Monday, 29 October 2012
Sunday, 28 October 2012
Toast Without Butter.....
Ok, so as I mentioned earlier, Adelaide gets a bad wrap....
The usual response from 'those types' in the other states, when you say you're from Adelaide is
"I'm sorry"
It's an old joke, but a good one....
But to be honest, Adelaide is a great city. We have a great history, full of culture and initiative, and some beautiful landscape's to boot. Now I'm never going to say Adelaide is prettier, bigger or better than anywhere else, because well, I've seen some amazing things in my short time and there is a lot we can do to improve things.
But today I have done a little research, and made a list of things we, as South Australians, can and should be proud of. So without further ado.......
The usual response from 'those types' in the other states, when you say you're from Adelaide is
"I'm sorry"
It's an old joke, but a good one....
But to be honest, Adelaide is a great city. We have a great history, full of culture and initiative, and some beautiful landscape's to boot. Now I'm never going to say Adelaide is prettier, bigger or better than anywhere else, because well, I've seen some amazing things in my short time and there is a lot we can do to improve things.
But today I have done a little research, and made a list of things we, as South Australians, can and should be proud of. So without further ado.......
I'll start with my personal favourite, Women's Equality.
We became the first state in Australia, and second place in the world (after those darn kiwis in 1893) to give women the right to vote in 1894. 8 years later, women were granted suffrage in the whole of Australia.
People.
Dame Roma Mitchell
Dame Roma Mitchell was born in Adelaide and was the first Australian woman to be a judge, a Queen's Counsel, a chancellor of an Australian university and the Governor of an Australian state.
Natasha Stott Despoja
Youngest leader of a political party in Australia.
Penny Wong
First openly lesbian member of an Australian cabinet.
Don Dunstan
Won't list everything, but he was instrumental in removing the death penalty in the state, decriminalising homosexuality, and removing the White Australia Policy. He helped Aboriginal Australians gain land recognition and helped reinvigorate the arts and culture of the city. He was way ahead of his time both federally and at state level.
William Bragg Snr & Jnr.
Only father and son to win the Nobel Prize, and old Bill Junior was the youngest ever recipient of the prize.
Howard Florey.
Nobel Prize winner and developer of penicillin. His and his colleagues discovery has saved an estimated 6 million lives in Australia....No big deal....
Non Political Stuff!!
Not Convicts!
We are the only Australian capital not founded by convicts but free men. (Even if some of them were previously convicts but had served there sentence or were granted released. Don't tell the others)
Aboriginal History.
We have Australia's (and the worlds) largest collection of Aboriginal artefact's and culture in the South Australian Museum.
We have some of the oldest known recordings of human existence in the world (hand paintings in Arkaroola Caves in the Flinders Ranges can date back to around 40,000 to 50,000 years)
Archaeological Significance.
Naracoorte Caves is a Unesco World Heritage Site, down by the Limestone Coast. It is significant due to its 26 caves filled with Australia's ancient mega-fauna. It's fascinating seeing where some of our beloved cute creatures descended from. Not only that these things are flipping huge!
White Kangaroos!
We have Australia's only known colony of white kangaroos in Australia (Border Town)
The Wine State
Up until last year, (damn NSW) South Australia was the largest producer of wine in the country, and thanks to brands such as Jacobs Creek, Wolf Blass and Penfolds, gave Australia the great reputation we have around the world today. You can thank us later Eastern States......
The Festival State.
We have the second largest fringe festival in the world outside of the famous Edinburgh Fringe, and we have the biggest Schutzenfest in the world outside Germany (third overall)
Natural Beauty.
Kangaroo Island is a relatively undiscovered gem internationally, but is one of the most amazing places in the country. The Flinders Ranges are stunning, and with enough history to make Jesus sit down for a coffee.
Largest & Longests
Apart from the ones listed above, Adelaide has, summarised....
The worlds longest guided bus way in the O-Bahn.
The worlds largest and oldest glasshouse in a botanic gardens.
The Largest vintage car rally in the southern hemisphere (Bay to Birdwood)
The largest collection of vintage cars in Australia (National Motor Museum)
The largest collection of 18th century Australian art on display. (National Art Gallery)
Australia's only purpose built soccer stadium (Hindmarsh)
The largest fresh produce market in the southern hemisphere (Central Market)
And the most restaurants per capita than any other Australian city.
Beaches!
We have Australia's closest and most accessible beach (Glenelg, also a wicked palindrome)
And Finally........
Adelaide has been voted most livable city in the country three years in a row.
Ok so we`re not perfect by any means, but we do have a rich history to be proud of.
So hopefully next time instead of bagging out the place you live and encouraging the ignorance, stand up and be proud for what we have done!
Sunday, 21 October 2012
Bon Débarras Vous Tabarnak!!
So, it seems I have the uncanny ability to leave this blog neglected until I have too much stuff to recall!
So right now I am in the amazing Quebec City in the amazing French province of Quebec!! Quebec City is one of the places I wanted to visit in Canada the most, so I have been excitedly looking forward to it for ages!
Quebec City is 400 years old and is the oldest fortified city in North America. If that's not impressive enough, the entire old town is listed as a world heritage site. Apart from being amazingly beautiful, this city and province is full of culture, history and politics that would make even Belgium say "Holy shit balls"
We have been couch surfing with an amazing French Canadian and her two flat mates, and they have gone well above the call of duty of hosting. We arrived on her birthday, yet her dinner party was more about spoiling the two Aussie guests. We had some wicked fondue style French cuisine, followed by some beers in town in some trendy micro brewery pubs. To top the night off, we went to a wicked late night take away store and had amazing Quebec poutine! Poutine originated in Quebec, and I have been waiting to come here to try it. I was not disappointed!
I could write an entire post just on our time here, but I will save that for a few quiet beers one day.
So last I checked we were in Banff. On our last day Liam and I hired a car and ventured north to see Lake Louise and the Columbia Icefield. The Lake was amazing, but unfortunately for us, despite a beautiful day, by the time we made it to the icefield, the weather turned and the haze was so thick we could barely see the first glacier! Gutted!
The next day we bussed it to Calgary, where we stayed with one of Liams friends from Victoria. We stayed at her parents house, and they were great. Sophie drove us around and introduced us to her friends. I can't say we saw too much of Calgary, but the host was wicked and we had a good time.
Next I managed to convince Liam to break up the potential 2000 km bus ride to Thunder Bay, and stop after 12 hours in Winnipeg in Manitoba. Now I am going to mention how hard it was to convince Liam to stop here. He had heard from people that Saskatchewan and Manitoba were shit and wastes of time, so we shouldn't even bother stopping there, even though we had a bus that cost us nothing extra, and we had free accommodation while couch surfing. Being from Adelaide, we get this a lot. Australians from other states tell people how shit and boring it is despite never actually going there, or doing any research. Because of this, I felt compelled to see what Winnipeg had to offer.
Our host was lovely, but just wanted to show off her Aussie couch surfers to her friends at the pubs and clubs. Couch surfing is a double edged sword. The fact strangers are letting us in their homes and staying for free is amazing. At the same time though, we came here to try and learn about the place and its culture, and you can't do that sitting in a pub spending all your money on piss for 3 days. Even the most boring of cities have more to offer than pubs.
So anyway, we did manage to get out and about for a few days, and what I did see I found interesting. it definitely wont be up there with the prettiest cities i've been to, but it has its own story which is worth telling.
After Winnipeg we bussed to Thunder Bay in Ontario to check out Lake Superior. Thunder Bay itself is a hovel, and the hostel was a dogs breakfast, but I did see my first great lake, so that is a plus. Most of the 2 days spent there was in Mcdonalds eating there $2 big macs, as the weather was rubbish and the town is basically just a township for people to base themselves for the mines.
Next stop was Elliot Lake for a day to see Liams grandmother. She was very lovely and cooked us a nice meal for tea. Elliot Lake is a beautiful little town that has been through some hard times, and it was great to see the colours of the leaves changed for fall.
Next stop was Ottawa, which will be my new home until after new year. We only spent 2 days before heading off again, but our host was amazing and the town is beautiful.
Montreal was next, but due to time constraints, could only spend two nights (One kaleidoscopey) there before venturing off.
Now we are in Quebec City, and I will be here for a week before going back to Montreal for another 3 or 4 days, and then back to Ottawa where Mandy is coming back to visit for 10 days!
This will be an interesting test to see how compatible we are together and whether Victoria was a holiday romance, or the start of something serious.....
Time will tell, but I think things will work out fine.
Tonight Liam and I went our seperate ways. He is heading off to Halifax, and I am staying in Quebec for a few more days. Should be interesting traveling alone again. I'm going to enjoy my space for a few days at least!!
Anyway, best get to bed, few more days in this wicked city, then start making my way down to Ottawa again!
Bon nuit!
So right now I am in the amazing Quebec City in the amazing French province of Quebec!! Quebec City is one of the places I wanted to visit in Canada the most, so I have been excitedly looking forward to it for ages!
Quebec City is 400 years old and is the oldest fortified city in North America. If that's not impressive enough, the entire old town is listed as a world heritage site. Apart from being amazingly beautiful, this city and province is full of culture, history and politics that would make even Belgium say "Holy shit balls"
We have been couch surfing with an amazing French Canadian and her two flat mates, and they have gone well above the call of duty of hosting. We arrived on her birthday, yet her dinner party was more about spoiling the two Aussie guests. We had some wicked fondue style French cuisine, followed by some beers in town in some trendy micro brewery pubs. To top the night off, we went to a wicked late night take away store and had amazing Quebec poutine! Poutine originated in Quebec, and I have been waiting to come here to try it. I was not disappointed!
I could write an entire post just on our time here, but I will save that for a few quiet beers one day.
So last I checked we were in Banff. On our last day Liam and I hired a car and ventured north to see Lake Louise and the Columbia Icefield. The Lake was amazing, but unfortunately for us, despite a beautiful day, by the time we made it to the icefield, the weather turned and the haze was so thick we could barely see the first glacier! Gutted!
The next day we bussed it to Calgary, where we stayed with one of Liams friends from Victoria. We stayed at her parents house, and they were great. Sophie drove us around and introduced us to her friends. I can't say we saw too much of Calgary, but the host was wicked and we had a good time.
Next I managed to convince Liam to break up the potential 2000 km bus ride to Thunder Bay, and stop after 12 hours in Winnipeg in Manitoba. Now I am going to mention how hard it was to convince Liam to stop here. He had heard from people that Saskatchewan and Manitoba were shit and wastes of time, so we shouldn't even bother stopping there, even though we had a bus that cost us nothing extra, and we had free accommodation while couch surfing. Being from Adelaide, we get this a lot. Australians from other states tell people how shit and boring it is despite never actually going there, or doing any research. Because of this, I felt compelled to see what Winnipeg had to offer.
Our host was lovely, but just wanted to show off her Aussie couch surfers to her friends at the pubs and clubs. Couch surfing is a double edged sword. The fact strangers are letting us in their homes and staying for free is amazing. At the same time though, we came here to try and learn about the place and its culture, and you can't do that sitting in a pub spending all your money on piss for 3 days. Even the most boring of cities have more to offer than pubs.
So anyway, we did manage to get out and about for a few days, and what I did see I found interesting. it definitely wont be up there with the prettiest cities i've been to, but it has its own story which is worth telling.
After Winnipeg we bussed to Thunder Bay in Ontario to check out Lake Superior. Thunder Bay itself is a hovel, and the hostel was a dogs breakfast, but I did see my first great lake, so that is a plus. Most of the 2 days spent there was in Mcdonalds eating there $2 big macs, as the weather was rubbish and the town is basically just a township for people to base themselves for the mines.
Next stop was Elliot Lake for a day to see Liams grandmother. She was very lovely and cooked us a nice meal for tea. Elliot Lake is a beautiful little town that has been through some hard times, and it was great to see the colours of the leaves changed for fall.
Next stop was Ottawa, which will be my new home until after new year. We only spent 2 days before heading off again, but our host was amazing and the town is beautiful.
Montreal was next, but due to time constraints, could only spend two nights (One kaleidoscopey) there before venturing off.
Now we are in Quebec City, and I will be here for a week before going back to Montreal for another 3 or 4 days, and then back to Ottawa where Mandy is coming back to visit for 10 days!
This will be an interesting test to see how compatible we are together and whether Victoria was a holiday romance, or the start of something serious.....
Time will tell, but I think things will work out fine.
Tonight Liam and I went our seperate ways. He is heading off to Halifax, and I am staying in Quebec for a few more days. Should be interesting traveling alone again. I'm going to enjoy my space for a few days at least!!
Anyway, best get to bed, few more days in this wicked city, then start making my way down to Ottawa again!
Bon nuit!
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