Charmers Blessing

Wollongong Here We Come

Today on our road trip the goal was to cross off two things on my bucket list.

1. photograph the moon raising. 

2. visit the Fo Guang Shan Nan Tien Temple. 

Before we left I went online checking and did a bit of plan.
So on the website for the Temple said to allow 2 - 3 hours to walk around. The moon rises at 8:35. I found about the  Breakwater Battery Museum in Port Kembla, which I thought would be interesting.
So the plan was to go the Temple, have a look at the Museum and have dinner in Port Kembla then go and set ourselves up on the coastline to photography the moon rising.  Good Plan in action.
Checked my camera equipment. Printed map of Temple.

We left just after noon. looking out windows with all the clouds was getting worried with all the clouds. Maybe I may not get to photograph the moon. Excellent trip down. The signs to the Temple were good to make it easy to find.
Nan Tien Temple known as "Southern Paradise" is the largest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere. Opening hours are 9am - 5pm Tuesday - Sunday and all Public Holidays.  There is no cost to enter, There is a Donation box or you can make a offering.
A "Offering" originally refers to the offering of material good such as food and clothing to the triple Gem - Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, to our teachers parents and the deceased.

Arriving the car park was full, lucky for us getting a park spot just near the entrance. Decide to have to go the cafe first.  The cafe was very busy, a bit of a wait. 

At the front there's a bit of fencing, due to building a bridge over the highway. Wasn't really a problem. 

Having to remove shoes to enter the Shrines. Lol I had a hole in one of my shocks. Oops next time I go make sure I don't have any holes in my socks. The moment walking in its just so relaxing and tranquil.  No photos are to be taken inside the shrines. Waking around is so peaceful. There are a lot of different statues.

  As we walked around we could hear a bell ring every couple of minutes. We discovered on the top of the hill is a bell which you could ring.

As  my Dear Husband having a toilet break. I was standing waiting. I notice a young lady walk to the information desk. She was returning a wrap and shawl. As she had shorts and single top on. She couldn't enter the Shrines.  They will lend you a wrap and shawl to wear so you can enter the Shrines. It had taken us 2 and half hours to walk around.

Back in the car car we going. Heading into Port Kembla. Not really nice drive as it very industrial. Seems very old and dirty. We drive down the main st. It was dead, all the shops were closed. we got bit lost. The GPS Navigation took us round in circles. There were no signs to the Breakwater Battery Museum. We arrived where we though was the museum but later on found out we were at the Port Kembla Lookout Hill 60

I was a bit disappointed, it wasn't much. But walked to the top of the building. Wow what a view. 360 degrees view. amazing. 

Due to none thing open we decided to go into Wollangang. First we went to the lighthouses. 

The area was very busy. lucky to get a park. I just love lighthouses. Something about them makes my heart move.

 Built 1936 to guide maritime traffic into Port Kembla Harbour located to the south. The light is coloured white and red. White with a 4.5 second duration is visible through 100 degrees, while red is visible through 80 degrees. The latter indicates the presence of shallow water. Three 68 pounder cannons (now defunct) were installed near its base in 1879 to repel any possible attacks by the Russian navy. It finally became the sole functioning lighthouse at Flagstaff Point,

Belmore Basin's Lighthouse the Breakwater Lighthouse is located on Wollongong breakwater was commissioned 1872. The height of tower is 42 feet (12.8 metres). 

This now disused lighthouse was initially powered by vegetable oils and in the 1910s by gas. It was a prefabricated structure. A larger, improved lighthouse on the headland replaced it in the 1930s.

There is no access inside the lighthouse.

By now we had worked up appetite. What to have for dinner. Fish n Chips of course. We saw a sign for a cafe. So we walked along to the Yachtie Cafe. No fish n chips on the menu only burgers. So we decide to drive around to find somewhere. Didn't have to drive far and found  levendi. Very busy. We were lucky to get a table out the front. Woo hoo we got our fish n chips. Seating looking at the basin. Lighthouses and boats. A prefect ending to a prefect day. Just now to photography the moon.

I decide to position myself near back lighthouse. We had hour to kill. Sitting the car talking. Watching young ones arrive and leave. I would say it's a popular hang out for them. As their headlights shinning we could see rats running around.

8:25pm comes around. Time to set myself up. It's dark, cold and windy. But the moon decided not to show it self. Stayed until 8:45. Called it a night. Packed up. Headed home. Feeling disappointed. 

I said to Dear Husband  " you want to bet we get home and the moon will show up"

And guess who showed up. the moon. A end to a wonderful Day. So one think tick off the bucket list.