Blue Mountains to the "Bush Capital" of Australia

 

 

Our Day 2 in the Blue Mountains started at a bakery on Main Street (below), with freshly baked meat pies, a (British?) tradition in Australia. And some sweet, buttery cinnamon roll, too. 

Also, we went for a walk after breakfast and found the first real murals in Australia, in Katoomba!

 

 

 

On to the Blue Mountains Heritage Center after check-out, where we learned a little bit more about the history of the region and the Aborigines:

,,, but, most impressive: the nature itself: endless green-blueish softly waving hills grown over with Eucalyptus and ferns, with waterfalls and some rugged reddish sandstone inbetween. At Govetts Leap, another observation point, several trails started and we hiked at least a short one.

See the waterfall and the "Hanging Swamp" (below) - I assume ferns and lichen and mosses?

Wish, we would have had planned more time here, but how could we know? Therefore, we drove another 300 km or so towards Canberra. Again, winding roads, sides often unmarked and unpaved, road constructions, crests and steep decends, bumps and potholes. I had assumed, that due to the distances roads are straight and smooth, but,,, wrong! It's not really relaxing like in the U.S.A. to drive long distances, almost never can use the Cruise Control, always full attention necessary. Some roadkill, too, and rarely places to stop on the way.

 

Landscape became a bit more "agricultural" after we left the Blue Mountains, more grain fields, and, cow and sheep pasture. Merino Sheep (see below in the background) are very common, 80% of the wool is supposed to come from Australia!

In a pretty non-distinct town we stopped for a break and had a little "Snacky" as the Australians say (they tend to belittle many words, like "breaky" for breakfast or "barby" for BBQ). Freddo Frogs (below) are an Australian icon. The Freddo Frog was created in 1930 as an appealing, affordable chocolate treat.

On the last stretch of way on the autobahn into Canberra, the capitol of Australia, we hit a real ugly rainstorm. Visibility went down to almost zero, water came down horizontally, road was flooded and driving was no fun at all. It took about 15 min., then it fortunately slowed down, shortly before we reached Canberra. Glad, that the car will stay in the garage tomorrow!