Today, Saturday, we decided to visit a local market in Kangaroo Flats.  Unfortunately, it was not a farmer’s market, more of a flea market.  Nothing interesting there.  We stopped for a bit of chicken for me to make that chicken long soup recipe from Fiji, and then came home for lunch.

After lunch, we decided to take a drive out in another direction to see some wineries and some sights.  We first stopped at Balgownie Estates, just outside town here.  I tried a few bubblies first and then a couple of white wines.  Just to say that my favourite was the Premium Cuvee Brut Sparkling, at $19/bottle.  Ok, I didn’t tell them about the $2.49 white wine I bought at the grocery store earlier.  How low do the wine prices go???

Next we drove further north west through Bridgewater and stopped in a great small town, Inglewood.  Judging from the buildings that are still there, the many hotels on the main street and the grand old house and town hall, I’d say there was lots of money in this town during the gold rush days (1860s).

grand house in Inglewood
former city hall of Inglewood

The house is for sale, in case you are interested.  The city hall property had a beautiful lot with huge palm trees.  Someone had a lot of money at some point.  Nowadays, the main street, although quaint, is looking rather tired.

We drove on till we found another winery – Blanche-Barkly.  It has only red wine.  At this point, I was driving, so I didn’t have any of this wine to try.  It was a very expensive wine anyway, vintage 2005, the kind you save for several years.  Still, we were greeted by 2 loving dogs and a nice owner who told us all about the vineyard.  We talked about our travels in Germany to the Oktoberfest and how we enjoyed the Rhine Valley and its castles.  She said her grand daughter goes to my school, so I’ll have to watch for her.  I drove us home without using the GPS. I am hoping I am getting more confident.  Tomorrow, I might just practice driving to my school since it will be Sunday, a little quieter on the streets.