Sunday 23 May 2010

Australia #5 - Adelaide: McLaren Vale

McLaren Vale is one of Australia's well known wine regions and it is right next to Aldinga Beach where we were staying. A nice way of exploring this region is by bicycle, the distances are not too great, many vineyards have wine tastings and there is an abundance of good cafés and restaurants.


Looking out over Onkaparinga river national park from Samuels Gorge vineyard


Chapel Hill Wines vineyard


Wine tasting at Samuels Gorge vineyard


Wine making






Australia #4 - Melbourne/Adelaide

After the rafting expedition we had a relaxing 2 weeks in mostly warm and sunny weather: a few days with good food and art galleries in Melbourne and about 10 days at Tony's parents south of Adelaide. Long walks along the beach and cliffs and cycle rides through the local McLaren Vale wine region with wine tasting.


Smoke in the air gives a pink sunset on a Melbourne beach



Melbourne centre


Nice to see Australian wildlife again: rainbow lorikeets in Glenelg (Adelaide)


Glenelg


St Francis Xavier cathedral in Adelaide centre


Pelican


Looking south from Port Willunga


Caves dug out by fishermen to store their boats


Remnants of the old jetty, from the time that Port Willunga was still a fishing village



Aldinga reef aquatic reserve: at low tides it is possible to walk out on the intertidal limestone platform to the edge of the reef, a protected area rich in marine wildlife.


Coral


Black-faced cormorant


Coloured cliffs above Maslin Beach