Showing posts with label Darwin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Darwin. Show all posts
Food reviewing, photographing chefs and reflections on ragu
As I'm a tad too busy to blog at the moment and have limited internet access (I've done a quick trip to Perth for my mother's birthday and Mother's Day and to see my sister and her family), why don't you drop over to my husband Terry's blog Wide angles, wine and wanderlust and check out his latest posts on restaurant reviewing (and how we deal with less than satisfactory experiences), the art of photographing chefs, and his various reflections on ragu, the real name for 'bolognese', for starters, in its most authentic form, it's made with tagliatelle, not spaghetti.Pictured? Not ragu of course, but another divine dish from chef Rebecca Bridges at EVOO at Sky City in Darwin - a restaurant that was a joy to review and a chef who was a delight to interview and photograph.
Top things to do in Kakadu: part 2
And here's part 2 of our Top things to do in Kakadu; visit Viator for more our more detailed story:6. Jim Jim Falls - this is one set of falls that requires real effort to get to – it’s a bumpy four-wheel-drive, four-hour return trip from the Kakadu Highway, but the rewards when the water is flowing freely are definitely worth it. The falls are at their spectacular best right after they open again after the Wet season ends, around April-May.
7. Twin Falls - you need a high-clearance 4WD (there are deep creek crossings) and a seasoned driver behind the wheel to get to these spectacular falls, but once there, access up Twin Falls gorge is by a boat shuttle service where a boardwalk takes you to the lovely waterhole.
8. Maguk - also known as Barramundi Gorge, this is a fine natural waterhole to visit, even at the driest period of the year – because unlike many others it doesn’t run dry - there is a wonderful walk awaiting visitors through a tropical monsoon forest that thankfully provides some shade, and swimming here is a real treat.
9. Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre - this engaging cultural centre has a circular design based on the shape of a Warradjan (pig-nosed turtle) and the interpretive displays are quite wonderfully immersive, providing excellent details about local aboriginal life in Kakadu, with some fine storytelling.
10. Bowali Visitors Centre - another very worthwhile glimpse of life in Kakadu is at the park’s main visitors centre, which is also the national park headquarters – Kakadu is jointly-managed by the Aboriginal people and the National Parks and Wildlife department. Once again, engaging interpretative displays, entertaining exhibits on flora and fauna, and a recreation of the Kakadu habitat, make this worth a couple of hours of your time.
Top things to do in Kakadu: part 1
Take a look at our latest piece on Viator, Top Things to Do in Kakadu, to find out why World heritage-listed Kakadu National Park is probably Australia’s best-known national park and one of the country's top sights. It's considered a ‘must-do’ on most travellers’ epic around-Australia journeys, but we think it’s a destination in its own right. This colossal park – over 20,000 square kilometres of it! – boasts fascinating flora and fauna (brilliant birdlife!), ancient Aboriginal art, and diverse range of striking landscapes. And now is the best time to visit - the Wet season is ending so the waterfalls are at their most spectacular, and the heat isn’t too debilitating yet. So here's a taster of the top ten things to see and do at Kakadu - visit Viator for more details. 1. Ubirr Rock - most people know Ubirr from its scene-stealing performance in the Crocodile Dundee movie; the rock galleries here reveal that local Aboriginals have known about the place for tens of thousands of years, with renderings of fish and marsupials, and stick-like Mimi spirits, and stunning views to enigmatic Arnhem Land.
2. Yellow Waters - taking a cruise on the calm waters of Yellow Waters lagoon is a real highlight - the wildlife is staggering and the lagoon is a lush ‘birdhouse without borders’ that you float through. There's also the visceral thrill of seeing saltwater crocs - do an early-morning or late afternoon cruise for the best show and most comfortable temperature.
3. Guluyambi Cruise - the laconic humour of the Aboriginal guides makes this boat tour a delight, along with lush scenery, birdlife and plenty more saltwater crocodiles. On our visit at the end of the Dry season we lost count of how many crocs we saw – you need to keep your limbs firmly inside! The insights into Aboriginal mythology, bush survival skills and traditional life are fascinating, and it’s an Aboriginal-owned and operated venture.
4. Nourlangie Rock - the indigenous art on the rock ‘galleries’ make this a real highlight - the protected Anbangbang Shelter paintings show evidence of occupation going back over twenty thousand years; they represent stories that reinforce traditional laws and social beliefs.
5. Gunlom - also known as Waterfall Creek, it's worth the relatively challenging climb (in the heat anyway) to reach the first level waterhole, where the natural ‘infinity pool’ is as photogenic as Kakadu gets and you’re rewarded with a dip to break the mirror-like reflections - after the obligatory photo shoot.
2 Days in Tropical Darwin: day 1, a taster
Check out our story on Australia's sultry 'Top End' city of Darwin on Viator. We spent a few weeks in this tropical town just before the Wet season started, using it as a base to explore Kakadu, Arnhem Land and Litchfield and we absolutely loved it. Unfortunately, for many travellers heading Down Under, Darwin isn't much more than a jumping-off point for adventures elsewhere, but we think its superb museums, buzzy markets, and multicultural vibe make it deserving of a few days stay. On Viator, we provide a more detailed itinerary for two days in the steamy city, but here's a taster: DAY ONE
1. Check into lush lodgings - our picks are SkyCity, home to Darwin's best restaurant EVOO (pictured), and the luxurious tropical-style Moonshadow Villas, and their chic sister apartments in the CBD. Out of the many backpacker places, we liked the look of Melaleuca on Mitchell.
2. Get your bearings with a tour - no trip to Australia is complete without an Aboriginal-led tour, so we recommend experiencing Darwin through the eyes of an indigenous guide with Batji Tours.
3. Get a culture fix - this is a hot and humid city, so it's best to spend the warmest part of the day indoors and hit Darwin’s excellent Museum and Art Gallery of the NT which boasts a stunning Indigenous Art collection and a quirky exhibit on Darwin’s tragic destruction on Christmas Eve 1974 by Cyclone Tracy.
4. Smile at a crocodile (from a safe distance!) - the region is home to some terrifying salt-water crocs, so it's essential to learn as much as you can about them before heading bush. You can get as close as you'll ever want to get at Crocosaurus Cove (in the 'Cage of Death'!) or view croc feedings on guided tours at Crocodylus Park.
5. Hit the markets - for a small city, Darwin has two brilliant markets: Mindil Beach Sunset Markets, where during the Dry season you can enjoy sundowners from the sandy beach with the locals (who bring their fold-up chairs and beer-filled eskies along!) and delicious Asian food from the stalls over the dunes (Darwin is close to Indonesia and has a large Asian population); and the year-round Parap Village Market on Saturday mornings for more spicy Asian food, crafts, hippy clothes, and Aboriginal Art.
6. Tuck into some tasty Australia seafood by the sea - dinner by the water is a must-do in Darwin, whether it’s fish and chips washed down with beer at Stokes Hill Wharf or a moonlit meal from a restaurant table overlooking boats bobbing in the water at Cullen Bay Marina.
If you want to find out what else there is to do in Darwin, see part 2 of our taster, and the more detailed piece on Viator, where you can also book tours.
2 Days in Tropical Darwin: day 2, a taster
Here's a taster of the second day of our 2 Days in Tropical Darwin itinerary (see part 1 here) which we wrote for Viator. You can read and print our more comprehensive piece at Viator, where you can also book some of the tours we've mentioned:DAY TWO
1. Take a walk in the park (or around town) - Darwin’s city centre is compact and first thing in the morning (before it heats up) is the best time for a stroll. The pedestrian-only Smith Street has Aboriginal art galleries and gift shops. On the Esplanade is gracious old Government House, the striking modern Parliament House, and leafy Bicentennial Park overlooking the turquoise sea.
2. Appreciate the devastation of Darwin in WWII - the continual bombing of Darwin by the Japanese (there were more bombs dropped here than Pearl Harbour) profoundly affected the city (and Australian psyche); you can learn about the damage, losses and resilience of the people at the fascinating East Point Military Museum and Aviation Heritage Centre.
3. Savour the sunset under some sails - the city enjoys some sublime sunsets, which can be best appreciated from the deck of an historic pearl lugger such as the 1959 Streeter, with a glass of champagne in hand.
4. Down a few drinks with some Darwinites - Darwin’s alcohol consumption is well above Australia's already heady national average, and buzzy Mitchell Street is where locals do much of their drinking, in boisterous bars such as Ducks Nuts and the Lizards Bar and Grill.
Pictured? That's the gorgeous Moonshadow Villa we stayed in, set within lush tropical gardens. If you want to find out more, visit Viator.
Moonshadow Villas: accommodation with more than a little good karma
Do you believe in karma? I do. I believe we're responsible for our actions, that those actions determine our future, and that by making decisions about how we act we create our own destiny. So if we sow goodness, we'll reap goodness. When Moonshadow Villas in Darwin, Australia, was recommended to me when we were looking for somewhere special to stay, the Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam) 1970's song Moonshadow began running through my head: "I'm being followed by a moon shadow... moon shadow, moon shadow... leapin' and hoppin' on a moon shadow, moon shadow, moon shadow..." So I arrived at Moonshadow Villas already in a bit of a hippy head space. Then we discovered our welcome package - fresh mangos, champagne, beers, fresh bread, a jar of locally-made mango jam, chocolates, cereals... and learned that every guest staying in a villa (or apartment; more on those in another post) receives one of these very delicious starter kits. Located in a leafy inner city suburb of Darwin, overlooking the Botanic Gardens and minutes from the beach and city centre, the stylish architecturally designed villas (built by owner Peter and designed by wife Moya) are brimming with these sorts of thoughtful touches - lights automatically switched on as we approached (it was late and dark), air-conditioning and fans were on (Darwin's weather is like Dubai's - sultry), and ambient sounds, aromatic candles and scented incense wafted throughout the tranquil gardens, creating (along with the Buddha statues and fountains) a very serene and almost spiritual vibe. The design - which fuses typically Australian style (outdoor living, plunge pool, polished floor boards, corrugated iron walls, etc) with Asian influences (Chinese and Indonesian furniture, Balinese and Thai artifacts) reflects both Darwin's own multicultural make-up and the passions of Moya and Peter who have travelled extensively. The exquisite attention to detail and personal touches - from the pretty Chinese soaps and heavenly coconut shampoo and conditioner in the bathrooms, to the original art on the walls (much of it by Peter, along with other work they've collected over the years) - once again reflects their thoughtfulness and generosity of spirit. Staying here is like staying at the stylish home of a very good friend. They make you feel so welcome you don't want to leave, and when you do, you're already thinking of ways to return. Maybe if I'm very good...