Taronga Zoo - Koala

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.)

The koala enclosure at Taronga had recently been closed for maintenance, so four of the koalas had been moved into the echidna enclosure. This provided me with excellent viewing, as the sunshine was beautiful and back-lit the koalas perfectly here.

Taronga Zoo - Wombat

Hello beautiful!

I must say that it is rather fortunate that the upper bit of grass is covering her forehead this morning. Just before I arrived to visit the wombat (her) enclosure, a bird must have flow by and dropped something on her forehead. She then must have tried to rub the wet stuff off, succeeding only in sticking a gum leaf smack dab in the middle of her forehead. Oh well, as long as there is dirt to dig and grass to eat, Mme Wombat seems to keep content!

Taken August 2010 - Taronga Zoo, Sydney, NSW

Taronga Zoo - Giraffe feeding time

All I can say is this - What a tongue! Yes it's blue, and man it's strong.

In March, Micah and I managed to visit the Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo. I mention this only because Micah got to feed one of the lovely ladies there. Glee was all consuming for Micah, and the carrots were all consumed by the giraffes. Oh, and apparently a carrot to a giraffe is like a piece of chocolate to a person. Yummy!

Taken August 2010 - Taronga Zoo, Sydney, NSW

Taronga Zoo - Wallaby

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.

This beautiful lady actually came over to say hi to me while I was visiting her at Taronga. The keeper even gave me a peanut which Merrybel was oh so happy to gently take from my hand. Merrybel was raise from the size of a joey here at Taronga. Her mother was unfortunately hit by a car, an she was found hopping around at the side of the road by the place of the accident. Since she was hand fed, she's very use to having people around, and really loves to be petted. Let me tell you, she is so soft! What a beautiful girl to spend a sunny afternoon with eh?

Taken August 2010 - Taronga Zoo, Sydney, NSW

Mount Tomah Gardens - View

So where do you think this picture was taken? Doesn't seem like Oz eh? :)

Mount Tomah Gardens really are a treat. There are so many areas with so many garden styles that it is easy to imagine yourself just about anywhere on the planet (well, maybe not Antarctica, but you get the idea...) I always think of an English manor with this shot. It's funny though, not 100m away you can be standing amongst the tall gums looking at what is obviously a classic Blue Mountain scene.

Also, how green is this grass? It really is amazing what a misty day in winter will do for the ground here in Australia.

Taken May 2010 - Mount Tomah Botanical Gardens, Blue Mountains, NSW

Hunter Valley - Lock Ness??

What do you think this is?

I spent almost half an hour watching this thing swim around a damn (read Australian for pond or lake) in the Hunter Valley. This was the clearest picture I could manage . The above kept swimming around the clumps of reeds flicking water over its back.

After about an hour of guessing around on Google to figure out what it was, I finally discovered the truth. I'll let you click here to find out. ;)


Taken August 2010 - Damn (Australian for pond) in the Hunter Valley, NSW

Taronga Zoo - Lion

Dude! Lion! Cool!

I'm not nearly as much of a cat person as a dog lover, but hey, lions are still pretty awesome eh? Now the next question I have is this - am I (and the group of people around me) watching the lion, or the lion me? Also, what is this lion thinking? For the most part, apathy dominated this cat's expression. Quelle surprise eh? :)

Taken August 2010 - Taronga Zoo, Sydney, NSW

Hillsborough Dykes

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.

I miss the marsh, I miss the mud and I so very much miss the tides.

Taken March 2003 - Hillsborough, New Brunswick, Canada

Peppertree Winery - more flowers

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.

Taken August 2010 - Peppertree Winery, Hunter Valley, NSW

Hunter Valley - Amazing Tree

Oh my goodness, what a tree! What a scene. So perfect! (too bad the winery sucked!)

On our most recent trip to the Hunter, we finally made out way to the only certified organic winery. All of the principles were correct, but the execution was terrible! I'm not at all saying that organic wine is terrible - quite the opposite. The stuff here was just really bad. There wasn't anything wrong with the grapes... it just tasted like the producers didn't have idea what to do once the grapes were ripe. It's amazing how poor a product can become even when produced with the best starting materials! *sigh

Oh well... At least they had a cool tree!

Taken August 2010 - Field in the Hunter Valley, NSW

Taronga Zoo - Spider Monkey

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.

Have I mentioned that I love the zoo? :)

Taken August 2010 - Taronga Zoo, Sydney, NSW

On the way to the Taronga Zoo

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).

Taken August 2010 - Ferry Terminal 5, Circular Quay, Sydney, NSW

La Spezia - Snow? Really?

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?

Well, Wikipedia links me with a few pages. Not so much with the helpful. Google lead me to some interesting links for other churches dedicated to the same Saint. Hmmm...

After half an hour of link diving, I think I have a basic story of the origin of the name. Some powerful guy in the 300's wanted to have kids with his wife but they were barren. They prayed to Our Lady (Mary of Jesus) to help them out. In a vision they were told to build a church at a particular place, on a hill top covered in snow.

That's all you get. 'They' have no other historical reference point for this story, nor do we necessarily know if their prayers/actions produced an heir. But there is a church build on a hill outside of Rome that tends to get snow. Our Lady of Snows. Tada!

I'm not normally this cynical about names, but I do find that Mary has so too many titles. I love Mary, probably more than my protestant self should. I find many of her images and icons inspiring, breathtaking and moving. I get disgruntled when I have to use a reference text to tell me that the church is dedicated to Jesus' Mom. Just sayin'.

Taken June 2010 - Detail of the West Door, Parish Church Sanctuary - Our Lady of Snows, La Spezia, Italy

Taronga Zoo - Asian Aviary

I'm not certain which these beautiful birds are... something like Singapore sparrows? I'll let you tell me :)

Nevertheless, these cuties were happy to enjoy the spring sunshine while I sat on the ground in front of the. There are several aviaries in Taronga (4 or 5... maybe more?) and this one is lovely and cool with its own water-features and carp in the pond. It's a lovely place to simply sit and let the birds fly by.

Taken August 2010 - Taronga Zoo, Sydney, NSW

Peppertree Winery - Glam shot

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'!

Taken August 2010 - Peppertree Winery, Hunter Valley, NSW

Taronga Zoo - Lion in the sun

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.

Taken August 2010 - Taronga Zoo, Sydney, NSW

Opera House Glam Shot!

Taking beautiful pictures of the harbour in Sydney is rather like shooting fish in a barrel.

The above was taken from the ferry going from Circular Quay to the Taronga Zoo. Of course, the Opera House is an obvious landmark, but I'd like to draw your attention to two other key harbour staples, namely the Anzac bridge and the channel marker in the foreground. I think of both of these things as being iconic here on the harbour.

Taken August 2010 - Ferry on the Harbour, Sydney, NSW

Cockatoo!

I have never lived in a place with such dominate birds! The sulphur-crested cockatoo is one of the most common sights in the park by my house, as the one pictured attests to. :) It's actually quite entertaining to walk through the park right now. As long as you continually walk towards a predictable point (picnic table, swings, walkway...) the cockatoos will just continue to happily munch on whatever they are munching on. If you deviate, slow or speed up, they kind of run away, at least as much as any bird can run. The only time they squawk is when they are show off to each other or think they can get the food off of another bird.

What's in your pocket?

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.

Taken August 2010 - Town Hall Station, Sydney, NSW

Hunter Valley - Pelican

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.

I'm hoping my next visit up the coast will be to a place I've been led to believe have basically tame pelicans. I'd love to get a proper close up look at these lovely birds. :)

Taken August 2010 - Damn (Australian for pond) in the Hunter Valley, NSW

Taronga Zoo - Giraffe

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!)

The giraffe enclosure at Taronga is pretty impressive, as these four herbivores have a perfect view of the harbour. It is fantastically easy to shoot great pictures of these lovely ladies here. They stand to the south, down hill from the viewing area.

Nothing quite like putting the Zoo on some of the most expensive real estate in Sydney eh?

Taken August 2010 - Taronga Zoo, Sydney, NSW