Semaphore Beach - Adelaide The rain has gone but it is cloudy although it is warm.

Today we spent the day organising some spare parts that we needed for the van before heading off as there are no large towns until we reach Perth.  We also needed to top up on supplies at the local West Lakes shopping centre and to catch up on mundane things such as laundry.  (Well, it has to be done eventually!)

West LakesWest



West Lakes canal development
with beach as well - popular for rowing and other water sports

We had a call from Dean who said he and Hazel were coming over in the evening to take us to the local pub for a farewell drink which was very unexepected as he was working that day.  They duly arrived and we spent a very pleasant evening with lots of laughs at the "Exeter Hotel".  We said another sad farewell but not before they promised to visit us again in Queensland.  They move into their new home in a couple of weeks and seem to be settling into their new way of life very well.



Dean, Hazel & Terry

Lin, Dean & Hazel
"Goodbye - See you in Qld"

Semaphore Beach - Adelaide. Back to the wet weather again today.  Cloudy and drizzly once again. Temps 21 -23C

It was raincoat weather today as we caught the tram with Steve & Jacqui from Glenelg into the city centre of Adelaide where our tour guide, Hazel was waiting.  Adelaide is very busy at the moment due to the Clipsal 500 Motor Race which is due to take over the city streets this weekend. 

We walked up the city pedestrian mall where we saw the "Pigs in the Trough" and then had the chance to see some cars connected to the Clipsal 500.  (Picture for Tim's benefit!)




Pigs in Adelaide Mall

 

Snouts in the Trough

Clipsal 500 Car

 

The Adelaide Arcade



Austin Street



There are some lovely old building in Adelaide - mainly built of stone.  The University, the railway station, library etc.

 

 



 

 

Sir Walter Watson Hughes
one of the founders of the university

 

Australian Light Horse

 

The Gates of South Australia's
Government House

After looking around the local market where Steve got into a prolonged discussion on cheeses with one of the stall-holders, we said Goodbye to Hazel and caught the tram back to Glenelg.  This was to be our last evening with Steve & Jacqui before we went our separate ways so we all went to the local pub for a meal.  It was a very sad farewell as they were travelling back to Cooroy and then catching their flight back to the UK while we head west towards Western Australia.  We have spent the last 2 years together -travelling, working and socialising so it was a very tearful farewell especially as we do not know when we will meet again.

 

Terry, Jacqui & Steve

 

Lin, Terry, Jacqui & Steve
"Goodbye"

 



Semaphore Beach - Adelaide. The lovely sunny weather is back - a hot and sunny 33C today.

The Adelaide Hills is a very popular tourist area with vineyards, wineries and small pretty country villages.  Omne of the best known villages is Hahndorf which is where many German settlers made their home.  It is a predominantly German village with shops, restaurants, pubs etc all with a German theme.  It was a beautiful sunny day and that highlighted the colourful flowers everywhere.  We also visited the very pretty villages of Sterling and Aldgate before driving to the summit of Mount Lofty for a panoramic view of Adelaide.

Aldgate

Aldgate

Sterling

Hahndorf

Hahndorf

Hahndorf

A very obedient sheepdog watching the sheep

A pretty colonial cottage in Hahndorf

The Old Mill Hotel

Memorial to Capt Meinertz Hahn
1804 - 1860after whom the village was named

Next we wound our way through the Adelaide Hills to the summit of Mount Lofty. From here there are extensive views of Adelaide and the surrounding area. There is an information centre there and also a cafe so we took a break and enjoyed a milkshake.

View of Adelaide from the summit of Mt Lofty

From Mt Lofty

Terry studying the view

Cafe & Info Centre Mt Lofty

Mt Lofty

We then drove back to Adelaide along the SE Freeway - the same way we travelled from Murray Bridge.  The highway has been cut through shear rock making the journey from the Adelaide Hills to Adelaide much quicker.

When we returned to Semaphore, we went for a ride on our bikes along the beachfront to Largs Bay.  It was a easy ride there but a bit harder riding back into the breeze.  Still I am sure the exercise did us good.

The bike path along the Esplanade

Adelaide - Glenelg - A change in the weather - overcast and wet!  The first rain since we left Cooroy 2 weeks ago.  It was also a chilly 21C.

Steve & Jacqui packed up and got ready to move out of Semaphore heading out to Virginia (a country area just outside Adelaide) to stay with friends.  They parked their van & due to the miserable weather, we went to West Lakes to the very large shopping centre there to have a look round. We then drove down to the popular Glenelg Beach to have a look round.  It is a lovely area  - even in the drizzly weather.  The tram runs from there into the centre of Adelaide.

Glenelg

Steve stealing the limelight!

Glenelg beachfront

Jacqui with Glenelg in the background
on a dull drizzly day

A Tram

Glenelg

 Monument at Glenelg

Adelaide - Greenwith - Still sunny & hot - approx 35C

We went for a walk early this morning along the beachfront.  Beautiful morning.  We saw some horses being ridden along the beach - one, a young dapple grey wasn't too sure about the water. 

Later we were all invited to Hazel & Dean's for Sunday lunch and met their son, daughter-in-law and two lovely little granddaughters.  On the way home, we stopped at Largs (next to Semaphore Beach)to walk out on the pier and take some photographs.  It was a lovely balmy evening and there were still some people swimming.

Still swimming late in the evening

Lin, Jacqui & Steve
on the pier at Largs

Hotel at Largs

Later that evening there was a beautiful red sunset as see below:



Red sundown over the caravan park
at Semaphore, Adelaide

Adelaide - Semaphore - Still hot & sunny - temps - high 30's C once again.

We decided to have a lazy day today catching up on a few chores before going to the beach.  We had a bit of a drive around the area to get our bearings.  Adelaide is not as big as the other state capitals.  Once again there are some beautiful old stone buildings but in contrast there are some very modern ones too.  The West Lakes Shopping Centre is huge with some great shops.  Of course I had to inspect them.

Semaphore Beach

Fishermen on the pier at Semaphore Beach

Pier at Semaphore Beach



Linnie catching up on her blog
Semaphore Park

Murray Bridge - Hot & sunny with temperatures in the mid to high 30'sC.  Mostly around 36C.

In the morning we packed up and drove into Murray Bridge to visit Barb at the Resthaven Home for Aged which she runs.  Barb was going to show us around.  The main part of the home is located in a lovely period house with beautiful gardens filled with various colourful flowers including lots of roses.  It was lovely to see them as we don't get many roses in Queensland.  It was very interesting to see round the home where the residents whom we met seem very happy.

Lin & Barb on the patio of the nursing home
with the lovely geraniums

Regretfully we said Goodbye to Barb and headed off to Adelaide to meet up with Steve & Jacqui.

The main South East Freeway into Adelaide

Adelaide being the state capital of South Australia is a busy city but we eventually made our way across the city with the help of our GPS.  We set up on our site at the caravan park next to Steve & Jacqui's van.  We were due to go out to a local pub for dinner with them and their friends, Hazel & Dean who had recently emigrated from England.  We knew Hazel & Dean from previous holidays Down Under - in fact they actually stayed with us at Cooroy on one visit.  It was lovely to see them again especially as this time they are resident here.  Their son, daughter-in-law and granddaughters also live here in Adelaide.

Dinner at the pub - Terry, Steve, Jacqui, Hazel & Dean

Afterwards we all walked along the beachfront - people everywhere - swimming in the ocean - kids playing on the beach - 8.30pm and still very hot - absolutely great -  what more do you need?????
.......................................  A COPENHAGEN ICECREAM!!!  See below

Steve (front) Hazel, Dean, Terry & Jacqui
outside the icecream shop -  9pm

Hazel, Jacqui & Linnie