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May 09, 2003
Its been a quick trip through the Fleurieu Peninsula down to Victor Harbor to take the clothes down to the holiday house that cannot fit in the high tech townhouse in Adelaide. Since Suzanne is still on holidays we had a quick lunch in McLaren Vale. It was lunch since it just was not possible to drop into Russell's Pizza Cottage in Willunga on Friday night----bookings are required weeks in advance for this place. We fantasized about buying things for the townhouse even though the mortgage took all the money.
It was gorgeous autumn weather---still, sunny and warm. Not a hint of the winter chill and rain coming in from the Adelaide Hills. The vines in McLaren Vale glistened in the summer sun. There were signs signifying the odd Sea and Vines festival, which is centred around chilled white wine and crisp seafood dishes in the middle of June. Its all about quality where the sea meets the vines ----thats the marketing slogan for the region. Its not much of a tourist marketing hook.
McLaren Vale is a wine region in search of a regional identity. Unlike the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale still lacks a clear, unified identity beyond the current focus on quality, freshness and casual. The search for identity focuses on the food not the art of local artists. They have yet to understand that cultural tourism is more than food and wine and wooden boats.
A shower of rain had just passed over the coast. The air was fresh. Squalls of rain were on the horizon. Upon arrival at the holiday house I turned the computer I discovered emails asking me to do lots of work. There goes our weekend and visit to Second Valley.
Suzanne went shopping for food. I took the dogs for a walk along the cliff tops to their favourite beach west of the Bluff and Petrel Cove.
Such is life in a tourist world. Its part of our identity now.
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