Welcome to the Neighbourhood!

Here are some photos that I've taken around the neighbourhood! 

The first photo is actually downtown, but the second is the view from the end of our street. It is hard to make out, but where the lamp post is in the distance on the right hand side  is the start of the beach! The next are views of our place: the Thai restaurant underneath and the coffee shop, "Crumpet" (where I am right now!) 

In the next picture I have a flower in my hair. The tree it comes from is really unique and the flower itself is a member of the jasmine family and smells dreamy! I pick up flowers that have fallen whenever I walk by and place them around my house. Everything is very happy here - even the eggs!

Kurtis and I have taken up Backgammon and have spent many an evening playing it, or at the beach on the weekend. We have a score book and so far I'm winning! Before that is a picture of the public school here in Coogee, which I hope to be teaching at soon!

Next is the pool, or "bath" as they call it, at the end of Coogee beach. As you can see it is filled with ocean water, but is good for swimming laps if you don't want to compete with the waves. 

I went on a little walk around the ocean walkway and found that every park I came to was covered with awnings. This is great for little ones at play, as they can run around in the shade. The next few photos are of the "Women's Baths". They are as they sound: in-ocean pools for women and children only. The day that I went by was pretty stormy and no one was swimming (good thing!). In fact, there was barely anyone there, but a little cat having a snooze to the sound of the wind and waves.

I took some pictures of the waves and the different rock formations that have been windblown and sea-swept for hundreds of years to create spectacular cliffs and ridges. 

As I followed the path around and out of our bay area, I came across a boardwalk. It was a beautiful area, and very diverse. A freshwater stream can be seen, bringing water to a wetland, right there on the edge of the ocean! The wetland is home to frogs, bull rushes and other water plants, and the endangered white-faced heron. The archway of trees was completely magical: I felt like Dorothy in, "The Wizard of Oz" and half expected the trees to start talking to me as they swayed together, creaking in the ocean breeze.

As I mentioned, the area is very diverse and not far from the wetland I found cacti growing! The tree with the fuzzy balls on it that look like they could be little creatures is very common here, but I am not sure what it is called.

The fruit market is the next picture, and this is actually downtown. It is about 4 times the size of what I captured here, and is a great place for cheap, fresh produce! I really like going there when I get the chance.

Lastly, a view from the beach. There are no surfers on this wave, but if you give me a little while, I hope to be riding waves just like these!

Remember, if you would like to write to me, please post comments as "Anonymous" and then sign your name. Otherwise feel free to email me at: gahone@gmail.com, and then I can write you back specifically!

P.S. Hello to JSM! I miss you... I hope you are enjoying my pictures and stories. :)