The perfect crisp clear day to explore further afield around this interesting city, starting with a stroll along the lush green curbed river to the Zoo…or more precisely the Pandas…huge cuddly pandas.
Wang Wang and Funi are cute and chubby in a lazy kinda way…equally the petite red Pandas dozing in their warm bamboo sunshine. We sigh in awe, photograph from every angle then mosey on to Pixi’s beloved Meerkats intent on simultaneously sunning their tummies, digging a new 15 bedroom underground mansion and keeping watch for the next food delivery, followed by Brazilian Tapir, Peccary and Dusky Langur…
It’s starting to rain…a perfect reason to divert intentions to equally intriguing creatures, this time in the form of Patricia Piccinini’s ‘Once upon a time…’ exhibit at the Art Gallery of South Australia…
She doesn’t disappoint, a fascinating feast of contemporary, hauntingly real sculptures of grotesque yet adorable hybrid animals and seductively beautiful, loved up shiny motorcycles…Pixie’s in raptures, Elmo’s amazed and the classic work of local and national artists doesn’t disappoint either for we have happened upon the newly opened restored Elder Wing of Australian Art…sigh!
It has indeed been a day full of interesting critters…thank you Adelaide for inspiring and surprising…
down…but wait! Too much to do and see within a short weekend. First up a brisk walk to ‘Bark in the Park’…a doggy morning hosted by Stevie Jacobs (wee weather guy) where Shih Tzu rub shoulders with Alsatians…or rather take a keen interest in each other’s pants while attempting to wriggle out of their cute woolie jackets lovingly selected by doting owners, while others examine the obstacle course and weigh up the worth…treat for completing or dignity for not?
Next stop the High Street…top of Rundle actually…oozing hip boutiques and coffee houses, the evening will find the same street buzzing with Restaurant/bar trawlers. A dawdle down to the Mall…tacky shops, quick exit past interesting architecture unique to the region, Cathedrals and lush parkland surrounding lakes adorned with ducks and on to the Markets.
Largest in southern hemisphere, we absorb the hustle of fish mongers jostling with spruiking
et yet fully cognizant of the brevity of the work we will be undertaking today. Touch down as disgruntled kangaroos skitter and rabbits raise wary ears before returning to business…nothing of concern…just another arrival in this, ruggedly remote patch of our ‘wide brown land’.
End of day, work completed, a tour around the site, a fascinating business with intense consideration for minimizing environmental impact providing ethical solace for the product being harvested here. Embracing a crisp, clean night air we return weary and hungry to the mess consume half our body weight in good old home grown tucker before turning in.
