Sweet Adelaide

We have been trying to think of an adjective to describe Adelaide and a city in the United States to which we could compare it. The best descriptor for this charming city is "pretty." Think of a woman whom you would call pretty and you have the human equivalent of Adelaide. This city of more than 1 million people in South Australia combines the friendliness of a small town with the urban feel of a European city so no city in our country comes to mind. Adelaide ranks in the Top 10 of the World's Most Livable Cities.

Adelaide was Australia's first and one of its few planned cities. Unlike Sydney, which was settled by convicts, Adelaide was settled by predominantly religious dissenters and other immigrants who were free of the "convict stain." Under the guidance of Colonel William Light, the plan for Adelaide was drawn up along the River Torrens and was named after Queen Adelaide, the wife of King William IV. Adelaide's current elegance comes from its traditional stone architecture, formal park lands, more than 100 churches and wide streets. The overall effect is one of openness and cleanliness.

When we debarked the ship, we were met by the friendliest contingent of tourism ambassadors that have ever greeted us. Wherever we went in or outside the city, the residents were most gracious in helping us find our destination. Rundle Mall offered a free shuttle into the center city, which is about 45 minutes away from Port Adelaide.

Following the lead of Ginger and Joe, who have visited here before, we selected as our destination Hanhdorf, a charming village with streets lined with cork elms that was founded in 1839 by German Lutherans, about 45 minutes by bus from Adelaide. We immediately encountered a group of third and fourth graders who were involved in a project called Heartstrings & Happiness. A local artist had designed a town center from cardboard, and each child had created a home from a cardboard box that would bring the child happiness. The students were both creative and enthusiastic in their endeavors so we enjoyed our time with them very much.

Then we strolled the main street, popping in many of the wonderful and unique shops. In the Leathersmith & Bush Gallery, Ken purchased a leather glass holder honoring his hero, Ned Kelly, the original bush ranger who was hanged in Melbourne. Joe bought a handmade leather belt while Ginger selected a woven basket used by the indigenous women when they gathered small fruits and vegetables that she will use an evening bag, and a necklace strung with native seeds and nuts. We enjoyed German beers and admired the old-fashioned cottages with their German touches. Time really does fly when you are having fun, and before we knew it, we had to catch the bus back to Adelaide so we could make the last shuttle to Port Adelaide.

(While everyone commended Sara for getting us to the last shuttle on time, the real story is that Sara misread the bus schedule so we ended up catching the last possible bus from Hanhdorf to Adelaide. Fortunately, she was befriended on that bus by an Adelaide businessman who made sure we got off at the right stop and told her the shortest route to the shuttle. So don't tell Sara's traveling companions who think she is such a skilled navigator.)

The overall atmosphere of the day was comfortable yet sophisticated. Adelaide bills itself as "Australia's most relaxed city," and it certainly lives up to its publicity, which was a nice contrast to the vibrancy and excitement of Sydney. With its wonderful welcoming ambassadors, it deserves more tours and cruise ships. If we have the opportunity to visit Adelaide again, we would like to see the Cleland Conservation Park, a wildlife reserve on the slopes of Mt. Lofty, which offers a true bush experience with kangaroos, wallabies, emus, cockatoos and dingos. When we sailed away, we were sorry to say "farewell" to such a charming city.