Glenelg

Glenelg is the place where William Light landed.  Perhaps i should explain that William's father, Francis set up Penang. Sort of a family thing setting up cities!!!!

And this is the sort of ship he arrived in. Not exactly as comfortable as an Airbus 380.

We were in town art sunset, on our way to have dinner with Pam and Rob,  our new friends from Penang.  Another Gleneg and Penang connection.

And a real treat the sun down was.

Old friends.

All the way to Adelaide to meet friends from Mongolia!!!  Khishgee and Alimaa.   They are both working toward Phd's at Flinders University, just south of Adelaide city.  Quite an emotional meeting.  Khishgee should still be here in 4 years time when we hope to be back in Adelaide, having completed our planned big round of Oz.

Botanic Gardens.

 Adelaide was founded by the son of Francis Light, William.  so very appropriate that we started our circum-drive of Australia here.  Of course,  whereever the English settled,  they had to have a botanic garden.

In these places they collected the weird and wonderful for people to research and just plainly enjoy.

 No botanic garden is complete without a glass house,  no matter what the climate is like.  someone will always be bring home an exotic plant that needs a special place to live.

But not this little fellow.  He was only known in the fossil record from 150 million years ago.......until someone stumbled on him around 15 years ago.  Big place the outback.

Adelaide

 A very modern place but with new and old happily beside each other.  Crisp is the word would use to discribe Adelaide.

 Older buildings are well looked after, amongst the 6 lane streets. 

Love this coat of arms. Two guys that never met!!!

Kalang Airport as was.

Built in 1937, Kallang was the state of the art airport of it's day. Amelia Earhart stopped here for a couple of days on her ill fated attempt to fly around the globe.

Love this emblem which is atill over the main entrance.

The runway has long been a multi lane highway but the buildings have only just been vacated by the government and are now being made good as an event space.  Currently, part of the Biennale Arts Fest is being hosted here.  To see more on this please refer to Gek's blog at http://www.gek-art.blogspot.com/.

Tang Treasures and Monsoon Winds.

 If you are in Singapore this is a must see. A 1200 year old Arab ship was wrecked south of Singapore returning home  stuffed with goodies from China. 50,000 items, most in perfect condition have been recovered. Ceramics, gold and silver items. This is an exhibition to change your view of what is modern.   Even the designs on the bowls could  be todays IKEA.

And this drinking cup with a built in drinking straw. The fish keeps solids from blocking the hole in the bottom to the cup.  How cool is this?  I didn't notice that photography was allowed without flash,  so only stole 2 images.  Really pissed at that.

FIAT 600

Not many of these in Penang.  There are a couple of 500's around,  but this baby must be the only one of it's kind here.

Penang hill - David Brown's

 Our third visit to the Hill in as many weeks.  But this time for dinner at David Brown's.  This was our first night visit to the hill.

And it didn't  disappoint.  A mist came down at dusk and obscured Georgetown for a while

Just before darkness completely fell, the mist lifted.

After darkness came, an amazing sight.

The Paraglider

 The pre-flight briefing.  "What ever you do do, don't............."

Taking the strain. 

 Had to tilt the camera to get both of the paraglidering Toby and his tow boat in. 

 And the view from those tiny strings is pretty scary.  You are a 'braver' man than I am, Gunga Din.  Apologies to Mr. Kipling

 Coming back to earth with dry pants.

Penang Hill - Devonshire Cream Tea.

D C T at D B's on Strawberry Hill, on Penang Hill which is really called Bukit Bendera,  which means Flag Hill in English.  Confusing,  no?  David Brown's has a lovely lily pond and  a very English ambiance.

On this day, a smug looking Englishman feeling at home with his cream tea.  Strawberry jam on Strawberry Hill and Earl Grey of course.  Has to be done!!!!

April Visitors.

Anne was our first April visitor.  An interesting mix of felt making and tourist site visiting.

Then a large tour group, Toby, Swi and Sock Hoon. Visits to Penang are organised around food.  First you decide when and where you are going to eat and then you decide what you are going to do between Breakfast, 11'ses, Lunch, tea, dinner and finally supper.  That is just the way it is, lah.

 The troupe on the Hill.  Toby, Swi and Sock Hoon.

A part of the island Gek and I hadn't visited with very quiet beaches.  A car would be nice, if an unwanted liability but to hire one every now and then feels great.

Pic by Toby.

Contemplating the mist.

Penang Hill - Bellevue Hotel

Bellevue certainly has a belle view.  Probably the best from the hill,  with a lovely garden to enjoy while you take in the panorama of Penang State.

 For certain,  Chris and I love the long view.   The funicular railway is still not open for the public to use.  so we came up the hill in a jeep.  Not as exciting as Maxwell hill but fun none the less.

Whilst sitting enjoying the quiet of the hill, we were being watched from the rafters by your friendly Pit Viper.

Taiping Postscript.

Maxwell hill,

Taiping Water Garden,

make for a very relaxing trip.  Thoroughly recommended.

Second Round

Just three big kids!!!!  But now there is mum to say "NO" to a second round of cones.  What are they like!!!!

Moving image

From a speeding car, North South Highway

Trees seeking water

 On one side of the lake in Taiping's Lake Garden are these amazing trees.

They are genetically programed for the trunk to grow near horizontal over a river or lake.  To catch the sunlight that other trees in the forest miss out on, I guess.

 And then there are these monsters, straight out of Tolkien.

But these have to take the prize for surprise.  They seem to defy the laws of mechanics with almost all the branches seeking the water from the wrong side of the road.  Who ever thought of this planting scheme created something quite unique.

Skimming Martins

Another interesting encounter in the Garden.  At first I thought the waters surface was being broken by fish rising to take insects on the surface.  But no.  The ripples were caused by a flock of, I think martins, taking insects off the water and creating three splashes,  two by with thier wing tips and one at the point of snatch. An extraordinary sight. All over the lake.

Profiles

How did my nose get so BIG and where did my lips go?

Monkey Jump.

 I thought these were spectacled Langur's, but I am not sure.  At least they are law abiding and don't mug us humanoids.

A group of may be 20 were jumping through the trees.  This  female had a youngster clinging for grim death to her chest.

Wonder how often they misjudge the jump and the branch strength at the landing site?