Marci and Steve Go Back to Europe

Saturdays are market day about 20 Kilometers inland from Noosa in Eumundi, a small town probably not known for anything else. But on Saturdays it comes alive with three markets, sprawling and melding into each other, with about three hundred vendors. The stalls range from produce to every ethnic cuisine imaginable, from massage tents to tarot card readings, from skin lotions and potions to erase wrinkles and firm faces, from hand sewn clothes and nappie (diaper) clutches and everything in between.  I am not sure they let you depart at the Sunshine Airport unless you can prove you have bought something at the market, or at least visited.  The drive there was easy, the day was hot and the breeze was non existent that far from the water. The market was colorful and crowded and we wandered through for a couple of hours finding new sunnies for me, a unique house ware to bring home and even one of those hand sewn nappie clutches to stash away as a gift for the next newbor...

Several hundred years ago the British colonized both what became The United States  of America and Australia, that is a fact. So why do Australians sound like Brits when Americans clearly either never adopted or lost the accent? We can't come up with one good reason!  We understand their thing for the Queen, just as we get that after we won the revolution, we didn't exactly invite British royalty to come over for ribbon cuttings or throwing out the first ball at the home opener. The Aussies still somewhat celebrate British royalty.  But the list of other interesting differences is worth a half a blog.  So..... Why is it they seem to love American music but are inclined towards European design from light switches to kitchen appliances?                                                              ...

Wednesday is Andrea's "I am good Grandma" day as she watches Rosie while Georgia heads off to the salt mines. And usually Mark will be heading over the Harbor Bridge by 8 and into the city to practice law, although I get the feeling that by now he is quite an expert. But today was the Scumbag Cup, a golf competition where the winning team is awarded a shield, specifically the scumbag shield, and who wouldn't want that? It was up in Newcastle, a couple hours away, so alas, we would not get to spend any time with Mark on our last day in Sydney.   Betty , the best dog in Australia Steve and I decided to train into the city and walk some of the more urban 'hoods like Kings Cross, Darlinghurst and Paddington, just strolling the winding streets of historical terrace houses and popping into the designer shops along Oxford St. We were in desperate need of some hot weather clothes for hotter than usual temps we hadn't counted on. I had diligently rese...

Monday found Mark off to the salt mines and Andrea stuck toting Steve and I out for another day of touring. We picked a coastal walk from Spit to Manly which takes you through 'hill and dale' or more accurately, through beach and bush, up and down, steps and boardwalks, but with gorgeous views everywhere. It was a beautiful day and we were quite surprised to find our hostess an amateur botanist.                                                               Andi-Lou & Marci       As we walked through the bush, a few lizards accompanied us from time to time and we never lacked for the name of a tree or wildflower. The day was lovely and I can now identify the flannel flower, Andrea's favorite. We did the 10k in about three hours flat and met up with George and Rosie at Shelly Beach for...

                Saturday was a busy day at the Bowen's getting ready for the big birthday bash for Mark's sixtieth. We had received the invite a few weeks prior to our trip and somehow had to figure out how to jam some 'Cocktail Dress' clothes into our already stuffed suitcases. A pair of heeled sandals and some jewelry for me to dress up black trousers and a black dress sweater and for Steve a jacket and dress trousers- the kind of clothes we used to pack for vacation 30 years ago before jeans became okay anywhere.  ( If you really are interested, go to  http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2015/08/what-all-of-those-confusing-dress-code-terms-really-mean/   )                         We knew that Georgia and Tom, and Tim and Christie, the Bowen kids and their spouses, were heading over around noon to help get the house set up, the grog was being delivered a...