A Smokin' Sunday...

With it bound to be a beautiful day we took a drive up to Port Douglas, a 40 minute drive up the picturesque Captain Cook Highway from our place.  It was rather busy (which I expected) with loads of tourists, wandering the market and the streets.  

Our girls just love the Frozen Fruit Salad Icy Poles from a stall, which always keep them both quiet for at least 10 minutes....

After lunch and a Lily meltdown, we headed back in the car for the drive home.  I pointed out to MrL the sky in the distance so we knew we were bound to cross the path of smoke on the way home. Unsure where it was exactly coming from, we figured that it was the forest which was smouldering.  (As we drove up we noticed that it looked like quite a bit of back burning had been happening since our last visit, but there was no smoke nor fire then.)

We did pass some small flames which made Monet all scared in the back seat, but it was nothing to worry about.  We couldn't figure out if it had been deliberately lit again (by authorities) or if it had flared up because of the warm weather.

MrL stopped at the (busy) lookout so I could snap a few photos of the view.  It is a gorgeous view on an equally gorgeous day.

Just down from the lookout, is a tiny hamlet of Wangetti.  We've always talked about stopping at the beach there (not that you can see it from the road, there is only a small road sign pointing the way).  MrL drove the car down the road which was surprisingly (or maybe not surprisingly, considering the weather) busy.

It was a lovely beach and one where I could see more smoke where we would have to pass...

The girls had a great time.

One of the girls (the one who previously had a meltdown) did not want to leave.  She's very much a beach gal that one!

Back on the way home, we did pass more smoke and more little fires....

...but we did make it home in one piece.

Early Morning Walks

For over three months now, I have been rising out of bed most mornings, bright and early and going on a 3 kilometres 'power' walk.  I have it down to 26 minutes.  

Each day, I take a photo of the dawn breaking.  I have rarely seen two days the same.  The colours are amazing and every time I think to myself that it has been worth getting out of bed at stupid o'clock for.  

Pretty sure I am considered a local now, seeing a handful of 'regular' walkers.

I see the lady opening up the corner shop every morning and the guy who cleans and organises the outside furniture at L'unico.  I see the lady in the bright pink floral shorts walking her two dogs.  I see the old, very thin lady, who jogs around the place, the old man in his walking gear power walking, the lady who runs with her tiny Jack Russell dog, the lady in specks riding her bike with her reflective gear on.  An elderly lady who I have only begun seeing in the past few weeks, who walks up and down the beach road pushing her walking frame.

I wonder if they all think, "There's that chick in the stripy top"....

Each and every morning I also see one of my neighbours who lives in the same complex as us.  Sometimes we stop and have a brief chat.

I decided in celebration of my 50th morning walk, to get a poster made of my photos.  Most are taken in the same spot each morning.  I swear those two palm trees are the most photographed trees in all of Cairns, especially if I have anything to do with it.

My poster arrived on last week.  I had two printed up.  I gave one to my neighbour, who was very (very) appreciative of it.

Late Afternoon Beach Fun

I really should update this blog more often!  Sheesh, where does the time go?  Monet has already been back at school for final term for two weeks now and I haven't even blogged about little things we did.  I will get there eventually.

So....

Quite a few Sunday evenings ago (three weeks ago in fact), MrL and I decided that instead of having a beer or two on our balcony at home that we'd venture down the beach and have a couple there....as you do in Queensland.  It was a perfect evening, busy with tourists still splashing in the water, people chatting and grouped together on the beach and two little sisters besotted with one another.

It's times like that, that makes me appreciate where we live.

And with the sun setting, it was time to enjoy some (perfectly grilled) fish and chips on the foreshore.  I'm not sure of the photo below (lol) with the girl's expressions (lol) but we had a pleasant evening together.

Last Sunday

All up, we have lived in FNQ for roughly three and a half years and not once had we walked down to our local beach and had fish'n'chips for lunch there.  Well, I can say now that we have done that and it was really nice to do so.  

Last Sunday was a beautiful, sunny, warm day, though a bit windy.  We decided to enjoy some lunch down the beach and were lucky enough to score a sheltered picnic table, opposite the view below.  

Even though the photos don't show it, it was busy down the beach.

There was a cruise ship anchored out at sea, ferrying it's passengers back and forth between the mainland and the ship.  The main cruise terminal in Cairns is currently being renovated so we figured that's why they were doing this action.

Gee, that lady, ahem, my mum is wearing a nice skirt isn't she?  So is that little Blondie. ;P

After returning home we decided to brave our pool.  Yep, still winter here (only just) and the first use of the pool since returning.  Sure, was a little cool but really nice once in.  Both girls enjoyed themselves, along with MrL.

The Advantage of Living in FNQ in Winter

MrL and I had decided on Saturday evening to go for a drive the following day, down to Mission Beach, so the girls could have a paddle and a run around.  

We had forgotten that Mission Beach is a good two hour trek south from our home.  

Last year's cyclone Yasi tore through the area and we had noticed a big change in the canopy.  The road leading to the area was no where as shady and overhanging as we remembered.  But green?  Oh it was green....

And the beach was as delightful as I remember...

The girls had a blast, splishing and splashing.  The shallow water was warm and the waves were small. That's Dunk Island in the middle of that photo below.  We had stayed there before but the resort was wiped out last year, (thanks to the cyclone) which is really sad...

After a good hour enjoying themselves we went and treated ourselves to some fish and chips, but all Lily was after was a 'Rainbow' ice-cream.  (To be honest, it was the lure of the ice-cream to get her out of the water!)  All her dreams came true as she enjoyed one...

The drive home seemed quicker than the road down there, but maybe because I snapped images outside my passenger door window and windscreen.  It is sugarcane slashing time around these parts.  (Once the sugarcane flowers it is time to harvest.)  We have visited the foot of the mountain in the photo below - you can read about it here.

Below is Pyramid Rock, just outside of Cairns which stands at 922 metres.  I love how it looks like it is balancing a cloud on it's pointy tip.  ;)

Both girls napped on the way home (no wonder) so Lily and I had a bit of a late evening, but it was worth it.  Think we're going to go on another beach destination drive next weekend!

Morning Beach Stroll

With the weather now very pleasant, especially comparing it to a month ago, even a fortnight ago, I thought it would be most appropriate to take the VIPs down to the Corniche for a stroll, even a short one, along the beach and boardwalk.  

At 10am it was lovely.  The whole place seemed rather inviting and the water was perfect temperature. 

Hey! Nice skirt lady!  (*smirk*)

The above shot shows to the far left the 'Etihad Towers' - a series of five towers, representing the Sheikhs.  Where you can just see cranes, is the Emirates Palace, the most expensive hotel in the world.  Where you can a series of white 'Sails' and a little tower, is Marina Mall and further along is the 'World's largest Flag pole' where the UAE flag flies proudly at full mast each day.

We had a cool milk shake at one of the cafes on the boardwalk which over looks the beach.  A cool refreshment was needed as I'm pretty sure it was a little warmer than the predicted 33 degrees.

With this week being Eid Mubarak and mid-term break for school, I think I might just take the girls back down there for a splash in the water, whilst the VIPs head UK bound.

Barceloneta

Back to Barcelona...

If there is anything you need to attract attention in a foreign city, I suggest taking a blonde headed toddler with you. With our tummies rumbling one day, we found ourselves at Barceloneta, a piece of land that juts out and sits between a beautiful marina and a beautiful (kinda) beach with the Mediterranean lapping at it's shores. The area is lined with straight lane ways and many restaurants.

That day, we decided on one particular restaurant where the waiters and other diners, were all taken in with Lily's charms.  And, didn't she know it... (and yeah, that's my glass of beer, not a jug!)

Talk about being the center of attention in her special little high chair.  She had her hair ruffled so many times, she didn't care, which was most unusual.

Around the corner from this strip of restaurants was the beach.  It was there when we said that one could most easily stay in Barcelona for more than a week...

If it wasn't for the people, I could imagine ourselves paddling in the water and making castles in the sand...

I think next time I would quite to stay in this section of the city.  Yes, there will be a next time, but it won't be in the peak of summer... *wink wink*

The marina was beautiful, but I always have a soft spot for marinas.

That area of the city had a real holiday feel to it.   A big array of eateries, ice creameries, little shops, buskers, annoying people...

Brighton Beach Visit.

We visited Brighton last Friday.

We had visions of Brighton being rather dull.  Dark sea water, freezing winds, large pebbles on the beach.  We were right on one suspicion - the large pebbles on the beach.  I'm not saying it wasn't cold because it was rather cool, but not freezing.  And the water actually looked sublime.

I have only visited a handful of beaches in England over the years but this was my first visit to the famous Brighton Beach, about a 50 minute train ride south of the middle of London.  Monet thought she deserved an ice cream after such a journey.  Well how could we deny a request like that?

We walked along the beach front towards the Pleasure Pier where I indulged in some lovely hot donuts which went down a little too well.  *heehee*  We walked along the length of the pier and back, stopping to look at some of the 'amusements' and playing a ridiculous game of popping 10p into a slot and trying to knock off more 10p coins into the slot.  *Ridiculous I tell you*

We ended up making our way back to the town center for a delicious Italian late-lunch which included a starter of assorted breads with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, which was very yummy.  

We were back in our hotel a couple of hours later, all exhausted after our day out at the sea-side (of sorts!)  Monet and I spent the evening at my sister and her partner's place (and enjoyed the surrounds of their newly refurbished apartment) whilst Lyndon went out on the town with an old friend of ours.  

Time To Smell The Fresh Sea Air...

Monet and I spent a little time down the beach this morning.  Little Miss even rode her bike down there and back (a big effort in itself that, let me tell you!)

We both enjoyed being down there this morning.  Monet was very happy...

...and why shouldn't she have been when this is our local beach?  I think it is truly beautiful.

We've enjoyed living here for the past 18 months out of our 2 and a half years in Cairns.  The beach is lovely when the sun is shining and there is lack of wind (like this morning).  Trust me when I say that our beach doesn't always look like this.   But we are lucky to have a beach that looks like this, even if you can only swim safely in the water for 5 months out of 12.

  

We're waiting here patiently for Lyndon's work visa to enter our inbox.  It shouldn't be too much longer now before the ball starts rolling.  When the ball is rolling it will be faster than a Brett Lee fast ball.

In the meanwhile, we will relax and enjoy the time we have left our little part of Australia.  

Like Sands Through The Hour Glass *giggle giggle*

The weather the last few days have been a bit 'grey' but last week Cairns showing off its glorious best.  I know because they are the days when we go down to our local beach.  And we did that last week, five days out of seven.

I'm not really one to go in the water though when the weather has been cool.  Cooler weather equals cooler water.  (!)  I can't say the same for Lyndon and Monet though, as they frolicked in the water on the weekend. Besides not being a fan of cool water (I'm too much of a Queensland wuss now with the water temperature being 20 degrees Celsius, it is still too cool for me) and I'm not a fan of waves with murky water, as our local beach was last weekend.  (However if the water was crystal clear and warmer I probably would have jumped in.  I'm fussy like that.)  

Instead, I stayed dry on the sand and kept a close eye on them.  

Monet really enjoys being down the beach - I hope she remembers days like those in years to come.  We spend ages building little sandcastles and collecting little shells and rocks to put on them, we spend ages doing drawings in the sand...

(This one is a joint effort of both Monet and I and our portrait of Lyndon!)

...and ages running around and laughing.  

*sigh*

But today (and all this week in fact) it has been grey.  I needed to brighten up my day a little.

*sigh*