Olympics: - A 10th Anniversary of "The Best Games Ever"

Recently, Sydney celebrated the 10th Anniversary of Sydney hosting "The most successful Olympic Games ever" (Juan-Antonio Samaranch, had withheld from Atlanta in 1996 the epithet "best-ever Games", which he first delivered at the closing of the Olympics in his home city of Barcelona, in 1992, and then also accorded Sydney in 2000).

It was a busy day, in that there was a LOT of people at the venue, to witness the relighting of the Olympic Cauldron. To mark the occasion, Cathy Freeman was invited to light the cauldron, although this time, hoping that the technical glitch that had it sitting just above her for 3mins and 40 seconds did not happen again! However, her nemesis paid a visit with the Cauldron lighting itself, and later extinguished, before she got there to do the job properly! Here is what the cauldron looks like during the day:

Cauldron Close

And here it is, at dusk, with the flame burning again;

Cauldron at Dusk

Sydney, during the games, was such a great atmosphere to be in. People were friendlier than normal, the public transport ran better than it ever had (still to this day) and the vibe was just awesome! It was a time that I will certainly never forget!

Hoo roo for now...

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Bikes: - A great way to get around, right?

Then WHY are these ones NOT being utilised like in Europe?

Melbourne Bikes

Because, unlike in Europe, it is LAW in Australia to wear a helmet! Ok, for something like $2.50 a DAY, why wouldn't you use it to get around town instead of driving? I mean, how easy is it (as a tourist) to pay a small fee, unlock your bike, and ride about and at the end of the day, you don't even have to return it as you simply lock it back in at any other bike stand around town!!!

Melbourne Bikes

Now I get the whole safety issue, don't get me wrong, but why is it so widely used in Europe yet not so here? Maybe by getting rid of cars in the city is the way to go, I don't know, but it is certainly a hot issue in Sydney at the moment!

In Europe, here are some of the bike stands that are widely used, and in a much more acceptable way...

Aalborg, Denmark Bikes

Parisian Bikes

Hoo roo for now...

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Wordless Wednesday No. 37 Spring Walk

Spring Walk RBGS

Flower Bed Lawn RBGS

Hoo roo for now...

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A short trip to Melbourne Pt 2 of 2

Melbourne, really is the city of food... It has so many wonderful little lanes and hidden nooks and cranny's where there are simply, the best Cafes! Here, we have Flinders Lane (one of many little lane ways) that have these little Bohemian style Cafes.

Flinders Lane Cafes

We had, naturally on a Sunday morning, no where to go with all of these wonderful little places all fully occupied, so we kept on walking down Collins St and came across a little place, L'incontro, where we had breakfast (Bacon, eggs, tomato, hash brown and toast (I gave away my Fungi...)!

L'incontro

Breakfast

As time was marching on, and I had two flights to catch to get me home (as when I booked), as there was no direct Melbourne to Sydney flights left so I started to plan via Brisbane, then Adelaide and finally I had to go via Canberra which had a 3.5 hour layover! So we walked back to towards Flinders St Station to catch the Tram back to Richmond. Along the way, there was some flower box's full of Spring Colour, the Royal Agricultural Society was promoting the Melbourne Show with the Farm Animals on display. I love these Kelpies with their 'Jockeys' on!!!

RAS Melbourne Kelpie Dog

Melb Building

Melb Purple Cinners

Melb Blue Cinners

Flinders St Station

The flight back was, well... lets say 'Interesting' to say the least! There was a family of mum, dad and three boys infront of my seat, and mum was next to me. The two boys infront sat down and were very well behaved in row 1 (yes, I was in Business Class). Anyway, we pushed back, and taxied to the hold point all good so far! We were given our ok to turn and depart Melbourne via a northerly departure and we were on our way to Canberra! Just as the flight attendants started the meal service, there was a bit (followed by a lot) of turbulence, suspending the service... This startled the young chap in front and resulted in him asking (in only the way a child can ask AT THE TOP OF HIS VOICE, "Are we going to crash?" Well, this had the family in fits of laughter, as with most of us in the cabin as well mind you! It lasted a good 15 minutes or so, which meant that on the short trip to Canberra, service was well... QUICK! We landed and I headed into the Business Lounge to wait for my next flight to Sydney. This flight, was uneventful, and I got home at just a little bit after 8.30pm!

So, another flight down for the year, where WILL I go to next?

Hoo roo for now...

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A short trip to Melbourne Pt 1 of 2

Since my last post, I have now had stitches removed and a little more mobile... This allowed me to venture south, to Melbourne, for the Semi-final match for the Swans 'v' Western Bulldogs.

However, the weekend was a real let down for me, sports wise, due to multiple losses! Let me show you JUST how bad it was:

• AFL: - Swans v Western Bulldogs (10.12. 72 - 11.11 77)
• Rugby Union: - Australia 'v' New Zealand (22 - 23)
• Sydney Roosters 'v' West Tigers (19 - 15) which had a field goal scored in the dieing minutes to go to Golden Point time!!!

Aside from these poor results, after the flight down late Friday night (after seeing the GP) I headed straight for bed. Sydney airport has a very STRICT curfew of 11pm. Our flight was delayed after the mornings heave fog, and as our aircraft went to Perth, which meant we had our wheels up at 10.58pm!

On Saturday, whilst others slept in, I went into Richmond for breakfast at the 'Groove Train'. The breakfast was fast, service great, but more importantly, the food was excellent!

Groove Train Breakie

After this, we then headed into the Yarra Valley, a Wine District. Mr L has become very use to the 'bubbles' of the famous Chandon of Moet & Chandon fame!

Moet & Chandon

Chandon Cork

We also had a look around the Gardens, which were really special...

Chandon Vines

Chandon House Lawn

Chandon House

Chandon House Poppy Bed

After a trip around the Gardens, we then headed inside to have a look at the inner workings of such a winery, to the vats and barrels through to the 'Rittle Room' (which is where they turn the bottles every couple of days) and finally ending up in the shop where you could 'sample' the produce which is a must do of course!

Chandon Barrel Room

Master Rittler

Rittle Room

Chandon Tasters

Then it was to a lookout (War Memorial which doubles as the CFA Early Fire Lookout) to overlook some of the area and onto Melbourne in the distance, before heading back into Melbourne City and to the Game.

Melbourne in the distance...

MCG 11092010

I will post some more from the Sunday tomorrow, as this is already a long enough post... Hoo roo for now...

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Bloody TOE!!!

I have been this last week, somewhat stationary.... You see, last week, during the wee hours of the morning, I needed to get a drink so I walked down the hallway to the kitchen. I 'normally' walk with my right hand running along the wall so as I know WHEN I get to where the little step is. This time though, I did not and I was very quickly woken up (in severe PAIN) with me kicking the step, whilst my toe dragged down the small step nearly ripping my nail off at the nail bed! Here's the hallway and then the step:

Hall to step

The Step

On Tuesday I had an appointment with the Podiatrist, as the GP could only do so much, and he had clipped it so as it wasn't pulling the nail if I was to wear socks or on the bedsheets at night. So the Podiatrist's first comment, said "man, that looks real angry, and obviously an infection had set in given the offensive smell"! Geez mate, thanks!!! So he cleaned it up, put a little tourniquet on my toe to stop the bleeding (yeah right) and gave me a local on the toe. A couple of minutes later after it started to work, he stared to poke around with most of the toe now numb! Out came the HUGE (well I thought so) clipper things and digging away to get to the root of the nail. WELL, I just about hit the roof, and when he clipped, blood was gushing everywhere, it even caught him unaware!!! Now I fairly OK with blood and guts and can watch surgery on RPA, but my GOD, I burped and next thing I knew I was projectile vomiting all over the floor just missing him! I don't know who was more shocked, me or him!! Procedure all done, I had to sit outside for a little bit whilst he cleaned up... Then he got his own back, by giving me the bill!!!

So with being somewhat unable to walk a great deal or drive as much as well, I have been sitting contemplating a lot of things to do with my future... I still don't know what I am going to do, but I am considering a lot of options...

So here it today, I can walk a little to a lot better, with a couple of stitches in my toe, and I had a look around the garden. There is a lot in flower at the moment, but the orange Clivia Spp are looking good, and I have my white/soft yellow budding up as well which I will get a photo of when it flowers.

Clivia Spp

And before I go, here is the little miss Jasmine, quite comfortable in the vege patch (which is getting ready to plant out):

Jasmine Vege Patch

Hoo roo for now...

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Some Aussie Flowers (WW 36 as well...)

Wordless Wednesday # 36!

Kangaroo Paw

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Over the weekend, I had to attend a State Conference for BGANZ. It went very well, of course I was running the presentations so it HAD to run well! But, seriously, all of the presentations went off without a hitch!

The conference dinner was yumm, do you agree?

Roasted Pumpkin and Cumin Soup

Steak Redwine Sauce Wedges and Steamed Veges

And on the Sunday whilst the workshops were underway, I managed to go around the Gardens and get some photos not only of the groups doing the workshops, but also of the typically Australian Native Flowers in the Garden...

Indigenous Tree Carving HRBG

Sun Time HRBG

Picture Kills a Thousand Flies HRBG

I need to find out this ones name... HRBG

Grevillia Green HRBG

Cassia I think HRBG

Banksia Orange HRBG

Hoo roo for now...

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