I visited the Pangarinda Botanic Garden, just outside the township of Wellington, South Australia, as part of a round trip drive between Tailem-Bend and Wellington. Rather than ‘hide’ the beauty of the garden in my general review on that drive (Day 305 (Pt.1)) I have decided to include what is essentially a pictorial summary of our winter visit to the garden here.
Continue reading “Out and about – Tailem Bend to Wellington – Pangarinda Botanic Garden – Day 305 (Pt.2)”
Mt McDonald and the Cotter Catchment Lookout Walk
On a recent walk into the former Sherwood Homestead I had views of Mt McDonald in the distance – one such view depicted below. This reminded me that while I had walked part-way up the mountain, to the Cotter Catchment Lookout, I had not yet visited the top. To-day’s early spring walk would put that right and I would make a slight deviation on the return to re-visit the dam/catchment lookout. As it turned out, this was one of the best walks with the best views for the effort required that I have done in a while – highly recommended.
Continue reading “Mt McDonald and the Cotter Catchment Lookout Walk”
Sherwood Homestead (Former) Walk Via East-West Road
There are three official walking tracks that end up at the very little that remains of the former Sherwood Homestead, about 45 kilometres from Canberra. The walks vary between 6.8 kms (this one) and 8.4 kms return. I have written a seperate reviews on the walk in from Mountain Creek Road and the walk in from the Blue Range Hut which, in itself, is of historical significance to the Canberra region and is now home to a camping site, making it the most popular starting point to get to Sherwood Homestead.
Continue reading “Sherwood Homestead (Former) Walk Via East-West Road”
Overland from Pyongyang to Hamhung via the Ullim Falls
With the military and other celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of North Korea’s foundation, on the 9th of September, over it was time for us to head east for the first of two forays which would let us see a large part of this, much less frequently visited and scenically beautiful, side of the country. For this trip we started with a bus ride, 300 kms across the country giving us a wonderful introduction to this beautiful scenery and an insight into country life more generally. This review is a photo journal of my trip from Pyongyang to Hamhung, on the east coast of North Korea. Continue reading “Overland from Pyongyang to Hamhung via the Ullim Falls”
The Flowers Of The Leaders – Why Doesn’t Kim Jong-un Have One?
Should you visit North Korea it will not take you long to realise that anything of any importance is named after Kim Il-sung or more recently, since his death in 2011, Kim Jong-il. Very little, at this point is named after the current leader, Kim Jong-un.
It will thus come as no surprise that the most important flowers (trumping the national flower, the magnolia) in North Korea are the Kimilsungia and Kimjongilia. Yes indeed, that is what they are called – I kid you not.
Continue reading “The Flowers Of The Leaders – Why Doesn’t Kim Jong-un Have One?”
Floriade – Canberra Blooms!
Floriade is an annual flower display of truly international standards. If you are in Canberra during Floriade you should not miss it though it is probably better to say if you are in town when it’s on you won’t miss it as, chances are, that will be the reason you are in town! Continue reading “Floriade – Canberra Blooms!”
What did we say about the Flower Show?
North Korean flower shows are not quite the same as flower shows elsewhere. Well, that’s not really a surprise as nothing is quite the same in North Korea. Continue reading “What did we say about the Flower Show?”
Mosaics of the Leaders
I have to say I wasn’t prepared for this. While we had seen numerous large mosaics on our trip to North Korea these mosaics surpassed all others and are truly amazing both in terms of quality and size. Yes, that is a 9 storey apartment block behind them. Continue reading “Mosaics of the Leaders”
Walking on Mt Myohyang
Mt Myohyang, in addition to being a favourite recreational area for the Great Leader, Kim Il-sung, and the Dear Leader, Kim Jong-il, is a sacred mountain area as, according to legend, it was the home of King Tangun, forefather of the Korean people. Continue reading “Walking on Mt Myohyang”
International Kimilsungia Festival – Flower Show
A flower show!
I hear my reader breath a sigh of relief thinking that this will be my first North Korean review not to mention Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, the Fatherland, US imperialists or many other things routinely trotted out in every other review from my North Korean trip. This time we will get to see pretty flowers and hear of things horticultural, you say. Continue reading “International Kimilsungia Festival – Flower Show”
The Rambling Wombat 