AFL Footy Game - Brisbane Lions (122) vs. Melbourne Demans (94)

This weekends activity was attending an AFL footy game at the affectionately named "Gabba" named after the local suburb of Woolloongabba. The Gabba,or the Brisbane Cricket Ground, is an oval, and was build specifically for Cricket and Aussie Rules Football with the first cricket match played on the grounds in 1896. The dimensions of the playing field are now 170.6 metres by 149.9 metres to accommodate the playing of Australian Football at elite level and the seating capacity of the ground is now 42,000.

While attendence wasn't the greatest becasuse both teams are bottom dwellers on the ladder - standings - it nevertheless was an enjoyable afternoon and evening despite not knowing all the rules of the game.

Anzac Day

Thursday, April 25, was Anzac Day over here.  Anzac stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.  It is similar to our Remembrance day at home and is a public holiday.  The service here is held at dawn to remember the dawn raids on Gallipoli.  We were up at 4:30 a.m. and down at the cenotaph by 5:00 am.. The service was very similar to home - except for all the people dressed in shorts and flip flops instead of parkas and toques.  Afterwards, we drove out to Cleveland lighthouse to watch the sunrise.  Lots of people were having breakfast picnics there after the service and heading out in their boats to enjoy a sunny day on the bay. It was reported in the local paper that over 8,000 people attended the ceremony. That seemed a touch high but there were sure a lot of people up - young and old - to observe the service.  There were over 50,000 in Brisbane.

Mt. Tambourine hikes

About an hour from us is a mountain, Mt. Tambourine, that contains a nice town, a number of short hiking trails, waterfalls and some pretty viewpoints. Because my knee was a little wonky we didn't venture too far off the beaten path but we had a nice Sunday afternoon. 

 

Hike to Cedar Creek Falls

Lookout at Knoll National Park looking west across the plains

Strangler fig tree

 

 

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Curtis Falls

Palm Groove walk and strangler vines

An absolutely huge Strangler fig tree that was leaning for many years but finally was blown over in a recent storm

 

 

Bird of Paradise flower

Overlooking the Gold Coast from near the top of Mt. Tambourine

 

Return to Port Vila

After spending three days on Tanna we returned to Port Villa to spend the remainder of our vacation there. It was a good mixture of rest at the hotel and participating in a number of tours, etc.

Visiting the Mele Cascades waterfalls just outside Port Villa.

Large stands of bamboo abound along the walk

 

 

Cooling my feet, and especially my knee which had been a bit crook, in the refreshing pools

 

At the Cascades waterfalls

 

 

Bamboo grows everywhere

The local fruit and veggie market - VERY interesting!

The waterfront of Port Vila (and Irririki Island in the harbour)

The waterfront at Port Vila

 

 

 

The esplanade at Port Vila

 

 

 

At the motel eating Mele tulek served in a steamed banana leaf that was made by the women of Mele village and sold in the markets around Port Villa 

 

Vanuatu's own Tusker Beer.

Lelepa Island

 

Boarding our launch to Lelepa Island

A nature walk on Lelepa Island learning about traditional medicines from plants used by the locals

Traditional outrigger

A large cavern originally used by cannibals and later by a nearby village to house people with communicable diseases

 

 

A waterspout in the distance. Here comes the rain, Were we going to get our afternoon snorkel in? Of course we did and it was simply awesome given the variety and amount of brightly colored fish. It was like swimming in an aquarium but we did get soaked by the rain subsequently

Walking in the village of our guide on Lelepa Island

 

 

The day after the Lelepa Island we, along with a very nice couple from England and South Africa, rented a drive to tour the southern end of Efate. Negotiating a proper rate with our driver was a challenge but we had s good day. Our first stop was the Secret Garden. While the tide was low we hopped in for a little snorkeling.

Frolicking in the Blue Lagoon which, surprisingly, was considerably cooler than the ocean presumably because it was largely spring freed

 

 

 

Brrrrrrrrrrrrr!

 

 

 

 

Turtle Beach - at least I think that was the name of it?

 

 

Thee guys were over 400 lbs each and over 80 years old. Sadly their enclosure was small and restrictive.

Preparing to snorkel at Turtle beach

Nancy and Setol

 

Just prior to a Melanesian feast in Mele village

At the Melanesian feast

Flowers at the market in Port Villa