Text 9175, 99 rader
Skriven 2006-12-22 22:08:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
Ärende: victor harbor 728
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M's note: for some reason, Victor Harbor is spelt Victor
Harbour, unlike every other harbour in Australia. There
was a plaque in the city telling why, and I read it, but
I forget.

Leonore arranged to be free for the day, so we picked her
up (major accident just beyond the train tracks, so we
were forced to detour around, seeing parts of the city that
even Glen had never encountered; then on to Victor Harbor
by the main south road. A beautiful and not too warm day,
in the 60s (15-18C) and a jolly little trip. On the way we
saw evidence of a major undertaking under way, and it soon
transpired that this was the beginning of the Classic
Adelaide Car Rally, which didn't mean a lot to most of us
but was the source of modest enthusiasm for Glen.

Luckily it was still early when we arrived at Victor Harbor,
so we got a nice parking spot as the rally organizers were
setting up.

Taking the advice of train-smitten Greg, we took the
horse-drawn trolley to pretty Granite Island, home to a
colony of fairy penguins (now called, in the spirit of PC,
little penguins); but of course as it was midday, the
penguins were out working. An enjoyable and not very
strenuous hike around the island and then back across the
causeway (saving a couple dollars and in fact to me much
more enjoyable than being pulled by a horse), where we found
the rally in full swing. We lunched at the Original Victor
Fish Shop, where I had the butterfish and chips, Carol the
barramundi and chips, and Glen splurging on the seafood
combination - butterfish (which tasted rather different
from my butterfish), prawns, squid, and crabstick and chips.
We had for accompaniment Cooper's Pale Ale or VB according
to his or her preference. My butterfish (quite different
from the small flat bony article we get, most often eaten
fried whole) was a tender, slightly oily but white fillet
of considerable size; Carol's fish was more delicate and
softer, but I didn't like it as well. Glen had two small
pieces of butterfish, which were somewhat fishier than mine.
The chips were excellent, and we got far too many of them.
I took away the leftovers to make hash browns later.
Watched numerous classic and not so classic cars go by -
from '30s antiques and Corvettes (i.e., classics) to deux
chevaux, a Ford Falcon, and a fairly recent Beemer. An odd
assortment, 

Leonore had brought her own lunch, which she shared with us
as well - zucchini slice, fruitcake, chocolate cherries, and
chocolate kumquats, all made by herself, and roast cashews
and peanuts (the peanuts roasted by herself as well).

It was Glen's idea to take us to Goolwa, where we found a
floating photographic exhibition of the famous Murray flood
of 1950-something, a steam-powed paddlewheel riverboat
(Glen was ecstatic), and a brewery (I was ecstatic). 

We went on to Hindmarsh Island (an insignificant little
bridge, recently built, is said to have displeased the
native peoples and caused the recent drought) to see the
mouth of the mighty Murray, which we did, although the
pelicans interested us more, and the flies - a hideous
number of them - were much more notable than the river
mouth, which seems hidden amid mud flats. At the end of
the road is a beach that would be one of the wonders of
south Australia were it not for those flies.

We had neglected to look up former FIDO sysop Vicki Crawford
and, though we were probably within five miles of her, did
not see her.

Back to Goolwa and the Steam Exchange for some much-
appreciated libation:

Steam ale was strangely familiar; the friendly barman
informed us that not only was it brewed in the style of the
famous San Francisco treat Anchor Steam Beer, it used the
same yeast, imported by some outfit in, I believe, Colorado.

Southerly Buster was a lightly hopped English-style ale,
not notable for anything but its name; it was a bit cereally
for my taste.

Stout was a bit not stout enough and also afflicted with
that same starchy breakfast-cereally type of taste.

The special was Truffles, a dark ale with a gigantic alcohol
content (in the 10% range), flavored with vanilla and lots
of chocolate. Low in carbonation and hops and relatively
high in sugar, it reminded one of a dairy bar fountain drink
- which amused me but didn't compel me.

The IPA, which I'd heard good things about, was off.

I think I liked the "American-style" steam ale best.

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