It seems ages since I have written a regular post about a regular weekend in Canberra. Mainly that’s because I haven’t had a regular weekend in said ages. Since returning from Europe, a couple of fabulous weekends away have been interspersed with 
truly dreadful weekends working and shivering my butt off. Shivering continued this weekend, but blessedly without the work and so it was an opportune time to be pottering, tinkering, ambling and lounging. Not that everything was regular though – the performance of Germany for instance. Plus I ran (more about that later).
So what to do in a wintry weekend in Australia? Trying to be European seems to be the answer, commencing on Friday lunchtime with German inspired pork products and hoppy yeasty brews so wonderfully a million miles away from a XXXX. Then, infused on ale, a part of me became Francophile... something I have, naturally as a Briton, refused to become thus far in my life. I purchased a cookbook of regional French dishes, inspired by the Tour de France. I went to the markets to hunt out some fromage, asking the little Frenchman if he had some Reblochon or similar, a little glint in his eye, that knowing look of someone who has himself feasted on Tartiflette in the mountains. Alas, he didn’t, but pointed me in the direction of an Australian equivalent. Results are to follow this week, but as he said, anyone who asks for Reblochon really only wants Reblochon. I gave a little Gallic-like nod and left with a little warm glow in my heart. And now I am looking at the route of Le Tour, and have decouvert stage 8, a chance to revisit memory lane from Annemasse to the summertime highs of Les Gets and Morzine-Avoriaz. C’est super.
Though lacking in quality cheese, the Australian winter time provides plentiful sun and deep blue skies, a great time to get rugged up and go for a walk through the bush, definitely a case of getting some fresh air. My Saturday afternoon walk took in some fine bushland up in Tidbinbilla, pacing up and down over crystal clear streams and through the tall gum trees, the mimicking cycle of the lyrebird on a constant loop.
The next morning it was time for some exercise more strenuous, as I somewhat reluctantly embarked on what I guess you would call training. In a moment of insanity I registered to take part in a 9 kilometre run in September (though it says walking is quite possible in parts!) I think the fact that the run takes me across the middle of Sydney Harbour Bridge down into the Botanic Gardens and finishes on the steps of the old Opera House had something to do with it. Only the best for me. Anyway, you can find out more and sponsor me at http://www.gofundraise.com.au/neilioGB
Probably the best thing about the ‘training’ was taking some warm up time to amble around the top of Mount Ainslie and suck in the chilly views. The last week has really gone cold, with frosts pretty much every night and temperatures down to minus four a couple of times. With frost widespread, at least the one benefit of running (and, er, I hasten to add, some briskish walking) is the warmth it brings.
The other major benefit, though I really should not take advantage of this too much, is the additional calories clearly needed to provide energy for such strenuous activity.
A nice thing to do this weekend was a spot of Masterchef inspired baking, rolling and chilling pastry, blending butter and icing sugar and eggs and almond meal, throwing in some fruit. And then sharing it with friends and a cup of tea. If that’s more like normality, I could get used to it.
truly dreadful weekends working and shivering my butt off. Shivering continued this weekend, but blessedly without the work and so it was an opportune time to be pottering, tinkering, ambling and lounging. Not that everything was regular though – the performance of Germany for instance. Plus I ran (more about that later).So what to do in a wintry weekend in Australia? Trying to be European seems to be the answer, commencing on Friday lunchtime with German inspired pork products and hoppy yeasty brews so wonderfully a million miles away from a XXXX. Then, infused on ale, a part of me became Francophile... something I have, naturally as a Briton, refused to become thus far in my life. I purchased a cookbook of regional French dishes, inspired by the Tour de France. I went to the markets to hunt out some fromage, asking the little Frenchman if he had some Reblochon or similar, a little glint in his eye, that knowing look of someone who has himself feasted on Tartiflette in the mountains. Alas, he didn’t, but pointed me in the direction of an Australian equivalent. Results are to follow this week, but as he said, anyone who asks for Reblochon really only wants Reblochon. I gave a little Gallic-like nod and left with a little warm glow in my heart. And now I am looking at the route of Le Tour, and have decouvert stage 8, a chance to revisit memory lane from Annemasse to the summertime highs of Les Gets and Morzine-Avoriaz. C’est super.
Though lacking in quality cheese, the Australian winter time provides plentiful sun and deep blue skies, a great time to get rugged up and go for a walk through the bush, definitely a case of getting some fresh air. My Saturday afternoon walk took in some fine bushland up in Tidbinbilla, pacing up and down over crystal clear streams and through the tall gum trees, the mimicking cycle of the lyrebird on a constant loop.
The next morning it was time for some exercise more strenuous, as I somewhat reluctantly embarked on what I guess you would call training. In a moment of insanity I registered to take part in a 9 kilometre run in September (though it says walking is quite possible in parts!) I think the fact that the run takes me across the middle of Sydney Harbour Bridge down into the Botanic Gardens and finishes on the steps of the old Opera House had something to do with it. Only the best for me. Anyway, you can find out more and sponsor me at http://www.gofundraise.com.au/neilioGB
Probably the best thing about the ‘training’ was taking some warm up time to amble around the top of Mount Ainslie and suck in the chilly views. The last week has really gone cold, with frosts pretty much every night and temperatures down to minus four a couple of times. With frost widespread, at least the one benefit of running (and, er, I hasten to add, some briskish walking) is the warmth it brings.
The other major benefit, though I really should not take advantage of this too much, is the additional calories clearly needed to provide energy for such strenuous activity.
A nice thing to do this weekend was a spot of Masterchef inspired baking, rolling and chilling pastry, blending butter and icing sugar and eggs and almond meal, throwing in some fruit. And then sharing it with friends and a cup of tea. If that’s more like normality, I could get used to it. 
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