Like many children, I grew up with stories of Paddington Bear. The story of Paddington bear begins at Paddington Station in London.
While waiting at Paddington Station, we came across this statue of him.
Paddington Bear
Paddington Bear
Au Revoir Australia
Our final weeks in Australia were a whirlwind of packing and catching up with family and friends. Thank you to everyone who hosted events for us and had us as guests. We had a wonderful time.
View from the plane
After a 38 hour journey, we find ourselves on the other side of the world and at the start of a great adventure.
Happy Christmas
Happy Christmas from Graham and me. I hope you have a wonderful day.
Merry Christmas sign Flinder Street Station on Christmas Eve
Merry Christmas sign on the side of Flinders Street Station in Melbourne, Australia
Farewells Have Begun
My work colleagues hosted a surprise farewell lunch for me this week, and gave me an amazing bunch of Australian native flowers and a bag of goodies that are difficult to find elsewhere in the world.
It was a lovely event. Thank you to everyone involved.
Farewell flowers
Gingerbread – A Christmas Tradition
Christmas is just around the corner. The decorations are up, and the Christmas events are in full swing. But, until yesterday, there was something missing – our traditional Christmas gingerbread snowflakes.
We started making gingerbread three years ago (I think), when we received the gorgeous snowflake cookie cutters pictured below, and it has become our little Christmas tradition.
Gingerbread dough, cutter, and rolling pin
Gingerbread snowflake shaped cutter
Snowflake shaped gingerbread biscuits
Cooked gingerbread biscuits on a cooling rack
Night Market
One of the things I love about living in the centre of Melbourne is being able able to shop at the Queen Victoria Market. Our market visits are usually limited to early mornings before work, but last week we went to the night market as well.
Sunlit produce at Queen Victoria Market
Over summer, there is a night market each Wednesday. The night market is more about entertainment than shopping. The usual stalls are transformed into seating areas, food vendors, and stages for live music. There are a handful of other stalls selling handmade soaps and candles, homemade fudge, and other pretty gift ideas.
Spanish food vendor at the night market
Food stalls at the night market
Asian BBQ vendor at the night market
While we were there, we took the opportunity to wander around the dairy hall. It was after closing time, and the normally crowded space was unusually quiet.
Quiet dairy hall after closing
Dairy hall at Queen Victoria Market
Melbourne Sunset
As we were walking back from the supermarket this evening, Graham captured this amazing photo of the sunset. Yesterday we had thunderstorms; today we had this beautiful orange sky.
Melbourne sunset looking back to the Docklands from the city.
Wildlife in Tasmania
Tasmania’s national parks offered us some close encounters with the local wildlife.
In Cradle Mountain we awoke each morning to find a pademelon sitting just outside our door within arm’s reach. It watched us and ate the nearby vegetation. We watched it and took a lot of photos.
Pademelon at Cradle Mountain
Freycinet offered a similar up-close experience with the wallabies, who happily nibbled grass at the edge of the walking tracks while we wandered by, and an amazing array of birds.
Wallaby foraging near a parking area
Wallaby at Freycinet
Here are some pictures of the wild and not so wild creatures we came across.
Parrot
Currawong at Freycinet
A pair of kookaburras
Birds fishing at Hazards Beach
Dairy cows at Pyengana
Tasmania’s tea-coloured water
On our recent holiday in Tasmania, we took a boat trip from Strahan on Macquarie Harbour and along the Gordon River. The boat’s captain was eager to point out that the colour of the water in both the harbour and river comes from the local button grass. Tannin from the grass leeches into the water, turning it the colour of black tea.
Beach near Binalong Bay
Throughout our trip, we noticed that every river and creek we came across had this familiar tea colour, and in many, the water was still clear enough to see the bottom.
Cradle Mountain stream
Knyvet Falls
As an aside, we were lucky enough to see the Gordon River on a perfectly still day. The reflections on the Gordon River were stunning- like sailing through liquid silver.
Melbourne’s events
One of the things I enjoy about Melbourne is that there is always something to see or a free event to visit. The last few weeks have been particularly good.
Fireworks over the Docklands, Melbourne
We have had Friday night fireworks at the Docklands, and the Melbourne Open House weekend. The Open House weekend gave us an opportunity to see inside some of the buildings we wander past so often. Graham has photos and more information about the places we visited:
- Storey Hall, RMIT
- JA Substation
- Capitol Theatre
- Plaza Ballroom
- Hellenic Museum- Former Royal Mint
- Royal Exhibition Building
Inside the Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
Docklands, Melbourne