F…

April 7, 2016April 7, 2016 / Christina B / 13 Comments

F is for Fremantle, the port city at the mouth of the Swan River near Perth, Western Australia. It’s a historic city with lots of character and it’s own cappuccino strip (road with lots of coffee shops). I wandered around Freo (the nickname for Fremantle) the other day during the Fremantle Street Arts Festival.

F is also for Freycinet National Park, a very scenic area on the south east coast of Tasmania.

The south western tip of Australia is well known for its age old forests with trees growing up to over 40 metres tall.

Frangipani is one of my favourite trees. the fragrance of the flowers always takes me back to my grandparents’ garden when I was a young child.

And last but not least, f stands for friends and family, our loved ones.

National Hotel in Fremantle during the recent Street Arts Festival

Interesting old buildings in Fremantle

Fremantle Street Arts Festival

Fremantle Markets

Freycinet National Park in Tasmania

Freycinet National Park, Tasmania

Forest in south west Australia

Fremantle Street Arts Festival

Frangipani

Weekly Photo Challenge: Alphabet

January 16, 2016 / Christina B / 16 Comments

In this week’s photo challenge we’re asked to let the alphabet be our inspiration. I realised I have heaps of photos of writing, letters and/or signs in one form or another and got a bit carried away with my gallery. Please feel free to click on the images and read the captions.

A sign in recognition of the engineering feats of CY O’Connor who also designed and oversaw the construction of a 500km long pipeline from Perth to the eastern goldfields to ensure a water supply for the towns. Sadly he never witnessed the completion. He had been the subject of criticism and derision by people saying it would never work. It’s still in operation today. This sign is in New Zealand (South Island) where he worked before moving to Australia.

Words of encouragement at the Busselton Ironman triathlon (3.8km swim, 180km bike ride plus 42.2km run) which my husband has completed twice.

Names of Australian soldiers who fought gallantly during World War 2. Photo taken at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

Tropic of Capricorn sign in the Namib desert, Namibia.

Memorial for West Australian soldiers who have served in different wars. Kings Park, Perth.

Imperative to follow these instructions at Aus in Etosha National Park, Namibia.

Chapmans Peak Drive, Cape Town, South Africa

Cool crisp wine at a picnic at Boschendal wine farm (est. 1685) near Cape Town in South Africa.

Probably my husband’s favourite mug. Taken at Mount Trio bush camp, southwestern Australia.

An old stone bridge in Tasmania, Australia.

Finish of the Australian Three Peaks Race

Last running leg of the Australian Three Peaks Race which my husband and a friend did: up and back down Mount Wellington, completing 131km of running in three days (and 335 nautical miles of sailing).

Taken at Port Arthur, first penal colony in Australia.

Someone else had this sign up as encouragement for their dad at the finish line of the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town, South Africa. Taken while we were waiting for my husband to finish his 18th Two Oceans marathon.

Road train, a common sight on outback Australian roads. Taken at Minilya roadhouse, about 100km from Coral Bay in northwestern Australia.

Brandberg White Lady Lodge and bush camp, Namibia. Home of desert elephants and age old rock paintings.

“Lest We Forget”. Taken at the National ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps) Centre in Albany, southwestern Australia. (The Anzacs departed from Albany in November 1914 and fought courageously at Gallipoli during 1915.)

Voyager Estate, southwestern Australia. It has special meaning for me as it was built in the Cape Dutch style, used extensively in South Africa by early Dutch and French immigrants. “Werf” means yard in Afrikaans.

The old York flour mill (in the wheatbelt east of Perth).

Kings Park & Botanic Garden overlooking the Swan river, Perth, Australia.

Kings Park & Botanic Garden, Perth, Australia.

Photo Challenge: Boundaries

October 3, 2015October 3, 2015 / Christina B / 4 Comments

In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Boundaries.” This week the challenge is about being creative about limits, boundaries, borders and dividers of all types.