ROYAL EASTER SHOW 2015

Ahhh! Yes!

You can't beat Italian food!

When I see signage like that - good Italian food! I have to eat from there! And Robyn is of the same opinion. Such Panini! Such Prosciutto - magnificent! But first we had some exploring to do!All the usual things - that is what the Show is all about - it's a ritual - and you don't mess with rituals, right? Amen! I hear you say!

So , off to the Roses displayed and we agree that the new site reduced volume of Roses and other flowers is totally inferior to what used to be seen at the old Moore Park Showground. While we were there some judging was in progress and one of the judges had almost as much gold badging hanging off his suit coat as a North Vietnamese Army General (those blokes are really comical!). The on to the Arts and Crafts. Robyn was very good, neatly restraining her Quilt Mania while we patrolled up and down interminable rows of indifferent to appalling Art and Photography - definitely poorer quality than in previous years (though I missed 2014) and on balance even inferior to some years at the Ekka in Brisbane.

The cakes displayed were interesting -if somewhat the worse for wear after a week or more on display . Surprising how many were baked by Men!

Finally we found the Quilts one of the winners was known to Robyn. The standard was I think quite high in most cases - but the display was inferior with most Quilts at least partially folded.

By this time we find our way back to the Panini stand - Papa's Bianco  and head out to the Wood Chopping to watch while we eat.

Logs arrive wrapped in plastic!

These blokes are serious - look at the array of Axes!

We saw only two Axemen with decent physiques - not in any of the photos.

Most axemen seem to rely on  bulk and brawn.

These blokes are in full swing and chips are flying!

The axemen are identified on a State and Country basis - several New Zullanders are there and one American. For the first time in all my years of watching the Wood Chopping , we see one axeman unable to cut into his log very far - and after trying THREE axes he gives up ! Maybe it turned out to be Ironbark ! I don't know.

We return to the Exhibition Halls and come across a NSW Transport stand and this little gem :

A 1938 advertisement featuring a 36 Class Steam Loco hauling an express train on a Mug - must have! But to-day's budget did not allow for it - so I shall have to buy one on the Net in the fullness of time.

Somewhere in the midst of all this we had a peek at the show jumping horses in the main arena , but we caught the very end of the jumps so we did not see much.

Then we headed to the dome pavilion to see the District Agricultural Exhibits. This year being the Centenary of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli the exhibits adopted that theme with varying degrees of success. And the winner is - South East Queensland :

Quality produce is used to make up the displays.

First Prize for Display -Trophy and Ribbon.

Quite impressive

And the Second Prize went to the Western Districts of New South Wales - also very well done. 

Also very well done.

 After all this Agricultural and Patriotic excellence, it was time for some more earthy commercialism and so we headed to the Woolworth's "TASTE" Stand and acquired their "special" offer of two Show Bags for $15 . It is the best buy on the Show Ground  - about four of the Thirty or so items -95% useful - covered the total cost. Lots of goodies there.

Then we headed to the Showbag Pavillion proper and made some purchases which are to surprise in another place so I can't say anything about that save that Robyn succumbed to her Licorice addiction and I to my chocolate addiction.(Just one bag!)

By then we were tired out and headed for the train which got us back to Fort Duff in double quick time - tired but happy!