South Australia

After leaving Hobart in 15 degree weather, I flew to Adelaide where it was 32 degrees. Finally, my Australian ideal - hot, sunny, blue sky days. And in Adelaide, it's a dry heat. Landed in Adelaide Sunday, March 2. I spent about four hours walking the city - just to see the sites and get oriented. My hotel was close to the downtown and just a block and a half from the tram line - but Sunday was all about walking. The Rundle Mall, the Markets, Light Square and North Terrace where all of Adelaide's beautiful buildings are located. I picked up the makings of a picnic lunch and found Riverside Walk. So beautiful to enjoy a long afternoon reading and strolling this linear park that follows the river for miles.

I spent Monday morning at the Museum of South Australia which houses the largest and best collection of Aboriginal artifacts. Although you could easily spend a day here, I was greatful for a few hours. These ancient societies are just such a mystery to me. On one hand they seem to be very primitive and stone age - and on the other so complex and scientific. I keep reading, hoping to come to some understanding.

Monday afternoon was hot and I could resist the temptation no longer. I boarded the tran and made for the beach at Glenelg. What a winning proposition this was. The tram line took me through the downtown and the 10 or so kms out to Glenelg so I got to see even more of Adelaide, the beach was beautiful and the sun glorious, and the town of Glenelg is very pretty as you can see on the left. Spent the day on the beach, shopping and having dinner on the Esplanade before taking the tram back into town after sunset. Another lovely thing about South Australia - it has twilight, something the more northerly areas do not. The evenings are long, and on this occassion warm, so after returning to the city it was very pleasant to window shop and people watch along my way home. I really did wish I had several more days to spend in Adelaide - two was really insufficient. Next door to the Museum is the Art Gallery which has one of the best exhibitions of Australian visual artists. Didn't have time. Next trip.

Tuesday morning I was picked up for a tour of the Barossa Valley wine region. It is late summer and the vintage has begun. The valley itself is very dry and brown - they are experiencing drought here. We visited five vineyards during the day long trip (that's a lot of wine tasting): Wolf Blass, Barossa Valley Vineyards, Chateau Tanundra, Langmiel - pictured on the left. This last one was very interesting for a number of reasons. First, it is located on the site of a German-immigrant town from 150 years ago. These vines are growing along a stone wall. The buildings of the town all belong to the estate now and house various parts of the boutique winemaking operation. And, this vineyard still has the original Freedom vines - the Shiraz vines that arrived with the settlers 150 years ago, which are still growing and producing grapes. Finally, this vineyard was in full harvest when we visited so we got to see the processing of the grapes.
Beautiful day. Lots of grapes ... OK a bit of a headache the next morning when I left Adelaide