Walk along Mike Turtur Bikeway - 2014 July 27

We took our dog for a walk along the Mike Turtur Bikeway from Glenelg to where it hits Cross Road.  A very enjoyable walk that traverses along the tramway and along the way there are some very cool "action-inspired sculptural figures" by Greg Healey & Gregg Mitchell (according to the council info).

Here are some of the sculptures that we found along the way.

Starting off at Glenelg near Brighton Road we came across this Giraffe.

 

Along the way, there were "people" made of "bike chain". Very cleverly done.

Just out walking their dog
On the footpath you can see horseshoes marks from "horses running past"
out the front of the Morphettville Race Course.  A nice touch, I think

 

Red is taking a stretch

Green showing its stretching style too

My favourite one, sitting watching the people pass by



Close up of "The Sitter"

 

Running late for the tram



More walking the dog up by Cross Road.

Can the real dog please sit?

Letting the sculptures take our Foxhound, Murphy for a short walk

Back at the Brighton Road end they have put up this public bike work station.

Complete with pump, stand and work tools.  Great idea.

Public bike work station

The bikeway goes all the way from Glenelg to Adelaide.

Worth a walk or ride.

 



Sir Tony Robinson's Tour of Duty History Channel - Hahndorf Shoot - 2014-04-12

Sir Tony Robinson of Time Walks, Time Team & Baldrick of the Black Adder Series is currently shooting in Australia and New Zealand the next TV series for the History Channel called Tour of Duty.

 

Today he was in Hahndorf here in South Australia.  We decided to go and have look to see how an episode is done.  Also to see another Sir (have also seen Sir Bill Oddie of the Goodies fame).

 

Was really interesting.  Thought we'd be "watching from the outside", but the next thing we know we were among the people crowding around as the "audience".

 

So I can say "I'm on TV"!!  Well, have to wait till January 2015 to see.

This is the show that it was being filmed



Sir Tony Robinson having some pre-shooting photos



He was practising his craft here not complaining
(funny how a photo can make something look like something completely else)

The next few photos are of Sir Tony just standing, going over his lines and how he feels to present it.  A true professional. The director is getting everything else ready for the shoot in the background.

 





 

 

It was interesting to see how much preparation there was prior to actual shooting

 

That's the boom camera in the foreground.
Was fascinating watching it being setup and used.



Getting crowd shots as Sir Tony is mic'ed up in the background



Like this shot as is gives a great vision of behind the scenes setup with
Sir Tony on the platform looking at the Hahndorf Town Band



Getting the shot prepared, or was he saying how big the fish was, or has he taken up opera?



Before the shooting began the director & Sir Tony explained to the crowd
what was going to happen and things that we should be prepared for and do.

 

Sir Tony was explaining (& quite relaxed and funny) what to do.
Although it looks like he's scalding us (not true though)



About to hand over the mic to the director so shooting can begin!


It was fun to see the number of takes (usually 3) for each little segment of the intro.  All to get different camera angles and shots.  Overall, closeup, crowd etc.  Each time we had to be as if we hadn't heard it before.  Quite fascinating on how it works and all good fun. 

There are no shots of the actual shoot, as I thought that wouldn't be right.  Besides it was too much fun being a part of it.

Between the next shoot, I took some photos of the autumn leaves of the many trees that line the main road of Hahndorf.   

 

 

The intro segment done & a small break.  Straight on with ..... the Closing segment!  For this we all had to move around to a different part in the crowd to make it look like it was done at the end and not directly after the Opening segment.

All up close for the shooting of the Closing segment

"Closing, Take 1 ......  Action"

Was a real fun time, in seeing how this was shot.  Can not wait till January to see the edited production piece.

So look out for the History Channel - Tony Robinson's Tour of Duty!

 

 

Big-G-Les & Helga's Nov 2013 New Zealand Trip

Time for some fun

 

On our recent trip to New Zealand, we took our "alter egos" Big-G-Les & Helga with us for some fun.  It felt a bit weird taking photos of the Lego figures, but we got use to it and soon they took on a life on their own.  Wherever we went, they went too.

 

Anyway, this is their trip.

 

Adelaide Airport - Big-G-Les observing the Air New Zealand A320 getting ready to fly him to Auckland

 Enjoying the view at Auckland Harbour with the City Sky Tower in the background

Another view of Auckland Harbour
with the Emirates NZ America's Cup complex in background

Big-G-Les & Helga showing no fear by lying on the glass walk panels in the
observation level of the City Sky Tower
In the middle there is a red target where the bungee jumpers aim for

Time to relax at the Belgium Beer Bar at Mission Bay
Helga's all ready

Helga going in head fisrt trying to get to the last drops, while Big-G-Les secretly tries on her helmet

Big-G-Les on the hunt for the Kasteel Blond 7 beer
Not too happy that this bottle is empty

Found it, the beer!!!!!

Beer goggles on, ready to dive in!

 

Can someone stop the table from spinning!!!!

Next day both have recovered from their hangover & visited the Maritime Museum. Here they are standing in front of a replica model which is in front of the actual New Zealand 1995 America Cup winner NZL32 "Black Magic" They seem impressed!



Now in awe of standing in front of the 1995 replica cup

Boarding passes ready to go sailing on NZL41 on a wet (to the point of hail) and near windless day (unfortunately)
Both Big-G-Les & Helga felt a bit queezy before boarding so they stayed on shore

Posing in front of the penguin enclose at the wonderful Kelly Tarlton Sea Life Aquarium
Who knew Gentoo Penguins knew how to photobomb!!
 

 

They visited the Split Enz exhibit at Te Awamutu, home of the Finn brothers.
Big-G-Les getting ready with the record player arm

Big-G-Les & Helga partying on side one

 

Our accommodation, the rear of a Bristol Freighter in Waitomo
(it was fully fitted out as an apartment, nice too)

Big-G-Les making sure he observes the warning above the door to the apartment

View out of the apartment.
This is the last known photo of Big-G-Les with is goggles.

Posing in front of a hot spring in Rotorua
Good thing they don't have noses so they couldn't smell the sulphur

Helga making sure Big-G-Les doesn't step off into the hot springs in the spectacular Waimangu Volcanic Valley

Relaxing and getting ready for a mud spa at Hells Gate in Rotorua





Half way from Christchurch to Blenheim Big-G-Les & Helga
demanded to go for a stroll along the shore

Helga seems to be enjoying being back near the sea

Might just borrow this Hurricane

Got him, a Ju87

 

Enjoying some more of the wonderful New Zealand beer in  Blenheim.
Seems to be a bit of theme here with these two.... 

Helga & Big-G-Les trying to comprehend at the devastation in Christchurch of the
2011 earthquake from the hotel window

 

Big-G-Les stands by the safety fencing at the Christchurch War Memorial Bridge of Remembrance

Big-G-:Les feeling not so big in one of the fun oversized street furniture in Christchurch

 

Big-G-Les making sure the car is in Sports Mode while heading down to Ashburton

 

Back in Christchurch for one last beer (err dinner) before heading back home to Australia

Big-G-Les feeling a bit blurry having to wake up a 3:26AM so he can get to Christchurch Airport for the flight home to Australia



It seemed a bit funny taking pictures of Lego figures at the start, but after a short while it became quite fun.  You should try it sometime.