Our Australian holiday.

It is now early February and we are back on Matilda in Nancy. We have spent the last month or so in Perth, Western Australia sharing the festive season with family and friends. We flew in on Qantas / Emirates arriving on the 19^th December and were met by our son Rohan. We were staying with him and his family.

We had left with Paris expecting snow and arrived in Perth about 6pm the next day. The temperature was down to about 36 degrees from a 39 maximum. Quite an enjoyable shock. (For those who still talk Fahrenheit, multiply that by 9, divide by 5 and add 32).

The new pool was a popular spot with Robert, Daniel and all the family.

Christmas was only a few days away and there were things that had to be done. The gingerbread house needed to be made and Olivia, Emma and Daniel tucked in to get it done.

It lasted less than an hour after construction was complete.

Christmas arrived and was thoroughly enjoyed by all the children. We had a great lunch prepared by Olivia and attended by all the immediate families. In all, a wonderful day.

Marg and Peter had arranged to see the New Year in with their friends, Rob and Jill in Pemberton. It was a fantastic get together as Rhos and Bill, Janet and David, Louise and Dave all turned up. Rhos and Bill showed off their new caravan and Dave and Louise their new mobile home. – A good gathering of “Grey (and bald) Nomads”.

Rob’s new pizza oven produced some great food and together with the girls’ efforts we all ate too well.

Pemberton is the centre of a very rich food growing area in the state’s south west. As it has ocean around it on three sides the climate is temperate, rainfall fairly high and the good soil is very productive.

Rob and Jill have established an orchard growing Australian finger limes. These little fruit, when ripe open to reveal small spheres of intense lime flavour. They are highly sought after by chefs locally and internationally.

Pemberton started its life as a timber town. The local forests of karri, a eucalypt hardwood native to the area, were harvested along with the jarrah further to the north, to provide timber to the world.

The massive trees in this forest are mostly re-growth, about 80 years old. Karri trees form magnificent forests and are amongst the tallest trees in the world. These forests are currently being heavily logged for paper pulp – a sensitive issue in the area.

We had three good amateur photographers in the group, all keen to capture the wild life. There were many opportunities.

We returned to Perth and spent time with the family. There were parties to attend, aquariums to visit and lots of other places to go. 

The touch pool at AQWA fascinated everyone.

Marg managed to get in some early morning golf with the boys and other wildlife. 


All too soon our six weeks were up and it was back to the airport for an evening departure to France. We have to plan our cruising trips for the coming season and early in March, a week of skiing.

There will be more to tell so we will keep in touch.

As this is being written the area close to Pemberton has been devastated by a massive bush fire. Started with lightning strikes and fanned by strong winds this uncontrollable fire with a perimeter of over 270 kilometres, has burnt over 83,000 hectares (176,000 acres) in the area. Although now contained, this fire could flare again as the weather is still hot, dry and windy. We hope our friends and their community remain safe.

Leaving the Northern Winter

December came to Nancy, as did the rain and cold weather. The town was starting to warm though - with the Christmas spirit. Shops were decorating their windows and the squares were filling with traditional stalls as the street traders offered classic festive goods. The massive Christmas tree was erected in Stanislas Square to be decorated for the parade that would bring Saint Nicholas to town.

The day of Saint Nick’s parade arrived with plenty of fun.

Fairground rides made from found junk amused the children.

These miniature buses were actually transporting people around.

We found the parade and evening entertainment a little flat this year and retired to Matilda early.

Probably the most popular pastime for men in France is fishing and the sport is big business and supported by the government. One evening a truck arrived at the port and emptied millions of fish of all sizes into the canal.

Most seemed to survive – for the present!

We were off to Australia for Christmas in the sun and departed Nancy by train, Wednesday 17^th Dec. We spent a day in Paris giving us the opportunity to do a final Christmas shop (look at the windows of the big stores) and see a few sights.

The windows were full of animated monsters and toys, much to the delight of many children.

We wandered into the store – Lafayette, and Marg sampled (and bought) some of her favourite perfume.

  

The building is structured around a wonderful glass dome, the detail of which is typical of opulent French architecture of the late 19^th century.

Next day we visited the Les Invalides museum – the history of the French military. The building started its life as a hospital under the direction of Louis XIV in 1670 and has been expanded since then to the complex it is today.  It became a museum in 1906.

Amongst the massive collection of exhibits we found these models and dioramas which were made during conflicts in the 18^th and 19^th centuries so that attack and defense strategies could be worked through.

We left Paris with the Eiffel tower shrouded in cloud and rain. 24 hours later, the warmth and blue skies of Perth. We will be staying with Rohan and Olivia and their children.

There will be plenty to tell then, so we will keep in touch.