Last post

Hi everybody,

this is the last post of this blog. I'm not in Australia any more...

You can visit my another blog at http://miravit.cz

Various Small Stuff - Photos Added

Photo gallery: Various small stuff

Various small stuff is the special gallery established in February 2006 and seems to be never ending...

U can find there many unclassified, personal or just hopefully interesting photos :)

The latest pics are always placed in the beginning of the gallery.

Melbourne at night

Photo gallery: Melbourne at night

One night in Melbourne, the capital city of Victoria and Australia's second largest city.

Macau

Photo gallery: Macau
Google Earth Position: 22°11'55.48"N 113°32'37.94"E

I couldn't resist visiting Macau, another Special Administrative Region of China. It's just one hour from Hong Kong by ferry.

Macau is different from Hong Kong thanks to the significant Portuguese influence in architecture, language, culture etc.

But first of all you can see the huge importance of a "gambling industry". Exciting! So I also tried to get rich - in the biggest casino in the world (The Venetian)... and nothing! :) Well, despite of that it was a great experience!

More information about Macau is e.g. at Wikipedia.

Hong Kong 3/3: Outlying Islands

Photo gallery: Hong Kong: Outlying Islands

This is the last gallery from Hong Kong.

Hong Kong 2/3: New Territories

Photo gallery: Hong Kong: New Territories

Here are pictures from several parts of the New Territories in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong 1/3: Hong Kong Island & Kowloon

Photo gallery: Hong Kong Island and Kowloon
Google Earth Position: 22°16'17.21"N 114°10'53.62"E

I spent one week in Hong Kong, the Special Administrative Region of China. Hong Kong consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula, Lantau Island and the New Territories as well as some 260 other islands.

This gallery is from Hong Kong Island and Kowloon which form the historical, political and economic centre of Hong Kong and are the core urban areas.

Well… I have too much experience from this magnificent city to write all here so if you want to read more about Hong Kong please visit e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong (especially Transport, Architecture and Economy part).

Tasmania 4/4: from Freycinet Peninsula to Hobart

Photo gallery: Tasmania: from Freycinet Peninsula to Hobart

Nine Mile Beach – sandy dunes with grass

Forestier and Tasman Peninsula – south-eastern Tasmania

Freycinet National Park – consists of granite mountains and surrounded by azure bays and white sand beaches

Port Arthur – a site of an historic convict settlement

Tasman National Park – protects diverse forest and spectacular coastline

Richmond – a historical town with Australia's oldest bridge still in use

Hobart – the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1803 as a penal colony, it is Australia's second oldest and eleventh largest city, with a metropolitan population of approximately 202,000.

Mount Wellington – rising 1270 metre above Hobart’s harbour provides panoramic views of Hobart. Simply great finish of my Tasmania’s trip!

Tasmania 3/4: from Burnie to Bicheno

Photo gallery: Tasmania: from Burnie to Bicheno

Lactos Cheese Factory – one of Australia’s leading speciality cheesemakers; tasting of cheese

Launceston – a city of elegant architecture and award-winning restaurants

St Columba Falls – with 90m height the tallest falls in Tasmania

Bay of Fires – magnificent wilderness coastline eith its dramatic landscape

Bicheno – attractive and charming seaside resort town

Penguin Tour – great opportunity to see fairy penguins in their natural environment on their night life. Amazing!!! More photos at http://www.bichenopenguintours.com.au/

Tasmania 2/4: from Cradle Mountain to Stanley

Photo gallery: Tasmania: from Cradle Mountain to Stanley

Cradle Mountain – a distinctive mountain in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park

Table Cape lighthouse – built in 1885

Tulip farm – in the town of Wynyard

Wynyard – a rural town on the north-west coast

Stanley – Tasmania’s tidiest town; historical town

The Nut – this striking volcanic rock formation is 152km high

Tasmania 1/4: from Hobart to Montezuma Falls

Photo gallery: Tasmania: from Hobart to Montezuma Falls

Russell Falls – Tasmania's best known falls (Mount Field National Park)

Lake St Clair – Australia's deepest lake formed more than 10,000 years ago by glaciers (Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park)

Nelson Falls – one of the famous falls in Tasmania

Queenstown – a former mining town

Ocean Beach – stretching for over 30 km is the longest beach in Tasmania

Macquire harbour – an early penal settlement

Henty Dunes – a series of giant, 30 m high dunes

Montezuma Falls – at 104m they are one of the highest waterfalls in Tasmania

Trip to Tasmania

The map of my trip to Tassie. I spent six stunning days there and clocked up more than 2100 km.

If you like nature this is the island just for you! It was one of the best places of Australia I saw.

Sydney from above

Photo gallery: Sydney from above

These pictures were taken from the roof of a 37-level building, Sydney Tower and air planes.

BBQ on Maroubra Beach

Photo gallery: BBQ on Maroubra Beach
Google Earth Position: 33°57'0.71"S 151°15'33.49"E

Maroubra Beach...

BBQ...

From 3pm till early morning...

Great Ocean Road

Photo gallery: Great Ocean Road
Google Earth Position: 38°39'30.15"S 143° 5'5.84"E

The Great Ocean Road is one of world's most scenic coastline roads.

It stretches along the south-eastern coast between the Victorian cities of Torquay and Warrnambool and includes the world-famous Twelve Apostles, the Otways rainforest, various beaches and lookouts, resort towns like Lorne or Apollo Bay, and the historic villages of Queenscliff, Port Campbell, Port Fairy and Portland.

Czech music, food and beer

Photo gallery: Czech music, food and beer

We visited many Czech parties and restaurants in Sydney...

Bondi Beach after the 30-year storm

Photo gallery: Bondi Beach after the 30-year storm

Summer is here... but how was the winter actually? Pretty windy, rainy and a bit cold.

And there were several heavy storms in Sydney and around. In the gallery you can see how Bondi Beach looked like after the biggest one.

Hunter Valley

Photo gallery: Hunter Valley
Google Earth Position: 32°49'58.59"S 151°21'14.37"E

There’s only one reason to come to Hunter Valley: wine!

There are about 120 wineries and cellar doors and 3500ha of vines. No other wine region in Australia comes even remotely close to this. Most of these are boutique operations, producing 500 tonnes or less.

During one day I visited several small family wineries and tasted a lot of wine , mostly Semillon, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Mandala, Merlot, Verdelho, Pinot Noir , etc. Several of them were locally and/or worldwide awarded. And many of them can be bought just in Hunter Valley.

It was really terrific cellar door experience for me today. Plus I ate the biggest sandwich I’ve ever eaten :)

I must finish now; a great Semillon 2004 is waiting in the fridge...

Shots from Manly

Photo gallery: Shots from Manly
Google Earth Position: 33°47'49.72"S 151°17'16.94"E

Here are several shots from our favourite Manly Beach which we visited many times.

Darling Harbour Fiesta

Photo gallery: Darling Harbour Fiesta
Google Earth Position: 33°52'6.48"S 151°12'1.45"E

I experienced the sights, sounds, tastes, flamboyance and flair at Australia's hottest dance and music festival - Darling Harbour Fiesta!

Salsa, tango, bossa nova and rumba... with more than 70 performances across three stages and Latin in these three sizzling days and nights.

Fiesta simply brings together traditional and contemporary talent from across South and Central America and Spain.

Yeah, it was hot indeed! Look at my pals from Mexico and Poland :)