Cuckoo, cuckoo!

In between trying to find a home (which is far more complicated then we had expected - spoiled for choice) we also discover the surroundings. So on advice by the lady where we bought our towels we drive to the mountains (Dandenong Ranges) to check out the antique and curiosa shops and have lunch in one of the many little restaurants. It seems like the whole of the Melbourne population had the same idea. It is incredibly busy and almost impossible to park the car. But the shops are nice and just around lunchtime we happen to be close to the Cuckoo restaurant. We had once seen an announcement that they had a celebration for the Dutch Queens Birthday, and although we missed that, we thought we had to give it a try and go there for lunch. WRONG!
Before we realise what we are doing we find ourself in a large Bavarian dinnerroom (one of three!) with large tables where whole families from grandmother to grandchild are having a meal. The service is in Tiroler costume and the entertainment if from a trio that plays all German songs and know all ??? the jokes. The lunch is a very German buffet including sauerkraut, red cabbage and smoked eel. The food is not bad at all and we are just beginning to feel a bit more comfortable when 'the show' begins. A 'jodelaar', Hans! who also has an act with cowbells and a clearly not-German girl singing Sound of Music songs. Everybody in the room gets involved in the audience participation part: "Where do you come from?" "Italy!" and the trio plays Oh Solo Mio etc. You get the picture. We just manage to skip our audience participation. This fantastic show happens to take place in between our table and the exit so there is no way we can escape unseen. Just when we think we've had everything, the clearly German owner anounces the birthdays of the guests (and the trio off course plays happy birthday).
After that we finally manage to escape and safely outside we promise ourself that we won't come back here anywhere soon.......(unless we have visitors from Europe of course).

Third Anniversary!

It seems like yesterday. To celebrate, we book a weekend away in Milawa. This is in the middle of yet another wine area and especially the Brown Brothers winery is famous and also has a landingstrip in between the wineranks. It is ‘The Queen’s birthday weekend’. So Monday is bank holiday and everywhere are activities like wine tastings. Milawa is on the other side of the mountains and when we arrive at our little plane we can see the clouds hanging in the mountains. This means we cannot fly over it (you have to be able to see where you fly). So we decide to go by car. It is a beautiful drive and on the way the weather is getting better. Could we have flown after all? We have lunch in Mansfield, the gateway to the ski slopes. Then we drive on and just before we arrive in Milawa there is a police alcohol control and Peter has to be checked. While waiting in line, he tries to get his drivers licence from the boot of the car. Which results in the following conversation:

Police: I thought you were gonna do a runner
Peter, timid: No Sir, I just wanted to get my drivers licence
Police: You don't need that if you haven't had anything to drink. Did you have a drink?
Peter, still timid: No Sir.
Police, after Peter did the test: Well, back to the pub and have some then!
Peter, bit braver by now: We are on our way to a winetasting
Police: that's all right, we'll meet you there later.

A different approach than the Dutch police!!!

It turns out to be a perfect weekend with not only fine wines but also cheese-, musterd- and olive tastings. The hotel is great and they even put a television in the lounge and light the log-fire especially for us because we 'of course' have to watch the Formula 1 race in the middle of the night (3am) in Montreal. Luckily the race was worth getting up for.

Driving back on Monday, it turns out to be a rainy day. We are glad we decided to drive otherwise we would not have been able to fly back. On the way Peter has to get on a picture with 'the great australian hero': Ned Kelly. It is still being debated whether Ned was a Robin Hood or just a plain horse thief. For sure he wasn't Einstein's twin brother. Fleeing for police he was wearing a self made armor (see life-like image), but forgot to cover his legs. So he was shot in the knee and he was hanged. For the record: he did NOT say: 'Such is life'.

We conclude that we have to go back to Milawa soon, to stuff our wine cellar, but then we will take our plane!