Sculpture by the Sea

Time to visit the annual event on Cottesloe Beach. It was a slightly overcast day after a very hot weekend when the temperature reached 40 degrees. There were lots of people on the beach. The car parks were full even on a weekday. This year there seemed to be an abundance of Japanese entries.

Looking down from the prom

Pinocchio

Veiled

A seedling and it moves in the breeze

Indigenous artist describing how the stars were created.
They were ants blown from a hollow tree trunk into the sky.

Artists talking about their work 

Made from emu feathers

She sells sea shells
My favourite; it's based on sketches of shells.

Many more (and better) photos here.

Camino books

I treated myself to a lovely book for Christmas:

The Art of Medieval Spain A.D. 500-1200.

It was published in conjunction with an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It is full of beautiful pictures and scholarly text.

This week, there was a pile of free books in the foyer of our building, put there by someone having a clear-out. Amongst them was this gem:

Romanesque architecture, sculpture, painting

published by Konemann. It is equally heavy and informative (and a FREEBIE!)

They both contain detailed photos of places I've visited on the Camino, such as Fromista, Leon, Burgos, Santo Domingo de Silos to name a few, but also - regrettably - places I've missed, even though I've been nearby. Knowledge is power!

I must do better this year.

Naranco, near Oviedo 

San Isidoro, Leon

Toro, near Zamora, which I haven't seen because I didn't know about it!

Looking at Romanesque architecture is one of the reasons I go on a "Slow Camino".  This year I will be even slower.

Gone to Wordpress

This blog has now moved. Go to:

https://confidentialcamino.wordpress.com/

Swimming with dolphins

You can pay good money for a "Dolphin experience". In fact, we have been considering driving to Bunbury to do just that. Then we discovered it cost $165 per person and was fully booked anyway! However C and I were having a swim on our beach at Mandurah yesterday, with no-one else around, when two dolphins swam towards us. I was slightly alarmed as I didn't want them to bump into me or worse! Meanwhile, E was swimming in the pool, where everyone was getting excited and taking photos. It is unusual for dolphins to come so far into the shallow water. E realised it was her mum and grandma out there. JL was watching all this from the balcony of our apartment and actually had the best view, since the dark shapes of the dolphins underwater can be better observed from up there.

Still cannot load photos!

Supermoon

Cannot post photos for some reason. Will have to wait till I get home!

Escape to Mandurah

We left Perth at lunchtime in 40 degree heat. An hour later we were in Mandurah where it was 34. We are staying in Seashells at Dolphin Cove, where we can class ourselves as regular customers. This time last year we were upgraded to the amazing penthouse suite, but now we are back to a normal 2 - bedroom apartment. It still has a lovely sea view and is perfect for setting off on early morning beach walks.

At the moment there are waves coming in to the normally calm cove. We put this down to the full moon, and tonight's Supermoon, which is exerting the maximum gravitational pull on the earth.

Night of luxury

My Christmas present from C was a voucher for Crown Towers, the 5 star hotel next door. JL scoffed at this idea, so I invited E to come along for this mini staycation. It was a great success! The offer was a New Year Escape and included a bottle of champagne and a late check out. What we didn't expect was a room on the top floor, the 22nd, with amazing views over the Darling Ranges. We could see planes taking off from Perth Airport.

Our room was very luxurious, with a large bathroom full of amenities and a even a TV. We didn't indulge in lying in the bath watching, as the views from the picture window were more enticing. E quickly took possession of the chaise! We explored the delights of the pool area for an hour. Then JL arrived, as I was hosting a champagne supper with some Kailis sushi purchased earlier in the day together with the freebie bottle, which went down a treat.

Crown Towers from our apartment balcony.
Our room was at the top corner.

View from our room (2210).
Our apartment block is 2nd from the left.

E enjoying a mango & passionfruit slushy.

Night view of the stadium (blue) and footbridge (white).

E taking over the chaise.

Looking from the bedroom to the bathroom.

Bathroom with TV.

Even the carpet was luxurious.

What to have for breakfast without being too gluttonous?

Pools.

E stayed in for hours.

We must do this more often!