Balmoral Arts Festival

When we were booked for the Balmoral Arts festival we had no idea where Balmoral was. After a quick consultation of a map, we devined that it was about 4 hours by car, east of Melbourne, and somewhere close to the South Australian border. After a few false starts, a side trip to a town that was definatly not on the route map, and several stops for refreshments, we finally arrived, just as the sun was setting and the kangaroos were out in full hop..What a sight it was for us city slickers. to be driving along a country road, to the accompaniament of a hopping kanga... or two...Its when your out in the bush, that you realise the extent of the drought gripping australia, the barren dry earth poking through the yellowing dry grass, that was once a green pasture. The festival was an event that was supposed to cheer up the locals of Balmoral, raise moral, and make them forget the awful tricks that the climate was playing on them..I thought to myslef, that a huge downpour of the liquid gold called rain, was the only thing that was going to make these people happy..Our accomodation was in the local pub, the central watering hole of the district. We were a bit uneasy as we walked into the bar, we've had some bad experiences in the past, out in the country regions of australia, where some drunken red neck has looked at the band members, and made some thoughless comments, or even worse, has made them unwelcome..NOT SO HERE..Balmoral has to be one of Australia's friendliest towns. Within minutes of sitting down, people had gathered around asking Jose where he was from, and where Bolivia was..what did he think about the new Bolivian president, was he a real inka, did he like australia, and countless other questions. Beers were thrust into his hands, songs were requested, and the conversation just kept flowing, with many people from the dining room coming in to meet the guys, and chat with them. We made some great freinds that night..including a generous man who after conversing with the guys, realised that they enjoyed a rabbit or two in the cooking pot. Next day he turned up to the festival, with an invite to his home, as the rabbits were stewing away on the stove..and the beers chilling. It was a great event, and we hope the people of Balmoral enjoyed our visit as much as we enjoyed visitng them..

Blamoral Arts Festival

When we were booked for the Balmoral Arts festival we had no idea where Balmoral was. After a quick consultation of a map, we devined that it was about 4 hours by car, east of Melbourne, and somewhere close to the South Australian border. After a few false starts, a side trip to a town that was definatly not on the route map, and several stops for refreshments, we finally arrived, just as the sun was setting and the kangaroos were out in full hop..What a sight it was for us city slickers. to be driving along a country road, to the accompaniament of a hopping kanga... or two...Its when your out in the bush, that you realise the extent of the drought gripping australia, the barren dry earth poking through the yellowing dry grass, that was once a green pasture. The festival was an event that was supposed to cheer up the locals of Balmoral, raise moral, and make them forget the awful tricks that the climate was playing on them..I thought to myslef, that a huge downpour of the liquid gold called rain, was the only thing that was going to make these people happy..Our accomodation was in the local pub, the central watering hole of the district. We were a bit uneasy as we walked into the bar, we've had some bad experiences in the past, out in the country regions of australia, where some drunken red neck has looked at the band members, and made some thoughless comments, or even worse, has made them unwelcome..NOT SO HERE..Balmoral has to be one of Australia's friendliest towns. Within minutes of sitting down, people had gathered around asking Jose where he was from, and where Bolivia was..what did he think about the new Bolivian president, was he a real inka, did he like australia, and countless other questions. Beers were thrust into his hands, songs were requested, and the conversation just kept flowing, with many people from the dining room coming in to meet the guys, and chat with them. We made some great freinds that night..including a generous man who after conversing with the guys, realised that they enjoyed a rabbit or two in the cooking pot. Next day he turned up to the festival, with an invite to his home, as the rabbits were stewing away on the stove..and the beers chilling. It was a great event, and we hope the people of Balmoral enjoyed our visit as much as we enjoyed visitng them..

austrian club annual event

A day of merriment and entertainment was held at the Austrian club in Heidlburg Melbourne Australia. Thiss annual event is very multicultural, with muisc from all over the globe being featured, as well as the traditional Austrian slapping and clapping music..The band had a great day, with a tempting array of schnapps to choose from, the beer was great, and the food even better.