favorite places

Over the time, I found some favourite places up here I‘ like to share with you. One them is the bench under the humming tree you see in the picture. I call it humming tree, because it is in full bloom and humming with bees and other insect that luckily only feel attracted to the blossoms and nothing else. Usually, in the afternoon and the work is done, the horses fed and the others have left, I sit under this tree in the warm afternoon sun, have a coffee and read. You can still see the horses in the paddy from there. On colder days I light up the oven, put blankets on the floor in front of it and enjoy the warmth of the fire. There is nothing more comfy, and the cat comes, gets cuddly and eventually falls asleep in my lap.





The next lookout is Evans Lookout in Blackheath, right up the valley. Here you see some pictures. There are Waratahs growing along the way, the huge red flowers that are the national flower of New South Wales, the federal state we’re in. I love to go there when the sun goes down, sometimes I pass by there on the way back to the valley. Yesterday I had to bring a customer back to the Youth Hostel in Katoomba where I sneaked into the net for a while. On the way back there was a huge rainbow spanning over the Great Western Highway. It actually spanned over the valley too, so I went to the Lookout and took some pictures. If you have a close look you can see the rainbow.


On the tracks out there my favorite spot is where you cross the creek. There are two creek crossings, one is very steep and rocky, the other is softer with the rock carved by the water. On a hot summer day it is nice and cool down there and the horses get to drink. On the 4hr track the track leads through a clearing where a lot of heath is growing. Now in springtime it is blooming and the area is spotted with white and deep purple blossoms.
In Katoomba I love the many cafes. There is one with a really nice fire place and an elderly gay waiter who likes to chat. The café I mostly hang out is called Fresh, the operat carbon neutral and have awesome sandwiches and cute baristas. The owner does not like it that much if people with computers hang out there. Another atmospheric place is the Common Ground Café, run by some spiritual community, all the girls and women working there have long hair and wear skirts, but are suepr friendly and make quite fancy sandwiches (last time I had a Thai Tofu Sate Sandwich, yummy).