A very hot weekend so we have escaped to the seaside. An early morning walk and one seagull to keep us company.
We are mindful that some areas on the other side of Melbourne are impacted by bushfires.
Tomorrow will be another hot one.
travel
Taming the Tamar
We walked the dogs
and talked
that morning
along the Tamar
Tree of Life
After our wintry summer in the Czech Republic we have returned filled with newfound vigour and hope.
Life does deal us remarkable events. This beautiful tree in Northern Tasmania, near Boat Harbour has come to symbolise new family connections and the strengthening of familial bonds – both near and far.
Snow bound
We are in southern Bohemia visiting new found family members and mesmerised by the snow covered countryside.
Snow blooms
Stark against the winter snow,
these snow blooms,
sentinels in a row.
Prague snow
Yesterday, sunny and warm, today – snow in Prague – barren but beautiful.
Magnetic sunsets
Our stay on the island has ended but not without a dramatic twilight farewell. These sunsets mesmerized us as we gazed out to Horseshoe Bay. We marveled at the beauty, the russet colours and time, for us, stood still.
Mother Nature is reminding us to take time to be still, appreciate and embrace serenity.
Sunsets herald a new day and celebrate our existence. We are grateful to have escaped the cold for a short time and now return to our mountain home. I hope you can find some time to stare out into your sunset afternoon.
Magnetic Island
Captain James Cook named this island in 1770 believing it caused interference with the magnets on board the Endeavour.
By the late 19th century Europeans had settled the island.
This island has captivated us.
Simply enchanting in mid winter.
South Pacific
We have been fortunate enough to spend four nights in the tropical South Pacific on board the marvelous vessel, the Celebrity Solstice. More specifically, we visited New Caledonia and Vanuatu – Noumea, Loyalty Island, Mystery Island and Isle of Pines.
New Caledonia was discovered by Captain Cook on his voyage to find the new lands of the southern ocean. He named the archipelago in honour of Scotland – also known as Caledonia. New Caledonia is a French colony where the franc is local currency along with the French language – we brushed up on merci, Bon jour and sil vous plait. We admired bejeweled lobsters and sipped on fresh coconut juice.
By far, our favourite islands were Mystery Island – the Melanesians believe it to be haunted – it was used by the US as a landing field; and the Isle of Pines – crystal clear waters and unspoiled nature. We swam and even saw Nemo!
No wonder sailors and and artists came and never left. We immersed ourselves in the beauty that is
the South Pacific.
All at sea
American cruise ships are renowned for their abundance and excess. I don’t mean this in a disparaging way, but merely as a generalised perception of the ingenuity of the American way, However, as we embarked on our first even cruise – all cliches aside, we really did not expect the luxury, the cleanliness and yes of course, the abundance which we encountered. We really felt like “fish out of water”, sorry – bad nautical pun.
Our main aim for this eight night escape was to see the ocean, relax, read and enjoy the tropical South Pacific. Embarking from Sydney, where we were lucky to spend time with Daughter Number Two and her husband, before we set sail, our departure lounge was the magnificence that is Sydney Harbour.
The view of the Harbour, the Bridge and Opera House never tires and never disappoints, it is truly one of the great harbours of the world. It was then, as the ship slowly manoeuvred away from the dock that it hit me.
You see both our families, just a generation before us, came to this great land by ship. My parents and grandparents as refugees from Europe in 1949 and Colin’s mother and grandparents from Malta just three years later. In fact this ship was registered in Valetta, a beautiful port, which I have been fortunate to visit.
With these thoughts, I couldn’t help feeling how difficult it must have been for them to leave their respective countries and experience a voyage of uncertainty. Indeed, their thirty days at sea would not have been as enticing or our indulgent as our short cruise. Despite this, I knew that my experience on this ship would have me reflecting on those remarkable journeys of our collective history.
No doubt this sea crossing will give us time to reflect and put into perspective, our blessings and opportunities.
Please check out my other blog “finding stanley vodak” which is written in conjunction with Sydney daughter and our hope to delve further into our past, on the other side of the ocean.
crabandfish garden 