mustang, Japanese Zero, MiG-15, and an Avro Anson. These aircraft appear a lot bigger in person than on TV.

From here, my father & I ventured into the WWII exhibition in the reverse order but that didn’t phase us. We already knew that the Allies had won the conflict. The gallery is divided into six areas: 1939, 1940-41, 1942, 1942-1944, 1943-44, & 1944-45. Here you’ll find many maps, photos, videos, letters, clothes, and captured Axis equipment (vehicles, weapons, and flags with swastikas).

Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to walk through the Conflicts 1945 to Today exhibition but we’ll do that the next time the family visits Canberra. The exhibition looks at the Korean War, Vietnam War, peacekeeping operations, the Persian Gulf Wars, and War in Afghanistan. You can also walk onto the bridge of the decommissioned HMAS Brisbane.

The upper level of the memorial contains the Hall of Memory, Roll of Honour, and a Reflection Pool. Taking a photograph of the entire upper level is a challenge because there are always people walking around. In fact, taking pictures of grand views from & around the War Memorial is a challenge if you don’t want tourists walking into the photo. You pretty much have to time it right. Overall, the Australian War Memorial is a first class place to visit & revisit.

In the evening, my brother was off with his friends celebrating the completion of their studies. As for my parents & I, we had bought the last tickets to the last performance of the famous Agatha Christie play, ‘And Then There Were None’ being put on by the Canberra Repertory Society. But before enjoying the theatre, we stopped into the Fellows Bar & Café for a drink. The place was surprisingly full of people but we were able to find a seat and order a pitcher of beer for about $10AUD and two fish & chips plates for several dollars more. After the delicious meal & drinks, we made our way to the theatre, watching rabbits run across campus lawns.

And Then There Were None is a detective novel by Agatha Christie where ten people, who have previously been complicit in the deaths of others but have escaped notice or punishment, are tricked into coming onto an island, where they’re mysteriously murdered one by one according to the old nursery rhyme ‘Ten Little Soldiers’. On stage, there were 10 small statues sitting on a shelf and when a character is killed, a statue disappears. Since you’re focused on the death scene, you don’t see the statue disappearing.

I had a clear view of the stage from where I was sitting and I noticed that every seat in the theatre was occupied. I found it ‘interesting’ that the audience laughed at each death scene rather than gasp in horror. Maybe they were so shocked that all they could do was laugh? Overall, the acting was well done and the deaths looked realistic but not gory. I was right about how the play would end but I won’t spoil it in this post. However, what I didn’t like was the fact that you had to buy the program. No theatre/musical production should make its customers buy the program booklet separately.

Graduation

And so the big day had finally arrived. One of the main reasons behind the entire Australian adventure was to witness my older brother graduating from law school with a Juris Doctor from the Australian National University. ANU was established in Canberra back in 1946 by the federal government for the purpose of conducting and promoting research in Australia. The university is divided into seven academic colleges and educates around 16,000 students every year (undergrad & postgrad).

For several days before December 9th, my brother was pretty jittery because he was anxiously awaiting the results of his final exams. When his results were released, he breathed a huge sigh of relief. It was a bright sunny day as we all made our way to the School of Music where the graduation ceremony would take place. Of course, my brother led the way, wearing his black & purple academic dress, the purple meaning that he was a law student. The area around the music building was packed with graduates & their visiting families taking photographs. There were several reception tents that were set up in the parking lot to serve champagne and small sandwiches after the ceremony. After taking plenty of photographs, my parents & I went to find our seats while my brother joined the other graduates from the College of Law, and the College of Medicine, Biology, & Environment.

The ceremony follows very precise proceedings and formal presentation. Even all the faculty processors and guest speakers wear traditional academic dress, conjuring up images of the 19th century in my mind. The ceremony mostly consisted of speeches and presentation of degrees to the graduates. It was only two hours long but it felt a little longer due to an annoying child behind us that wouldn’t keep quiet. Nevertheless I was able to film my brother receiving his degree in hand and noting that the speaker didn’t mispronounce his last name.

Making our way to the reception tents after the ceremony proved to be a slow task because of human congestion. Maybe the planners should have placed the tents a little further away from the main building? Anyway, everyone slowly shuffled in one direction, hoping to get a glass of champagne and several tasty treats. My parents & I were successful and we met up with my brother and congratulated him on a job well done. A live band played jazz music as we took several more pictures with our digital cameras and talked about the road ahead for my brother.

We continued our celebration at the fancy Charcoal Restaurant (est. 1962) on London Circuit Road, a short walk from the ANU campus. My brother kept his graduation attire on and I could sense that everyone in the restaurant had taken notice. At one point I thought the entire restaurant would erupt into applause but that did not happen. As we sat down at our reserved table, it became apparent that space was limited; all the tables are closely packed together. I was also surprised that the menu stated that each customer had to spend a minimum of $35AUD. However, upon further inspection of the menu, much of the meals were $30 & above.

Since this was a special occasion, we each ordered full course meals (dessert as well), and a bottle of wine to share. My brother stuck to Coke because he doesn’t drink alcohol. I have to say that Charcoal serves really good steaks and desserts so you should give this place a try if you’re visiting Canberra. It is a formal restaurant so you’ll have to wear business attire to enjoy its offerings. I only hope that in the near future, the owners will expand the floor space to accommodate more customers and rid the feeling of being cramped.

Celebrating Early

With my brother preoccupied with graduation preparations, my parents & I decided to explore some of Canberra’s many public venues. As previously mentioned in my New Zealand Blog, Canberra is a planned city of 345,000 people that was extensively built in the late 1800s to settle a long running dispute over whether Sydney or Melbourne should be the Australian capital. I prefer to call it a bureaucratic city because this is the centre of Australian politics & government administration. I should also note that Canberra was established as a European settlement back in the 1820s and continued to grow steadily over time.

Canada had a similar dispute between English Toronto & French Montreal over which one should be the permanent capital of Canada. In 1857, Queen Victoria was asked to settle the matter and she picked Ottawa, an unruly logging town in between Toronto & Montreal.

Much of Australia’s government institutions such as parliament, national archives, supreme courts, and bureaucratic departments are located in Canberra. Since it’s a planned city, the place is filled with grand boulevards, wide promenades, tall monuments, historic museums, galleries, and planted gardens. It reminds me of other planned cities such as Washington DC, Moscow, Pyongyang, & Brasilia.

Before venturing out to explore Canberra, my parents & I had morning breakfast at The Fellows Bar & Café, located next to the University House. The Fellows offers an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet that serves fruit, croissants, eggs, bacon, muffins, hash browns, coffee, tea, and many fruit juices. The quality of food is quite good so take advantage of it when you’re staying at UniHouse.

We began our day trip at the nearby National Film & Sound Archive. The NFSA was established in 1984 for the purpose of developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting, and providing access to a large collection of Australian audiovisual materials that span from the late 19th century to the present. One of the main attractions is the '100 years of Australian Film' gallery where visitors can interact with various displays that showcase excerpts from famous Australian films, television shows, and radio programs. Visitors can also enjoy the "best of Australian & world cinema in the Arc theatre," a state-of-the-art screening venue that can seat 250 people. Unfortunately, there weren't any movies being shown during our visit, so that will be for next time. It's quite an impressive collection to see so I would devote at least an hour when visiting: two hours if you've bought tickets to an Arc screening.

My parents & I took a bus to the National Portrait Gallery, located near the Old Parliament House. I had been to the Gallery before but only stepped in briefly to buy a snack from the café. As with all public art galleries, you have to turn in your knapsack & cameras first before gaining entry (free in this case). I was actually impressed with the exhibitions and the fact that there was an actually balance between space and product. In the past, I have often criticized many art galleries for having too many empty walls and not enough works. The two main travelling exhibitions were: Martin Schoeller – Close Up, and Jenny Sages – Paths to Portraiture. Martin Schoeller is photographer who’s pictures ‘explore the human identities of individuals accustomed & unaccustomed to the spotlight’. Jenny Sages’s exhibition explores the process of portrait making, displaying many rough sketches and the final portraits. The permanent exhibitions display many portraits of European aristocrats, explorers, and military leaders.

Before leaving we took a short break at the Portrait Gallery café, snacking on small sandwiches and drinks. The prices are a little expensive so be prepared. There’s also a gift shop if you want to buy souvenirs.

We continued exploring Australia’s art scene at the National Gallery of Australia which just happened to be right next to the Portrait Gallery. The NGA was established in 1967 and currently holds more than 120,000 works of art. These works of art are divided into many different categories such as: Asian, Australian, Indigenous, Pacific, European-American, sculptures, and costumes. There are galleries that feature contemporary, minimalist, and impressionist works but I should warn you that several of these ‘works’ are going to make you question why they were even purchased. The most questionable ‘work’ in my mind contained two large plain white coloured portraits, that’s it. That’s worse than The Voice of Fire.

Our stay at the National Gallery was cut short because we were meeting my brother at the Kremlin Bar to celebrate his upcoming graduation from law school at the Australian National University. As Arnold Schwarzenegger would say, “I’ll be back.” The Kremlin Bar is Canberra’s ‘unique Soviet era 5 star lounge-bar’ located on Northbourne Avenue. The bar’s aim is to ‘immerse its customers in the mysterious era of the Iron Curtain, propaganda, and sexy spies.’ The establishment accommodates 98 people and offers live music, DJ, and catering services. However, there wasn’t that much Soviet imagery as I was expecting. The establishment is decorated in red and the staff wear Soviet pins but that’s about it. On the plus side, there is a large abundance of Russian beer & vodka to order. The Avant Garde Bar back in Ottawa is much more realistic because the walls are covered by old Soviet propaganda posters, something the Kremlin Bar should look into getting.

My parents & I met up with my brother just outside the Kremlin Bar in the late afternoon. We went outside and found a place to sit in the lounge area. Since there weren’t that many people, we were able to spread out as we drank and talked about whatever. My brother was happy to have passed all of his final exams and that his application to graduate had been approved. He had spent much of the day making sure he had a graduation gown for tomorrow, his name was on the program, where photos would be taken, and where to assemble with all the other graduates. Overall, the Kremlin Bar is a friendly place to hang out with your comrades but needs more Soviet imagery or should I say ‘socialist realism’?

To Canberra . . . Eventually

As quickly as it started, our three night stay in Adelaide had come to an end. Time flies when you’re having fun I guess. The good news was that our flight to Canberra wasn’t until the afternoon meaning we still had the morning to explore more of the city. We packed everything up into our rental car and checked out of the Comfort Inn in the Glenelg neighbourhood. Overall, I give the place an ‘Okay’ rating. Our room could have been bigger and the price for wireless Internet was a bit expensive.

We decided to spend the morning exploring the Port Adelaide neighbourhood, located 15 kilometres to the north of Glenelg. On the way to the waterfront, we stopped at a shopping mall in Port Adelaide to have breakfast. Our original plan was to buy some snacks at the Woolworth’s grocery store but instead we found the Fast Break Cafe and ordered scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and coffee.

Prior to the arrival of the Europeans, the area was covered with swamps and mud flats. Port Adelaide was founded in early 1837 after being explored by Colonel William Light in 1836. In the 1840s, the place earned the name Port Misery because there was no fresh water supply, it was plagued by mosquitoes, was far from Adelaide, had a high risk of inundation, and it was difficult for large ships to dock there. But by the 1880s living & working conditions had improved significantly. When containerization was introduced in the 1960s, much of the local workforce was downsized. The neighbourhood went into steady decline over the next several decades and the effects can still be seen today.

During our walk through the neighbourhood we saw plenty of cars parked on the streets and tourists walking along the waterfront and taking pictures under the tall red lighthouse. However, looking more closely, we noticed that many businesses were closed for the day and several buildings were empty and boarded up. It reminded me of Vancouver’s downtown Eastside just not as severe. Thankfully, redevelopment plans are underway by many different organizations such as the National Trust of Australia and the Port Adelaide-Enfield Council. Plans include renovating the old Victorian buildings, promoting commercial & residential development, and advertising what the neighbourhood has to offer. If we had an extra day we probably would have visited several of the six museums in Port Adelaide (ie. National Railway Museum, Enfield Heritage Museum, & South Australian Heritage Museum).

On the way to the airport, we drove through the upper middle class neighbourhoods of Semaphore Park and Tennyson. Just think of big houses, Miami Beach, and palm trees. From what I’ve explored so far, Adelaide looks like a nice city to visit and to live in. I’ll have to come back some time because I haven’t fully explored the entire city.

Now air travel in 21st century is not like it was in the past. Back then it was a fascination and wonder, being able to fly high above the clouds and watch the earth move beneath you. Today the fascination is still there but only accessible after enduring the horrors of checking in your luggage, going through security, and waiting at the departure gate & on the plane before finally taking off. It’s like at the movie theatre where you’re forced to watch 10 minutes worth of previews before the feature presentation. But at least you don’t have to suffer immense delays like at the airport. My point is that in this age of travel, everyone has a ‘horror’ travel story to tell. And I have one to tell you.

The problem didn’t begin until after my family & I checked in our luggage and gone through security at the Adelaide Airport. While waiting at the departure gate, we spotted a massive storm cloud approaching from the east where the downtown core was located. In a matter of minutes, the cityscape disappeared behind the dark grey clouds and a wall of falling water. Lightning bolts sporadically struck the ground putting on a show for everyone to see. When the storm began passing next to the airport, we were informed that all flights would be delayed until the storm was gone. I passed the time staring out the window gazing at the lightning strikes, calculating how far away they were. The delay lasted over an hour because there were several storm cells passing through, and one decided to pass over the airport.

The next hiccup was the changing of our departure gate; thankfully the new gate wasn’t far away. After waiting some more, we finally boarded the Virgin Blue plane bound for Canberra. There was more waiting at the end of runway because the planes in the air had priority to land. When it was our turn to take off, the pilot aimed the plane down the runway but didn’t accelerate to full power. Instead he taxied the plane a few hundred metres before moving off the runway. Since a passing storm cell had prevented the takeoff, the captain had to move the plane off the runway to let several incoming flights land again. The passengers around me were not in the best of the moods. The captain was successful on the second try and the flight to Canberra passed without any trouble. I guess fate decided to have the last laugh because when the plane landed in Canberra, the captain informed us that he wasn’t allowed to park at the gate because the fire alarm at the new terminal had been activated. Thankfully, we only had to wait 5 minutes. Disembarking onto the tarmac brought some relief because you were greeted by a warm gentle breeze and a blue sky overhead.

For this portion of the trip, we didn’t have a rental car at our disposal, so we took a cab to our accommodation. I should note that there are security cameras & microphones in all Canberra taxis so be nice to the drivers. This was my second time visiting the Australian capital. The first time was back in January 2009. Our accommodation for the next several days would be the University House located on the Australian National University campus. My parents had stayed there before on a previous trip and held it in a high approval. The only downside was that our room was on the top floor and there was no elevator meaning we had to carry our heavy suitcases up four flights of stairs.

While walking around the University House during the evening, my father & I noticed a male possum eating leaves in a tree. I quickly ran to our room, grabbed my camera and came back and snapped several photos.

Hahndorf & The Barossa Valley

Since my family & I had such a good time sampling wines in McLaren Vale, we decided to continue our wine tasting experience in the Barossa Valley, a major wine producing area located 60 kilometres northeast of Adelaide. The name is taken from the Barossa Ranges, named by Colonel William Light in 1837. Today, the Barossa Valley population is around 20,000, mostly located in the three main towns of Tanunda, Angaston, and Nuriootpa. Tanunda is considered a German town because it was settled by German immigrants starting in the 1840s. Angaston on the other hand is an English town, having been settled by Cornish miners. And Nuriootpa is both influenced by German & English heritage.

But before we ventured to Barossa, we decided to stopover at the German town of Hahndorf, located about 20 kilometres southeast of Adelaide. The town was settled by Lutheran immigrants in 1839. The town was renamed Ambleside during the First World War and wasn’t changed back until the 1930s.

With a name like Hahndorf, you’d think that the town of around 2,000 would jump on the Harry Potter bandwagon but thankfully it hasn’t. My brother parked our car on Mount Barker Road, the main street that runs through the town and where all the stores and restaurants are located. I was glad to see that it was sunny and warm outside, a much needed change from the previous days of overcast & rain. Besides the name, German influence is immediately noticeable by the traditional fachwerk architecture of the older buildings. Look a little closer and you find plenty of restaurants specializing in German cuisine and stores selling German memorabilia (clothes, toys, pictures, etc).

We spent most of our time walking up and down Mount Barker Road, window shopping the stores and photographing the buildings. My brother bought himself a tasty bratwurst and I bought myself an Australian sports cap. If I were living in Australia I would have also bought a knife from the Hand Made Knives store because there were some really good looking knives in there. If you’re more interested in cooking, the store also sells kitchenware and cutlery. There was also a Scottish store selling Scottish music, flags, postcards, and even kilts. Unfortunately, they didn’t sell P&D sticks.

The drive to the Barossa Valley took a little over an hour because my brother took a wrong turn. Instead of driving along the B19 highway which would take us through all the small wine towns, he took the A20 highway that goes around the Barossa Valley. Nevertheless, we made it to the town of Nuriootpa and stopped at the Penfolds Barossa Valley Cellar Door to sample several wines. Penfolds was established in 1844 and specializes in: Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Riesling, and many others.

Here, there is a huge selection to sample, from cheap to very expensive (up to $2000AUD per bottle!). There’s also a small museum that explains Penfolds history and a gift shop for fans of the brand. As mentioned in an earlier post, I stuck to the white wines and found most of them very tasty. Only one tasted bland. Like always, I am perplexed that there are people willing to pay up to $2000AUD for a bottle of wine. No alcohol is worth that much.

For lunch we ate at the Kaesler Winery & Vineyards which happened just a few blocks from Pinefolds. Kaesler was established in 1893 with the planting of Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro, and White Hermitage vines across 81 acres of land. Today, the business has added Riesling, Rizza, Bogan, White Port, and many other types of wines to its catalog. We were able to get a table in the upstairs dining room just before a small tourist group arrived. The menu has various Entrees, Starters, Mains, Desserts, and of course Kaesler wines to choose from, but be prepared to pay at least $40AUD per person if intending to get a full meal. Overall, the food was well prepared & served meaning that I would eat their again . . . when I save up the money required.

The drive back to Adelaide was entertaining because we got lost in the Jacob’s Creek area. Jacob's Creek is also the name of Australia's largest wine brand. Unless you have a map or previous knowledge of the area, driving through here is like being lost in cottage country. After many twists & turns we eventually made it back to our hotel in Adelaide.

McLaren Vale & Downtown Adelaide

It was December 5th when my family & I journeyed 35 kilometres by car to the south of Adelaide to explore the many wines of the McLaren Vale region. The Europeans who had settled the area back in 1838 immediately discovered that it had the perfect climate and space to grow grape wines. One hundred and seventy-three years later, McLaren Vale boasts around 90 wine producing operations and boutique wineries. If you enjoy drinking: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Verdelho, Viognier, and/or Zinfandel, then McLaren Vale is the place to sample them all and of course buy a few bottles to sample later. The town of McLaren Vale has a population of around 2,000.

We decided to get our bearings by visiting the McLaren Vale Visitor Centre, located on Main Road just before you enter the town. The Visitor Centre can help you book a wine tour and/or accommodation in the area. There’s also a café, art gallery, gift shop, and small bar to sample several wines. My father & I tried a red wine which he found tasty and I did not; red wine has never tasted well for me.

From the Visitor Centre, we drove through the small town as a sudden downpour passed overhead. We continued through the endless fields of planted grape vines before stopping at the Coriole Vineyards. The place had been recommended by the Lonely Planet tourist book my parents had bought earlier. Coriole has been in operation since the end of the First World War and specializes in Shiraz. However the vineyard also produces Sangiovese, Chenin, Cabernet Sauvignon, and other varieties.

Unfortunately, at the time of our arrival, most of the vineyard was being occupied by a busload of tourists. Since most of them were in the sampling room, my parents and I had to snake our way to the front to sample several wines. I stuck to the white wines whereas my parents switched from red to white. Overall, the white wines I sampled were quite good and I would have bought a bottle or two if I had the space. Since the dining area was completely booked for the tourist group, we decided to have lunch at another vineyard. Just before we jumped into our rental car, I snapped a photo of Coriole’s resident cat.

We drove around for a few minutes before choosing the Maxwell Winery. Maxwell is family owned and has been operating since 1979, producing red, white, & rose wines, as well as mead. Even though it was lunchtime the winery was empty of visitors. We were greeted by a female employee who wanted to know where we were from and offering us several different wines to sample. She explained that she was from New Zealand but now living in Australia because the economic situation was much better.

For lunch, I ordered Glazed Duck Ravioli and my brother ordered the Marinated Chicken Breast. My parents decided to be adventurous and try the Quartet meal. As explained on the website, the Quartet is “A mini degustation of four dishes accompanied by four perfectly matched wines [from Maxwell].” We all gave our meals & accompanying wines top marks and recommendations. Even though we had just visited two vineyards, we had consumed quite an amount of wine (by our standards) and decided we had enough for the day.

In the late afternoon we headed to downtown Adelaide to walk around the University of Adelaide. My brother had considered attending the university’s law school but instead chose to study law in Canberra. It was about this time I noticed the distinct design of Australia’s telephone/streetlight poles. In the past, there was a shortage of logs so as an alternative solution two pieces of railway track were held upright with concrete in between for support.

We walked along North Terrace Road photographing the National War Memorial, fountains, and the Art Gallery of South Australia. We also noticed newlyweds getting their photographs taken with the groomsmen & bridesmaids. We heard a lot of commotion coming from Rundle Park upon reaching Eastern Terrace Road. From what I saw & heard, it appeared to be a Middle Eastern fair of some kind.

Near Rundle Park is Rundle Street where all ‘the action’ is located. Restaurants, bars, café’s, clubs, and clothing stores line both sides of this 500 metre stretch of road. It was here we had dinner at the Lemongrass Thai Bistro. We ordered several dishes and shared them as a family. I can finally say that I’ve tasted kangaroo meat . . . and it tasted like pork. Overall, the food & service was good and I would eat there again if given the opportunity.

Off To Adelaide

The following morning we packed everything valuable into our suitcases and checked out the Quality Hotel. Because of our short stay, I can’t really give a full review of the hotel, but from I saw, the rooms were spacious and at an affordable price. Next time, I’ll try out the pool and the bar. Upon arrival at the airport, we returned our rental car and carted our luggage to the check in counter. There was a lineup (as always) but the wait wasn’t long; ditto for security screening. Our Virgin Blue flight to Adelaide took off at around 10am and my family and I settled in for a comfortable 2 hour flight. Spending two hours in the air is a lot better than spending 10 hours on the road . . . unless of course you’re a fan of road trips.

Adelaide is the capital city of the state of South Australia with a population of around 1.28 million. The coastal metropolis sits along the eastern shores of the Gulf St. Vincent. The city was established as a planned colony of free immigrants in 1836, promising civil liberties and freedom from religious persecution. Despite economic uncertainty and incompetent city leadership, Adelaide continued to grow throughout the 19th century. Electric street lights made their debut in 1900 followed by electric trams in 1909. Prosperity continued after the First World War but slowed to a near halt with the arrival of the Great Depression. The Second World War ‘rescued’ the economy and the post war years saw an influx of immigrants and industrialization.

After touching down at Adelaide Airport we collected our suitcases and exited the terminal to acquire our rental car. The weather was sunny and hot. The temperature was somewhere in the 30s (Celsius) in which case shade becomes your best friend. Thankfully, our rental car had an air conditioner and we blasted it while my brother drove us to our hotel, the Comfort Inn in Glenelg East. Our room was small but big enough to fit three beds and a washroom.

The first neighbourhood we explored was Glenelg, just to the west of our hotel. It’s all about the sand, tanning, and swimming in this Miami-Beach-like neighbourhood. Tourists and Adelaide citizens flock to Glenelg to cool off and to hang out. Just wear plenty of sunscreen (Slip, Slop, Slap). Giving in to our addiction to computers we found an Internet café to check out email. My dad passed the time at the Used Books store next door. After 45 minutes we headed back towards the main square and had lunch at a Gringos Mexican Cantina, ordering nachos with a side order of jalapeño peppers. The peppers were for me because I’m the only one in the family who enjoys eating spices.

No lunch in hot weather would be complete without a cold dessert so my family I moved over to the McDonalds to get ice cream sundaes. Since it was a Saturday, the fast food joint was crawling with loud laughing teenagers. Since the staff was too busy fulfilling orders and making money, some of the tables were left unclean. Nonetheless, my hot fudge sundae was delicious as always and my family felt the same about their strawberry sundaes.

From there we progressed back onto the main terrace, photographing the palm trees, beach, and pier. When the heat was too much, we ducked into a large building that was hosting an exhibition called Henry Hoke’s Arcadia. It displays many of Hoke’s inventions, my favourite being the Random Excuse Generator and dehydrated water tablets. Okay, if you haven’t figured it out, there is no Henry Hoke’s. Hoke’s is a play on the word hoax. The exhibition’s many comedic inventions are made by a group of people.

For kids and adults who want to act like kids, there’s The Beachouse, an indoor theme park with waterslides, mini golf, games, bumper cars, and much more. We chose to forgo the Beachouse because we had enough of the scorching heat and wanted to rest for a bit back the hotel. It took us a few minutes to air out the car of hot air and to somehow sit on the seats that had been heated by the hot sun.

In the evening we drove to the city centre and walked over to The Original Pancake Kitchen to have dinner. The restaurant was established in 1965 and is open 24 hours a day. It is located in an alley off King William Street. My parents had previously eaten here and wanted my brother and I to enjoy the quality food. Since I consider pancakes to be breakfast food, I ordered a chicken Caesar salad while everyone else had pancakes. The Caesar salad was delicious and judging from the looks of my parents & older brother, the Pancake Kitchen was still living up to its reputation of serving top quality pancakes.

Fitzroy & Carlton

With one day left in Melbourne, we decided to spend it close to the city centre. The highway traffic from the airport wasn’t congestive and we were able to arrive at our destination in 20 minutes. The destination in question was the neighbourhood known as Fitzroy. I had briefly walked past the area during my first days in Melbourne but didn’t have the time to explore it . . . until now.

Fitzroy was Melbourne’s first suburb, created in 1839. In 1858, the suburb became a municipality, home to working class families due to the surrounding factories and industrial sites. Several religious and philanthropic charitable organizations were established in the neighbourhood to address the problems of poverty and slums. The area became more socially diverse after the Second World War, being populated by Italian, Irish, Chinese, and Vietnamese immigrants. Gentrification of Fitzroy occurred during the 1980s & 1990s when the old manufacturing complexes and warehouses were converted into apartments.

My brother parked the rental car on Brunswick Street, the main road artery that runs through the centre of Fitzroy. We stepped out into the warm morning weather and walked along the sidewalk. Brunswick Street is the street that defines the neighbourhood because all the culture and history is here. Many of the old buildings still remain while some are refurbished to look more modern. On this street, the tallest building is only 4 storeys. The neighbourhood culture I would have to say is contemporary / avant garde. Fitzroy is one of the centres of Melbourne’s contemporary art scene, boasting many art galleries, studios, and street artists. If you’re in to ‘the weird’ styles of 20th century art (basically all of it) then this is the place to find it. Of course, no artsy neighbourhood would be complete without pubs & cafes, and Fitzroy have plenty to offer. There are also avant garde retail stores for curious shoppers.

We stopped by a local café to have a light breakfast. I forget the café’s name but from what I can remember, there was coffee, juice, and French toast for a reasonable price. The café was empty until we left; a group of university students (I think) dropped in to grab a bite and debate something. We continued walking up Brunswick Street (towards downtown) window shopping and looking at the old school architecture. After some time we crossed over and walked down the other side of the street in the opposite direction . . . window shopping and looking at the old school architecture.

We made it back to the rental car just before the parking ticket expired. The next neighbourhood on our list was Carlton, located next to Fitzroy with the Carlton Gardens serving as the border between the two. I now found myself on familiar territory because I had previously walked through this neighbourhood when I first arrived in Melbourne. The Carlton suburb was established in 1865 and is known for its Victorian architecture and Little Italy precinct on Lygon Street. The Italian Mafia used to have an influence in the neighbourhood but not anymore.

Similar to Fitzroy’s Brunswick Street, Lygon Street is lined with cafés, pubs, and retail stores, but there are also bookstores, wine stores, and fancy restaurants to be found. We spent quite a bit of time in one bookstore before meeting up with an old American friend of my brother’s who was studying law at the University of Melbourne. For lunch we ate at an Italian pizza restaurant, ordering two pizzas and two pitchers of Coke. Over the course of the meal, we talked about the past, what we were doing in the present, and about our plans for the future. Overall the food was okay but the service was a bit slow because the place was packed and pedestrians were walking between the restaurant and the front patio eating area.

After parting with our American friend, we headed back to the rental car, wondering what to do next. Wanting to go somewhere green & quiet, my mother recommended visiting the Fitzroy Gardens, located to the south of the Fitzroy neighbourhood. The gardens span 26 hectares forming a large rectangular green space filled with crisscrossing paths, fountains, ponds, lawns, and statues. It’s sort of like a mini Central Park where Melbournians come to get away from the sounds of city. When we started our walk through the Gardens there were some energetic people playing a game of cricket. I don’t think they were keeping score.

While walking along one of the main paths, there was one attraction that caught my eye and it was the Model Tudor Village. It was given to the city as a gift from the people of Lambeth, south London, for sending food parcels to the British during the Second World War. As I photographed the miniature village I imagined staging a prank where I placed hundreds of Imperial Stormtrooper toys (from Star Wars) all around the village to make it look like it had been conquered for the Galactic Empire.

We spent at least 90 minutes walking around the park, photographing the sites, and sitting on park benches watching the world go by. Before heading back to the hotel we decided to stop in the Spanish district and have an afternoon drink. Luckily, we found a hotel pub that was selling drinks at reduced prices. After having a couple of beers and munching down a bowl of chips we wobbled back to the car and headed back to the hotel. I should note that my older brother was the designated driver.

The big news at this time were the results of the 2018 & 2022 FIFA World Cup Bids that took place the day before in Zurich, Switzerland. Australia, along with South Korea, USA, Japan, & Qatar all put in bids to host the largest soccer event in 2022. After much anticipation, deliberation, and speculation, FIFA decided to award the 2022 games to the small Middle Eastern nation of Qatar. I can tell you that the Australian people were very upset . . . considering they lost in the first round of voting (there were 4 rounds in total) with only 1 vote. And then the blame game started. I put the blame on the final campaign video; boy was it lame! A CGI kangaroo steals the World Cup trophy from Zurich and parades it all over Australia while being chased by an unknown biker dressed in black who's tasked by the Australian Prime Minister to retrieve it. Turns out the biker is Australian film legend Paul Hogan. In total, Australia blew $47 million AUD on the World Cup bid.

Of course, the disappointment from the Western powers began when FIFA awarded the 2018 games to Russia. England had put in a sole bid while Spain & Portugal, and Belgium & the Netherlands put in joint hosting bids. FIFA argued that they decided to 'go to new lands' to promote the sport. The Western powers accused FIFA of selling the games to Russia & Qatar via under-the-table payments and because of their high commodity & energy reserves. Well, hopefully Russia & Qatar will become more liberal when the world comes to visit in 2018 & 2022.