So forget the real world! let's try the world below!

Yes to continue my travel itch....and my underwater experience. when someone suggested I go snorkling in Galapagos of course I said yes. I could vaguely remember my last severe fright doing just that...a beautiful day...blue skies clear waters...just like Galapagos but one difference we were in Perth waters. Everyone snorkels here I told myself. So in I went a little bit unused to the waves throwing me around and just about relaxing when I saw it!! Something waving around underwater...black and grey...I didn't wait to find out and shot up to the surface. A good samaritan took himself where I'd been and came back laughing. You idiot!! It was an army great coat someone had left behind. Yes but the arms were waving about like...like...oh never mind.
So this time an eager photographer handed me his underwater camera...me? moi? underwater photographs? BUT? No buts about it. GO!

And so I did. No army great coats this time. Instead....solitary peace...clear waters...no waves...just the fish and only what nature had to offer. Or so I thought.

One way traffic at times but even the terror when fish swam their darndest to escape me didn't faze me. I was concentrating on my

camera settings. After all just floating about in these beautiful and fascinating surroundings was very relaxing. We had explored the lava tunnel and the many lava islands. But I should have known. Never let your guard down...don't be too confident! Then it happened! What was I to do?
 I kicked my flippers so hard that I flew out of the water head first straight into the arms of a human fish! But this one was smiling! don't forget to click on the photos to enlarge them,

Happy Long Weekend!

Question one: how did we end up at home when everyone else with any sense goes away? Oh yes...gotta watch the Aussie Rules game of the year! But to do that one needs power doesn't one?
Of course so who was to know that just on that day or to be specific the night before and that day...all power to our house disappeared. AND it was raining cats and dogs so how do you entice the emergency crew to come and have a look. But look they did...the day of the footie...the morn of the footie and even while the footie match was being televised. How do I know? Because we had to try the manual escape of the garage door to buy a cup of coffee and  couldn't access our front door on our return. So what's the problem?

 The power is on isn't?  Yes! But.....ah just a little one! I've spent years growing my hedges And cutting them to an architectual look. So? Well this is the second weekend the look has been massacred. Last weekend it was a burst water main! Boo Hoo! no I didn't take any photos...I must have known! At least we weren't trapped and we learned how to manually open the garage...at least!
What else can fail in a house only 16 years old? I think I should have stayed in my 40+ year-old house!

More than flowers!

Too right! Florence is more than anything one can describe or expect. I wouldn't want to live there as the number of visitors would drive me mad. And we visited in the off season.

Florence means architecture...culture...history...history of

religion...sculpture...cobblestone streets...international

dining...people from all over the world...steps to climb...

queues to join...photographs to take home...

But there is always time to have fun! To stop for

coffee and to rest those legs. Click on the photographs to enlarge.



This little fellow I found irresistible...hard to ignore

his happy face as I sat drinking my coffee.

Florence means flowers? Si?

Who knows? The Oxford Concise Dictionary couldn't help me so what the heck! Through the photographs I go.  There were a lot of flowers  in fact the whole city and surrounds let flowers be the interest amongst many others of course. How about this one beside a street many tourists use.

 And these pots filled with brilliantly coloured flowers lined many streets. Everywhere one looked flowers were there to lift the mood.





Even some householders showed their creativity by creating a flower entry.  This is not unusual however filling the streets with flowers certainly is.








And these were a bunch one could buy. Spring had definitely arrived if one stopped long enough to admire the decorations.

Still scratching!! Serving the travel BUG!

Yes I am still dealing with the travel itch and so are most of my friends in Galapagos, Equador.

 That comes from living a hairy life. Can't say I have that problem. But I'm not judging these
creatures. They are the cutest and friendliest
even if most of their day is spent chasing the bugs.

Transport to these islands was never a problem. we experienced both. But didn't need the water taxi.
And found some of the local seals making themselves at home on the deck of a long-abandoned boat. Click on the images  to enlarge them.

It wasn't Valentines day but this bird didn't know that. These balloon fronts rather than showing love are used to soften the birds' landing when out fishing. When in their nests the balloons make comfy head rests.

I couldn't resist the infant feeding image as well as the 'how do I look?' picture.  Never winning anything with them in competitions doesn't reduce my love of them.
The one at the bottom, the marine lizards, reminds me of the saying ... if you can't be with the one you love ... love the one you're with.

I am suffering!!

But what's your ailment I can hear people say? The weather is fantastic ... yes the sun is streaming down ... endless sunny days it seems ... the house has warmed up ... the B/B/Q is in place ... seat cushions have been replaced onto the outdoor setting ... the courtyard has been swept clean of winter debris ... but ... but. What can be the matter?

I have been home for 6 months and Qantas keep writing to me offering reduced fares to here there and everywhere. And all I can do is ... ... SCRATCH THE TRAVEL ITCH! And Facebook is not helping! Barb, Sue and Geoff are traipsing around the world and sending back photos.  What about me? ME! ME! ME! Alright live on memories ... look through your album and share ... share ...and share!

Yes I've been on a boat too! But not this wooden one thank God! No ours was the one in the background ... built especially for its Antarctic voyage in Italy ... a French boat with totally French cooking ... and I mean choice snacks everywhere and at all times.

But of course there were some out there with
too much testosterone. Fascinating to watch but difficult to influence.

Peace Brother! Get over it and move on!

The stand off!  But some had lost interest.

So on Christmas day peace overtook all and sundry and we were fortunate enough to visit Grytviken and not only go to the whaler's church there but catch up on some fantastic history at the little cemetery. The only and oldest whaling station to be able to welcome visitors on the Island of South Georgia which operated from 1904 to 1965. The church was consecrated on Christmas day 1913.
But of course you all know about the explorers of Antarctica and so the story of brave Ernest Henry Shackleton was relayed to us.
But closer to home I discovered that a country town in WA has remembered Shackleton in name and it is not far from Perth. So we will drive there soon and drop into Mawson on our way there.  You do know about Mawson?  An Aussie explorer ... Yipee!!



Not everyone was aggressive on that trip ... here is a calm resident watching our activities with interest. And of course ... it was summer!

Kids do grow up and don't depend on their screens!

They might start with one or two but not all focus on their screens when there is something else to attract them. Politics 101? Or I've got my eye on you!

 I wish!! What's a broken ankle? Or keeping really still for face painting!

And then they grow up! Waiting ... waiting!

Why won't he call?


We're the winners! She's taking our picture!

Mum'l get us in a minute!  No worries!!

Spring Fever! Its good to sometimes let the child run free!!

And with camera in hand and a photographic enthusiast to stir me on I tried out her suggestion.  It's all abstract ... it doesn't matter if its blurred ... it doesn't? Mme! Let's see! Focus and run the camera down the tree ... see what you get?  Yes I see what I get ... great BIG blurred image! BUT ... practice (you win  ... I always thought practise was the verb but...) this is American English ... makes perfect!

 Wow! This really hurts my eyes! I can't focus
even with my glasses!


And this ... well its getting easier. BUT I'm not supposed to include the sky ... oh!
I know I'll include this in the Tuesday Photographers in Perth shot ...  my
attempt at trying something new.

Now that my eyes are back to normal
I do like these two normal images ... both taken on Crazy Tuesday in Kings Park, Perth, WA, Australia.

What the black markings represented on the tree trunk I don't know but they caught my eye.