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ACT, Austr, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canb, Lunch with friends, Pollen Restaurant, zucchini fritters
A lunch in August with friends
You know when you have heard and read about a particular place and you feel you really need to visit there?? Well the place I had heard about and wanted to visit was the restaurant at Canberra’s Botanic Gardens.
It’s called Pollen (good name really) and five friends and I met there one Sunday for a lunch for my birthday. I decided to walk to the restaurant which is about an hour and half from my home and about thirty-minutes into my walk my new (yes silly me wore new shoes) started to hurt so I rang my friends Ray and Nat and they kindly came and picked me up as they were coming along for lunch too.
From the car park, we walked through the Rainforest Gully Walk into the restaurant. I have been to the Botanic Gardens a couple of times before and it really is a lovely place to visit and take a gentle stroll around the plants for an hour or so.
The restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch and I recall thinking the breakfast menu looked a little better than the luncheon menu; more choice! But funnily enough I just took a look on-line to see the menu [to remind myself what we ate] and the luncheon menu looks better than when we visited. So perhaps another visit after a stroll around the gardens.
We sat inside but had lovely views of the rainforest area outside. Inside is really quite lovely too; rather old fashioned which is very sweet.
I think I would probably call this more a cafe than a restaurant as you receive your menu but have to order at the counter. Meals and drinks are brought over to you though by the waitress which is so much better than those cafes where they call out your number and you have to return to the counter to pick up your meal.
I ordered the zucchini puffs with salad and a tangy mayonnaise; rather big meal which was very tasty. My friend Mandy ordered the same but with an additional side of bacon.
My friend Jane’s husband Paul ordered a burger from memory which I forgot to photograph and Jane had the salmon nicoise salad which was a huge plate of salmon with sugar snap peas, sweet potato, olives, a poached egg with cherry tomatoes and Spanish onion then with a drizzle of green goddess dressing! As you can see pretty big meals for a Sunday lunch…
It’s a lovely little cafe and nice for a casual breakfast or lunch and must say the flower display near the front door was stunning!!
Today I also thought I would also introduce my beautiful little rescue dogs Axel and Bindi, who have lived together since they were born. I bought them from a rescue organisation about six weeks ago and we have fallen in love with each other. They are so [so] sweet and really quick learners.
Axel has a very funny little smile with crooked teeth, which he likes to display and sit up when he is allowed on the lounge (after the blanket is put down of course)…
And Bindi has had a nice hair cut for twice daily summer walks.
During our visit to our birthplace of Swansea, I used to exercise every morning which meant I would jog along the beach front and usually walk back to our apartment past the local homes; all whilst my brother and nephew slept.
It was usually in the wee hours of the morning so I guess that is why my brother and nephew were sleeping but it was such a lovely part of the day and sometimes I would see the locals out and about with their dogs; some of them enjoying the sea (dogs not the locals). And I guess jet lag played a huge part of me being out before 5am.
I know some people are not early risers but I certainly am and love getting out and about sometimes seeing the sunrise or just enjoying the quietness of the day. And the views this time of the day along the waterfront in Swansea were lovely.
Today I thought I would share the seashore of my hometown on my blog, as the photos have brought back many [many] lovely memories of me with my brother and mum down the beach before we emigrated to Australia. I must say though that this beach is so very different to some of the big surf beaches we have here in Australia; different but still lovely.
I worked in Sydney many years ago with Steve who has remained my friend since that time (some twenty-five years ago), and he has moved on becoming a partner with a large international company and comes to Canberra regularly. One day he invited me to High Tea with him and his family. I have had High Tea at two other hotels in Canberra, but not having been to this hotel for High Tea, I was looking forward to seeing Steve and Maree and meeting Sara and Ryan their children…and of course tasting the treats offered at a High Tea.
It was so lovely to see Steve and Maree and I loved meeting Sara and Ryan; who are both very lovely children. I felt an immediate connection with Sara as she has strong ethical values and is in the process of becoming a vegan. We chatted about that and her reasons for changing to this way of life.
And then they did…Steve, Maree and I shared a three tiered tray of warm scones, jam and clotted cream, all types of pastries, quiches and sandwiches [non vegetarian).
Sara and Ryan decided to order from the menu instead of having the High Tea which of course meant more for us!! So I tried the macaron, miniature pavlova and chocolate eclair – very nice!
After our champagne we each enjoyed a pot of tea; mine peppermint which was so refreshing as it was a pretty warm day. This was a great way to catch up over funny stories of working in Sydney and I think it’s very special to keep in contact with good friends. Steve and I might not see each other often but I know we have a lovely friendship and it was so special to meet his children.
If I had a choice I think my ideal High Tea in Canberra would be the Hyatt Hotel even though this was nice, I prefer the buffet at the Hyatt.
When my brother, nephew and I were in London, I booked a hop on-hop off bus tour through Big Bus Tours so we could see all the city and as the name suggests; hop off when we felt like it. I woke up early again (due to jet lag and did a jog around Kensington Gardens) and then after breakfast we walked up to the main street to catch the bus – really easy as there are so many stops to get on board.
There are a few lines to choose from and I chose the longer line that went past Madame Tussaud’s as my brother and nephew wanted to get off – I had said to them that I didn’t think it would be that great but they still wanted to go…mmm more about that later!
We sat upstairs on the open air bus even though it was a little cool but we had good views of everything.
Then it started to rain so we moved under the canopy but still remaining upstairs – I think it’s so much better to see the sights from the top of the bus…
And isn’t Big Ben just fabulous…even though it’s being refurbished, it still looks fab..just one of those incredible sights in the world you have to see…
What history London has and what incredible buildings…
My brother and nephew then left the bus to go visit Madame Tussades – who told me later that it was not really worth the visit…but they did have some favourites – royal family, Usain Bolt, Audrey Hepburn and Elvis – who they said were more lifelike!
But I am still on the bus enjoying the London sights…
And what history and sights there are, across the Thames…
Looking out at the amazing London Bridge…
And the Borough Markets building…
What a city….and after about two hours I decided to leave the bus and walk back to our Airbnb through the parks…great day!
Sue's Fabulous Travels 
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