Cocktails and Mountains

Day 16 of the Blackhurst Advent Cocktail Calendar was a Cosmonaut. The recipe calls for rasberry jam, but Him Outdoors didn't think it looked dark enough, so we did another one with home-made pomegranate syrup, which he feels improved the colour and flavour. 

Look how creative and artsy I'm getting with the backdrops to the calendar! Day 17 was a Ransome Note Martini (a mead-based cocktail), with which we celebrated Litha a few days early with friends. 

Day 18 was a Christmas Gimlet - we're getting into the truly festive side now, and we also had a friend to visit so we shared. 

Day 19 was a Greek Jellybean. Of course, Him Outdoors thought this looked very Burnley, so he couldn't pass up the opportunity to make another one of a different hue and model them together. 

As we were heading away for a couple of days, we completed two of our advent jigsaw puzzle cat squares in advance. 

We were headed to The Blue Mountains for the weekend before Christmas and Him Outdoors' birthday, so we went via Kanangra Walls at Kanangra-Boyd National Park.

The old stock routes from the Burragorang Valley passed by this spot. These routes also provided a way for travellers and settlers to get together and celebrate. Kanangra provided a central location for a meeting place for the far-flung settlers. So much so that in 1891 a dance platform was erected in the cave. The old timbers have since rotted away, or burnt in camp fires, but the cave is still a popular shelter for bushwalkers. 

Dance Hall Cave

We were staying at The Carrington Hotel. I have always wanted to stay at this beautiful Art Deco building, and I wasn't disappointed. 

The Blackhurst Advent Cocktail Calendar Day 20 was a Devonshire Sour (Mountain Devil Magic Gin, raspberry liqueur, vanilla liqueur, aquafaba, sugar syrup and blackberry jam) - apparently they taste even better when someone else makes them!

I also had a Bloody Mary and he had a Rusty Nail - trying out the traditional cocktails at the delightful cocktail bar. 

We then strolled through Katoomba to the Mountain Culture Brewery. Whereas we had really enjoyed this last time, we felt a little disappointed here as nearly all the beers seemed to be hazies, and the food wasn't that great either. 

And so we returned to The Carrington for a nightcap. 

My knee is causing problems so I couldn't handle a long walk with multiple ups and downs. Accordingly in the morning, we tackled the Prince Henry Cliff Walk, which ambles along the top.

The Three Sisters

This sculpture in Lilianfels Park is 'to commemorate and celebrate the stories and history of the men who built the road across the Blue Mountains in NSW in 1814.' After the successful crossing of The Blue Mountains by settlers, Governor Lachlan Macquarie commissioned William Cox to oversee the construction of the road from Emu Plains to Bathhurst (1814-1815).

The thirty convicts in his working party were chosen because they looked capable of hard work, and their reward was to be their freedom. They made 101 miles (163km) of road through rugged mountain country, building over a dozen bridges and splitting hundreds of posts and rails in six months without serious accident or loss of life. The original team of roadbuilders (convicts) under William Cox did not have to wear 'irons' but they were used on maintennace teams after initial construction was finished. 

Our next engagement was afternoon tea at the Hydro Majestic, so we made our way there to enjoy the decadence. 

After all that food, we wandered through the building admiring the design and decor.

There is a quirky mix of colonial and oriental styles, and the long corridors, built on an incline, give the impression of a train. I half expected an Agatha Christie character to pop up and announce a murder. 

Cat's Alley featuring animal paintings by Arnold Alois Zimmerman

We drove back to our accommodation and then walked to The Factory Bar across the railway, past the rather beautiful Peace Memorial, sculpted by Blue Mountains artist, Tom Coley, from black granite. This serene work of art, donated to the town of Katoomba by the artist in 2008, is believed to be Australia's first public peace memorial. The inscription reads, 'May you have happiness and wisdom in your life'. Words to live by.

At The Factory Bar, they make cocktails from their own Blue Mountain Gin. We told them about our Blackhurst Cocktail Advent Calendar, and the barman made us one for Day 21, a Megalong, made with Mountain Devil Magic Gin, fresh lemon juice and soda water, garnished with mixed berries and citrus for a refreshing finish.

And then I had an intermediate, just for fun.

Because today has largely focussed on food and drink, we continued the theme with dinner at Tempus, described as a restaurant for modern Australia. It involves shared dishes and was absolutely delicious.

Tuna carpaccio with sour cream, radish, lemon, capers, sesame and paprika

Salt roasted beetroot with almond tarator and seedy crunch

Duck breast with rhubarb, red cabbage, orange and port.

Asparagus, fennel, orange vinagarette and toasted nuts

Fortunately, the hotel was just over the road so we could almost roll home and fall into bed. 

There has been weather overnight - it is a good job we saw the Three Sisters and the Blue Mountains yesterday as they seem to have vanished today.

We said goodbye to the beautiful hotel, went for a walk around Leura, and came home to the last cocktail of the week. 

Blackhurst Advent Cocktail Calendar Day 22: East 8 Hold Up - vodka; aperol; pineapple juice; fresh lime juice; simple syrup; passionfruit syrup. Once again, we had a guest - hence the three glasses. I'm not saying that people need an incentive to visit, but...

And the cat jigsaw puzzle calendar also continues.

This last meme amused me as we head into the final stretch.