Denmark and Ocean Beach

After our respite in Albany we continued our trip with a stop in Denmark further along the south coast and its lovely surf beach, Ocean Beach. Denmark is a sweet town and the bakery there is famous for its pies – meat pies, that is.  And make no mistake - claiming prizes for the best pies in Australia is quite something as this is a country that prides itself on its meat pies and sausage rolls.

The girls enjoyed the boogie boarding/surfing at Ocean Beach, and we also loved the caravan park there because of the masses of kangaroos grazing around the park at night. It’s very fun to go and brush your teeth in the washrooms at night and walk past a few dozen kangaroos on the way.

The award-winning pies at the Denmark Bakery. We just couldn't bring ourselves to order the 'Vinda-roo' pie...

Toby had a delicious rosemary and beef pie...

Ocean Beach at sunset

The National ANZAC Centre

The National Anzac Centre (that's Australian and New Zealand Army Corps for those non-Antipodeans) in Albany is one of the best war memorials/museums I have ever been to. It was terrific - educational and also extremely moving. 

To start, the location is stunning - it's set high on a bluff above the beautiful bay from where the fleets of ships (1st and 2nd fleets) filled with soldiers left. Then at the entry to the museum everyone is assigned a 'person' to follow through the exhibit - a real person who served in some capacity in the war. At various spots around the museum you can 'check in' with your person to see how they fared. You don't find out until the end the 'fate' of your person until the end. Toby was randomly assigned General John Monash, one of the most important ANZAC commanders in WWI, and he was such an amazing man Toby went on to read two biographies about him. 

It was so interesting to learn about WWI from the perspective of the ANZACs, and learn more about Gallipoli and various other important - although usually ultimately futile and tragic - battles from their point of view. The infinity pool at the end, with water endlessly running over the list of names of those who served, and many who died, in the war was strikingly beautiful and very emotional. Kudos, Australia, on such an amazing memorial. Lest we forget...

The infinity pool

Anna Turns 13

We celebrated Anna’s 13^th birthday while we were in Albany (it's true, we have officially entered the teenage years), and her treats were a birthday dinner of shepherd’s pie and chocolate cake at home (her choice! We offered to take her out) and a viewing of Beauty and the Beast at the Albany cinema. Thankfully, she didn't quite turn into Kevin the Teenager on the stroke of midnight (check out Harry Enfield's sketch for a laugh if you haven't seen it before).

We tried to tell her that her birthday present was a trip around Australia (surprise!) but she had her own list of ideas. Her main gift was a lovely aquamarine pendant that we'd found in a little jewellery store in the Barossa Valley when we doing our bike ride, and we kept it hidden until the big day. She also wants a candle making kit (inspired by our candle making at Sovereign Hill...), but that will have to wait until our return. 

Beauty and the Beast was fun - especially because it had been a while since we'd been to a cinema - and Jeananne told us we had to have a ‘choc bomb’ at the cinema – it’s a tradition – and wow, and it’s quite the creation: a chocolate covered ice cream with a chocolate coated cone that weighed about as much as a large baby. Crazy. It almost – but not quite – defeated even the girls.

The birthday girl

Sisters...

...who love each other.

Our favourite cafe in Albany - Bay Merchants

Birthday girl (in her new birthday top)

Birthday hot chocolate

Birthday cake

The choc bombs - I'm amazed the girls couldn't even hold them up.

Birthday swing

A happy birthday kiss for a 13-year-old

Hmm... this took a little cooperation - the test of a marriage?

Indie did some arty shots through an interesting sculpture

Indie's shot

Albany

Albany. What a great town and what a lovely stay! So much to enjoy, even though the weather was cool and rainy. We were very kindly hosted Jeananne, the mother of Marina, an old friend from Oxford. Jeananne lives in a gorgeous house not far from the beach in Albany and she graciously welcomed us into her beautiful home.  We enjoyed being in a house again for a few days and out of the camper van - and the chance to catch our breath a bit. 

There was a lot to explore in Albany - including some amazing natural sites.  The Gap and the Natural Bridge (below) were breathtaking, and 'Whale World' - a museum dedicated to Albany's whaling past - was hard to see at times but very interesting all the same (Albany only stopped whaling in 1974 and it was a huge blow to the town). We had some fun seafood down by the harbour and some surfing in the big waves. 

We loved Albany - we think it's one of Australia's best-kept secrets. We would go back anytime.  

On our way to The Gap

My face doesn't show it, but this viewpoint was suspended right over the Gap - crazy vertigo

The Natural Bridge

The Whaling Museum had an unexpected bonus - one private collector's shell collection. Astounding!

A once-working whaler

The surf was BIG

Lunch at the Squid Shack by the harbour - the pelicans were always looking for scraps

With Jeananne

In front of Jeananne's lovely home

Family portrait (we all got our hair cut in Albany)