2006 was my first Christmas in a place where the ground wasn't frozen from October to April, so seeing a rose in full bloom while on my way to a Christmas service at church was absolutely stunning! 
I get a giggle every time I look at this picture. In my head I always here "Dude! Do you see that guy over your shoulder? I think he's famous or something". Yeah, I'm a regular comedian eh?
I have no doubt that there will eventually be a movie made about my amazing life. I also have no doubt that a place like this will feature in the film. I just love these stairs. The wrought iron work, the stone walls, the ferns that will grow just about anywhere... it's all just so lovely. It was also lovely and cool on these steps, the stone absorbing some of the heat of the day. Yup, here's one of the 4728 locations I would choose to include. I'll see if you can think of any others...
This Cathedral was concecrated in 1975. Built in the round, the red circular carpet you can see in the foreground is in the centre of the church. 
I don't take that many photos of flowers from the side, but I think this one worked out quite nicely indeed. Also, my camera sometimes has a fit taking pictures of pink flowers. I don't know why, but there it is. 
I really do like taking this style of photo. More properly said, I would love to touch these sculptures and take in their details as much as I am allowed to. 
This lovely statue was one of four in a niche. Zaccaria, Stefano, Elisabetta and Giovanni. If I'm reading the card right. they are from the 17thc. Hurrah!
I cannot tell you how much I love these shoes. Basically, whenever I think I can get away with wearing bright yellow on my feet, I do!
Would you believe me if I told you this church was heavily bombed during WWII? Yeah, really. There did some pretty darn-tootin' impressive restorations here. This church floored me to begin with. It really does show 17thc style. (at least to my mind's eye it does).
I'm still trying to get the perfect shot of the sulphur-crested cockie. I like the brilliance of the yellow crest, but even still... y'all are going to have to suffer through more pictures of these birds until I get my hero shot. (here's my last cockatoo post)
Yes, I'm on a church kick. One of my favorite things to do is visit churches.
The cathedral in La Spezia was probably the most unique church I have ever been in. It was obviously a catholic church, don't get me wrong... it was just different. Built in an in-the-round style, the focus was the centre alter. There were a couple of side chapels, and behind the reredos there were several icons. Each ceiling pillar had a roman numeral, I to XII for the stations of the cross. A very ordinary church save the whole in the round thing. It was obviously commissioned in the early 60's and completed within that decade. No doubt about it!
Very interesting cathedral celing. I love looking up :)
Okay, so I'm strating to think it is more important for me to actually get some of these Italian pics up. Stories will follow if I have time...
One of the afternoons I spent wandering around inside the old walled city, I found myself walking down a lane beside one of the basilicas. No really, I came out of the Annunciation to Mary Basilica, turned right and started walking down the lane. I found myself impressed that there were people still milling about the streets here as it was seista time. Then it dawned on me... I wasn't just walking down any lane, the people around me weren't just randomly out... no, no... I was walking past the front of a bordello. 
Just a block away from the bestest foccia ever was this lovely little church. I'd wanted to see inside of it since the day we arrived. From the outside, it looked kind of like a memorial hall, or tiny concert hall. The domed roof and general style of the outside said to me that this was a lovely 18thc church. 
Just outside the old gate to the old city (now named after Columbus), a beautiful medieval structure still stands. If you look at the column topper seen above, you can still see the carved angel. This column is one of the corner posts around a 5m by 12m open frame which seems to have been built around a well. It really is a lovely little park now, but I'm sure the practical nature of having a well within an easy distance of most of the upper part of the city caused this well to be highly decorated and highly protected.
Stripes... the Genovese love their stripes. Basically every church in this area has at least part of its building striped. I guess when marble and granite is so conveniently located in the surrounding area, stripes will happen.
And here begins the fun of reliving my holidays in June. I hope you enjoy this as much as I know I will!
I feel very lucky to have caught the koalas at feeding time. Actually, I have never seen koalas move about so much (since they sleep 20-22 hours a day, it's not surprising to see them, well, asleep.)
Hello beautiful!
All I can say is this - What a tongue! Yes it's blue, and man it's strong. 
I am always struck by how much kangaroos and wallabies look like dear. I really can't get over it. I think it's probably their ears and the gentle herbivore nature, though I might just be wishing for connections between these lovely creatures. 
So where do you think this picture was taken? Doesn't seem like Oz eh? :)
What do you think this is? 
Dude! Lion! Cool!
I will never tire of watching the seasons on the Petitcodiac. Here you can almost hear the wind rustle last year's dried grass. The last of the winter's snow is melting and you can feel the ground releasing the cold it has held onto for months. 
It's so nice to see pictures turn out the way I hoped they would. On this beautifully sunny day in winter in the Hunter, it was just so lovely to be able to stroll out on the green grass and admire the flowers in bloom. Yes, they are a rather common, shall I even say a 'garden variety' flower here in Oz, but they really are lovely.
Oh my goodness, what a tree! What a scene. So perfect! (too bad the winery sucked!)
I have a series of pictures of this particular spider monkey, basically all showing that it loves its food! The other monkeys were happily meandering around their enclosure, but no, not this guy. He's out to enjoy the sun and the fruit conveniently left right here where he sits.
Yet another classic Harbour shot. I love how rich and blue the water is here. I also really love the floating ferry platforms. There is just enough of a tide in this harbour to be a nuisance for ferries... all up it's about 1m of difference between low and high. (I'm rather obsessed with tides, just in case you didn't know). 
Yeah, this door is pretty cool, but it was not the first thing that caught my eye about this church. Nope, not the door, not the cool front gate or the mosaic work above the entrances. What caught my eye was whom the church was dedicated to - Our Lady of Snows. After a brief chuckle, my next thought was... who was this Lady?
I'm not certain which these beautiful birds are... something like Singapore sparrows? I'll let you tell me :)
I know I've introduced you all to Pepper Tree Winery before. (here) They really are one of the top wineries of the Hunter Valley and well worth visiting if you are in the area. Their production levels basically match cellar door demand, so if you like a wine you'd best buy it up right quick! On our May trip to the Hunter, we sampled the newly released shiraz named Pebbles. On our return trip in August they had been sold out of Pebbles for over a month. That's crazy quick! The Coquun seen above was a delicious shiraz which I believe is already sold out 6 weeks after release. All I have to say on this is 'good on ya' and 'yum'!
Taronga Zoo really does everything possible to give each of their animals the best of the best. This lion's enclosure has cool areas, sunny areas and lots of space to both be seen and to hide. On this particular occasion, monsieur le lion decided to be perfectly friendly and basque in the sun just in front of the plexiglass. It was mid afternoon and the early spring sun was wonderfully warm against the still cool air. There were so many people gathered watching the lions that I took this picture from about 5 people back holding my camera above the crowd.
Taking beautiful pictures of the harbour in Sydney is rather like shooting fish in a barrel. 
So I've become rather enamoured with pocket sized stuffed animals. This is Harold. I found him at Kinokuniya, one of the most amazing book shops I have seen in a long time. If you do not have a travelling companion, you really are missing out on something. Basically everyone I've introduced Heales or Harold to have immediately started playing with them. It's really is the best way to bring out the child-like glee in anyone. Also, Harold is soft and fuzzy and all around cute. :) He now lives in my shoulder bag. 
I still get a kick out of seeing pelicans just flying around. They tend not to like city life, so you do have to go 'up the coast' to find them, but hey, I'm not fussy! Pelicans have until recently been birds that I have only imagined. I know that I have seen my fair share of pelican images, but to actually see one in the feather is really quiet surreal. They are about the size of my old dog, and really do have the most impressive jowels I have ever seen! (and this is including the previously mentioned cassowary). I would also say that they are obviously birds that live in windy areas, and I don't think I've seen them fly so much as glide from place to place. 
Giraffe are just to darn elegant. Their long eyelashes, and haughty expressions just makes me want to serve them tea and crumpets. (Though I think they would rather have carrots!)
Can any amount of 'awwww' describe how cute this koala joey is?
Nothing quite like a medieval church being light up during deepest darkest winter eh?
I think this was probably the first 'modern' sculpture I found breathtaking. Found on the front lawn at Clare College, I enjoyed 2 weeks of cycling past it on my way to my job at the Faculty of History. Man, what a lame job I had... I was the photocopy girl. No really, that's pretty much the only thing I had to do. It was an easy choice between that and working at Cambridge Wine Merchants! I had the bestest boss at CWM, and I miss her so!
I absolutely love to watch the water as it boils and bubbles away from a fast moving ship. To my delight, the water in the Sydney Harbour is this beautiful velvety rich blue-green, and the foam from the ferry just makes me want to dive in. Yes, you can fish in the harbour, but I don't think I'd want to... no would I want to swim here either. They still regularly spot sharks here, and I have a hard enough time sharing my swimming area with fish!
This is quite possibly the more awesome and the most terrifying bird I have ever met. Think emu with attitude and a huge wart-like horn staring at you eye-to-eye. Very cool, but daunting none the less.
