We are still sailing in the Southern Ocean. Upon our arrival at Adelaide ship terminal as we departed the ship for our tour, a German band was playing, "Waltzing Madilda". Very German dressed. lol. Adelaide is the coastal capital of the state of South Australia. The fifth most populated city in Australia. Population 1.7 million. Wine is their biggest economy. A lot of grape orchards, many grape orchards covered in netting to keep the birds from eating the grapes.
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| Taken through the bus window, at the grapes covered with netting to prevent birds from eating their crop. |
The night before we arrived a severe thunderstorm and too much rain had canceled the ‘Clipsal 500’ car race through the streets of Adelaide. It is an annual motor race for V8 Supercars. It's usually a 4 day event. Some streets were still blocked off. Our bus traveled through the downtown area of Adelaide. Adelaide is the town where Rupert Murdoch started his banking career. Rupert Murdoch, a Media Mogul, born in Melbourne Australia, moved as a young man to Adelaide where his father worked and owned the Australia News. At the age of 21, Rupert took over his fathers business after the death of his father. Today he owns many newspapers across many countries. and is one of the top 100 richest men in America. He recently married Jerry Hall, a former model and former girlfriend of Mick Jaegger (of the Rolling Stones). We saw that original News Agency’s building, still standing, in downtown Adelaide. Its an old town. With old buildings. Nice to view.
The bus then took us to the top of Mount Lofty.
Walking from the bus to the viewing area, and visitor center, there were little black worms on the road and sidewalks, because of the heavy rains from the day before. We asked the bus driver about them, because you just couldn't take a step without stepping on several, they are called ‘Black Portugese millipedes”, he says they are real pests after it rains, they are harmless, but they get in their houses and when walked on, they have a really bad smell, or so he said….we didn’t smell them. They were brought in by accident in 1953, they have no enemies, so there’s nothing in nature to keep them in check. Most residents spray the ground around their homes to keep them away. They are about 1 ½ inches long.
Next, the town of Hahndorf Australia. It is said to be the Australia’s Oldest surviving German settlements. It took the Germans 4 months to sail to the Port in Adelaide Australia from Germany in 1839 and it took them 4more months to clear the bush to reach the townsite in Adelaide Hills of what they now call Hahndorf. It was about 20 miles.
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| It is just the start of Fall here in Australia, even tho its March, the kids are starting school and the leaves are changing. |
We just walked through the streets of Hahndorf, had an ice cream and just took in the sights of this quaint little village. One little German shoppe had the most beautiful German cuckoo clocks we’ve ever seen., some at quite a price as well.
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| Not a very good picture, but the price of this one is $3900. Australian. (about $2700.00 US) |
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| This wasn't as expensive but impressive. |
One lady from our tour bus had bought 2 cuckoo clocks, which she had intended to do even before she arrived in Hahndorf.
On the drive back to our ship, the bus driver explained the reason of the nets that are draped over the cement median dividers at different intervals along the freeway, from the town of Adelaide all the way to Hahndorf. They were installed for Koalas , so they wouldn’t get stuck trying to cross the road. The driver said he had never seen a Koala use one of the nets.
Next port, Esperance Australia.
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