For The Love of Travel

When we first arrived at our hotel, my first landing point was at the Laundrylab @ Kings Cross – to do our smalls washing. Loved the new technology…..no coins needed and washing powder and fabric softener supplied – yay!

Caught up with friends Carla and Antony @ Buffalo Dining Room for dinner, with Mitzy accompanying me and being very spoilt by the Chef, with delicious morsels. Amazing pasta with cheese was served!

Lynne and Suki relaxed at a concert @ the Opera House. Next morning, a gorgeous blue sky, just beckoning for a photo from Observatory Hill.

Then to Wendy Whitely’s Secret Garden in Lavender Bay for a stroll…..she still tends to the plants in this garden!

Lunch @ Watson’s Bay…..

Early morning walk, Bondi to Bronte… and coffee @ Icebergs

Museum of Contemporary Art at the Rocks had a few fab exhibitions…here are some artworks I liked..

Sydney Jewish Museum and Sidney Nolan exhibition – best known for his bold modernist work, Nolan’s response to the Holocaust is uncovered at this exhibition, a series of images painted with great intensity during 1961 as the Adolf Eichmann trial came to a close and as Nolan prepared to visit Auschwitz – what he saw there overwhelmed him so completely, that he refused a commission from the Observer, to illustrate the prison camp.

Caught up with friend Robin at the Royal Oak hotel. So good to see her after decades!

A day spent visiting the Blue Mountains via the Big Merino @ Goulburn!

Stayed at beautiful Liliansfels Resort and Spa – luxurious accommodations for humans and pooches alike.  The history of this beautiful property……in August 1888 Sir Frederick Darley purchased over 11 acres of land adjacent to Echo Point in Katoomba. He built a summer residence for the family over the year of 1889, designed by architect Varney Parkes (son of Henry Parkes).The Darleys had seven children and it was Lilian, who died of tuberculosis at age 22, for whom the Katoomba property was named.  The property was used for a summer residence and nearly every noted visitor to Australia accepted the Darleys’ hospitality enjoying the magnificent outlook.  

The Three Sisters have an Indigenous backstory. Sitting 3000 feet above sea level, the story begins with three sisters from the Katoomba tribe who fell in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe. As a tribal law forbade them from getting married, the brothers decided to capture the sisters, and a result created a war between the tribes. To protect the three sisters, a witch doctor cast a temporary spell on the sisters transforming them into rocks, to be turned back after the danger had passed. Unfortunately, during the war, the witchdoctor was killed and the sisters remained rocks for eternity. The best lookout to see the Three Sisters is Echo Point.

The views go on forever at Sublime Point lookout. Located in Leura, overlooking Blue Mountains National Park, this spot offers sensational views of the Jamison Valley, Gang-gangs and cockatoos feed in the casuarinas. You’ll cross a bridge over a dramatic ravine before arriving at the lookout platform. We gazed across the scenic valley views and soaked up the unending wilderness.

Katoomba Falls…(photo courtesy of Walk My World), looks particularly splendid after its rained! We did a short walk from the Katoomba Falls Park, exploring a few cliffs and dense vegetation to enjoy the stunning views of the Kedumba Valley.

Arriving in Canberra in the afternoon, we drove around the city familiarising ourselves with locations of interest and decided to visit old Parliament House, the home of the Federal Parliament from 1927 to 1988, and now housing the Museum of Australian Democracy.

The Behind the Lines: 2021 in political cartoons” exhibition was fab to visit, with both hilarious and sobering commentary on which to reflect. 

We were able to explore some of the old rooms in the House, including the Prime Minister’s (Bob’s) rooms and offices…lovingly and authentically restored to the 1980’s aesthetic! 

“Democracy DNA: the People, the Prime Ministers and the World” allows you to explore the events that shaped the nation from 1901 and the stories of the people who created our democracy. We didn’t have sufficient time to do this section justice unfortunately. 

Bollywood Marsala for a delicious barramundi and vegetarian curry dinner. 

The next day we visited the Australian War Memorial for a tour covering Aussie involvement in wars from WW1 to Afghanistan. Thought provoking and moving. 

A beautiful day to experience the National Arboretum, created after the 2001 & 2003 bushfires, which aims to establish 100 forests and 100 gardens focussing on threatened, rare, and symbolic trees from around the world. We explored the Cork Oak and Himalayan Cedar tracks and visited the Margaret Whitlam Pavilion. 

Took a tour around the (new) Parliament House and learnt more about the towering flagpole to the Grand Hall tapestry, the chambers of the Senate and House of Representatives, art and craft, architecture and Parliamentary proceedings.

Rainforest walk in Canberra’s Botanical Gardens yielded an eery atmosphere on a sunny day.

Parts of the Yale-Colombia Refractor telescope destroyed in Canberra’s 2003 fire, were used to construct the “Astronomer sculpture”, at Questacon. 

The National Portrait Gallery was displaying the 2022 National Portrait Prizes entries, here are some of my fave paintings and photos

Sensational dinner at Saffron Restaurant in Kingston, specialising in Greek, Lebanese and Moroccan dishes. Grilled salmon, haloumi, feta in pastry, tabouli, fattoush salad, baklava…..yummo!