Very hot

Yes, it has been very hot lately and in some places it contues. Today is not even 30+ yet, so it feels ok. We are so pleased about the pool and we are in it every day, like little kids. Hubby has perfected a couple of moves to get into the inflatable ring that are worth seeing.

We had visitors from the UK for five days and it all went way to quick but it was lots of fun. For example there was fun with eggs. You wouldn't believe how much fun you can have with boiled eggs, especially if they are soft boiled.

Our son came out on Friday when they arrived and stayed over night. We barbecued and caught up on old memories. We met over 30 years ago when we all lived in Grenoble, in fact they are the ones who looked after our two year old when I went to hospital to have our first daughter.
In the morning our son made dim sums which went down a treat, they were delicious.

We also had great fun playing cards every night, something that we never did much when I grew up but I now see what I missed out on. However, I will never be good at it, my memory is not very good, at least not for cards.

The day after Australia Day which is a public holiday here, we did the big tour that we often take visitors on.
First we stopped at the big hindu temple in Helensburg. It must have been some special celebration because there were many people there. We didn't see until after our visit on the way out,  that we should have been vegetarians to go in, oups!

What I really wanted was to take photos inside of all the beautiful women and children in colorful saris but that was forbidden.

 Our itinerary also  included the Big Potato in Robertson where they have a very nice cheese shop.

This little verse should be sung to Sweet dreams are made of this by Eurythmics

We had lunch in Kangaroo Valley but it should have been in one of the wineries but we got started too late in the morning.  Kangaroo Valley has lots of cute shops and galleries and is nice to stroll around in.

We also went to Fitzroy Falls which is very nice, you can take a short walk or a slightly longer one.

Not a very good picture. There was a herd of tourists there and everyone wanted their picture taken in front of the falls

 The last stop of the day was in Kiama to see the blowhole, the little and the larger one. We all agreed that the smaller one was better.

Dave and Rhona and me in front of the "small" blow hole.

I have to leave you now and go off on new adventures but remember " Age is not important unless you are a cheese"

Weekend fun and games

I am reading a book right now by an Australian writer. The title of the book is Indelible Ink, by Fiona McGregor, aptly called so since it is very much about tattooing. It is not only about that of course, but also about life in Sydney, or life in Sydney on the North Shore. That is where all the well to do live, with cleaning ladies and gardeners. They travel overseas, they go to the beauty parlours to do their hair and waxing and spray tanning and they gossip. They have affairs and  sometimes divorce, and generally do what people do do but with more money involved. We follow the main character Marie and her three adult children but also friends and tattoo artists and tattoo addicts. It is also a book about dying of cancer. It is not a fun book to read but it is fascinating, bordering on unputdownable.

In real life we have visitors right now from three different countries. Two colleagues of hubby from Spain and Japan are here, and then we have a young man from Meylan who is just here for a few days before going back to France. Yesterday we took them down to the South coast.

The spot where this photo was taken is where they do a lot of hang gliding and para gliding. We tried to talk our visitors into doing it, but no luck. Still, it is fun to watch.

We also went to a hindu temple in Helensburgh, which is supposed to be the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere. There was a special celebration going on so we felt a bit conspicious, but people didn't seem to mind us walking around, having a little look. You must leave your shoes outside and not take photos and if you eat anything it must be vegetarian! Very sensible rules I thought! I think I'll instigate them here too. I often feel I could be a fish eating vegetarian. Maybe there is a word for it.

Friday night we went to Darling Harbor for drinks and then dinner, quite a change from our little quiet life in Illawong.  This was a party boat that we saw, for example ,and it looked like it was hosting a private party. Apparently it quite common to do that, for corporate parties especially.

Have to be off now, to the Sydney Fishmarket and La Perouse with our visitors.

More about that another time. Hope you all have a great Sunday!