Blue Mountains Journal

If you like antiques you'd love the Victory Theatre at Blackheath, it's a treasure trove. That's it for this walk. I've started a new trip over at Sweet Wayfaring today. Will be back here in a week or two.

We took the country lunch at Chisholms at Caves House. While it's fun to go inside to check out the Edwardian splendor, it's getting a little threadbare. The carrot and ginger soup was tasty but the menu was nothing to get excited about. Well the nephew has gone home so that's it for being a tourist in our own town and a time for us to switch over the Sweet Wayfaring where I start a new adventure today.

The next day we drove the 90 or so kms to Jenolan Caves. This is Caves House, a grand old style guesthouse. I love its olde worlde charm.

With my legs still twitching from the long walk down I was glad to indulge in a rest at Katoomba Falls Kiosk which is a little way down the road from Scenic World. It's one of those quaint places from an earlier era but inside is modern and pleasant, another spot I enjoy.

The reason why I like the Furber Steps is that it's the only place in the mountains that you can catch a ride back up to the top. Scenic World offers a number of attractions ... in words from their website The Scenic Cableway (top left) - The steepest aerial cable car in the Southern Hemisphere! The Scenic Cableway takes you on a 545 metre ride into - or out of - the World Heritage-listed rainforest of the Jamison Valley. The Scenic Skyway (top right) - Float on air in the Skyway! The Skyway takes you on a 720 metre journey, 270m above ancient ravines and dazzling waterfalls. You are suspended over Jurassic rainforests as you glide smoothly across the sky. The Scenic Railway (bottom left) - Ride the steepest incline Railway in the world. The 415m descent will take you through a cliff side tunnel down into an ancient rainforest. The Scenic Walkway (bottom right) - A path through a Jurassic rainforest. Discover over 2.8kms of boardwalk through the ancient rainforest.

I decided a bush walk down the Furber Steps would be a good idea because it's all downhill so would not be too great a test against the energy of a 17 year old. Even with him being ever so patient it was faster than my usual slow meander taking photos so you'll have to follow this link from a previous visit to see what the Furber Steps are like. This shot gave me a chance to catch my breath at one of the lookouts where you get a view of Katoomba Falls.

We've had a nephew visiting so over the weekend visited a few of the regular tourist spots along with many Asian holidaymakers -- like this lady taking the traditional group snapshot.

While I waited for my order I browsed around the Wisk and Pin store which has an eclectic mix of local produce, handmade items, gourmet jams, tea and lots of other utensils and gifts. The teapot cosy -- are they really back in vogue? The pumpkins -- they are a popular vegetable in Australia while I understand that in other parts of the world they are only fed to animals. The creamer on the the middle shelf -- the shape of an old cream bottle, I like it.

And now for a change from my usual nature walks/drives to my other favourite pastime. One of the joys of living in the mountains are the plethora of cafes catering for tourists and people like me who like the cosy atmosphere on a rainy Saturday afternoon. So let me introduce you to the Wisk and Pin a great little place in the Old Post Office at Medlow Bath. The Bread and Butter pudding was yum.

The road then descends quickly to the bottom of the mountains and I can see the growing city of Penrith sprawling across the plains below. At its border is the lovely Nepean river and this is where our pictorial drive ends. From here there is a high speed motorway mostly edged by hard concrete, grassy slopes and planted trees. About this point I put on the radio and hurtle along oblivious to Sydney's western suburbs hiding behind the trees.

We are nearing the bottom of the mountains now. This interesting art deco building is at the Airforce Base at Glenbrook.

The Roads and Traffic Authority doesn't always get it right with their choice of plants. These palm trees we added when the highway at Blaxland was widened. They were considered inappropriate and not popular at the time but I guess I am getting used to them.

As I descend to where the climate is warmer purple Jacarandas are putting on a pretty purple display. At Warrimoo I am always delighted to see this one which is beautifully offset with a flamboyant hot pink bougainvillea.

But its the unplanned garden that I like the best. At this time of year cheerful yellow weeds line the highway.

Each new section of the highway is carefully landscaped with roadside plants to soften the starkness of the new road. My husband and I call it 'Our Garden' and like to watch the changing seasonal display. It has just finished its spring flush of red bottlebrush flowers (callistemon).

I have no idea what this wall is or what hides behind it. Most things very old around here are attributed to the times when the convicts constructed the first road over the mountains in 1814. Today's highway and the railway line tend to follow a similar path to that old road.

The City of the Blue Mountains comprises a string of small towns or villages running along a ridge flanked on each side by wilderness. Each town has its own entry sign with its own claim to fame. Words to walk with: I carry your heart with me by ee cummings "carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart) i am never without it (anywhere i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling) I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true) and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide) and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

PJ has requested to see something of the terrain that I travel through on my 100km drive to work each day. So here we go, its not all pretty views. I start with the slow bit, the never ending roadworks that are making the highway wider, the hills flatter, the curves straighter -- so people can speed through our magnificent bushland without noticing. No sooner do they finish one patch than they move onto the next town. By the way, the Old Lawson Mechanics Institute building that I wrote about in September has been saved from destruction by the highway widening juggernaut! A tribute to a persistent band of locals.

Something new tomorrow. Words to walk with: From The Carnival is Over sung by The Seekers in 1965 "Say goodbye my own true lover As we sing a lovers song How it breaks my heart to leave you Now the carnival is gone High above the dawn is waiting And my tears are falling rain For the carnival is over We may never meet again"

There are times around here when I think we forget the 1970s are over. Words to walk with: From The Times They Are A-Changin' by Bob Dylan "If your time to you Is worth savin' Then you better start swimmin' Or you'll sink like a stone For the times they are a-changin'.