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#19 - G'Day (finally using that one) from Adelaide, South Australia

                                                                                                               
     Larry the Lobster, in Kingston 


One blog is blurring into the next as we keep on the move. So we will try to catch up after skipping a day, sorry!

We had a lovely day two in Robe. The wind had died down and the sun was shining, so off to the beach. Upon arrival at our beach house, I asked Robyn, our landlady, if the beach close by that we could walk to was good. Apparently it was small and became non existent at high tide so she suggested Long Beach. She made another comment, seemingly odd to me at the time but I didn't ask for clarification. She said, "The sand is too soft on the beach right here". Now really, who doesn't love soft sand??? Do they like rocks?

A quick ride to Long Beach explained everything. Besides being very long- you can walk all 11 km- you drive onto the beach a'la Daytona style.



Only difference is the beach is almost empty. Everyone is in an SUV or Camper, back open, tents set up for shade and the water is calm, the temperature more or less like a fairly good day in July in NJ. We set up our deck chairs, took out our books and just enjoyed. 
                                          

We had such a lovely brekky at No.4, I asked the chef where to go for dinner, as I had read that No.4 was only open for B and L. Imagine my surprise when he said, "Right here, we actually are doing dinner Friday and Saturday". Although it felt like not a choice but to book, the dinner and the wine were lovely. We have been drinking mostly delicious Pinot Noirs, local of course, and I finally did get to taste that crayfish in my cauliflower soup. Steve's spaghetti con vongole had the most unusual looking clams with white-purplish butterfly shaped shells. 

And once again we are packing up, or rather, straightening our suitcases a bit to move on. Back on the easy to drive roads, Steve apparently found it too easy to drive and quickly after our morning coffee stop in Kingston, and anxious to get to Adelaide, he had the pedal to metal just a bit too much. It is always so nice to meet the law enforcement in another country!  Just like the zero tolerance drink driving, they apparently have a zero tolerance for speeding. Speed limit was 110, Steve was doing 123, which is about 8 mile per hour over the limit.....ticket was $430 AUD, about $300. Good thing Steve still carries his old Police Auxilary card next to his license because no matter where you are, these guys stick together...no ticket, just a verbal warning.....and info about speed traps ahead on the way.














Saturday found us heating up again. We left Robe it was 21C ( 70 F), and in the next 90 minutes the car read 32 (90F). Forecast for Adelaide 40 ( 104 degrees F!!)...oh no, not again. We checked into a lovely hotel on the main drag and couldn't wait to explore. Since we have arrived in Oz, we have gotten such varied opinions of Adelaide. Some say there is nothing here, others say it is an underground Melbourne, some say it is bogan, some that it has an amazing food scene. After being here just 18 hours, we can say it is probably all of these things.  
                                                                    

We headed to the Central Market, perhaps for a bite, but decided to just look around as it was mostly just real produce and cheese stands with nowhere to sit and eat. Across the street was Adelaide's Chinatown, really a block or two long strip of every Asian cuisine you know. We landed at a DimSum place our hotel recommended. It was frenetic and fun and there were few round-eyes, like us, there. Dumplings were great but the chicken feet, not so much - well, you do have to try things outside your comfort zone when traveling....



                     

We did some of the 'attractions' and they were fine but it was more fun just walking and observing the people and what was different here. The big shopping street is Rundle Mall, a pedestrian area. Shopping in Oz is really different and harkens back to old times in the US.  Stores close by 5pm, many are closed on Sunday. There are almost no Christmas decorations aside from a tree in each town and yesterday while I was sitting in the cool mall waiting for Steve to buy his new I-pad, I heard for the first time here a Christmas carol. Now we have been listening to the radio a lot in the car and have not heard Jingle Bells once. Isn't that refreshing.


Back to Adelaide - there is old and new everywhere, well integrated. The town seems good for the young, 20-somethings, and a bit grungy more than edgy. So how 'bout the food? If our dinner at Peel St was an indication, this is foodie heaven.
                                                                          



Our concierge was only able to get us seats at the bar but turned out that was just fine. It was the perfect spot to watch the kitchen, a really well oiled machine turning out amazing food.

















The starters were to share and were so big that all we could eat was two starters with our bottle of red. The first was grilled white peaches, crisp fried prosciutto, mozzarella and greens but the tastes were perfection.















Next up, an Asian inspired chicken, banana blossom, thai chile, herbs, and again, we inhaled it all.
                                                                         
 I cannot remember everything in, so just read the photo - Starter #1 and 4.

Full of food and maybe a bit too much wine, we walked home via Town Hall to view the beautiful projections the do at night.  We have another whole day in Adelaide tomorrow to keep exploring all the facets of this little city.





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