Summary: Wine, bath, coffee, kicking back 
McLaren Vale is a really great wine region. The wine itself is outstanding - slightly better than Sonoma and that is saying something. The attitude is also refreshing. Every Shiraz (and Grenache) is outstanding. Coriole and Wirra Wirra were my favorites. Alex liked Wirra Wirra the best. Aneta would have liked Coriole the best because the owner is a tango dancer.
The view from the room is amazing. The intersection you are looking at is the center of Adelaide. Alex and I went for a little walk this morning and found the Starbucks. It is just reassuring to know it is there. There was also a Hudson's, which is a big Australian chain that we have not seen to this point. Dome in Perth & Fremantle was the only coffee chain to date. He had a good time at the fountain - a little too good as his shirt was effectively cleaning the area where the birds hang out around the fountain. Anyhow, he enjoyed it. Then we booked our plans in Barossa with Penfolds, booked our plans to an animal park on Wednesday, and we were off to McLaren Vale.
McLaren Vale is a really great wine region. The wine itself is outstanding - slightly better than Sonoma and that is saying something. The attitude is also refreshing. Every Shiraz (and Grenache) is outstanding. Coriole and Wirra Wirra were my favorites. Alex liked Wirra Wirra the best. Aneta would have liked Coriole the best because the owner is a tango dancer.
In other news, Alex got his first bath since Darwin last night. Before you call Child Protective Services, let me say that this hotel is the first one since Darwin to have a tub. He has taken showers, but until this trip he saw showers as some terrifying torture device.
The view from the room is amazing. The intersection you are looking at is the center of Adelaide. Alex and I went for a little walk this morning and found the Starbucks. It is just reassuring to know it is there. There was also a Hudson's, which is a big Australian chain that we have not seen to this point. Dome in Perth & Fremantle was the only coffee chain to date. He had a good time at the fountain - a little too good as his shirt was effectively cleaning the area where the birds hang out around the fountain. Anyhow, he enjoyed it. Then we booked our plans in Barossa with Penfolds, booked our plans to an animal park on Wednesday, and we were off to McLaren Vale.Today was a relaxed day. We'll take it easy this evening and then tomorrow I go to my version of Disneyland as I will tour the Penfolds Barossa Estate and taste Grange (the best wine on the planet). Not sure where we'll end up tomorrow night, then we'll be back at the Hilton Tuesday & Wednesday night and I'll post again!
6 comments:
Happy Birthday! (and for the states, this is on time!) Hope you're having fun in wine country.
hugs,
pegs
Most Excellent. Is it odd that of all the pictures thus far, I'm most excited about an Alex (albeit blurry Alex) in Starbucks Adelaide picture?
Just wanted to say Happy Birthday Little 38 year old Brother!! Having forgotten that you're already on tomorrow - I guess I've missed the date but here in the states it's only the 16th. Hope it's a good one - enjoy a glass of wine for me too. In case you've not heard enough about MOM I'll add a little more. She's happier than she's been in years - she even sounds younger. For V.D. Andy bought her a heart shaped necklace with tiney tiny diamonds and rubies - she's on cloud nine. As for us, Tom & I are taking a couple of days off to go snowmobiling north of here. Until today I'd only riden 11 miles this year - today we put on about 40. I think Tom's testing me to see how I'll do as we'll go 100 or so miles a day. Not much else is new.
Happy Day!!
Love, Kathy
Somehow you always manage to found your way to a wine country! Looking forward to the next post from Barosa - spell check, just in case it was too good;-0
Happy Birthday Jim! Your trip sounds so special! Enjoy!
Love,
Ann, Lance, and Miller
Jim,
Happy Birthday! Wish I was there with you in McLaren Vale with my credit card and several case wine shippers! Bring some back to the states so we can conduct proper vertical and horizontal tastings....
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