Monthly Archives: April 2019

Easter in Coffs Harbour

20 Saturday Apr 2019

Posted by in Charlesworth Bay

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Spending time with my family for Easter is a must for me. Spending time on my favourite beach at Easter is the frosting on the cake.

After arriving in Coffs and settling in, I can hardly wait to return to this beautiful beach at Charlesworth Bay.

This place has it all apart from the crowds. And now that the local council has made the area taboo for camping it is back to it’s beautiful, pristine and serene place to enjoy.

This morning on the beach, apart from Buddy and I there were 4 paddle boarders out in the surf.

Wishing you all a lovely Easter break.

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Kings Beach on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, Australia.

14 Sunday Apr 2019

Posted by in Kings Beach, Caloundra, Queensland

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After living in Brisbane for 30 + years, it was time to explore the sunshine coast of Qld. I have been visiting the northern end of the Sunshine coast, like Noosa, for years however I had not spent any time on the southern part of the coast. So, we booked an apartment through AirBnB and drove the 90 minutes up to Kings Beach, Caloundra.

20190408_140358Kings beach is very much a small beach community as well as a tourist destination with everything to suit most budgets and holiday types. This coastal town provides a beautiful ocean beach and fantastic beachside ocean pool plus great walking tracks, fantastic restaurants, cafes and shops along the boardwalk.

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It is the perfect spot for all ages. Here you will find a great surf beach which is patrolled, an ocean swimming pool, play areas, water fountains, picnic areas and clean bbq areas, fantastic takeaway food, cafes and restaurants and a brilliant boardwalk by the ocean. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly

We discovered the ‘Coffee Cat’ cafe on our first day and it immediately became our favourite “local” place. The first afternoon we sat outside near the beach enjoying a cold glass of wine listening to a young man playing his guitar and singing. We stopped by in the mornings for a great cup of coffee

Often, we walked some distance along the stunning boardwalk that hugs the shoreline. Despite the heat there was always a cool sea breeze, and a ‘happy vibe’ everywhere with strangers saying ‘hi’ or giving a friendly nod.

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Each morning and afternoon we spent time in the most beautiful free ocean pool.  There was always a friendly bunch of people there who walked, bathed and swam and chatted in this most delightful ocean pool.  This pool was so clean and well used by locals and tourists. It has some shading and plenty of change areas and showers close by.

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Close to this pool there are two large rock pools with gentle waves flowing in to them that you can swim in also. Exploring rock pools at the beach has always been one of my very favourite things to do, and here at Kings Beach we got to do this every day. It was always fun, interesting and a lovely way to relax and enjoy.

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This was a perfect and very easy mini holiday.

Kings Beach at Caloundra has everything you could want and a stroll along the boardwalk is a wonderful way to end the day.

International visitors – In Australia, always swim on a beach patrolled by life savers and swim only in between the yellow and red flags.

Incredible, Amazing, Ancient Temple

03 Wednesday Apr 2019

Posted by in Kiyomizu-dera temple, Kyoto

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We walked up the hill, along the street which had many stores and stalls leading up to the temple. We were not in a hurry as there was so much to experience and enjoy along the way.

Part of the fun of visiting Kiyomizu-dera is the approach to the temple along the steep and busy lanes of the atmospheric Higashiyama District. The many shops and restaurants in the area have been catering to tourists and pilgrims for centuries and products on sale range from local specialties such as Kiyomizu-yaki pottery, jewellery,  sweets and pickles to the standard souvenirs.

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There it was at the top of the hill. This beautiful bright orange temple is massive. Kiyomizu-dera temple was founded in the year of 780 at a request of (Sakanoue no Tamuramaro). The main hall of the Temple which was built in the year 1633, is famed mainly for its wide wooden veranda in front, protruding over a steep cliff, with breathtaking panoramic views of the city of Kyoto.

From what I was told, this spellbinding large temple is made completely out of wood.  There are numerous sights to see inside of the temple and outside on the temple grounds. It is definitely a must see. The beauty of it all touches you as you walk around and through it. Once inside the temple I felt the serenity of this impressive massive structure. There are  quiet corners in the amazing gardens where we found some relief from the crowds  and benches tucked away in little alcoves, and hidden paths that end in stunning views.

The Temple’s complex includes several other shrines, among them the Jishu Shrine, dedicated to Ōkuninushi, a god of love and “good matches”.

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Kiyomizu-dera which is located in the Gion area of Kyoto is one of the most popular temples of Japan. Kiyomizu-dera is an independent Buddhist temple and is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto and listed as UNESCO World Heritage site.