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Easter Monday The Swan Valley TrailReally this is a winery trail but we found enough places to visit and fill 5 hrs.We did intend to have lunch at a winery and I am sure we will one day but not today.We called at one but the meals were very expensive for lunchtime and there was a 15% public holiday surcharge.We stopped at a complex which had a winery, brewery, pottery and teashop. The teashop seemed reasonable and no surcharge.We decided on an entrée each anticipating an afternoon of chocolate, ice cream and nougat tasting but the entrée were as big as a mail meal and more than enough for us.This is our last night in Fremantle and we are hoping to set of early tomorrow to New Norcia which is the only monastery town in Australia and 2 people have told us not miss it.Tuesday 25th. March Jurien BayWe have moved up the coast and are staying at Jurien Bay in a caravan site right on the beach.Unfortunately we got here too late and too tired to look at the beach but we are promised pristine sands and turquoise sea we are also promised showers and thunder storms.On the way we stopped at New Norcia a Benedictinemonastery one of 6 in Australia the difference with New Norcia is it is a monastery town.There are 15 monks here now and they own everything including a 20,000 acre estate, a hotel, a roadhouse a total of 60 buildings 30 of which are national trust listed. They did at one time lease and farm 900,000 acres. They employ a farm manager and farm advisor and the farm is run very commercially. We went on the 2 hr town walk which was very interesting and there is also usually the opportunity to join the monks in prayer but today they weren't there and 3 of their devotions had been cancelled because of all things they had gone on a picnic.It seems they have about 4 a year and have taken one today because they have had such a busy Easter. You can stay either at the hotel or at the monastery itself but the trouble with the second option is men only are allowed to eat with the monks the women have a separate dining room.No comment
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