Tag: Places

Weekly Photo Challenge: Narrow

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The Narrows is the only entrance to St John’s Harbour, Newfoundland, Canada. The Narrows  has a rugged natural beauty seen above from many angles over many days. At it’s narrowest point it is only 61 metres across, which has proven to be a great natural defense over the centuries. In the 1600’s, the harbour’s narrow entrance has provided the city with protection from pirates and later from enemy ships during war time.

When I first visited the Narrows, I remember my joy at seeing the mighty Atlantic Ocean for the first time—it felt different to the Pacific, I can’t explain why it just did.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/narrow/

Coffee Catch-Up #12

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If we were having coffee I would tell you that I enjoyed my job interview last Monday and am very excited to start work at my new hospital in early August. The unit has a calm feel to it and I am pleased to be back working in my home town, although I have been happy living a free lifestyle for the last 2 months.

If we were having coffee I would tell you how surprised and in some ways saddened I was, to hear on Friday nights news that they were closing the wooden escalators in both Wynyard and Town Hall Stations over the next 12 months. Apparently there are only 7 wooden escalators left in the world — 4 at Wynyard, 2 at Town Hall and the other in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Of the 4 at Wynyard Station, 3 were opened in 1932, the same year as the Sydney Opera House and the 4th in 1952. The Wynyard wooden escalators were the first in Australia and over 80 years later are still working hard carrying over 150,000 commuters daily.

Growing up I remember that I loved to ride on the wooden escalators in David Jones stores as they had a warm and inviting look to them which made me feel like a part of history. Unfortunately, these escalators were taken out over a decade ago and since then using the escalators is just a means to an end. My mission now will be to make sure that I get to Wynyard Station before they close the wooden escalators for one last ride and reflection.

Wynyards wooden escalators

close up Wynyard Staion Wooden Escalators

If we were having coffee I would tell you about the walk my father and I went on, from his house along Throsby Creek to Newcastle Harbour and back again. With stopping off along the way to explore, our walk took us 2 hours and as you can see it was  a magical winters day. I couldn’t believe the growth that has occurred in this part of Newcastle including the formal walking trail includes many beautiful sculptures like the large lounge shown below.

If we were having coffee I would tell you I can’t believe how quickly this year is going. Tomorrow is the 25th July which means that it is exactly 5 months till Christmas Day. Wow! Then I think about how much I hope to get done between now and Christmas and that is when I get truly exhausted. Start a new job, pack up one house, do repairs to our Newcastle house before moving in, move in, finish book, catch-up with old friends, shop for Christmas and plan a trip to Japan to visit our son. Think positively is my motto so I am sure it will sort itself out for the best. After all, its amazing what one can achieve when motivated to do so.

If we were having coffee I would ask you what is happening in your world?

Weekly Photo Challenge: Details

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These more intense detailed photos were taken on our mother and daughter photography excursion to Bare Island, La Perouse, Sydney, Australia. It was on this island that the French explorer compte de Laperouse landed in 1788 only days after The First Fleet landed at Frenchman’s Beach, La Perouse just around the corner. These historic rock formations were fascinating and so varied for such a small island. If you are ever in the area, it is definitely worth a look. You can discover more about the discover of Australia in the La Perouse museum situation between these two historic sites.

From memory, the view over the entrance to Sydney Harbour was also spectacular.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/details/

 

Share Your World – 2016 Week 29

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What is the perfect pizza?

I like a spicy pizza but not your ordinary Mexicana. When I make a pizza at home it has a pesto, chilli sauce and tomato paste base topped with the following ingredients:

  • roast pumpkin
  • roast sweet potato
  • roast capsicum
  • olives
  • cherry tomatoes
  • feta cheese
  • jalapenos
  • dried chilli flakes
  • fresh capsicum
  • bacon/chicken/hot salami/pepperoni  (which mix of these meats I use depends on my mood)

Once my pizza is cooked, I top it with rocket, sour cream and avocado (if I have any.)

What is your favorite time of day?

My favourite time of day varies depending on what I have on but it is always based on the one thing – ME TIME. I love the quiet time each day when I can do whatever I choose. It keeps me sane in this crazy world.

Show us two of your favorites photographs?  The photos can be from anytime in your life span.  Explain why they are your favorite.

I love this photo of me taken on one of the bridges crossing the Ottawa River, Canada. As we walked from the Quebec side of the river back into Ontario I am not sure which state I am standing in at the time but as we loved them both, it doesn’t matter. It also reminds me of the fun we had walking in the first serious snow we had during our 6 week trip to Canada. We kept believing it would come and eventually it did. I think it was also the last time I wore those jeans as they finally wore themselves out in Canada after over 10 years of faithful service. The colouful hat scarf I am wearing I made close to 30 years ago and is very unique. It remains in good condition however, as Australia doesn’t have enough days cold for me to wear it in.

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This photo the original of Inspiring Max’s profile picture was taken 5 years ago from Melbourne’s Aquatic Centre. My daughter and I were there for her last School Sports Australia Diving competition which marked the end of an era for us. At the time there was a lot of difficult things happening in our lives that got worse as the year progressed. However, never being one to focus on the negative, if I needed an extra boost of positivity that everything would be alright in the end, I would get out my double rainbow, feel inspired and keep going.

Another thing I love about this photo is that it was one of the first photos I have taken that I was really proud of as you can see the individual rainbow colours on both sides.

Complete this sentence:  I’m looking forward to…. 

moving back to Newcastle and commencing nursing in a new hospital. I have been working towards this for over 12 months and now it is getting very close.

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up? 

My husband starting his new job and getting together with my family without having to rush back to Sydney to work. In the next eek I am looking forward to my future employment being confirmed and maybe even a start date given.

Share Your World – 2016 Week 29

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Look Up

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During our trip to Canada my husband and I spent what felt like hours studying and taking photos of flags. Their history interested us greatly and it was so different to our Australian flags. Our biggest problem was getting the wind right to get one flag to fly perfectly. So image our surprise when we looked up and saw these four flags perfectly aligned in the Old Port, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/look-up/

Weekly Photo Challenge: Opposites

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In opposition to the modern trade of your usual busy Chinese shopping mall,  Beijing Road Pedestrian Mall, Guangzhou hides a well-kept secret, layers of China’s original trade route the Old Silk Road. Only discovered in 2002,  the remnants over 3 dynasties – Song, Ming and Yuan are encased in glass and I found them fascinating to study and ponder. I remember hearing about the Old Silk Road as a child but I don’t think I realised how much action these roads had seen since the seventh century or the Old Silk Road’s true impact in opening up the world as it was then. Now I understood why I loved reading Marco Polo when I was in primary school as it really was describing a history so different from anything Australia had ever known.

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https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/opposites/

Use Your Imagination

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Evil Cloud outside Lake Taupo

My husband and I love to mindfully look at clouds. We study them regularly and usually can agree on a title for the cloud formation. This photo taken outside Taupo, New Zealand was one we found very interesting however, we weren’t able to agree on a title. Personally, to me it was a Bunny Cloud and to my husband an Evil Cloud.

What do you see? Let me know in the comments as I am sure there are many other ideas hiding in this special group of clouds.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/clouds/

Weekly Photo Challenge: Pure

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While traveling to Canada, my husband and I accidentally wandered into the Canadian Mint in Ottawa where we could touch and pick up a 24 K gold bar weighing 28 pounds (12.7 kilograms.) It was an amazing experience and I was astounded that it was 999.9% pure gold. So simple but so beautiful.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/pure/

X – XXXX Origins Beer

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I was 10 years old and we first traveled to Queensland and I first saw the XXXX beer label. Now over 40 years later the brand has grown into an Australian icon and I love that for its latest venture XXXX has gone back to its roots and named its beers after the working country areas of Queensland. I’m not a Queenslander but it still makes me proud.

The 36 towns featured are:

  • Atherton
  • Bellbowrie
  • Birdsville
  • Bluff
  • Cairns
  • Calen
  • Chinchilla
  • Cloncurry
  • Coolangatta
  • Curra
  • Deeragun,
  • Drillham
  • Emerald
  • Foxdale
  • Gatton
  • Gin Gin
  • Giru
  • Gladstone
  • Goondiwindi
  • Herberton
  • Inkerman
  • Jimboomba
  • Karara
  • Laura
  • Mackay
  • Maryborough
  • Mirani
  • Mount Isa
  • Nobby
  • Rockhampton
  • Roma
  • Stonehenge
  • Toowoomba
  • Townsville
  • Warwick
  • Windorah

If I ever see these beers in New South Wales I may even taste my first XXXX beer.

https://youtu.be/FI5O9zQTrVI

Z – Zhengzhou

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Zhengzhou is a busy city in east-central China. It is the capital of Henan province and has a very long history dating back to the 3,500 years to the Shang dynasty. We loved exploring this city and interesting mix of old and new China.

The Zhengzhou Memorial Tower was opened in 1971 and remembers the Erqi Strike  of 7th Febrauary, 1923.

Erqi Memorial Tower

People’s Park Zhengzhou

Opened in 1952 the People’s Park was the first park in Zhengzhou. It covers a large area in the city consisting of gardens, statues, water ways, fountains, temples, open spaces as well as a theme park. We had a lovely afternoon exploring this surprise package.