Mexican Night

 Over all of our years living overseas we have had the opporunity to enjoy many different foods.  Texas is the home of many Mexican foods.  So we decided to have a Mexican dinner with our friends.  Some of whom have either come from Texas or at least visited there.
Whilst Beverley should have taken a photo of the foods when first placed on the table here can be seen what it looked looked after all had eaten.  It was all good.  The blankets come from Texas and the tarco warmer comes from Mexico.

 After the entree and main courses it was time for dessert which included peach cobbler, berry crumble and Debbie and Sharon's Mexican dessert.  This included a chocolate fountain.

There was a lot of interest shown from our friends as all eyes were on the cooks.

It was a fun evening with dear friends.  Incidently it was almost 12 months to the day that we returned to Australia and became permanet residents after 9 years away.

Cheers,

Beverley and Ross

On Our Way Home

 Following the reunion we commenced our drive home.  Our first stop was Toowoomba which is located about an hours drive north of Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland.   We stayed at a very pleasant motel which had a number of its floweres starting to bloom.  It is now spring in Australia.  This is a pointsettea bush.

  Here we enjoyed a great meal in the restuarant where we were staying for the night. We started off with a warm cobb loaf.

The main course was so large , Ross enjoyed the ribs and Beverley the steak.

We continued on our way with our next stop being Glenn Innis, NSW.  The rain clouds were starting to form.  Rain is badly needed in many parts of Australia.

We arrived in Glenn Innis at lunch time so we popped into the Grand Central Hotel for a light lunch.  It was a real suprise and was decked out with fairy lights.

The coffee was very good.

The soup was delicious.

We over nighted at the New England Motor Inn, Glenn Innis, a place we used to stay in anytime we were in this town.  It has a very comforable feel.

Dinner consisted of smoked salmon with goat cheese and asparagus.

As well as tampura king prawns.  Both dishes were very tastey.

 Today we are Tamworth.  This is where each year in Feburary the Country Music Awards are held.   Tamworth is Australia's Nashville.   It is a very pretty town.

Lunch was delicious.

Cheers,

Beverley and Ross

B3TB - Reunion

B3TD stands for B squardron 3 Cav Troop Do (party).  This is an opportunity for those RAAC members posted to Townsille during 1970 to 1980 to meet and have a fun time over 3 days.  The event is comprised of a meet and greet on Friday evening, a dinner Saturday and breakfast on Sunday before all return to their homes.  This year it was held at Gympie, a town some 160 kilometers from the state capital Brisbane, Queensland.  About 40 k from Gympie is Tin Can Bay.  For many Defence members they have had the opportunity to participate in Army Exercises in this area.  The Wide Bay Training area is located near by.  As our miltary days are well behind us we enjoyed the day at Tin Can Bay.

We decided on lunch at the Marina.

Where they make a great coffee.

Saturday evening was a great dinner at the RSL Club.

Many parts of Australia are suffering from a very long and damaging drought.  So an auction was held and the monies raised was for the farmers who are doing it very tough.  Auction items were donated by the members and many also provided money donations.

Sunday morning was bresakfast at the Hell Town Hot Rod's establishment.  It was like walking backin time to the Hot Rod era of America.

Whilst in this location we had the opportunity to visit a Caravan Park.  Having never been to one in AU we were pleasantly suprised to see this park which was established in 2005 by a Vietnam Veteran.  Its called Stand Down Cavavan Park.  There is an ANZAC memorial and the names of the many who payed the supreme sacrifice.  It is very peaceful.

The owners have done a wounderful job preserving Military memobilia.

Evidence of Military humour can be seen in the strreet signs.

It was a great weekend.  Military friends are always there for you and very accepting of who you are.
Next reunioun will be in Perth, Western Australia .

Cheers,

Beverley and Ross

Coffs Harbour

Last year we popped into Coffs Harbour and caught up with a fried for lunch.  This time we decided to stay a couple on nights on our way up north.  Coffs Harbour is a coastal city located on the Mid North Coast of NSW.  Its about 540 km from Sydney and 390 kms south of Brisbane.   It has a population of some 70.000.  It was once know for its banana production which has now been superceded by blueberries, tourism and fishing.  

After a drive throught the town we decide on luch by the water.  Latitude 30 looked a good place to eat.

We were seated at a window where we could enjoy the sea.  It was raining which was good for the area as some much of Australia is suffering from drought.

The rain did not deter the Ibis.

The Marina is filled with boats, both working boats and others for leisure.

 We decided on shared plates.  We were not disappointed.  One plate had morton bay bugs, salmon, prawns, oysters and pate.  The other was a deconstructed trout, beetroot puree with pomegranits and creme fresh.  This was paired with a NZ Sauvignon blanz.  All delicious.

On the way back to our motel we stopped into the Ex Solder's Club.  It is huge.  On one side is the dinning roon.

Across from  here are banks of poker machines.

They have a great collection of Miltary memorabilia.

These clubs are part of Australian culture which we have never seen in other countries we have vsisted.  

Cheers,

Beverley and Ross 

Hunter Valley

Last year we visited the Hunter Valley on our way up to Brisbane so we decided to have a couple of days back here on this trip.  We stayed at the Crown Plaza Hotel.

Last trip we took a guided wine tour so this time we decided we would just visit one of favourite wineries, Brokenwood.  This is the original tasting hall.

In December they will be moving into their new accommodation.  So we renewed our membership and now have 2 dozen bottles of wine in our boot.

After sampling serveral wines it was time for lunch.  So we decided to eat at the Binnorie Dairy.  Its a working factory specializing in Cow and Goat Cheese.  They provide a wide range of goodies all sourced from the surrouding areas.

The workes preparing the cheeses.

Some of their various cheese and assorted foods.

We decided on the Plougman's platter.  It included Cow and Goat cheeses, terrine, pickalilley , pickles ham and assorted other delicious nibbles.  The platter was so big we had to get a take away box.

 Back at the Crown Plaza we tried a bean soup.

 Cheers,

Beverley and Ross