California in Adelaide ?

This is California Street Adelaide, and the entrance to our Central Market through the China Town end. I imagine this must be just what San Francisco looks like !

The roof is on. Let it Rain !

With a view like this over Adelaide, Elaine and Jørg probably have more on their minds than whether it will ever rain or not. From the foothills overlooking the city, the view is spectacular. At sunrise the sun highlights the 40 kilometre wide Gulf St. Vincent to the west, and Yorke Peninsula beyond, and at sunset the wheat silos can be clearly seen, sometimes silhouetted in a ball of red. However, Lorenzo was proudly concentrating on his job, this day.

The Country is Dry, where is the Rain.

Here at Finniss, 60 kilometres south of Adelaide the cattle are being hand-fed. Everywhere you go it's dry. There are water restrictions in the City and it's very little different in the other southern Capital cities and all the way to Brisbane. The climate patterns have changed. Perhaps the last 100 years have been the aberration with many good years. Let's hope the winter brings rain.

The Bridgewater Mill - Winery and Restaurant.

In the Adelaide hills and originally settled as 'Cox Creek,' this town was renamed Bridgewater - after Bridgewater in Somerset, - in 1860 when this flour mill was built by John Dunn.
It was the only mill in the state driven by water. Today it is home to Petaluma Wines, the company's famous Restaurant and its methode champenoise cellaring and production.
Have a lash at this lot;
Primo: Seared scallops with sweet and sour pork belly, oyster mushroom and black beans.
Secundo: Roasted Kangaroo Island chicken breast with scampi, coconut and green mango salad, chili and lime.
Nel terzo posto, dessert: Mulberry and apple trifle with macadamia biscotti.
Chi ha fame, non me, i miei cari amici!

Sunset Wedding at Wirra Wirra Vineyards, McLaren Vale.

Well, my good friends, Adelaide Daily Photo is one month old today. I need to either post a photo of a tram for Michael, a beach for Lynn or a non-edible Kookaburra for Monica.
That's a tall order. So today; here's the reason I am now a Grandfather! No doubt you will soon see William, he's a great little boy and extremely talented. He takes after me, naturally.
Click on the image to enlarge.

Quercus Palustris, by the dozen.

If you live between Connecticut and Kansas, or Georgia and Oklahoma, or in South Ontario you would have seen Pin Oak Trees (Quercus Palustris).
In Australia they line driveways, and mushrooms grow under them in plenty. Barbequed mushrooms - delicious. But where, exactly are these?

King William Street, Adelaide.

From time to time Adelaideians see interstate drivers in our city. They come mostly from Victoria to experience the genuine Australian climate which is sadly lacking in that state. Along with their excitement, they are often seen driving in the traditional Victorian manner which is so unknown in backward old Adelaide. Naturally, I had both hands on the wheel.

Start up the Barbeque, the guests have arrived.

These little fellows are our Kookaburras ("The Fitzgibbons" of our garden). They are also known as Terrestrial Kingfishers and Laughing and Blue-Winged Jackasses.
Kookaburras are best known for their unmistakable call, which sounds like loud echoing human laughter and has been immortalized as the "OOH OOH AHH AHH AHH AHH AHH" cry that is part of the background audio in countless jungle movies, regardless of where the jungle in the movie is located. They will eat lizards, snakes, insects, mice and just love handouts from humans. They love Aussie Barbeques!

Est-ce que c'est le Centre Georges Pompidou d'Adelaïde ? ( What's this Place called?)

This is Adelaide’s new amusement complex at the seaside, complete with waterslides, a play castle, dodgem cars, carousel, mini golf and more. It's called the "BeacHouse", it's at Glenelg and it's fun for the kids. When that is through, there's beach volley ball, swimming, getting wet, cooling down and even jumping in the cool (?) waters of the Bay.

The Old Gum Tree

In farming land just north of Adelaide, some friends have planted vines and are now producing their own wine. The old and stately Gum Trees that have not been cleared for this cultivation, now remain at the tops of the surrounding hills and grace the landscape with their beauty. Recently my friends were married under this 100 year old tree. It was indeed a proper country wedding.

And yet we drink it!

Adelaide is experiencing severe drought conditions this summer due to poor rainfall and even poorer flows in the Murray River.
Here is one way to cross the river in the heat-wave conditions. I hope this makes Ausralians feel cooler, and Northern Hemispherians feel warmer.

The Wide, Brown Land. Wider and Browner.

Today, I am taking you 'Outback' again, to Broken Hill, an isolated mining city in the far west of New South Wales, 500 kilometres north east of Adelaide, and with a population of 21,000.
Adelaide is the closest major city and the 'Hill' runs on our Central Standard Time Zone rather than Eastern Time.
"The Hill' has an average rainfall of only 235 mm or nine inches, and also has summer temperatures rising well over 40°. It's orebody, formed about 1800 million years ago, has proved to be the world's largest silver, lead and zinc deposit.
This dust storm is a common problem in the Desert but the people of Broken Hill have created reserves to surround the town thus protecting the encircled town from the worst of the storms.
I received this photo the other day from Mandy who works in the assay labs there. Thanks, Mandy.
On Google Earth, it's 31 57 south 141 28 east

Just Married

This young couple had just celebrated their Marriage under the Norfolk Island pines on the Holdfast Bay lawns, when I saw them walking towards the sun, setting over the shimmering water. The Surf Rescue girls and boys were packing it in for the day and the sea gulls were patiently waiting for a feed of anything thrown at them!

Keeping Cool on Valentine's Day

On a hot night, children, and adults too, need to relax, get wet and play. What better place to do that, than at Holdfast Bay, the other name for Glenelg. One can alight from the tram, walk through the fountains and just simply fall into the sea. It will be about 40 degrees here, tomorrow, and Saturday at the Adelaide beaches will resemble a sardine factory. I'll let you know how it went!

Sérgio Mendes, nous applaudissons votre jazz. We love the Jazz of Sergio Mendes.

And as the day becomes twilight, the soft sounds of Brazil creep gently into the ambiance of slowly moving thoughts, hungers, lusts, dreams and immediate aspirations. The sky is preparing for the love of evening and the music confuses rationale. It's summer, it's evening, it's perfect. What matters?
Je ne sais pas, qui s'inquiète !

Au Coucher du Soleil. At Sunset

A beautiful day in Adelaide finishes with an even more beautiful sunset. This is the time when the locals and the tourists wander down to the water's edge or along the jetty to watch the sun slowly sink in the west. Or one might simply sit outside at Starbucks with a cappucino. February in Adelaide, still no worries.

Valentine's Day at Sunset

Today, it's Valentines Day everywhere and it's also the 46th anniversary of Decimal Currency in the Wide, Brown Land. More importantly, it's the day that Sherry and her two daughters, Hayley and Gabby were promenading along the Glenelg jetty at sunset. Ambassadors from Anchorage, Alaska they set a shining example to all "Northern Hemisphrerians", that is, Australia in the Summer must surely be the place to be!
Madame and I, send all Northerners a very warm Bienvenue en l'Australie, Υποδοχή στην Αυστραλία, オーストラリアへようこそ, and look forward to meeting the rest of you as soon as possible.

The Aldgate Village Pump.

In the second half of the nineteenth century, the Chinese market gardeners, taking their produce to the Adelaide markets; the Cobb and Co horse drawn carriages, and travellers generally would water their horses at the village pumps along the way. Usually a tavern or pub would be found at such a location. The Aldgate pump and also the Aldgate Pump Hotel, adjacent, are at this crossroad, 20 kilometres, but much less than 20 minutes from the city centre.

Adelaide, the City of Churches.

St Peter's Anglican Cathedral, North Adelaide had its foundation stone laid on Saint Peter's Day, Tuesday 29th June 1869 by my children's great, great, great, grandfather Bishop Augustus Short. He was the first Church of England Bishop of Adelaide.
Its south face, pictured, has similar features to Notre Dame de Paris including an ornate rose window above the main entrance which depicts stories of South Australia and the Bible.
The building is iconic among cricket fans as the namesake for Adelaide Oval's "Cathedral End": the other end being "the River End".

By hook or by crook we stay warm.

While folk in the northern hemisphere are freezing bits off, down under, we think up any old method to keep warm when it cools off a bit. Here is a typical Aussie bonfire (and naturally, a barbeque) with friends, a while ago. The bonfire pile was only the size of a small-ish house and 50 or so friends garbled and warbled the night away. Another Marilyn Monroe's Birthday celebrated in the proper style,- she would have been very proud.

"Love Foliage" (encore) !

Today, Lynn at Cheltenham Daily Photo, in Gloucestershire U.K. has been on the sick list and naturally we wish to see her right as rain, pronto. Her lovely photo, today inspired me to borrow (or nick) her title.
Here is Sascha, our Burmese, who, with Love, climbed 20 feet up one of our oak trees to settle in the Foliage. You may say she went out in sympathy. Prendre soin de soi, Madame !
Please click on the image to enlarge, merci.

Everything's up to date in Adelaide City.

When Donald Rumsfeld comes to Adelaide, the South Australian Police Force turn out in great numbers. Air Force One is watched with eagle eyes and the Police watch us, watching the visiting dignitary, watching and wondering where he could possibly be!
"K1" in his colourful smock thought I looked pretty suspicious so he had his right hand at the ready! I decided to take my shot of Air Force One from an unguarded blue box elsewhere.

Who's Twisted Now?

Gold, Silver, Uranium and Copper are relatively plentiful in Outback South Australia and are mined in places like Roxby Downs. The miners sink a deep shaft and branch out with "drives", or horizontal tunnels at the appropriate locations. These drives suffer from falling rocks which can endanger the miners and so steel mesh is suspended from the ceilings and fixed with "rock anchors". The rock anchors in today's photo are fabricated from deformed steel rods which are twisted in this lathe, to create a greater surface area to be chemically grouted in position, in holes drilled in the ceilings of the Drives. This photo shows how that is achieved in a workshop in Adelaide.
Roxby Downs is 510 kilometres (as the crow flies) north of Adelaide, and on Google Earth go to 30 33 47 S, 136 53 44 E. February in Adelaide: no worries.

Salle de classe en plein air. Open air classroom.

Adelaide's first Surveyor General, Col. William Light who laid out the City of Adelaide in the early 19th century is commemorated by his statue on Montefiore Hill overlooking his city.
Today these students and their teachers take time to re-live the experiences of Colonel Light. Here is one extract from Light's diary.
"The reasons that led me to fix Adelaide where it is I do not expect to be generally understood or calmly judged of at present. My enemies, however, by disputing their validity in every particular, have done me the good service of fixing the whole of the responsibility upon me. I am perfectly willing to bear it; and I leave it to posterity, and not to them, to decide whether I am entitled to praise or to blame."

Praise be indeed to you, Sir!

You asked for it !

Wednesday evenings in Australia are generally used for breaking the working week in half. Dividing by two can sometimes be difficult, so a barbeque in a local park and a few games of tennis can replace all that mental strain. The salt shaker is usually just to add colour to any photos that may be taken. February in Adelaide; no worries!

Victoria Square Adelaide

The central point of this rectilinear city is perhaps, the Victoria Square Fountain by the sculptor John Dowie.
The fountain theme is based on the three rivers from which Adelaide draws it's water.
The Murray. (Aboriginal Man and Ibis.)
The Torrens. (Woman and Black Swan.)
The Onkaparinga. (Woman and Heron.)
The Crownlike upper basin recalls the 1963 Royal Visit.
Behind, you can see The Australian Flag, (Blue Ensign) and the Aboriginal flag. Unfortunately the water is turned off as we are experiencing severe water restrictions during the most severe drought in years.

Air Apartments, overlooking Adelaide's Parklands

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The square mile of Adelaide is circled by a wide parkland belt, the vision of it's first Surveyor-General, Colonel William Light, from 1836.
1960's buildings are now being converted into modern apartments and the 10th floor penthouse in "Air Apartments", was sold today for $3,100,000.
When this building was the headquarters of the "Electricity Trust of South Australia", I looked out at It's upper floor views each working day!

Pigeons Down Under

Adelaide, as you have now heard, is a city laid out (in 1836), with wide boulevards and this central square called Victoria Square. Here, the one and only remaining Electric Tram line, to Glenelg, has it's terminus. Adelaide is known as the 20 minute city. You can get to anywhere in under 20 minutes, but today with the thermometer on 40 C / 104 F, I wasn't going further than the local Aldgate paint shop.
I shall continue to zoom you in to Adelaide, as time goes by.


At midday, when it was only 100 F, (still nice and cool), I popped down to the local shops, with camera, of course. On returning, and before painting in the bathroom, I took this shot for my Northern Hemisphere friends.

Café et Croissants sur la Terrasse.

It's wonderful to sit beside the Patawalonga Boat Harbour at Holdfast Shores, Glenelg for a morning coffee, and relax to the sound of lapping water and seagulls. Glenelg is about 10 kilometres from the city and a popular, clean, wide Adelaide beach. It is serviced by the Glenelg Tram. (Shown in my very first post).

Green, but not Hot nor Bothered, in Adelaide.

Up till now the weather has been quite substandard for an Adelaide summer. The Bureau of Meteorology has been promising one thing and delivering another. But Madame finally put her foot down and actions speak louder than words. Naturally, I obeyed and off to the beach we went. Her Wicked Weasel (.com) swimsuit needed much more than just being worn in the garden while feeding les oiseaux (the magpies). The WW did get wet, when the Bureau provided us with a meagre 37.9 degrees: just warm enough to take the plunge. Naturally, I was a victim of the camera as well, but I'm a little more (or is it less) modest, so bad luck! Tomorrow will be nearer 40 C, that's 104 F and we'll see what happens. Sad thing though, the water temperature is only about 26C / 79F. It's so hard living in such a harsh climate and having to decide whether to wear the green or the orange (or neither) !

Relaxing with Dick

The other day, I travelled to Sydney to attend William's Christening. The following day Dick took me on a motor cycle tour up to Palm Beach and the Hawkesbury River. We returned to his home on the North Shore before visiting his new apartment at Pyrmont. Here is Dick, chilling out on the roof garden with a little French beer. January in Australia, No Worries.

Pontiac Tribal Indians from Finland wearing Mexican straw hats at a Swedish motor car dealer in Adelaide.

Good morning everyone. I have only this second been informed, kindly, that it is Theme Day for the Daily Photo Blogging community. As I am yet to be accepted into the inner sanctum, I shall post an emergency photo as a sign of good will and beg your forgivenesses and indulgences.

On the way to work

You have been to the Outback, you have seen Adelaide from the top of the nearby hills. Now you are arriving in town from my home in the hills or perhaps having come from the Eastern States. We are getting closer. Don't despair, Adelaide is only 4 more miles. I promise to get you there.