Adelaide

Sunday 6^th November

It’s a beautiful sunny day, not too hot so perfect for walking round the beautiful city centre of Adelaide. Like Canberra it was a planned city, and in my opinion the planners in the 1840s did a much better job. Along North Terrace opposite the hotel is a proper railway station, couldn’t help wondering why the long distance trains don’t use it but found out later the platforms aren’t long enough. Much of the station building has been converted into a casino. Further along North Terrace There is the Governor’s residence, State library, Museum, war memorial and part of the University. Mostly built in the late 19^th century, less than 60 years after the first settlers arrived, in a yellowish stone that reminds me of Bath.  Fountains and sculptures line the street which looks fantastic in the bright sun. Among the famous people of Adelaide I found the bronze heads of William and Lawrence Bragg, the only father and son to win a joint Nobel Prize, for virtually creating the science of X-ray crystallography. Not so famous outside their field, they developed the science that enabled Franklin, Crick and Watson to work out the structure of DNA.

Elegant Railway Station. Opposite the Ibis

William Henry Bragg

Poppies for the Fallen 

The War Memorial

Fountains in North Terrace

North Terrace

Had a coffee and custard cream croissant at a pavement café in Rundle Mall, a pedestrianised continuation of Hindley Street where I got chatting to a man from Norway who is travelling round Australia. We got round to Brexit and the “Trump” phenomenon; he made the point that the last 30 years of economic and political changes in the developed countries such as Norway, UK and USA had created a huge number of “losers” who were totally disenchanted by mainstream politics.

Rundle Mall

Bronze Pig in Rundle Mall

Hindley Street

Hindley Street

Walked round more of the city, eventually reaching the inevitable Victoria Square which was hosting a Vegan fair and was surrounded by several colonial era buildings and, of course, had a statue of the lady herself. It was all totally delightful in the afternoon sunshine.

Solid Traditional Architecture

Victoria Rules OK

Modern Fountain in Victoria Square

Made my way back to North Terrace and the River Torrens which runs through Adelaide and provided the city's original water supply.

Torrens River

Bandstand near the River

Swans on the River

In the evening went to Peel Street, just off Hindley Street which according to the bar and restaurant guides is the centre of the Universe, but not on a Sunday when almost everywhere was closed.  Found a hidden away upstairs just off Peel Street where I had a tasty bocadillo and a "butcher" 1/2 pint, of Pirates Pale Ale which was pretty good.