Welcome to Nimbin... USA style

One of sebastopol's churches
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Welcome to Sebastopol, an 'Artist Community' 20 mins west of Santa Rosa.

Travelling with my best friends husband is fabulous; if you want to learn a little bit of spanish and a little bit of the area's history. According to Jorge (the afore mentioned husband), in the time of ultra-conservatism in the US, hippies were being 'forced' out of the major cities and into the surrounding rural areas where they could llive free from the tyranny of the John Howards of the world. The result of this move to small town areas ment that some small towns in the USA are not as conservative as you may belive small towns are more likely to be. Sebastopol is one such haven for free thinkers.

Charters Towers was on the map!

Sebastopol's town square
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Awash with 'alternative stores', book and art shops, galleris, a retro rock'n'roll music store and an organic food market, Sebastopol has a gorgeous feel about it. The inhabitants are genuinly welcoming as they chat in outdoor cafe surroundings sipping on a fine white wine or rich aromatic coffee, decked out in clay dyed organic cotton, free flowing attire. In the centre of the township is a square park which is strangly reminiscent of ancient Greece. Seats are plentiful and most are shaded during the hottest time of the day. The water fountain and wind in the mapel and pine trees drowns out the traffic on either side. In all corners of the park people are meeting and talking, sitting on the stone steps of the pagoda or sitting together sipping coffee whilst passionately discussing whatever topic is pertanent to that particular group at that particular time. A great way to pass the time and the day.

C is for Cookie
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Things to mention; Screaming Mimi's is an ice-cream parlor which you simply have to visit. Delicious! And on their wall is a map of the world that they request you stick a pin in if you are from out of town. I was bowled over when I noticed Charters Towers was on the map! Needless to say if you ever visit Screaming Mimi's you will see a purple pin stuck right through the Charters Towers dot. That's me and I had the Rasberry sorbet and chocolate.

Two other places worth a visit while you are there is the Cookie Co shop and the La Dolce V Chocolate Shop. One word : YUM

Autumn foliage in Sebastopol
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Jorge also took me too my first Elsalvadorian resturant where I sampled tameles and pupusa's. Again, very tasty.