Ahmet Erkun

Ahmet Erkun

📍 Türkiye Okumaya devam et

Takip Et Mesaj İstatistik

Adventuring Down Under
Brisbane: Nepalese Peace Pagoda
20 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F
In South Bank, overlooking the Brisbane River, is the Nepalese Peace Pagoda … moved here in 1991 from its original location near Vulture Street.

This beautifully hand-carved building was commissioned and installed for Expo ‘88. A close replica of Kathmandu’s Pashupatinath Temple, the purpose of the pagoda was to showcase Nepal’s woodcarving heritage.

According to signage near the pagoda, it took 160 craftsmen from the Kathmandu Valley two years to complete the hand carvings … which include intricate symbols of gods and goddesses and mythical animals. Scenes on the ceiling portray the enlightenment of Buddha. The roof is brass-clad, and out front is a Peace Bell.

A place of tranquil meditation, it was a peaceful stop for us on our stroll along the Brisbane River.Okumaya devam et
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Brisbane: Along the South Bank
20 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F
The weather forecasters promised a day of sunshine and blue skies. And they delivered. Heat and humidity accompanied this beautiful day from the get go … even though we got an early start.

Brisbane is settled along the banks of the river by the same name. On our previous visits, we spent our time on the north bank and in the CBD. This time, we decided to head across the river to the suburb of South Bank.

In addition to frequent ferry service that carries visitors back and forth on the river, a number of bridges span the meandering waterway. The one closest to us was the Kurilpa, so we made use of it to cross over.

From signage on the bridge, we learned the story told Aboriginal children by their Elders about the origins of the river. Tradition has it that a serpent created the river, causing conflicts between the saltwater creatures and the animals on the land. As the serpent meandered through the countryside, it also battled the green frog and the sand goanna … animals that now form the mountains that can be seen from the Kurilpa Bridge.

Once on the south bank of the river, we turned onto the Clem Jones Promenade, following the river downstream to enjoy the skyline views. That we stopped frequently to take photos goes without saying.

Along the way, we passed the Queensland Culture Center — home to museums and the playhouse; swimming pools and manmade beaches. The Arbour — consisting of 443 curls of galvanized steel wrapped in climbing flowers — afforded us a shady, green respite … even if the colorful blooms were out of season.

Eventually, we found our way to Mado, billed as the best Turkish restaurant in Australia. Familiar with Mado — a chain in Türkiye — we decided to have lunch there today. Good food … but is it the best in Australia? I guess we’ll find out after we dine at Anason in Sydney before we conclude our adventures Down Under.Okumaya devam et
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Brisbane: Chores and Errands
19 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☁️ 81 °F
We’ve visited Brisbane twice before. Once in 2017. And again on our Regatta circumnavigation earlier in our Adventures Down Under.

Thus, we have already done some sightseeing here. There’s still more to see and do. But we needed a day for chores and errands. So, that’s what we did today. I took care of the chores … Mui went out to run errands.

We also did some brainstorming on what to do if the aftermath of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Megan has an adverse effect on our plans to continue further north. For the moment, we will be staying the course and continuing to monitor the rainfall and flood reports. 🤞🏻 no serious jiggling of plans will be required.Okumaya devam et
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OTR: Day 5 … Brisbane
18 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F
When we booked the villa at Cavvanbah, there was an offer for massages on the lanai. Why not, we thought to ourselves and booked a couple of treatments for yesterday afternoon.

Turns out that a therapist was not available on Sunday afternoon. Instead, we were given two options. Cancel the massages and receive a refund. Or, accept a late check-out today and have the massages this morning. Since we had just 100 miles to drive to Brisbane — and we were looking for a way to kill time before we could check-in at the Meriton Suites — we accepted option 2.

By noon, muscles appropriately worked and relaxed, we were ready to check-out and begin our drive north.

With an estimated 2-hour drive ahead of us, we’d still be arriving in Brisbane before the 3:00p check-in, but we could drop off our bags at the Meriton and go to Avis to drop off the car while we waited. Good plan. Except that we gained an hour when we crossed from New South Wales into Queensland! The good news? Even though it was only 1:00p when we showed up at the Meriton, they checked us into our suite … no questions asked. Excellent.

After taking our bags up to suite 1904, we drove the car to Avis. Not an easy feat with all the one way roads further complicated by all the construction and road closures around Brisbane. Happy to be sans-wheels in the city, we walked back to the Meriton … stopping along the way for lunch at Vapiano, a casual Italian restaurant.

By the time we got back to our suite, we were ready to do nothing but chill.

Chores and errands can wait until tomorrow.Okumaya devam et
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OTR: Day 4 … Byron Bay
17 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F
By the time we went to bed last night, we had a plan for today. Breakfast at a café in Grafton and then drive to Byron Bay for another overnight before our scheduled arrival in Brisbane on the 18th.

Byron Bay is a vibrant coastal town in far-north NSW. Quaint in many ways, it is sometimes referred to as a hippie town. It is where Australia's most easterly point is located. The beaches are described as spectacular and the Cape Byron Lighthouse is an iconic landmark. The town is filled with shops and eateries of all sizes … reminding us of beach towns in Türkiye … as well as the resort towns we’ve been to around Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Arriving around 11:30a, we set out to while away some time before the 2:00p check-in for our accommodations. Despite the crowds in town for the Adaptive Surfing Festival (for para surfers), we managed to find a parking spot on the foreshore. Our plan was to go for a walk on the beach. But a sudden rain shower changed our plans and we went in search of food instead — delicious tacos at Miss Margarita … and gelato at Bella Rosa.

By the time we were done with lunch, the sun was out … the heat and humidity rising quickly. We wandered for a bit and then decided to check out the iconic lighthouse. Easier said than done. Parking was unavailable at any of the lots at the lighthouse. I managed to jump out for a quick photo, but we were holding up traffic so I had to give up on getting any scenic beach shots. Maybe tomorrow before we leave.

By the time we drove down from the lighthouse, we were just shy of 2:00p. Time to check-in at Cavvanbah … a sort-of beachfront retreat operated like an AirBNB … with self check-in instructions provided by text. The property consists of four villas and was one of the few places in Byron Bay that had availability within our budget when we booked it last night.

After settling into Villa Rio, we went off to check out the beach … accessed through a gate at the back of the property. Crossing the rail tracks (used by the train that connects Byron Bay and North Beach), we found the beach. The surf was up, but that didn’t stop Mui from going into the ocean to play around for a bit while I sat on the beach reading.

A relaxing afternoon on our lanai … wine and snacks for dinner. A lovely end to our day.Okumaya devam et
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Sonia GelmanBeautiful beach!
21.03.2024YanıtlaÇevirmek
Gezgin Love seeing Mui getting into his beloved water
21.03.2024YanıtlaÇevirmek
Gezgin Oh!!! That looks wonderful. No scary things in there?
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Two to TravelNot here.
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OTR: Day 3 … Grafton
16 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F
The Waterfall Way’s coastal end is at Coffs Harbour.

When we jiggled our plans, we considered staying in Coffs Harbour two nights and then continue north to Brisbane. It took just a couple of minutes of driving in the city to change our minds. It was crowded … traffic was a mess. And accommodations were in short supply. It didn’t help matters that it was Saturday.

Scrapping Coffs Harbour, we decided to head north a bit for a more inland town — Grafton. Being a good-sized town it held the promise of a choice of accommodations. After checking out reviews, we settled on the Heritage River Motor Inn … a second-floor room with not one but two balconies … except that it was too cold to sit outside.

After settling into our room, we drove into the CBD to find a bite to eat. The pub at the Clocktower Hotel served well for that purpose … Mui especially liked the lamb rump stew that he ordered.

We’ve got one more day on the road. Where will that day take us? Your guess is as good as ours.Okumaya devam et
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OTR: Day 3 … Waterfall Way
16 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F
When we set out on our drive from Sydney on the 11th, the plan was to stay inland all the way up to Toowomba before turning east to Brisbane.

Well, after talking with the volunteer at the Gunnedah Visitor Center yesterday, we decided to jiggle our loosely-planned itinerary and turn east from Armidale towards the coast. Why? So that we could drive the Waterfall Way.

This route, which connects Armidale to Coffs Harbour, is 115 miles long. Along the scenic drive, are five national parks. The road winds through a lush rainforest, open woodlands, and farmlands. Unfortunately, nowhere to pull off and enjoy the roadside scenery. Indeed, to see the waterfalls one must at times detour into the national parks. We did that when the driving distances were reasonable.

Our first stop was at the Wollomombi Gorge. The waterfall here is said to have the highest drop in New South Wales. This was a horsetail waterfall … unfortunately less impressive than it probably is after the wet.

Our next stop was at Cathedral Rock National Park … a 9-mile in/out drive on a very narrow dirt road. Turns out that to see Cathedral Rock one must do some tricky bush walking on a trail rated extreme. Should have paid more attention to the map near the entrance to the park as this detour off the road turned out to be a mistake for us.

Our next stop — Ebor Falls — more than made up for our disappointing stop at Cathedral Rock. Located in the Guy Fawkes River National Park, the falls consist of two cataracts over which the river plunges some 325 feet. Quite majestic and picturesque … deserving of the name by which the Gumbaynggirr people traditionally know the falls … Martian … which means “the great falls.”

The drive was most definitely a worthy change to our original plans for being on the road.Okumaya devam et
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GezginThat is a truly beautiful waterfall
20.03.2024YanıtlaÇevirmek
Sonia GelmanThat is what the travel all about. Discover places.
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Gezgin Wowza!
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GezginBeautiful waterfall!
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OTR: Day 3 … NERAM in Armidale
16 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F
When we checked into the Armidale Pines yesterday, we placed our breakfast order as well. This turned out to be a smart move. Not only was the food tasty and plentiful — and delivered to our room — but we avoided having to go out in the rain to find a bakery or café.

We had two places we wanted to visit in Armidale before getting on the road.

One was the Saumarez Homestead, which was built between 1888-1906 on one of the first sheep stations in the area. As luck would have it, the place is closed temporarily … no explanation.

That left us with NERAM — the New England Regional Art Museum.

The museum is home to the Howard Hinton Collection … Australian artwork from the period between 1880 and 1940. Hinton, a British-born shipping merchant, had a great appreciation for art and artists … an appreciation that he generously shared with others rather than amass a treasure trove of art for himself.

The free exhibit at NERAM rotates art from the 1,000+ pieces that Hinton donated to the Armidale Teachers’ College.

After wandering through the current rotation from the Hinton Collection, we paid the admission to enter the exhibit in the adjacent room … works by the finalists of the 2023 Wynne Prize … the oldest prize given out since 1897 by the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The goal of the prize is to raise “… questions about how human intervention is changing the natural world. …”Okumaya devam et
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OTR: Day 2 … Armidale
15 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F
Armidale is not only a university town, it is also the de facto capital of the region.

We had chosen it because its size pretty much guaranteed that we would find overnight accommodations. And we did. At one of the motels. A clean, spacious room with a kitchenette … and breakfast delivered to the room on request. That it was convenient to the CBD and walking distance to eateries was a bonus.

We arrived in Armidale to a drizzle that let up long enough for us to walk to the pub at St Kilda’s Hotel … recommended by the manager at the motel for good pub grub at reasonable prices. They did not steer us wrong, though the portions were huge!

After dinner, we walked across the street for some gelato. A mistake. Not so much because the sweet treat wasn’t good … it was fine … we’ve had better. No, the problem was that it started to rain on the way back to the motel. Where were our rain jackets? In the car! Oh well, a warm room awaited us, so we hurried back for a relaxing evening of watching TV.Okumaya devam et
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OTR: Day 2 … Pastoral Scenery
15 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F
From Quirindi, we were planning on finding our way back onto New England Highway to head back north. Initially. But then, a closer study of the map gave us another idea. So, we jiggled our plans yet again … after confirming that the alternate roads were indeed paved.

The first shortcut took us across to Wallabadah. Then a short stint on the New England Highway to the junction of the road to Nundle … from where we got on Fossicker’s Way … another rural road through pastoral scenery. This detour avoided a return to Tamworth, cutting over to the road to Armidale instead.

The good news? We found two pull outs where we could stop for photos. The first one overlooked the Peel River. The second one overlooked Chaffey Dam.Okumaya devam et
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GezginThat is really quite lovely. Nice to see green and water after all that desert space.
19.03.2024YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelOur next day took us thru the rainforest. So lots of green in this part of Australia.
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OTR: Day 2 … Quirindi
15 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F
When we first set out to go to Gunnedah instead of Tamworth, the plan was to do a 95-mile in-out detour along the same road.

But then we spoke to the volunteer at the Gunnedah Visitor Center and we ended up jiggling our route to head south through the Liverpool Plans to Quirindi to see what she described as the “pre-eminent silo art.”

Peter Ryan’s mural on the GrainCorp silos tells the story of Quirindi … its past, present, and future … starting with dreamtime stories of the tree goanna, and the grey and the blue kangaroos … and continuing with the history of farming, including working dogs, crops, and the railway.

The drive to Quirindi through pastoral lands was scenic and serene … greener than we expected it to be. Unfortunately, the narrow road had no pull-outs for us to stop and take photos. Nonetheless, the silo art we found in Quirindi, which in Kamilaroi translates as “Nest in the Hills,” was most definitely worth the detour.Okumaya devam et
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GezginI think the silo art was much more fun than the murals from the last place
19.03.2024YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelI agree.
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OTR: Day 2 … Gunnedah
15 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F
The loose plan for today was to drive north from Goonoo Goonoo Station where we overnighted to the university town of Armidale … via Tamworth … the country music capital of Australia. We still got to Armidale, but we drove in a circle first.

After breakfast at the Glasshouse, we got on the New England Highway to continue north. But instead of going into Tamworth, we hung a left at the intersection and went to Gunnedah instead.

Gunnedah is a small town in what is considered the bread bowl of Australia. It is also cattle country. And coal mining, too. The brochure we had picked up described it as a “… land of plenty, of foreboding power and striking beauty, of deep chocolate soils and wispy plains of grass. Of quiet bush and deep blue lines of hills, of brilliant sunshine and soft dusk, of bustling progress and eerie vastness.”

Gunnedah, we read, was a microcosm of the Australian way of life. It is a small speck in poetess Dorothea Mackellar’s “Sunburnt Country” … in the poem “My Country” … Australia’s unofficial anthem, memorized by all adults and children … not unlike the USA’s “America the Beautiful.”

Arriving in the surprisingly bustling town, we stopped at the visitor center for some suggestions. Our experience with volunteers working in the info centers has been mixed. Some very forthcoming with suggestions … some not so much. The woman we spoke with today — a 30-year transplant from Switzerland — was great. She pulled out brochures and maps, marked them up with glee, and sent us on our way to explore … changing our plans for today … not to mention for the rest of our days on the road.Okumaya devam et
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Sonia GelmanInteresting art.
19.03.2024YanıtlaÇevirmek
GezginOh my!! some truly lovely and amazing art here. Lovely.
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Two to TravelTurned out to be one of our favorite places on the road.
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OTR: Goonoo Goonoo Station
14 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F
With our short road trip up to Brisbane planned very loosely, we had only two reservations for accommodations along the way. The first one at an AirBNB in Pokolbin … to relax in the famed Hunter Valley. The one for tonight at Goonoo Goonoo [gun-a-gun-noo] Station … a restored 1830s station/heritage-listed village.

The name of the station, which translates as “plenty of water,” comes from the language of the Kamilaroi, the traditional owners of the land. Though we did not see any water sources during our short stay, I understand there are many creeks, swamps, and rivers that flow through it.

Goonoo Goonoo was a sheep station from the 1800s until the 1960s. It operated under the auspices of the Australian Agricultural Commission to grow its merino business. A homestead was built … a school and church were added … an inn was constructed to accommodate travelers. Thus, a village was born. In 2011, the station changed hands. By this time, the sheep had been replaced by cattle … specifically Angus and Hereford.

Instead of demolishing it, the new owners decided to restore the 19th century village which had some 30 buildings that had fallen into disrepair. Our reservation was at one of those buildings … the shearer’s quarters … converted into a number of luxurious rooms.

After checking in at the heritage building that was once the butchery, we settled into our room and then went for a wander around the village … careful to stay away from the operating cattle station … biosecurity rules prohibit entrance. Following our meander, we enjoyed sitting on the porch where I could easily imagine the sheep shearers sitting out after a day of hard work … cooling breezes welcome in the late afternoon heat … then and today.

Dinner was at the Glasshouse Restaurant, sitting up on the hill, with views of the Liverpool Range in every direction. The restaurant lies between two of the heritage buildings … the wool store and the shearing shed. The food was delicious … the scenery pastoral. A perfect way to wrap up our day on the road.Okumaya devam et
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GezginBeaqutul landscape beautiful horses.
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Two to TravelBeautiful pastoral landscape … and a very special place.
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OTR: Kurri Kurri Murals
14 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F
After a quiet day of relaxing in Pokolbin, we were ready to set off north through inland roads for a series of one-night stays as we made our way to Brisbane.

But then I read a snippet about Kurri Kurri being the pre-eminent mural town in Australia … painted works of public art telling the stories of the people, events, and places that shaped the unique character and heritage of the area. So, we added a 90-mile roundtrip detour to our day on the road.

Arriving in Kurri Kurri, our initial impression was mixed. The small CBD seemed to be under construction … half the shops closed. And yet, there was a vibrancy with the locals going about their daily business. But those same locals didn’t seem all that welcoming to outsiders. Where were the smiles and greetings that we’d experienced in towns and cities thus far in our adventures Down Under?

Mui had already scoped out a café for breakfast. Walking up and down the CBD, we found no sign of it. Nor did the man at the visitor information center recognize the name when we asked him where we might find the Coffee Shot Café. Google insisted the place was open, however, so we persevered. Aha! It was tucked inside a small mall. Not the ambiance of the small town street café we’d been looking for, but the food was good and the service efficient.

Following breakfast, we set off in search of murals. The map we had picked up at the visitor center was helpful in finding most of them. We enjoyed the colorful art, but many of them were situated such that photographing them was impossible. Others had been marred with graffiti.

It was a worthy detour for the most part, but IMHO, Kurri Kurri could take a lesson or two from Sheffield, the mural town of Tasmania.Okumaya devam et
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Pokolbin: ‘Roos in the ‘Hood
13 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F
Decided to just chill at home today.

On our way to breakfast at Nineteen, the local café/bistro, we ran into kangaroos out foraging for their own breakfast in the neighborhood. Always fun to see wildlife out in the wild!Okumaya devam et
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GezginAwwww 💕
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Pokolbin: Hunter Valley Gardens
12 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F
A hot day — high of 92F. But beautiful nonetheless with blue skies and sunshine. A perfect day for visiting the Hunter Valley Gardens.

Built in 1999, the gardens are situated on what used to be horse paddocks and vineyards. Encompassing 14 hectares, the gardens are home to a variety of themed areas — a Sunken Garden with a 33-foot high waterfall; a Storybook Garden where larger-than-life nursery rhymes are brought to life; a Rose Garden … dedicated to grandmothers everywhere; a Formal Garden … influenced by designs from France and England; a Border Garden designed in the classic French parterre style; an Indian Garden flanked by bronze elephants; an Oriental Garden trimmed and manicured with natural curves; a Chinese Garden incorporating traditional elements; and an Italian Grotto featuring a statue of St Francis of Assisi.

We began with a stroll on the lakes walk and then ventured into the different gardens, following meandering paths. The grounds were beautifully manicured … lush green. But colorful blooms were at a minimum. Talking to one of the gardeners, it became obvious that we were here between seasons, with winter plantings currently in progress.

Regardless of the lack of blooms, we enjoyed the serene nature of the gardens. And later wrapped up our outing at Café Enzo … recommended by one of the locals. Delicious food.Okumaya devam et
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GezginOh what fun. Love the varied themes of the gardens
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Welcome to Pokolbin … Hunter Valley
11 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F
Once the coach from Canberra arrived at Sydney Central Station, Mui went to pick up our Avis car rental while I stood guard over our bags.

What can I say about the drive to get us out of Sydney? Best that it be forgotten. We managed to get on the M1 after a few wrong turns … the GPS just wasn’t fast enough relaying instructions … perhaps because of all the construction detours.

There are two ways to get to Brisbane from Sydney … some 570 miles away. Follow the coastline or travel via Hunter Valley. We opted for the latter and have given ourselves a week to do so.

Hunter Valley is considered the birthplace of Australian wines … known particularly for semillon and shiraz varieties. Admittedly, while we enjoy the occasional glass of wine, neither of us are connoisseurs. Nonetheless, we’re looking forward to the peaceful landscapes the area promises are part of the experience.

If our “light and airy” AirBNB booking is anything to go by … we will have the peaceful, charming experience we’re hoping for … at least for the first couple of days.Okumaya devam et
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Gezginsounds delightful. I am a bit more attached to our Oregon and California wines and haven't particularly enjoyed many Aussie wines except for the occasional malbec. Pretty bnb for sure
13.03.2024YanıtlaÇevirmek
Sonia GelmanYou are very brave driving in Sydney
15.03.2024YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelWhen you have to get out of the city and driving is the only way … c’est la vie. 😩
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Canberra to Sydney … by Coach
11 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F
When we added Canberra to our itinerary, we did so with round trip train tickets between Sydney and Australia’s capital city.

Then, a couple of months ago, we were notified by the NSW Link service that our return would be by coach due to track maintenance work scheduled for 9-11 March. We were given the option to cancel … or switch dates.

We considered doing so. Renting a car from Canberra for our onward travels instead of picking up a rental in Sydney as planned was an option. But then we figured, what the heck … let’s just take the bus … add one more mode of travel to our Down Under Adventures.

The good news? We were put on the express bus, with only one other stop to pick up passengers along the way. Faster than the train would have been with multiple stops. It was an uneventful drive that had us leaving Canberra Station as hot air balloons started rising aloft in celebration of Canberra Day.

By the way, heard some news about the Indian Pacific today. That’s the train we took from Perth to Sydney last week. Turns out that the 10 March departure from Perth — which we had considered booking — has been canceled. The reason? Flooding on the Nullarbor due to unusually heavy rainfall. In fact, the area has received almost a year’s worth of rain — 200mm — in just a few days. Not only is passenger and cargo service on the rails disrupted, so is road traffic … the Eyre Highway is closed as well. Service on the IP has been canceled until 17 March. Close call for us!

Tough year along the south of Australia. Yeah, we had to take a bus instead of the train to get from Canberra to Sydney today. But at least we got through with no adverse weather conditions to deal with.Okumaya devam et
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GezginSurely glad that you two missed the worst of the weather and got to do the Indian Pacific as planned. Sometimes those busses are pretty comfy, but not as comfy as the train I would bet.
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Canberra: Sunset Farewell
10 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ 🌙 77 °F
Tomorrow morning we leave Canberra for Sydney … and beyond.

In the meantime, a lovely, peaceful sunset to enjoy from our terrace.
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GezginBeautiful pic
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Canberra: Last Post
10 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F
Last Post … in the military tradition.

The Last Post is the bugle call that signifies the end of the day's activities. It is also sounded at military funerals to indicate that the soldier has gone to his final rest.

When we learned that the daily closing of the Australian War Memorial is preceded by a Last Post, we decided to return this afternoon to participate.

The ceremony is held in the enclosed courtyard overlooked by the Hall of Memory and the Roll of Honor loggias. This area is known as the Commemorative Area. Each ceremony honors the life and service of a member of the military who has died in service of Country. Family members are invited to attend and lay wreaths. The public is also welcome to attend … spots reserved through the War Memorial ticket office.

The ceremony includes the playing of the Australian National Anthem; the reading of the life of the honoree; and the sounding of the Last Post. Today’s honoree was a World War I soldier who served in the European Theater of War.

Very moving ceremony. Glad we were able to participate as a wrap up to our time in Canberra.Okumaya devam et
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GezginVery interesting..
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Canberra: Parliament House
10 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F
The site of Canberra — the future capital of Australia — was selected in 1908. The government announced an international competition for the design of what they said would be “the finest capital city in the world.” Of the over 130 architects and town planners who submitted designs, Walter Burley Griffin, an American architect, won the competition.

One of the most important elements of Burley Griffin’s plan is the Land Axis, which aligns Mount Ainslie with Camp Hill and Kurrajong with Mount Bimberi. At one end of the axis is the National War Memorial … and at the other end is Parliament House on Kurrajong (now known as Capital Hill). The Old Parliament House lying in between.

After visiting the Old Parliament House, we strolled along Federation Mall to Parliament House. The mall, which in many ways reminded us of the mall in Washington, DC, balances the ANZAC Parade, which lies between the old house and the War Memorial. It completes the Land Axis.

Parliament House, which consists of some 4,700 rooms, was built between 1981 and 1988 when it was inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth. Its shape is based on two boomerangs that are topped by a nearly 270-foot tall flagpole.

We entered the grand foyer with its soaring ceiling held up by marble columns; peeked into the Great Hall with its oversized tapestry based on an untitled painting by Arthur Boyd; checked out both the Senate and House of Representative chambers … with the same red and green color schemes, respectively; and enjoyed the art on exhibit around the building. A quick snack at the Queen’s Terrace Café wrapped up our visit.Okumaya devam et
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GezginQuite a lovely capitol, but I love ours. Was so enamored when we visited in 2008. Although not particularly patriotic, I became more so as I appreciated the capitol and what it represents for our country. Still, this one is lovely too, and I see the similarity of the mall.
13.03.2024YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelThere is a general ambiance similar to DC … the lake is similar to the Potomac, drives along the water, there’s even one building reminiscent of the Kennedy Center on the Potomac.
13.03.2024YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Adventuring Down Under
Canberra: MoAD @ Old Parliament
10 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F
A modern museum inside a heritage-listed Old Parliament House … a building that served as the home of Australia’s federal government from 1927 to 1988. Built on what was once a sheep paddock, the building was never intended to be the permanent home of government.

In addition to changing exhibits that “ask the how and why of democracy,” visitors can tour various rooms — the Prime Minister’s Suite, which was redecorated for Queen Elizabeth when she made her first State Visit to Australia in 1954; the party offices; the Senate Chamber … decorated in red, because the dye was the most expensive; the House of Representatives Chamber … decorated in green, because the dye was the least expensive.

An interesting wander … stepping back into the history of Australia’s democracy.Okumaya devam et
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GezginI can’t believe it is day 90 for you!! You guys are amazing. Jon is very ready to get home after our two trips.
12.03.2024YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelTime is flying.
12.03.2024YanıtlaÇevirmek
GezginThe pictures are so beautiful
12.03.2024YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelThank you.
12.03.2024Yanıtla
10 beğeni
Adventuring Down Under
Canberra: National Portrait Gallery
10 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F
“To reflect the face of Australia, tell Australian stories and increase understanding and appreciation of Australian people through the art of portraiture — their identity, history, culture, creativity, and diversity.”

That is how the website describes the vision and purpose of the National Portrait Gallery … where we started our sightseeing on our last day in Canberra.

Admittedly, we stopped by this museum only because of its proximity to somewhere else we wanted to visit. Why? Because we expected that the portraits on exhibit would be of people whose names would be unfamiliar to us. That was indeed the case.

Thus our visit was a quick in-out before we moved on.

I was glad to see the rock art in the garden and we did get a chance to watch sulphur-crested cockatoos breakfasting nearby.Okumaya devam et
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Sonia GelmanStrange art.
12.03.2024YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Adventuring Down Under
1
Canberra: National Gallery of Australia
9 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F
We don’t usually do two museums in one day. But we made an exception today to take advantage of the special late closing time for the National Gallery of Australia (NGA).

Another wonderful museum, the NGA is home to what is billed as the most valuable collection of art in the country. The website states that the “… national collection comprises over 155,000 works of art, including the world’s largest collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. Our significant collection represents the whole of Australian art, modern art worldwide, particularly from Europe and America, and art from across Asia and the Pacific. …”

The museum aims to inspire all Australians. If you ask me, they go beyond that and inspire everyone who steps inside to see the collection. Good thing we had comfortable shoes on as there was a lot of walking involved to see it all.Okumaya devam et
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Sonia GelmanInteresting!
9.03.2024YanıtlaÇevirmek
Gezgin That is creative!
11.03.2024YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Adventuring Down Under
Canberra: National Museum of Australia
9 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F
On a quiet Saturday — surprising since this is a three-day weekend … Monday is Canberra Day — we had ourselves a two museum day.

First up was the National Museum of Australia.

I’ve said this before … Australia knows how to do museums well. The quality of the exhibits are exceptional … and a great many of the national and state museums are “donations gratefully accepted.” This one, which “preserves and interprets Australia’s social history, exploring the key issues, people and events that have shaped the nation. …” was no exception.

Having been established in 1980, it is a relatively young museum. In fact, it wasn’t until 2001 that a purpose-built permanent home was constructed. Exhibits cover 50,000 years of Aboriginal heritage and the settlement of the country since 1788.

One brochure states that the museum has the largest collection of Aboriginal bark paintings. Then there are displays that include the heart of Phar Lap, a champion race horse; the prototype Holden car; a delicate porcelain chamber pot; minerals and fossils; and more. A good amount of space is dedicated to the natural disasters — cyclones and bushfires in a particular — that plague the country frequently.

In other words … a very eclectic collection, which I tried to portray in this footprint with the photos I selected to share.Okumaya devam et
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GezginA gorgeous museum. Owen and I (the inveterate museum haters) might even be tempted by this one😀😀.
11.03.2024YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelWe used to never go to museums. Now we enjoy them … still don’t do them justice, I don’t think … especially when there is a lot of reading panels that overwhelm.
11.03.2024YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Adventuring Down Under
Canberra: ANZAC Pde & Atatürk Memorial
8 Mart 2024, Avustralya ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F
The ANZAC Parade is set along Canberra’s Land Axis … part of the original 1912 plan for the city. At one end stands the Australian War Memorial. At the other end is Parliament House.

Any other time, we would have walked down one side of the 1.5 mile-long boulevard and up the other side to check out all the memorials that line it. But time wasn’t our friend today. We had doctor’s appointments for the crud we picked up on the train.

But before we hopped in an Uber to return to Kingston, we made time to visit the one memorial that held the most significance to us … the Kemal Atatürk Memorial. It sits at the top of the ANZAC Parade closest to the Australian War Memorial. The brochure explains that “… it is part of an agreement between Australian and Turkish governments on commemorative gestures to acknowledge the 70th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing.”

The memorial is the only one on the ANZAC Parade dedicated to an individual … showing the respect in which Atatürk, commander of the Turkish Forces during the campaign and later the first president of the fledgling country, is held. At the center is soil from Gallipoli; around the memorial are pines grown from seeds collected at Lone Pine. The crescent shape of the memorial and the five columns represent the crescent and five-pointed star on the Turkish flag.

Of course, Atatürk’s “Letters to the Mothers” holds pride of place here … as it does in every such memorial we’ve seen in Australia. And in New Zealand, for that matter.

An appropriate end to our day at the Australian War Memorial.Okumaya devam et
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