first term break festivities, walk around town . . . and no wine, but. . . chocolate!

Adelaide has more coffee shops and eateries per-capita than any other city in AU, but what you don't hear much about is the chocolate. Perhaps the extreme amount and numerous factories is a given. I have been in many, Haigh's being the most famous. But when on a walk the other I stumbled upon this, by crickey:

I knew that I hit chocolate heaven.

An entire walk-in closet made of chocolate

Oh, I must take a break from blogging
for a bite of chocolate!

Imagine how chocolate and shoppers would feel

The exhibitions, the pop-up bars, vertical and community gardens, the super talented buskers, the rainbow piano out under a veranda with a sign, "please play me":

the free gardens, the museums, the miles of bike trails and the murals city-wide may be typical of cities everywhere. Since I haven't lived in one in so long perhaps I am just too provincial, but I am always feeling crickey. Adelaide is full of surprises.

I took my friend Heather to get on the famous Gahn that goes from Adelaide, stops in Alice Springs then up to Darwin. Definitely will be a woop woop experience! She texted amazed that there was a moment of service to say that she has never been in such a remote site. Ellie, let Peter know that I thought of him and will look for a postcard of the iconic train. It only departs once each week and has at least 20 passenger cars! The Ghan travels through the very middle of AU and is named after the cameleers from Afghanistan who traveled the same route. There are so many names for the area north of here: The Northern territory, the outback, the lands, the center, the red center, the bush. Further north is called the Top End.

I work with Mary who is a roving teacher, and excellent at her job. She went part-time last year when she had a son and this weekend her boy Leo turned one. Mary and her husband come from Greek and Italian backgrounds. Here in Adelaide culture from countries of origin is strong, and so I was honored to join in Leo's one year old celebration. I doubt that I will ever encounter such a birthday again. I had many grandmas come to embrace me and excitedly ask if I was Greek or Italian. They weren't too disappointed when I said neither, and once I tried joking that I was Native American. I back pedaled immediately, but friends got a laugh. I always seem to pass for one of many backgrounds.

200 guests, mostly family

The circus themed party

All Mary and her sisters' doing!

Leo and his dad, Nat

I am so lucky to have many friends here. My x-neighbors had me for dinner the other night. They came here from Hungry six years ago, and Sylvia and Tomas treat me to amazing cooking. Here Sylvia is making homemade noodles with something like a cheese grater.

-Sylvia

Thomas and Gabriel

Took a city walk the other morning after picking up my tickets for Tasmania.

Today my lovely friend Chris and I took a walk which turned into a wander and maybe we got a little lost. Almost home Chris who was walking behind me took me by the shoulders and whispered, "Stop." I SAW MY FIRST PAIR OF KOOKABURRAS! They did not make a racket, but others were laughing  in trees beyond. Silly me, no camera.

I'm off to Apple Isle for the week. I plan on being larrkin until school begins again.

Hope spring is shaping up. Fall is beautiful here:

Last night- The tree out the back door

Sending wishes to Miriam on her upcoming bat mitzvah.

Glossary:
by crickey: an expression when surprised
Buskers: Street musicians
larrkin: wild or carefree person
Taswegins: People from Tasmania
woop woop: out in the middle of no where
Apple Isle: Tasmania's nickname

Gardens and. . . . Wine

gum trees overpower the
landscapes in the hills

Viburnum

Mount Lofty gardens are just about a five minute drive but the hours of opening are shorter now that the time has headed back an hour (We remain on a 1/2 hour difference from our neighboring states). I won't be able to get to the gardens in time to take a walk after work for awhile. Now I will have to find the Japanese Gardens in town close to the school.

I secretly followed the monks around and took photos of the monks taking photos. They knew exactly what I had in mind even though I snuck around like a spy. They thought it was very funny when we finally met. 

 And the seasons, they go round and round, the rhododendrons fade and drop at this time of year.  Seasons and weather are often spoken in passing especially on a perfect 27c day like today. I am glad to be living in a part of the country that does have a change of seasons and also hot, warm, cool, wet, and windy spells. What would it be like to begin the day with the morning calendar routine chanting the: hot or hotter like in some parts of Australia? My biggest fear coming here was the extreme heat and we have had a few days, but not nearly as many as we would experience in July at home. When putting the daily weather on the calendar we learn warm and cloudy or hot but rainy are quite possible. Cool factors in plenty. I must think about ordering wood (which is as dense as a brick). I keep hearing how chilly the hills can get. It is much less humid here than in most places in Australia which I truly appreciate, and so does my hair. But, um, really my hair never cooperates.

Heather is my day-tripping
fair dinkum buddy.

Bring on the Reds of Autumn and the Red
wines on colder days. 

After visiting the Bird in Hand winery Heather and I stumbled upon a private party and crashed, but we were welcomed and encouraged to stay for awhile. Wine tasting has never been such a generous occasion. The Shiraz had an abundance of fruit sensations and gripping tannins.  It was a family owned farm/vineyard with friendly brothers making and distributing their label. We left with a gift of grapes just picked and a just opened bottle of Chardonnay. We were told that it was so popular in the 80's but fell out of style. Growers here are bringing it back without fermenting in certain oak barrels which lead to wine-induced headaches. It was toasty and creamy and even better as it was a gift to take home.

Apples are about to come into season and the hills have many orchards or
sheds for selling many  varieties. I have a few invites to go apple picking.
 Perhaps I will introduce "Appling Day" at the school. 

We drove back to Heather's in town through the back hilly long-cut.
It was well worth it when we encountered a terrific sunset and the night lights of the city. 

Then Heather shared her gourmet Indian meal. I must learn to
make her risotto and the above amazing feast. 

I bought a bike, had one lovely ride up the River Torrens, and like a drongo let it get nicked. When I discovered it was gone I was so disappointed, but didn't go off like a bucket of prawns in the sun.

Up next: Tasmania.  I will be beyond the black stump beginning  the 16th. I will be cashed up, take my swag and bugger off.

Glossary:
'avago (have a go): give it a try
fair dinkum: honest, genuine
beyond the black stump: far from the city
drongo: stupid
swag: bedroll
cashed up: have visited the ATM
bingle- I have had two from chucking too many tight turns. Guess what they are.

Like we say in AU g'donya. Be in touch everyone, Please. I miss you all! Pam

A history of Copper Mining and . . a little more local wine

This weekend we got a wee dose of history traveling parts of the Heartland Heritage Trail where towns were once the lifeblood stocked with copper, cattle, grain, slate, and sheep. The wines and Clare Valley are five star. Jamie Oliver served at brad Pitt's birthday party here in the valley.

We began our weekend away stopping by Martindale Hall an 11,000 acre sheep grazing land close to the town of such high quality slate that it was used for the surface for billiard tables. The hall is one of Australia' most stately homes and more recently the set for movies including Breaker Morant.

Martindale Hall, the 19th Century Georgian mansion

Mintaro 

 Ken and Pauline say that this year is their year to pass on what others treated them to while on exchange in CO in 2012. This weekend's "one waterbag trip" was beyond expectation. Easter treats

 (bilby chocolates verses bunnies) and the practice of putting the Currajong trees' seed pods down one another's tops and trousers and howling with laughter when the itching began. It releases the irritating hairs around September. I must remember to steer clear of Ken when spring arrives.
were included with the touring, coffee stops, wineries, delicious dinners and stories about Ken's childhood pranks of popping pepper seeds at the girls

The Currajong Tree

Skillogalee, I think

We spent Saturday at a few of the Clare Valley wineries on the Reisling Trail. In general they seem more "down-home" and sometimes set in historic cottages, farmhouses or even sheds. We started the tour in Auburn then Mintaro with antique shops and an array of guest houses. The area has historic bluestone buildings listed on the National Trust and there is a former railway line which has been converted to a lengthy walking/cycling trail in which I hope to return with a bike and helmet. Diverted thought: The other day I went for a bike ride, got a few K from the house and realized that I had no helmet. I snuck home through side lanes hoping not to get ticketed. Strict helmet laws exist in AU.

Sevenhill in exhistance since 1851
and still produces sacramental wines.

 Out of town we visited wineries. Paulett Wines perches high on the hill-face with great views. Sevenhill Cellers is the oldest winery in the valley and is owned and operated by Jesuits. The priests fled persecution in Silesia and began making sacramental wine although they were soon supplying settlers from the fields and mines. I sipped Toqay at Sevenhills and knew that it would be perfect poured over Golden North SA Honey Ice cream. Skillogalee   Cellar Door which we also visited, is my new favorite name for a winery.

Chapter 2 Burra:

To tour the Burra mines is a bit like playing tennis in Walsenburg. Where in Walsenburg you used to have to collect the key from the police station, here you must go to the information center to explore the historic town. You are also given a key.
Australians claim that history is slim post-English settlement days, but there are stories if you look. Like most mining towns, Burra has enjoyed good times and suffered. It has evolved into a significant historical town because its buildings give you an insight into early settlement. The entire tour points you to the historic telegraph station, town hall, a church, another church and another church, the Powder Magazine, the open-cut lookout, gaols, cottages, smelts, the brewery, inns with names like the Pig and Whistle, and The Miner's Dugouts.

Melissa and John, my favorite CO-co travellers!

Pauline and Pam
Imagining Life in a Dugout

The gaol was grim, but I think that I would have preferred it over the Miners' Dugouts (perhaps my thoughts of wishing to have been a pioneer woman are bogus). When the mines had a rapid influx of workers show up in the 1840's there was an acute shortage of housing. So, many dug into the clay banks of the creek favored by many miners looking for rent-free opportunities. Many others took to dugouts following a great flood. Out of 4,400 miners about 600 lived in dugouts.

               

I quite preferred the thought of living history at the Malowen Lowarh Cottage furnished in the style of the captain's residence. The cottage had a garden of herbs and hollyhocks from the period. 

Reconstructed Morphett's Enginehouse Museum built in 1858 had an 80 inch diameter Cornish beam engine. We were told that it was circular since the Cornish believed that The Devil lives in corners and so there were no corners here. The house and shaft were destroyed by fire when youths were smoking out rabbits.

. 

 When copper was discovered in 1845 two groups "The Nobs and The Snobs" vied for ownershop. The groups purchased it jointly and drew lots to divide the parts they would own. The Nobs,  capitalists and pastoralists, drew the lot of the southern half, but it produced small amounts of copper. The Snobs of the South AU Mining Association were shopkeepers and Merchants and went on to reap the rewards from the richest copper mine ever. Miners flocked to the area and settled within the town of Koorings: Hampton (English), Aberdeen (Scottish), Redruth (Cornish), and Llywchwr (Welsh). Each group stuck to their own communities. It was not the beginning of the "melting pot". And so began the South Australian Heartland settlements.

Glossary
bilby- like a long nosed rat or a midget kangaroo (once a 9 year old wrote to the candy factory saying she felt an Australian animal ought to represent the Easter rabbit and so began a new AU tradition).

one waterbag trip- Travelers rated the difficultly of their journeys by determining how many waterbags would be needed to get from A-B.

bluestone- could be basalt, dolerite, limestone or slate

Spring Dreams to all!
oxx PL

So Many Wineries so Little TIme

Friends and students at school showered me with little beautiful chocolates. Hot Cross Buns must be the biggest item sold on this weekend. Easter is big here but  I can't quite wrap my head around what it typically means to me but is not here-daffodils and spring. Here we are moving into fall and beautiful shades of red tint the leaves in the hills.  At school we have celebrated birthdays, Iranian New Year, St Patrick's Day, Harmony Day, The Chinese New Year and now Easter. The kids made little bird houses and at recess little dime store chicks flew in the open window and chocolate eggs were scattered around the bird houses.  Then we had a chocolate egg hunt. With the exception of two students none of the children seemed to have an inkling of Easter. When explaining, it would have been okay to tell about the religious Easter since there is no separation of church and state here, but I didn't go there. All I really wanted to say is that it is a celebration of Spring, but it doesn't work like that here.  It didn't quite matter. The kids from all over had great fun and were tickled to squeals with such delight when opening the doors to their little bird houses. 

Nutella is big here too!

The hills, the Barosa, the Clare, Mclaren Vale are all quite well-known for their wines. Touring them all could take a life time, but each has its own distinct flavour, and I am not even thinking about the taste of wines. From barns to glass like castles, some snooty, but most have beautiful hosts as if you have joined their party.

 My favorite name for a winery that I have visited if The Lazy Ballerina. The best space for tasting has been at Johnson Oakbank. The vines growing on the steepest hillsides are at Norton Summit close to home. My favorite cheese served at cellar doors and made right here in the hills located at the beginning of the wine trail is Udder Delights. My favorite label is from Cockatoo Ridge. Here's the link for my local area for those of you thinking you may visit:  Adelaide Hills Visitor Guide

 I have ticked off more wineries in the hills, cycled and tested wines at Mclaren Vale on bikes, will be in Clare with Pauline, Ken, Melissa and John during Easter weekend and there is a "Winemaker for a Day Workshop in the Barossa coming soon. http://barossavintagefestival.com.au/event/a-winemaker-for-a-day/ The wine country is an extra perk living in South Australia. Another exchange teacher came here so that her partner could work in the wineries and he is now learning the trade in the Barossa.

end of the tram in Glenelg

On Sunday I was out way before sunlight to go on the dolphin swim from Glenelg, and I suppose it is really time for a cell phone. I missed the message informing me that it had been canceled due to high swells. When I got back to my car that I left at the Cole's market the exits had been chained up, and I was unable to go four wheeling in my little Holden. It was obvious that the store was tired of beach goers taking over their lot. So I was trapped. There was a guard with a sinister smile and I think he was happy to have three or four captured in his lot.  I spent some time walking from 6AM to 11 when the parking lot finally reopened. It was a nice morning on the beach although not what I expected. I will try again in the spring to swim with the dolphins.

The location to leave on the tour is Glenelg which is the end of the line for the tram that goes from city to the beachfront .  When you exit the tram, lo and behold, Maccers is smack across the street. I must admit it is the best looking McDonalds that I have seen. And, ,, I must also admit that I have been once or twice for the promotional lamb burger. . . and don't disown me, it was delicious!

But, I still prefer the unlimited coffee/pastry shops, pubs and of course the central market. They all have such character. Adelaide is a city of great eating.

Dogs accompany humans everywhere

great ambiance at outdoor cafes

As always there is more to come. I hope that all is well. Thinking of everyone. Love Pam