Monday, October 1, 2012

A drive down to Wollongong...

It has been awhile since we had both been down the Grand Pacific Drive to Wollongong…so after one of my classes at Paddington a few weeks back we decided to drive south. 

We took the scenic route through the Royal National Park… the world’s second oldest National Park having been set up in the late 1800’s after Yellowstone NP in the US.  The park has wonderful walking trails, bike trails, picnic spots and amazing coastal scenery.  We stopped to stretch our legs and enjoy the park before continuing our journey south.   

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I love dramatic coastal drives and the Sea Cliff Bridge, a $52 million cantilever bridge that connects the coastal town of Coalcliff and Clifton certainly rates up there.  We parked at a pull out and take a walk along the walkway to enjoy the scenery and the spectacular views.  This bridge replaced a section of Lawrence Hargrave Drive that had been subject to numerous rock falls.   

My eye was drawn to the lone fisherman out on the rock pools and I wished I had a better telephoto to capture what would have been quite a stunning photograph..if only I had been closer.  On our walk back I notice the padlocks on the handrail.  It was only later I find out they are love padlocks attribute to a tradition that started in Europe around World War II.  They are affixed to the bridge by sweethearts as a gesture of their everlasting love.  I am a little taken aback by the fact that people feel they must lock up their love to protect it!

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If we take a survey of the greatest actions…in the world…we shall find the authors of them all to have been persons whose Brains had been shaken out of their natural position. John Adams

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