Full Time Clare locals
Feeling as though we were now full-fledged locals of the Clare Valley, we started the morning with a visit to yet another cool little breakfast spot. We did so on foot with the round trip giving us a 6k kick start. This one was the Watervale General Store. And a general store it was. Containing a smashing little café with delicious, delicate cakes, it also stocked the basic essentials and was the Post Office. We fell in love instantly.
The breakfast was top notch with only the ‘I don’t want to talk to you’ attitude of the lady behind the counter detracting. A gentle walk later we had photographed some beautiful old buildings, an ANZAC memorial and had a yarn to a lady who had taken thus far, five years to renovate her house.
Our time in town today was spent with G getting her hair coloured and buying a last addition to the summer wardrobe. This one was not in the bargain range but was very nice revealing at least the same value as the previously acquired tea towel dress.
A visit to a community gallery had us interested in a striking painting by a local artist. Depicting bottle brush flowers it would be the perfect addition to our new house. It would also tick the box of that special thing we buy each holiday to remember it by.
We walked away in order to think about it. During G’s time at the hairdresser I visited another gallery with some reputation. Having lived in and visited numerous Aboriginal communities I have half and idea of what is good art and what is genuine art. This gallery provided neither. I didn’t look but printed in China stickers could have rightly taken their place on the back of most offerings.
A quick visit to the first gallery saw me walking down the street with the bubble wrapped first seen painting.
The rest of the day was spent doing very little save G visiting a local winery to taste some fruit juice. She reported it was indeed nice to an extent she bought a couple of bottles to take home.
Tomorrow we head off further north, then west towards the Ayre Peninsular. The weather is expected to be better and warmer, so we are keen to get underway.