Giant Gippsland Earthworms Out of Sight?

We went today to Bass, in Gippsland, committed and excited to see the giant earthworms, which can reach on avearge, 1 meter in length! Megascolides australis are an out-of-this-world creature. Well, we found out they are indeed out-of-sight for now, because the museum where we could see them apparently shut down about 6 months ago... Big disappointment. I am not sure where else we can see them, but we shall investigate. These earthworms live deep in the soil and come to the surface only in heavy rain. Their habitat is restricted to the Bass River Valley of South Gippsland, in an area of about 100,000 hectares. They live in a unique kind of blue-grey clay within a short distance of water sources. To many of you, the worms may sound like disgusting creatures, but they are part of nature and their beauty is certainly not physical, but can be found in their uniqueness in nature. These rare types of creatures or plants, landscapes or land formations make Australia unique in the world. Beautiful! So we continued the trip after Bass and went to Inverloch, ate some scrumptious fish and chips, and then embarked on an exploratory trip. We visited the Bunurong Marine National Park. Well, it's winter, we didn't snorkel, but the walks on the coast were magnificent! Please look at the picture.

Rhotic English Language

For those of you who don't know, English languages are divided in two groups based on the pronounciation of the "r" sound: rhotic and non-Rhotic. In American English, which has a rhotic accent, the sound "r" in 'car', 'star' and 'iron' is pronounced, whereas in Australian English, a non-rhotic English, this troublesome "r" is not pronounced (ca', sta', and i'on). For more entertainment, at least my entertainment and sometimes confusion, an "r" is added at words ending in "o" and "a". Examples: 'tomator', 'Europar', and even 'Rodicar'! Should I continue? How about 'idear' and 'Chinar'? I could write blog posts for another year with such words that used to sound one way when I lived in the Northern hemisphere and sound like a new language in this Sourhern hemisphere. I'll close here tonight though, with the picture of a 'dhaliar'...

Heide Museum

I went today with Chloe to the Heide Museum of Modern Art, an interesting marriage of architecture, gardens and art. It is in the Heidelberg suburb of Melbourne and has a past link to arts, as the area is settled over the Yarra Bend Park and Yarra Flats, a park frequently painted by artists at the end of the nineteen century and beginning of the twentieth century. I didn't really enjoy the current exhibits, and the rain put me in a bad mood because I could not take good pictures of the sprawling gardens, but the cafe, called Cafe Vue (tres chic et vrai), was the best thing! I am embarrassed for how superficial I am, I confess, as someone should not like the museum's cafe more than the museum, but I did. Perfectly fitting in the museum's theme, the cafe has the architecture (glass walls all around the dining area) that allows everyone to enjoy the garden with its art arrangements and sculptures. Moreover, the food is fresh, scrumptious and delicate, so the experience sent us right into an urban nirvana I had no idea I was going to experience today. Our waitress didn't see all these, I am sure, because she was the only thing souring my Cafe Vue experience. In today's artsy picture, please enjoy an artsy cow!

Contrasts

It rained again last night, so the hyacinth flowers started to pop open, the first daffodil is in bloom, and the camellias keep adding color to the front yard. I weeded the garden thinking about how much water we get and yet, this continent is the driest inhabited continent on Earth. You'd never guess that in our "back-yard," the Outback is an endless desert in which life struggles to survive. I mean it. Just one example, of the top 25 deadliest snake species in the world, 21 are native Australian. It is believed that these species evolved to kill prey fast and strong because of the extremely harsh conditions in which they had to survive. When the temperature stays above 45C for days and there is no water in sight, a snake has to kill a big prey quickly, before it fights back, and efficiently, so a large kill can last the snake for a long time, sparing it from hunting too often. Another sign of a wet winter, the hydrangea is blooming (here in the picture).

Suckling Pig Dish

Quintessential Melbourne! Big fuss, big price, big setback… We went to this new restaurant, Mr. Hive Kitchen and Bar, for a family celebration. We really wanted to go to one of Gordon Ramsey's restaurants in Melbourne, Maze, but found out that the chef had left a while ago, and thus his restaurant shut down. To give a new restaurant a chance is just fair, considering that it had some good reviews and it is located in the Crown Casino together with a congregation of excellent restaurants. I shall summarize my experience. The area occupied by Mr. Hive Kitchen and Bar is vast, and the bathroom would easily accommodate a dancing rink. Modern details are abundant everywhere. No less than three hostesses tried to direct us to our reserved table, when we walked in, one for each member of our family. In Oz, waiters are paid by the restaurant, no the patrons, so they don’t make much income from tips. Yes, it sounds fair, but the result is an indigestion-inducing slowness and this restaurant simply that! The first dish landed on the table one hour after we sat down, and the bill ended the evening two and a half hours after our seating… I enjoyed the company, the food and the atmosphere, but almost three hours for a dinner pushes me to desperation. Especially since the main dish, what was supposed to be the highlight of the evening, the suckling pig, ended up being the biggest failure. A chef came from the kitchen with the dish and explained what each piece was, and although this enlightening moment was useful and entertaining, meanwhile the pig got cold and heavy. For a whooping $120, the dish is made to be shared by two people. Check out the picture though. My husband was lucky I wasn’t hungry that evening. Finally, who doesn’t read the name “suckling pig” and immediately get the image of a full roasted piglet embellishing the table with a shiny brown presence? Well, I did, and seeing the miniature suckling pig dishes made me laugh and cry in a notable sunny-rainy culinary moment.

Undecided at the Abbotsford Convent

Why do we need to state the obvious sometimes? Like in today's photo. I am happy such signs don't paint all streets and intersections, which would then look like graffitis. When it comes to turning from a small laneway in Melbourne, this sign confirms the driver's assumption that he or she can turn whichever way they want. Yet, I do feel a bit undecided today, and this street sign applies to my mood, too. Should I go to a nice winery tomorrow and enjoy winter in the Yarra Valley holding a glass of good wine in one hand, or should I go to a beautiful beach town from where I can taste the ocean on one side and the bay on the other side? Should I curl up with a good book tomorrow or should I sit at the desk and write at my book? Should I do what I have to or what I want to? I am on vacation for a few days. Today I went to the Abbotsford Convent, a sprawling estate (convent mainly) on the Yarra river. The convent leased some of its buildings to schools, artists and health "promotors" (homeopaths, massage therapists, nutritionists, etc). The large garden and many buildings were littered or covered in scaffolding. They seemed to be in renovation, trimmed or fixed. The cafe was great, as it served fresh food mostly prepared from the convent's own gardens, but overall, I found this place overrated. I could not find anything special other than the food. Would I recommend it to anyone else? I'm undecided.

Graffiti in Melbourne

It took me over two years to realize that Melbourne was famous even for graffiti. My sister, who visited from the US, told me about Hosier Lane, a laneway at the bottom side of the CBD, that has all walls covered in urban art, i.e., graffiti. Apparently, the lane is popular among wedding photographers, too, who are often asked to take pictures of brides and grooms at that extremely colorful and daring location. The picture below shows one of my favorite art pieces on Hosier Lane today. Enjoy! It's NOT a poster.