Adelaide: It's hot

 Adelaide: It's hot

Thursday 18/2/2021 (yes still is but it has been a long day- a 2 post day)

We are in our hotel, The Chancellor on Curry, and it is very cool, (air conditioned not the other cool).  Our room has a bedroom, lounge and bathroom and an usually good layout.

As we relax, disaster strikes as Paul discovers he has lost his glasses,  again.  This time he cannot blame monkeys (see africa blog).

Panic ensues as he tries to trace his steps until he eventually decides he left them in the taxi from the airport. Miraculously, he guesses which taxi company it is and they are able to return his glasses.  I suggest a man bag to stop this happening again. He says no. 

What to do on a very hot day in Adelaide?

I want to go to the zoo to see the pandas. The only zoo in Australia with pandas. We take a bus to the zoo which is ridiculously close.  It is really hot, 38 degrees. Even thought the web site said you have to have reservations, buy tickets and really hard to do, we just rocked up and got in. Not a busy day. Combination of COVID (global pandemic), being a Thursday and 38 degrees. Lucky!

In fact it was desolate.

Anyway, we started by looking for the pandas, ie the main and pretty much only attraction for me. We had a map and information but it was pretty hard as it was hot, damn hot and confusing.  The entrance to the zoo is full of pandas, large concrete ones. I took a few photos in case that was all i would be able to get.

It was hot and dusty  and not that interesting. We found the pandas but they were in a glass enclosure and hiding. We could see one of them in the distance. Not that great and not worth what we had been through to get there.

 We eventually decided we had to see something so we found lions, a serval and pelicans.

a toucan

a serval

a lion

pelicans

These photos are a bit sad with the animals behind bars and cages. Not particularly nice.

But back to the real world and time for lunch. The nearby kiosk was closed due to there being no visitors (see above as to why). 

We saw a sign advising the Wisteria cafe was open so we headed there the long way. thank goodness the zoo is small. We had a very basic lunch and headed back to the pandas for a 'panda talk'.   Just to make the trip worthwhile for god's sake.

There were another 6 people there for the talk and us. As we approached we could see one of the pandas, Wang Wang in a more open enclosure allowing us to get really close. Absolutely amazing and WORTH it. 

These photos are of Wang Wang, a real panda. He was a couple of metres away. I wanted to hug him.

The zoo keeper arrived for the 'panda talk' but said she was happy just to answer questions for the 6 of us, maybe only 4 by then and we had a nice chat. 

We left immediately after the show.

After a swim in the hotel pool, we headed out for an evening on the town in Adelaide. Remembering we had been up since 2.30am...

We had heard of bars and great restaurants. Basically next door to our hotel was Hanes and Co, a famous gin bar. Full of young cool people and us.

Actually all the young cool people were outside while Paul and i were inside in this great room in the air conditioning, thus becoming cool (?)

After a really cool gin, we left and found a wine bar and paid $28 for a glass of wine. Adelaide! And then found an Italian restaurant, Bambina Cucina, which was pretty empty but great service and great food.  The family were from Abbruzzi  in Italy and from a village close to mum's. And one of the best tiramisus we have ever had.  

All these close to our hotel. 

It has been a very long but great first day in Adelaide. 

We are on a Barossa wine tour tomorrow which i assume will involve more alcohol? But no pandas.