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This week and next Fun Photo Friday I’ll be presenting favorites of both Puffing Billy (hope you’re not sick of that yet) and Yarra Valley:
Peaceful Looking Yarra Valley
Ursula Sending a Letter to a Grandson
Puffing Billy Puffing Away
Yerring Farm Wines — An Old West Look from Down Under
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Filed under Fun Photo Friday, Photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, vacation
Yarra Valley orchard
Today I’m going to show you an absolutely enchanting chocolate shop that produces some truly great chocolates. Here, deep within the Yarra Valley, not far from Yarra Glen in the state of Victoria, is Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery. This shop is massive!
Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery
Our tour guide informed us that this is a weekend destination for families, and I could see why. It’s like a candy shop for kids. Oh, wait. It is a candy shop for kids . . . and adults.
Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery
Easter was approaching, so you just know there were chocolate Easter bunnies on hand:
Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery
You can see the factory portion of the shop behind the bunnies above. It was quite an operation. And the chocolates? Yes, they were as good as they looked. Ursula and I purchased quite the assortment thinking we might take some back to Radiance of the Seas, but they didn’t survive long enough to reach the exit.
Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery
The variety seemed nearly limitless:
Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery
So, we’d better head on back outside before more poundage packs the periphery. One last look at the surrounding sights:
Yarra Valley vineyards
Filed under Photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, vacation, Wine & Food
Puffing Billy pulling into Belgrave Station
After our Puffing Billy arrival into Belgrave Railway Station it was time to disembark and take a short stroll to our awaiting transportation into Australia’s Yarra Valley. As we exited the station, the lovely old vintage post “receiving pillar” below caught my eye. Note the nifty little brass “hand” handle near the bottom for opening it:
Vintage Post Office Receiving Pillar
And off we went. Along the way into the Yarra Valley (official Tourism Australia guide link here) we passed several vineyards. The one you see pictured below is from a winery I’ll present to you next week:
Yarra Valley vineyard (Yering Farm)
Our first stop on this segment of the trip was to a chocolate shop which I will present to you on Wednesday. From that shop’s grounds we got some beautiful scenes of the surrounding vineyards and orchards.
Yarra Valley panorama
Yarra Valley vineyards
Yarra Valley orchards
On Wednesday we’re going to explore the chocolate shop from which these photos were taken. Until then, I’ll just leave you with this bit of colorful statuary outside:
Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery
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Filed under Photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, vacation
Decisions — Murder in Paradise
Mystery novel available for Kindle
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The Globe — Murder in Luxury
Mystery novel available for Kindle
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R. Doug Wicker — Author 