A to Z Challenge : D for Dance

Dogs dancing

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Dancing, movement to music is a way of expressing our emotions. There are many different types and styles of dance, and I love watching them all.

Here are a few photos from my collection of different types of dance I have seen.

Bopping and rocking in the street

This was taken at the Tauranga village Jazz festival. Music and dancing in the streets a great day out.

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I was a teenager in the 1950’s a great era for music and rock n roll, when Elvis was King and Bill Haley “Rocked around the clock”.

Every June The “Winter Sun Festival” was held at Coolangatta (Now called “Cooly Rocks on”). It celebrates every thing from that era. Music, cars, clothes, the streets are closed to traffic and a happy throng rocks in the street to the pulsing beat of rock n roll bands.

“Cooly Rocks On is a 50s and 60s based nostalgia festival run over the borders of Coolangatta and Tweed Heads every June. The festival consists of a car show of 1200+ hot rods, custom and classic cars and Rock ‘n Roll, Rockabilly and Swing entertainment over 11 days. Cooly Rocks On also delivers a surf precinct in Kirra and is made up of many shows, displays and fun for all the family. The festival is free to enter and the program builds up over the year to bring visitors a very popular event visited by over 50,000 people.

There is much to see and do over the first 8 days, all building to a Grand Finale weekend where the streets are closed down, over 8 outdoor stages are erected, over 200 market stalls go up and the program is packed full from sun-up to sun-down.”

Here we are a couple of geriatric jivers but enjoying the music and life

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Now for a quite different style of dancing, the sensuous, flowing style of the Indian temple dance. I was entranced by these beautiful young women as they moved gracefully to the haunting rhythms of India.

Hare Krisna concert

Indian Temple dancing

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This final video I took at “Buddha’s Birthday” in 2008. It was a totally unexpected act at this festival, and yet I was spellbound by this performance. These four, fabulous fellows moved in perfect unison. I do not know what this dance style is called, (maybe some one out in the blogosphere can tell me) but my name for it is “Mechanized Automation”. Watch for the precise movement of the hands…

All the videos in this post were taken and created by me. I have recently discovered how to create YouTube clips, so when I found this video languishing in my archives I “Youtubed” it for the world to see. Unfortunately I do not know the name of this group and wonder if they are still performing. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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                                                                       I really enjoy this challenge from “Frizztext”. It is open to so much interpretation and I like to check out what other bloggers have chosen. Click on the logo to visit other posts.

Lingering Look at Windows : Sky High

 

The man from Snowy River

These photos were taken during a recent visit to Broadbeach a near by shopping centre and a very popular tourist attraction. Lots to see and do, the Casino is just down the road and in the other direction is the beach. Then of course there is the shopping. This is just one of the Malls you can browse around. Niecon Plaza has this larger than life sculpture of the “Man from Snowy River” with the full poem engraved along the side.

The ceiling is all windows that let in light but also the towering hi-rise apartments can be seen peering into the Plaza.

Niecon Plaza

 

The ultra modern “Wave Building”

 

Dawn from “The day after” challenges us to look for windows and post them here each week. Maybe you have some you can show us.

Visit here to look through more windows from around the world.  

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“The Man From Snowy River” is a classic Aussie poem and I have found this wonderful, blood stirring video on YouTube. I hope you enjoy it…

Travel Theme : Couples

lorrikeets in rain video, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

When ever it rained this couple of rainbow lorikeets would shelter on our front deck.

I am looking forward to seeing them again soon…

Ailsa from “Where’s my backpack” has given us this lovely theme. Click on the link to take you to more…

Travel Theme : Foliage

Queens Gardens Townsville 107, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

Ailsa’s of “Where’s my backpack” theme this week was perfect timing for me as on Friday I had spent 4 hours strolling around Queens Gardens in Townsville. This delightful 4 hectare Botanic Garden is a haven of beauty, foliage over-load. Enormous trees, flowering shrubs, cactus and succulents in a hot dry corner, herb garden a sensory mingling of perfumes, a large collection of frangipani trees sending out their unique sweet scent that sings of the tropics, and all along one side a path leading you through a tropical rainforest.

So much foliage. What to choose? I took 100’s of photos…

So this week something different I have put in a short video of part of the rainforest walk. I hope you enjoy the stroll with me.

Bush fire

Bush fire, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

This was a controlled burn that we came across as we headed towards Kakadu National Park. Patch work burning is used during the cold, dry season to keep the inflammable grasses under control. It is still scary when you pass this close to one. The black kites were diving on all the small creatures that were racing ahead of the flames. It was an amazing experience, but I would hate to be caught up in a bush fire, it spread along so quickly.

Bush fire

 

 

Huge flock of budgies in the outback

Huge flock of budgies in the outback, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

I just had to share this amazing experience with you.

As we had breakfast this morning I heard, then saw thousands of birds swarming like bees above us. I grabbed the camera. It was hard to follow and focus on them they moved so fast. They were budgies, those cute little pet birds you see in a cage, turning and swirling around then dropping onto a small puddle of water before soaring away again. Then I saw a hawk diving in among them. It was his breakfast time too…

I was entranced and stood watching for almost 20 minutes before they finally disappeared over the horizon.

We were going to move on today but as there is WiFi connection here we will stay another night to catch up with emails, blogs etc.

On the road again

Northern trip 2011 leaving home 3, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

We have been home for almost 4 months and the weather is getting colder. It is forecast for 4-5deg nights for the next week, so time to head north and find the warmer weather in the tropical areas of Australia.It was an enjoyable 4 months, sorting out the flat, it will now be our permanent base for when we need a break from travelling. Catching up with friends and family and a brief visit to the clubs we belong to.

The garden was a joy to come back to, our friends, Rex and June had cared for it with love. The drought broke last year the plants and shrubs had soaked up the rain and were thriving.

It was good to be on the move again and Matilda purred along the highway.The travel plans are different for this trip. The plan is to go north along the Queensland coast and be away for approx 5-6 months exploring the tropical regions and be back home approx Christmas time.

Great Ocean Road

Great Ocean Road, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

After 4 days the rain was clearing so we are on the move again. It was a refreshing stop in Mt Gambia and refueled our batteries…

So now it was heading for another of the great Australian icons, The Great Ocean Road.

On the way we stayed in Nelson and had a cruise down the Glenelg river. Again very high due to the floods in Victoria and a very chocolately colour.The cruise took us to the Princess Margaret Rose caves, Impressive look at the under world of this volcanic region.

Next stop Bridgewater beach and cape and went for a 2 hour walk up to 130 metres above sea level to look at a seal colony, it was a very windy day and sort of tested our heart rates. Then we went round to see the blowholes and petrified forest only to see a sign telling us that the walk to the seal colony from that side of the cape was not so steep…. Oh well we told our selves we needed the exercise…

That night we stayed at Portland and found the first Aldi store since we left Queensland, very good wine prices, some at $2-99 so of course we stocked up to keep us in “happy hour” supplies.

Next stop Port Fairy, a beautiful seaside village with charm and character. We got the bikes off and biked around the art trail and looked at the stone heritage listed houses and buildings. Weather was perfect for biking.

As we left we went to see the Hopkins river waterfall it was roaring and almost like a miniature Niagara falls. This is volcanic area and every where there is evidence of the past volcanic activity. Tower Hill is a large crater formed 12000 years ago. That seems a long time ago but to put it in context it is said that the aboriginals were here back then and have many dream time stories of the eruptions. It is now a national park and has been restored to the original vegetation after been stripped in the mid 1800s for farming. Native flora and fauna are now back in the area and we saw koalas and emus, in fact had a bit of a scary encounter with an emu as he got very close as I videoed him…

Then it was on to Warnambool where we planned to stay for the night. We have had no problems getting into camp grounds because even though it is middle of the school holidays many people have cancelled due to the floods every where, so we just look for some where to stay as we arrive in each area. Well suddenly the holiday high season caught up with us and we were told camp grounds would be approx $50 a night for a powered site. There is no freedom camps in this area, with fines if you try to stay any where but in a camp ground. So we just kept going and Warnambool missed the pleasure of our company….

We did find a place just outside Warnambool at $35 even that was hurtful to the budget.

Then it was on to the Great Ocean Road..

The Pinnacles

The Pinnacles, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

The Pinnacles are a very strange group of rock formations. There is a track to drive 4km around them, but we decided to walk around, you can see more and take photos.

Suddenly this family of emus came from behind a rock formation. Father and 6 chicks. It was very exciting to see them, and also a bit of a worry as he started to come toward us. But we stood our ground and managed to get this video before they took off at a jog back between the rocks.

This is the first time I have tried putting a video into the blog so I hope it works….

Well it has downloaded the video, so press the arrow to see the emus …

The Pinnacles have changed since I was here 5 years ago. Like every thing in WA there are far more tourists. There was a steady stream of cars going around the track and a large interpretation centre had been built. Not so many people where walking around the formations. Last time I was here it was almost deserted, no interpretation centre.

Jack has found an interesting shape…

The Pinnacles

Strange shapes..

Galahs nest in the hollows

Emu and chicks

Is he going to attack???