Welcome back to the VQT*

Departed Sydney on a Jetstar flight to Adelaide last week, I have immersed myself in a beautiful city with a magnificent view of the background, where I can see the hills, the mountains far-over just behind the buildings. Got into town around noon, I have had a chance to check the city out. That attractive view leaded my walking trail from road to road... and losed myself in a whole new world with autumnal leaves on the street... The city spoiled itself with a lot of sweet brownie and hearty leaves... through its' crunchy. I do love the feeling of walking on these streets.

This is my second time visiting Adelaide. I have been there in July 2009. There isn't much changing in that little city. In fact, it is much more beautiful than last time I have visited. Thank you my mate Marc for hosting partly my trip over there as I have made myself down under to South Australia for a Gourmet Weekend in Clare Valley. I have had spent about 4 days in central for just 'cruising'. It is a whole new experience, certainly, differed to any other previous holiday where I had to be worried a bit about the budget. This trip I freed my mind with a litte treat for myself. A real 'get away holiday'. Resource from Wikipedia stated that the city named in honour of Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, queen consort to King William IV, the city was founded in 1836 as the planned capital for a freely settled British province in Australia. Colonel William Light, one of Adelaide's founding fathers, designed the city and chose its location close to the River Torrens in the area originally inhabited by the Kaurna people. Light's design set out Adelaide in a grid layout, interspaced by wide boulevards and large public squares, and entirely surrounded by parkland. Early Adelaide was shaped by religious freedom and a commitment to political progressivism and civil liberties, which led to the moniker "City of Churches".

With just a bit more than one mil of people in this city of churches. I have felt a bit emptiness on some of the streets. But in fact, this has created a uniquely but adequately attraction to any visitors. Even Glenelg Beach in Adelaide, which is one of the famous beach about 30 minutes on the tram to the west, has just a few beach goers. Which was quite disappointed for me to make a whole morning, travelled there and didn't see much.

However, Jetty road amused me a little bit with its shops and lovely cafe where I got my beautiful Granula for the first time. This road is very different to any places I have been to in Australia. It doesn't remind about Melbourne where trams across everywhere or Sydney with so many people. Quite a peaceful suburb with shops, just quite enough to hear the noice from the pub around the corner of the road, but also busy enough to get the tram run up and down the road.

The cafe was just off the road - in one of many other roads cut the Jetty road. This cafe has a very large wall-window, so from the main road I could find it hidden. I walked inside, ordered a home-made granula with organic yogurt, serve with berries, fruits, topped with chocolate and fresh mint. The flavour of this morning is a bit sour, not really a creamy type of dish or sweet eventually. I think it would not get a lot of fans. For me, I could top up my stomach with it and feel like I have tried at least once. The perfection of all fresh ingredient actually won my taste.

Wondering around a sandy beach in a cold day couldn't beat a romantic and 'glossy' walk in the botanic garden. I am a huge fan of parks. As I have travelled around the down under country, I have visited a couple of Royal Botanic Garden around and may do another blog on other days to show some of the pictures I have had. But for the best autumn experiences I have ever had in a park. Adelaide Botanic Garden has given me such a sensational feeling when I cruised on my hired bike from the local council. Even the gardener stopped me (as no riding bike allowed in the park). I have not hated him just for a second. Simply, the trees and the flowers are fruity and all over the branches... The colour is just stunning and the light is epic. And those have already taken my heart and my mind away.

For now, I will stop. And the next blog I will write about...

* = VQT means "Very Quite Town"...