tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47037294280409283322024-03-19T00:19:32.299+11:00AerohavenoA Travel BlogTim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.comBlogger6101550tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-46363835659193283082020-03-04T06:00:00.000+11:002020-03-04T06:00:04.632+11:00All Change!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is the final post here at <i>Aerohaveno</i>, the travel blog I've written since this very month back in 2008.<br />
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But don't fret! The moment has been prepared for. I'll now be writing regular travel-related posts at my own Patreon site, which you can find at <a href="https://www.patreon.com/timrichards" target="_blank">patreon.com/timrichards</a>.<br />
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I'm feeling very enthusiastic about my new platform. I'm making a point of writing fresh new material for each Patreon post, trying always to imbue it with the energy and excitement that characterises travel.<br />
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Each week on my Patreon site, I'll be posting three types of post:<br />
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<li><b>Express</b>. This will be my main post each week, dealing with a range of travel topics.</li>
<li><b>Dateline</b>. This will be a timely post about the place I'm currently in, whether that's Melbourne or overseas.</li>
<li><b>Image of the Week</b>. This will be an eye-catching photo I've taken at some point of my travels, with a mini-essay in which I comment on its significance.</li>
</ol>
So that's it! Thank you and good night from <i>Aerohaveno</i>, while the red carpet is rolled out for you at <a href="https://www.patreon.com/timrichards" target="_blank">Tim Richards: Travel Writer</a>. Please visit me now at <a href="https://www.patreon.com/timrichards" target="_blank">patreon.com/timrichards</a>, and take a look around. I hope you'll like what you see, and sign up. I look forward to seeing you there.<br />
<br />
Tim Richards<br />
Melbourne<br />
March 2020Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-89363556103341124032020-02-28T06:00:00.000+11:002020-02-28T06:00:02.826+11:00Friday Night in Freo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>On this trip I was hosted by Tourism Western Australia and Journey Beyond.</i><br />
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When I was a schoolkid in Perth, I used to visit Fremantle on weekend leave from my boarding school. As an adult, I lived there for a while. In recent years, I've visited it as a travel writer and sometimes wondered "Why did I leave?"<br />
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As you might have guessed, it's a magic place. Quite unlike its flashy upriver cousin, the Perth CBD, Freo is a harmonious collection of 19th century colonial architecture.<br />
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It was a small port town that became prosperous without building too high, then went through hard times before becoming prosperous again.<br />
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Last Friday night I was in Fremantle once more, spending a night there before heading to East Perth to join the 50th anniversary journey of the Indian Pacific train to Sydney.<br />
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It was a very Freo evening.<br />
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It started at the rooftop of the National Hotel, a historic pub which was burnt out over a decade ago, but was painstakingly restored and reopened by new owners. It has accommodation now, above the bar and restaurant, and above that is a marvellous rooftop bar, where I drank the spectacular gin and tonic pictured above.<br />
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The bar is a great space, a broad deck which is high enough in this low-rise port city to give a view of almost every part of Fremantle: the handsome sandstone-faced buildings, the thrusting Port Authority tower, the curving Maritime Museum, the riverside docks and their cranes, the Indian Ocean with a glimpse of Rottnest Island beyond.<br />
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After my drink I had dinner at the Capri, an Italian restaurant which has been open on this spot (and looking much the same) since 1954. I had a great view from its front window over South Terrace...<br />
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Once I'd finished dinner, I walked back to my bed at the pub and marvelled at how little central Freo had changed in all the years since I'd lived there. So many of the businesses had been there for twenty years or more: Mexican Kitchen, Nick's Place (souvlaki), Dome café, Sandrino (pizza), the Newport Hotel.<br />
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There was even a Timezone video game arcade, damn it. What was this, 1989?<br />
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When I woke up the following morning, I was rewarded with this view of marvellous High Street, with its collection of beautiful colonial architecture stretching down to the 1831 Round House, the settlement's first prison.<br />
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To be frank, I wasn't sure if Freo's lack of change was a product of pride in its heritage, or of economic malaise. But I was glad it had retained its charms. At last so I can keep going back and wondering what might have been.<br />
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<i><b>Thanks for reading. For news of an important change regarding the future of this blog, come back next week!</b></i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-22491800759601152992020-02-21T06:00:00.000+11:002020-02-21T12:43:43.111+11:00A Cornish Day Gone Wrong... Then Right<i>On this trip I was hosted by Visit Britain.</i><br />
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Everyone has a day on their travels that doesn't go to plan. Many days, possibly. Even travel writers have days that don't go to plan - we have a self-mocking expression for it on Twitter: "I'm a travel expert, ask me anything!"<br />
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One day that didn't go to plan for me was in late May, in Cornwall, UK. I'd arrived in Penzance the previous day by train from London, and the day before that I'd taken trains all the way from Zürich to London, via Paris.<br />
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Unfortunately I'd brought something with me from Switzerland - a nasty cold. So I set out by foot from my hotel in Marazion, outside Penzance, hoping I could shrug it off as I walked to the big local attraction, St Michael's Mount - which I could see from my hotel, the Mount Haven:<br />
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It was a pleasant stroll through the village, down to the shore, then across the stone causeway which is accessible at low tide:<br />
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Once I was on the island, I pottered around looking at displays about its history, from its medieval monastery era through to the present day. I then sat down on the grass in the sunshine, bracing myself to ascend the uneven stone steps which led to the castle at the top of the island.<br />
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Except... I couldn't. Sitting on the grass in the sun, listening to storytellers telling kids about the legend of the mythical giant of the island, I realised I felt far too ill to clamber up the steps, especially on this busy long weekend when there was a long wait time to proceed through the castle's decorative interiors.<br />
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So I wandered around to the gardens on the far side of the island instead, enjoyed the sloping greenery as best I could, then walked to the harbour to catch a boat back to the mainland with a bunch of Brits and a dog.<br />
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I felt a bit defeated by my inability to fully explore the island, but I also felt sorry for myself for being ill. Then, on the way back to the Mount Haven, I passed a pub which was far enough from the Mount to be outside the tourist crush - the Fire Engine Inn:<br />
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I couldn't have asked for a better place to heal. I took a comfortable seat facing the bar, was served fish & chips and beer by the friendly staff, and sat quietly; still feeling ill, but less harrowed by crowds.<br />
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It was good. Sometimes a British pub is the best place in the world to be.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-23017645204808055022020-02-10T13:10:00.001+11:002020-02-10T14:10:09.713+11:00Vancouver Movie Month Competition! And the City's Curious Places...It's <b>Vancouver Movie Month</b> here in Melbourne, Australia, and the Rooftop Cinema is screening a selection of the many movies shot in the Canadian city. <a href="https://rooftopcinema.com.au/" target="_blank">You can see the movies here - marked with "Made in Vancouver".</a><br />
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As part of the event, Tourism Vancouver has kindly provided a <b>free double pass</b> to any of the Vancouver Movie Month screenings, to be won by one of my readers. <br />
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To enter, read the post below then leave your name and email address (or phone number, if you prefer) in the comments field below it <b>by 5pm Melbourne time on Tuesday 11 February 2020</b>. Don't worry, I'll keep your contact info confidential rather than publishing it to the world.<br />
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I'll print them out, place all the valid entries in a hat, and <a href="https://narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a> will ably assist as designated barrel girl to draw the winner. I'll then pass your contact details to the Tourism Vancouver PR team who will contact you with your prize.<br />
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Good luck! And now for something rather curious: an article I wrote after my first visit to Vancouver some years ago, hosted by Destination Canada. With updated details where necessary, I give you...<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Curious Vancouver</b></span><br />
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“In like Flynn!”<br />
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It’s an expression that beautifully sums up Errol Flynn’s attitude to life. Not only did the Tasmanian-born actor become one of Hollywood’s leading men in a series of action movies in the 1930s, but he also lived the rollicking life of a bad boy star.<br />
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Then he ended up dead on a slab in Vancouver.<br />
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I know this because I’m standing in the former autopsy room that’s part of the Canadian city’s <a href="https://vancouverpolicemuseum.ca/" target="_blank">Police Museum</a>.<br />
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On one wall is a macabre display of human body sections preserved in formaldehyde, with notes explaining how each victim died. Adjacent to these is a portrait of Flynn, with a replica of his autopsy report beside him.<br />
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Vancouver has a distinctly colourful past, having begun life as a wild logging town in the 19th century. As I wander its streets, I find even more curious items...<br />
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<b>Steam Clock.</b> This odd piece of street furniture is located in Gastown - the oldest part of Vancouver’s downtown area. At all hours of the day, you’ll find tourists snapping shots of this tall fixture which resembles Big Ben’s clock tower with steam pouring out of its top. It’s undeniablly appealing kitsch.<br />
<i>Corner of Water & Cambie Streets</i><br />
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<b>Japadog.</b> In front of the Sutton Place Hotel is the original location of <a href="http://www.japadog.com/" target="_blank">Japadog</a>, a hotdog stand selling Japanese-style dogs, topped with ingredients such as dried seaweed. The most popular dog is the beef terimayo, but I opt for the kurobuta terimayo (“Most highly prized pork!”). It’s tasty, and the seaweed adds a... unique flavour.<br />
<i>Corner Burrard and Smithe Streets, and other locations.</i><br />
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<b>Blood Alley. </b>Depending on who you talk to, this laneway got its name from a) executions; b) butchers’ shops; or c) a clever marketing idea. Whatever the truth, it’s full of rough-edged character as I walk along it, past brick walls and rusting fire escapes. Then, unwittingly, I stumble across <a href="http://www.salttastingroom.com/" target="_blank">Salt Tasting Room</a>, a smooth wine bar serving fine Canadian wine from the Okanagan Valley and beyond, with a view of the alley through its windows.<br />
<i>Blood Alley runs parallel to and between Water Street and W Cordova Street.</i><br />
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<b>Jimi Hendrix Shrine.</b> The late rocker may be remembered as a famous New Yorker, but he also spent time in Vancouver as a boy, living with his grandmother. His Canadian connection is commemorated in this shrine and its small adjacent garden, filled with Hendrix memorabilia.<br />
<i>209 Union St; currently closed pending renovation, scheduled to reopen 2022.</i><br />
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<b>Exotic World Museum.</b> In the back of an antiques shop, this curious collection of faded captioned photos, animal bones and wooden masks was assembled by the late Harold and Barbara Morgan over decades of travel. They’re still with the collection in spirit; I give a friendly nod to Harold and Barbara’s ashes, which I discover are housed in ornate boxes on a shelf above my head.<br />
<i>Inside Alexander Lamb Antiques, 3271 Main Street (Note: I've been unable to verify this museum still exists in 2020.)</i><br />
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<b>Sins of the City.</b> Strolling through Chinatown and the seedy Downtown Eastside, members of this <a href="https://vancouverpolicemuseum.ca/vpm/sins-of-the-city-tours/" target="_blank">history walking tour</a> hear commentary about gambling, opium dens, prostitution... and a captivating post-mortem tale about Errol Flynn’s body, which is unfortunately not suitable for readers who might be eating. I’ll leave you to discover the disgusting truth for yourself.<br />
<i>From 240 East Cordova St.</i><br />
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OK... it's time to enter the competition for those <b>two Vancouver Movie Month tickets</b>! Post your name and email address (and/or phone number) in the comments field below by 5pm Melbourne time on Tuesday 11 February 2020, and I'll post the successful winner's name here after it's drawn from a hat. Good luck and bonne chance!<i> </i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-69945322519436634952020-02-07T06:00:00.000+11:002020-02-07T06:00:09.251+11:00Darwin Under Fire<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>A few years ago I caught The Ghan train south from Darwin, courtesy of Tourism NT and Great Southern Rail. </i><br />
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<i>Before I left the city, however, I visited its Defence of Darwin Experience. As the resulting newspaper story is no longer online, I've re-presented it below for your enjoyment...</i> <br />
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I’m standing in front of a lone doorway, propped up with beams to stop it falling. Beyond it is the shell of a stone building, the fragments of its walls blackened with age.<br />
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This ruin, standing in a beautiful patch of lawn, could easily pass as a remnant of the Roman Empire. But it’s actually the remains of Darwin’s Old Town Hall, an 1883 structure which was totalled by Cyclone Tracy in 1974. Once a civic landmark, it stands now as a reminder to the ferocious power of nature.<br />
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However, 1974 was not the only time that Darwin was devastated from the air. In the morning of 19 February 1942, just ten weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbour, a huge force of Japanese aircraft bombed and strafed the unprepared town.<br />
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The bombing of Darwin was for many years obscured by the larger events of World War II, but in recent times has shot up several points in the national consciousness. In February 2012 the 70th anniversary of the attack gained wide media coverage; and people as diverse as Australia director Baz Luhrmann and former US President Barack Obama have drawn attention to it.<br />
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The concrete culmination of this awareness is the Defence of Darwin Experience, a high-tech facility at the Darwin Military Museum at East Point, north of the city centre. Comparing the new building to the museum’s existing exhibits is like comparing chalk and cheese – the outdoors military hardware with its neat captions is outshone by the richness of the new interactive experience within.<br />
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At the museum I ask director Dr Tom Lewis why the bombing of Darwin and subsequent Japanese raids were so important.<br />
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“It was the first time we had enemy attacks made on Australian soil - the first time they’d come and bombed the hell out of us in our own country,” says Dr Lewis. “Some of the raids penetrated as far south as Katherine, that’s 300 kilometres inland.”<br />
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Was the bombing a precursor to invasion? Dr Lewis thinks not. “They were basically designed to knock us off balance and to keep us busy defending. If we’re busy defending, we can’t attack. They thought they’d knock us out, they’d knock us back, the Americans wouldn’t come in strength and that would be enough. In the end they turned out to be wrong.”<br />
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Even so, it must have been a terrifying time in the remote town that was Darwin in 1942.<br />
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As I enter the Experience, I’m struck by the stark red, white and black colour scheme. The red carries a strong suggestion of conflict, but the first section focuses on the diversity of daily life in the pre-war town, with exhibited items such as a Chinese business sign, pearl-shell ornaments and a section of the vital submarine telegraph which linked Australia to the wider world.<br />
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There’s some fine use of oral history here, with screens replaying comments from locals who lived through those days, such as then shop assistant Alec Fong Lim. This is repeated throughout the museum, often with the same people giving their personal take on history.<br />
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The next room covers the build-up to war. The daunting scale of the preparations is neatly captured by the reminiscences of John Cassidy, a maritime engineer who offered his services to the Northern Territory Patrol Service in 1937, only to discover its headquarters was a tin shed. <br />
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A wall is taken up by a series of interactive video clips detailing Japan’s militarisation and expansion up to 1942. This is an excellent way to present essential background information, with plenty of illustrative images and maps, letting the viewer jump back and forth along the timeline and rewatch segments where necessary.<br />
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The stage is now set for the big event, the 19 February bombing. The key exhibit here is a large table at waist-height, on which is projected a huge photographic map of Darwin and its harbour.<br />
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As Japanese planes fly across the map and begin bombing, visitors can tap smaller screens on the edge of the table to activate audio reminiscences from people who were present. As they speak, a thick red line magically snakes across the map to highlight where they were standing as the bombs dropped.<br />
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There are some gripping stories here, including Able Seaman Bill Chapman’s terrifying account of his ship being bombed, and the devastation that followed.<br />
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This has all been very impressive; but the best is yet to come. Every 20 minutes a siren and flashing light activates above the entrance to the final large exhibition room, and its doors slide shut. Within this space a huge animated film, the Bombing of Darwin Experience, is projected across a series of glass panels. It’s brilliantly done, mixing cutting-edge computer graphics with period photography and an urgent soundscape.<br />
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One of the most memorable moments in the film is one of quiet contrast, however, as the Japanese pilots find their targets and their bombs begin to quietly drop through the blue sky as music plays softly in the background. This abruptly shifts to a crescendo of bomb blasts as a February morning is transformed into chaos and destruction.<br />
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It’s remarkably moving, an immersive experience which rolls back the decades and gives the viewer a sense of what it was like to stand in Darwin on that darkest of days. The film, like the museum it’s housed in, adds new meaning to the phrase “Lest we forget”.<br />
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Dr Lewis agrees. “There’s an awakening of the debt that we owe to World War II Australians. I call 1942 the year we nearly went out, because we were having disaster after disaster. The Darwin attack was only three months into the war, but for the first time Australians and Americans were standing shoulder to shoulder.”<br />
<i><br />The Defence of Darwin Experience is at 5434 Alec Fong Lim Drive, East Point, Darwin, Australia. Adult entry $20. Find more details at <a href="https://defenceofdarwin.nt.gov.au/" target="_blank">the museum's website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-87189867040004062322020-01-31T06:00:00.000+11:002020-01-31T06:00:07.782+11:00The Chinese Settlers of AraratJust before Christmas, Narrelle and I headed to Dunkeld to <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2020/01/dining-in-dunkeld.html">enjoy a stay at the Royal Mail Hotel</a>. To return to Melbourne, we caught a V/Line bus first to Ararat. <br />
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We had a few hours to kill before the afternoon train back to Melbourne, so we walked around to the Gum San Chinese Heritage Centre <i>(pictured above)</i>.<br />
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Like the Golden Dragon Museum in Bendigo and the Chinese Museum in Melbourne, the Gum San tells the story of Chinese migrants who sailed to Australia to join the 1850s gold rush.<br />
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But in Ararat that story comes with an interesting twist, because Chinese men landing at Melbourne were charged a head tax of £10 from 1855 (a hefty amount back then).<br />
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As a result, prospective Chinese gold miners began landing instead in South Australia and walking hundreds of kilometres to the diggings in Victoria.<br />
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In the case of Ararat, a group of these marching Chinese migrants were camped in the area on their way to the goldfields, and by luck discovered a gold lead.<br />
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Though they tried to keep it quiet, word spread and soon the area was crowded with diggers, giving birth to the Ararat township.<br />
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Thus, Ararat is said to be the only town in Australia to be founded by the Chinese - and this well-organised museum tells their story, from the gold rush days onwards.<br />
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It's a good reminder that Victoria was multicultural from its very earliest days as a British colony, as its gold rush era drew a huge, diverse crowd of prospectors from around the world, bringing their cultures with them.<br />
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It's a tradition that lives on... even in a place as far from the 'big smoke' as Ararat.<br />
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<i>The Gum San Heritage Centre is at 31 Lambert St, Ararat, Victoria, Australia. Open daily 11am-4pm, adult entry $12. See <a href="https://www.ararat.vic.gov.au/gumsan" target="_blank">its website</a> for more details.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-13834328906453125082020-01-24T06:00:00.000+11:002020-01-24T06:00:03.332+11:00Land Ho! By Ferry from Tasmania to Melbourne<i>On this trip I was hosted by Tourism Tasmania and MONA FOMA.</i><br />
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I've visited Tasmania many times over the years - eight times, in fact - and yet I'd never travelled to or from the island state by sea rather than air.<br />
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It was time to fix that.<br />
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On the outward leg of my latest visit, to Launceston for the MONA FOMA arts festival, I flew. It's a quick flight from Melbourne, just 45 minutes in the air, but subject to all the usual hassles of reaching the airport, being tested for explosives for the 4,357th time at security, and being squeezed into cattle-truck conditions on the plane itself.<br />
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On the way back, however, I was boarding this entirely different vessel - <i>Spirit of Tasmania I</i>, one of a duo of big car ferries that sail between Devonport, Tasmania and Melbourne, Victoria each night:<br />
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Entering via the rear loading area of the ship, foot passengers head up escalators to Deck 7:<br />
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As you can see from the sign, this is the social hub of the vessel, with most of the dining and entertainment options, though there additional bars and kids' areas on Decks 9 and 10. On Deck 7 there's a reading room (oddly without books), a bar, two cinema screens, a gaming lounge, tourist info, a shop with souvenirs and sandwiches, and a restaurant which serves a fairly unexciting buffet meal:<br />
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Heading upward via the blue lift (there are also colour-coded stairwells to aid orientation), I walked all the way toward the bow to find my cabin:<br />
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Most of the sleeping accommodation is on Deck 8. There's a variety of options, including reclining chairs, berths in shared cabins along the lines of a hostel dorm, and private cabins for two to four people. A lot of family groups use the <i>Spirit</i>, taking their cars with them, so these multi-person cabins are popular.<br />
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(As an aside, a couple of interstate travellers I met in Launceston pointed out another advantage of travelling to Tasmania with your own car - you can load it up with great Tassie food and cases of local wine! Try doing that on a Boeing 737.)<br />
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I, however, had scored the poshest option, a Deluxe Cabin. Located right at the front of Deck 8, on the starboard corner, it was basically a hotel room with queen-size bed, chairs, TV, bar fridge and bathroom. Very comfortable indeed:<br />
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After dropping my backpack in my cabin I strolled around the ship, stepping out to have a look at Bass Strait after we left Tasmania:<br />
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After dinner I turned in and had a reasonably good sleep. Bass Strait is notorious for its unpredictably rough waters, but luckily this was a calm night. Once or twice I was woken by a loud clanging noise, which I suspect was a high wave breaking against the bow, but otherwise it was peaceful, though always with a slight sense of swaying movement.<br />
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The only problem about the crossing is the ungodly hour it arrives at Port Melbourne: 6am. I set my alarm for 5am so I could have a shower and repack my backpack. Then I headed up to Deck 10 to avail myself of the services of the barista at work there, then took my coffee outside Deck 8 to see the view:<br />
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Utterly beautiful. And with the terminus of the number 109 tram just 400 metres away, I was soon offboard and on my way home to Melbourne's city centre. A great experience, with vastly more comfort and character than an equivalent flight.<br />
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<i>For more information and to make bookings, visit the <a href="https://www.spiritoftasmania.com.au/" target="_blank">Spirit of Tasmania website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-69450723795699614202020-01-18T09:29:00.001+11:002020-01-18T09:33:19.549+11:00Kipli Paywuta Lumi: Into the Tasmanian Bush with MONA FOMA<img id="id_adb2_c92d_55b6_aa19" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gW3ah44PLfsiLIYNLny17AVdLNFNVZ72S7KgwMSaNhBWawB3dLguR_eLrco" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 307px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><i>On this trip I’m being hosted by Tourism Tasmania and MONA FOMA.</i><div><br></div><div>I’m in Launceston, Tasmania, for a few days, taking part in the MONA FOMA festival and enjoying various arts and food highlights of the city and the region.</div><div><br></div><div>Last night I had one of the more interesting cultural experiences I’d ever experienced, taking part in the Kipli Paywuta Lumi event.</div><div><br></div><div>A celebration of the culture of Tasmania’s Aboriginal people - known as Palawa - it saw us first being transported in a bus up to the heights of the forest outside Launceston. Dropped off in a car park on the edge of the bush, we were asked to walk quietly through the trees, following the path marked by ochre-painted trunks.</div><div><br></div><div>It took about fifteen minutes up and down slopes to reach our destination. I suppose the point of walking in silence was to let the bush calm us down, to help us make the transition from city buzz to nature’s slower rhythms.</div><div><br></div><div>On arrival at the campsite we saw this - a ‘bush hut’ constructed in the tradition once used by the local Indigenous people, though this version was larger than those and employed modern materials.</div><div><br></div><div>Sitting within on wallaby and possum skins, we were given a Welcome to Country in the Palawa language, which has been undergoing a revival in recent years. With the lowering sun shining onto the outside of the hut, it was an atmospheric setting for the welcome. </div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_2845_48f3_32bb_dd98" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/0It-S-Gi-NTFxn4JUxXuTQ0TFjvHZpakcbJQl_6OjRH8_M2zseiqal0ccw8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_4c0b_df59_a0e8_e2c7" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/j9Lpm_TmmEv2ht4janGlOgTVK45cfC46CQfAeku-UVFFXSgRAkG2sH-ERQc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>We moved to a nearby campfire where an interesting array of traditional foodstuffs was cooking - possum, muttonbird and wallaby among them. We were served oysters here as we heard more about the project, and from shells drank beverages flavoured with native herbs such as pepperberry.</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_b63d_4079_c55_9773" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/McEfFZI0X2-AC8DklzfIForstYQmZ2fMec32GgBveHpp3p5ln7tqyOMSom4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_2a94_36fa_89ea_e0a1" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/8k6C06Nzi0GfQ_ydkdpUURQh3BsYKzdCr-AHXiXmp1hHvPnGBHjWfGsOGb4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>Back in the tent, our food was served on bark onto beds of ferns, and we ate in the traditional way - using our fingers! First up was fish (pinungana in the local language), flathead in this case. Very tasty, with a hint of lemon from the spices used.</div><div><br></div><img id="id_24_97a0_94b0_7d07" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/XywkL4Nx6KxVblksN2VHw5Q0uP1saWoeOxSb7zzYzMniBIgcvPQmPOAu_oc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_cc7a_30dc_d0d9_ef89" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/R2rhWBmnGwrtOKpZvR7-5qr6zXGWPMY6XKXvfvPedaG8s-x6UNSjhXNDEmM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>I’ll spare you the photos of what the fish and other food looked like when we had finished with it! It was a great experience sharing food this way; among our groups of five or six, it promoted discussion and the hut was soon filled with sociable talk. The event had promised “a moment of mid-festival calm”, and it delivered. <div><br></div><div>As the event was delivered by Palawa people in partnership with others, and drew deeply on Tasmanian Aboriginal traditions, it helped keep that culture alive and reinterpreted for the present day. I was very pleased to be a part of it - at school as a kid I was told that Tasmania’s Indigenous people had died out, and I couldn’t be more delighted to experience the living contradiction of that lie.</div><div><br></div><div>Dropped back at the Festival Hub in Launceston, I stepped inside and partook of another drink involving Tasmanian native ingredients - proof that MONA FOMA can embrace all traditions.</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_854b_186a_6796_af60" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/RFlxN8ayOTAcJl3yiMR6BQtKCHdb-DIE2Vne4MPFZO9DIysIrGl5yQ7yM4E" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><i>The Kipli Paywuta Lumi event is sold out, but you can visit the campsite during the day; and find out more about this and other events at the <a href="https://mofo.net.au" id="id_430f_bd7c_ace7_8796" target="_blank">MONA FOMA website</a> MONA FOMA continues to Monday 20 January 2020.</i><br></div>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-39075240648480036762020-01-10T06:00:00.000+11:002020-01-10T06:00:02.777+11:00Review: Basquiat/Haring, Melbourne, Australia<i>I was hosted to this exhibition by the National Gallery of Victoria.</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of the NGV</td></tr>
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Melbourne's premier art gallery, the National Gallery of Victoria, has had some interesting exhibition mash-ups in recent years. From <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2016/03/warhol-weiwei-together-in-melbourne.html" target="_blank">Warhol & Weiwei</a> to <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2019/01/review-escher-x-nendo-melbourne.html" target="_blank">Escher & Nendo</a>, the NGV's curators have had fun contrasting different styles, techniques and eras.<br />
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Their latest big two-for-one exhibition, <i>Basquiat/Haring: Crossing Lines</i> is less about contrasting origins, since Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring were friends and both arose from the street art scene of 1980s New York.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhONgynV7EJOVWqfdk6izYG6vIYyAYEz-FKnce6BhdpT5eoaUULjPuK7na5X3YfG_2pcSeVDHoWj99dl9V6FojbTj7vtKLNqHeH4obULti_SqILP2xbPg4KDsPvTTat-ireur1dTDSWK2Wn/s1600/TJR_5384__web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhONgynV7EJOVWqfdk6izYG6vIYyAYEz-FKnce6BhdpT5eoaUULjPuK7na5X3YfG_2pcSeVDHoWj99dl9V6FojbTj7vtKLNqHeH4obULti_SqILP2xbPg4KDsPvTTat-ireur1dTDSWK2Wn/s400/TJR_5384__web.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of the NGV</td></tr>
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Their artistic styles, however, couldn't be more different. Basquiat was best known for his "primitivist" works, with raw lines and colours, often depicting black figures and painted on planks, doors, or canvas stretched across poles.<br />
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Haring's art ran more to tight cartoon-like frames featuring humanoid figures, interacting with vibrant backgrounds that commented on issues in the world around them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQH4pMC_aGQr1nrVHrhNqC3D6gLl4BeJKGllayNNepel2I96ABZaN_0sf8_UV58mv-SuFT-KoPqCw9Xz5bS0l-HVggJLTyHT9PJ0RdpuHWjIMXZdfzQqh_OU4JAcPRSiR-e462IFJbcAdC/s1600/TJR_5403__web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQH4pMC_aGQr1nrVHrhNqC3D6gLl4BeJKGllayNNepel2I96ABZaN_0sf8_UV58mv-SuFT-KoPqCw9Xz5bS0l-HVggJLTyHT9PJ0RdpuHWjIMXZdfzQqh_OU4JAcPRSiR-e462IFJbcAdC/s400/TJR_5403__web.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of the NGV</td></tr>
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The exhibition is roughly chronological - the visitor enters through a faux-alley on which is projected film of Haring being arrested in the NYC subway after drawing on a blank advertising space, then rolls through the 1980s as both artists grow in stature, style and technique.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLw_n4NyiktrnVjYmN0b6jr3B-JD8yXkngFaxIu85Sr0Qg9yA4EFfExfSd6_Vy7nVXohScre9jtW1GzYavsUTKRIbDRa-4sV1Td-W6cIAzk3dOJuSp953cOheAOoV-B5-X_wmAdlip1qff/s1600/TJR_5427__web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLw_n4NyiktrnVjYmN0b6jr3B-JD8yXkngFaxIu85Sr0Qg9yA4EFfExfSd6_Vy7nVXohScre9jtW1GzYavsUTKRIbDRa-4sV1Td-W6cIAzk3dOJuSp953cOheAOoV-B5-X_wmAdlip1qff/s400/TJR_5427__web.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of the NGV</td></tr>
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Other than a darkened room filled with Day-Glo works once exhibited at a New York gallery, there's not much additional tinkering with the exhibition space - and that's all to the good. The artists' work is strong enough to speak for itself, and the contrasts and juxtapositions as you glance around the rooms are stimulating.<br />
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It's perhaps Haring's work that is easiest to relate to in 2020, because (as the NGV's wall text points out), it seems a precursor to the emojis we're so familiar with now.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITspN_ciknlbA9bX6MrKjN85wDXLwMBXYx0dZuYoKfjD3qvkcSefgvArXaM6erLcCpanZjYHI8Bi2XXjtAQCNyVDKdlKjeI_oegPe45Nmq_SFuPfSl3wVMp9oR7nLOrBY3ZNAoLrHEtVv/s1600/TJR_5460__web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITspN_ciknlbA9bX6MrKjN85wDXLwMBXYx0dZuYoKfjD3qvkcSefgvArXaM6erLcCpanZjYHI8Bi2XXjtAQCNyVDKdlKjeI_oegPe45Nmq_SFuPfSl3wVMp9oR7nLOrBY3ZNAoLrHEtVv/s320/TJR_5460__web.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of the NGV</td></tr>
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I was fascinated by a mock Egyptian sarcophagus on which Haring had drawn dozens of figures - as the text points out, hieroglyphs attracted him in their ability to summarise an object in the minimum of lines.<br />
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Having said that, Basquiat's work has the edge in my eyes. I love its bold colours, its raw lines, the feeling of power shrouded in mystery that's exuded by the crowned figures he created. I could look at his larger works for hours, puzzling them out.<br />
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Neither artist is still with us - Basquiat died in 1988, Haring in 1990 - but their work lives boldly on.<br />
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<i><b><i>Basquiat/Haring</i>: Crossing Lines</b> continues to 13 April 2020, at NGV
International, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Australia. Tickets $30 for
adults, $25 concession. <a href="https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/keith-haring-jean-michel-basquiat/" target="_blank">Make bookings here.</a></i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-9432136139803881832020-01-03T11:41:00.000+11:002020-01-03T12:07:45.101+11:00Dining in Dunkeld<i>On this trip I was hosted by the Royal Mail Hotel, though I paid for my own transport.</i><br />
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On the Friday before Christmas, Narrelle and I journeyed out to Dunkeld, a small town west of Melbourne at the southern tip of Grampians National Park.<br />
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I was there to review the Royal Mail Hotel, which has recently renovated its rooms... and in our own, a welcome gin & tonic awaited, the mint garnish to be plucked by us from a plant on the balcony:<br />
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(That accommodation review will appear in due course in <a href="https://www.traveller.com.au/reviews/accommodation-reviews" target="_blank"><i>Traveller</i></a>.)<br />
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The town is pleasant enough; though home to only 600 or so people, it has a number of interesting heritage buildings, explained via recently installed signage:<br />
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And in the Memorial Park on the main street I found this plaque. Why have I never heard before about the Australian submarine at Gallipoli?</div>
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The supreme highlight of our trip, however, was food. The Royal Mail is famous for its restaurants, particularly the fine-dining Wickens. On the Saturday afternoon we joined the regular tour of the hotel's kitchen garden, a sprawling delight on the edge of town, guided by head chef Robin Wickens himself:<br />
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Then, at 6.30pm, we sat down at Wickens for a spectacular four-hour meal - eight courses (really 13 with the added amuse-bouches and palate cleansers), all using the produce we'd inspected and sampled earlier in the day.<br />
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We'd asked for our meal to be pescatarian, ie fish and vegetables, so this is the menu the Wickens team devised and served to us: <br />
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Could it be as impressive in reality as it seemed on paper? It could. what followed was a fascinating cascade of small dishes, expertly crafted and matched with wines. The flavours and textures were amazing; consumed to a view of native trees and Mount Sturgeon, it was by far our most memorable dining experience of 2019.<br />
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Here are some of the dishes we were served (see if you can match them to the menu, they're presented in order of serving):<br />
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And the view from here...<br />
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... was of this:<br />
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A perfect evening, much recommended.<br />
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<i>Wickens is at the Royal Mail Hotel, 98 Parker St, Dunkeld, Victoria, Australia. Visit <a href="https://royalmail.com.au/" target="_blank">its website</a> for more details.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-25557796429315172162019-12-13T06:00:00.000+11:002020-02-11T10:53:36.585+11:00One Trip, Multiple Stories: A Travel Writer's Rail Journey through Europe<i>For the journey detailed below, I received
on-the-ground assistance from local tourism authorities and hotels. Full
disclosures are included with each linked article and blog post.</i><br />
<br />
This is, believe it or not, <b>post number 600</b> on this blog. A lot of water has flowed under the virtual bridge since I started it in 2008, and travel writing itself has become more challenging in terms of extracting an income from it.<br />
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<i></i>
However, for this post I'd like to reprise what I did for <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2015/12/one-trip-multiple-stories-travel.html">post 400</a> and <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2017/12/one-trip-multiple-stories-travel.html">post 500</a> - that is, to dissect a particular travel writing journey and show how my travels are converted into specific stories. At the end I'll add a summary of profit and expenses.<br />
<br />
For this post I'm looking my 2016 trip to Europe, travelling through Germany, Denmark, Poland and Ukraine over four weeks in May-June that year.<br />
<br />
<i></i>
Are we sitting comfortably? Then let's begin...<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Sunday 8 May 2016</b></span> <br />
<br />
<i></i>
Fly from Melbourne to Hamburg via Dubai.<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Monday 9 May 2016</b></span><br />
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<b>Activity </b>(from Monday to Wednesday):<b> </b>Visit the Speicherstadt Museum, Speicherstadt Kaffeerösterei and the Coffee Museum, as well as contemporary cafes, in Hamburg, Germany.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/germany/hamburg/travel-tips-and-articles/hamburgs-coffee-connection" target="_blank">An article about Hamburg's coffee history and culture</a> for Lonely Planet's website.</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Tuesday 10 May 2016</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif66-xj_hXXcIqDTJ3Sc5kGmV27aMA8DzxMVghnXKRG1uFy0a-8tMj5fNiyimObDC0uZftG8tZpiXNqby77aBUN5HICMtWghMnTsj5khDTsgstNUWzz9k59HVf2_sJ4GmtB_yme6hwP0FC/s1600/P5110193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif66-xj_hXXcIqDTJ3Sc5kGmV27aMA8DzxMVghnXKRG1uFy0a-8tMj5fNiyimObDC0uZftG8tZpiXNqby77aBUN5HICMtWghMnTsj5khDTsgstNUWzz9k59HVf2_sJ4GmtB_yme6hwP0FC/s320/P5110193.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b> </b><br />
<b>Activity: </b>Join Hempel’s Beatles tour (in which the guide plays a ukulele!) through the St Pauli district of Hamburg.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/beatlemania-a-magical-mystery-tour-of-hamburg-h1b458" target="_blank">An article about the tour</a> for <i>Traveller</i>.<b><br /></b></li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2017/10/help-beatles-tour-of-hamburg-with.html">A post about the tour</a> here at <i>Aerohaveno</i>.</li>
</ol>
<b>Activity: </b>Visit the historic Kaifu-bad baths in Hamburg.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/getting-naked-in-germanys-bathhouses-why-germans-are-the-champions-of-public-nudity-gsqtux" target="_blank">An article about Germany's spa culture</a> for <i>Traveller</i>.<b><br /></b></li>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/germany/travel-tips-and-articles/the-naked-truth-german-bathhouse-culture/40625c8c-8a11-5710-a052-1479d2756367" target="_blank">An article about Germany's spa culture</a> for Lonely Planet's website.<b><br /></b></li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Thursday 12 May 2016</b></span><br />
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<b> </b><br />
<b>Activity:</b> Visit Café Niederegger, famous for its locally-manufactured marzipan, in Lübeck, Germany.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> An article about Lubeck's marzipan<span id="goog_1568818490"></span><span id="goog_1568818491"></span> for <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/germany/schleswig-holstein/lubeck/travel-tips-and-articles/masters-of-marzipan-lubecks-sweet-success" target="_blank">Lonely Planet's website</a>.</li>
</ol>
<b>Activity:</b> Visit the Hanseatic Museum in Lübeck, Germany. <br />
<ol>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Blog Post: </b></span></span><a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2016/05/top-of-league-lubecks-hanseatic-museum.html">A post about the museum</a> here at <i>Aerohaveno</i>. </li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Friday 13 May 2016</b></span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><br />
<br />
<b>Activity:</b> Catch train from Lübeck to Copenhagen, Denmark (including ferry crossing). <br />
<ol>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2017/04/by-train-and-train-ferry-to-copenhagen.html">A post about the journey</a> here at <i>Aerohaveno</i>.</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Saturday 14 May 2016</b></span><br />
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<b> </b><br />
<b>Activity:</b> Take Nordic Noir tour (featuring <i>The Killing</i> and <i>The Bridge</i>) in Copenhagen, Denmark.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/postcard-from-nordic-noir-in-the-gloomy-footsteps-of-saga-noren-and-sarah-lund-20160616-gpkr7o.html" target="_blank">A 'Postcard from Copenhagen' article</a> for the Spectrum (culture) section of <i>The Age</i> newspaper in Melbourne.</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Sunday 15 May 2016</b></span> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<br />
<b>Activity:</b> Take a guided tour of the counter-culture enclave Christiania in Copenhagen.
<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/christiania-denmarks-counterculture-capital-gpynir" target="_blank">An article about the tour</a> for <i>Traveller</i>.</li>
</ol>
<b>Activity:</b> Visit the Thorvaldsen Museum of classical statuary in Copenhagen.<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2016/05/statues-of-copenhagen.html">A post about the (surprisingly interesting) museum</a> here at <i>Aerohaveno</i>.</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Monday 16 May 2016</b></span> <br />
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<br />
<b>Activity:</b> Visit Kronborg Castle (Shakespeare's Elsinore in <i>Hamlet</i>), in Helsingør, Denmark.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/kronborg-castle--where-shakespeare-set-hamlet-gq8nom" target="_blank">An article about the castle</a> for <i>Traveller</i>.<b></b></li>
</ol>
<b><span style="color: red;">Tuesday 17 May 2016</span> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Activity:</b> Catch bus to Ystad, Sweden, then overnight ferry to Świnoujście, Poland (arriving Wednesday, connecting with train to Warsaw).<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2016/06/passage-to-poland-baltic-ferry.html">A post about the journey</a> here at <i>Aerohaveno</i>.</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Thursday 19 May 2016</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabscDmibI4RXW20iU28eY3U6zWkLbFX1TbejEsenuvYW9QCVslpz6MLBxpzN8dNf3bCV-cq0DuCUhnLXn0CmzeQo93WphfxDuNtAjeKlozbOwD7ZtgFi2AzqMVE4hP9y_Re5rvpURTRli/s1600/P5190539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabscDmibI4RXW20iU28eY3U6zWkLbFX1TbejEsenuvYW9QCVslpz6MLBxpzN8dNf3bCV-cq0DuCUhnLXn0CmzeQo93WphfxDuNtAjeKlozbOwD7ZtgFi2AzqMVE4hP9y_Re5rvpURTRli/s320/P5190539.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Activity: </b>Day-trip to Łódź, Poland by train, to join a tour of the city's post-industrial and cinematic sights.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/poland/lodz/travel-tips-and-articles/hooray-for-hollywoodge-exploring-lodz-polands-third-city/40625c8c-8a11-5710-a052-1479d2754f2b" target="_blank">An article about the city</a> for Lonely Planet's website.<b><br /></b></li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2017/11/odz-poland-from-industrial-revolution.html">A post about the city</a> here at <i>Aerohaveno</i>.</li>
</ol>
<b><span style="color: red;">Friday 20 May 2016</span> </b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqI-hcJs7J6Ai60DWirT4c9ZAECk1-sOZsW7JvKsbyVj__TjMdglDLNPS7pkyo0UcvRvLA9Udd2haCB6sQxXZT4ep_0pd_X2m_OJgVbBFv2Cm3ag71JOatPV2xztrlTPlhlR4QUxrDH2dH/s1600/P5200621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqI-hcJs7J6Ai60DWirT4c9ZAECk1-sOZsW7JvKsbyVj__TjMdglDLNPS7pkyo0UcvRvLA9Udd2haCB6sQxXZT4ep_0pd_X2m_OJgVbBFv2Cm3ag71JOatPV2xztrlTPlhlR4QUxrDH2dH/s320/P5200621.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b> Activity:</b> Taking a tour focusing on Warsaw's architectural highlights.<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b><span style="color: black;">Resulting story:</span></b><span style="color: black;"> <a href="https://www.traveller.com.au/the-alternative-destinations-to-europes-most-crowded-tourist-cities-gndisp" target="_blank">An item about the city in an article about less-crowded European destinations</a>, for <i>Traveller</i>.</span><b> </b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2016/07/architectural-oddities-of-warsaw-poland.html">A post about the city's architectural oddities</a> here at <i>Aerohaveno</i>.</li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2016/05/cheap-to-rich-tasty-food-of-poland.html">A post about food highlights, including a Warsaw <i>bar mleczny</i></a> and other items from later in this visit to Poland, here at <i>Aerohaveno</i>.</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Saturday 21 May 2016</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZNrToVsyziCyBdMx03vQknZ7jFwlAFTjZ2C8ky71VXiEFdU0vAdNypaknwzkCKiwT8XMh876sBVPVBaEMKst5lkqbCbrF7AIsY51v8u6muw9AgVVOPqwSAKgzGw9PeF897gnwKEtGtYl/s1600/P5210671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZNrToVsyziCyBdMx03vQknZ7jFwlAFTjZ2C8ky71VXiEFdU0vAdNypaknwzkCKiwT8XMh876sBVPVBaEMKst5lkqbCbrF7AIsY51v8u6muw9AgVVOPqwSAKgzGw9PeF897gnwKEtGtYl/s320/P5210671.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b> </b><br />
<b>Activity: </b>Train to Gdańsk, visit the city's new Shakespeare Theatre.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="https://www.traveller.com.au/the-greatest-escapes-for-2017-gti95z" target="_blank">An item about the theatre in a list of Best Travel Finds of 2016</a>, for <i>Traveller</i>.</li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2016/05/cheap-to-rich-tasty-food-of-poland.html">A post about food highlights, including a historic local restaurant</a> and other items from elsewhere in this visit to Poland, here at <i>Aerohaveno</i>.</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Sunday 22 May 2016</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cdTNt9x2Uqz10bUH488le7rICLnZy-mpKE4MktdVOph5EAssFFALExFeDHHEYDiArYGzAtydiQ8ycmqyp4qP6V96OW40pESbSb1qOUmy3abIvOqqEUw2XjAew1RzC2vCv-92PVEunOMQ/s1600/P5220718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cdTNt9x2Uqz10bUH488le7rICLnZy-mpKE4MktdVOph5EAssFFALExFeDHHEYDiArYGzAtydiQ8ycmqyp4qP6V96OW40pESbSb1qOUmy3abIvOqqEUw2XjAew1RzC2vCv-92PVEunOMQ/s320/P5220718.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span><b>Activity: </b>Tour of Malbork Castle, near Gdańsk.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/polands-13th-century-malbork-castle-has-an-amazing-restaurant-inside-h1avew" target="_blank">An article about the castle and its restaurant</a> for <i>Traveller</i>.<b><br /></b></li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2016/05/cheap-to-rich-tasty-food-of-poland.html">A post about food highlights, including the castle's restaurant</a> and other items from elsewhere in this visit to Poland, here at <i>Aerohaveno</i>.</li>
</ol>
<b>Activity: </b>Visit the new European Solidarity Centre, in a historic former shipyard in Gdańsk.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/walking-history-gdansk" target="_blank">An article about walking the city's historic heart</a> for Lonely Planet's website.<b><br /></b></li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2018/06/nexus-of-change-gdansk-shipyard-poland.html">A post about the centre</a> here at <i>Aerohaveno</i>.</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Monday 23 May 2016</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPEG-6NkwU74L4G46KdTbIboLb_hyphenhyphen9b0fOphbwegnZatakjPpevCiJb7NKVc8H4EB1Iyd4Gk52EzsmJ7DHu6DbbgmkrkmI1p-7rteB8tYgYSNSDiWLHh34W5hsh1nAEXtWrV_cjcW4rN8/s1600/P5230867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPEG-6NkwU74L4G46KdTbIboLb_hyphenhyphen9b0fOphbwegnZatakjPpevCiJb7NKVc8H4EB1Iyd4Gk52EzsmJ7DHu6DbbgmkrkmI1p-7rteB8tYgYSNSDiWLHh34W5hsh1nAEXtWrV_cjcW4rN8/s320/P5230867.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b> </b><br />
<b>Activity: </b>Visit Wilczy Szaniec (Wolf's Lair), Hitler's Russian Front HQ during World War II.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/the-wolfs-lair-in-poland-where-hitler-nearly-met-his-end-h1gkk9" target="_blank">An article about the eerie site</a> for <i>Traveller</i>.<b><br /></b></li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2018/04/eerie-masuria-revisiting-wolfs-lair.html">A post about the site</a> here at <i>Aerohaveno</i>.</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Tuesday 24 May 2016</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOcFO2RaxoMUiBZW9k4BHvABrp1VOCABDLWmP4XazpLQvRVgwXeq9TbO2TG9is6Eugb6oGxpsso77ERenp0CjwRRZ_tLXb1u0QDxLiZ-apTHJMiwu8Ccpxyez4JtwGCbgJOkXaOPrQSfP4/s1600/P5240925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOcFO2RaxoMUiBZW9k4BHvABrp1VOCABDLWmP4XazpLQvRVgwXeq9TbO2TG9is6Eugb6oGxpsso77ERenp0CjwRRZ_tLXb1u0QDxLiZ-apTHJMiwu8Ccpxyez4JtwGCbgJOkXaOPrQSfP4/s320/P5240925.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b> </b><br />
<b>Activity: </b>Driving to Bohoniki and Kruszyniany in eastern Poland, to visit their historic mosques.<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2016/05/cheap-to-rich-tasty-food-of-poland.html">A post about food highlights, including traditional Tatar cuisine of Kruszyniany</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"> </a>and other items from elsewhere in this visit to Poland, here at <i>Aerohaveno</i>.</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Wednesday 25 May 2016</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTA7NgsNUM1k28Nx5lswBaQ6WuVolX0ck-ASAjflL3m6qdLh3ZWFehNLeLIMSyq0P2Z1naOKigIpkIsPxXYrElhClZ6x5ppcr1Sluht98qQftMGJEf2zf6amUyAvAGMlSr1CejcFE4OWb/s1600/P5250980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTA7NgsNUM1k28Nx5lswBaQ6WuVolX0ck-ASAjflL3m6qdLh3ZWFehNLeLIMSyq0P2Z1naOKigIpkIsPxXYrElhClZ6x5ppcr1Sluht98qQftMGJEf2zf6amUyAvAGMlSr1CejcFE4OWb/s320/P5250980.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Activity: </b>Taking a tour of Białowieża National Park in eastern Poland (where bison still roam!).<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/exploring-the-first-forest-bialowieza-national-park" target="_blank">An article about the park</a> for Lonely Planet's website.<b><br /></b></li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2016/12/poland-bison-legend.html">A post about the park</a> here at <i>Aerohaveno</i>.</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Thursday 26 May 2016</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZxzNoVnjEhQeK8WimQtl_t50zj1AkPGnqaWiItlcdD_KAIYrWZc3yeyJqak8LXSXHUu2d4vSj6cvt0qyYOifk6rfBuRnU9Eu7McHPu_ammk-4uMqPc2yoIOz0GP-IfiRnZAQe2jttyMQ/s1600/P5271020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZxzNoVnjEhQeK8WimQtl_t50zj1AkPGnqaWiItlcdD_KAIYrWZc3yeyJqak8LXSXHUu2d4vSj6cvt0qyYOifk6rfBuRnU9Eu7McHPu_ammk-4uMqPc2yoIOz0GP-IfiRnZAQe2jttyMQ/s320/P5271020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b> </b><br />
<b>Activity: </b>Overnight sleeper train from Kraków, Poland to Lviv, Ukraine.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/poland-to-ukraine-by-sleeper-train-whats-it-like-taking-an-overnight-train-into-the-ukraine-h1113b" target="_blank">An article about the rail journey</a> for <i>Traveller</i>.<b><br /></b></li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Friday 27 to Monday 30 May 2016</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dnx2FBgja9yUa9HYNFBNg73Lkk6e5WavOAcXFSR2DvrVNuPGCcWRpuJwHbmlilVBpY2xEHfckWyH0E5isELuYlsFslvetiJIAOENc23O_zydCKOPcMqFg-bLF5HPJlKeUsPuLRzERorw/s1600/P5291137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dnx2FBgja9yUa9HYNFBNg73Lkk6e5WavOAcXFSR2DvrVNuPGCcWRpuJwHbmlilVBpY2xEHfckWyH0E5isELuYlsFslvetiJIAOENc23O_zydCKOPcMqFg-bLF5HPJlKeUsPuLRzERorw/s320/P5291137.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b> </b><br />
<b>Activity: </b>Exploring cafes and other attractions of Lviv, Ukraine.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/ukraine/western-ukraine/lviv/travel-tips-and-articles/lvivs-coffee-secrets/" target="_blank">An article about the city's cafe scene</a> for Lonely Planet's website.</li>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/lviv-ukraines-masoch-caf-a-cocktail-bar-dedicated-to-masochism-grur9o" target="_blank">An article about the saucy Masoch Cafe</a> for <i>Traveller</i>.<b><br /></b></li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2016/06/i-love-lviv.html">A post about the city's attractions</a> here at <i>Aerohaveno</i>.</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Tuesday 31 May 2016</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5GQBlxImzLG2_8BFhlFGsIToTMiCkH6_DQ5ixqKEpogVWaEZgsXlhvT4JaI400IfPVlQ1zIVoc4dt_4rx_gKqh1SXcarjIGxZWc3hWHkCSCIOmPIY2YSfvfWZN7W9AhCiwm8I3ZcWgLxm/s1600/P5311270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5GQBlxImzLG2_8BFhlFGsIToTMiCkH6_DQ5ixqKEpogVWaEZgsXlhvT4JaI400IfPVlQ1zIVoc4dt_4rx_gKqh1SXcarjIGxZWc3hWHkCSCIOmPIY2YSfvfWZN7W9AhCiwm8I3ZcWgLxm/s320/P5311270.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b> </b><br />
<b>Activity: </b>Joining a tour of communist-era architecture and history in Kiev, Ukraine.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/ukraine/kyiv/travel-tips-and-articles/a-walk-through-kyivs-soviet-past" target="_blank">An article about the tour</a> for Lonely Planet's website.</li>
<li><b>Spiked story:</b> An article about the tour for an Australian magazine which was cancelled (for which I received a part-payment 'kill fee'). </li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Wednesday 1 to Thursday 2 June 2016</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc37bZN_udeMrbK0wH5x-BkViJ_tTRT6xpzXr_rt8rWG-TjCjBLUm1mM4BejSDAB9pH4eHcnOSivELvtq-tgX8AFgRh5cxeuiz7YL0RkfSaeDMLD6_vo_BBZX8IblkZ9ruH5eV206eo_bI/s1600/P6011495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc37bZN_udeMrbK0wH5x-BkViJ_tTRT6xpzXr_rt8rWG-TjCjBLUm1mM4BejSDAB9pH4eHcnOSivELvtq-tgX8AFgRh5cxeuiz7YL0RkfSaeDMLD6_vo_BBZX8IblkZ9ruH5eV206eo_bI/s320/P6011495.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b> </b><br />
<b>Activity: </b>Two-day tour of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine (sleeping over in Chernobyl).<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/ukraine/kyiv/around-kyiv/chornobyl/travel-tips-and-articles/entering-the-dragons-lair-a-tour-of-chornobyl" target="_blank">An article about the tour</a> for Lonely Planet's website.</li>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/chernobyl-ukraine--what-its-like-to-stay-at-the-chernobyl-exclusion-zone-h121lu" target="_blank">An article about the tour</a> for <i>Traveller</i>.<b></b></li>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/news/2019/05/05/hbo-travel-to-chernobyl/" target="_blank">An article about how to visit Chernobyl</a> for Lonely Planet's website (ahead of the <i>Chernobyl</i> TV series).</li>
<li><b>Spiked story:</b> An article about the tour for an Australian magazine (for which I received full payment).</li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2018/02/visiting-russian-woodpecker-near.html">A post about the tour</a> here at <i>Aerohaveno</i>.</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Saturday 4 June 2016</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28PmuovEUC30waaQJ44__dRHqicGzTNz5nAluZBt7zoPIoS1KbIUb2AdNGQvvx75YT7267RgeOLvIC_r1RDKO438C3Vz_WK7mivNqi97rFRt8vAd92bQcoZ5nnXGUcJQtLhjXdy3cPLV2/s1600/P6051647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28PmuovEUC30waaQJ44__dRHqicGzTNz5nAluZBt7zoPIoS1KbIUb2AdNGQvvx75YT7267RgeOLvIC_r1RDKO438C3Vz_WK7mivNqi97rFRt8vAd92bQcoZ5nnXGUcJQtLhjXdy3cPLV2/s320/P6051647.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b> </b><br />
<b>Activity: </b>Overnight sleeper train from Kiev, Ukraine to Warsaw, Poland.<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2017/05/eastern-sleeper-night-train-from-kiev.html">A post about the rail journey</a> here at <i>Aerohaveno</i>.</li>
</ol>
And that's it! I flew from Warsaw back to Melbourne on Monday 6 June. I feel exhausted just typing all that. It was a great journey, full of variety. The visit to Chernobyl was the strangest thing I'd done yet on my travels, incredibly moving and memorable.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing output, financial income</b><br />
<br />
By my count, the trip produced a total of 25 paid articles for various
publications (include two spiked articles I received payment for), and 14
posts on this blog. I've also delivered (so far) two paid talks about my 2016 Europe trip to audiences at public libraries.<br />
<br />
I calculate
the paid articles earned a total of
<b>$12,905.52</b> (all figures here are in Australian dollars) for both words and photos, before adding any applicable sales tax. This includes the fees from the library talks. <br />
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The blog posts don't earn any direct income, but drive traffic to <i>Aerohaveno</i> and thus contribute to the occasional small payments I receive from the Google Ads running on my blog.<br />
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<b>Expenses</b><br />
<br />
The Polish government covered my flights and most expenses for my Poland stay, and the German National Tourist Board likewise hosted me in Germany. In Denmark I received a public transport and museum pass from Visit Denmark, but paid for my food and accommodation. In Ukraine I paid for everything except my hotel stay in Lviv (luckily Ukraine was breathtakingly cheap!).<br />
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I calculate my total expenses on this trip at <b>$2,951.81</b>,
which leaves a profit of <b>$9,953.71</b> (and whatever future income is derived from public talks about that trip).<br />
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Some trips have a greater return on outlay, others less so. What's worth noting is how long a particular journey can take to fully pay out. The first published of the 25 articles appeared on <b>22 June 2016</b>, and the last on <b>31 July 2019</b> - quite a chronological spread!<br />
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Also, my Europe 2016 talk will continue to be delivered to library audiences throughout 2020 (I began delivering it in early 2019, and I generally change my headline public talk every two years).<br />
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It's not easy to make a living from travel writing; but my rule of thumb is to derive
a published story per each day of travel on a particular trip. That quantity, if achieved, helps make it viable. That target was largely achieved on this occasion.<br />
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After this epic post, it's time for a break! <i>Aerohaveno</i> will be taking a rest over the holiday season, and will be back with you in early January. Have a great New Year!Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-44608275412575133542019-12-06T06:00:00.000+11:002019-12-06T06:00:21.344+11:00Outback Patron of the Arts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHlENVsZPPn1Htce0P3TZcG99YFWAsnrXCz8pt1gkENsCG9AxfcKi3gzsBumHMkxpPvdzuSpXyDFL0GfDL66e8VQcIHEB_GRhoJofWJOB1ykdkzXvnjddm_oiSsBcZmLCQ2dVZw9EBSeAf/s1600/IMG_3289.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1597" data-original-width="1600" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHlENVsZPPn1Htce0P3TZcG99YFWAsnrXCz8pt1gkENsCG9AxfcKi3gzsBumHMkxpPvdzuSpXyDFL0GfDL66e8VQcIHEB_GRhoJofWJOB1ykdkzXvnjddm_oiSsBcZmLCQ2dVZw9EBSeAf/s320/IMG_3289.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
In March 2018, I spent a few days in the remote Queensland town of Normanton, awaiting the weekly run of the <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/northwest-queensland-gulf-savannah-see-remote-queenslands-flora-and-fauna-aboard-the-gulflander-train-h1ap39" id="id_a0d4_ce4d_5f98_4c52" target="_blank"><span id="goog_109831690"></span>Gulflander train</a><span id="goog_109831691"></span>.<br />
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One morning, killing time, I visited the Three Tribes art gallery, and for the first time the ferocious dogs near the old town well declined to bark at me.<br />
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Were they asleep on the job, or was I slowly becoming accepted as a local?<br />
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The front of the gallery was locked, so I walked around the back and found an open-air shed with a dozen or so Aboriginal women creating art at tables.<br />
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Shenane was the gallery manager, who I'd met briefly the day before at the town's Visitor Centre. She had a no-nonsense manner I associated with the aunts of PG Wodehouse books.<br />
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“I don’t have a staff member to run the shop at the moment,” she said, opening up the gallery for me. She explained the women were mostly making art as part of a work for the dole scheme.<br />
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“Better than doing something pointless like weeding,” I said.<br />
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It struck me as a good idea, the artists building skills and creating works to be proud of, as well as earning a commission from sales. And it provided another way for tourists to spend their dollars in the town, which was always a consideration for remote places with limited amusements.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ-EMsjlOMDlDE_jGGbH6LK5zHilY3wTkhPc54X7a5irCAh_5NGaLoYSkNmQXRdARfGL4CZFSt2fjkSG1nJNqnmL8hEv-TEeADuOi1YQUVhUubsFwAeOLuGC5R0j4invxNoJ3gex1NQsbc/s1600/IMG_3291.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ-EMsjlOMDlDE_jGGbH6LK5zHilY3wTkhPc54X7a5irCAh_5NGaLoYSkNmQXRdARfGL4CZFSt2fjkSG1nJNqnmL8hEv-TEeADuOi1YQUVhUubsFwAeOLuGC5R0j4invxNoJ3gex1NQsbc/s320/IMG_3291.jpeg" width="240" /></a>There was an array of work on the walls, in both contemporary and traditional styles. One large portrait with a lot of black was painted by a woman who’d suffered from depression, said Shenane.<br />
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I turned over a small glazed bowl shaped like a gumleaf <i>(see image at left)</i>. It was $3, so I decided to buy it.<br />
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Then I noticed a framed painting on the wall above the till, about 50 centimetres square, featuring brightly coloured handprints framed by dots <i>(see image top right)</i>. It was only $30. I bought that too.<br />
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While I was encasing it in some bubble wrap Shenane had found, she ushered in a young woman. This was the artist, Stella. We had a chat about the work and how she had created its elements, and she went away beaming.<br />
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“That was her first sale,” said Shenane, dropping the aunt-like demeanour and smiling.<br />
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I rarely make impulse buys when travelling, obsessed as I am with travelling light. Now I had to work out how to get the art back to Melbourne. <br />
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The staff at Normanton's general store gave me an empty cardboard box to encase it, which I bound with a large amount of post office adhesive tape. I dispatched it to the mercies of Australia Post, feeling good about my impulsive role as patron of the arts.<br />
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I returned home safely two weeks later. So did the painting.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnp3xwgEASaA_24ZvxF_ZlkpGKKZEHi1UIvHQWEj8XGhNuB44iK58q6rK9n94d0Uivu1Z5nAiFrcYt3yaerHx_d6ZyAC8xoBq-WKY59EWOeYrlrDaUnbBYonh8cRZJyJTlbD-AKbUuWyaZ/s1600/IMG_3296.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnp3xwgEASaA_24ZvxF_ZlkpGKKZEHi1UIvHQWEj8XGhNuB44iK58q6rK9n94d0Uivu1Z5nAiFrcYt3yaerHx_d6ZyAC8xoBq-WKY59EWOeYrlrDaUnbBYonh8cRZJyJTlbD-AKbUuWyaZ/s400/IMG_3296.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Three Tribes is located at 85 Landsborough Street, Normanton, Queensland. See more details at the <a href="https://www.bynoecacs.org.au/bynoe-arts-centre" target="_blank">Bynoe Arts Centre website</a>.</i><b><br /></b>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-1028076184212249442019-11-29T06:00:00.000+11:002019-11-29T06:00:04.647+11:00Street Art of Melbourne<div>
Over the past few weeks I’ve been undertaking my first Lonely Planet research gig for a few years - updating sections of the Pocket Melbourne guide.</div>
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It’s an interesting experience updating a travel guide to your own city. In previous years I’ve updated overseas locations for LP, so typically I’d do several weeks of intensive research in that country, followed by several weeks of intensive data entry at home.</div>
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Because I’m doing this particular job from my own home, I can spread <span style="font-size: medium;">out</span> the work and intersperse research days with data entry days. The results of my research will appear in the book, of course, but over the course of my walking I’ve noticed a lot of interesting street art as I’ve wandered through the inner-city streets.</div>
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Melbourne is famous for its colourful murals and other informal open-air art, so I thought I’d share some of what I saw here...</div>
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<b>Day 1: Fitzroy and Collingwood</b></div>
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<b>Day 2: East Melbourne </b><b><b>and </b>Richmond</b></div>
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<b>Day 3: South Yarra, Prahran </b><b><b>and </b>Windsor</b></div>
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... and a side-trip to East Brunswick:</div>
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... and a bonus entry from Footscray (Go the ’Scray!):</div>
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Melbourne really is a city of murals. Keep an eye on its unassuming alleyway walls when you visit!</div>
Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-24684742912635881692019-11-22T11:58:00.001+11:002019-11-22T11:58:58.178+11:00Review: KAWS, Melbourne, Australia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>I was hosted to this exhibition by the National Gallery of Victoria.</i><br />
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Last weekend I had a look through the NGV's current big exhibition, <i>KAWS: Companionship in the Age of Loneliness</i>.<br />
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There's no avoiding it as you step within the gallery, as a huge new commissioned work by the artist <i>(see image, right) </i>stands in the middle of the central courtyard.<br />
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It's titled <i>Gone</i>, and depicts a figure with crossed-out eyes and a skull-and-crossbones head carrying a deceased BFF, one of the artist's repeated figures.<br />
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BFF also has crossed-out eyes, and a furry version of the skull-and-crossbones.<br />
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Now get this: Xs on the eyes in cartooning has always meant death. Characters depicted this way are dead. If they are mobile, they are the walking dead. The skull-and-crossbones motif seems to underline this.<br />
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So why does no-one mention it? On the NGV's website the commentary says "Through his works KAWS celebrates generosity, support for others and the deep need we have for companionship." And nowhere on the captioning in the exhibition does it mention death.<br />
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But they seem dead. They might be companions, but dead ones, at least emotionally if not physically. Narrelle and I walked around the exhibition, feeling that KAWS was really trying to say something nihilistic, pointing out the meaninglessness of existence... because we all end up dead.<br />
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The figures in this exhibition are colourful, bright, intriguing and subversive of pop culture... but at the same time, as Holly said to Lister in <i>Red Dwarf</i>: "He's dead, Dave. Everybody is dead. Everybody is dead, Dave."<br />
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OK, now I've got that out of my system, what is the exhibition like if we acknowledge its macabre overtones?<br />
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Interesting stuff, especially the work from the early days when KAWS would hijack advertising posters and paint his cartoonish death masks over them. This is where the "We're all gonna die" visual cue really resonates, juxtaposed with the artificial vibrancy of the fit, alert figures found in ads.<br />
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Further on, we see KAWS' trademark adoption and reinvention of popular cartoon characters, such as Snoopy and The Simpsons - with his version seen here swapping heads because, I guess, they're dead.<br />
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There's a room of incredibly vibrant abstract paintings too, their vividness attained by applying multiple coats of paint. And at the end is a room full of big figures - classic KAWS creations, cartoon giants with their eyes crossed out, some with exposed inner organs.<br />
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To be honest, this later part of the exhibition didn't move me as much as the earlier work which interacted with real-world posters.<br />
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I can see the figures might hint at our need for companionship seeing we're all going to die, and have something to say about isolation and loneliness. But mostly I was spooked by those dead, dead eyes.<br />
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<i><b><i>KAWS: Companionship in the Age of Loneliness</i></b> continues to 13 April 2020, at NGV
International, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Australia. Tickets $20 for
adults, $17 concession. <a href="https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/kaws/" target="_blank">Make bookings here.</a></i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-41050212441731551792019-11-15T09:53:00.000+11:002019-11-15T11:05:59.448+11:00Cairns of Inverness<i>On this trip I was hosted by Visit Britain and Visit Scotland.</i><br />
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As part of my recent visit to Scotland, I visited the battlefield at Culloden, where the rebellious Jacobites were finally routed by British troops in 1746. (And for the <i>Doctor Who</i> fans out there, where the Doctor first met Jamie McCrimmon, who travelled with him for a while.)<br />
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That's a story for another day. What I wasn't expecting was the nearby site I was taken to by my guide afterward, somewhere he thought I'd find interesting.<br />
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He was right. Where we stopped was the Balnuaran of Clava, which contains a series of three Bronze Age cairns dating back to 2000 BCE. I'd never heard of these before, but they were intriguing.<br />
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The cairns are low grey circle of stones, two of which have passages into their centres. The entrances to these seems to be aligned toward the setting sun in midwinter, and separate standing stones are dotted around each cairn.<br />
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It's fascinating stuff. No one's sure what the meaning of the cairns' layout is, or who was buried there, but the layout of circles in the green space is an impressive piece of artistry in itself. As an arrangement, it seems both creative and deeply embedded in the environment.<br />
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It was an interesting place to wander through, the most accessible of more than fifty such cairns scattered around Inverness. Without remaining records, we'll never know who precisely were the people who built them there, or why. But we can admire what they left behind.<br />
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<i>Learn more about the Clava Cairns at the <a href="https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/clava-cairns/" target="_blank">Historic Environment Scotland website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-85679470892314598722019-11-08T09:35:00.001+11:002019-11-08T09:35:26.334+11:00There's a Light... in Hamilton, New Zealand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>On this trip I was hosted by Tourism New Zealand.</i><br />
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As the poet John Whitter famously wrote: <i> </i><br />
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<i>For all sad words of tongue and pen</i><br />
<i>The saddest are these, 'It might have been'</i><br />
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I was thinking of those words as I stood in Embassy Park in the New Zealand city of Hamilton last month. For before it was a park, this rectangular space off the main street contained the Embassy Theatre.<br />
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Opened in 1915, the theatre was used for stage productions and other public event for many decades, until the stage was removed and it became purely an ageing cinema.<br />
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By chance, this era coincided with the arrival of Richard O'Brien, who would later create the musical <i>The Rocky Horror Show</i> and its movie spinoff, <i>The Rocky Horror Picture Show</i>.<br />
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O'Brien at that point was cutting hair for a living, in a barber shop housed within the theatre building. As a result, he caught a lot of late-night double feature movie screenings - an experience which acted as inspiration for his gender-bending musical which drew heavily on that B-grade material.<br />
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The actor/writer became famous when the musical and movie became international hits in the 1970s. But I don't think the upright burghers of Hamilton were entirely proud of the highly sexualised stage and movie output of their once local lad.<br />
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For the Embassy Theatre closed as a cinema in 1989, and then - get this! - was demolished against protest in 1994, when the work it had inspired had already been a phenomenon for two decades.<br />
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Imagine if the creaking old cinema had survived, and had been refurbished by the city into a small cinematic arts centre. Nowadays Hamilton could have a wonderful old cultural asset in its heart, perhaps drawing visitors from everywhere for a weekly <i>Rocky Horror Picture Show</i> screening at midnight Saturday.<br />
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Belatedly there's been recognition of the one that got away, and the park where the cinema once stood has been transformed into a celebration of the musical and film. It contains a prominent statue of O'Brien as the character Riff Raff, and various other quirky features including sound and lighting.<br />
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It's a fun place to visit... but ah, what might have been. As they sang in the musical:<br />
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<i>Rose tints my world<br />Keeps me safe from my trouble and pain.</i><br />
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<b>Embassy Park is at <span class="LrzXr">218 Victoria St, Hamilton, New Zealand. See the live camera feed at <a href="http://www.riffraffstatue.org/" target="_blank">riffraffstatue.org</a>.</span></b><i><span class="LrzXr"><br /></span></i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-88835564380108257182019-11-01T06:00:00.000+11:002019-11-01T06:00:02.731+11:00Dazed by the Robot Restaurant, Tokyo<i><i>On this trip I was assisted by the Japan National Tourist Organisation.</i></i> <br />
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On my visit to Japan last year, I bought a ticket to the Robot Restaurant in Tokyo's Shinjuku nightlife district.<br />
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This live show is something of a tourist trap, but also very Japanese in its combination of music, bold characters, and Japanese legends. Audience members sit in facing sections on each side of the room, as the loud and flashy action happens between them.<br />
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Afterwards I jotted some notes on my phone as <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2018/09/deathmatch-in-hell-drinking-in-golden.html" target="">I sat in the Deathmatch in Hell bar</a> in the nearby Golden Gai enclave, trying to make some sense of the experience as I became progressively more intoxicated by shots of Japanese whisky (666 yen each!).<br />
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Here are those notes, and some photos I took. See if you can make sense of them.<br />
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<b>First act.</b> Loud, bright, vibrant and noisy. Opening sequence revolves around drummers on brightly lit floats, dressed with a suggestion of demonic robots or robotic demons.<br />
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They gyrate around as music plays, lights flash and drums beat, coming
within a few centimetres of audience members in the front row, who need to lean
back in order not to be hit. It's loud and lively.<br />
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Between the short snappy acts are intervals, in which the restaurant flogs drinks and souvenirs while setting up for the next act.<br />
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<b>Second act.</b> A future in which the robots have taken over, but are then fought by guardians, including a giant panda. Basically it's an anime movie played out live.<br />
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<b>Third act.</b> The king of the robots, a huge silver thing, dominates the stage.<br />
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<b>Fourth act.</b> A wild, colourful extravaganza that resembles a Brazilian carnival more than anything robot related. Lively, exuberant, over the top.<br />
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I hope that's clear. It was wild. Tokyo-style.<br />
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<i>Find details and make bookings at the <a href="https://www.shinjuku-robot.com/" target="_blank">Robot Restaurant website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-59578096820054796172019-10-25T06:00:00.000+11:002019-10-25T06:00:07.266+11:00Lola Montez: Un-Victorian in Victoria (Part 2)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfx0BquYLaQn4mDxxczeIn9w6mTxw9aaBwewmDO5DPW1Zjjfj4nuktDnjhw2awVrFfi-zq8RaCkeVnOlc2ymAtBXEeH9cwlSX6ewAVYmlkyrj2xh44s6dM-3Q841KKQJ0k29OGplf9uqpm/s1600/lmontez2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="918" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfx0BquYLaQn4mDxxczeIn9w6mTxw9aaBwewmDO5DPW1Zjjfj4nuktDnjhw2awVrFfi-zq8RaCkeVnOlc2ymAtBXEeH9cwlSX6ewAVYmlkyrj2xh44s6dM-3Q841KKQJ0k29OGplf9uqpm/s320/lmontez2.jpeg" width="293" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lola Montez and Henry Seekamp,<br />depicted in </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Melbourne Punch</i> in 1856.<br />Courtesy of State Library of Victoria</span></td></tr>
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<i>From last post: In 1855, the notorious courtesan and entertainer Lola Montez visited the Colony of Victoria, shocking many with her saucy 'Spider Dance'. Her story continues...</i><br />
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Moral reaction came quickly. In Melbourne, Dr John Milton, head of the City Court Mission, appointed himself as Montez’s arch-enemy.<br />
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After her first performance of the Spider Dance, he demanded a warrant be issued for her arrest, to prevent any repetition of the affront.<br />
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He was unsuccessful, perhaps due to mayor and theatre-builder John Smith being in the chair as presiding magistrate. Worthy citizens of Geelong also tried to shut her act down, without success.<br />
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Things were easier for Montez in gold mining country.<br />
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“Bendigo and Ballarat were turning into settled towns, but their goldfields still held large migratory male populations,” says historian David Goodman. “Entertainment was very welcome, so touring companies and other entertainers quickly got onto a circuit through the area.” Ever the canny self-publicist, Lola visited Ballarat miners at their diggings, and shouted them at local bars.<br />
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Her time in Ballarat included a violent incident that was reported in newspapers around the world. After a disapproving letter to the <i>Ballarat Times</i> described Lola as possessing “notoriety of an unenviable kind”, she laid into the newspaper’s editor, Henry Seekamp, in the bar of the United States Hotel, with a whip she’d just won in a raffle <i>(see cartoon above)</i>.<br />
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Seekamp had been a hero of the 1854 Eureka Stockade revolt through his support for the rebel cause, and was known for his energy and temper; so he was unlikely to take the attack lightly. He replied with his own whip, and the two had to be separated by bystanders.<br />
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With highlights like these, Victorian newspapers used up plenty of newsprint on Lola. As they do now, the media loved a controversial woman for her ability to increase sales, whether they were praising or damning her. They were also happy to exaggerate existing stories about Montez, repeat unlikely rumours, and make new ones up, in an ever-expanding game of Chinese Whispers. <br />
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It was a situation that would suit her down to the ground. Lola thrived on controversy, often stoking the fires herself via letters to the editor, twisting facts to suit her public image.<br />
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She also gave the colony’s moral guardians a clear target, though they’d rarely seen the work they were complaining of, and the varied reactions of newspaper critics suggests the Spider Dance’s impropriety was very much in the eye of the beholder. But as we see today, outbreaks of moral panic have a lot to do with expressing the ego of the complainant, via the volume of his or her moral indignation. <br />
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Despite this sporadic resistance to her tour, accompanied by unsubstantiated rumours of intoxication and other unladylike behaviour, her audiences voted with their feet. They were happy to buy a ticket to be in close proximity to fame. They may also have sided with her dismissal of accepted authorities, not unlike the audiences who applauded Madonna’s critically panned West End stage debut in 2002.<br />
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Though Montez was only in the colony for a few months, she brought an air of international glamour to this remote part of the Western world. Did her success foreshadow the cultural cringe by which Australians sought validation from imported figures and culture?<br />
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No, says Goodman. “International entertainment was welcome, but ‘cultural cringe’ is anachronistic. Most of the population had only been here a couple of years, so they’re not thinking of themselves as Australian. Gold rush Melbourne is a very cosmopolitan society; more so than an English regional city like Bristol, for example.”<br />
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How significant was her visit to our developing colony? There’s no question that Lola Montez was one of the most colourful characters to visit Victoria, in the most colourful era of its history. But on the face of it, it’s hard to see her as anything more than a footnote.<br />
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Her outspoken commitment to liberal democracy was adopted for a New World audience, and her possibilities as a feminist icon are problematic. Though she was clearly a woman with a desire for an independent life, it was driven by her own demons rather than commitment to a cause. <br />
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Whatever her importance beyond the stage, Lola Montez is remembered. Even now, many Victorians recognise her name, some from history lessons at school. There’s even been a children’s book and a musical inspired by her tour. Why is she still so fascinating to the inhabitants of a post-modern era awash with celebrity scandals?<br />
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Maybe her memory lives on because, like Oscar Wilde, Lola Montez seems a contemporary figure trapped in an unforgiving earlier age. Or possibly, despite all our advances in equality between the sexes, we’re still fascinated by a woman who could break all rules of female propriety and get away with it.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-831237588369040062019-10-18T06:00:00.000+11:002019-10-18T06:00:07.813+11:00Lola Montez: Un-Victorian in Victoria (Part 1)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Lola Montez. Courtesy of State Library of Victoria</i></span></td></tr>
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<i>In 2005 I researched an article about infamous courtesan and entertainer Lola Montez, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of her tour of Victoria and other Australian colonies. As it never went online, I'd like to share it here. Enjoy! </i><br />
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Bendigo had never seen a night at the theatre quite like it. On the evening of 2 April 1856, residents of the thriving gold mining town had paid five shillings to see a performance of <i>Asmodeus, or The Little Devil</i>.<br />
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It wasn’t the play they were interested in, but its star, Lola Montez. Celebrated and condemned in the world’s media, she was a magnet for scandal and gossip.<br />
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However, she was about to be upstaged. As a thunderstorm raged outside, a bolt of lightning broke through the roof, darted toward the stage, and struck with explosive force.<br />
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Audience members screamed, actors ran wildly across the stage, and scenery smouldered in the aftermath. The <i>Bendigo Advertiser</i>, with a delightful sense of understatement, later described it as “a scene of real interest, not often parallelled on the stage”.<br />
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Montez remained in place throughout. After the confusion had abated, she calmed the audience and reportedly remarked that no stage effects would be required in the circumstances: “Only a little brandy”. The show went on, increasing Lola’s popularity with the punters.<br />
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Lola Montez was the original dirty dancer and bad-girl global celebrity. Although she visited Victoria before its connection to the world via telegraph, her reputation preceded her.<br />
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She was known primarily as a dancer, but not a particularly good one; so she was an early example of the celebrity who’s famous for being famous. In short, Lola Montez was the Paris Hilton of her day. Like the present-day staple of gossip mags, her fame was forever linked to sex and scandal.<br />
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She had certainly led a colourful life before her arrival here 150 years ago, in September 1855. Her 34 years had produced a biography of dishonour and outrage that would take most people a lifetime to amass. <br />
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Born Eliza Gilbert, she had grown up in India and England before eloping from a girls’ school with a young lieutenant. After a later divorce, she re-emerged as Lola Montez, an exotic performer of Spanish folk dances.<br />
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What followed was a dizzying adventure surpassing the most imaginative fiction. Careering across Europe, Lola danced before the King of Prussia and the Russian Tsar, and famously horse-whipped a Berlin policeman on horseback. She befriended composer Franz Liszt and writer Alexandre Dumas, then settled in Paris until her then lover was killed in a duel.<br />
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Arriving in Munich in search of a dancing engagement, she unexpectedly entered into the greatest role of her career: mistress to the 60 year old King of Bavaria, Ludwig I. But Lola lacked the discretion required of a courtesan.<br />
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Her flamboyance, uneven temper and young male entourage earned the hatred of the Bavarian population, though the king created her Countess of Landsfeld. After indirectly causing the fall of governments and the king’s abdication, and contracting a new husband who she soon abandoned, Lola left Europe for America. <br />
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This is where her fortunes finally started to turn. In a nation where acceptance was more contingent on money and fame than social standing, Lola was able to milk her sensational past without being fatally injured by it. After performing across the USA and settling in the west, she heard about Australia’s gold rush and decided to tour, visiting Sydney, Melbourne, Geelong, Adelaide and the goldfields over nine months.<br />
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Lola arrived in Melbourne to find the city still humming from the discovery of gold. With the influx of miners from all over the world, and with the Eureka Stockade rebellion a recent memory, Lola Montez may have expected a frontier society which would give her greater acceptance than she could hope to find in stratified Europe. <br />
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However, Melbourne University historian David Goodman says she just missed Melbourne’s wildest days.<br />
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“By 1855, Melbourne has settled down after the early gold rush years, when new arrivals were living in a tent city in South Melbourne. It’s a ‘miracle city’, in that it was built so quickly, but it’s also an established town familiar to someone from one of the newer English cities. It has all the trappings of civilisation: police, courts, churches and schools. It’s not a wild frontier town.”<br />
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So Lola did experience censure, focused on her notorious 'Spider Dance'. This was a faux Spanish folk dance which involved her energetically searching her skirts for an invisible spider, then stamping it to death. The local critics were hostile to luke-warm: <i>The Argus</i> described it as “utterly subversive of all ideas of public morality”; <i>The Age</i> was initially impressed, until a second reviewer decided the dance was “simply ridiculous”.<br />
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<i><b>Next post:</b> Backlash (and a horse-whipping!)</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-36260825438512040952019-10-11T11:34:00.001+11:002019-10-11T11:34:56.681+11:00The Pancake Rocks of Punakaiki, New Zealand<i>On this trip I was hosted by Tourism New Zealand.</i><div><br></div><div>The day after I arrived at Greymouth on the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island, I was taken to the Pancake Rocks. This geological feature in tiny coastal Punakaiki is a standard feature on the local sightseeing list. As it was a wet and windy day, I hoped it would be worth the trip and not deserve Dr Samuel Johnson’s infamous line about the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland: “Worth seeing, but not worth going to see.”</div><div><br></div><div>Luckily, it was worth visiting. At first glimpse I assumed it was simply a set of eroded rock formations, a sort of scaled-down version of Victoria’s Twelve Apostles:</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_e9a2_6e43_5e65_f361" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/kHG__Akjnzk2qUAu-ZtnKpU-NOb-lQ3psTm7Xskz_hZb_oKZWqTyCuI9rto" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>But once we left the vehicle and started walking along the circular track which grants views of the rocks, I started to see what the fuss was about. Not only do the rocks present interesting craggy shapes, but they’re constructed of multiple horizontal layers (hence ‘pancakes’):</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_dcea_cdfd_2286_4da5" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/P8efPyWgg4Ho3Tv8-0w95flnBf1xnx-LB-0sfnA3kD0VBpD9Mg3gwrmOKcY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>It’s an intriguing feature. Even better, according to signage along the path, scientists have no clear idea how the rocks happened to form in this very specific way. It’s nice to think there are still wonders in the world.</div><div><br></div><div>The path winds in such a way that new views are regularly revealed as it twists and turns above the ocean. At one point, looking back, it appeared as if the ruins of a great ancient city were standing above the water: </div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_8879_cd36_4801_c93a" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/SSqgNzscWjl9BQ2diQJurHjw0MJEgPMfYP6nyE4KL4maEmK0qMvNBn-LSpI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>In addition to the formations, there’s the attraction of the turbulent ocean which sloshes around them, forced up through blowholes, and crashing powerfully through surge pools such as the one below:</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_d2fe_94fc_e2ef_a0a1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/15eQQDuJcI6d80uTetJ-p05EMEqk9-Pa7hPlPSMIbgwLRvgfvds4l5LmmzA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>The Kiwi sense of humour is never far away, even in the midst of such natural grandeur. This set of formations was given extra meaning by the sign in the foreground, ascribing animals to each rocky outline:</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_f37b_3a55_3314_9ec6" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/oL8nJ1Ww5jf37Fe9_3BCnAAKfCMqWQvCxSJIlpZiVqTQf-o9BwkjeJehiY4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_d450_8ef8_cb1a_ab5f" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/3X6hioeAX4gtFe2BiSwkSpmxEyvlXuqwRT0L9d0xxSyAgasaqV7BX4p_bms" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>Once you’ve seen that rodent on the right, you can never go back.</div>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-43448206773477409052019-10-04T15:50:00.001+10:002019-10-04T16:08:37.081+10:00Wine on Waiheke Island, New Zealand<i>On this trip I’m being hosted by Tourism New Zealand.</i><div><br></div><div>On our first afternoon of this New Zealand trip, <a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/" id="id_3e4_4142_17ba_d0d4" target="_blank">Narrelle</a> and I hopped on a ferry from the Auckland CBD to Waiheke Island. This pleasant spot is about 30 minutes away across the water to the northeast, which makes it a perfect spot for a) commuters to escape the stresses of city living; b) travellers to get a taste of island life.</div><div><br></div><div>“Taste” is a well-chosen noun here, as Waiheke is well known for its wine. We were meeting the <a href="https://www.fullers.co.nz/experiences-tours/wine-food-tours/wine-on-waiheke-tour/" id="id_5859_48ef_74de_b256" target="_blank">Wine of Waiheke tour</a> at the dock, which would take us to three wineries over 3.5 hours.</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_9b31_842a_1be2_bca1" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/1eJKkDpt-DiPWs4tfWYP8BGV-Ih6PTi71yIGhncVZI300FPHUq2jjBEdQ0I" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>We were picked up by minibus by guide Jill, who’s lived on the island for many years. Aboard we had 15 tour members from a wide variety of places: Australia, the UK, the USA, Canada, the Philippines, South Africa and Colombia. I like that friendly “temporary community” vibe you get on a tour with a good crowd, and that was happening here. As the afternoon wore on and we sampled more wine, we swapped stories and learnt everyone’s back stories.</div><div><br></div><div>First stop was Mudbrick, one of the first wineries on the island. The name came from its original mudbrick buildings, but the place has developed greatly since then and is now a complex involving a cellar door, restaurants and a rooftop terrace with views. That’s where we had one of our wines, a tasty syrah, which we enjoyed as the wind whipped up.</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_3301_4244_5a46_3ee1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ra6mICM0be2-SkqWyd72q2--q2wGuB5RITHkpxCK2ms0Mo4OyoXrGf4KPTo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>Next stop was Cable Bay, a winery named for the nearby body of water which connected the island’s communications cable with the mainland. The wine I liked best here was their viognier, and our wines were accompanied by an excellent spread of cheeses. At the end of the tasting session we had a look at the atmospheric cellars and their barrels. </div><div><br><img id="id_65e4_af8a_7650_c65f" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/zVjqQEsAjm3WwfXzEMrZgunD_OEU2RDxiMcYaEPso9gAaXvtB_uroDxIadU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_fecc_5bc3_9a24_3ee4" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/8X45ttOs6Mp-Qx6raBQDP9lhjaZeu1J_LWYoVNpgI8iQaPRx1YXPhzOeMe8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>The weather was getting dicey as we headed across the island to our last winery, Te Motu. As she drove, Jill told us some background on the island’s history. </div><div><br></div><div>I was curious as to why one of its towns is called Ostend; it was obviously a link with Belgium, but was it named after an early settler from that country? In fact, as Jill explained, a group of New Zealander ex-soldiers who had fought in World War One had been given land to settle on the island, and it had been named Ostend in memory of those who had suffered on the Belgian front in that conflict.</div><div><br></div><div>At Te Motu, we were met by the winery’s “concierge” Skipper, a friendly dog who stayed with us for pats as we were enjoying the tastings. My favourite here was a rosé.</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_4e43_bcb_b673_5ce8" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/0E9XkeMcuip9X2dRt6V-ohqOx6rMbLmEaVg3_eWbDFpYocRbfU0kTfZ0pkE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_2e6e_b65f_60a1_1598" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/rz7ivqndlMrN71tsgVzjr5CmyR8uTk0XCpzOfNvZkgtiE8owxRfEoRsGgBk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>By now we tour members were on thoroughly chatty terms and knew almost everything about each other; but as always on these occasions, it was time to part. A quick drive back to the ferry terminal, and we were on a boat back to Auckland. </div><div><br></div><div>It was a brief introduction to Waiheke but I’d like to come back on a more leisurely schedule; maybe stay over for a few days and use its hop-on-hop-off tourist bus service to see the sights. And to sample more wine.<br></div><div><br></div><div><i>For details and bookings for the Wine on Waiheke tour, <a href="https://www.fullers.co.nz/experiences-tours/wine-food-tours/wine-on-waiheke-tour/" id="id_6521_c6f5_508d_23f1" target="_blank">visit its website</a>.</i></div>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-14671634230415030992019-09-27T06:00:00.000+10:002019-09-27T06:00:00.792+10:00Big Things of Normanton, Queensland<img alt="" height="200" id="id_c188_e8d_48d5_21ab" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Q1Qs3rianBZ66FnJXeeCxQMWizlMjcPUFxOATjXyQR3opA9zbR2DO1qu-Rc" style="display: block; float: right; height: auto; margin: 4px; width: 307px;" title="" tooltip="" width="150" />In March 2018, I spent a few days in the remote Outback Queensland town of Normanton, awaiting the weekly run of the <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/northwest-queensland-gulf-savannah-see-remote-queenslands-flora-and-fauna-aboard-the-gulflander-train-h1ap39" id="id_a0d4_ce4d_5f98_4c52" target="_blank">Gulflander train</a>.<br />
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I’d arrived early in order to leave plenty of wriggle room for delays caused by rain at the end of the wet season, and even so there was some doubt whether the train would run.<br />
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Killing time while I waited for news, one morning I walked to the site of the old river port which had once connected the town to the Gulf of Carpentaria. </div>
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I was surprised to find a well-marked cycling and pedestrian trail leading to the old wharf, 700 metres north of the town’s edge. Perhaps in the dry season people cycled along it in droves, but I was the only one using it today. </div>
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Though I was happy the rain had paused, with the sun out it was oppressively hot and humid. I was feeling grateful for my Akubra hat, as I walked along the exposed asphalt.</div>
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On the way I passed a flood marker which topped out at seven metres. No wonder the town was built at a slight remove. I could already see evidence that the Norman River didn’t keep to its course: to one side of the trail was a green-brown lagoon of half-submerged trees, and flowers blooming above floating pads. I heard a large splash, and braced myself to see what had caused it. Just a wallaby among the foliage, who hopped away ahead of me.</div>
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It was deserted at the riverbank, though two parked utes with empty trailers spoke of locals out on a Sunday fishing excursion. Two heritage sites were signboarded: the modernised boat ramp which had had a winch-operated punt from the 1880s to 1965, and the remnants of the old wharf, which had been wrecked by a flood in 1974. Powerful floods were something Alice Springs rarely had to endure, but it was a common hazard in this would-be Town Like Alice (on which that famous novel was based).</div>
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I was sitting in the shelter next to the boat ramp, taking notes, when my eye was caught by a sign by the water featuring “ACHTUNG” in black lettering. The German word was more noticeable than the red “WARNING” in English above it, and the gist of the sign was that a saltwater crocodile had been sighted here recently and people should keep away from the water’s edge.</div>
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I relocated to the picnic area several metres farther back, and scoped out a place to climb higher should a crocodile attack. What I’d taken to be a children’s playground next to the picnic area I now saw was an outdoor gym, a set of boards with rails and inclines.</div>
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If a crocodile appeared, I was probably doomed. But possibly I could scramble to the top of the inclined exercise bench. There was also an old crane set in concrete by the wharf. Though farther away, it would be easy to climb.</div>
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Escape route considerations aside, it was pleasant by the river, though never quiet - I could hear the call of birds in the trees around me, along with the deep croaks of frogs and the buzz of insects. Small black flies crawled annoyingly over my face when they felt they could get away with it, and at one point a kite flew under the canopy of the picnic area, right over my head, to land on a nearby vantage point.</div>
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Cooling breezes blew from the river in unpredictable patterns, and the occasional car pulled in to offload a boat on the ramp. Mostly I was alone. It was a soothing experience, despite the heat and my little insect friends.</div>
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Jake, a barman at the Albion pub, had given me a card for Gulf Getabout, a local transport service which acted like a taxi. Its card promised “Like a taxi, but BETTER!” I asked them to pick me up from the river. It beat walking.</div>
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Mel the driver chauffered me to the Big Barra, Normanton’s entry in Australia’s fabled pantheon of Big Things. It was a huge replica of a barramundi, standing upright on its tail, outside a motel. Barramundi fishing was a big thing around here. </div>
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On the way back into town, Mel swung onto the other side of the road to let me photograph the Welcome to Normanton sign: </div>
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<i>Welcome to Normanton</i></div>
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<i>Population small</i></div>
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<i>We love them all</i></div>
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<i>Drive carefully</i></div>
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When I remarked on the flexibility of road rules in small towns - I’d noticed a ute driving by without licence plates the day before - Mel said the local police had recently made themselves unpopular by actually enforcing the law, including the need for licence plates.</div>
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She dropped me at the Purple Pub, the Albion’s rival on the main street. It was an archetypal Aussie pub, except it was painted a distinctive shade of eggplant. I ordered a beer and asked the barmaid how it had ended up that way.</div>
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“One of the previous publicans ordered new paint,” she said, “But when it showed up it was the wrong colour. He was something of a tight-arse, and didn’t want to pay to freight to send it back. So now it’s purple.”</div>
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Fair enough. I ordered a beer, and waited for my train.</div>
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Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-7948042860860097312019-09-21T22:14:00.000+10:002019-09-21T22:37:38.770+10:00Reviews: Melbourne Fringe Festival 2019 (Part 2)<a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a> and I have seen more shows at the 2019 Melbourne Fringe Festival. Here are four new reviews...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazcRXsLSpGAXCXTwedQuDmcSIilFYz9PRDttyiPqLr9HlW-TmIf7JeGObpRPTezRfez6hJtUoP6nDgqXrniwipYoTxlTaWmshu-gSrHEfb7Mejbc9Rtv_76HyHs_EVDEo7e_6TtUx_l07/s1600/apexpred.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="732" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazcRXsLSpGAXCXTwedQuDmcSIilFYz9PRDttyiPqLr9HlW-TmIf7JeGObpRPTezRfez6hJtUoP6nDgqXrniwipYoTxlTaWmshu-gSrHEfb7Mejbc9Rtv_76HyHs_EVDEo7e_6TtUx_l07/s320/apexpred.jpg" width="314" /></a></div>
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<b>1. Apex Predator</b><br />
Reviewed by Narrelle Harris<br />
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Lucretia Mackintosh arrives on stage with her Disney princess eyes and smile and a bright red clown nose. She’s offering to do a stand-up routine for Elizabeth Davie, who's lurking fearfully behind the curtain, and takes to the task with gusto.<br />
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In fact, Lucretia turns out to be a kind of slasher revenge clown, a charming psychopath, and she deals with one unseen predatory male after another in very decisive fashion. There’s gleeful transgression in the audience participation after Lucretia mimes a decapitation, and glimpses of character motivation ("They say don’t fight back in case it makes them angry. But what if <i>I</i> get angry?").<br />
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Recently on Twitter, someone said the Joker should actually be a woman who was told by a man she should smile more - once too often. Elizabeth Davie’s creation feels like the prototype of that Joker. <i> </i><br />
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<i>Apex Predator</i> is playfully savage (or savage and playful), with some of the most horrific and blackly funny mime I’ve ever seen. The pacing between encounters can be a bit slow, but it’s wickedly funny. For anyone who has endured a creeper, a groper, or any unwanted sexual advance, it's disturbingly satisfying too.<br />
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<a href="https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/apex-predator/" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here] </a><br />
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<b>2. Side A</b> <br />
Reviewed by Tim Richards<br />
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In the late 20th century, before the arrival of CD players and MP3s, a kid’s identity was still wrapped up in tape: cassette tape. Amanda Santuccione is accompanied by a big reel-to-reel tape player, portable cassette players, and a stack of mix tapes. She uses these to intersperse tales of growing up in Geelong with snippets of music and the words of her family and friends.<br />
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It’s a warm, nostalgic trip through childhood, puberty and young adulthood accompanied by memorable tunes... until first a friend and then Amanda herself end up in abusive relationships. Music is a part of the healing process, bound up with her friendships and family bonds from start to finish.<br />
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It’s an enjoyable show, though the performer’s lines are sometimes lost to the music and the noise seeping in from the Trades Hall corridor. Audience members will find plenty to relate to in the way Amanda’s favourite music acts as the soundtrack to her life.<br />
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<a href="https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/side-a/" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a> <br />
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<b>3. The Kick Inside</b> <br />
Reviewed by Tim Richards<br />
<br />
On stage, Kerensa Diball dons the colourful headdress of Athena; the Greek god who, as she says, was responsible for the creativity that led to the conquest of Troy via a wooden horse. Along with Helen Mirren, she’s one of the few role models for a woman who decides not to have children.<br />
<br />
That’s what this show’s about, Diball’s decision not to have kids and her coming to terms with that. As part of that process, she does some '60s dancing in '60s gear, takes us through her history of work and travel, and responds to recordings of her partner and her mum.<br />
<br />
It’s a good topic for a show and Diball is a likeable performer, but she needs work on her voice projection and other performance skills to give the act the snappy execution it needs. The script also feels a little slight - at 35 minutes’ actual run time it could stand fleshing out with more complex aspects of her child-free decision.<br />
<br />
Having said that, the sequence presenting Diball as an egg-laying insect is a piece of prop-driven genius.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/the-kick-inside/" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a><br />
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<b>4. Monster / Woman</b><br />
Reviewed by Narrelle Harris<br />
<br />
Medusa’s story is generally well known. An evil woman with snakes for hair, whose deadly look turns all to stone, fated to be decapitated by the hero Perseus.<br />
<br />
That’s one version anyway, and not even the most original. Medusa’s mythology is full of dichotomies and contradictions about beauty/monstrosity. All of them are explored by Sabrina D’Angelo in this superb, engaging, thoughtful and funny black comedy.<br />
<br />
The tale begins with Medusa’s severed head on a table in the afterlife. She’s naturally bemused (and a bit distressed about her lack of a body) while a prissy Afterlife Border Security officer (David McLaughlin) quizzes her about her life and death.<br />
<br />
After some delicious snake puns as she introduces him to the individual snakes on her head, Medusa finds some old VHS tapes. These take her back through the ages as she re-learns her origin story and how she’s been reinterpreted through the centuries - almost exclusively as a way for men to frame their own interests and fetishes.<br />
<br />
But there’s a feminist take on Medusa as well, one which happily reminded me that Luciano Garbarti’s 2008 turnabout statue of Medusa holding Perseus’ severed head exists.<br />
<br />
D’Angelo is endlessly excellent onstage, flowing between vulnerability, comic delivery, femme fataleness and heroic poses, with splendid physicality and a marvellously expressive face. McLaughlin provides terrific support and some sly commentary on the Medusa myth as together they work through the changing symbolism.<br />
<br />
<i>Monster / Woman</i> is funny, strange and wonderful. Go see it. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/monster-woman/" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a> <br />
<br />
That's our final coverage for this year's festival. Hope you enjoyed it! Back to the regular schedule of travel-related posts next week.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-54609534686954604762019-09-14T23:49:00.003+10:002019-09-15T10:47:57.225+10:00Reviews: Melbourne Fringe Festival 2019 (Part 1)The Melbourne Fringe Festival is on again, and <a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a> and I have been seeing shows. Here's our first set of reviews from the 2019 program...<br />
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<b>1. It All Sparks Joy</b><br />
Reviewed by Tim Richards<br />
<br />
As far as staging goes, <i>It All Sparks Joy</i> is an intriguing production.
Crammed into a tiny room on the first floor of Trades Hall, its clutter
of books and household objects allows just ten audience members to sit
along one wall. Performer Dylan Cole stands within his character’s
banked-up personal possessions, as if within a fort.<br />
<br />
They do represent a fortification of sorts, an emotional one, which he’s
vowed to break down in order to move on from divorce and related trauma
in his recent past. Aiding him in this task is a pile of self-help
books: the more genteel ones with “The Art of...” in their titles, the
raffish newer ones with the word “F*ck”.<br />
<br />
Flipping through them, starting with Marie Kondo’s volumes, he tries to
discard items from his broken past, and fails utterly as nothing ends up
in the discard pile. No matter how useless or torn the object, it has
links with his history which he’s not ready or able to sunder.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, an occasionally ringing phone hints at something so
dark and traumatic that the experts’ advice becomes quite trivial. This is a moving performance, amplified by the compact venue, and a reminder that not every
human hurt can be solved by the trite formulations of media-friendly
gurus.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/it-all-sparks-joy/" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a> <br />
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<b>2. Wednesday Morning 3am</b><br />
Reviewed by Narrelle Harris<br />
<br />
The tagline for this show is “the universe is under no obligation to make sense to you," and that seems apt. Its likeable presenter, Doctor Thomas D Richards, begins by weaving a rich tapestry of theories of how the universe was created, adding his feeling that such a huge and sudden event probably happened on a Wednesday morning at 3am, when humans are at their most vulnerable. <br />
<br />
That’s the show’s most coherent point, after which it clambers through aspects of pigeon taxonomy, the intersection of pigeons and background radiation, moon landings, origami, and a strange and superfluous sequence of the Earth as a little girl and her inappropriate daddy, before winding down into a weird entropy.<br />
<br />
The pacing is choppy though the blend of science, chaos and mysticism is engaging even when the slow pace undermines it. <br />
<br />
It’s admittedly very Fringe, and there’s a sense of a stronger though still surreal show lurking behind the space dust. Richards has a gentle, goofy, knowledgeable charm which holds this odd act together better than you’d expect. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/wednesday-morning-3am/" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a><br />
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<b>3. Quite Drunk, Very Jesus-y</b><br />
Reviewed by Narrelle Harris<br />
<br />
In a world where social progressives and religious conservatives seem at irreconcilable odds, Grace de Morgan’s play takes a refreshing look at the challenges of Christian faith in modern society. In it, three friends are helping a fourth to celebrate a significant birthday. To make Agnes’ 30th just that bit more significant, it’s revealed that she’s still a virgin. <br />
<br />
<i>Quite Drunk, Very Jesus-y</i> covers a lot of ground in its uninterrupted 85 minutes. With Australia's equal marriage plebiscite in the background, discussions encompass being gay and Christian, attitudes to pre-marital sex and virginity, different approaches to faith, shifting power in group dynamics, love, lies, honesty, loyalty, forgiveness, and growing up and apart from the friends of your youth. <br />
<br />
Every character is nuanced, in turns being sympathetic and “a bag of dicks”. Their innate humanness makes them warm and funny, and the conflicts very real. I’ve had similar discussions on faith and modern society with friends and family, so the play's concerns feel immediate and credible. It approaches these topics with compassion as well as humour, so we feel engaged rather than preached at.<br />
<br />
The performances lack a little confidence at the beginning, and need more confident projection. But the ensemble cast is excellent, and uniformly believable as adults who are now less certain of the friendships and attitudes formed in their youth group days.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/quite-drunk-very-jesus-y/" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a> <br />
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<b>4. Sweet & Sour Dilemmas</b><br />
Reviewed by Tim Richards<br />
<br />
In the kitchen of a Chinese restaurant in a Victorian country town, a chef is forming dumplings while chatting to us about his life. We can see he's doing the former, as his benchtop is projected onto the side wall of the room, with the dumplings being shaped in pace with the monologue.<br />
<br />
Its subject is migrant life in Australia, as seen through the eyes of a recent arrival with Chinese heritage via Indonesia and Malaysia. It's complicated, but not so to his Australian customers, who see him simply as "Chinese".<br />
<br />
Peter the chef (played by Brendan Wan) is a likeable character dropping observations on his strange new homeland one by one, and pondering whether his newborn son would fare better in Australia, where he might not fit in, or in Indonesia, where he'd have less opportunity.<br />
<br />
Some of Wan's broader gags fall flat, and the actor's timing needs work to make the most of his material. But overall it's an enjoyable patter, with effective (and often funny) observations of Australian culture: including a curious origin story for the Westernised marvel that is sweet and sour sauce.<br />
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<a href="https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/sweet-sour-dilemmas/" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a> <br />
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More reviews next week. Enjoy the festival!Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-82659037045662736772019-09-06T06:00:00.000+10:002019-09-06T06:00:06.006+10:00Inside Guide to Melbourne (Part 4: South)<i>Continuing my guide to Melbourne's hotspots, taken from a downloadable guide I once wrote which is no longer available in that format (don't worry, I've updated it). Enjoy!</i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXVx9ikliv344gcBwK7G38k6gMpg86GQ9i_JhQfN8-whn7fUH_1uDsQkRpSQPOhbGOZcujqsiEjI2_7PzZZUQltCX1Br1a_PBSNftGTO0Gi4zdi3AmtIS_TM7rrXE1wFnqqHD4TGbXS8ZT/s1600/visionsofvictoria1375249-302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="866" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXVx9ikliv344gcBwK7G38k6gMpg86GQ9i_JhQfN8-whn7fUH_1uDsQkRpSQPOhbGOZcujqsiEjI2_7PzZZUQltCX1Br1a_PBSNftGTO0Gi4zdi3AmtIS_TM7rrXE1wFnqqHD4TGbXS8ZT/s400/visionsofvictoria1375249-302.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo courtesy of Visit Victoria</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>Day 3 – Cross the River</b><br />
<br />
Gritty laneways and converted shopfronts have their appeal, but Melbourne’s natural attractions are also worth seeing. Catch any tram except the number 1 down St Kilda Road to Stop 19. Walk across the road and up the green slopes beyond, pausing at the impressive Shrine of Remembrance and the old Melbourne Observatory, then enter the Royal Botanic Gardens.<br />
<br />
This vast and beautiful collection of plant life is arranged between green lawns and a lake, and is threaded by pathways and dotted with decorative buildings. Created from a swampy arm of the Yarra River in the 19th century, the gardens are the lungs of central Melbourne. Wander, admire, then stretch out on the grass and enjoy the serenity.<br />
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Find it:<br />
<b>Shrine of Remembrance</b> (Birdwood Ave, <a href="http://shrine.org.au/" target="_blank">shrine.org.au</a>)<br />
<b>Melbourne Observatory</b> (Birdwood Ave, <a href="https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/visit-melbourne/attractions/melbourne-observatory" target="_blank">rbg.vic.gov.au</a>)<br />
<b>Royal Botanic Gardens</b> (Birdwood Ave, <a href="http://rbg.vic.gov.au/" target="_blank">rbg.vic.gov.au</a>)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo courtesy of Visit Victoria</i></span></td></tr>
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<b>Cakes and the bay</b><br />
<br />
Catch a number 3a or number 16 tram from St Kilda Road to the bayside suburb of St Kilda. Overlooking the broad, placid waters of Port Phillip Bay, this area has long been Melbourne’s playground.<br />
<br />
A short walk from Stop 138 (Luna Park/Esplanade) is Acland Street, famous for its old-fashioned cake shops which were set up by an early wave of migrants from Central Europe; my favourite is the Europa.<br />
<br />
Walking along the Esplanade, you encounter some magnificent buildings including the Palais Theatre, which often hosts live music, and the Coney Island-style Luna Park with its famous roller-coaster and other amusement park rides.<br />
<br />
For lunch at a local secret unknown to the tourist hordes, visit Cowderoy’s Dairy. This former grocery is now home to a popular café within a residential zone, overlooking a small park.<br />
<br />
After that, if the weather is warm enough, take a dip in the bay at sandy St Kilda Beach, or relax in the palm-tree-studded Catani Gardens. If you feel like some exercise, follow the trail for walking, cycling and rollerblading which stretches from St Kilda to Port Melbourne, with continuous water views.<br />
<br />
Find it:<br />
<b>Europa Cake Shop</b> (81 Acland St, <a href="http://europacakeshop.com.au/" target="_blank">europacakeshop.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Palais Theatre</b> (12 Lower Esplanade, <a href="http://palaistheatre.com.au/" target="_blank">palaistheatre.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Luna Park</b> (18 Lower Esplanade, <a href="http://lunapark.com.au/" target="_blank">lunapark.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Cowderoy’s Dairy</b> (14 Cowderoy St, <a href="http://cowderoysdairy.com.au/" target="_blank">cowderoysdairy.com.au</a>)<br />
<br />
<b>Fine food and entertainment on tap</b><br />
<br />
In the evening, have dinner at one of the many restaurants on busy Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. You could treat yourself to tasty Mediterranean dishes at Prince Dining Room, or top-quality modern Chinese food at Lau’s Family Kitchen.<br />
<br />
To finish the evening you have two options: either take in a new Australian theatre production at Theatre Works, or enjoy some live music at the Esplanade Hotel. The Espy, as it’s affectionately known, is the home of live music in St Kilda and often has free gigs in its basement bar. With a beer in hand and live music to listen to, it’s a great place to end your Melbourne visit.<br />
<br />
Find it:<br />
<b>Prince Dining Room</b> (2 Acland St, <a href="https://theprince.com.au/prince-dining-room/" target="_blank">theprince.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Lau’s Family Kitchen</b> (4 Acland St, <a href="http://www.lauskitchen.com.au/" target="_blank">lauskitchen.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Theatre Works</b> (14 Acland St, <a href="http://theatreworks.org.au/" target="_blank">theatreworks.org.au</a>)<br />
<b>Esplanade Hotel</b> (11 The Esplanade, <a href="http://hotelesplanade.com.au/" target="_blank">hotelesplanade.com.au</a>)<br />
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<b>Conclusion</b><br />
<br />
There’s so much more to see in Melbourne. If you have more time, check out the ultra-modern architecture of Federation Square and visit its great museums, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and the National Gallery of Victoria. Take the lift to the Eureka Skydeck at the top of the strikingly modern Eureka Tower and dangle above the city streets via its Edge Experience.<br />
<br />
Even better, jump on one of the city’s iconic trams at random and explore a neighbourhood along the route. You never know what you might discover.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-34642311216584073772019-08-30T06:00:00.000+10:002019-08-30T06:00:05.081+10:00Inside Guide to Melbourne (Part 3: History & 'Hoods)<i>Continuing my guide to Melbourne's hotspots, taken from a downloadable guide I once wrote which is no longer available in that format (don't worry, I've updated it). Enjoy!</i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDn6DNzBsUe8nVA8iETSHAy5eVH0kZMJpOctfcjVTRoVAfXC-Mqg1MQETE61kjNo0j7gRKOpeUVaRjozxbo9uZmUyfqz0k8UoND3vXx82zi8ww9eWn2IjaIW8yIOZNYiLnloaf8myfmfJ4/s1600/visionsofvictoria1409855-302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="865" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDn6DNzBsUe8nVA8iETSHAy5eVH0kZMJpOctfcjVTRoVAfXC-Mqg1MQETE61kjNo0j7gRKOpeUVaRjozxbo9uZmUyfqz0k8UoND3vXx82zi8ww9eWn2IjaIW8yIOZNYiLnloaf8myfmfJ4/s400/visionsofvictoria1409855-302.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo courtesy of Visit Victoria</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>Day 2 – Indulge in History and Hipster Hoods</b><br />
<br />
Though it’s one of Australia’s youngest cities, Melbourne wears its colonial history on its sleeve. After having breakfast in the cool industrial-themed laneway café Krimper, walk to the Queen Victoria Market to admire this great survivor of the 19th century.<br />
<br />
A sprawling collection of stalls selling food, clothing and many other items, the Queen Vic Market still a favourite place to shop for both locals and visitors. The bratwurst stand is particularly famous, for its tasty sausages served in bread rolls. For a great coffee here, drop into Market Lane Coffee.<br />
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Find it:<br />
<b>Krimper</b> (20 Guildford Ln, <a href="http://krimper.com.au/" target="_blank">krimper.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Queen Victoria Market</b> (65 Victoria St, <a href="http://qvm.com.au/" target="_blank">qvm.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Market Lane Coffee</b> (at both QVM's Dairy Hall and 83 Victoria St, <a href="http://marketlane.com.au/" target="_blank">marketlane.com.au</a>)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BMZlfCV4e8s6HM1vPBqzlyh9yrPiNs_i0ruSx5rFepr2ayNLaq6xqQSftBRIdI2VOe_qIj8XDwUzq7gH4pLsVFAtWpbmdTz5dcNcfshDykr7U-aMr0oSYQaZyefE-78x1z8E-fCeYTYJ/s1600/visionsofvictoria1398902-302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="865" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BMZlfCV4e8s6HM1vPBqzlyh9yrPiNs_i0ruSx5rFepr2ayNLaq6xqQSftBRIdI2VOe_qIj8XDwUzq7gH4pLsVFAtWpbmdTz5dcNcfshDykr7U-aMr0oSYQaZyefE-78x1z8E-fCeYTYJ/s400/visionsofvictoria1398902-302.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo courtesy of Visit Victoria</i></span></td></tr>
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<br />
Walk to the spacious Carlton Gardens and take in the grand Royal Exhibition Building with its distinctive dome and spectacular fountain in front.<br />
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A World Heritage listed structure, this is one of the few buildings surviving from the golden age of world expositions. It also hosted the opening of Australia’s first national Parliament in 1901, a few months after six British colonies federated to create the new nation.<br />
<br />
Behind it, the excellent Melbourne Museum is a vast modern building which houses a number of mini-museums including the excellent Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre.<br />
<br />
Have lunch on nearby Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, a hip stretch of art galleries and restaurants. Gabriel does great coffee and café food here, and there's fine pizza at Ladro.<br />
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For a final dose of the past, visit the Old Melbourne Gaol, a grim former prison which was the main jail in central Melbourne in the late 19th century. Its most well-known inmate was the notorious bushranger Ned Kelly, executed here by hanging in 1880.<br />
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Find it:<br />
<b>Royal Exhibition Building</b> (9 Nicholson St, <a href="https://museumsvictoria.com.au/reb/" target="_blank">museumvictoria.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Melbourne Museum</b> (11 Nicholson St, <a href="https://museumsvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/" target="_blank">museumvictoria.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Gabriel</b> (187 Gertrude St, <a href="http://gabrielfitzroy.com.au/" target="_blank">gabrielfitzroy.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Ladro</b> (224 Gertrude St, <a href="http://ladro.com.au/" target="_blank">ladro.com.au</a>) <br />
<b>Old Melbourne Gaol</b> (377 Russell St, <a href="http://oldmelbournegaol.com.au/" target="_blank">oldmelbournegaol.com.au</a>)<br />
<br />
<b>Head out to hip Northcote</b><br />
<br />
Northcote is a suburb lying a few kilometres northeast of the city centre, and is rarely visited by tourists. As the place where the hipsters fled when the inner-city area became too expensive, it’s a wonderful district of retro-chic shopfronts, cafes, restaurants and live music venues.<br />
<br />
Getting here via tram or train from the downtown, treat yourself to a meal at Estelle, a relaxed restaurant with excellent contemporary dishes. Alternatively, keep it simple with a classy pizza at Pizza Meine Liebe.<br />
<br />
After eating, check out a live band at the Northcote Social Club, the suburb’s most famous live entertainment venue. After that, end the evening with a drink at the atmospheric Wesley Anne, a bar in a former church.<br />
<br />
Inside tip: Many operators in Melbourne’s lively food truck scene hang out in the Northcote area at some point each week. There's always several of them stationed at Northcote's food truck hub Welcome to Thornbury.<br />
<br />
Find it:<br />
<b>Estelle</b> (243 High St, <a href="http://theestelle.com.au/" target="_blank">theestelle.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Pizza Meine Liebe</b> (231 High St, <a href="http://pmlnorthcote.com.au/" target="_blank">pmlnorthcote.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Northcote Social Club</b> (301 High St, <a href="http://northcotesocialclub.com/" target="_blank">northcotesocialclub.com</a>)<br />
<b>Wesley Anne</b> (250 High St, <a href="http://wesleyanne.com.au/" target="_blank">wesleyanne.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Welcome to Thornbury</b> (520 High St, <a href="http://welcometothornbury.com/" target="_blank">welcometothornbury.com</a>)<br />
<br />
<i><b>Next week...</b> Crossing the river! (gasp)</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-17776841197084578462019-08-23T06:00:00.000+10:002019-08-23T06:00:03.961+10:00Inside Guide to Melbourne (Part 2: Chinatown & Bars)<i>Continuing my guide to Melbourne's hotspots, taken from a downloadable guide I once wrote which is no longer available in that format (don't worry, I've updated it). Enjoy!</i><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi96RWXzCMdZFyPFM9z5YHXkgelCyiYm5ObouykqFXCWu6Nv9g9hAZsZ0oO3ih9m3q2rLMwf9dKwEu0MRSkfnT31cSF9FunHY8o_Qd2OGSbcppWKsXi6retixPLVibarLnG7CbslA-Vp7zb/s1600/visionsofvictoria1408307-302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="865" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi96RWXzCMdZFyPFM9z5YHXkgelCyiYm5ObouykqFXCWu6Nv9g9hAZsZ0oO3ih9m3q2rLMwf9dKwEu0MRSkfnT31cSF9FunHY8o_Qd2OGSbcppWKsXi6retixPLVibarLnG7CbslA-Vp7zb/s400/visionsofvictoria1408307-302.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo courtesy of Visit Victoria</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Enter the Dragon in Chinatown</b><br />
<br />
Take lunch at Chin Chin on Flinders Lane, a great example of Melbourne’s lively food scene. You may have to queue to get a seat at this popular modern Asian restaurant, but it’s well worth it for the buzzing atmosphere and innovative menu. If feeling indecisive, just say “Feed me” and you’ll be served a range of dishes for $69.50.<br />
<br />
Continue the Asian theme at the corner of Swanston Street and Little Bourke Street, where a colourful ceremonial gate marks the entrance to Chinatown, a part of the city since Chinese miners arrived to take part in the gold rushes of the 1850s.<br />
<br />
Follow Chinatown as it rises for two blocks along Little Bourke Street to the east, admiring the colour and life of this quarter with its many restaurants and specialist shops.<br />
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When you reach Cohen Place, head left to the Chinese Museum. This small but fascinating institution tells the story of Chinese-Australian life, from the hardships suffered by the early miners to the cultural heritage added to Australia’s multicultural mix.<br />
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At the top of Little Bourke Street, pause on Spring Street to admire the graceful facades of the Princess Theatre and Parliament House. Next to the Princess is a string of excellent bars and restaurants you might want to make a note of for a later visit – The European, Siglo, Melbourne Supper Club and City Wine Shop.<br />
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One place you should definitely visit for an indulgence now is Spring Street Grocer, which makes its own gelati in-house. The salted caramel and chili version is excellent.<br />
<br />
Once you have your ice-cream, walk down Spring Street to Gordon Reserve, a small city park containing Victorian-era statues of both the celebrated Australian poet Adam Lindsay Gordon and the British soldier General Charles Gordon. Sit on a bench or stretch out on the grass, and relax.<br />
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Find it:<br />
<b>Chin Chin</b> (125 Flinders Ln, <a href="http://chinchinrestaurant.com.au/" target="_blank">chinchinrestaurant.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Chinese Museum</b> (22 Cohen Pl, <a href="http://chinesemuseum.com.au/" target="_blank">chinesemuseum.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Spring Street Grocer</b> (157 Spring St, <a href="http://springstreetgrocer.com.au/" target="_blank">springstreetgrocer.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>The European</b> (161 Spring St, <a href="http://theeuropean.com.au/" target="_blank">theeuropean.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Siglo</b> (161 Spring St, <a href="http://siglobar.com.au/" target="_blank">siglobar.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Melbourne Supper Club</b> (161 Spring St, <a href="http://melbournesupperclub.com.au/" target="_blank">melbournesupperclub.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>City Wine Shop</b> (159 Spring St, <a href="http://citywineshop.net.au/" target="_blank">citywineshop.net.au</a>)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDhpg2py7yuplLOXbOSgO4HzPQ0X0rehcn43UFGP8wQls6RZOcpB1sF_WU0-IaTaxCz8CRn2cqmhSgR-U0rV_zeT1ObrY5noly5JatK3KD2Ncr9PwfIHSTFO67FYLZwrCXmt9x6yjxsU-/s1600/visionsofvictoria1325289-302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="816" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDhpg2py7yuplLOXbOSgO4HzPQ0X0rehcn43UFGP8wQls6RZOcpB1sF_WU0-IaTaxCz8CRn2cqmhSgR-U0rV_zeT1ObrY5noly5JatK3KD2Ncr9PwfIHSTFO67FYLZwrCXmt9x6yjxsU-/s400/visionsofvictoria1325289-302.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo courtesy of Visit Victoria</i></span></td></tr>
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<br />
<b>Secrets of the night</b><br />
<br />
Start the evening with a pre-dinner drink at the Rooftop Bar, on top of Curtin House, and enjoy a view of the skyline with a beer in hand. From December to April it doubles as the Rooftop Cinema, screening classic and cult movies in the open air at night.<br />
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The rest of the building – nicknamed a “vertical laneway” – is dotted with interesting shops and bars, including Metropolis Bookshop, Cookie bar, and the Toff in Town with its private booths which resemble train compartments. The Toff also has a music room wherein you catch live music acts in an intimate environment.<br />
<br />
Walk west along Little Bourke Street, crossing Elizabeth. The stretch of Little Bourke Street from here to Queen Street is riddled with laneways containing restaurants and bars. Enjoy a great cocktail while singing along with the pianist in the former warehouse occupied by Murmur Piano Bar.<br />
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For dinner, try the excellent tapas and paella at Portello Rosso, a cosy and classy restaurant tucked away beneath Murmur. The highlight here is the jamón (dry-cured ham from Spain).<br />
<br />
To end the evening in style, walk along nearby Hardware Lane, then descend to Golden Monkey (open Thursday to Saturday). This candlelit bar is decked out with beautiful timber furniture from Shanghai, and serves Asian-accented cocktails along with a range of beers. It makes a romantic end to a busy day.<br />
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Find it:<br />
<b>Rooftop Cinema</b> (252 Swanston St, <a href="http://rooftopcinema.com.au/" target="_blank">rooftopcinema.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Metropolis Bookshop</b> (252 Swanston St, <a href="http://metropolisbookshop.com.au/" target="_blank">metropolisbookshop.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Cookie</b> (252 Swanston St, <a href="http://cookie.net.au/" target="_blank">cookie.net.au</a>)<br />
<b>Toff in Town</b> (252 Swanston St, <a href="http://thetoffintown.com/" target="_blank">thetoffintown.com</a>)<br />
<b>Murmur Piano Bar</b> (17 Warburton Ln, <a href="http://murmur.com.au/" target="_blank">murmur.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Portello Rosso</b> (15 Warburton Ln, <a href="http://portellorosso.com.au/" target="_blank">portellorosso.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Golden Monkey</b> (389 Lonsdale St, <a href="http://goldenmonkey.com.au/" target="_blank">goldenmonkey.com.au</a>)<br />
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<i><b>Next week...</b> History and 'hoods!</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-43249803951070425492019-08-16T06:00:00.000+10:002019-08-16T06:00:07.623+10:00Inside Guide to Melbourne (Part 1: Laneways)<i>A few years ago I write a "First-timer's Guide to Melbourne" for a company that sold downloadable city guides. It's since gone out of business, so here's my three-day guide for your free use and enjoyment...</i><br />
<br />
As a freelance travel writer, I travel the world for a living – but I always look forward to returning to Melbourne. A great Victorian city propelled into grandeur by a mighty gold rush, Melbourne has been reinvented in the 21st century as a place powered by creativity, especially in its food and music scenes. <br />
<br />
In this guide, I’m going to take you to my favourite places in Melbourne, from alleyway cafes to innovative restaurants, visiting some cool bars and atmospheric culture along the way.<br />
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<br />
<b>Welcome to Melbourne</b><br />
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The first thing you need to know about Melbourne is this: it loves secrets. Bars hide down narrow alleyways, great cafes are located on quiet residential streets, and amazing street art pops up in the most unlikely places. Luckily, the locals are happy to share their discoveries with visitors, so don’t be afraid to ask for tips on places to visit.<br />
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Melbourne is not a city of spectacular individual sights or astonishing natural landscapes. Rather it’s a city of intriguing architecture, character-packed neighbourhoods and distinctive food. Take the time to soak up the city’s charms while sipping great coffee at an outdoor café, browse its boutiques, or hang out in a bar or historic pub, and you’ll soon understand why people talk about Melbourne’s unique vibe.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCtsBI1N3iC3EBE4_8wmf5IutKRcdGjEFjBwa-7zBVaymnc_Zl_2vj9R5mR_MGT5iaXssGmzu58cPGxTU4_S8DROWM7ofXKjPh-Qe0BJ3FQ5JwTad98iss-_Xnrgr9kn3djqUkCmmYV-G/s1600/visionsofvictoria1325215-302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="816" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCtsBI1N3iC3EBE4_8wmf5IutKRcdGjEFjBwa-7zBVaymnc_Zl_2vj9R5mR_MGT5iaXssGmzu58cPGxTU4_S8DROWM7ofXKjPh-Qe0BJ3FQ5JwTad98iss-_Xnrgr9kn3djqUkCmmYV-G/s400/visionsofvictoria1325215-302.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo courtesy of Visit Victoria</i></span></td></tr>
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<br />
<b>Day 1 - Explore the City within a City</b><br />
<br />
<i>Crepes, coffee, chocolate and alleyways</i><br />
<br />
One of the most remarkable things about Melbourne is its network of 19th century alleyways, or laneways as the locals call them. Cross-crossing the downtown area at odd angles, twisting here and there, these old service lanes contrast with the broad main streets in their orderly grid, creating a fascinating “city within a city” which has been populated by funky cafes, shops and bars. <br />
<br />
To start your exploration of the laneways, pull up a seat at one of the tiny tables at Aix Creperie in Centre Place. Order a sweet or savoury crepe and watch the flow of pedestrians pass the lively hole-in-the-wall cafes which line this pedestrian route, or spot the colourful street art on its walls.<br />
<br />
Around the corner in Flinders Lane, Dukes is the place to stop for coffee – you’ll recognise it by the simple sign hanging out front, bearing only an image of a coffee cup. Cut back through Centre Place and the connected Centreway Arcade to Collins Street, still the gracious boulevard of upmarket boutiques and grand buildings it was in Victorian times.<br />
<br />
Enter Block Arcade, a glamorous survivor of that era with its beautiful mosaic floors and high arched ceiling, and admire the posh shops as you pass through. One place that won’t break your budget here is Haigh’s, one of several excellent chocolatiers in the city centre.<br />
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If you fancy a snack, pick up one of their dark chocolate peppermint frogs and walk through adjoining Block Place, a bustling laneway packed with cafes, then across Little Collins Street into Royal Arcade. This grand shopping arcade is full of distinctive gifts and fashion, along with the best hot chocolate in Melbourne, served by Koko Black.<br />
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Turning right onto Bourke Street Mall, watch out for the trams trundling through this pedestrian route as you head east toward Swanston Street. Look up as you go, to spot several attractive art deco facades which are often overlooked by passers-by.<br />
<br />
Thread right through Union Lane past colourful street art, then left along Little Collins Street until you reach the grand Melbourne Town Hall, an ornate building which was a product of the prosperous “Marvellous Melbourne” era of the late 19th century.<br />
<br />
Here you’ll discover the City Gallery, a small, free space which hosts fascinating exhibitions connected with the city’s past. Check out the gallery, then sit on a bench near the flower stall outside and take a break while watching the passing parade on this lively thoroughfare.<br />
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Find it:<b> </b><br />
<b>Aix Creperie</b> (24 Centre Pl)<br />
<b>Dukes Coffee Roasters</b> (247 Flinders La, <a href="http://dukescoffee.com.au/" target="_blank">dukescoffee.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Haigh’s Chocolates</b> (Block Arcade, 282 Collins St, <a href="http://haighs.com.au/" target="_blank">haighs.com.au</a>)<br />
<b>Koko Black</b> (Royal Arcade, 335 Bourke St, <a href="http://kokoblack.com/" target="_blank">kokoblack.com</a>)<br />
<b>City Gallery</b> (110 Swanston St, <a href="http://melbourne.vic.gov.au/citygallery" target="_blank">melbourne.vic.gov.au/citygallery</a>)<br />
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<i><b>Next week...</b> Enter the dragon! (ie Melbourne's Chinatown)</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-49294635733987182512019-08-09T12:41:00.001+10:002019-08-09T12:43:44.607+10:00Ballyhoo on the Bally Hooley Railway, Port Douglas
<p class="p1"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><i>On my visit to Port Douglas I was hosted by the Bally Hooley Railway.</i></span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_aec3_95ee_23c5_77c7" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/1CBjg-K3wPR2kFdGv9C8GFMc5yih8wgxMhA3SyeCFGcptpvGP-jR7GsDPQ4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When visiting Cairns last year, I was unable to ride the Kuranda Scenic Railway because of cancellations due to rockslides. So I took a bus to Port Douglas to try out a substitute: the Bally Hooley Railway. </span></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Parked at a platform at one end of the marina’s shopping arcade was an open-sided train. Its carriages’ bright yellow wooden benches, decorative wrought-iron doors, and firetruck red roof made it look like a funfair novelty, but it had an industrial heritage. </span></p><p class="p1"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The carriage beds are from real sugar cane bins,” said the young train driver wearing a baggy blue cap, referring to the carts hauled by narrow-gauge locomotives through the cane fields of the region.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">These modified carriages were attached to an original loco from the cane fields, a blocky, blunt-nosed diesel workhorse that looked like it packed a lot of power for something that ran along track a mere 610 millimetres (two feet) wide. On this damp Sunday it was half-full of day-trippers waiting for it to chug down to its terminus and back, calling at three stops along the way.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The station was an attractive timber structure pained white, with a cafe serving meals at tables on the platform beneath ceiling fans and wicker light shades. Throw in a gin and tonic, and it could have been the Last Days of the Raj.</span></p><p class="p2"><img id="id_c31d_1a35_fc33_467d" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LuQXp4hNg2kXW0L6Eq-Q59pJ0sEIp9Tprj-8xMfxJLKFDwecEPsJE5t5sSU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We pulled slowly out. “It averages 15 kilometres per hour,” said our guide via a microphone, providing a commentary as we progressed. As we passed the waters of the marina, he gave a sketch of the late disgraced businessman Christopher Skase, whose Sheraton Mirage Resort was largely responsible for Port Douglas’ transformation into an upmarket tourist town in the 1980s.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Then we passed the town’s waste water treatment plant, and a sign advising of a coming “sludge treatment upgrade”.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">According to our host, this sugar cane line was built over a century ago to serve the sugar industry of inland Mossman, whose refinery still produced over a million tonnes of sugar per week. So Port Douglas had got its own railway eventually, even if it was for sugar rather than people.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sugar was brought down by train to be loaded onto ships at Port Douglas, but improved road transport had made the railway redundant. Now it had become a brightly-painted tourist train, usually pulled by steam locomotives at weekends (though we’d lucked out because an accredited driver couldn’t be found that day).</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Port Douglas is on a stumpy peninsula nosing into the Coral Sea, so as we moved south we could see the mountains of the Great Dividing Range across the water to our right. Closer to hand were eucalypts, and mangroves beyond them.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There were two stations between the Marina Station and the train’s terminus. The first was at the Mirage Country Club, where the railway was lined by immaculate if unused tennis courts. The second was at the QT Resort, whose long white building shared the marina’s colonial tropicana look.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We passed older blocks of housing built by Skase for his construction workers, then arrived at the terminus, St Crispin’s Station, which housed a cafe with </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">water views.</span></p><p class="p2"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YFNOHCgv26A" width="500" height="281" id="y_id_f3c1_4f48_a002_fe1d" frameborder="0" style="height: 281px; width: 500px;"></iframe></div><p></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I stood with other rail fans to watch the crew drive the locomotive onto a turntable <i>(see video clip above)</i>, then turn it through 180 degrees using nothing more than physical strength. It then ran past our carriages on a parallel line, to position itself for the return run north. It was a delight to watch the operation, there was something pleasingly analogue about the simple technology involved.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Back aboard, I found myself seated with new fellow passengers, an affectionate couple on a day out.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Pity it’s not steam today,” said the man, meaning the locomotive. I demurred, pointing out the diesel loco was just as much a part of sugar cane farming history. He didn’t seem convinced.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On the return leg, the host pointed out lipstick palms with their red trunks, and told us how expensive it was for the shire council to maintain the thousands of coconut palms in the area, which posed a potentially fatal hazard via falling fruit.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We passed more tennis courts and I noticed two of them were a dark grey.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“See that tennis court?” asked the voice. “That’s covered with algae. It’s a non-stop job keeping things clean in the Wet.”</span></p><p class="p2"><img id="id_c5b3_3377_c605_142e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/bbDYpajOv6WyAuaZd8FDc0oWC0M10G5OeWnZQACcDAzSdbrUJboVuIoSILo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He then detailed all the items in the 47 tons of equipment that Captain James Cook threw overboard from the </span><span class="s2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Endeavour</span><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> north of there in 1770, when the ship ran aground on a reef. </span><span class="s2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">National Geographic</span><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> had led a recent expedition to recover it, and salvaged items were on display at the museum in Cooktown.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“It wasn’t until the 1960s that Port Douglas was linked to the electricity grid,” he said, moving forward in time. “Just up the road from here to the north, it’s still the same.”</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He finished by detailing the recent acquisition of the marina by Syrian billionaire Ghassan Aboud, and his plans to bulldoze the current building and rebuild in an even more upmarket style, catering for super yachts (whatever they are). Port Douglas had lost some of its celebrity-fuelled glam since the global financial crisis a decade before, so this was a chance to revive it.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It was hard to imagine Port Douglas was once a serious contender for chief city of Far North Queensland, but if the Ranges railway had been built from here it would now be a glittering tropical metropolis. Instead, it had bumped along the decades as a sugar port, then a sleepy fishing village, and latterly a getaway place for the well-heeled and super-rich.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On the way back to Cairns, I asked the bus driver if he was worried the new owner’s plans for the marina might fall over.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Of course,” he said. “But someone has to give it a try.”</span></p>
<p class="p2"><a href="https://www.ballyhooleyrail.com.au" id="id_7a66_7d27_d26c_33ee" target="_blank"><i>Find timetables and other info at the Bally Hooley Railway website.</i></a></p>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-20944443370954237602019-08-02T06:00:00.000+10:002019-08-02T06:00:07.631+10:00The Practicalities of Penzance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>On this trip I was hosted by Visit Britain.</i><br />
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For all the glamour of travel, there comes a time when you have to stop admiring the scenery and get down to some practical travel admin.<br />
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One of these necessary tasks is doing laundry, especially if you travel as light as I do. I only take a backpack with me, so <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2013/11/contemplating-spin-cycle.html">it's essential to do a regular wash</a>.<br />
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On Wednesday 29 May I caught a train from London to Penzance, having the previous day caught two trains over the very long route of Zürich to London via Paris.<br />
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When I arrived in the Cornish city about 3pm, I was very tired from all that travel. But crucially, I didn't have anything else on my itinerary that day. So when I stepped out of Penzance Station and saw on opposite corners a) a laundrette; and b) a pub, I took it as a sign.<br />
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Washing had to be done, right then, and as much as possible while I had time to take advantage of the opportunity. So I stepped into the Suds & Surf laundrette and found out what I'd need in the way of coins, and how long it'd take.<br />
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Then I walked back to the train station loos, and re-dressed in order to get as much laundry done as possible. I walked out wearing an outfit which consisted of (in its entirety) my black jacket over a fleece jacket, my good black trousers, and my boots without socks. Everything else was going in the wash.<br />
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This is where the pub came in. Having put on a laundry load that would take 45 minutes in the industrial-scale machines, I stepped across the corner to The Longboat Inn. Under the guidance of the barman I ordered a local brew, a Tribute Cornish Pale Ale from the St Austell Brewery <i>(see photo top right)</i>.<br />
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It was excellent, and I sat sipping it on a sofa while engaging in conversation with an English and American couple who were travellers in Cornwall themselves.<br />
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After 45 minutes, I asked the barman to mind my backpack, then stepped across the road to put my clothes in the dryer. Then back to the pub for another beer. I can't see how this system could be beaten.<br />
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I spent the next two days sightseeing and researching, visiting the island icon of St Michael's Mount and the wonderful hillside sculpture garden at Tremenheere. But I also visited the Penzance post office for another useful chore - posting a load of stuff home.<br />
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This is another travel chore I regularly undertake, in order to keep the backpack's weight bearable. When it's ballooned from 8 kilograms to 10 kg, you really feel it. And having come to Cornwall via Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Paris and London, I had a lot of added items such as brochures and souvenirs.<br />
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They were worth keeping, but not needed till I got home. So I posted them to Australia, and was glad to offload their 1.5 kg weight. To be frank, by the time the backpack reaches 10 kg I feel like I don't care if I never see those items again, as long as they're gone.<br />
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So that was my practical Penzance travel admin. Hardly rock 'n' roll travel, but all quite necessary and a pleasure to have completed. And the ale eased it along.<br />
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What are your essential-but-strangely-pleasurable tasks when you're travelling? Leave a comment below (treat it as a useful chore).Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-28599807415693848402019-07-26T06:00:00.000+10:002019-07-26T06:00:03.685+10:00Review: Come from Away, Melbourne<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I first heard of this musical at a business lunch, of all things. As it’s set in Newfoundland, the marketing body Destination Canada invited the producer along to an event where reps from Canada’s different provinces sing their praises to journalists.<br />
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Newfoundland’s probably the least known province to Aussies, or close to it, as it’s so remote. But that remoteness lies at the heart of this musical, which tells the story of what happened in a small Newfie town after the events of 11 September 2001.<br />
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Gander once had a big and busy airport, used as a refuelling stop by aircraft in the early days of trans-Atlantic flight. But as commercial planes became powerful enough to leap that ocean in a single bound, its airport slipped into irrelevance.<br />
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Until September 11. When US airspace was shut down after the terrorist attacks on New York City, dozens of passenger planes in the air were ordered to land at Gander, whose runways were big enough to cope with most aircraft.<br />
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It soon became obvious that their passengers were going to be stuck in Gander for an indeterminate number of days. As the town instantly doubled in population with these thousands of newcomers, crisis loomed – until the people of Gander leapt into action, housing the stranded, making them meals, inviting them home, even taking care of the animals that had been overlooked in aircraft cargo holds.<br />
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It’s a heartwarming true story, set to a background of tragedy, and it was this example of human generosity that inspired <i>Come from Away</i>’s creators to set it to music. I would never have considered that genre for a drama like this, but it’s perfect – the music and choreography perfectly brings out both the pace of those days and the emotions of all involved.<br />
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To the production’s credit, it isn’t at all syrupy. There’s a lot of positivity in the dialogue and lyrics as the startled townsfolk and dazed passengers get to know and help each other, but there are also darker undertones that anchor the story to reality.<br />
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These include suspicions levelled at Muslims among the passengers, tensions within frayed relationships, worries about loved ones far away, and always the horror of what has happened in New York. This last factor is crystallised in the form of a woman whose son is a firefighter in NYC, she having no idea of whether he’s alive or dead.<br />
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The cast do a marvellous job of speaking, singing, dancing, interacting, at a nonstop pace which reflects what it must have felt like to be in Gander for those four fraught days. Actors play multiple roles, switching from passengers to townspeople to officials via simple but effective changes in clothing or headwear.<br />
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There’s some lovely overt humour, including that of the townswoman whose reports to the audience always involve her in an imaginary romantic entanglement with whatever sexy pilot or doctor or teacher she’s been dealing with. There are also laughs from the mild collision of small-town ways with those of the wider cosmopolitan world, re food and sexuality and language.<br />
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In the end, <i>Come from Away</i> is a homage to the better side of humanity, while never overlooking its worst impulses. In its portrayal of a crisis that left no one unchanged by the strange interlude they spent in the middle of nowhere in the aftermath of destruction, it’s a potent message of hope and a great mood enhancer.<br />
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<i><b>Come from Away</b> is now playing at the Comedy Theatre, 240 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, Australia. For details and bookings, <a href="https://comefromaway.com.au/" target="_blank">visit the Australian production’s website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-88553064717939738342019-07-19T06:00:00.000+10:002019-07-19T06:00:05.372+10:00Food and English in Zürich, Switzerland<i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On this trip I was hosted by <a href="http://www.myswitzerland.com/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Switzerland Tourism</a>, and travelled via the excellent <a href="http://www.myswitzerland.com/rail" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Swiss Travel Pass</a>.</i><br />
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Something interesting I noticed on my recent visit to Switzerland was the prevalence of English language signage. Because the country famously has four official languages (German, French, Italian and Romansh), I expected that signs would often be in multiple translations.<br />
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In reality though, as I travelled through the mainly German-speaking area of Switzerland, I rarely saw signage in any but two languages: German and English. In fact I was told by a local that English is so well-established as a <i>lingua franca</i> that a Zürich businessperson who phoned a counterpart in Geneva would probably speak in English.<br />
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I guess if you're a country that already has four languages, it's not much of a hassle to throw a fifth into the mix.<br />
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This was brought home strongly to me at the annual Street Food Festival held under a big top in the ex-industrial-now-hip neighbourhood of Zürich West. The name of the festival itself provides a strong hint at how widely English is used in Switzerland, but as I walked around the stalls I saw English signage all over the place.<br />
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Have a look:<br />
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Things have certainly changed since I first travelled to Europe in 1990, when you'd have to make an effort to learn some of the local lingo of non-English-speaking countries you'd visit. No wonder we Anglo-Saxon types are so lazy about language learning nowadays.<br />
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<i>The Street Food Festival has closed for 2019, but keep an eye <a href="https://www.streetfoodfest.ch/" target="_blank">on its website</a> for 2020 dates.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-85592635416325689532019-07-12T06:00:00.000+10:002019-07-12T06:00:02.065+10:00Glaciers and the Red Bus in Montana, USA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>In 2009 I took my first-ever trip to the USA, courtesy of the Montana Office of Tourism and Virgin Australia. My resulting newspaper article about a visit to </i><i><i>Glacier National Park</i> never went online, so here it is for your enjoyment...</i><br />
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Everything about Montana is big, from the towering Rocky Mountains in its west to the sprawling plains of the east. <br />
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And up the top of its “big” list are the glaciers and peaks of Glacier National Park, a spectacular spread of craggy mountains, glacial lakes and huge chunks of ancient ice nestled between them.<br />
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“It’s incredible to first timers,” says our driver and tour guide Jana Grindheim. “People don’t know about Glacier, it’s not as famous as Yellowstone. But it’s like nothing they’ve ever seen, and they’re just amazed at the mountains.”<br />
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As we progress into the park past the waters of Lake McDonald I begin to see what Jana means, via glimpses of enormous sharp-edged peaks to the northeast. The evocatively-named Going-to-the-Sun Road may be flat and spacious now, but soon it’ll be transporting us upward, past rugged mountains on one side and a sheer drop on the other.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJeQuFXM5P1czHkBiCyF1DQdTo69UL02hAhggv5uXHkxEpqvZfmkBRvK5t2xytUK-zawLE5t1K_uBrSBLesW2pIAO0PoGZzXxH5vnnBLMkGAKpdJk40nn_5rSOV2_ACfqXZl44x-hyeQq/s1600/P9190421.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJeQuFXM5P1czHkBiCyF1DQdTo69UL02hAhggv5uXHkxEpqvZfmkBRvK5t2xytUK-zawLE5t1K_uBrSBLesW2pIAO0PoGZzXxH5vnnBLMkGAKpdJk40nn_5rSOV2_ACfqXZl44x-hyeQq/s320/P9190421.JPG" width="240" /></a>Though its namesake glaciers are shrinking as the climate changes, those that remain are diverse and magnificent, especially within the Many Glacier Valley in the park’s east.<br />
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However, the mountain scenery alone is sensational enough to prompt a visit, and we’ll be getting a full dose of it as we traverse the entire Going-to-the-Sun Road from Apgar to St Mary. <br />
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The road is a story in itself, an epic construction project completed in 1933.<br />
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It borrows its name from a mountain along its route, named from a Native American Blackfeet legend about a deity who came from the sun and taught them how to hunt, then returned home after leaving his image on the slopes.<br />
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We’ll be hugging the narrow road in a vehicle that’s a tourist attraction in its own right, one of the park’s fleet of Red Buses. These bright red open-topped vehicles, resembling an extended car with a fold-back roof, each hold 17 people and have been used for tours of the park since the mid-1930s. <br />
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With its sleek lines and a radiator grille that looks like it was swiped from an art deco limousine, our Red Bus is a very stylish way to explore Glacier. On top of all that, Glacier is the only national park to still be operating these classic vehicles, as other parks retired their fleets decades ago (take that, Yellowstone).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNm63ZdaHRL_snFHK2DQ3KzxoH9CN7qhyphenhyphenzux7awxzwdUvXTGd6z0AZRzw6cGYkJ0V-sWIbrkHmTjg3fSxQ-eSKE9fMbuNTf_nR_ick3WRQnP568sL7ZeXzZ-YritPdd3D53HLwJfHXw2d1/s1600/P9190425.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNm63ZdaHRL_snFHK2DQ3KzxoH9CN7qhyphenhyphenzux7awxzwdUvXTGd6z0AZRzw6cGYkJ0V-sWIbrkHmTjg3fSxQ-eSKE9fMbuNTf_nR_ick3WRQnP568sL7ZeXzZ-YritPdd3D53HLwJfHXw2d1/s320/P9190425.JPG" width="240" /></a>The Red Bus drivers are a special breed are known as “jammers”, a name inherited from the days when the gears of the vehicles would grind and jam as they hauled their passengers up the slopes. <br />
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Our jammer for the day, Jana, is fond of her daily grind. “I get to drive on the beautiful red buses that everybody loves,” she says, “And I get to see Glacier National Park, the most beautiful place in the world, every day.”<br />
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Sounds like a recipe for job satisfaction to me. And as we pass beyond Avalanche Creek and its picturesque boardwalk through the cedars, the landscape opens up, we begin to climb, and I see what she loves about the place.<br />
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For it is grand - there’s no other word for it. Beyond the cedar forest the mountain slopes stretch high above us, bare and craggy as they reach sharply defined peaks, tinged purple in the midday heat.<br />
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The most startling formation is the Garden Wall, a long narrow ridge of sharp, rocky projections streaked with horizontal bands of colour. It’s so narrow that in places it would be possible to sit astride it, with legs dangling along each slope.<br />
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There are also signs of how powerful Dame Nature can be when she rubs her hands and gets down to work. Pausing the bus, Jana points out a massive trail of damage down the slope above us, where dozens of trees lie fallen.<br />
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This was the work of a mighty avalanche that plummeted through some time during winter, blocking the road; because it’s closed during the icy months, no-one saw it happen.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUVUAoU3guzis-DX2Jn8I0y6-NlC4QzegsdW_yIXWqpL8HS_bSHrmX4fc666t9VDzYdzvtL62UeD4I7xuCkMRjuNeRH4MZUrLKUFDt4xdMo8D9uw-UhyuZIwk8F3xQv4YM6m-G65K1Cvf/s1600/P9190433.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUVUAoU3guzis-DX2Jn8I0y6-NlC4QzegsdW_yIXWqpL8HS_bSHrmX4fc666t9VDzYdzvtL62UeD4I7xuCkMRjuNeRH4MZUrLKUFDt4xdMo8D9uw-UhyuZIwk8F3xQv4YM6m-G65K1Cvf/s320/P9190433.JPG" width="240" /></a>To the west is the beautiful Heavens Peak, at 2739 metres one of the higher mountains in the park, with a dusting of snow despite the Indian Summer warmth.<br />
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We’re reminded again of the park’s lofty snow and ice as we pass the Weeping Wall, a section of rock constantly flowing with run-off from the glaciers above.<br />
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Finally, having passed a profusion of impressive peaks and peered down into distant tree-lined valleys, trying to not think too hard about the tiny stone wall stopping errant vehicles from plunging to their doom, we arrive at Logan Pass. <br />
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It’s the highest point on the road and a natural spot for a break, with its visitor centre and sign marking the location of the Continental Divide, which runs right through the park. A geographical curiosity, this line divides North America into two sections from which all water flows downhill toward either the Pacific or the Atlantic, depending on which side it falls.<br />
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Logan Pass is also a rest stop along the park’s numerous hiking trails. While the rest of our group troops off to have a look at the neighbourhood, I linger by the bus to ask Jana about hiking. Being Australian, however, I’d be a little nervous about the idea of encountering bears along the way. Has she ever seen any?<br />
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“Oh yeah,” she says casually. “In the Many Glacier Valley, just over these mountains, there are a lot of grizzly bears. By the Many Glacier Hotel you can see them, not ten feet away.”<br />
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I’d rather be viewing them from a bit further away than three metres, but Jana is reassuring. “I’ve never had any dangerous situations with bears. Usually when you see them they don’t care about you, unless you scare them.”<br />
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Making a mental note not to scare any bears, I return to the topic of hiking. Does she have a favourite walk?<br />
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“I have several,” she nods. “There’s one, Gunsight Path, which is a 20 mile hike with a backpack. It’s incredible. You hike up past lakes, snowfields, waterfalls, and camp at Lake Ellen Wilson. It looks like an infinity pool, dropping off the edge of the earth.<br />
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"You also have an option to continue to a glacier. The other one you can do from here is the Floral Park hike, and you walk across Sperry Glacier on the way. There are rivers and crevasses and it’s amazing.”<br />
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It’s almost an anticlimax to get back into our old Red Bus and drive east for the descent to St Mary, sighting the Jackson Glacier as we go.<br />
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But I do get a small adrenaline rush when we briefly leave the bus to walk through the trees to look at the tiny Wild Goose Island in the middle of St Mary Lake.<br />
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We might see a bear, I imagine. But we don’t, not even a small one.<br />
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As we head out of Glacier, I discover that Jana is on her way out as well.<br />
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“My husband and I fell in love with the park the first time we came here but now we’re joining the Peace Corps, and we’ve got one last hurrah with the mountains.”<br />
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Will she miss being a jammer?<br />
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“Yeah,” she says firmly. “Best job in the park. Best job in the world.”<br />
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<i>For details of the Red Bus Tours in Glacier National Park, <a href="https://www.glaciernationalparklodges.com/red-bus-tours" target="_blank">click here</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-38339361820338505832019-07-05T06:00:00.000+10:002019-07-05T06:00:01.257+10:00A Walk Through Literary Dublin<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEmOy-QegShSyvpGsM3qgXroV83yfJSjQG2rI4NRzxjjh6AQaA4A3nWtFZrePgSoBjQ9fIa9jUbEdEE2hOUI_6yp6gsJ1aKAcEjFkBgYcgiv9P0ItxlN0_-n8OLXPj3nH1LkgOut5ekZ1h/s1600/P5150557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEmOy-QegShSyvpGsM3qgXroV83yfJSjQG2rI4NRzxjjh6AQaA4A3nWtFZrePgSoBjQ9fIa9jUbEdEE2hOUI_6yp6gsJ1aKAcEjFkBgYcgiv9P0ItxlN0_-n8OLXPj3nH1LkgOut5ekZ1h/s320/P5150557.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue of Oscar Wilde<br />in Merrion Square, Dublin.</td></tr>
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<i>On this trip I travelled courtesy of Tourism Ireland and Aer Lingus. This story arose from my 2011 visit to Dublin but never went online, so here it is for your enjoyment...</i><br />
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“We call him ‘the prick with the stick’,” says tour guide Pat Liddy, cheekily referring to a statue of the writer James Joyce which stands proudly in busy O’Connell Street, Dublin. <br /><br />It might seem disrespectful, but inventing such acid nicknames is a casual hobby to Dubliners, who’ve applied them to many statues in the Irish capital.<br />
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For example, a busty statue of Molly Malone, who sold “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive-oh” in the famous song, is commonly known as ‘the tart with the cart’. <br /><br />It's all in good fun, says Liddy, smiling as he returns to his pint of Guinness in an atmospheric old pub which is, as it happens, an former haunt of Joyce’s.<br /><br />It seems somehow fitting that we should be on a literary walk that’s immediately ended up at the pub, given the central role of such establishments in Ireland’s social and cultural life. <br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pat Liddy outside Mulligan’s, Dublin.</td></tr>
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Having left Trinity College, which contains the famous <i>Book of Kells</i>, we were assaulted by a driving rainstorm that appeared from nowhere, and have taken refuge in Mulligan’s until the weather eases.<br />
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It’s a classic Irish pub, with a dimly-lit back room where we sit around chipped old timber tables, a huge gilt mirror on the wall behind us.<br /><br />Mulligan’s has a literary pedigree of its own, says Liddy, as a longtime hangout of <i>Irish Times</i> journalists and of Joyce, who mentioned the establishment in his landmark novel <i>Ulysses</i>.<br />
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The outside of the pub is even painted with the date of Bloomsday (June 16th, 1904), the day in which the novel’s story is set.<br />
<br />As we sip Ireland’s most famous beer, Liddy tells us about the wealth of writers that the city has produced. For a city of a million people, Dublin has a remarkable back catalogue of literary heroes, including Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, George Bernard Shaw and Jonathan Swift. And let's not forget Bram Stoker, whose popularisation of the vampire lives on to the present day.<br /><br />Liddy is a great story-teller, and he’s easily diverted into amusing anecdotes from his life and tour work. He chats about his son’s train journeys through Asia and Russia, and tells us about having to explain Oscar Wilde to foreign visitors. There’s also a witty story about the time he had to sing Handel’s <i>Messiah</i> to a group of German visitors who’d never heard of it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oscar Wilde's birthplace, Dublin.</td></tr>
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<br />The beer and the craic are very diverting, but we have pavements to pound. The rain clears and we're off again, through the atmospheric historic streets south of the River Liffey.<br />
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We’re entering Oscar Wilde territory here; as we stroll, Liddy points out the former St Mark’s where the great playwright was baptised. <br /><br /><span id="goog_253375705"></span><span id="goog_253375706"></span>Then we arrive at 21 Westland Row, a respectable facade featuring a big blue door beneath a fanlight.<br />
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This is where Wilde was born, and an inscription within a stone wreath credits him as ‘Poet, Dramatist, Wit’. Those are words I’d be happy to have on my gravestone, I think, as we move on.<br /><br />Our next stop is Sweny, an attractive small shopfront which was featured in <i>Ulysses</i> in its then role as a pharmacy. It was here that the book’s hero, Leopold Bloom, bought a cake of soap with a lemon scent. Remarkably, it remained a pharmacy right up to 2009, when it passed into the care of a group of volunteers who run it as a bookshop and an unofficial shrine to Joyce.<br /><br />You don’t have to be a fan of Ulysses to appreciate the shop’s atmospheric interior, packed both with books and reminders of its apothecary days. There’s even a drawer full of old photos once developed here, to show visiting kids who may only be familiar with digital shots.<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wendy Conroy at Sweny, Dublin.</td></tr>
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The remaining space is lined with new and second-hand copies of books by Irish writers of all eras.<br />
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It’s a great place for visitors to acquaint themselves with both the classics and the lesser-known gems of Irish lit, and to pick up some reading for their travels.<br /><br />Behind the counter today is Wendy Conroy, a passionate fan of Joyce’s master work. “There are Conroys all the way though Ulysses,” she points out.<br />
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Not that Joyce was the only star of the written word to hang out in this neighbourhood. “Wilde and Yeats may well have stood where you’re standing,” she says.<br /><br />From here it’s a short walk around the corner to Merrion Square. Opposite the park stands the house where the young Oscar grew up, and in the park itself is a wonderful surprise - a colourful statue of Wilde which was unveiled in 1997, over a century after being imprisoned for his homosexuality. <br /><br />A symbol of his 21st century rehabilitation and popularity, the unconventional statue depicts Wilde lounging in a colourful jacket on a large rock, a smile on one side of his face and a grimace on the other. The mixed expression may be a reminder of his mixed fortunes, as perhaps are two smaller nearby statues of his wife Constance and an anonymous male torso. <br /><br />The plinths of these statuettes are adorned with many of his famous sayings, one of which seems to sum up Wilde’s sensational life: “There is only one thing worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about”.<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Davy Byrne’s, Dublin.</td></tr>
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Heading back toward the bars and restaurants south of the Temple Bar district, we pass another pub mentioned in <i>Ulysses</i>: Davy Byrne’s, where Bloom ordered a gorgonzola sandwich and a glass of Burgundy.<br />
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Though the pub has been renovated in a swish modern style and now specialises in seafood, it’s still a meal you can order there today.<br /><br />Then, finally, we finish at McDaid’s. It’s a popular pub which has retained its original character, furnished with bookshelves, tiled panels and a high timbered ceiling.<br />
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This was a haunt of postwar playwright and novelist Brendan Behan, says Liddy, at least until the one-time IRA member was barred. It was also, inevitably, frequented by Joyce and the other Irish writers who milled around this part of Dublin.<br /><br />It’s been a great tour. Via Liddy's enthusiastic and colourful delivery, the city's great books and their writers have come to life - and even though I haven't read all of them, I go away with a hunger for their work and an understanding of how much Dublin loves its stories.<br />
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<i>Pat Liddy’s <b>Walking Tour of Literary Dublin</b> is available on request. See <a href="http://www.walkingtours.ie/" target="_blank">www.walkingtours.ie</a> for contact details and other scheduled tours.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-48994603096592115712019-06-28T06:00:00.000+10:002019-06-28T06:00:11.082+10:00The Gnomes of Wrocław, Poland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>I wrote this piece for a newspaper some years ago, but it never appeared online. The gnomes are still there, so it's still current! Enjoy...</i><br />
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I’m on my way into a pub when I’m stopped by a dangerous revolutionary. With one fist raised in protest and the other support a flying banner, he looks up at me with clear disdain.<br />
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But perhaps I’m overstating my peril. For a start, he’s looking up at me because he’s only 50 centimetres high. And he’s made of stone. And he’s a gnome.<br />
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Yes, I’m not hunting wabbits, like Elmer Fudd - I’m hunting gnomes.<br />
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Walking through the cobblestone square of the beautiful city of Wrocław, in southwest Poland, I’m peering above doorways, at the ground, down alleys.<br />
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And I do find them - little statues of gnomes, doing a variety of tasks: telephoning, carrying suitcases, propelling a wheelchair, sleeping, even mouthing revolutionary slogans like my friend Leninek (Little Lenin in Polish), named after the father of the Russian Revolution.<br />
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But what are they doing here?<br />
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The gnomes, dozens of which have been placed permanently around the city, are a tip of the hat to the Orange Alternative, a communist-era dissident group that used humour as its weapon in the 1980s. <br />
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The leader of the group, Waldemar Fydrych, realised that physical struggle against the communist government would be suppressed, but ridicule was harder to resist. So he and his followers daubed gnomes on any wall where the authorities had painted over anti-communist slogans.<br />
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The difficulty of cracking down on such silliness without looking silly themselves had the communists in a bind, and kept the citizens of Wrocław sniggering.<br />
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Today’s gnomes are the work of local artist Tomasz Moczek. The first few were commissioned by the city council, but in recent years private companies have bought into the craze, commissioning gnomes that reflect the nature of their businesses.<br />
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Hence the Lenin gnome outside PRL, a pub decorated in communist kitsch. Elsewhere off the main square is a gnome making a telephone call high up above the doorway of a phone company, and a fat gnome lying on his back in a food bowl, just outside a pizza joint. Another gnome carrying a suitcase stands outside a nearby hotel.<br />
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What’s especially fun about the gnomes is that they’re not that easy to find. There are no signposts pointing them out, and they’re so small that you can easily walk past them, even when you’re specifically hunting them down.<br />
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Later in my quest, I spend ages popping in and out of the medieval complex of buildings in the centre of the square in search of a single gnome, only to finally discover him perched above the door to a police station.<br />
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There’s something very Polish about all this, reflecting the Poles’ dark sense of humour and the way public art blends into the older fabric of their cities.<br />
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They particularly underline the quirkiness and beauty of Wrocław. Around its streets, between gorgeous examples of baroque and Renaissance architecture, are scattered more intriguing items of street art.<br />
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The most striking is <i>Crossing</i>, a complex sculptural work which shows a full-size group of people approaching an intersection, disappearing beneath it as if being sucked down into the earth, then reappearing on the other side of the street. It’s breathtaking.<br />
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Not that Wrocław’s attractions are all modern. The most interesting sight in Wrocław dates from the 19th century.<br />
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The Panorama of Racławice, a huge circular painting housed in its own dedicated building, is both a cultural treasure and a historical curio. Before the cinema was invented, these vast panoramas were common in Europe, allowing visitors to imagine themselves in the middle of famous historical events. <br />
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The Wrocław panorama is one of the few to survive. Measuring 15 metres high and 120 metres around, it’s full of fire and action, depicting a famous battle of 1794 in which a Polish peasant army defeated a much larger Russian force.<br />
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Transported here from the east at the end of World War II, the painting sat in storage for decades while the communist authorities resisted its reinstalment. Finally, in 1985, it went up again.<br />
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It was worth the wait. Visitors look at the painting via a central platform, and various real-life objects have been placed between the walls and the viewers to enhance the effect.<br />
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I find myself peering intently, trying to spot the point where the real world and art join. It’s not easy to do… in one place the painted section of a scythe is joined by a real wooden counterpart, and the combined effect is very convincing.<br />
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Nearing the end of the day, I head back to the central square as Wrocław’s nightlife begins to gear up. Courtesy of its large university student population, the city has a lively entertainment scene, characterised by vibrant bars tucked into historic brick cellars beneath its streets.<br />
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The dining is diverse too, as Mexican and Italian joints vie with Polish cuisine from classic restaurants like Karczma Lwowska, which serves beer in old-fashioned ceramic mugs. <br />
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To start the evening, I opt for a quiet beer with my old friend Leninek at PRL. The bar’s remarkable interior is decked out with communist-era items salvaged from local attics.<br />
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Busts of socialist worthies decorate the walls, propaganda banners hide intimate alcoves, waiters prance around in red tracksuits, and 1970s music plays over the sound system.<br />
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It’s all a big joke, of course - nothing undermines an authoritarian ideology more than laughing at it. Which the gnomes have known all along.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-73761158407318380372019-06-21T06:00:00.001+10:002019-06-21T06:00:15.486+10:00Away in Lorne<br />
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Every so often I feel the need to get away from work, to literally toss the phone in a hotel room drawer and ignore email, social media and everything else. When that happens, I usually choose Lorne.<br />
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The Mantra Hotel in Lorne, on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road, was once Erskine House, popular accommodation for Melburnians seeking fresh sea air. It’s still a good place to head for that item, and as a non-driver I like it particularly because it a) can be easily reached by public transport; and b) it has the town on one side and the ocean on the other, so it’s easy to walk to everything.<br />
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The standard rooms are fine, but this time I was staying in a small apartment on the tree (rather than ocean) side of the property. It was a nice space with a proper kitchen, and I always appreciate being able to self-cater.<br />
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The gutter above the open-air terrace of the apartment seemed to retain water after rain, and this drew a set of regular visitors to the rooftop: sulphur-crested cockatoos!<br />
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These sizeable native birds are all over Lorne, often looking to cadge food from visitors, though signs everywhere tell you not to feed them. I saw plenty of cockatoos during my stay, as well as galahs and various waterbirds.<br />
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I have a pattern when I visit Lorne for a four-night stay. The first couple of days are spent largely collapsed on a sofa, reading; in between eating the buffet breakfast and swimming in the hotel pool (there’s a steam room there too, which I appreciate in colder weather).<br />
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On the second day I’ll stretch myself slightly by walking down to the excellent Swing Bridge Cafe just beyond the hotel, where the river flows into the sea.<br />
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It’s a beautiful spot in good weather, a great place to do more reading. Then I’ll cross the bridge and pass by the local supermarket for catering supplies. Lorne is a reasonably upmarket destination, and you can tell that fro the posh bread and cheeses on sale at the supermarket.<br />
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On the second or third full day, depending on weather, I’ll push myself a bit more by taking the coastal walk around past the beach to the pier. Next to it is a seafood restaurant which is a nice place to sit and have a drink or a meal, while looking over the ocean. I find it soothing.<br />
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Then I walk back to the hotel via the main road, which runs higher up and passes the local pub. Sometimes I’ll look in the shops, sometimes check out the film schedule at the old-school cinema.<div>
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It’s not a complex holiday, but sometimes that’s what I need.</div>
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Makes a hugely refreshing change from being somewhere where I have to stay alert, taking notes and framing photos for later use in published travel stories.<br />
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Love Lorne! Even the thuggish cockatoos that run the town.<br />
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Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-33220524043411025632019-06-17T13:02:00.002+10:002019-06-17T13:02:39.214+10:00Remote Access: Catching a Train from Corrour, UK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>I was hosted in Scotland by Visit Scotland.</i><br />
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The last thing I did on my visit to Scotland last week was perhaps the most interesting. Certainly the most surreal.<br />
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I caught a train from Corrour.<br />
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This may sound like no big deal, but Corrour is not that easy to reach. Located on the edge of the sprawling Rannoch Moor in the Scottish Highlands, it's a private estate with a history of hosting visitors for hunting and fishing. In addition to enabling these activities, and providing onsite cottage accommodation, the estate also has its own mainline train station.<br />
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Corrour Station, the UK's highest mainline station at 408 metres, is not somewhere you can simply drive to. It has no public road access, so the only way to reach the station is by train (of course) from Glasgow or Fort William, or on foot. As Rannoch Moor is a starkly beautiful wilderness popular with hikers, it's a useful place to start or finish a walk.<br />
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Intriguingly, though there aren't many trains that pass each day, all of them stop at Corrour. You can even catch the Caledonian Sleeper train all the way to or from London from here, which I was intending to do the day I arrived at the station.<br />
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There's also accommodation at the station, with B&B rooms available inside the old signal box building.<br />
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The minor miracle which ties together all these uses is the Station House Restaurant. Though the station is in the middle of nowhere, its restaurant is open all day from breakfast to dinner. It's not uncommon for diners to come out on an early evening train from Fort William, have dinner then head back on the last train of the night.<br />
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I had a few hours to kill before the sleeper arrived on the way to London, so I had a late lunch at the restaurant, which has a marvellously warm and cosy interior. I could imagine it seeming an oasis to hikers on a cold day. Indeed while I was relaxing on a sofa a pair of walkers arrived who'd just trekked for some distance to meet a friend at the station, the latter arriving by train.<br />
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After lunch I donned some warm clothing (there was a chill in the air, despite it being June), and walked part of the way toward Loch Ossian, about two kilometres east of the station. At the loch there's a hostel with dormitory beds, inside a building which was once a boathouse.<br />
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It was good being out in the open. With the station's buildings hidden behind a rise, it felt properly remote, with impressive rugged hills on the horizon.<br />
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Returning to the station I whiled away a few hours reading, and chatting to the friendly staff between customers. Every table was booked for dinner that night, and as dinnertime approached there was a sudden rush of new arrivals, coming by train either from Fort William, from the adjacent accommodation, or from the hostel.<br />
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This lively group of revellers gave this unlikely remote eatery a festive mood, and I felt a bit regretful leaving them behind to walk upon the cold platform as I waited for the London train.<br />
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But then the Caledonian Sleeper arrived, I jumped aboard, and Corrour was lost to sight as we began the long haul south. Though I had a strange feeling that I would be back.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-17823268775144191202019-06-09T03:23:00.001+10:002019-06-09T03:23:07.646+10:00Review: The Beaumont, London, UK<div><i>I stayed in London as a guest of The Beaumont.</i></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_d317_168b_ae3f_2508" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/tdtLGhl8i8aCfNUnPvSRriTGg9Y0YDRAXFolUwHP6NBvnSlXmdR6ASywNpo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>Good ol’ Jimmy Beaumont. When Prohibition hit the USA, he moved to London and gave Mayfair the swellest, swankiest hotel that it had ever seen.</div><div><br></div><div>Or... did he?</div><div><br></div><div>When I arrived at The Beaumont last week for a two-night stay, I was impressed from the start. Everything in my room harmonised in a stylish, Art Deco way, which spoke of decades of devotion to a consistent interwar style:</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_76f_1cb9_de94_68fe" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/isvl-VA_d-2QP8DkEK13Q9yU4GOYz_lmfY9NAOOVFLyBacQipp4aDhL3P0k" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_93b1_c515_28e8_b280" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/LSK3qdZheivD14wMZaPrthcc1-2ZnVOCwSRiLWeeRFzGvBVzrbShxuTsSZE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_5ea3_1355_24e2_bb0a" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/1iYzOYXpaZoHbfDK6DNV8Aj6MRowG7ukJDJvQsOBfjvfmQnQJhoWnn7zvwc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_ceea_c5a4_fba2_68df" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/kLC-RbxFuWcUuoGOnI3UQijf07c8Ww_jINkDJoVDmrcEiRuZ08AKVIq8oAI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_b110_95d2_732a_5518" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fXhE7z_qzM700uqPQW7fxkc7fbRSebnILdzWkHU8LdcfdB-Fkz2Xh1jNoQ0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_9372_8d11_4368_84d5" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/lXvnHUmhNzKqWm9rNt96zvOTK4kPz-XcEJzix1XbLM7ws1-rTFkcAG593Eg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_1157_4196_bca2_234" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/1HYsRwNSdSNovKo5-7wThQSxhWXI8yG-5VPhUO7ZcE6EktaZHghHjXOcv4M" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_927b_d0a8_6535_4d7" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/xFWEoY4MRE-ghV68ukupJAvP3FzV_ynxX43FcUpuioG0LGWNuK5aVw-NVBU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin: 4px auto; display: block;"><br>The 20th century elegance extended throughout the hotel, including the marvellous Magritte Bar and Colony Grill Room, the latter lined by large paintings depicting 1920s New York City and other parts of the USA:</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_b9a0_f5cb_8ade_8a7f" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/YZHwsLijO0sL7lDt_1vlo_kx8yha9AT6KfbrpM_tjLqXw4Xacx7US_GDKBM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_ee1e_2a04_8c2b_972f" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/z0IlxtDKGFDcO5ntJt0ztiwNqx9enNzx8i_AgT1OtT_7xSW3988Ag11BGSM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_a9d3_161c_8bc6_ed2a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Yt7E4NmLBXs1rMipGjBXNBd0odcvcJAkKtsg-Zdt2pVzDHxDNusnO3JSg0I" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>It was delightful. Except, of course, that Jimmy Beaumont was a myth. The Beaumont was not pushing a hundred years old either - it opened just five years ago, in 2014, within (get this) a former parking garage serving customers of the nearby Selfridges department store. </div><div><br></div><div>The garage which opened in 1926 had, fortuitously, a beautiful facade which could be put to other uses - including the addition of <i>Room</i>, a sculpture which looks like a sleeping robot but is in fact the exterior of an unusual hotel room:</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_8fdb_a5ab_ed99_7f97" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/OCxR9wiCHdb5vNSoQgsS559hU2JxXiSdECr9hX8DVy3wH18PDlyu00GPix0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>This bit of cheeky fun - inventing a colourful founder and then designing the hotel around his imagined tastes and personality - is an approach I thoroughly approve of. As a writer, the storytelling has great appeal; it makes The Beaumont a stimulating place to stay in, as you glance over its interiors with an eye to its fictitious founder.</div><div><br></div><div>And if Jimmy never existed, I doubt any of the people depicted in portraits on its corridor walls existed either. Sorry, random naval officer:</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_fb_5ab2_f1c1_3d72" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Me9ATd5nb_An6Pew07VLyzSpaldwf6rdGT73jlWi5yDhlYVPrUW6RKcBZ2M" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Just the Facts:</b></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Beaumont</span></div><div><span style="font-style: inherit; text-align: inherit; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Brown Hart Gardens, </span><span style="font-style: inherit; text-align: inherit; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mayfair, London, UK</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Phone: </span><a href="tel:+442074991001" style="text-decoration: none; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">+44 20 7499 1001</font></a></div></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Web: www.thebeaumont.com<br>Rates: Rooms from A$780 per night.</span></div>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-78907894534656093002019-05-29T21:12:00.001+10:002019-05-29T21:12:35.013+10:00Curios of Zürich<div><i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On this trip was hosted by <a href="http://www.myswitzerland.com/" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none;">Switzerland Tourism</a>, and travelled via the excellent <a href="http://www.myswitzerland.com/rail" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none;">Swiss Travel Pass</a>.</i></div><div><br></div>The final few days of my Switzerland visit were spent in Zürich, the country’s biggest city. It’s famous for its sober dedication to finance, but it also has a quirky side which was fun to discover. <div><br></div><div>Here a few curios I encountered...</div><div><br></div><div><b>1. Hotel in a brewery.</b> The B2 Boutique Hotel sits within a massive industrial complex once occupied by a brewery above the Sihl River in the city’s west. As a result, it has large amounts of space to play with - hence this soaring restaurant area decorated with a donated collection of thousands of books, and enormous chandeliers made from beer bottles. Oddly, it works:</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_6263_6e66_6792_2ab6" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/8suQ8nAyN_W8udJRSzhao7D7Tj7JONHVduU_Ps7STbsrL5FHw7V6CnHnr-w" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><b>2. It has grungy bits.</b> I went on a walk around the neighbourhood of Zürich West, a former industrial area which nowadays is becoming a hip entertainment zone. In between those eras it was a shady, off-the-grid nightlife ‘hood, with illegal nightclubs that operated as late as (gasp) after midnight in the days when Zürich was tucked up in bed at an early hour. There’s still a dash of this early grunge along Geroldstrasse, with its bars and clubs.</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_a7f1_de69_3f70_f30f" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ZTDmnY9uM87T_SwNFfP8yhAAzhdBI8LdDIXbnTnTtQc0SeTBWMQMf88r8dA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_1515_93c_cdca_8fe2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Aro_xGssRfTkNfus3QZxaRWUFbsTyaYWcNKRMPgb_o21kf78PHoLTAykIfo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><b>3. There’s English everywhere.</b> As you can see from these photos taken at the annual Street Food Festival, there’s a lot of English language used in commercial signage. This doesn’t seem to bother the Swiss as much as it does the French. Presumably if you already live in a nation of four official languages, letting a fifth one slide in is not a problem:</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_171c_10d4_66d5_7cad" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3TxkGEzu8W2O1gtL7sr3TDvYSiXPm_zhkwM7eOnOE9HNMd2banse49CgA6Q" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_f9eb_8d9e_5554_db1b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/eud_CthraVIgRwcyWIbsjknyA_vOG-k4z01AlyozU6v-Q-BVVLTfm4MHiWE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_77f8_5aa0_ad50_ae77" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Zq2kvy8KxdXX0QW4wV_TI86E6WxyBUKqVYSUaO95Rq0jjC_5-ciHHrFYhUI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_5f66_9c7_563a_a6f0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LWOaa10oIPnnMihTGO-De2vK7R-O2Z601ByJz7b9pXvhsZsw83bU8Dd55QU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><b>4. The Guilds are alive.</b> In medieval times, every resident of Zürich had to belong to a guild. These specialised societies are still a big visual presence in the Old Town, via their individual headquarters decorated with distinctive emblems. This one, believe it our not, denoted wine and food merchants:</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_9ea8_3625_6032_c85d" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/zSS7EnBjXTcqhqTh_098uzyDY4QMHNxByT4p42thLXlfZV1QvkNT10hTSQc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><b>5. There’s a freeway that goes nowhere.</b> Right behind my hotel was this view of a freeway over the Sihl River... which just stops. I was curious about it until I noticed this poster on a nearby fence one day:</div><div><br></div><img id="id_ef2e_ab6a_a1c4_7a76" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/qrVM168me2mJhuShxtqSg72cPHjWVg8Qwuya4Y2v31LToJ0LU-a9WTH69AQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_e254_6a42_5aab_4574" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/7aT4z3DVa1ezI8gXMhp72P5SM98aPd_yugjwM81hBQSJR9Rv2o1FPovwobY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><b>6. Stories for free!</b> On my last few hours in Zürich, I noticed this curious machine inside a waiting room at the main train station. Press a button, and it dispenses a short story for free, in a choice of languages. Any city that provides fiction to those in need of diversion is my kind of town.<div><br></div><img id="id_7058_4a7a_f7e9_9b55" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/BOpECPZDRgde_PJZ5x996nn1xKBUbKnFNLY8n1CuE8-0anFc7GGMbyn6LWs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-44346721023133331602019-05-25T02:25:00.001+10:002019-05-29T19:48:49.234+10:00Zermatt & Interlaken: A Tale of Two Peaks<i>On this trip I’m being hosted by <a href="http://www.myswitzerland.com/" target="_blank">Switzerland Tourism</a>, and travelling via the excellent <a href="http://www.myswitzerland.com/rail" target="_blank">Swiss Travel Pass</a>.</i><br />
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On any brief trip to a destination you’re rolling dice with the weather gods. There’s always a chance you’ll be there on a day when it’s raining, or snowed in, or in some other way not ideal.</div>
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I was playing that game earlier this week in Switzerland. Having arrived in Zermatt via the excellent Glacier Express train from St Moritz, I was due to take the local cog railway up to the Gornergrat, a peak above the town which would give me a view of the fabled Matterhorn.</div>
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But it was, as you can see, snowing.</div>
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I didn’t mind. I hadn’t seen snow in any quantity since 2006, when I did a research job for Lonely Planet in the depths of winter in Poland. </div>
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It was charming to see it again under controlled circumstances, and in any case I was quite interested in the cog railway - in the photo above you can see the central cogs, by which the train is able to haul itself up over steeper inclines than would normally be possible.</div>
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Climbing up from Zermatt, we passed green slopes tinged with the remnant snow of winter, then hauled up further to properly snowy slopes and finally the Gornergrat station itself:</div>
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At 3089 metres above sea level, that’s the highest I’ve even been, so I was impressed. As I also was with the hotel and cafe complex at the summit. A few hours earlier I’d got up at 5am to watch the final episode of <i>Game of Thrones</i>, so to my bleary eyes this building somewhat resembled Winterfell after Winter had arrived:</div>
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And I did get to see the Matterhorn, sort of, in the form of a chocolate sculpture which had as many grams as the mountain has metres of altitude. Make of that what you will:</div>
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A few days later I was in Interlaken, another busy tourist town. The weather had cleared somewhat by now, so I took the funicular railway to Harder Kulm, a peak above the town at 1322 metres altitude.</div>
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It was still fairly cloudy but much warmer, and there were hints of mountain peaks here and there around us. Also the cafe above Harder Kulm is a lovely old timber building, with a striking observation platform that projects out from the mountainside:</div>
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At the end of the day I took to a cruise along the waters of the Thunersee, one of the lakes which flank the town, thus proving that you don’t have to go high to enjoy Switzerland’s consistently beautiful scenery:</div>
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And everywhere you go in Switzerland there is excellent chocolate (this lot was snapped at the Funky Chocolate Club in Interlaken):</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Never underestimate the power of Swiss chocolate to make up for unwanted changes in the weather.</span></div>
Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-82704924536166231932019-05-15T18:53:00.001+10:002019-05-15T19:49:11.031+10:00Wunderbar Wiesbaden<div><i>On this trip I’m being hosted by the German National Tourist Office.</i></div><div><br></div>I’ve just spent three days attending the travel trade conference GTM in Wiesbaden, the capital of Gemany’s Hessen state (from where we get the word hessian - its soldiers had uniforms made from that cloth).<div><br></div><div>To be honest, I’d never heard of Wiesbaden before. Which seemed surprising once I saw the place, as in the 19th and early 20th centuries it had been a famous playground for the rich, attracting visitors from all over Europe to its casino and thermal springs.</div><div><br></div><div>In World War II the north end of the city was struck by bombs, resulting in an unsympathetic postwar redevelopment in the area that was once the poshest zone near the hot springs and the lavish Kaiser Friedrich thermal baths. At the same time, a big American army base was established outside town. Wiesbaden never recovered that “playground of royalty” vibe, but it retains a wealth of beautiful buildings from that era and a certain genteel, relaxed air.</div><div><br></div><div>One of the highlights is the Kurhaus - literally “Cure House”, though its treatments came in the form of entertainment and gambling. As well as hosting events, it’s still home to the city’s casino - with some colleagues I had a peek inside in the morning, before the tables started operating:</div><div><br></div><img id="id_9cad_360e_de62_a2a6" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/zHNJp5Avl21Uu53v7cKqUHLDjN67k8Fh45eK5uJ2sO9yPz0M5Z3dk7qqH-w" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin: 4px auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_b3c0_b897_4b94_394a" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/aWfpxvPpC1giaEQCsmxItl-FdF5lMF2LEPsAYBLnjtOLS2vWtR3mvnl4YrQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_6dbb_48bf_b4d6_c344" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/82imVOeNfARq05BKDWUwVqtmL2Aft61egZ6ZHoKL2LfoN1K88z8aWp6W92A" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>Another highlight near the Kurhaus is the State Theatre, with an impressive neo-baroque facade and a statue of Schiller out the front. Not sure who the grumpy woman below him is meant to be. Perhaps a disgruntled fan who was hoping to meet his mate Goethe instead (whose statue is down the road at the city museum). <br><br><img id="id_d5af_caab_8078_c09e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/hLJ8E2K5BLW-q3mWTjOt9rQdxWi_DWrbPc0C45wBE3M0_czFybfBuadR1uk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_bde9_5d5d_35ff_53a0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tOSJHeL_psoWfHno9MpW5OF5bM0bQ-rVbB4mlC1ZluGQx21tQPPfZSVc9IE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>Another classic building I was happy to visit was the Kaiser Friedrich Therme, the bathhouse in which people have been soaking since 1913. I’ve <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/germany/travel-tips-and-articles/the-naked-truth-german-bathhouse-culture/40625c8c-8a11-5710-a052-1479d2756367" id="id_bd64_4531_6f7d_103d" target="_blank">written before about the marvellous German bathhouse tradition</a> - all naked, all together, and often within impressive old architecture. The Kaiser Friedrich baths fit the pattern, being centred on a central pool with a high ceiling and intricate decoration.<br><div><br></div><div>It’s not possible to show you photos of the interior, for obvious reasons, but here’s a shot of the entrance hall which gives you some idea of the decor:</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_c4a9_1a91_328e_8684" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/68cVWarOQfH19R7MNwjChmFmR9GDBa56vN3lrniiy7_6EWE6k-UQuJUm_iA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>At the northern end of the city centre, which was laid out in a pentagonal shape, is the Kochbrunnen spring, once a point of pilgrimage for Wiesbaden’s visitors. Such mineral-laden hot springs were once thought to provide cures to a range of ailments, so people were keen to “take the waters”.</div><div><br>In the square is this rather bizarre object, an openly gushing outlet of the spring which deposits minerals over time into this enormous formation. Every so often it’s cleared away. In Roman times the resulting dried residue was prized as a hair dye.</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_a793_6a17_ca5a_2bfb" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/s96d0VicWSH6wmoIb34l9Fe7lD0lPDEwQMmNB3fBtVL12-y7F6b5zxn6kfM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br>A few metres away is a small structure housing a more conventional outlet, a series of spigots flowing into a bowl. To mark my final evening in Wiesbaden, I had a taste.</div><div><br></div><div>Did I like it? Watch the video and see:</div><div><br></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KJvLcfZNd0c" width="500" height="281" id="y_id_9322_92a4_1af8_f647" frameborder="0" style="height: 281px; width: 500px;"></iframe></div></div>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-89783782756842596212019-05-10T18:35:00.004+10:002019-05-10T19:34:15.108+10:00Art of Düsseldorf<i>On this trip I’m being hosted by the German National Tourist Office and Düsseldorf Tourism.</i><br />
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I had a few days to explore western Germany before attending this year’s Germany Travel Mart, a big travel trade event being held in Wiesbaden. So I looked over the map, picked out towns and cities scattered around Frankfurt, and decided on a visit to Düsseldorf.<br />
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One of the things that attracted me to the big D is its contemporary art scene. Heavily bombed in World War II, the city has its historic treasures but it’s also a very modern place architecturally and artistically. Checking out its art scene seemed a good fit.<br />
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I started on my first partly-jetlagged day with K21, a big contemporary art gallery within a grand 19th century building which was once the parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia, the state Düsseldorf sits within. Its main exhibit is this installation by Tomás Saraceno, called <i>In Orbit</i>:<br />
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Inspired by the tensile strength of spider’s webs, it’s a network of steel cables and spheres which visitors can enter and clamber around.<br />
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In the floors below are a number of other exhibits, all contemporary and often challenging. Here are a few works that caught my eye:<br />
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In the afternoon I visited a second gallery of a smaller and more unusual nature. Called Kunst Im Tunnel (KIT), it’s a big spare exhibition space within what was once a maintenance tunnel used in the construction of an underground freeway. Cleaned up, it’s become a boutique institution which shows several exhibitions a year.<br />
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The large empty concrete walls provide a good place to hang art, and the simple bare-bones chamber lends concentration to those viewing it. Here are a few works that stood out for me:<br />
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The one with the scaffold, <i>See You Around</i>, is by local artist Arisa Purkpong, and I found it fascinating to look at, with its seemingly incomplete collection of memories from travel and a life.<br />
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There’s more art to see around Düsseldorf over the next few days. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with this curious bollard that stands across the street from my hotel, the funky Me And All:<br />
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Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-39448154864942324942019-05-03T06:00:00.000+10:002019-05-03T06:00:07.134+10:00The Parliamentary Cats of Ottawa, Canada<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>For many years a cat sanctuary was located within the grounds of Canada's national Parliament in Ottawa, until being closed in 2013. I was lucky enough to visit in in 2010 courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission. </i><br />
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<i>To mark a marvellous lost institution, here's my story, which ran in an Australian newspaper but never made it online...</i><br />
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A cat may look at a king, as the old proverb goes. Presumably that also applies to queens, even a statue of a queen of the most far-flung empire the world has ever known.<br />
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I’m standing in the grounds of Canada’s Parliament in the capital Ottawa, watching a cat who’s looking at a statue of Queen Victoria which is located to the west of the main Parliament building.<br />
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It’s an impressive statue, with the Queen Empress on a plinth, being handed a victory garland while a lion lurks below her.<br />
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The cat, however, is unimpressed with this display of imperial grandeur, and wanders off. I follow it to one of Ottawa’s great curios, the Cat Sanctuary tucked among the nearby trees and bushes.<br />
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There are now a number of felines coming and going around me, passing between the bars of a fence which surrounds their home.<br />
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Leaning across the railings, I can see a long, low wooden structure shaped like a miniature house, with a pitched roof and a timber deck.<br />
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Mind you, cats aren’t the only visitors here; as I watch, a cheeky black squirrel darts up onto the deck and starts eating from one of the bowls of dry food, heedless of claw-related peril.<br />
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It’s all charmingly amateur in appearance, a pleasing contrast to the austere and ornate parliamentary buildings. I discover later that it’s no coincidence that the cats set up home here; until the 1950s the Parliament kept a group of cats in residence to combat rodents within the buildings.<br />
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Later, groundskeepers fed felines within the sprawling grounds, and one keeper, René Chartrand, constructed shelters for them.<br />
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The cats are still cared for by volunteers, and to its credit the Parliament has adopted the sanctuary, citing it on its website as “a symbol of compassion, one of the important elements of Canadian society.”<br />
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Well, good for them. And so I turn from my moggie companions to explore the Parliament itself. <br />
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My first impression is that the long central building with a clock tower bears a passing resemblance to the Houses of Parliament in London; though this Parliament dates only to 1916, replacing a predecessor which was gutted by fire.<br />
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I pass through a door which is a riot of carved stone depicting a rampant lion and unicorn, then through security to join a free tour along with assorted tourists and a group of Ukrainian interns.<br />
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As we pass through its halls, I’m reminded of the baronial castle style which seems such a feature of Ottawa’s older buildings.<br />
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Solid but lavishly decorated stone walls and corridors lead to a room with an intricately decorated glass ceiling bearing symbols of Canada’s founding cultures and, less excitingly, its first government departments. <br />
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Then we reach the impressively decorated chambers of Parliament’s two houses. Behind these is the only survivor of the 1916 fire, the 1876 library annexe. It’s magnificent, a timber-panelled gem which is as much a historical keepsake as a place of research.<br />
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As I exit and make my way east to the Rideau Canal, an attractive waterway which was originally conceived as a military supply route should the United States invade Canada, I ponder on the parallels between Canada and Australia’s imperial past. And on cats, who recognise no empires.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-49873341577645463662019-04-26T06:00:00.000+10:002019-04-26T06:00:03.927+10:00Melbourne Secrets<i>This is an update of one of the very first articles I wrote about my beloved Melbourne, back when I was fresh to being a freelance writer and still discovering new things about my adopted city. It ran in a local newspaper but never went online. Enjoy!</i><br />
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In the shadow of the great public buildings of Melbourne lie many treasures. Some are historical curiosities, others the forgotten debris of the past.<br />
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These overlooked places are reminders of the way Melbourne piles up new examples of the present without ever quite clearing away its history. Here are ten places to get you looking at the city in a different light.<br />
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<b>Block Court.</b> This was once an arcade linking Collins Street to the famous Block Arcade. It was built in 1929 on a design by Harry Norris, the architect responsible for a number of notable buildings, including Majorca House in Flinders Lane. It’s little noticed now, because at one point the arcade was walled off and a shop (now a bank) was inserted in the reclaimed space.<br />
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If you walk around to the Block Arcade and look along the passage running next to the entry of the Charles Dickens pub, you’ll see the matching façade to its Collins Street entrance. Also check out the striking art deco features in the remaining length of the arcade.<br />
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<b>Elizabeth Street Cat.</b> Walk north along Elizabeth Street from Flinders Street Station. On the east side, you’ll pass a simple grey building at 92 Elizabeth Street. Keep walking toward Bourke St, then look back at the side of the building.<br />
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On the wall is a large cartoon head of a cat. The image is faded, but its green eyes and gold background stand out clearly in contrast with the battleship grey of the walls. Rumour has it that this cat was once part of a light bulb advertisement. For whatever reason, it’s withstood the ravages of time, even surviving a repaint of the building.<b> </b><br />
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<b>Athenaeum Library.</b> When passing the Athenaeum Theatre during the day, take a peek into the private lending library on the top floor. Though the Melbourne City Council has its own lending library in the CAE building on Flinders Lane, this private edition dates from the earliest years of the city.<br />
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Founded in the 1840s, it’s served Melburnians’ reading needs for a very long time indeed. The current fit-out is a survivor of the 1920s. You suspect Agatha Christie would have felt at home there.<br />
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<b>Capitol Theatre.</b> The extraordinary ceiling of the Capitol Theatre was designed by architect Walter Burley Griffin in 1924. However, there's more here than meets the eye. When the building was remodelled in the 1960s to include a shopping arcade below the auditorium, public access to areas such as lounges, galleries and foyers was lost. <br />
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Now, under the custodianship of RMIT University, the cinema is being restored. This year the Capitol will reopen and present movie festivals <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au/news/all-news/2018/nov/new-partnership-with-acmi-to-reactive-the-iconic-capitol-theatre" target="_blank">under the direction of ACMI</a> (Australian Centre for the Moving Image), thus bringing its story full circle.<br />
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<b>Turning Basin.</b> The north bank of the Yarra is much neglected in favour of its showy southern side. However, the area just below Queen Street was the location of the city’s first port. In colonial days, this area was bustling with sailors, merchants and passengers, including those bound for the goldfields.<br />
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It was so congested, the port was eventually replaced by facilities further down river, and at Port Melbourne. Today, all that remains of the port is a recreation area at the Turning Basin, where ships would turn to resume their journey out to sea. Completed in 1997, the project’s chief feature is a set of figureheads rising from a wooden dock.<br />
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<b>Melba’s Birthplace.</b> From Bridge Road in Richmond, walk north along Burnley Street toward Victoria Gardens shopping centre. About halfway there, on the east side, is a plaque on the side of a nondescript brick building, home to a furniture outlet.<br />
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This marks the birthplace of Dame Nellie Melba, the city’s famous opera star of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The building on the site in 1861 was known as “Doonside”, and the new baby as Helen Porter Mitchell. “Melba” was a shortened version of the city’s name.<br />
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<b>North Carlton Railway Station.</b> The Inner Circle railway once ran from Melbourne Zoo across North Carlton and North Fitzroy, linking up with the line at Clifton Hill. The track was removed in the early 1980s, and the former railway reserve now features a long narrow recreation reserve known as Linear Park.<br />
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Halfway along this park stands the North Carlton Railway Station, now the home of a neighbourhood centre. Though lacking a railway, the building is recognisably a former station, with its distinctive red brick structure.<br />
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<b>Edith Cavell’s Memorial.</b> King’s Domain is littered with monuments to notable people from the past. Some are still well known: monarchs like Edward VII, war leaders like Thomas Blamey. But among these towering monuments sits a memorial to a British nurse from the First World War.<br />
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Edith Cavell was head of a medical training school in the suburbs of Brussels when the conflict broke out. Although British nurses were evacuated, she somehow remained at her post and assisted stranded British soldiers to escape. Eventually found out by the German army, she was executed by firing squad in 1915. Her famous last words outlived her: “I know now that patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred and no bitterness towards anyone.”<br />
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<b>Flagstaff Gardens.</b> This public space looks like the humble cousin of its glamorous counterparts such as the Carlton and Fitzroy Gardens. It’s actually a place of great interest in Melbourne’s history. It began its colonial life as the city’s first cemetery, and in 1851 hosted a huge bonfire to celebrate Victoria’s separation from New South Wales.<br />
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A large flagstaff at the park’s highest point was used to signal ships and relay messages, before the invention of the telegraph rendered it redundant. Various memorials and plaques dot the hilltop, a reminder of the days when the location was an important part of the city’s life.<br />
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<b>Kennett Gargoyle.</b> On the eastern transept of St Patrick’s Cathedral is a rather unusual gargoyle. Or perhaps not that unusual. In medieval times, it was common practice for stonemasons to base these stone creatures on the faces of local dignitaries. In a sense, they were stone cartoons.<br />
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In 1992, stonemason Tom Carson carved a likeness of then-Premier Jeff Kennett when creating two new gargoyles for the place of worship. It’s an unmistakeable take on the unforgettable politician, with its long face and distinctive hair. And yet another example of how the city effortlessly blends the old and the new.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-16652570023953787002019-04-17T09:32:00.000+10:002019-04-17T09:33:58.004+10:00The Beauty of Lake Bled, Slovenia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>I wrote this piece for a newspaper years ago, after visiting Slovenia. It never went online, so here it is now...<br />
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I’m standing in the light rain, holding an umbrella above the head of an artist as he paints a silhouette on the back of a painting for <a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a>.<br />
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What’s the subject? Well, it’s a depiction of me holding an umbrella over him, with Narrelle standing nearby.<br />
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Confused? So am I.<br />
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But then I look up to see the beautiful lake before us, punctuated by an island topped with a small elegant church - itself dwarfed by a mighty castle on the sheer cliff above it - and everything seems just fine. <br />
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That’s the effect that Slovenia’s Lake Bled has on people. As a postglacial lake within the foothills of the mighty Julian Alps, the lake and its accompanying town have long attracted those looking for a retreat. <br />
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Bled Castle, high up upon a rocky outcrop above the waters, was first mentioned in historical documents in 1004 AD.<br />
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In the 19th century the town developed as a health resort for the careworn aristocrats of Central Europe. It then became the summer home of the King of Yugoslavia, a tradition maintained by communist President Tito after World War II.<br />
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Nowadays Slovenia is an improbably small independent nation within the European Union, and Lake Bled exerts its charms on the international tourist set. Which is why I’m standing in misty drizzle, impatiently waiting for a silhouette to be completed on the back of a landscape painting of the lake. <br />
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Our artistic friend senses me fuming, laughs and urges me to “Take it easy, take it slow, remember your blood pressure.” And I do, smiling at his languid eccentricity.<br />
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All this, however, is a mere precursor to visiting the island within the centre of the lake. Bled Island has drawn the eye at every step of our three kilometre stroll around the lake’s edge from the township.<br />
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In the centre of its greenery sits the elegant pink-tinted 17th century baroque church which was built on the remains of earlier places of worship. Beyond it on the horizon, massive snow-streaked mountains provide a dramatic sense of scale.<br />
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We engage one of the gondolas stationed along the shore to take us there. Klemen, our rangy gondolier, reveals he’s a social studies student when he’s not on the lake rowing visitors back and forth via the twin oars set in high rowlocks at the end of the vessel. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIGx4lWR0J-qOcaZsA92dxeHR2EAjAS5wp_GEd7XMOWAfHgom0ela9PCGAS7wdvuifrvlhP-zoTqG9hgXDyBvK-J6opkI6BWzbQvDuGekauq3UouEcqHYzQ1ylKFvMNtbl7kzeqyNaErM/s1600/P5070495.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIGx4lWR0J-qOcaZsA92dxeHR2EAjAS5wp_GEd7XMOWAfHgom0ela9PCGAS7wdvuifrvlhP-zoTqG9hgXDyBvK-J6opkI6BWzbQvDuGekauq3UouEcqHYzQ1ylKFvMNtbl7kzeqyNaErM/s320/P5070495.JPG" width="240" /></a>He drops us at the base of a set of broad, pitted white steps which run up to the church.<br />
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The island contains just enough diversions to occupy the 30 minutes allotted until our return - including a go at the “lucky bell” within the gilded church interior, which must be rung three times while making a wish. <br />
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It takes a tad more shoulder movement than I expect to get the thing swinging, so I forget to make a wish and by then the momentum’s built up so much that it rings seven times.<br />
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Oh well, I’m lucky just being here.<br />
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Back on shore, we have a late lunch, ordering way too much food at Gostilna Pri Planincu, a restaurant serving Slovenian and Serbian cuisine. <br />
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The dishes are enormous, but the waiter laughs and says “Grandma started the tradition and we can’t give it up now!”<br />
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Bled is like that, it seems: old-fashioned, relaxed and almost too much for the senses.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-45639010541752053982019-04-12T06:00:00.000+10:002019-04-12T06:00:05.972+10:00Leprechauns of Dublin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>On my visit to Dublin in 2011, I was delighted to discover a newly-opened museum devoted to Irish folklore. As the newspaper story I wrote about it never went online, here it is for your amusement...</i><br />
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“We make stuff up - that’s what we do. It makes for lousy husbands, but good storytellers.”<br />
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My guide at Dublin’s National Leprechaun Museum, Mark, is not boosting the marriage prospects of his fellow Irishmen.<br />
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He does, however, have a case regarding the Irish skill in storytelling, with supporting evidence in the exhibition he’s about to introduce me to.<br />
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Thanks to animators over the years, the leprechaun has become a well-known figure; we can all recall his buckled hat, beard, pipe, beguiling accent and pot of gold. “Everyone who comes in here gives the same description,” says Mark.<br />
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But he’s here to put me straight on the little people and their many other mythical colleagues. And that’s the key to this new attraction in the Irish capital - despite the name, it’s actually a museum devoted to all of the island nation’s rich folklore, covering creatures both famous and little-known.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2AiH0cathHI41LnaLiqDeLjI4klkU_PwGlZ8WGWSwzSaRKKlQWnBA5HqqOp9xZ0vX6R9YvPFbQ6CN5gNHma6YIL7eOaaVpBpr5y0S8ElbSnhfrFOPKVu-FVgN7PXZRz2dmQVA5jjTzqHK/s1600/P5120408.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2AiH0cathHI41LnaLiqDeLjI4klkU_PwGlZ8WGWSwzSaRKKlQWnBA5HqqOp9xZ0vX6R9YvPFbQ6CN5gNHma6YIL7eOaaVpBpr5y0S8ElbSnhfrFOPKVu-FVgN7PXZRz2dmQVA5jjTzqHK/s320/P5120408.JPG" width="240" /></a>Entering the exhibition, Mark leads me to a tunnel that tapers to make me feel like a giant, looking back to see his tiny silhouette at the opening. Then I’m on my own, encountering the first bit of fun: the Giants’ Room.<br />
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It’s decorated with an enormous chair, table and lamp, as if the gigantic householder might arrive home at any moment and settle in for a spot of reading.<br />
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Mark’s told me that people can do what they like in here, so visitors often clamber up onto the furniture for a giant’s-eye view.<br />
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Then it’s time for some high-tech content in the Map Room. A big circular table is illuminated with impressive projections, outlining mythical creatures of the night - banshees among them - with the aid of a large map of the Emerald Isle.<br />
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The Rain Room is next, hung with upside-down umbrellas which keep the trickling water off the visitors below; which leads to an impressive pot of gold on a central pillar. And here I’m met by a pleasant surprise - a real live storyteller, who weaves a cautionary tale involving leprechauns and the human greed for the precious metal. <br />
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She has more tales to tell in the succeeding room of burnished bronze walls, onto which are projected images of animals and fairies. Irish fairies are not built along the lines of Disney’s Tinkerbell, but are capricious and powerful creatures given to stealing baby boys, I’m told, among other scary activities.<br />
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The story teller also relates some outlandish tales of Finn McCool, a legendary warrior whose feats got bigger with each retelling.<br />
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After peering into a magical well, I end up in the cosy bookshop and cafe, having tea with museum founder Tom O’Rahilly.<br />
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“We don’t make a lot of stuff in Ireland, really, but we’re famous for telling stories,” he says, explaining how the museum came about. “So okay, I thought, let’s look at culture. The leprechaun thing kind of popped into my mind.<br />
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“I was out on the beer one night in London, got up the next morning, and then suddenly thought ‘If Irish people get so wound up about them, how come they’re still here? Where do they come from?’<br />
<br />
“What’s important here is that it’s oral history. When it’s told to you, when someone’s there communicating with you and seeing the light in your eyes, that’s a powerful thing.”<br />
<br />
<i>The National Leprechaun Museum is open daily at 1 Jervis St, Dublin, Ireland. Find opening hours and entry fees <a href="http://www.leprechaunmuseum.ie/" target="_blank">at its website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-54223515119416116052019-04-05T06:00:00.000+11:002019-04-05T06:00:13.837+11:00Reviews: Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2019 (Part 2)<a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a> and I have seen more shows at the 2019 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Here are three new reviews...<br />
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<b>1. Masterclass</b><br />
Reviewed by Narrelle Harris<br />
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If you’ve ever wondered about the truth path to comedy, Stuart Daulman has got the lecture for you. His masterclass guides you through the stages of Initiate, Perpetuate and Inflate to a successful comedic career and possibly the loss of everything and everyone you love. But hey, that’s comedy!<br />
<br />
<i>Masterclass</i> is very meta, with its references to the comedy scene and how comedians interact with each other, but there are plenty of recognisable tropes too: the standard Comedian Greeting to the crowd, banter to maintain control (much more important than comedy), and shows that are more like awkward public therapy for the performer than entertainment for the audience.<br />
<br />
Daulman’s knowing lecture, accompanied by oddly endearing overhead projector illustrations, only stumbles at the end, when he dons his flannel shirt and sneakers to deliver a slightly too-long set that would showcase his theories more effectively if it hit those points more rapidly. Comedy aficionados or people already in The Scene may get the most out of it, but <i>Masterclass</i> is a confidently performed and funny inside view of the comedian’s Hard Knock Life.<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/masterclass" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a> <br />
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<b>2. Stickin' Together</b><br />
Reviewed by Tim Richards<br />
<br />
Two friends in colourful jumpers share a flat... in space! Yes, Luis and Luelin of Lessons With Luis play John and Robby, two guys who live in a space station with an invisible cat. It's a sitcom, basically, and not of a modern kind - canned laughter follows every cheesy joke, and the story is plotted out to lead to a happy conclusion of the "I've learned something today" type.<br />
<br />
However, the sitcom does not go to plan. At the next meta level up, Luis and Luelin descend into awkward bickering between each scene, as Luis - so lovely and charming with us - treats his brother with an increasingly bullying tone. Luelin, who entertainingly only speaks with the pre-recorded dulcet tones of TV announcer Pete Smith, finally mutinies, and Luis has to overcome this challenge if the happy end is to be attained for both the duo and their characters.<br />
<br />
It's a fun, light-hearted romp, with lots of naff gags and low-pressure audience involvement, and easy laughter over the increasingly shambolic antics. The songs are silly, the rapport between Luis and Luelin is full of energy, and the sitcom concept is amusingly ludicrous. Staged at 6pm, it's good fun for any age and a nice starter to an evening of comedy.<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/stickin-together" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a><br />
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<b>3. Busting a Nut</b><br />
Reviewed by Narrelle Harris<br />
<br />
Felicity Ward lives in London now, and she’s very excited to have
finally experienced a hot English summer ("It’s like one of your
days in winter, Melbourne!") though it’s making British people behave in
peculiar ways.<br />
<br />
Thus Ward springboards into an hour of confident, fabulous comedy,
dismantling and reconfiguring ideas like unconditional love, the Black Dog, a holiday in Italy with her mother, and more realistic inspirational
(or rather, "unspirational") quotes. We revisit the highlights and lowlights
of her relationship and recent wedding, her in-laws who feed her
constantly, and the problem some people have with champagne glasses.<br />
<br />
In short, Ward is a first-class stand up comic, flitting from topic to
topic with oodles of confidence, gleefully owning her bad behaviour and being hilarious from start to finish.<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/busting-a-nut" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a> <br />
<br />
That's
our final coverage for this year's festival. Hope you had some laughs!
Back to the regular schedule of travel-related posts next week. Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-27866364910909672842019-03-29T23:05:00.000+11:002019-03-29T23:05:36.615+11:00Reviews: Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2019 (Part 1)The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is on again, and <a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a> and I have been seeing shows. Here's our first set of reviews for 2019...<br />
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<b>1. Where They Hide the Crazy</b><br />
Reviewed by Narrelle Harris<br />
<br />
The Northern Territory has a problem - its population is declining. Amy Hetherington is on a national tour to hunt for people who might fit in with the Darwin vibe. People who can cope with the humidity, take pride in weird things and find their ‘boundless possible’ there.<br />
<br />
Hetherington plays with our stereotypes of what we think the Territory, and Territory people, are like, via self-deprecating charm (“In Darwin, I’m a Ten!”) and rough edges; reminiscent of Fiona O’Loughlin’s take on Alice Springs. She’s pretty clued up on other places, though, with her wicked take on Australian cities as people trying to get picked up at Revolver.<br />
<br />
Territory Pride, the challenges of getting sexy when it’s always humid, an engineer’s solution to getting out of a sports bra, and knowing how someone is The One are topics explored as Hetherington seeks candidates to join her in the sultry north. She’s confident, occasionally scatological and good fun.<br />
<br />
I’m still not moving to the NT though.<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/amy-hetherington-where-they-hide-the-crazy" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a> <br />
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<b>2. What Would Bill Murray Do?</b><br />
Reviewed by Tim Richards<br />
<br />
The titles of Comedy Festival shows are thought up so far ahead, you often can't judge the resulting book by its cover. That seems the case with this show, which only has a passing reference or two to Bill Murray.<br />
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David Tieck is a beardy clown on the stage, at times imitating Chewbacca, Santa, and a plumper Jesus. He has an over-the-top, childlike stage persona which acts out a series of scenarios, involving a celebrity panda topped by a snow leopard hat; the theatre safety nurse; and a guy who’s in love with everything. The finale of the show is the rapid-fire completion of a list of 37 fun things, in order to discover the secret of life.<br />
<br />
Though I like a bit of absurdity, the material feels undeveloped, undirected and too reliant on silliness rather than well-timed absurdity. As a result it's at best whimsical and lightly amusing, rather than surreal and edgy. If that’s your bag, it might work for you as an early-evening Comedy Festival entree.<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/what-would-bill-murray-do" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a><br />
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<b>3. A Man For Two Seasons</b><br />
Reviewed by Tim Richards<br />
<br />
British comedian Gordon Southern doesn't like the cold, so he spends his years jetting around the world, following the festival circuit so he's always in the warmer months. Those peregrinations form the backbone of his story over the last fifteen years, as he married and divorced an Adelaide girl along the way.<br /><br />It's a tale with a darker edge, as he's dealt with depression and its suicidal impulses in transit. That may make it sound a serious show, but in fact it's very funny as Southern relates the odder aspects of the therapy which helped him through his crisis. From one uptight therapist who turned out to be his neighbour, to a more fun-loving therapist who turned out to be dodgy as hell, it's an entertaining saga that provokes plenty of laughs.<br /><br />It wouldn't work without an energetic delivery, and we get that in spades. Aided by a series of mood-tinted light changes, Southern expertly takes us through his flawed life with a warmth and relatability that's both funny and moving.<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/a-man-for-two-seasons" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a> <br />
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More reviews next week. Enjoy the festival!
Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-76117903370505839462019-03-21T08:58:00.000+11:002019-03-21T08:58:32.878+11:00Eccentric Orbit: Santiago’s Barrio Bellavista<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>In Santiago, Chile, some years ago, <a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a> and I enjoyed the vibe of the lively Barrio Bellavista district. The story I wrote about it for a newspaper is no longer online, so I've republished it here... </i><br />
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<i><b>Princess of my feelings<br />Butterfly of my flowers, of many colours<br />That I find now in my garden<br />Birdsong reminds me of your laugh</b></i><br />
<br />
It’s amazing what 2000 Chilean pesos ($5) will buy you. Walking through the night-time streets of Barrio Bellavista, a district of Chile’s capital, Santiago, Narrelle and I are accosted by a smooth-talking man.<br />
<br />
He claims to be a poet, supplementing his high university fees by selling photocopied examples of his work in Spanish and English to passers-by. <br />
<br />
He blames his plight on ex-dictator General Pinochet, and asks if I know him. I nod. Then we discuss his uncle's time in Melbourne, he comments on how tall Australian women are, I give him some money for the above poem, and we part the best of friends.<br />
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And the night is yet young. There’s never a dull moment in this bohemian entertainment area just to the north of the city centre, across the Mapocho River. It may be pushing midnight on a Tuesday, but it's all happening at the Barrio.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQD9z089NEIz0EQD8KxUajGL4xw5Ku3jjSqCeaibePg99UxKh1XsrwmX7T6jGvuLefzifVoG8lL-2EDkkL3rcWgRt-Bmw0ZSmNn3KLz1C5_Z0LUJkNhDC2turrApW7kbAYTJLijzbHgjgB/s1600/PB231267.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQD9z089NEIz0EQD8KxUajGL4xw5Ku3jjSqCeaibePg99UxKh1XsrwmX7T6jGvuLefzifVoG8lL-2EDkkL3rcWgRt-Bmw0ZSmNn3KLz1C5_Z0LUJkNhDC2turrApW7kbAYTJLijzbHgjgB/s320/PB231267.JPG" width="240" /></a>Restaurants are serving food to patrons sitting outside in the balmy spring air, bars are doing a brisk trade, helped by resident solo guitarists, and yellow-jacketed officials keep the peace by sorting out visitors’ parking problems.<br />
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Along the street, two young men play the drums and juggle, with a view to extracting financial compensation from passing motorists and pedestrians.<br />
<br />
Barrio Bellavista does a good line in perky black-clad waitresses, along with energetically mad beggars, folk who loom over your outside table or harangue you with a smile as you try to use a public phone.<br />
<br />
It's all part of the local colour, and we take a tolerant view of their unscripted interventions.<br />
<br />
The only real danger lurks in the cholesterol content of the parillada we order from the Galindo, a haunt of the late Chilean poet and Nobel Prize winner, Pablo Neruda. Promised to be <i>tipicamente Chileno</i> (typically Chilean) and indicated as a meal for two, the dish turns out to be a mixed grill of gigantic proportions that would keep a vegetarian gibbering for a week. <br />
<br />
The pan it’s served in contains two chops, two steaks, two chicken breasts, three sausages of various descriptions, and several steamed potatoes. This is a meal you could share with your extended family, with everyone satisfied by the end.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZq0AusdvD2Kbgdgo0aZwt9cDTnkP9dXQ9RM-MByBKevxRUfEFpP6s-O9dSywbyhsD4RVVvhHX_W8VHWbca5yJ5xEWSm3jl62Z4VhKeripzdv3lVUg1DMcO4IyJZNPtFb_xVzoWVhHkDpu/s1600/PB110568.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZq0AusdvD2Kbgdgo0aZwt9cDTnkP9dXQ9RM-MByBKevxRUfEFpP6s-O9dSywbyhsD4RVVvhHX_W8VHWbca5yJ5xEWSm3jl62Z4VhKeripzdv3lVUg1DMcO4IyJZNPtFb_xVzoWVhHkDpu/s320/PB110568.JPG" width="240" /></a>But maybe the locals need to fuel up to keep pace with Bellavista’s non-stop energy.<br />
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While Santiago has often been seen by travellers as one of South America’s less interesting destinations, and certainly one of the most polluted, this neighbourhood is the focus of much that is worth seeing in the city. <br />
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Behind its attractive grid of narrow, tree-lined streets filled with theatres, bars, and eateries, looms the Cerro San Cristobal.<br />
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This middle-sized mountain is home to a funicular railway, zoo and the sprawling green parkland of the Parque Metropolitano.<br />
<br />
At its summit there’s a lookout under the benevolent gaze of a giant statue of the Virgin Mary, arms outstretched, resembling an opera singer about to burst into an aria.<br />
<br />
But the major drawcard of the district is Neruda’s former home, La Chascona. As eccentric as its owner, the property is a riot of separate rooms cascading down a lush hillside, linked by walkbridges. <br />
<br />
Each is oddly-shaped, brightly painted, and full of curious objects collected by its owner: bottles, Toby mugs, paperweights, ashtrays, dolls, ships’ figureheads, and representations of horses, watermelons and fertility gods. Much of it was smashed after the coup in 1973, not long before Neruda died, but now it’s been restored and is much-visited.<br />
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Gonzalo Iturra, a guide employed by the Pablo Neruda Foundation, is fond of the great man’s quirks.<br />
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“The house is important because it is very much like him,” he says. “It reflects his obsession with ships, and with hidden things like secret passages. One of the steps in the staircases was made from a sleeper from a railroad. That’s a reference to his father, who used to work at a train station.”<br />
<br />
And the dining room filled with luridly coloured glassware?<br />
<br />
“He believed that coloured glass would make things taste better,” says Iturra, smiling.<br />
<br />
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<br />
La Chascona seems like the anchor of the district which surrounds it, a bohemian refuge never conquered by the yuppie invaders who are the kiss of death to such suburbs in the West. But are its days as an alternative hangout numbered?<br />
<br />
Iturra doesn’t think so.<br />
<br />
“When you make money in Chile, you don’t want to live in a bohemian neighbourhood downtown where things are happening; you want to go where no-one else is,” he says. “Bellavista can be hip and cool, but can also be very unpretentious.”<br />
<br />
Neruda, as an ardent communist and a poet who immortalised the mundane objects of everyday life, would no doubt be happy to hear it.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-85055183161188223362019-03-15T06:00:00.000+11:002019-03-15T06:00:00.211+11:00Strange Museums of Keszthely, Hungary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>My 2010 visit to Hungary started at the holiday town of Keszthely, which proved to have several curious museums. </i><br />
<br />
<i>As the resulting newspaper article has since disappeared from the Web, here it is again for your amusement...</i><br />
<br />
I’m standing two metres from the terrifying figure of a vampire looming over a defenceless white-clad maiden, blood dripping from its fangs... when the lights go out.<br />
<br />
It’s not just the vampire I have to worry about in the sudden inky blackness.<br />
<br />
Behind me is the infamous Countess Bathory in a bath dripping with virgins’ blood, and further on there’s a gent with a guillotine, and a man road-testing an electric chair.<br />
<br />
Luckily, my confused backtracking towards the entrance activates the motion-sensitive lights, and once again the compact interior of the cheery Torture Museum is bathed in a sickly yellow glow. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehUWfdMwcicvgRyRAXTjYO_lMNXHF25H6IKTTasLWqZeikRRiCUtk4M3lb8gS6ZHmsoL16MXZlk4vb97ALYj_3PZzcOe-OfXs5C9e7ZatmrAQxt4VL6BUHINjgblTvJIVcsJRfGq9J20x/s1600/P5100710.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehUWfdMwcicvgRyRAXTjYO_lMNXHF25H6IKTTasLWqZeikRRiCUtk4M3lb8gS6ZHmsoL16MXZlk4vb97ALYj_3PZzcOe-OfXs5C9e7ZatmrAQxt4VL6BUHINjgblTvJIVcsJRfGq9J20x/s320/P5100710.JPG" width="240" /></a>At first glance, the lakeside holiday town of Keszthely, Hungary, is an example of old-world charm.<br />
<br />
It offers cruises on Lake Balaton, Central Europe’s largest freshwater lake; tours of the graceful Festetics Palace and its vast Helikon Library; and visitors can take a therapeutic dip in the stunning thermal lake at nearby Hévíz.<br />
<br />
However, there’s an eccentric, even twisted, streak to this popular holiday town.<br />
<br />
One expects a seaside resort to have attractions designed to distract holiday-makers between shopping and swimming - a dull local history museum, perhaps, or a lavender shop.<br />
<br />
What Keszthely has is a bunch of small museums ranging from the intriguing to the just plain odd.<br />
<br />
<b>Torture Museum:</b> Highlights famous fiends of history and popular torture devices, including the rack and the Iron Maiden, thoughtfully demonstrated using buckets of fake blood and hilariously unrealistic wax models. If you arrive on a quiet day, as I did, the ticket lady from the nearby Doll Museum opens the door and lets you wander about on your own. <br />
<i>Address: Kossuth utca 11, </i><i>Keszthely.</i><br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChtJBSfH5D6SauLlLrxQ74QPXMBuHzM4fR0pM7aSkQquLeATzJUTq9lYV4rtk1eP8aoB8GouVYPBlr75Nlwz3R-lLzJT4PSO8regjicWFdDZzeVtOuW1mStYsl4dbPtm6Vu_QO_YAtKbc/s1600/P5100729.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChtJBSfH5D6SauLlLrxQ74QPXMBuHzM4fR0pM7aSkQquLeATzJUTq9lYV4rtk1eP8aoB8GouVYPBlr75Nlwz3R-lLzJT4PSO8regjicWFdDZzeVtOuW1mStYsl4dbPtm6Vu_QO_YAtKbc/s320/P5100729.JPG" width="240" /></a>Medieval Erotic Panopticon:</b> The creators of this basement museum have taken medieval illustrations of sex scenes and, using silicone dummies, have recreated them in amusingly adults-only splendour.<br />
<br />
One can only wonder what went through the minds of the University of Fine Arts candidates as they created the spectacular nether regions on display. Remember though - as it’s historic it’s not smut, it’s educational. <br />
<i>Address: Kossuth utca 12</i><i>, </i><i>Keszthely.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Doll Museum:</b> After the previous exhibitions, the necessary antidote might be this collection of puppets dressed in folk costumes, located near the Torture Museum.<br />
<br />
They’re all well and good, but the real highlight is the museum’s model of the Hungarian Parliament, constructed from 4.5 million snail shells by a single-minded lady over 14 years.<br />
<i>Address: Kossuth utca 11</i><i>, </i><i>Keszthely.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Marzipan Museum:</b> If you’ve been searching fruitlessly for a giant marzipan model of a Buddhist stupa, then look no more - it’s here, along with marzipan versions of palaces and model cars.<br />
<i>Address: Katona utca 19</i><i>, </i><i>Keszthely.</i><br />
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetu_xkZ3qzYpgvONpgDI81xkNU85kuADwCtQuxY-X0cKdrSwc48FT6WgtxvIaVQocfm61KRIKo3PkeJ9L7yauuoNjEBu0y-qMps4F5d-pjAgrWbPEwW68UD1LQKZ5NB_oREfUeAtAu_O2/s1600/P5110782.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetu_xkZ3qzYpgvONpgDI81xkNU85kuADwCtQuxY-X0cKdrSwc48FT6WgtxvIaVQocfm61KRIKo3PkeJ9L7yauuoNjEBu0y-qMps4F5d-pjAgrWbPEwW68UD1LQKZ5NB_oREfUeAtAu_O2/s320/P5110782.JPG" width="240" /></a>Bacchus Wine Museum:</b> Ask the waiter to switch on the lights in this cellar museum attached to a hotel restaurant; within is a jumble of casks, barrels, wine bottles, plastic vines, wooden statues and enormous Toby jugs.<br />
<br />
Though it resembles the collection of an eccentric wine-loving uncle, the displays are actually well-labelled and informative about Hungarian wines. <br />
<i>Address: Erzsebet Kiralyne utca 18</i><i>, </i><i>Keszthely.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Star Castle:</b> And finally, just 15km down the road from Keszthely at Balatonszentgy<span class="st">ö</span>rgy, this star-shaped 16th century fortress will save you time if you’re in a rush. It has exhibitions of dolls in folk costume... and of wax models being tortured. But don’t worry, there are some nice tame farm animals to pat afterwards in the grounds.<br />
<i>Address: Csillagvar utca, Balatonszentgy<span class="st">ö</span>rgy.</i><br />
<br />
<i>For more about the museums of Keszthely, visit <a href="https://www.babamuzeum-keszthely.hu/en/" target="_blank">babamuzeum-keszthely.hu</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-41496050302833477682019-03-08T06:00:00.000+11:002019-03-08T06:00:07.790+11:00The Other Cheap-Arse Way to Melbourne Airport - by Tram!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In my popular post <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2019/03/to-melbourne-airport-cheap-arse-way.html">To Melbourne Airport the Cheap-Arse Way</a>, I describe how to travel to/from the city centre and the airport by regular public transport, aboard a train and the route 901 bus.<br />
<br />
It's the most frequent option. However, there is a second, more obscure, way of travelling between MEL and the city: using Melbourne's favourite mode of transport, <b>the tram</b>.<br />
<br />
Here's how to do it... <br />
<br />
<b>To Melbourne Airport</b><br />
<br />
From Elizabeth Street in Melbourne's central business district, catch a <b>route 59 tram</b> all the way to its northern terminus at <b>Stop 59</b> in the suburb of Airport West (<a href="https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/timetable/897/59/" target="_blank">timetable here</a>).<br />
<br />
You may have noticed two interesting things already. Firstly, it's a curious coincidence that route 59 happens to have 59 stops (pure chance, as it happens).<br />
<br />
Also, that Airport West is an odd name for a suburb that's south of the airport. That's true, but it was actually named after Melbourne's original air terminal, Essendon Airport to the east, which is still in operation and which you'll pass on the tram. <br />
<br />
When you step out of the route 59 terminus, ignore the bus stop that's immediately adjacent - that's for buses heading to the nearby shopping centre. Instead, you have to do a slightly fiddly crossing of the road intersection to reach the bus stop to the north of the terminus on the other side of the road (near the Red Rooster outlet).<br />
<br />
Are you there? Good. Now you simply have to wait for a bus. From here, you can catch any of three bus routes to the airport:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Bus 478</b> to Melbourne Airport (<a href="https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/timetable/8302/airport-west-sc-melbourne-airport-via-melrose-drive/" target="_blank">timetable here</a>)</li>
<li><b>Bus 479</b> to Sunbury Station via Melbourne Airport (<a href="https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/timetable/8185/airport-west-sc-sunbury-station-via-melbourne-airport/" target="_blank">timetable here</a>)</li>
<li><b>Bus 482</b> to Melbourne Airport (<a href="https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/timetable/8095/airport-west-sc-melbourne-airport-via-south-centre-rd/" target="_blank">timetable here</a>)</li>
</ul>
<br />
These buses are not that frequent. Between them, the 478 and 479 buses run every half-hour from 5.45am to 7.15pm on weekdays (and hourly between 7.45am and 6.45pm at weekends), taking 15 minutes to reach the airport.<br />
<br />
The 482 runs only eight times a day on weekdays and follows a curiously circuitous route through the industrial hinterland leading to the airport, thus taking 25 minutes. As the 482 bus is so less frequent and takes a bit longer, I'd only recommend it if it happens to show up and the next 478 or 479 bus is more than ten minutes away.<br />
<br />
The bus terminates at the public transport
interchange on Grants Road, next to Terminal 4 at Melbourne Airport.
It's a convenient stop for flights aboard Jetstar and
Tigerair, the budget airlines serving that terminal.<br />
<br />
For international flights and Virgin Australia domestic flights
respectively, Terminals 2 and 3 are about a 10 minute walk away. For
Qantas domestic flights, Terminal 1 is a 15 minute hike.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<b>From Melbourne Airport</b><br />
<br />
You
need a Myki card to travel on Melbourne's public transport, and to
get hold of one of these at the airport you have three choices.<br />
<br />
1. The easiest option is to <b>buy a card directly from a bus driver</b>,
who can also add credit to the card. The card costs $6 to purchase, and
on top of that a two-hour fare from the airport to the city centre (and
onwards to anywhere in Melbourne within the time limit) is $4.40.<br />
<br />
All
buses should be equipped for this transaction, but if you strike a
bus where the driver has run out of cards or the equipment isn't working, there are two other options. <br />
<br />
2. You can buy a Myki card from one of the three <b>Myki ticket machines</b>
located at the airport. These are located in the arrivals areas of
Terminals 2, 3 and 4.<br />
<br />
Again, the card itself costs $6 and
you top it up with credit; you'll need at least $4.40 credit to reach the
city centre and stay in the black. <br />
<br />
3. You can also buy a <b>Myki Explorer Pack</b>
from the Skybus ticket booths at the airport (Skybus is the premium
departs-every-ten-minutes airport bus which heads to the city centre for $19.75).<br />
<br />
The $15 purchase price includes the standard $6 purchase price for the
card, plus $9 of travel credit on standard public transport (ie not
aboard Skybus itself). That's more than enough to get to the city centre on the regular bus and tram, then
travel onwards to anywhere in the Melbourne metropolitan area.<br />
<br />
The
visitor pack also includes discount vouchers to major Melbourne
attractions and a decorative Myki card wallet, so that may add to the
incentive to pick one up.<br />
<br />
The standard bus stop is within the public transport
interchange on Grants Road, near Terminal 4 (so allow 15 minutes walk
from Terminal 1, and 10 minutes walk from Terminals 2 and 3). Look for
the orange-and-white
PTV sign inside the interchange.<br />
<br />
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Here you board any of these bus routes, all of which head to <b>Airport West Shopping Centre</b>:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Bus 478</b> (<a href="https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/timetable/8302/airport-west-sc-melbourne-airport-via-melrose-drive/" target="_blank">timetable here</a>)</li>
<li><b>Bus 479</b> (<a href="https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/timetable/8185/airport-west-sc-sunbury-station-via-melbourne-airport/" target="_blank">timetable here</a>)</li>
<li><b>Bus 482</b> (<a href="https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/timetable/8095/airport-west-sc-melbourne-airport-via-south-centre-rd/" target="_blank">timetable here</a>)</li>
</ul>
<br />
"Touch on" the card (as the jargon goes) against a Myki reader on board, and take a seat. <br />
<br />
Between them, the 478 and 479 buses run every half-hour from about 6.30am to 8pm on weekdays (and hourly between 8am and 7pm at weekends). It takes 15 minutes to reach the terminus of the 59 tram, which is next to the <b>Dromana Ave/Matthews Ave bus stop</b>.<br />
<br />
Note that this is the <b>second-last bus stop</b> on the route; if you doze off you'll end up at the Airport West Shopping Centre, one stop further on (don't worry if this happens, it's a short walk back).<br />
<br />
Touch off your Myki card as you leave the bus, then step onto the platform at the tram terminus right next to the bus stop - you'll recognise it by its distinctive green signage.<br />
<br />
Trams run later and more frequently than the buses, so sit back and wait for a <b>number 59 tram</b> to Flinders Street Station in the city centre (<a href="https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/timetable/897/59/" target="_blank">timetable here</a>).<br />
<br />
Touch on your card again when you board the tram, and relax - you'll be in Melbourne's central business district in about 50 minutes, with plenty of interesting suburbia to view on the way (if you're a Dame Edna Everage fan, give her a wave as you pass through Moonee Ponds).<br />
<br />
<b>Fares</b><br />
<br />
The
Myki fare between the airport and city centre in either direction is a mere <b>$4.40</b>. This sum is automatically
subtracted from the card balance when you
touch off along the route.<br />
<br />
This fare covers both of
Melbourne's fare zones, so includes all public transport for the
duration of the two hours. Hence you could transfer to another tram, a
bus or a train when you reach the city centre, to travel onward within
the same fare.<br />
<br />
<b>Give me credit</b><br />
<br />
The catch is that you must buy a Myki card
for that non-refundable $6 purchase price; though of course
you'll be able to keep using it during your stay in Melbourne, and
retain it for use on any future visits.<br />
<br />
To
top up the card's credit, the easiest method is to step into any of the
numerous 7-Eleven outlets in the city centre and ask the person behind
the counter to do it (it can also be topped up at train stations and at
Myki machines at larger tram stops).<br />
<br />
To work out how much credit you need during your visit, budget $8.80 per weekday (the capped daily fare)
and $6.40 per weekend day or public holiday. If you like, the 7-Eleven
staffer can alternatively add a pass to the card covering all travel over
seven days for $44.<br />
<br />
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<b>So very Melbourne</b><br />
<br />
The best thing about the bus+tram option, is that it gets you straight
into the "being in Melbourne" vibe – the city has the world's largest tram network, and the tram is one of its most beloved icons. There's no more civilised way of travelling in the city, if you ask me.<br />
<br />
Note that the bus+tram option isn't really suitable for people with large
amounts of luggage; but if travelling with reasonably small and portable
gear, go for it.<br />
<br />
So happy flying - and enjoy the cheap ride <b>by tram</b> to/from Melbourne Airport.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-61741746518785987252019-03-01T06:00:00.000+11:002019-03-01T06:00:03.594+11:00To Melbourne Airport the Cheap-Arse Way (2019 Update)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsQtqc_wOqudITg48mhhMsEkzPKU5xEc9Y6YFtOgIBhSjQOAFEEA_Ax7blxF9mWxnEsi0aXR8pHofwojyMgDRiWt2QPmleAKB8PUG7vlwqVuk7P8cBBP38OQdwyNtcbeIE8BAyedo3sJT/s1600/IMG_1326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsQtqc_wOqudITg48mhhMsEkzPKU5xEc9Y6YFtOgIBhSjQOAFEEA_Ax7blxF9mWxnEsi0aXR8pHofwojyMgDRiWt2QPmleAKB8PUG7vlwqVuk7P8cBBP38OQdwyNtcbeIE8BAyedo3sJT/s320/IMG_1326.jpg" width="240" /></a><i>It's been three years since I last updated th</i><i>is blog's most popular post,
revealing how to get between the city centre and Melbourne Airport very </i><i><i>cheaply on regular public transport. </i></i><i><i>There have been a few changes since then, so read on...</i></i><br />
<br />
The
cost of getting to and from airports throughout the Western world can
be outrageously expensive, and Melbourne is not immune from this curse.<br />
<br />
However... there is a way of getting to and from Melbourne Airport
cheaply.<br />
<br />
So draw your chairs closer, lean in and discover how to save a tidy bit of cash.<br />
<br />
For
the cheap-arses among us, there is a much cheaper way into the city
centre than the 30 to 45 minute $19.75 Skybus journey, though of course it takes
longer (about 60 to 70 minutes, depending on connections).<br />
<br />
This is how it works... <br />
<br />
<b>To Melbourne Airport</b><br />
<br />
From any station in Melbourne's central business district, catch a train along the Craigieburn line and alight at <b>Broadmeadows Station</b> (<a href="https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/timetable/3/craigieburn/" target="_blank">timetable here</a>).<br />
<br />
Step
straight out through the station to the bus bay which is just
to the right as you clear the main entrance. Here you catch the <b>901 bus to Melbourne Airport</b>, which leaves approximately every 15 minutes from about 5am to midnight (<a href="https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/timetable/7531/frankston-melbourne-airport/" target="_blank"><span id="goog_450690019"></span>timetable here<span id="goog_450690020"></span></a>).<br />
<br />
<i>Note:
on Saturdays and Sundays the 901 bus departure intervals are every 30
minutes; and on Sundays the 901 operates from Broadmeadows from about
7am to 9.30pm.</i><br />
<br />
It's important to note that 901 buses going the other direction to Frankston use the same stop, so
make sure the bus destination sign says 'Melbourne Airport'.<br />
<br />
The
bus terminates at the public transport
interchange on Grants Road, next to Terminal 4 at Melbourne Airport.
It's a very convenient stop for flights aboard Jetstar and
Tigerair, the budget airlines serving Terminal 4.<br />
<br />
For international flights and Virgin Australia domestic flights
respectively, Terminals 2 and 3 are about a 10 minute walk away. For
Qantas domestic flights, Terminal 1 is a 15 minute hike. Although
there's shelter at most points of the walk, you might need an umbrella
if caught in the rain as you go.<br />
<br />
Why it isn't
possible to have more than one bus stop in operation at the airport is
one of the great mysteries of the universe, but that's a puzzle for
another day.<br />
<br />
<b>From Melbourne Airport</b><br />
<br />
You
need a Myki card to travel on Melbourne's public transport, and to
get hold of one of these at the airport you have three choices.<br />
<br />
1. The easiest option is to <b>buy a card directly from the 901 bus driver</b>,
who can also add credit to the card. The card costs $6 to purchase, and
on top of that a two-hour fare from the airport to the city centre (and
onwards to anywhere in Melbourne within the time limit) is $4.40.<br />
<br />
All
buses should be equipped for this transaction, but if you strike a
bus where the driver has run out of cards or the equipment isn't working, there are two other options. <br />
<br />
2. You can instead buy a <b>Myki Explorer Pack</b>
from the Skybus ticket booths at the airport. Skybus is the premium
departs-every-ten-minutes airport bus which heads to the city centre for $19.75, so this approach may seem unintuitive.<br />
<br />
However, you can get the pack from Skybus.
The $15 purchase price includes the standard $6 purchase price for the
card, plus $9 of travel credit on standard public transport (ie not
Skybus itself). That's more than enough to get to the city centre on a regular bus, then
travel onwards to anywhere in the Melbourne metropolitan area.<br />
<br />
The
visitor pack also includes discount vouchers to major Melbourne
attractions and a decorative Myki card wallet, so that may add to the
incentive to pick one up.<br />
<br />
3. The third option is to buy a Myki card from one of the three <b>Myki ticket machines</b>
located at the airport. These are located in the arrivals areas of
Terminals 2, 3 and 4.<br />
<br />
Again, the card itself costs $6 and
you top it up with credit; you'll need at least $4.40 credit to reach the
city centre and stay in the black.<br />
<br />
The regular bus stop is within the public transport
interchange on Grants Road, near Terminal 4 (so allow 15 minutes walk
from Terminal 1, and 10 minutes walk from Terminals 2 and 3). Look for
the orange-and-white
PTV sign inside the interchange.<br />
<br />
Here you board the <b>901 bus to Frankston</b>, which leaves approximately every 15 minutes from about 5am to midnight (<a href="https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/timetable/7531/frankston-melbourne-airport/" target="_blank">timetable here</a>).<br />
<br />
<i>Note:
on Saturdays and Sundays the 901 bus departure intervals are every 30
minutes; and on Sundays the 901 operates from the airport from about
6.30am to 9pm.</i><br />
<br />
"Touch on" the card (as the jargon goes) against a Myki reader on board, and take a seat.<br />
<br />
When the bus reaches <b>Broadmeadows Station</b>,
touch off the card, get out and walk into the station, touching on the card again. Take the underpass to Platform
1. From here a train will take you
straight to the city centre (<a href="https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/timetable/3/craigieburn/" target="_blank">timetable here</a>).<br />
<br />
<b>Fares</b><br />
<br />
The
Myki fare between the airport and city centre in either direction is a mere <b>$4.40</b>. This sum is automatically
subtracted from the card balance when you
touch off along the route.<br />
<br />
This fare covers both of
Melbourne's fare zones, so includes all public transport for the
duration of the two hours. Hence you could transfer to another train, a
bus or a tram when you reach the city centre, to travel onward within
the same fare.<br />
<br />
<b>Give me credit</b><br />
<br />
The catch is that you must buy a Myki card
for that non-refundable $6 purchase price; though of course
you'll be able to keep using it during your stay in Melbourne, and
retain it for use on any future visits.<br />
<br />
To
top up the card's credit, the easiest method is to step into any of the numerous 7-Eleven outlets in the city centre and ask the person behind
the counter to do it (it can also be topped up at train stations and at Myki machines at larger tram stops).<br />
<br />
To work out how much credit you need during your visit, budget $8.80 per weekday (the capped daily fare)
and $6.40 per weekend day or public holiday. If you like, the 7-Eleven
staffer can alternatively add a pass to the card covering all travel over
seven days for $44.<br />
<br />
<b>Going a-Broady</b><br />
<br />
Another
good thing about the 901+train option, is that it gets you straight
into the "being in Melbourne" vibe – you can eavesdrop on some
entertaining conversations on the train to/from Broady, which has a
reputation for being one of Melbourne's tougher suburbs.<br />
<br />
Don't
let that put you off catching the train to/from Broadmeadows though, as
it's a staffed station. Do exercise reasonable vigilance however,
especially if travelling after dark.<br />
<br />
Another catch is
that the train+bus option isn't really suitable for people with large
amounts of luggage; but if travelling with reasonably small and portable
gear, go for it.<br />
<br />
So happy flying - and enjoy the cheap ride to/from Melbourne Airport.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-25533751294942385022019-02-22T06:00:00.000+11:002019-02-22T06:00:03.895+11:00The Mysterious Mounds of Kraków, Poland<i>When I lived in </i><i><i>Kraków</i> in the 1990s I was fascinated by the four monumental mounds - two of them very old - which were dotted around the city. </i><br />
<br />
<i>Years later I revisited the Polish city and wrote this piece about them for a newspaper. As the article has since vanished from the Web, here it is again for your reading pleasure...</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9Qa4hMLDsY7Pipj0k6xWC_6ch6a1XpEWFoTg7-if8Njplp5OXHqBV6l-x3cBHApj1tlaloVXmozXFurlI5ID-15WlCFDYmJkGAW-YMgXiZApvQHETidv_NBc41ygRAhsHMJyJGv9RJyH/s1600/P5290148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9Qa4hMLDsY7Pipj0k6xWC_6ch6a1XpEWFoTg7-if8Njplp5OXHqBV6l-x3cBHApj1tlaloVXmozXFurlI5ID-15WlCFDYmJkGAW-YMgXiZApvQHETidv_NBc41ygRAhsHMJyJGv9RJyH/s400/P5290148.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
When catching a taxi from the airport into the old medieval heart of Kraków, Poland, I glance up to see a curiously pointed peak to the west. It looks man-made, and so it is.<br />
<br />
This enormous 34 metre high earthen mound was erected by volunteers in the 1820s, in honour of the 18th century Polish war hero Tadeusz Kościuszko. <br />
<br />
Kościuszko’s name is no stranger to monuments - it appears on streets and landmarks across Poland, where he once led a peasant army to victory against a better armed Russian force; and in the USA, where he was a hero of the War of Independence.<br />
<br />
His name was also given to Australia’s highest mountain, courtesy of Polish explorer Count Strzelecki.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXG2lx3LNUn_VBKntfduYsZYNwCsIpFX6r5KfsrR4fhyphenhyphenQUWQzJY1Ls4BZLfNNi94HTd_kKNqXHcI4FwNqI7cZnB0TcX6BTgS-6G_zAM_5YcgKoUcjwCivVUWcd6m7YdqyTU6i8cmodF1V/s1600/P5290167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXG2lx3LNUn_VBKntfduYsZYNwCsIpFX6r5KfsrR4fhyphenhyphenQUWQzJY1Ls4BZLfNNi94HTd_kKNqXHcI4FwNqI7cZnB0TcX6BTgS-6G_zAM_5YcgKoUcjwCivVUWcd6m7YdqyTU6i8cmodF1V/s400/P5290167.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The Kościuszko Mound is a fascinating landmark, and not unique. For the attractive historic city is blessed with four such monuments scattered about its suburbs: the Krakus, Wanda, Kościuszko and Piłsudksi Mounds.<br />
<br />
The two oldest - Krakus and Wanda - are the most fascinating, simply because so little is known about them. They predate Polish history and it seems they’re not burial mounds, as no remains have been found inside them.<br />
<br />
Legends link them with Krakus, the legendary founder of the city, and with Wanda, a queen who sacrificed herself to save her country.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvm5NTL6ClxAiRYBHcMHhvUu9DUf-Pk-fwOc3o_OfVCDryyYezkdK8oxtFeQQvYfNAKB9_vhcf2_GfQfOWG0_mQfEoZHkdpzp4JY1oI4J7pa9bg0fe2lEe5OFGysAGPier5_36HAY0Xfol/s1600/P5290178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvm5NTL6ClxAiRYBHcMHhvUu9DUf-Pk-fwOc3o_OfVCDryyYezkdK8oxtFeQQvYfNAKB9_vhcf2_GfQfOWG0_mQfEoZHkdpzp4JY1oI4J7pa9bg0fe2lEe5OFGysAGPier5_36HAY0Xfol/s400/P5290178.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
If they were erected as monuments to great leaders, then the Kościuszko Mound is a worthy successor to these ancient predecessors.<br />
<br />
It’s visually impressive, sitting atop a hill and encircled by a massive red-brick fortress built in the 1850s by Kraków’s then Austrian rulers <i>(the above photo is of a model of the property)</i>. The grassy conical mound, encircled by overlapping trails, is itself held within a circular brick wall liked to a series of bastions facing the city.<br />
<br />
As I ascend one of the walking trails up the mound, which curve gently in cobblestone arcs up its slopes, I can see what a prestigious position Kościuszko’s memorial commands.<br />
<br />
From the top, there are views that take in forest and the sprawling Błonia, a medieval meadow that’s now a popular recreational space. In the city’s Old Town district is the massive bulk of Wawel Castle, once the home of Polish kings; and in the distance is a suggestion of the enormous communist-era steelworks of Nowa Huta.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUKy5NPDOhK6tYes0kQRfrRbU0Lx0dHp5Jy_GqG_M3MJCbp1taC8HS4RfUp4ENLhKmpa0IRy1Ke8DSbYNNOzK4naOmjaMJwbDf1v_Jw_jZNYHBfm09axVgj0ONYjiPR18vCZZvAW6KwAC/s1600/P5290152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUKy5NPDOhK6tYes0kQRfrRbU0Lx0dHp5Jy_GqG_M3MJCbp1taC8HS4RfUp4ENLhKmpa0IRy1Ke8DSbYNNOzK4naOmjaMJwbDf1v_Jw_jZNYHBfm09axVgj0ONYjiPR18vCZZvAW6KwAC/s400/P5290152.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Moving from the sublime to the, well, cheesy is the display of waxworks tucked away within two floors in the old fort. They’re arranged in static scenes depicting famous Poles of the past, including Kościuszko himself in consultation with his American commander-in-chief Jerzy Waszyngton (better known as George Washington).<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOSUNfuabD3IYwc8MtV99q_ypBOCWneZUPv4vYWGbvh8dww8Ngf5-nBKGHuowDr1VV9F1VNtpiFo9rIYIKXK1kxgyY01nqOf8Duj8drsCXWNASdyjNpy0zirRwWh2S0z7w6sG5KJR2Xra/s1600/P5290168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOSUNfuabD3IYwc8MtV99q_ypBOCWneZUPv4vYWGbvh8dww8Ngf5-nBKGHuowDr1VV9F1VNtpiFo9rIYIKXK1kxgyY01nqOf8Duj8drsCXWNASdyjNpy0zirRwWh2S0z7w6sG5KJR2Xra/s400/P5290168.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
After leaving the war heroes behind, I stroll past various moustachioed literary and political achievers including interwar leader Jozef Piłsudski, who is memorialised by the fourth mound in the nearby Las Wolski woods. Then I under a low arch to discover the late Pope John Paul II stepping out of a cutaway section of an aircraft.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRobaPyV3D7edyR4KHqWNib0cS38QT67eBPZalsBxbrPHJomd5ZWqTCIpulvXeDlnkdkttZBTSBqGPauPYG8FKAlenKZ-wDilz5Ey87ZcgfOoRgTqiZTwaFecTayk3mCsSii2sJ7-yFS5S/s1600/P5300195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRobaPyV3D7edyR4KHqWNib0cS38QT67eBPZalsBxbrPHJomd5ZWqTCIpulvXeDlnkdkttZBTSBqGPauPYG8FKAlenKZ-wDilz5Ey87ZcgfOoRgTqiZTwaFecTayk3mCsSii2sJ7-yFS5S/s400/P5300195.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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</div>
<br />
I end my mound visit at the open air cafe located on the ramparts of the fort. It’s set with colourful flower boxes, with the beautiful city laid out below.<br />
<br />
With beer in hand, I think of Kościuszko. He may not have finally prevented the 18th century conquest of his country by its neighbours, but he gave it a damn good try; and bequeathed us this fascinating monument.<br />
<br />
<i>The Kościuszko Mound is located at Al Waszyngtona 1, Kraków, Poland. For opening hours and entry fees, <a href="http://kopieckosciuszki.pl/" target="_blank">visit its website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-70237916359716016502019-02-15T11:18:00.002+11:002019-02-15T11:18:54.388+11:00Thai Toy Story: The Toy Museum of Ayutthaya<i>On a 2012 media tour to Thailand I declined to join
a group riding bicycles through the very hot streets of Ayutthaya, north of Bangkok.
Instead, I investigated a toy museum I'd heard about.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>As the story is no longer available online, I'd like to share it here. Enjoy!</i><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4S0L0xJ-Mysq4U_9D1rRGQkVYqCF6Uu52VAFCN1FmDo-gnFggNqrCfxy0c1Rcah8IKo3F4IOG2rkKYOAYS8lNR7FN5GqKO9oPfKIkTpaDMoa7iDRMK7W2yfCEB1CjtJYBaDsZONK4G7f/s1600/IMG_2770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4S0L0xJ-Mysq4U_9D1rRGQkVYqCF6Uu52VAFCN1FmDo-gnFggNqrCfxy0c1Rcah8IKo3F4IOG2rkKYOAYS8lNR7FN5GqKO9oPfKIkTpaDMoa7iDRMK7W2yfCEB1CjtJYBaDsZONK4G7f/s400/IMG_2770.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
I have an idea for the next <i>Terminator</i> movie: a cohort of tin robots marches across the earth, its colourful leaders backed by dozens of troops arrayed in black armour, with bulging red eyes and little looped antennas on their heads.</div>
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At least, that’s what I see when I look into one of the many glass cases in the Million Toy Museum in Ayutthaya, Thailand – and if there’s a better place for such a wild flight of fancy than a building packed with toys, I’d like to know about it.<br />
<br />
The museum is the brainchild of children’s book writer and illustrator Krirk Yoonpun, an avid toy collector.<br />
<br />
When his collection of toys got out of control, he built a new home for them in Ayutthaya, the former Thai capital which was sacked by the Burmese army in the 18th century.<br />
<br />
The city is now famous for its extensive and evocative ruins, making this celebration of children’s modern playthings a delightful surprise.<br />
<br />
The museum presents a lively, colourful contrast to the busy streets around it. Set back from the road in a lush garden dotted with salvaged horses from fairground carousels, the two-storey blue and white building resembles a massive wedding cake, light and airy but also a substantial presence.<br />
<br />
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There’s something fairy-tale about the place – as if Hansel and Gretel’s witch had decided she fancied a warmer climate, and set up shop in Thailand.<br />
<br />
Not that there’s anything sinister about the interior, which is crammed with tens of thousands of toys. Soft toys, metal toys, superhero models, dolls – they’re all here, often in multiple copies for artistic effect.<br />
<br />
Near the entrance I find a case containing 55 tin goldfish swimming side by side, and another case holds numerous toy helicopters whose yellow rotors resemble a forest of windmills.<br />
<br />
I’m amazed at the diversity as I walk among the displays: toy trucks with transparent red plastic cement mixers on their backs, tin cuckoo clocks, tiny tanks, soft toys, baby-sized dolls in scary dead-eyed profusion, and miniature rockets and planes stacked next to each other. <br />
<br />
Not that it’s all about 20th century playthings – upstairs there’s a case of centuries-old figurines, unearthed by archaeological digs among the ruins of old Ayutthaya.<br />
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Near these there’s a life-size figure of Superman and multiple copies of a character I later identify as the Japanese superhero Ultraman (thanks Twitter); but in this crazy colourful jumble, nothing seems out of place.<br />
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As I return to the ground floor, it occurs to me that toys often reflect the technology of the era they’re constructed in.<br />
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A case in point is the set of model locomotives about 30 centimetres long, painted in bright colours and with moving pistons.<br />
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I love the look of these, and jokingly tell museum attendant Napat he should search my satchel on the way out. He takes me semi-seriously, which just goes to show how good an observer of human nature he is.<br />
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I smile as I realise this museum is affecting me in a way I thought it never would – the sheer quantity of toys is enveloping me in the warm embrace of nostalgia.<br />
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I owned those tin robots when I was a boy, which seems like a million years ago. They were great.<br />
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<i>The Million Toy Museum is located at 45 Moo 2, U Thong Road, Ayutthaya, Thailand.</i>
Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-63574740510347745052019-02-08T06:00:00.000+11:002019-02-08T06:00:04.123+11:00Clueless in Kraków<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>To paraphrase the old TV crime show <b>Dragnet</b>: "Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to read is true. Not even the names have been changed to protect the innocent." </i><br />
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<i>Yes, the following events really happened to <a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a> and me in 1994. </i><br />
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<i>I wrote it up for a newspaper some years ago; but as that account has disappeared from the Web, here it is again for the record...</i><br />
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“We have here the homicide.”<br /><br />These aren’t words you want to hear while you’re travelling overseas.<br />
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Nor do you want to glance over the shoulder of the man who’s just spoken them, to see a pile of bloody surgical gloves and the body of your dead landlord in the living room.<br />
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Your absolutely stark naked dead landlord.<br /><br />
Narrelle and I were taking some time out from the blur of travel. To replenish our funds, we’d taken English teaching jobs at a private college in Kraków, Poland.<br />
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This was just a few years after the fall of communism, and housing was generally cramped and expensive, but we had been lucky enough to land the top floor of a house. We lived up top, our landlord and his elderly father lived below.<br /><br />One chilly evening in November, we returned from work to find a police car at the end of the street, and people swarming up and down our stairs. Strangely, our mental alarm bells didn’t sound. "There's been a domestic," we figured, and headed on up. <br /><br />Stopped at the first landing, it was quickly established that neither of us spoke much Polish. Thus the immortal words mentioned above, followed by the interesting sight of a deceased naked body whose modesty was covered by a small cloth. How thoughtful.<br /><br />Thinking about it now, I don’t think the city’s finest had anticipated the arrival of a couple of clueless Australians on the scene, and were unprepared to deal with this twist in the plot.<br /><br />It was also quite unreal for us, like an unfathomable foreign cop show without subtitles - <i>CSI: Kraków</i>. Our thoughts shifted between horror, pity, curiosity, and concern that the unreliable heating system would never be fixed.<br /><br />A policewoman who spoke reasonable English turned up at 11pm. She translated while two men went through a few of our cupboards which contained some of the landlord's possessions.<br />
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They seized an old address book, and a business card for something called "The Viking Club". Now this was more like the movies. A Nordic connection, maybe? A cartel of ruthless reindeer rustlers, or gangsters trying to smuggle horned helmets past Customs? <br /><br />Then they left, requiring our presence at the police station the next day.<br /><br />Arriving bright and early, we surveyed a dreary brick building that looked just the sort of place that difficult suspects disappeared from. And we’d had had no chance to rehearse our stories. Would we be tripped up on our links with the exclusive but shadowy Viking Club?<br /><br />We gave our statements. Of course, we knew nothing, and had visions of the cops tearing up the pages in disgust after we left. <br /><br />Well, that was sort of that. I’d like to tell you we resolved to make up for our cluelessness by becoming fluent in Polish, brandishing our magnifying glasses and tracking down the landlord’s killer no matter where he had fled to.<br />
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No bolthole would be safe, no refuge secure for this heartless criminal once we vowed to hunt him down. No, not even the headquarters of the Viking Club.<br /><br />But it was not to be. We never had to give alibis, fingerprints, any of the exciting stuff. And with the passage of years, the disturbing incident has faded to a point where it seems like the plot of an unconvincing and meandering foreign film.<br /><br />If only we’d been blessed with subtitles.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-18005398063465563092019-02-01T06:00:00.000+11:002019-02-01T06:00:08.022+11:00Stirred, Not Shaken: The London of James Bond<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>In 2008 I visited London and attended a James Bond memorabilia exhibition </i><i>at the Imperial War Museum,</i><i> entitled For Your Eyes Only. </i><br />
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<i>To flesh it out into a travel feature, I then arranged to join tour guide Simon Rodway's on-demand James Bond tour of Mayfair and St James.</i><br />
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<i>I met Simon [pictured right] a few times over the years after that, taking his 2011 tour about the history of the area around the new Olympic stadium, and corresponding about other matters. </i><br />
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<i>We got on well, so it was a shock when I discovered last year that he'd passed away from cancer in 2015; you can read <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/nov/18/simon-rodway-obituary" target="_blank">his obituary in The Guardian</a>.</i><br />
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<i>As a tribute to Simon's memory, here's the account of his James Bond tour I wrote up in 2008...</i>
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Simon Rodway of Silver Cane Tours is a one-man walking tours company, an agent with a licence to stroll. Among his repertoire of walks around the British capital is The London of James Bond, though it focuses more on the life of author Ian Fleming than his fictional creation.<br />
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“I don’t know if many people read the books now,” says Rodway as we meet outside Marble Arch tube station, pointing out the author’s work has been overshadowed by the cinematic James Bond’s adventures.<br />
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As a result, the walk through well-to-do Mayfair and St James gives Rodway an opportunity to highlight the connections between Fleming’s lesser-known life and the literary 007.<br />
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Starting on Park Lane, we head into Mayfair, passing the house where Fleming was born. After that, we pass by Grosvenor Square, home of the American Embassy, a surprisingly hideous concrete fortress.<br />
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It’s not hard to imagine spymasters and their agents meeting in this neck of the woods during the Cold War days. In fact, forget the Cold War – Rodway points down the street to the hotel where Russian ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned with a radioactive substance in 2006. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgYYJfBYU7aPeGgcBVv22Uz5WTuTleC-C5SP2Jou6RmG8X4MvmqBv5lP1u7QPOeL1yhZPrxxS15rT2X3P1zR64ibTE5KDW5dAlA7vkfXYl7enp4rZAea3OjjORJYT-vj3MhYdTgoB43Fk/s1600/P6280686.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgYYJfBYU7aPeGgcBVv22Uz5WTuTleC-C5SP2Jou6RmG8X4MvmqBv5lP1u7QPOeL1yhZPrxxS15rT2X3P1zR64ibTE5KDW5dAlA7vkfXYl7enp4rZAea3OjjORJYT-vj3MhYdTgoB43Fk/s320/P6280686.JPG" width="240" /></a>A stop outside the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve club prompts Rodway to speak of Fleming’s wartime role and the way it planted the seeds of James Bond in his mind.<br />
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Particularly influential was Fleming’s role as planner for an elite unit of commandos who specialised in intelligence gathering.<br />
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According to Rodway, the author was also inspired by Sydney Cotton, a Queenslander in the RAF who was well known for his technical brilliance and innovative gadgetry.<br />
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Cotton may well have been the author’s model for Bond’s gadget man ‘Q’.<br />
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We stroll through Berkeley Square, beneath its attractive plane trees, to the Fleming Collection.<br />
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This family-owned art gallery usually showcases the work of Scottish artists, but today is hosting an exhibition of Bond novel covers from around the world, as part of the the centenary of Fleming's birth. It’s a striking visual reminder of how far and wide 007 has been received over the decades.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoCpCBTx5Hrq-EBTq9tJ_Fz5HL0OUjTGngjIx-Q3ikys0csbJ1zxf0JHxRxKW7eIKztd9pU-W5smFqTw093YhIquz4siB0-YWH0tO8Y31ipFu5rSbvSDcjQ6le4HeqMOmhhyphenhyphenENVrpxgWM/s1600/P6280706.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoCpCBTx5Hrq-EBTq9tJ_Fz5HL0OUjTGngjIx-Q3ikys0csbJ1zxf0JHxRxKW7eIKztd9pU-W5smFqTw093YhIquz4siB0-YWH0tO8Y31ipFu5rSbvSDcjQ6le4HeqMOmhhyphenhyphenENVrpxgWM/s320/P6280706.JPG" width="240" /></a>As we pass from Mayfair into St James, Rodway mentions an old saw: “St James for the gentlemen, Mayfair for the ladies”.<br />
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It’s true that St James Street has a certain masculine identity, with solid, dignified buildings housing gentlemen’s clubs like Boodles, of which Fleming was a member.<br />
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It also contains a series of shops outfitting said gentlemen with handmade shoes, fine wine, and hats.<br />
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There's even an outlet of Italian firm Beretta, a name familiar to Bond fans as the first gun favoured by the secret agent. There's no sign of weaponry through the ground floor windows - only clothing – but Rodway tells me there’s a gun shop upstairs.<br />
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Finally, we reach Dukes Hotel, a tasteful establishment discreetly tucked into a side street.<br />
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There's an elegant restraint about the hotel’s decor, its cocktail bar featuring low blue velvet chairs at small circular tables.<br />
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It’s a cosy refuge, much favoured by Fleming as he sipped cocktails here, chatted to the waiters and devised the famous line “shaken, not stirred”.<br />
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Intriguingly, our waiter, a tall white-jacketed Italian from Elba, tells us firmly that their signature Bond-related cocktail should be stirred, not shaken.<br />
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Apparently the agitation would spoil the flavour of the vermouth in the Vesper, a martini devised by Fleming for the first Bond novel.<br />
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He then proceeds with a flourish to make the concoction at our table, pouring from vast frosted bottles of Beefeater gin and Potocki vodka from Poland.<br />
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It’s a potent brew, a strong, bitter cocktail for sipping rather than gulping, served with style (and some tasty green olives).<br />
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“This bar was where Sean Connery came in 1961 when he’d landed the movie role, for one of these babies,” says Rodway, holding his cocktail aloft. “Then Pierce Brosnan followed in 1995.”<br />
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As I sip my Vesper, I decide I'd rather be a hero than a Bond villain. Heroes don't get to take over the world, but they do enjoy the better drinks.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-5357842048490914982019-01-25T11:34:00.001+11:002019-01-25T11:34:03.775+11:00Driving with Dinosaurs in Montana, USA<i>In 2009 I took my first-ever trip to the USA, courtesy of the Montana Office of Tourism and Virgin Australia. One of the articles which resulted from that journey featured the fascinating Montana Dinosaur Trail. As it never went online, here it is now for your education and enjoyment:</i>
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Michele Fromdahl works with a tyrannosaurus rex. She’s cool with that, but some of her visitors aren’t. The gigantic model of the fearsome prehistoric creature is the very first thing you see as you step through the door of the <a href="https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Charles_M_Russell/visit/visitor_activities/FPIC.html" target="_blank">Fort Peck Interpretive Center</a>, lunging toward you with its jaws open for the kill.<br />
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“There are a few kids who’ll come in the first set of doors and won’t come in that second set. You have to try to get them through a side door, or they have to be carried by Mom and Dad,” she says. “It’s happened.”<br />
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Overbearing reptilian colleagues aside, Fromdahl enjoys her work as the centre’s director. “When I got the job here I inherited an empty building, so I got to build all the exhibits. I’d seen <i>Jurassic Park</i>, but otherwise I knew nothing about dinosaurs. So being able to get immersed in that has been fun. I love it.” <br />
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Her beloved T-Rex with its accompanying displays <i>(Lower Yellowstone Road, Fort Peck; +1-406-526-3493)</i> is one of 15 attractions along the <b>Montana Dinosaur Trail</b>, which stretches from the Rocky Mountains across the plains of the USA’s fourth-largest state. <br />
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Back in the prehistoric past (before even Bert Newton was on TV), the flat dry wheat-growing area of eastern Montana was an inland sea, along whose banks dinosaurs roamed.<br />
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Upon death, the great reptiles obligingly scattered their remains around, for 19th and 20th century farmers to find beneath their barns and fields. <br />
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Later, they ended up on the Trail. Its odds-and-ends collection of professional institutes and tiny museums is also a good excuse to drive the open highways of this underpopulated state, enjoying both fossils and small town America as you go.<br />
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Here are some of the prehistoric highlights...<br />
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<b>Great Plains Dinosaur Museum.</b> Interesting institution whose dinosaur fossils have nicknames. Exhibits include Giffen, the northernmost stegosaurus ever found, and Leonardo, a rare mummified fossil showing remains of skin. You can also handle a fossilised dinosaur bone here, and even apply to join a dig.<br />
<i>405 North 1st St East, Malta; +1-406-654-5300; <a href="http://greatplainsdinosaurs.org/" target="_blank">greatplainsdinosaurs.org</a>.</i><br />
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<b>Museum of the Rockies.</b> This university-affiliated museum houses the world’s largest tyrannosaurus rex skull, and one of the first female dinosaurs to be identified as such. It also has a triceratops and a deinonychus, just as nasty a predator as the velociraptor. The museum also covers the fauna and culture of the Rockies from more recent millennia.<br />
<i>600 West Kagy Boulevard, Bozeman; +1-406-994-2251; <a href="http://museumoftherockies.org/" target="_blank">museumoftherockies.org</a>.</i><br />
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<b>Two Medicine Dinosaur Centre.</b> Each of the Trail sites seems to have a first in its exhibits, and this one is no exception - it exhibits the first baby dinosaur bones found in North America. It also houses the world’s largest dinosaur reconstruction, of a seismosaurus halli or “earth-shaker lizard”. <br />
<i>120 2nd Avenue South, Bynum; +1-406-469-2211; <a href="http://tmdinosaur.org/" target="_blank">tmdinosaur.org</a>.</i><br />
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<b>Rudyard Depot Museum.</b> For the quintessential small town dinosaur experience, visit this historical museum spread around an old train station. Its dinosaur selection features The Oldest Sorehead, a fully articulated gryposaurus discovered locally in 2004. A likeness of this curious duckbilled dinosaur is exhibited among an egg nest display. Just model eggs, of course - no risk of a <i>Jurassic Park</i> moment. I hope.<br />
<i>25 4th Avenue North West, Rudyard; +1-406-355-4322; <a href="http://rudyardmuseum.com/" target="_blank">rudyardmuseum.com</a>.</i><br />
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<i>Find all the museums along the Montana Dinosaur Trail <a href="https://mtdinotrail.org/" target="_blank">via its website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-54953263102806710632019-01-18T06:00:00.000+11:002019-01-18T06:00:06.888+11:00Bangkok: Focus on the Small Stuff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqDMcf_YNV474LDPIvtKWhSrqOpN01GJ2LVoi6vtXMszd1zdf3CI0OY9RsIUrmsRf2uf6vdioXenX4eUIJlSVzmeeMEyxo6j8SIWSB6pCWdfPha_xQgeiGLxBTRYWTY4oHOk5qn8g3WCkQ/s1600/P8210003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqDMcf_YNV474LDPIvtKWhSrqOpN01GJ2LVoi6vtXMszd1zdf3CI0OY9RsIUrmsRf2uf6vdioXenX4eUIJlSVzmeeMEyxo6j8SIWSB6pCWdfPha_xQgeiGLxBTRYWTY4oHOk5qn8g3WCkQ/s320/P8210003.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<i>Some years ago </i><i>I won a prize </i><i>in a Thai Airways travel writing competition with this article about Bangkok (I subsequently used the prize - a trip anywhere on the airline's network - to visit India). </i><br />
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<i>As the story is no longer available online, I'd like to share it here. Enjoy!</i><br />
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I don’t know what it is, but it’s big. I’m standing on the footpath in the Siam Square district of Bangkok, looking up at a towering white figure that’s not quite human.<br />
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The seated statue is pure white, with an elongated head, feet and fingers, and is staring into the traffic.<br />
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<i>Dollar</i> is an outlandish piece of street art on a busy Bangkok street, just metres from the endless flow and roar of motorbikes, buses and cars. According to the artist, the statue represents the stresses and pressures of modern society. <br />
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As I read these words on its base, I find myself nodding. Bangkok is definitely a lively city, exciting and vibrant at all hours of the day; especially here in the commercial centre, where gigantic shopping malls line busy roads, overshadowed by the Skytrain elevated railway.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8wKINOqJQoeHw75EYzkx5QxiXDtlcXOV3U2r-JTqt83JqCbRqI_w267OGjTUC2mOyp4E1lNJhZbMUaSgiq3X829rtyzpiTJQbe6dFH4O0OxPFDaQp-AthvJtHD9sCTFvAuK1sKBdlE1M/s1600/P8210011.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8wKINOqJQoeHw75EYzkx5QxiXDtlcXOV3U2r-JTqt83JqCbRqI_w267OGjTUC2mOyp4E1lNJhZbMUaSgiq3X829rtyzpiTJQbe6dFH4O0OxPFDaQp-AthvJtHD9sCTFvAuK1sKBdlE1M/s320/P8210011.JPG" width="240" /></a>But is it possible to discover a more contemplative side to the Thai capital? Having set out on foot through the humid morning haze from my hotel, I’m determined to give it a try.<br />
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Turning right into Soi Kasem San 2, there’s a remarkable contrast between the mega-malls behind me and the quiet laneway leading to Jim Thompson’s House, my destination at the end of the street. <br />
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This collection of traditional Thai timber houses, some of them centuries old, was linked together in 1959 to create a single sprawling home.<br />
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An American soldier during World War II, Thompson had then become a silk manufacturer, employing the traditional silk weavers of the Muslim district across the nearby canal. <br />
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Thompson was a great admirer of Thai traditions, so he filled his houses with beautiful antiques, including ancient statues of the Buddha, while adding Western elements such as chandeliers. <br />
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Then, in 1967, on a holiday in Malaysia, he mysteriously disappeared and was never heard of again. As a result, the house has become his legacy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5f8luZPfRnrnv9TjEzdaMnrI-o9J4GVXn7fs1oEIDIj6DKNTA73RQbgxDBXNH2EfWDop2cSHnjdloRgiRKk2P_ymmDiUg4_k3qFfR2m-cOGNVYWT8zU2vQ0lT52Jm2CGaDOVJ8vpp28w/s1600/P8210031.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5f8luZPfRnrnv9TjEzdaMnrI-o9J4GVXn7fs1oEIDIj6DKNTA73RQbgxDBXNH2EfWDop2cSHnjdloRgiRKk2P_ymmDiUg4_k3qFfR2m-cOGNVYWT8zU2vQ0lT52Jm2CGaDOVJ8vpp28w/s320/P8210031.JPG" width="240" /></a>“Visitors enjoy the fact that it is not a museum, it’s someone’s home,” says Eric Booth, trustee of the James HW Thompson Foundation.<br />
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“We take care of it as if Jim was still living there. The young guides aren’t there to lecture, so our visitors are not overwhelmed by history.” <br />
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However, the knowledgeable Thais who lead the regular tours are happy to answer questions about Thompson’s superb eye for art and its placement.<br />
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“There are many important pieces, including the exceptional Dvaravati torso in the garden,” says Booth, referring to the partial Buddha statue that’s over a thousand years old.<br />
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“But what I really like is the mix of important pieces and everyday objects. The way he displayed them makes the house a wonderful place. After all, it is a home, not a museum!” <br />
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After the tour, I wander through the splendid tropical garden and admire the house from the outside. I decide it’s a charming and, more importantly, balanced home, a harmonious blend of natural and man-made objects, and of new and old.<br />
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I feel I could happily move in here, lounging on its daybeds and letting natural ventilation, shade and shutters cool me rather than relying on the dry artificiality of air-conditioning.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVHzOoEwvNXNdB_VOepfRHj_MYPp6hNmZiq5RHZ0Auq-v2GlIT_G4ZNJqJyk0DN1tNt7FAT1jQJ9nEM-lj2ben_JF6-Drpb0wyjCv4jAWFqtAKGUn9r4mcrRDgR4J3hNZ2K61d8tDoJLDJ/s1600/P8210053.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVHzOoEwvNXNdB_VOepfRHj_MYPp6hNmZiq5RHZ0Auq-v2GlIT_G4ZNJqJyk0DN1tNt7FAT1jQJ9nEM-lj2ben_JF6-Drpb0wyjCv4jAWFqtAKGUn9r4mcrRDgR4J3hNZ2K61d8tDoJLDJ/s320/P8210053.JPG" width="240" /></a>Leaving the grounds and walking west, I discover Garimmin & Sobereen, a small restaurant stretched along the path that borders the canal.<br />
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It’s decorated with potted tropical plants, and serves up freshly cooked food from its open-air kitchen. This is the real thing - straightforward Thai food served direct from pan to table. <br />
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My pad thai, a Thai standard, arrives bearing noodles, egg, crumbled peanuts and a dash of seafood. I add a sprinkle of chilli flakes from a jar in the middle of the table.<br />
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The effect is gratifyingly spicy and the meal is delicious - and all for a mere 30 baht (S$1.25). As I sit and eat, ferry boats loaded with tourists periodically zoom past, but I’m not in their world right now; I’m taking it slowly.<br />
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Finally, I step onto the footbridge that will take me across the Saem Saeb canal to Baan Krua, the district where Thompson’s weavers lived. From this vantage point, the jumble of shops and homes that make up the district are appealingly human-scale.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_rPgs-aK5GE7TU4LiLZFwV0npyNIpyovq3LZEQBxsG1qbR3r1K0EGn8o9cylxD4EUxQZenXqrgfVopET2DI4vIqlhga50zLvc0qy8aI6ZTzsfUq03dfmBI6skXcTTBBKHUNPu1pp-N3N/s1600/P8210056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_rPgs-aK5GE7TU4LiLZFwV0npyNIpyovq3LZEQBxsG1qbR3r1K0EGn8o9cylxD4EUxQZenXqrgfVopET2DI4vIqlhga50zLvc0qy8aI6ZTzsfUq03dfmBI6skXcTTBBKHUNPu1pp-N3N/s400/P8210056.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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It’s peaceful and cool walking along its narrow but neatly-maintained pedestrian laneways, and it’s fascinating to encounter the small shops embedded in the buildings, serving residents’ diverse shopping needs.<br />
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I score a smile or two from the shopkeepers, and somewhere unseen I can hear children chatting and laughing.<br />
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Suddenly, walking east, I pop out of the perimeter of Baan Krua, back into the busy larger world of Bangkok.<br />
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I can feel my energy levels rising by the second, and I’m keen to enjoy all this bustling city has to offer; but I linger for a moment, wanting to hang on a little longer to the relaxed vibe of its back streets.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-73316818842524979042019-01-11T06:00:00.000+11:002019-01-11T06:00:08.379+11:00Vancouver by Neon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHnQ3FIYi05izsRDATMD4n0dez2kqAKZ8xPh6WkbX46vffr8Ic_O0Jou9kiRxqTqx3FPH1joPIqo4V_xzAUOH_Qfmfa2r2UjoHtij-tryVKpyt6Tm50_p66-nqjkQN9CIoYUtDZ8AHnUeC/s1600/P7201035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHnQ3FIYi05izsRDATMD4n0dez2kqAKZ8xPh6WkbX46vffr8Ic_O0Jou9kiRxqTqx3FPH1joPIqo4V_xzAUOH_Qfmfa2r2UjoHtij-tryVKpyt6Tm50_p66-nqjkQN9CIoYUtDZ8AHnUeC/s320/P7201035.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
It’s no secret that I love a bit of neon. There’s something magical about this type of signage that’s mostly now vanished from the world’s streets, even though it was the epitome of post-WWII commercial razzmatazz.<br />
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I’ve written about a <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/the-beautiful-bright-neon-lights-of-warsaw-gi4vxj" target="_blank">neon museum in Warsaw, Poland</a>, and <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/illuminating-signs-of-the-times-2qpak" target="_blank">another in Las Vegas, USA</a>. And in 2017 I visited an exhibition of neon at the Museum of Vancouver in Canada.<br />
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Vancouver is quite genteel nowadays, but back in the 1950s it had tens of thousands of neon signs clustered through the city centre, advertising every type of business.<br />
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Some people thought this was impressive, many thought it tawdry. By the 1970s the city council was severely limiting public neon signage and it started to go the way of the dodo.<br />
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In recent years nostalgia for neon has surged, which led to the Museum of Vancouver retrieving and restoring a number of signs, and showing them within a dedicated exhibition called Neon Vancouver.<br />
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It’s great, and I walked through it when I visited in 2017. Here are some of the highlights:<br />
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<span class="rangySelectionBoundary" id="selectionBoundary_1546842244658_06109366942258476" style="display: none; line-height: 0;"></span><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7i1Haoy8hon2evYl3Amu1tJkgfEOjxh-7tRRuKuB-4-O79CHgMWqQeNtBW3fVX7YzJMf2HY4dkFR-eeLbXznVrOfziQekBZH1czjRLuvXBfRvdC6iBL9ghgRNw-t_lJFpRWTcoqnAl2Z/" /></center>
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<br /><img alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fYe2tnoItwk/XDLzgNVHMYI/AAAAAAAEzjU/tSXr4bZDaDkaM9U6GIpUHlbGtcm3iDXjQCHMYCw/%255BUNSET%255D" /> </center>
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<br /> <img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_XFKvRv3lJCBfJSxiAAB9-7qDR-mq_zM9Z5XMsuhPuZIA2hUXPsDPXLno2qEImKf1MEo-AS_PYkACcExyMWQvls53FcXtbX039SbTsiLpHjknMPufV8Xv60RQgDAS5U5SXWHDEW2Lfez/" /> </center>
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<br /> <img alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-byUUhLztFk0/XDLz2OaapWI/AAAAAAAEzjc/j2OGsG_O-HAuFFhOa1iCKSAnkM_TsQxkQCHMYCw/%255BUNSET%255D" /> </center>
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<br /> <img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7JYXEQr1M2vnT8IY439YlQh5l0BrLL_jGg5etkpYQkcl1doKmB32nzUCCgUnEM8q3HUUCyLlGk4_ZeNmJG5N0pjsBlyeLrI3oA3XZVje_8g47HOXE3My4IIH0h7i2iTXtYJ2VHX1h1wf/" /> </center>
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<br /> <img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4b20MZKUoV9_G2BTqMtbdqAE_xhxZyuQDKjq1uFFqs-r_GL1DrCAqK_pnJw47gLtZvQP__Ycp1fzDu0l8_vWH-59O0a7hZNKRe_ZD4M7AY79bJRch4bYGP-sZQaiHAtBcIys3jNnMbfi/" /></center>
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It’s a cool exhibition - when is neon ever not cool? - and I encourage you to see it next time you’re in Vancouver.<br />
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<i>Neon Vancouver is an exhibition within the Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver, Canada. See <a href="https://museumofvancouver.ca/" target="_blank">its website</a> for entry fee and opening hours.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-59767070630053725932019-01-04T14:01:00.000+11:002019-01-04T14:01:06.101+11:00Review: Escher X Nendo, Melbourne, Australia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>I was hosted to this exhibition by the National Gallery of Victoria.</i><br />
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The perspective-bending artwork of MC Escher is so well known, that the NGV had to find a fresh way of presenting the first major exhibition of his work in Australia.<br />
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The solution was a brilliant one - invite acclaimed Japanese design company Nendo to create a physical framework for the art, itself informed by Escher's themes.<br />
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The result is a series of intriguing rooms, each different in its physical aspect as it showcases an aspect of Escher's developing art.<br />
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It's fairly tame to start with. A room displays his early work, something I wasn't at all familiar with, including an intriguingly angular self-portrait:<br />
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Past this point, an exploration of Escher's fascination with reflections leads to a room where one side reflects the other - even the text on the wall is reversed.<br />
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And on each wall, light creates Nendo's chosen house motif by shining through panels with precisely cut-out lines (see image top right) to form shapes. Here's <a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a> modelling to show scale, and add some colour!<br />
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A set of stairs leads up to a mezzanine where we learn about Escher's increasing fascination with tessellations and their interlocking images. We're now striking some of his more well-known work:<br />
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The view from the mezzanine is brilliant. Suddenly the exhibition opens out into a large room with a series of black houses that progressively become white houses. Dotted nearby and within are more Escher pieces:<br />
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The next room features art held by metal struts. These form the house shape when seen at the right angle, and show off Escher's work featuring complex buildings:<br />
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One of the most striking spaces has a huge central piece composed of tiny suspended black and white houses; from the right angle one sees the image of an even larger house:<br />
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Near the end is a serpentine path which features Escher's last work, an intriguing print of intertwined snakes. It's fascinating to think how much effort went into a work like this, which nowadays could be created on a computer.<br />
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It seems a fitting tribute to a great artist that this piece is the culmination of an absorbing exhibition; ably heightened by Nendo's structures without being overwhelmed by them.<br />
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<i><b>Escher X Nendo</b> continues to 7 April 2019, at NGV International, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Australia. Tickets $28 for adults, $24.50 concession. <a href="https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/escher-x-nendo-between-two-worlds/" target="_blank">Make bookings here.</a></i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-73070516835224549142018-12-13T08:59:00.000+11:002018-12-13T08:59:23.731+11:00Out of Tokyo via Tobu Railway<i>For my visit to the Nikko region I was hosted by Tobu Railway.</i><br />
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I arrived in Tokyo in September by shinkansen train from Fukuoka. Then, two days later, I headed to Nikko.<br />
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The Nikko region, two hours north of the Japanese capital, is a pleasant green region known for its thermal baths. In the town of Kinugawa Onsen, where I was staying, most hotels have their own hot baths to soak in (though you can have problems getting in if you have a tattoo - more about this later).<br />
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I reached it via Tobu Railway, a private rail company which operates from Asakusa Station in Tokyo. The company runs both trains and key attractions in the region, and offers the useful <a href="http://www.tobu.co.jp/foreign/en/pass/all.html" target="_blank">Nikko Pass</a> which combines unlimited travel with discounted admission to the local sights.<br />
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Starting at Asakusa, I boarded Tobu's ultra-modern Revaty train for the northward ride...<br />
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... and alighted at Tobu World Square Station. This is adjacent to the theme park of the same name, full of impressively detailed models of buildings from around the world. It's a lot of fun wandering around and playing the "I've been there" game:<br />
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Not far away, linked by shuttle bus, is Edo Wonderland. This is a theme park of a different stripe - a meticulous historical recreation of the Edo period of the 17th to 19th centuries, a golden age of culture for Tokyo and the surrounding region.<br />
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It's basically a living village, with working shops and cafes, and regular historical shows and processions:<br />
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On the following day I experienced another Tobu train, this one on the opposite end of the modernity spectrum: the <i>SL Taiju</i> steam train which first ran on the island of Hokkaido in 1941. Now it's a tourist train offering half-hour jaunts through the Nikko area:<br />
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After the train ride I visited Nikko's World Heritage area, with several historic attractions. The key sight here is the Toshogu Shrine, a beautiful Shinto shrine set within a forest:<br />
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At the end of the day I ended up at Kagoiwa Onsen, one of the few thermal baths in the region that are happy to admit people with tattoos (spoiler: I have a small tattoo of the Eye of Horus on my upper right arm).<br />
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So I sat in the hot water, and relaxed. Tomorrow it was back to the fast pace and bright lights of Tokyo. But for now, I soaked.<br />
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<i>For more information about Tobu's passes and sightseeing in the Nikko region, visit its <a href="http://www.tobu.co.jp/foreign/en/sightseeing/nikko_kinugawa/" target="_blank">tourism website</a>.</i><br />
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<i><b>Aerohaveno</b></i> will be taking a break over the holiday season, and will be back with you in early January. Have a great New Year!<i> </i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-84463343447924655742018-12-07T06:00:00.000+11:002018-12-07T11:51:50.678+11:00Potato, Anyone? Visiting Thuringian Dumpling World, Germany<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="de"><span class="">Sie möchten einen Thüringer Kloß, ja?</span></span>"</td></tr>
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<i>On this trip I was hosted by the German National Tourist Board.</i><br />
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I've long regretted not writing about my 2015 visit to Thuringian Dumpling World.<br />
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It seems unfair not to let the world know about this institution which pays tribute to the potato products of Thuringia, a state right in the centre of Germany.<br />
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The museum is located near Weimar, in the small town of Heichelheim.<br />
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It tells the story of the potato in Germany, with special mention of King Frederick the Great's 18th century promotion of its farming by the peasantry.<br />
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His enthusiasm for the new crop obviously succeeded, as anyone who's ever eaten a meal in Germany will have noticed.<br />
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Apparently, grateful Germans still place potatoes on the grave of the Prussian king at his grave in Potsdam. It's nice to be remembered for something that's given such pleasure, I guess. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And Frederick the Great said, "Let there be dumplings,"<br />
and there was a dumpling. A big one.</td></tr>
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Thuringian dumplings are a big deal locally, and the museum explains how the local potato crop has been processed historically, via exhibitions of potato gathering machines, shredders and dumpling presses.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfWUl_HsCV3rS1BvB_WjUA9-Sr4Htf_JkWzevPw28vTnuz60L1chiXkINquFYM4Km1ns3UVKz8tB0VaJF-uZSOBTvxV87xPITmUVue9_ynYDElg0deYGDAJmbsTSm7rLKZ26WYdocL_KQ/s1600/IMG_7642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfWUl_HsCV3rS1BvB_WjUA9-Sr4Htf_JkWzevPw28vTnuz60L1chiXkINquFYM4Km1ns3UVKz8tB0VaJF-uZSOBTvxV87xPITmUVue9_ynYDElg0deYGDAJmbsTSm7rLKZ26WYdocL_KQ/s400/IMG_7642.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preparing for a meeting of the<br />
Heichelheim Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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More excitingly, visitors can take part in cooking classes, learning to make the perfect Thuringian dumpling.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5b9dq9LljJoX9umoHo2PB8Q8ILoqfLLG_EDS2SeJucHivoL0UyslNkuKe_EkkeSotRaiXbKy7yY5yoy_1WwyVr5WeZGiUrYe-lzM7sDukvi8eRrZ8zxeXreiTsRKIqUO3Ah5Z8PO48c4/s1600/IMG_7609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5b9dq9LljJoX9umoHo2PB8Q8ILoqfLLG_EDS2SeJucHivoL0UyslNkuKe_EkkeSotRaiXbKy7yY5yoy_1WwyVr5WeZGiUrYe-lzM7sDukvi8eRrZ8zxeXreiTsRKIqUO3Ah5Z8PO48c4/s400/IMG_7609.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thuringian dumplings, meet pot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Even more excitingly, once boiled you get to eat them (that part was really good).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLYe-7MIoAq5hpg555-Q6qbvEtEPIYmwJlgss3oXYjkT8xnLr5DeQJ7irK8oa4mvxVVegjopvPpjvxelQ_vFuQXqh29HpR_u2s8IIQpCrqLWd49a5okkgOb-CgRgQCYAbsd0dwCfEOJAIu/s1600/IMG_7612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLYe-7MIoAq5hpg555-Q6qbvEtEPIYmwJlgss3oXYjkT8xnLr5DeQJ7irK8oa4mvxVVegjopvPpjvxelQ_vFuQXqh29HpR_u2s8IIQpCrqLWd49a5okkgOb-CgRgQCYAbsd0dwCfEOJAIu/s400/IMG_7612.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elke was annoyed that people criticised<br />
her performance as wooden.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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So now the secret is out - next time you're in Germany, potato lover, you know where to go. Maybe also make some time for the <a href="https://museen-schrobenhausen.byseum.de/de/spargelmuseum" target="_blank">European Asparagus Museum</a> in Schrobenhausen, Bavaria.<br />
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[And here's a past post about a <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2009/05/edible-institution.html">pasta museum in Italy</a>, and a <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2012/07/meaty-salami-museum-of-szeged-hungary.html">salami museum in Hungary</a>. Guten Appetit!] <br />
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<i>The Thuringian Dumpling Museum is located at <span itemprop="streetAddress">Hauptstrasse 3, </span></i><span itemprop="addressLocality"><i>Heichelheim, Germany. Find more information at <a href="https://www.thueringer-kloss-welt.de/" target="_blank">its website</a> (in German).</i></span>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-12853239041767588382018-11-30T06:00:00.000+11:002018-11-30T06:00:06.807+11:00Review: Adina Sydney Central<i>For this stay I was hosted by TFE Hotels.</i> <br />
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For some reason, my go-to locality when staying in Sydney is Railway Square.<br />
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This slightly messy plaza to the west of Central Station is linked to the suburban rail platforms by a seemingly interminable pedestrian tunnel, with a scattering of fast food joints and hotels around its adjacent bus station.<br />
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Though it's busy in terms of both vehicles and foot traffic, it's very handy when I'm travelling as it's a short hop on the train line from the airport.<br />
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As it's Central Station, of course, it's on the train line (and two tram lines) to everywhere. In addition to suburban trains, I've caught the sleeper train to Melbourne from there twice, and the mighty Indian Pacific train to Perth three times.<br />
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I flit between two sets of accommodation at Railway Square: either the YHA Railway Square hostel, or the Adina Sydney Central. On my way to Seoul on my recent South Korea visit, I stayed overnight at the latter.<br />
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The Adina, an apartment hotel, sits within the magnificent Parcel Post Office which was constructed in 1912 to serve the railway station. It's a lovely building, with a sandstone and brick facade that appears both functional and attractive:<br />
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My room had a simple modern, uncluttered look. I liked the natural light allowed by the big old-fashioned windows, though sadly they didn't open to let in fresh air.<br />
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There was a touch of colour and comfort in my room, but mostly it was practical and businesslike, with the sort of big functional desk I really appreciate.<br />
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Downstairs there was a pleasant lobby, and out the back a decent-sized swimming pool with a view of the station's fine clock tower.<br />
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Off Henry Deane Plaza in the square there's a small supermarket for DIY catering, and a number of informal eateries including a good cafe, Coffee Trails, and an outlet of my favourite Sydney chain, the German bakery Luneburger.<br />
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If you're looking for a no-fuss, conveniently-located place to stay in Sydney, the Adina Sydney Central is an excellent choice.<br />
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<b>Just the Facts:</b><br />Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney Central<br />
2 Lee St, Sydney, Australia<br />
Phone: +61 2 9356 5062<br />
Web: <a href="https://www.adinahotels.com/en/apartments/sydney-central/" target="_blank">www.adinahotels.com</a><br />
Rates: Rooms from A$150 per night.
Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-81298553132384268772018-11-23T06:00:00.000+11:002018-11-23T06:00:04.311+11:00Time & Time Again: Doctor Who’s Cultural Connections<i>As today is <b>Doctor Who Day</b> (this year marking the 55th anniversary of the BBC TV show's first screening on 23 November 1963), I hope you'll indulge a departure from travel to revisit the article I wrote for the program's 50th anniversary. It originally appeared on the <a href="https://www.issimomag.com/" target="_blank">Issimo Magazine</a> site, but as that version is no longer online I'd like to share it with you here...</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>River Song, Rory, the Doctor and Amy in the American west.<br />Photo courtesy of the ABC. </i></td></tr>
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One of my earliest memories of <i>Doctor Who</i> is the five-part story <i>The Mind Robber</i>, which screened in 1968. After a fascinating 25 minutes trapped in a pure white void (a cheap-to-make episode created at the last moment due to scheduling issues), the Doctor and his companions Jamie and Zoe arrived in the Land of Fiction.<br />
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For a television series that had become famous for encounters with scary rubber-suit monsters in a nominally science fiction setting, this was a surprising change of tack. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hwTT3yXlB7Yvmf0WDPETEYRrazKVWsf_63Uhc1W-xxNfCNerNMh3DUpbyGnvYiwgoEQCNW-oqFWi0YZaQzn25vWmGHfiDZU9dL4FohM1cCSTWbPQ-2hCxZDFQtEHwNOwWj787R7evfR5/s1600/DW_MindRobber.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="767" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hwTT3yXlB7Yvmf0WDPETEYRrazKVWsf_63Uhc1W-xxNfCNerNMh3DUpbyGnvYiwgoEQCNW-oqFWi0YZaQzn25vWmGHfiDZU9dL4FohM1cCSTWbPQ-2hCxZDFQtEHwNOwWj787R7evfR5/s400/DW_MindRobber.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Jamie and Zoe among the White Robots in <b>The Mind Robber</b>.<br />Photo courtesy of the BBC. </i></td></tr>
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Challenged first by Gulliver, who could only speak the lines Jonathan Swift gave him and was therefore somewhat cryptic, the time travellers met numerous mythical and fictional beings – a unicorn, the Minotaur, Medusa, Rapunzel, D’Artagnan and Lancelot among them – before defeating the master of the land.<br />
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It was a lively foray into the realms of myth and literature, but not the first or last such excursion. Though commonly dismissed in those days as a children’s show of no substance, <i>Doctor Who</i> has often borrowed from literature and other cultural forms.<br />
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The basic conceit of the show – a ship’s crew travelling to distant lands full of strange and wonderful creatures – is an age-old concept, employed by Homer in <i>The Odyssey</i>. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Doctor <i>meets legends of Greek myth in <b><br />The Myth Makers</b>. Photo courtesy of the BBC. </i></td></tr>
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This resemblance was particularly apt during the tenure of the First Doctor, played by William Hartnell, who kidnapped his first travelling companions and had no control over where the his space-time vessel, the TARDIS, would take them. <br />
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Like Odysseus, the Doctor and his companions were cursed to wander to far lands, encountering villains and monsters on the way.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrdi1l5Lx35pmvvtpYsdy4x5G2pAnTeIsXuiBxycgcuaOmC0RKh5MPYpch2k-Uuvbo86KKjUHhOo_lxd3g0Gs1wQ0yEm6PJh-JWYwXYWg7IgQhZ7xgFNEub_9HoM-xEkBSfOqWkaE4VjWi/s1600/DW_MythMakers.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>The two sagas intertwined in 1965 in the story <i>The Myth Makers</i>, in which the TARDIS crew met the great figures of Greek myth; in fact the time machine’s sudden materialisation was a crucial distraction which allowed Achilles to slay Hector. <br />
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After encounters with Agamemnon, Cyclops and Odysseus, it was – somewhat inevitably – the Doctor himself who suggested the use of a wooden horse to defeat the Trojans.<br />
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Literary retellings or appropriations continued over the years, no doubt one of the factors in <i>Doctor Who</i>’s remarkable adaptability to changing times; a mutability no other TV series could match.<br />
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In the 1967 tale <i>The Evil of the Daleks</i>, the series crossed science fiction with a Victorian setting in a foreshadowing of steampunk. <br />
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Three years later, its “bases under siege from assorted monsters” formula having grown tired, Doctor Who completely reinvented itself along the lines of the then popular “spy-fi” genre, with a new Doctor, Jon Pertwee, fighting villainous Earth-bound masterminds and invasions along the lines of James Bond or <i>The Avengers</i>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Docttor and Sarah Jane Smith in <b>The Pyramids of Mars</b>.<br />Photo courtesy of the BBC. </i></td></tr>
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The best, however, was yet to come. With the arrival of Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor in 1974, the program embarked upon an enormously popular series of stories explicitly borrowing from Gothic horror. <br />
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In this bracket of classics were adventures drawing on <i>The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde</i>, <i>Frankenstein</i> and <i>The Phantom of the Opera</i>, along with aspects of the Sherlock Holmes canon and cinematic mainstays such as malevolent Egyptian mummies.<br />
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<i>Doctor Who</i> also adapted the detective/murder mystery concept more than once in such stories as 1977’s Asimov-style <i>The Robots of Death</i> and 1982’s Christie-esque <i>Black Orchid</i>. Later in the 1980s Sylvester McCoy’s Doctor would get to hob-nob with the Arthurian legend’s Mordred and Morgaine, being intriguingly identified by them as Merlin.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7o2lceEljvLN_u5OYQn3_DLADTjReoAncMChiMv-xc9POSWJvg5i2TXNj45pDzoGq3Ijw4Wt9SlbxQMlUzb2C_4ekaNUrrJtoAGY_vnsXtqTE9Yrp_Zb6YsF-gtJaVD-MmqWV2DTB3OMJ/s1600/DW_CurseoftheBlackSpot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="768" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7o2lceEljvLN_u5OYQn3_DLADTjReoAncMChiMv-xc9POSWJvg5i2TXNj45pDzoGq3Ijw4Wt9SlbxQMlUzb2C_4ekaNUrrJtoAGY_vnsXtqTE9Yrp_Zb6YsF-gtJaVD-MmqWV2DTB3OMJ/s400/DW_CurseoftheBlackSpot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Doctor and shipmate in <i><b>The</b></i><i><b><i> Curse of the Black Spot</i></b>.<br />Photo courtesy of the BBC. </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The revived <i>Doctor Who</i>, launched to instant success in 2005, has borrowed cultural templates less overtly; though it couldn’t resist a walk-the-plank pirate yarn in 2011’s <i>The Curse of the Black Spot</i>, nor a full-blown Western in <i>A Town Called Mercy</i> in 2012. Christmas specials have also drawn on the work of Charles Dickens and CS Lewis.<br />
<br />
In the new version of the show the Doctor is much more likely to meet the great writers and artists of the past, than emulate their work. In recent years the Doctor has bumped into the likes of Dickens, William Shakespeare, Agatha Christie, and Vincent van Gogh, not to mention those two influential authors Winston Churchill and Adolf Hitler.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOuO3dYZWGITyQwY57ZFCLTvuQW4V7o7tMCd9mz1TFKaP947jD1CYQNgHIqj0sVEcUu-xb3P-sA5rg6lWBynA8G0f3edrQr9n6bz7KfMRcfFYK0G_7fvvEz8vobQNgO_OtjYAarA3XYs_K/s1600/DW_UnicornandtheWasp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="768" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOuO3dYZWGITyQwY57ZFCLTvuQW4V7o7tMCd9mz1TFKaP947jD1CYQNgHIqj0sVEcUu-xb3P-sA5rg6lWBynA8G0f3edrQr9n6bz7KfMRcfFYK0G_7fvvEz8vobQNgO_OtjYAarA3XYs_K/s400/DW_UnicornandtheWasp.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Doctor and Donna meet Agatha Christie in <b>The Unicorn and the Wasp</b>.<br />Photo courtesy of the BBC. </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It’s been pointed out that <i>Doctor Who</i> is basically an anthology series linked by continuing characters; and even they change regularly, including the Doctor as he regenerates into new bodies with subtly different psychologies.<br />
<br />
This flexibility may form part of its remarkable durability. A humble teatime TV program launched in 1963 when such things were seen as utterly disposable, has certainly managed to fashion itself into an ongoing saga of heroic proportions.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN3t4TV8aLxrjnbdKJfSiq-nk09YQQ6JorbkHV6RBvq52S7U0ew57tgEcMBSGYG-aPvi8ePYJkku02-yS2R26NPQ4ga4eiH-2EtCjtTjP8qsf9mBzwwSqbkTsbxVI2wlB6C7TsJ1cYzhUL/s1600/DW_UnquietDead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="768" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN3t4TV8aLxrjnbdKJfSiq-nk09YQQ6JorbkHV6RBvq52S7U0ew57tgEcMBSGYG-aPvi8ePYJkku02-yS2R26NPQ4ga4eiH-2EtCjtTjP8qsf9mBzwwSqbkTsbxVI2wlB6C7TsJ1cYzhUL/s400/DW_UnquietDead.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Doctor broods in the TARDIS. Photo courtesy of the BBC. </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
As Philip Sandifer has pointed out in his <i>TARDIS Eruditorum</i> series of critical essays on the program, there is literally no story which cannot be told within <i>Doctor Who</i>, given its remit is the entirety of space and time.<br />
<br />
Sandifer posits a fascinating theory in the volume in which he discusses the Second Doctor, as played by Patrick Troughton. In referencing <i>The Mind Robber</i>, Sandifer cheekily suggests this story may supply the true origin of The Doctor, above and beyond his identity as a Time Lord. <br />
<br />
What, asks the author, if the Doctor is actually an escapee from the Land of Fiction, a story writer gone rogue? From this angle, the Doctor has slipped his bounds to gallivant through space and time as a literary catalyst, creating new stories wherever he goes.<br />
<br />
I have to say, I like that explanation. Happy birthday, Doctor.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-83577231692702425512018-11-16T06:00:00.000+11:002018-11-16T06:00:04.278+11:00Profound Devotion: The Festival of Thaipusam in Malaysia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbN0lWgrc9XHIqng0vr0TiRWybLkyYQpwhiMfdw-a_yUs0LjuWS5sYqIIEO25G2U35lruody3s1hw56fAQSQ0WVwRIbfaR7ksT6TFdW9fwtx-mUrPPC6sDLmdz1XqtePnfoLNiePIvr25/s1600/P2080408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbN0lWgrc9XHIqng0vr0TiRWybLkyYQpwhiMfdw-a_yUs0LjuWS5sYqIIEO25G2U35lruody3s1hw56fAQSQ0WVwRIbfaR7ksT6TFdW9fwtx-mUrPPC6sDLmdz1XqtePnfoLNiePIvr25/s320/P2080408.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<i>This article from my first visit to Malaysia appeared in </i>The West Australian<i>
newspaper in 2009, but never went online: so here it is. I was hosted
on that trip by Tourism Malaysia.</i> <br />
<br />
The sensual immersion is incredible.<br />
<br />
<i>Sight:</i> thousands of devotees walking in procession toward the Batu Caves north of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.<br />
<br />
<i>Sound:</i> Insistent drumming, mixed with amplified Tamil-language music.<br />
<br />
<i>Smell:</i> Smoke from incense and tobacco drifting through the air.<br />
<br />
The Batu Caves sit within a rocky outcrop that rises dramatically from the flat land surrounding it. It’s an impressive craggy mass, but more impressive yet is the crowd heading toward it to commemorate the annual Hindu festival of Thaipusam.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxcYfb_TO1Z2fwxmmOw7AbVqegop3wEAmGzQzivaGeyuN353Et_umrFfE1daVI_g6wZGb_mUYuH5Hb2bpGMWVc0hyphenhyphen0eGNTVNELlfdZXg2xQn6oAVn0h758JDkA560bqG0yKAOPwPGcp7OJ/s1600/P2080415.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxcYfb_TO1Z2fwxmmOw7AbVqegop3wEAmGzQzivaGeyuN353Et_umrFfE1daVI_g6wZGb_mUYuH5Hb2bpGMWVc0hyphenhyphen0eGNTVNELlfdZXg2xQn6oAVn0h758JDkA560bqG0yKAOPwPGcp7OJ/s320/P2080415.JPG" width="240" /></a>I’ve arrived here before dawn to avoid the heavy traffic that will envelop the site once the sun rises; but even at 6am the road that leads to the caves is thronging with people. <br />
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Weaving my way slowly through the crowd, I find myself on the path of the pilgrims walking to the shrine located high up within the caves. Past me trickle lines of men and women in orange robes, carrying pots of milk on their heads. <br />
<br />
Then men appear bearing huge decorated frames resting on their shoulders - colourful canopies decked out with feathers, tassels and statues of the Hindu god Murugan.<br />
<br />
These kavadi are extraordinarily elaborate; one even has a mobile generator connected to lights upon its exterior, being pushed along by a friend of the devotee beneath it.<br />
<br />
And Murugan is the focus of this spiritual event, a god particularly revered by Malaysia’s Tamil community. Every year during Thaipusam, they carry milk to his shrine, or bear a decorated kavadi as a greater offering. Some devotees are thanking the god for a past prayer that has been answered; others are hoping for help in the year ahead.<br />
<br />
Although Thaipusam originated in India and is still celebrated there, the Batu Caves celebration is one of the most spectacular, with up to a million devotees making the journey up the stairs set into the spectacular mountain that houses the deity’s shrine. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TIKeleSFDXTfKYmMHfkrNE5iDLvYV9EIVm7XAIJ0ecwUUd0kO0PLl7gfJsagid9GEKR8OTxIrtqn9PpnKyRTjwNXGUM6J2ryqZfiqCJjiyy5D__A29R3bZFfG7NdlYR5UhuWqXLVarbM/s1600/P2080377.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TIKeleSFDXTfKYmMHfkrNE5iDLvYV9EIVm7XAIJ0ecwUUd0kO0PLl7gfJsagid9GEKR8OTxIrtqn9PpnKyRTjwNXGUM6J2ryqZfiqCJjiyy5D__A29R3bZFfG7NdlYR5UhuWqXLVarbM/s320/P2080377.JPG" width="240" /></a>The devotees are watched by tens of thousands of spectators, and there’s a carnival atmosphere among the diverse stalls and tents lining the route, selling everything from spiritual memorabilia to mobile phone plans.<br />
<br />
The generosity of the day is also called upon by charities, including a mobile blood donation centre among the stalls.<br />
<br />
The most striking act of devotion is the piercing of the skin by skewers, inserted through the tongue or cheeks. Some even have hooks inserted through the skin on their backs, held taut by supporters walking behind them.<br />
<br />
The degree of pain represents the worshipper’s devotion to the god, though those with spikes through their flesh are often coaxed into a trance state which lessens the impact of the pain. <br />
<br />
It’s intriguing to watch the faces of those in a trance - one man with hooks in his back is rolling his eyes and tongue dreamily as a holy man speaks to him, walking backwards ahead of the devotee. For someone from a completely different cultural background, immersed within the crowd, the sight is overwhelming and fascinating at the same time.<br />
<br />
As I’m moving along with the masses, following the generator-lit kavadi and taking photos, I pause next to a group of young men who are dancing to the incessant beat of the music which accompanies the procession. One of them peels away to shake my hand and ask me where I’m from.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNtfsTOPScjLzmo0nLfNBeLc6qx7cWcTMyjl3RJcw7TM8pGBBfYAzYCXQ9F7yjWxJLLe0jJCcPS1Y9OlYJR1GosIW7YFDcoG_SsvWFEADmSiV2NY0f5H_aHnoU41nz_tqPXPCipQ6BY7ct/s1600/P2080361.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNtfsTOPScjLzmo0nLfNBeLc6qx7cWcTMyjl3RJcw7TM8pGBBfYAzYCXQ9F7yjWxJLLe0jJCcPS1Y9OlYJR1GosIW7YFDcoG_SsvWFEADmSiV2NY0f5H_aHnoU41nz_tqPXPCipQ6BY7ct/s320/P2080361.JPG" width="240" /></a>“What do you think of all this?” he asks, eyes sparkling, as he bounces on the ground with enthusiasm.<br />
<br />
“It’s amazing!” I reply, quite truthfully - I’m feeling unexpectedly awed by the sensory overload. Satisfied, he shakes my hand again and rejoins his friends.<br />
<br />
The loud music keeps playing, and as I wait to reinsert myself within the procession, my left foot starts tapping out an involuntary little dance.<br />
<br />
My new acquaintance notices this and points it out to a friend, and they both laugh. It’s a good-natured chuckle, in keeping with the joyous mood of the occasion.<br />
<br />
Along the way I chat with several more onlookers, and supporters of the devotees. The supporters accompany their friends and family members, and ensure their safety if they should be overcome by their burdens on their way to the shrine.<br />
<br />
It’s an inclusive, energetic event, completely lacking the solemnity I associate with Western religions, and people are enthused by the all-encompassing sounds, sights and crowds. There’s something intensely stimulating about the controlled chaos of the procession, a ritualised abandonment of daily routines and inhibitions.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg06C_t5v2btx-rXnV_UkZ0HAmzidIQ7S1tj2b4DdjGgKqZMeojnt2NfF4rASE_eJKBz7igqik3-gxh3_pE7Unh0LQFQl8yESJCcFc0q9FK8MduGvBmjIOCz_75ZLdWdno-6bgZo355CO2L/s1600/P2080419.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg06C_t5v2btx-rXnV_UkZ0HAmzidIQ7S1tj2b4DdjGgKqZMeojnt2NfF4rASE_eJKBz7igqik3-gxh3_pE7Unh0LQFQl8yESJCcFc0q9FK8MduGvBmjIOCz_75ZLdWdno-6bgZo355CO2L/s320/P2080419.JPG" width="240" /></a>By the time we reach the foot of the 272 steps which lead up to the shrine, dawn is breaking. I peel off, walking past a vast mound of coconuts to find a seat at a refreshment stall.<br />
<br />
Sitting with an iced tea, I watch the growing stream of pilgrims move onward and upwards, past the enormous statue of Murugan that towers alongside the steps.<br />
<br />
Music is playing loudly, smoke is billowing from a nearby shrine, and a flock of birds is flying across the sky above the crowd.<br />
<br />
It’s an invigorating atmosphere: a potent blend of aroma, sound, colour, motion and human vibrancy that reaches deeper than the rational mind, intensely moving in both its passion and the good humour of the crowds which have come to share in it.<br />
<i><br />Thaipusam takes place upon the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (January or February each year). Thaipusam will provisionally fall on 21 January in 2019.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-729990188908464762018-11-09T06:00:00.000+11:002018-11-09T06:00:07.158+11:00Užupis: The Improbable Republic Within Lithuania<i><i>This article from my 2008 visit to Lithuania appeared in Sydney's</i> </i>Sunday Telegraph<i><i>
newspaper, but is no longer online: so here it is, lightly revised for your enjoyment. </i>Užupis forever!</i><br />
<br />
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<i> </i>
<br />
<i>A dog has the right to be a dog.</i><br />
<br />
I’m standing on a quiet side street in Vilnius, Lithuania, looking at this point on a 41-point document displayed on a large mirrored sign. Other unlikely sentences assert that “Everyone has the right to make mistakes”, “Everyone has the right to be idle”, and “Everyone has the right to die, but this is not an obligation.” <br />
<br />
It’s an unconventional list; but nothing is conventional in the district of Užupis. The document is the self-proclaimed constitution of this bohemian enclave, whose resident artists declared independence from Lithuania in 1997. <br />
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The prequel to this artistic revolt happened in the early 1990s, after Lithuania had achieved independence from the Soviet Union. A group of artists declared that the time for political statues was over - and commissioned a statue of musician Frank Zappa as a quirky symbol of freedom.<br />
<br />
The dynamic bust, bearing Zappa’s distinctive features and flowing long hair, still stands atop a pillar on the western side of Vilnius’ historic Old Town.<br />
<br />
Fresh from this triumph, it didn’t take the artistic community long to declare Užupis independent. But this isn’t a Russia versus Ukraine situation. The Republic has an honorary president, no standing armed forces, and a commitment only to art.<br />
<br />
When you learn that its national day is April 1st, you can see why the Lithuanian government casts an indulgently amused eye over Užupis, seeing its “independence” as a great tourist attraction.<br />
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Not far from the constitution wall is the Angel of Užupis, another impressive statue. It’s the most well-known symbol of Užupis, and it’s easy to see why. As I turn the corner and catch my first sight of the angel, I can’t help but smile. He’s perfect. <br />
<br />
Not too big, not too small, he stands on a column high above the pedestrians, emphasising his lofty detachment. Facing toward the downhill slope, trumpet raised high, hair swept back as if blown by the wind, the Angel seems to embody the pride of this reborn district, and is frankly inspiring.<br />
<br />
Stepping across the street, I enter Prie Angelo, a cafe facing the plaza. Its name and decor seem a tribute to the Angel - or, in fact, all angels. The pale, old-fashioned interior with its bare floorboards and deep-set windows is decorated with a variety of heavenly spirits in the shape of candleholders, vases, and busts poking straight out of the walls.<br />
<br />
As angels watch over me and sunlight softly illuminates the space, I struggle to believe Užupis was once a dangerous, dilapidated district of the USSR.<br />
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<br />
However, proof is at hand. Following small side streets off the plaza, occasionally ducking through arches into residential buildings’ courtyards, It becomes clear that Užupis is still a work in progress. Some of the courtyards are in a terrible state - crumbling stonework, rusted railings, rubbish strewn around. In another, I see an old car up on blocks, missing its tyres.<br />
<br />
Then I stick my head into the gallery of the Vilnius Potters’ Guild. I’m not sure it’s somewhere I should be - piles of newspaper-wrapped objects are being packed into boxes, and it looks like I’d be underfoot.<br />
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But a woman ushers me in, explaining that they’re preparing for a medieval fair, and encourages me to look at their work. The pieces I can view have a rustic simplicity, a smooth but organic look that’s very appealing.<br />
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I head uphill away from the Angel, into the heart of Užupis. It’s only when I reach the restaurant Tores, and step through to its backyard terrace, that I realise how high I’ve risen above the city. Lunch is a pizza and a stein of Švyturys, a pale golden beer which packs a fair punch.<br />
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Beneath the terrace, the hill drops away dramatically toward the river, and across the valley is a fine view of Vilnius’ Old Town: a beautiful collection of red-tiled roofs and baroque church spires. <br />
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Walking back down to the river, I spot yet another statue down an alley to my right. At least, I think it’s a statue. On closer inspection, it turns out to be a indeterminate shape on a pedestal, wrapped and taped within black plastic. Very arty.<br />
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Passing the object, I arrive at a gallery called the Užupis Art Incubator. It’s the essence of a bohemian artists’ community, housed in decaying riverside buildings covered in a jumble of colourful paintings of outlandish figures.<br />
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Beyond it is a fantasy land of painted trees and more open-air artwork. Overlooking the water are a young couple, funkily dressed and talking quietly - either discussing postmodern art trends, or slowly shaking off the effects of a late night.<br />
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Approaching the attractive small iron bridge that crosses the river, I find myself unable to finish my Užupis adventure just yet; I’ve become attached to its quirky charm.<br />
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So I seat myself at an outside bench at Užupio Kavine, a pub overlooking the shallow, swift-flowing water, and nurse another beer.<br />
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Within the stone retaining wall which forms the opposite riverbank, there’s a statue of a mermaid seated inside an alcove, gazing longingly across to Užupis. I meet her gaze, then glance up to the busy roadway in the “real world” beyond the artistic republic.<br />
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I have to go back there, but... not yet. As the green-and-white Užupis flag flutters gently from the pub’s wall, I sip my beer and smile at the light-hearted absurdity of the place.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-40634820087355481312018-11-02T06:00:00.000+11:002018-11-02T06:00:01.937+11:00Review: Ibis Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun, South Korea<i>On this trip I was hosted by the Korea Tourism Organisation and Accor Hotels.</i><br />
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It's no secret that I'm a fan of the Ibis brand of hotels. Pitched at a budget level, their rooms are generally compact but utterly familiar. They're simple and perfectly functional for someone on a business trip, as I usually am when I travel.<br />
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On my recent Seoul trip I checked into the Ibis at Dongdaemun. It's a neighbourhood peppered with tourist hotels, and would be fairly nondescript if not for the marvellous Dongdaemun Design Plaza at its heart:<br />
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This spectacular complex, centred on a silver spaceship-like building designed by Zaha Hadid, is a hub of the design arts. It contains everything from large-scale exhibitions to the work of individual local designers, and is a worthy flagship of Seoul's identity as a UNESCO City of Design.<br />
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The Ibis is a short walk from the DDP, and also close to an underground station of the very useful Seoul Metro.<br />
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As for the hotel itself, it was much what I expected. My room on the 20th storey had the familiar Ibis beds and desk...<br />
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... as well as a functional open-plan bathroom nook and a shower. I'm always happy when I don't have to deal with a shower that's slung over a bathtub with a clammy billowing shower curtain, so this set-up suited me fine.<br />
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Even better, the windows could be opened! Unopenable windows are one of my pet peeves at hotels. As the weather in Seoul was pleasant by night, I enjoyed being able to get some fresh air rather than having to sleep in dry air-conditioned chill. Decent view, too.<br />
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There was a simple bar on the ground floor which was unappealing, but downstairs below street level was a pleasant restaurant. The breakfast buffet was simpler than the average hotel - boiled eggs instead of scrambled, for example - though filling enough and attractively laid out:<br />
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An Ibis hotel usually has a entertainment area with a distinctive character that belies its chain identity. A <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-bed-report-9-ibis-london.html">London Ibis I stayed in</a> had a funky ground floor bar for example, while another <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-bed-report-9-ibis-london.html">Seoul Ibis</a> had a cool cafe.<br />
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Where was it here? On the roof. I took the lift up to the 21st floor with the draft beer which was my complimentary welcome drink, and found a relaxed space with tables, chairs... and a kitchen herb garden:<br />
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On my last night in Seoul, I sipped my beer and enjoyed the view.<br />
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<b>Just the Facts:</b><br />
Ibis Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun<br />
359 Dongho ro, Jung gu, Seoul, South Korea<br />
Phone: +82 2 2160 8888<br />
Web: <a href="http://www.ibis.com/">www.ibis.com</a><br />
Rates: Rooms from A$79 per night.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-3641147207798848132018-10-26T11:05:00.000+11:002018-10-26T11:05:16.940+11:00Smallest Room: The Toilet Museum of Delhi, India<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>This article from my visit to Delhi, India appeared in </i>The Sunday Age<i>
newspaper in 2012, but never went online: so here it is for your amusement. I was hosted
on that trip by </i><i>Thai Airways.</i><br />
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The suburbs of Delhi, India seem like a strange place to find the throne of King Louis XIII of France. Though it’s not a throne in the strict legal sense.<br />
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It’s actually a replica of a grand combination of chair and toilet, which the monarch had constructed for him in the 17th century. <br />
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Ever a busy man, the monarch used it to attend to his courtiers and, er, other royal business at the same time.<br />
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So I’ve learnt something new about the excesses of the French aristocracy today, and in an unlikely setting - the Sulabh International Museum of Toilets, located in a less salubrious sector of the Indian capital.<br />
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As my taxi driver Sharwan wove his taxi down ever more crowded roads, past increasingly more dilapidated dwellings, I started to wonder whether visiting this institution was such a good idea. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBkNUzPQgUAkTAr7GMm1_ZQ0eDqrIt3jCKkhJEXTBcdc2kWLKKe_6fQvJhpesSRax2hboj8k7_lQMom0pcV7V230Q4CR_ZVA4FkX9viFFgTXxAd-adKVoLTnb5J5IjmdH3L0cJ67pKNdY-/s1600/P2040122.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBkNUzPQgUAkTAr7GMm1_ZQ0eDqrIt3jCKkhJEXTBcdc2kWLKKe_6fQvJhpesSRax2hboj8k7_lQMom0pcV7V230Q4CR_ZVA4FkX9viFFgTXxAd-adKVoLTnb5J5IjmdH3L0cJ67pKNdY-/s320/P2040122.JPG" width="240" /></a>However, the Sulabh Museum turns out to be a refreshing pit stop between visits to the tombs and monuments of India’s capital.<br />
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Not only does it display an array of toilets from across the ages, it’s also a showcase for the Sulabh International Social Service Organisation’s worthy work providing low-cost, environmentally friendly latrines to communities across the subcontinent.<br />
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I’ve entered the Sulabh complex in the company of Sharwan, who had never heard of the museum before, and wants to check it out as well.<br />
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Inside the walls, we find a neatly maintained collection of low buildings around a central courtyard. To one side is the museum, with a sign bearing “Thoughts that matter”, including “Sanitation is our religion”.<br />
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A worthy notion, but is the museum interesting? Well, yes. Its contents are a mix of informative fact and colourful exhibits, including replicas of highly decorated historic ceramic loos from the houses of European gentry. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYYfiE09alTVniQLsRZmMMgsAF11yHKv37gfSV3xDp9b70cbukrPON8PqzI2ovUmuMQ-ELt3SiRpIJR-0kYNAzo_OVi_GOvTImW-DH3a2ajDESWLNOt7Iz5NAl61s0YxIWkQbkLOzwmUB/s1600/P2040125.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYYfiE09alTVniQLsRZmMMgsAF11yHKv37gfSV3xDp9b70cbukrPON8PqzI2ovUmuMQ-ELt3SiRpIJR-0kYNAzo_OVi_GOvTImW-DH3a2ajDESWLNOt7Iz5NAl61s0YxIWkQbkLOzwmUB/s320/P2040125.JPG" width="240" /></a>Among the collection, there’s a timeline of the great toilet developments of history, a model of a two-storey outhouse from the USA, a portable loo for noblemen’s hunting trips, a leather armchair convenience and a model of a Korean house in the shape of a toilet.<br />
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There’s also a complex Japanese model with a bank of control buttons controlling heating and other high-tech features. The organisation has even built an award-winning toilet complex at the Taj Mahal, I discover.<br />
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It’s all very amusing, even illuminating, but there’s a more serious side to the museum. Its curator, Bageshwar Jha, tells me that one of the Sulabh organisation’s founding aims was to free dalits - India’s “untouchable” caste - from their traditional latrine cleaning tasks.<br />
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Outside in the courtyard, there’s a statue of a dalit woman bearing a waste can upon her head. It’s near a series of demonstration models of the loos that Sulabh sells to villages, underlining its serious health and environmental work.<br />
<br />
T<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2bdAr5CdxTOlu98H1yyj-d_mzK5dxJ7qgWs-MbNXqWEaKG0sYOYllYT-MGJdlvY65o0DIXNwFU2TRMEk4v4Z9P1q-9NwnMPNXlDz9VN-QPjwmm6YIecDht1GmU36Owj3Xc_qeVatEHS7/s1600/P2040121.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2bdAr5CdxTOlu98H1yyj-d_mzK5dxJ7qgWs-MbNXqWEaKG0sYOYllYT-MGJdlvY65o0DIXNwFU2TRMEk4v4Z9P1q-9NwnMPNXlDz9VN-QPjwmm6YIecDht1GmU36Owj3Xc_qeVatEHS7/s320/P2040121.JPG" width="240" /></a>he non-profit organisation even makes a virtue of necessity, helping to operate its compound by using bio-gas and fertiliser harvested from its bank of public toilets along the main street.<br />
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It’s an intriguing institution, with an unconventional collection which has... shall we say... universal interest. But is its focus too indelicate for many tourists?<br />
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“A toilet museum is not everybody’s cup of tea,” admits Mr Jha, but then mentions visitors’ reliably amused reactions to Louis XIII’s special throne. “It provokes people’s laughter, and anything that makes you laugh is valuable.”<br />
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<i>The Sulabh International Museum of Toilets is located at Sulabh Bhawan, Mahavir Enclave, Palam Dabri Marg, New Delhi, India. Free entry, see <a href="http://www.sulabhtoiletmuseum.org/" target="_blank">its website</a> for opening hours and directions. </i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-34771916860544759582018-10-19T06:00:00.000+11:002018-10-19T06:00:00.136+11:00Red Relics: The Statues of Memento Park, Hungary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikv5eQ_k2cmGVCD9ufR_CEKjXTO836du4RaC9abo3d2trqIKPXUfwJz9wBcxkAbtfFacZob983LmtyzCY9W6dRYPjlgtOTNQZ8FR82GXQ00cgbiG4FUsPl2k1nNmv9_rF8ZcWQmjZRfcJ4/s1600/P5250849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikv5eQ_k2cmGVCD9ufR_CEKjXTO836du4RaC9abo3d2trqIKPXUfwJz9wBcxkAbtfFacZob983LmtyzCY9W6dRYPjlgtOTNQZ8FR82GXQ00cgbiG4FUsPl2k1nNmv9_rF8ZcWQmjZRfcJ4/s320/P5250849.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<i>This article from my second visit to Budapest appeared in </i>The Age<i>
newspaper in 2010, but is no longer online: so please enjoy</i><i>. There's nothing I like more than an artfully arranged set of communist-era relics.</i> <br />
<br />
Winston Churchill famously described the Soviet Union as a “riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma”. He might as well have said the same thing about its art. <br />
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At the height of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin’s rule in the 1930s, an attempt was made to tame the untameable. A new art movement, sanctioned by the state, would promote the goals of socialism.<br />
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The result was Socialist Realism, the genesis of a long line of dreary statues scattered across Europe and Asia, depicting sturdy grain-fed peasants and robust factory workers gesturing heroically toward the communist future.<br />
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Curiously, it’s simultaneously both a bland and intimidating style, as I see for myself first-hand at Memento Park on the outskirts of Budapest, the Hungarian capital.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMXboFuPmXhyphenhyphenz-MNIkV2yIHOtTyqTJFFdGrvgN-OJfZnVe0Zs4g5xxlU-5ir6V837z8pRnwA81zEQ1Z-kIo_I5IlxCHgx36UJhwwG92XrdLTPviJARxTDAHSMZL21-E3DIvuVI7HSPZaQF/s1600/P5250861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMXboFuPmXhyphenhyphenz-MNIkV2yIHOtTyqTJFFdGrvgN-OJfZnVe0Zs4g5xxlU-5ir6V837z8pRnwA81zEQ1Z-kIo_I5IlxCHgx36UJhwwG92XrdLTPviJARxTDAHSMZL21-E3DIvuVI7HSPZaQF/s400/P5250861.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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It’s a striking place, with high red brick walls bounding three large oval-shaped grounds, a central garden with a big red star picked out by red blooms, and an impressive collection of the massive Socialist Realist statues which once stood throughout Budapest.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0a5Xh6EECAQP_7hisNXxZ6hyaT3whhvDY-UupTN_pwPepR-Jm1darr1iyjXR4Zqb3R6sV5Lwp0960z7iYn3GXL5gGLwz59fVOaHw_3UAdiQEEKjzf2MHra4QHYrRdns83z4L8gS2TYtck/s1600/P5250845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0a5Xh6EECAQP_7hisNXxZ6hyaT3whhvDY-UupTN_pwPepR-Jm1darr1iyjXR4Zqb3R6sV5Lwp0960z7iYn3GXL5gGLwz59fVOaHw_3UAdiQEEKjzf2MHra4QHYrRdns83z4L8gS2TYtck/s320/P5250845.JPG" width="240" /></a>It suggests an immense parade ground into which a detachment of Red Guards might suddenly march, scattering the handful of dawdling onlookers on this wet spring day.<br />
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Stepping into the grounds, I at once encounter an immense statue of a Soviet soldier standing with chin tilted arrogantly, a rifle strapped across his greatcoat. His right arm is held high, grasping a staff from which a carved flag hangs. <br />
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My first impression is of the sheer brute force manifested in this intimidating figure. The second is of what a bad piece of art it is. The flag is particularly awful, a clumpy solid mass rather than the intended depiction of cloth ruffled by the wind.<br />
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This gem once decorated the 19th-century Austrian-built Citadella on a hill overlooking the Danube. In the company of other stone soldiers, he played support act to a giant female figure bearing a palm frond, representing liberty. The woman with the palm remains in place; her Soviet entourage does not.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Inc_iiNU71xDJRVINh3EsM2IdiHZksVzUnVOiO2Fuj4o6DupafcDoM8w0C_f7KxRbkXdzn1Z_-ytTbM8ggGiY7wsmN0t9Z8ZosyAXnahWyWKSGYTvpkCZczJsOAhYSXKOZy3j3hVr3gP/s1600/P5250858.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Inc_iiNU71xDJRVINh3EsM2IdiHZksVzUnVOiO2Fuj4o6DupafcDoM8w0C_f7KxRbkXdzn1Z_-ytTbM8ggGiY7wsmN0t9Z8ZosyAXnahWyWKSGYTvpkCZczJsOAhYSXKOZy3j3hVr3gP/s320/P5250858.JPG" width="240" /></a>Clearly this grim art style was in the service of ideology and oppression, seeking to overpower the individualism of the viewer.<br />
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However, as I walk around the grounds in the company of Orsolya Madary, the park’s enthusiastic communications manager who has a precise knowledge of each piece’s history, I begin to realise that the statues have an another, unexpected aspect.<br />
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In a nutshell, they’re funny. Though designed to inspire fear, they also inspire humour. In fact, with their absurdly oversized limbs, stiff expressions and ungainly depictions of movement, the figures are nothing less than a po-faced set of posers who are begging to have the piss taken out of them.<br />
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And it’s not only we inhabitants of the safe and comfortable present who see the joke. As we progress, Orsolya relates how Hungarians used to give the solemn statues unflattering nicknames. <br />
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Pointing at a clumpy composition of a worker with hands outstretched in front of a Soviet soldier with upraised arms, she says “That was known as The Fishermen. You see, one is gathering his nets while the other is describing the length of the one that got away.”<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTnRoy5HMb9sv5YSLoA1Ev9k2Ecpn1MM94ANAPRjvMmX_R78EzRqGeDZT89VFrDdDYIAiRBfN_mtp7MfpQZjLYwkeP-bghmkvooyYRhAjmdCr2oX86nkK6Eg4zBdJPL4W1RATwLqo01_R/s1600/P5250876.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTnRoy5HMb9sv5YSLoA1Ev9k2Ecpn1MM94ANAPRjvMmX_R78EzRqGeDZT89VFrDdDYIAiRBfN_mtp7MfpQZjLYwkeP-bghmkvooyYRhAjmdCr2oX86nkK6Eg4zBdJPL4W1RATwLqo01_R/s320/P5250876.JPG" width="240" /></a>Further on we meet The Basketballer, a chunky plasticine-like figure with one arm outstretched to the sky as if trying for a basket; and The Linesmen, two figures with small flags who could just about serve at an AFL fixture.<br />
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There are also the newly-nicknamed Mobile Phone Marketers, three abstract figures wearing ammunition belts, each with a hand raised to their right ears as if simultaneously saying: “I’m on a tram. A tram!”. <br />
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My favourite, however, is a vast muscular figure striding forth with an upraised hand trailing a long piece of cloth. He’s presumably bearing the banner of socialism toward the enemies of the state, but locals snidely referred to him as The Cloakroom Attendant, vigorously returning a scarf you’d just dropped.<br />
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Hungary’s communist regime was no laughing matter, obviously, but such everyday humour was a small, regular protest that stole puffs of wind from its sails and turned it into an object of quiet ridicule.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKTXtdWUt2ojGnLqca8A5RCL7cSjBVzEqbMqyVH62E8ObWCoyjxJYR5yJCSBz-g3WAsNqtZx573wKAHH-GGVV8K_TDcWnw_VNgu1R4_MCjPzkw3s9kmg5MXZfbQRQ40tFO3ZRJY1eOUxUH/s1600/P5250881.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKTXtdWUt2ojGnLqca8A5RCL7cSjBVzEqbMqyVH62E8ObWCoyjxJYR5yJCSBz-g3WAsNqtZx573wKAHH-GGVV8K_TDcWnw_VNgu1R4_MCjPzkw3s9kmg5MXZfbQRQ40tFO3ZRJY1eOUxUH/s320/P5250881.JPG" width="240" /></a>Back at the entrance, I browse the shop’s array of humorous communist-themed items that further take the mickey out of the totalitarian past.<br />
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Then, as I pocket my Best of Communism music CD and step past the rusting main gates toward the bus stop, I encounter the last exhibit - a mighty plinth bearing a gigantic pair of boots. No figure above, just boots.<br />
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It’s a replica of the remains of an eight metre high statue of Stalin which once stood above a grandstand in the centre of Budapest. When the revolt against communist rule broke out in October 1956, the citizens took to it with saws.<br />
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Only the boots remained, and they’ve endured as a comical symbol of communism’s eventual impotence and overthrow. It’s less a case of the emperor having no clothes, than of the boots having no emperor.<br />
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<i>Find Memento Park's opening hours and entry fees <a href="http://www.mementopark.hu/" target="_blank">at its website</a>.</i> Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-77763202237068722802018-10-12T06:00:00.000+11:002018-10-12T06:00:03.490+11:00Walking the Seoullo in Seoul, South Korea<center>
<img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhCxmFNnpHJwURm7r_7CTRZP2Y1p1mC0CN5EPw8Sf7yxFMnHI4K5t9L-8OaYwI8_SJ6YTifgBhO_EZc7Oxz5LTFSSthF942tAmNg7AtMBYW2r4_ZATRMlk4398P9_qTkWnT4T_kqwkpQ2/" /></center>
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<i>I was hosted on this visit by the Korea Tourism Organisation.</i><br />
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On my last day in Seoul I made my way by bus to the western entrance of Seoullo 7017.<br />
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This cool-sounding name denotes the city's answer to New York's High Line... in this case though, it's a former freeway flyover which has been given the beauty treatment.<br />
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Walking east, the ramp slopes upward above the streets, and here I discovered a wealth of plant life in circular pots. There were also small structures that acted as shops and stages.
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<center>
<img alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MsYfM59tBb4/W6nsRc0HNTI/AAAAAAAEomo/tPNrl7qhf7UJpt3LAc_461ICrVPvJerXQCHMYCw/%255BUNSET%255D" /></center>
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<img alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RvXc4itYTEo/W6nsT5o1PvI/AAAAAAAEoms/ls0_cF923mwTxRPCYH0snmqWKb5a0mJNQCHMYCw/%255BUNSET%255D" /><br /><br /><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJxVN6vE60bmK-N-ZmaNdPMtFGb6X8-bn_Hd9g9y6SWqrfvmGj0WMpFeToUxAT_8cvrTFWxZqXsQKm5PyjLCLQTVroXZf18upb8BSPMJ0JyT5yVhVQjXBVP2yDax_i3f0fDpMVlBDwHpa/" /></center>
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Here and there I also found art, and recreational equipment. The first image below is of the interior of a tiny gallery, the second of a small enclosed trampoline.<br />
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<img alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-n7qa3vIpNjQ/W6nt0GyBZXI/AAAAAAAEonQ/UidvLiphj-AqEg18l-fg5Ph2mwxURWuiACHMYCw/%255BUNSET%255D" /><br /><br /><img alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KwxNDddBaoU/W6nt2iUQaJI/AAAAAAAEonU/H3VcHQ-PNIQU7o9a6De8-Q_5jc8YA59SwCHMYCw/%255BUNSET%255D" /></center>
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There was also plenty of evidence of the railway which the flyover was originally built to avoid. Below I could see rails, and the occasional train passing.<br />
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<img alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-14upCQFAkDs/W6ntbHiBa1I/AAAAAAAEonA/eRxTXOYzGhMydun5cRwMp5F4-Gugl2BggCHMYCw/%255BUNSET%255D" /><br /><br /><img alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MUAzjqkkATI/W6ntdanatoI/AAAAAAAEonE/ux-9Z0cIczcmoDWh0oZiwAdBG-dRm6iBgCHMYCw/%255BUNSET%255D" /></center>
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Just a short distance to the south was the attractive facade of the original Seoul railway station. It was built in 1925 during the period of Japanese occupation, and is now a cultural centre.<br />
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<img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6k2Zhm843E_Epu0PNhzniTR0C7nynMWW4fzMSKDqiaPqLfMvF48lEVjjRjCAdo86-t8WclVZJaJ73XKkYOyg8bF06LwWqDdaROJPw7xPqFW3fimexHcZPOJyqfWRXnIqyAm3gwK8znim2/" /></center>
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Further west there was more greenery, and shady spots to sit and rest. As it was a public holiday it was quieter than usual, and surprisingly tranquil there in the heart of the city.<br />
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I sat and reflected that Seoul, having built up its big modern commercial heart in the late 20th century, is now taking time to add human touches to the steel and concrete - such as the newly uncovered and beautified Chonggyecheon stream <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2014/04/seoul-rediscovered-stream-cheonggyecheon.html">which I wrote about in 2014</a>.<br />
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Eventually the walkway terminated, conveniently right above Hoehyeon station on the Seoul Metro.<br />
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<img alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8MMLomc4Bak/W6nw9xLyeDI/AAAAAAAEons/CJeF_DgaW8o8CylHZXfaeXEdjVtUNJhCACHMYCw/%255BUNSET%255D" /><br /><br /><img alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hGUj7We7Xe4/W6nxADiUQSI/AAAAAAAEonw/UflDTavGRKEmSq9xoJO-1hnYn5-BKItPACHMYCw/%255BUNSET%255D" /></center>
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I'd been impressed by Seoul's new linear park, and by the number of residents who used it the day I took my stroll. It's a great asset to the city.<br />
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And if you're wondering about the name 'Seoullo 7017', I later found out that curious number refers both to 1970, when the flyover was opened, and to 2017 when it reopened as a walkway.<br />
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There are also, as it happens, 17 entrances to the path, and it crosses the railway tracks at a height of 17 metres. It may be just another prime number, but 17 gets star billing in Seoul.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-88653226994164144862018-10-05T06:00:00.000+10:002018-10-05T15:48:00.200+10:00Review: Madiba the Musical, MelbourneIt's not often that a stage production has a disappointing first act, then redeems itself in the second. But <i>Madiba the Musical</i> is that production.<br />
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The clue to its flaws lies in its misleading name. We expect it to be a biographical treatment of Nelson Mandela's life, and it starts in that vein, with a set featuring Mandela (played by Perci Moeketsi) ministering to clients mistreated by South Africa's apartheid regime in his early career as a lawyer.<br />
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It looks like we're going to get a cherry-picked tale of the great man's life, which is a little daunting; <i>Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom</i>, the biopic starring Idris Elba, was faithful but laboured in telling that tale.<br />
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But <i>Madiba</i> immediately informs us that it's impossible to show us his whole life. This message is relayed by the Narrator (David Denis), a chorus-like character who raps his way through a great deal of exposition in jaunty style.<br />
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Given this admission, it's a pity the first act becomes a mish-mash of
moments from Mandela's early years, a kind of 'greatest hits' of his
fight against the regime and his eventual imprisonment.<br />
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The first law of storytelling is "Show, don't tell," but there's a lot of telling here.<br />
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Even
crucial moments of violence such as the Sharpeville massacre are
reduced to a single death, which mutes the emotional impact of
such iconic incidents of state violence. And Winnie Mandela (Ruva Ngwenya) is so toned down
that she's hardly recognisable as the forceful personality she was in
real life.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNtSOwxKVWuzkSlrz_lRQKkSjoQ25fzdkdM9gM6J5c8KiMsH813mZWZm4hjrjZBJLmMatJ3jgia1cDEhkVwZ6zbz1G5YkHtR2f3h5UdaF2GrqOnu_e609UQIJ5Kvx42kGMX_rUJf5F78z/s1600/Barry+Conrad+and+Madeline+Perrone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNtSOwxKVWuzkSlrz_lRQKkSjoQ25fzdkdM9gM6J5c8KiMsH813mZWZm4hjrjZBJLmMatJ3jgia1cDEhkVwZ6zbz1G5YkHtR2f3h5UdaF2GrqOnu_e609UQIJ5Kvx42kGMX_rUJf5F78z/s400/Barry+Conrad+and+Madeline+Perrone.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Thankfully, the second act finally provides us an emotional entry point into this tumultuous era. A young black man named Will (Barry Conrad) has fallen in love with a young white woman, Helena (Madeline Perrone), whose policeman father Peter Van Leden (Blake Erickson) is a brutal enforcer of the status quo.<br />
<br />
This star-crossed relationship provides the hook we need to feel the
personal impact of apartheid, as the duo struggle to realise their love
and are forced apart by the cruel reality of the regime's discriminatory
laws.<br />
<br />
When they finally reunite, in the post-apartheid era,
we feel the surge of hope that must have accompanied the sweeping away
of that unjust system.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHm2Hnqewb2d9I-_KcmhBdnLVcWbdWJ-3nXeZHnH-kbtzHBOwbOPWbnTR3bFVS25zDBtxSrmftFz3_SwAe29EKwHRJ3LXzIU2T-A8avXDvmKiRv1aE9uxHFmesY2sf7L7lVkgF5QIbTpNu/s1600/Perci+Moeketsi+and+cast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHm2Hnqewb2d9I-_KcmhBdnLVcWbdWJ-3nXeZHnH-kbtzHBOwbOPWbnTR3bFVS25zDBtxSrmftFz3_SwAe29EKwHRJ3LXzIU2T-A8avXDvmKiRv1aE9uxHFmesY2sf7L7lVkgF5QIbTpNu/s400/Perci+Moeketsi+and+cast.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Through their personal
struggles, Mandela appears as an inspirational background character,
whose own fate slowly evolves from prisoner to negotiator to free man...
and then president.<br />
<br />
Narrative flaws aside, the show's
songs and dance are impressive throughout, with much co-opting of
traditional African music and its rhythms.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9kzzJ6rYjVbh5ay-gmvnvcrGHE7_m4PGs8WsRZ2KC3uJ1txDGYE4-A8TkE2395kLyLXqReYnUfRKDkfed52-z21TC4CeCF2_2gFEftpLGL0aPUwvb-Ze7d4OhwBUHhz_QoAlnk3S3Vei/s1600/Perci+Moeketsi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1051" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9kzzJ6rYjVbh5ay-gmvnvcrGHE7_m4PGs8WsRZ2KC3uJ1txDGYE4-A8TkE2395kLyLXqReYnUfRKDkfed52-z21TC4CeCF2_2gFEftpLGL0aPUwvb-Ze7d4OhwBUHhz_QoAlnk3S3Vei/s320/Perci+Moeketsi.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
For all the lively glory of the group numbers, the standout for me is Mandela's solo recitation of William Henley's poem <i>Invictus</i>, from which he's known to have drawn great strength.<br />
<br />
In this year, the centenary of his birth, there are many celebrations of Nelson Mandela and his achievements. Despite a slow start, <i>Madiba the Musical</i> is a worthy addition to their number.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Madiba the Musical</b> continues at the Comedy Theatre, Melbourne to 28 October 2018, then tours Australia and New Zealand. Make bookings at <a href="http://www.ticketmaster.com.au/" target="_blank">Ticketmaster</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-81966496920385322172018-09-28T06:00:00.000+10:002018-09-28T10:49:13.575+10:00Reviews: Melbourne Fringe Festival 2018It's time again for Melbourne Fringe, the annual festival of performing arts which tests boundaries. I've been in South Korea and Japan for most of September, but have managed to catch a few shows in its final week. Here's what <a href="http://narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a>
and I have seen...<br />
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<b>1. Narrelle's Fringe Diary.</b><br />
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<a href="https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/broke/" target="_blank">Broke</a><br />
Until 29 September 2018, Arts House<br />
<br />
<a href="https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/eggsistentialism/" target="_blank">Eggsistentialism</a><br />
Until 29 September 2018, Arts House<br />
<br />
Attendees of Rowena Hutson's show <b><i>Broke</i></b> are offered cake on arrival at Studio 2 by 'Rosie', dressed in blue dungarees, a red bandana (a la Rosie the Riveter), and a pair of Princess Leia-like ear muffs. <br />
<br />
The last item is no coincidence, as Carrie Fisher is cited as an inspiration for Rosie's stories of her experiences with anxiety, panic disorder and gaslighting: 'It's a show about toxic masculinity and baking.'<br />
<br />
Rosie's passion for DIY and baking are intertwined with her history of crippling anxiety, and tempered by her optimism and gentle support of the audience. She explores ways of demonstrating what a panic attack feels like, infused with humour and energy (and mindfulness about not triggering anyone in the audience).<br />
<br />
Given a significant percentage of the population is likely to have had experience of anxiety and panic, the show has a strong dramatic effect. Hutson balances the emotional impact of the experiences she describes with an adorable, slightly goofy energy.<br />
<br />
The show is in turns sweet and affecting, but is clearly a work in progress as some sections drag, detracting from the impact. Once issues of pacing and flow are addressed, this strong narrative about the seeds of anxiety will have more impact.<br />
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In the same venue, just over an hour later, Joanne Ryan undergoes a 35th birthday crisis in <b><i>Eggsistentialism</i></b>. Waking with a hangover, her terrifying question is not 'What did I do last night?' but 'What am I doing with my life?'<br />
<br />
There follows an hour of wit, warmth and critique as she tries to work out whether or not she ought to have children.<br />
<br />
This personal quandary is interwoven with Ireland's history of women's reproductive rights; her own mother's story as a single parent; social attitudes to parenting based on gender; and the pros and cons (she makes a list!) of becoming a mother.<br />
<br />
This show is a mix of philosophy and social critique, along with personal history and the exploration of what is a good life. It's interspersed with amusing interjections from her mother, and enhanced with superb audiovisual content. The conclusion is satisfying, and full of wisdom.<br />
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<b>2. Tim's Fringe Diary.</b><br />
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<a href="https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/echoes-of-villers-bretonneux/" target="_blank">Echoes of Villers-Bretonneux</a><br />
Until 30 September 2018, Courthouse Hotel<br />
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<a href="https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/cockroach/" target="_blank">Cockroach</a><br />
Until 29 September 2018, Arts House<br />
<br />
In a room above the Courthouse Hotel’s busy bar, a man sits on a stage playing a video game involving soldiers fighting in monochrome streets.<br />
<br />
Before long this opening scene of <b><i>Echoes of Villers-Bretonneux</i></b> shifts to an actual war, the Great War, as the young man discovers his great-grandfather’s war diary in an old chest and transitions to the character of that soldier.<br />
<br />
Actor Shane Palmer maintains the energy onstage as he takes us through the horrors of the Western Front, leading through recruitment and training to the carnage of the frontline. It culminates in the battle for Villers-Bretonneux, famously linked with the valour of Australian troops who helped recapture the town from the Germans.<br />
<br />
The material is well paced, but feels similar to other stories we’ve been offered about World War One; I’m not sure what this tale brings to the voluminous canon of work about that conflict that’s new.<br />
<br />
Also, there’s something forced about some of the lines - as the character suggests, for example, that this battle might the first ever example of a tank-on-tank skirmish (it was). If more was revealed of the soldier’s feelings and personality, and he stood out more strongly as an individual, we might be more moved.<br />
<br />
Having said that, <i>Echoes</i> is a snappy piece, and Palmer neatly projects the mix of wide-eyed naïveté and determination that keeps his character focused. As the 100th anniversary of the Armistice approaches later this year, and the four-year centenary of that appalling conflict draws to a close, this isn’t an unworthy example of First World War remembrance.<br />
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Across the road and behind the North Melbourne Town Hall (aka Arts House), something far edgier is hitting the stage. <b><i>Cockroach</i></b> is billed as "an amoral revenge tale for the #MeToo generation", and involves a woman who finds she's been transformed into a cockroach.<br />
<br />
"Ah, Kafka's <i>Metamorphosis</i>," you think, but you'd be wrong. Performer Melita Rowston has reached back into the pre-Kafka past to riff on the Roman poet Ovid's <i>Metamorphoses</i>, a set of tales in which women are raped and/or turned into objects such as trees.<br />
<br />
The twist here is that C, our heroine, uses the power of the cockroach to twist these tales of men's domination the other way around. One by one, she punishes abusive men in the style in which they have abused - from the sleazy movie producer to the malpractising doctor.<br />
<br />
This revenge fantasy is delivered in raucous style to the backing of high-voltage electric guitar music, and via Rowston's energetic, confident physicality and acid-sharp delivery. <i>Cockroach</i> is not at all polite, but it is darkly funny and utterly timely.<br />
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<i>The Melbourne Fringe Festival continues to 30 September 2018. Find program details and buy tickets <a href="https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/" target="_blank">at its website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-36538375259662298532018-09-22T12:28:00.000+10:002018-09-22T12:28:50.068+10:00Deathmatch in Hell: Drinking in the Golden Gai, Tokyo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuwhNHqbkcezGhBIdia3f2IN4W9xCYU7zOwguYETXPLqdnL-f-hVmiteOi2ipOYdpmE4lkZpUzKmaemVKTPPpqZowgNGskZNM6ybhr0Tp_YQ2KiUFy5CdoVLlOEjBiD4nQ9WQoPKnHZnG/s1600/IMG_3074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuwhNHqbkcezGhBIdia3f2IN4W9xCYU7zOwguYETXPLqdnL-f-hVmiteOi2ipOYdpmE4lkZpUzKmaemVKTPPpqZowgNGskZNM6ybhr0Tp_YQ2KiUFy5CdoVLlOEjBiD4nQ9WQoPKnHZnG/s320/IMG_3074.JPG" width="240" /></a><i></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><i>On this trip I was assisted by the Japan National Tourist Organisation.</i></i></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">My final day in Japan was... interesting. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">I returned to the city from the spa town of Kinugawa Onsen, dropped into the Japanese Sword Museum, checked into my Shinjuku hotel, walked to the Park Hyatt to find its New York bar wasn't open, enjoyed the over-the-top show at the Robot Restaurant, <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2018/09/how-to-eat-ramen-in-fukuoka-japan.html">ate ramen</a> at the local branch of Ichiran, then finally walked into the Golden Gai.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">Ah, the Golden Gai.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">This atmospheric warren of bars along narrow alleyways is a relic of the 20th century, when the area was associated with prostitution. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">Although areas like this were reportedly demolished by fires started by the gangster Yakuza chasing redevelopment profits, the Golden Gai miraculously survived; partly thanks to locals taking turns to act as lookouts overnight.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">The legacy is a fantastic area that feels separate from the big, busy city enveloping it. The small grid of alleys is dotted with tiny bars, most with room for only a handful of seats. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">The result is that each bar has its own distinctive, warm personality, and patrons and bartenders end up chatting to each other.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">I enjoyed wandering through the maze, but I also had a mission: to drink at Deathmatch in Hell, the metal-themed bar which a friend had put me onto.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">Like all Golden Gai bars, it was tiny - but the owner had packed a lot into the decor:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">Two Japanese whiskies and a bourbon later, I was feeling the Golden Gai vibe. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">I had a flight to catch... but I didn't want to leave </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">this ethereal Tokyo enclave</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">. Like MacArthur, I shall return.</span>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-60645726019004426782018-09-13T17:36:00.001+10:002018-09-13T18:15:37.847+10:00How to Eat Ramen in Fukuoka, Japan<i>On this trip I'm being assisted by the Japan National Tourist Organisation.</i><br />
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I arrived in Japan yesterday by ferry from Busan, South Korea, and one of the first things I did was eat ramen. Fukuoka is famous for its particular style of the noodle dish, known as Hakata ramen after its most historic district.</div>
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The best place to go for the real thing is Ichiran, a ramen chain which has outlets dotted across the city. I found one in an underground food hall near Hakata train station.</div>
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There's a little bit of self-education required so you can order, but there's English language signage so it's not too difficult. </div>
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The first thing you see upon entry is this vending machine:</div>
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If you have a closer look, you can find an array of choices beyond the basic ramen dish. </div>
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Note that there's no credit card option here. Japan is still a cash-oriented society for small purchases like this, so you'll need to have cash ready. The machine very efficiently accepts notes and coins.</div>
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I ordered the ramen and their special vinegar. I could have added lots of toppings to that, and maybe a beer or a tea, but I wanted to keep things simple on my first try. And that came out to 1,010 yen (A$12.60), which was easy to produce as a 1000 yen note and a ten yen coin.<br />
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It's worth noting at this point that even without adding an extra order of pork slices on top, this is <b>not</b> a vegetarian dish. The broth which is the foundation of Hakata ramen is made by boiling pork bones, which is what gives it its characteristic taste. I'm usually vegetarian, but today I was being 'flexitarian' for research purposes.<br />
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The machine spits out some tickets, and you take these with you into the dining area, which is a compact space of private alcoves - one per diner:<br />
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Once seated, you'll find a form in front of you which is to be filled out with the provided pen, allowing you to tailor your dish in a number of ways from noodle firmness to level of spiciness:<br />
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When this is completed, You press a button on the table top, and a partly concealed staff member behind the screen takes the tickets and your order preferences. Once cooked, it's delivered to your table via the same gap, and the curtain is then drawn down.<br />
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There's another form on the table for extras which you can order while eating - an extra serve of noodles to dunk into the soup, for example - but otherwise you're all set. You have ramen!<br />
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Hot, tasty, Hakata ramen...</div>
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Who's hungry?</div>
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<i>You can find Ichiran outlets at <a href="https://en.ichiran.com/" target="_blank">its English-language website</a>.</i></div>
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Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-28754808672965731392018-09-07T22:28:00.002+10:002018-09-07T22:28:18.650+10:00Between North and South Korea: Into the DMZ<i>I was hosted on this visit by the Korea Tourism Organisation.</i><br />
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Today I had the chance to do something I didn't have time for the last time I was in Seoul: visit the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea.<br />
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The tour run by Panmunjom Travel Centre takes the traveller to a number of sites connected with the border, culminating in a brief visit to the Join Security Area (JSA) itself - the heart of the DMZ, where the two Koreas literally meet in a small 'negotiation village'.<br />
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Interestingly, we were joined on the bus by a North Korean defector, a woman who fled the north in 2011 with her daughter. It was fascinating to ask her questions about her life and former country as we headed to our first stop.<br />
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This was the Mount Odu Unification Observatory, where one can gaze upon North Korea across the point where the Han and Injin Rivers meet, forming the border at this locality. Across Korea the DMZ is four kilometres wide by agreement; but at riverine sections like this, it narrows significantly so the two countries are only a few hundred metres apart.<br />
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We then visited the Freedom Bridge, across which prisoners of war returned after the Korean War ended...<br />
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... and nearby, saw this massively damaged locomotive which had been trapped between the opposing forces, and later moved within South Korea as an an emblem of the conflict:<br />
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The highlight of the day was the visit to the JSA, a slow process involving barricades, checkpoints and passport checks - even a dress code inspection, as North Korean soldiers used to take photos of sloppily dressed Westerners to use as propaganda with their people.<br />
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Finally we stood inside the simple blue conference room at the heart of the zone, constructed so the border literally runs through the centre of the conference table.<br />
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We were allowed a few minutes to take photos, as long as we didn't bother the South Korean soldiers who were our escorts and protectors.<br />
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<span style="text-align: right;">Here I am standing briefly within North Korea, with my military protector. The door behind leads to even more North Korea... but I didn't fancy stepping through it.</span><br />
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Our video briefing earlier had, after all, described the JSA as "the most dangerous place in the entire Korean Peninsula."<br />
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In the circumstances, I was glad to get out of there in one piece.<br />
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<i>Find details of the Premium Panmunjom Tour <a href="http://www.panmunjomtour.com/program/program_1.asp" target="_blank">at this link</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-49823570179681395402018-08-31T06:00:00.000+10:002018-08-31T06:00:06.912+10:00Walkways of Wellington, New Zealand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>This article was the very first I had published as a full-time freelance writer, and appeared in the Christchurch </i><i>newspaper </i>The Press<i><i> </i>in early 2004. As it never went online and is still relevant, here's a lightly rewritten version. The trip was taken at my own expense.</i><br />
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If you want to let yourself go and expose your inner tramp, you ought to head for Wellington. But it’s not what you think – 'tramping' is the Kiwis' term for hiking.<br />
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Walking is one of the great attractions of New Zealand: including treks through stunning landscape, sleeping in huts or tents, living rough in the company of nature.<br />
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But if you’re an urban kind of person and the great outdoors doesn’t appeal, you can still get in some walking and be at a restaurant or theatre by sunset, if you’re visiting Wellington. This hilly city has a series of walking tracks, or walkways, running through its green spaces.<br />
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Upon the founding of the city in 1839, extensive swathes of land were set aside for the recreation of the inhabitants. Although areas of this 'Town Belt' have been chipped away since then, it’s still an impressive amount of greenery.<br />
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The three major Town Belt trails are the City to Sea Walkway, the Northern Walkway and the Southern Walkway. All of them have their attractions, running variously past botanic gardens, historic sites and scenic highlights.<br />
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The Southern Walkway is the most varied and interesting. Starting at Island Bay, it meanders north through hilly green space above the city, then descends to the attractive harbourside beach at Oriental Bay.<br />
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Along the way, there are impressive views of both the city and the south coast. The walk is tranquil in parts like Mount Victoria, where several <i>Lord of the Rings</i> scenes were shot, then becomes wild along the coastline.<br />
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Since the walkway is so close to civilisation, it’s easy to break it down into smaller sections, using public transport to get there and back.<br />
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I set out on a good five kilometre tramp from Island Bay. The sea is stunning here, a stretch of pale blue-green dotted with islands. The most significant of these is Tapu Te Ranga, known in local Maori legends as a place of refuge.<br />
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Its name means 'Isle of Hallowed Ways', distinctly classier than the names given to it by European settlers: Goat Island, then Rat Island.<br />
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From here, the walkway hugs the coast to the treacherous waters of Houghton Bay. Along the way, I saw an unusual selection of houses hugging the hillside just back from the coast. Wellington is hilly almost everywhere, so local architects have been inventive. Triangular buildings, thin tall buildings, and steep steps slot into the landscape.<br />
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Then the walkway climbed through Sinclair Park. To my mind, 'park' means a stretch of lawn framed by cultivated plants. But this was bushland, thick with trees and often steep. The payback was the impressive set of views on the ascent, with Cook Strait stretching out below.<br />
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I eventually reached the top of Mt Albert, 178 metres above sea level. From here, the city stretches away in all directions. To the east is Wellington Airport, with its regular flow of aircraft, looking ridiculously small from this distance.<br />
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On either side are the waters of Wellington Harbour and Cook Strait, and northward lies the city centre, sprawled across the flat land known as Te Aro. On a clear day, the walker can see the mountains of the South Island from here.<br />
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From Mt Albert, the trail descends, eventually squeezing between the mountain and a solid-looking fence. I was surprised to see apes wandering about on the opposite side. Then I realised this was Wellington Zoo.<br />
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It’s also the halfway point of the Southern Walkway. Feeling that five kilometres of occasionally steep walking was enough, I called a halt and checked out the wildlife. The zoo houses some distinctive New Zealand creatures, including the tuatara, kiwi, mopoke and weta.<br />
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I'd had enough walking, and caught a bus back to the city centre.<br />
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Installed in one of Wellington’s many cool cafes, the tired tramper composed a postcard home, recounting the perils and ordeals of hiking in New Zealand. While enjoying that cafe latte I’d so richly earned.<br />
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<i>Maps and other details of the Wellington Walkways are available <a href="https://wellington.govt.nz/recreation/enjoy-the-outdoors/walks-and-walkways" target="_blank">at this link</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-8980001661645775312018-08-24T06:00:00.000+10:002018-08-24T06:00:03.913+10:00Montreal, Canada: What Lies Beneath<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>This article from my first visit to Canada appeared in </i>The Sunday Age<i>
newspaper in 2011, but never went online: so here it is. I was hosted
on that trip by </i><i>the Canadian Tourism Commission.</i><br />
<br />
When the architects of Montreal’s underground shopping mall beneath Place Ville-Marie drew up their plans in 1962, they had little idea what they’d started.<br />
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As newer malls and office buildings were constructed, they were all linked together. Thus the Underground City was born.<br />
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RÉSO, a play on the French word for network, “réseau”, is now the largest underground complex in the world, stretching some 33 kilometres and linking malls, museums, train stations, government buildings and hotels.<br />
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All can be reached without ever setting foot in the outside world; a compelling alternative in winter, when temperatures can plunge to minus 15 degrees.<br />
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I’m usually allergic to shopping malls, but RÉSO intrigues me and I decide to walk its entire main loop (with a Metro trip in the middle)...<br />
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<b>10am.</b> I pause to look up at the statue of a young Queen Victoria in the centre of Square-Victoria, then spot the RÉSO entry sign and head down the rabbit hole. Below ground, I enter a long, strangely curved brick-lined tunnel, its curves accented by wavy tracks of lights in the ceiling. <br />
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<b>10.25am.</b> Nearing Place Bonaventure, I’m surprised to realise I’m back at street level, as I can see manicured lawns out of the occasional window. Soon after I descend into the ominous-sounding Le Passage. It’s pure 1970s down here, with exposed concrete walls and stained timber handrails.<br />
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<b>10.50am.</b> After twists and turns, I emerge into the lofty hall of the Gare Centrale, Montreal’s main train station. Above me there’s a magnificent bas-relief frieze depicting stylised figures engaged in everyday activities with a 20th century gender bias - men working in construction or playing lacrosse, women teaching or planting trees. <br />
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<b>11.15am.</b> I’m heading into prime retail territory now, up pebble-dash steps into a sunlit atrium with a low glass ceiling. There’s a cafe beneath the glass, dotted with low black couches on which shoppers lounge. It’s surrounded by shops, and I realise this is Place Ville-Marie, the mall that started it all.<br />
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<b>11.25am.</b> A few more turnings and I’m beneath Rue Ste-Catherine, Montreal’s major shopping strip. Above me towers the upmarket Centre Eaton, the largest shopping mall in the city, with 175 stores over four levels surmounted by a vast glass roof.<br />
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<b>11.35am.</b> I catch a train from McGill Metro station to Place-des-Arts. At the end of the Place-des-Arts station concourse is a huge and beautiful backlit artwork depicting Montreal’s musical history across multiple glass panels.<br />
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<b>12 noon.</b> Entering the Musée d’Art Contemporain from beneath, I encounter a huge wall projection called Le Tournis, in which a camera spins dizzyingly around the centre of a room while glass smashes loudly between the foreground and the far wall. Oddly, its unrefined chaos makes a refreshing counterpoint to the controlled nature of the Underground City.<br />
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<b>12.30pm.</b> After the art, it’s startling to return to RÉSO and enter the Complexe Desjardins’ vast terraced shopping mall. At ground level there’s a fountain with a 30 metre high jet that almost grazes the lofty skylight. I wonder whether the settings have ever slipped, resulting in a soggy ceiling.<br />
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<b>1pm.</b> Back above ground at Square-Victoria, I discover the morning’s clouds have departed and it’s turned into a perfect day - bright, sunny and warm. The perfect day, ironically, to be outdoors.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-82587346620006157542018-08-17T11:27:00.001+10:002018-08-17T11:58:48.628+10:00Trying American Pie in Bismarck, USA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>This article from my very first visit to the USA appeared in </i>The Age<i> newspaper in 2010, but never went online: so here it is. I was hosted on that trip by North Dakota Tourism and Virgin Australia.</i><br />
<br />
To visit America for the first time is to encounter the strangely familiar.<br />
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Like every Australian, I’ve spent a lifetime immersed in the television and film output of the USA, absorbing the nuances of its culture. I even understand why it’s upsetting to have been cast as Benedict Arnold in the school play (thanks, Brady Bunch). <br />
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Which is why it’s mildly disconcerting to find that America is, in fact, much as it appears on screen.<br />
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Not that I’m spending quality time in the urban hotspots of Los Angeles or New York. I’m part of a media contingent that’s wending its way across Montana and North Dakota, two states as unknown to Australians as they are big.<br />
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When I’m travelling as a travel writer, I pay attention to the sights: Glacier National Park is impressive, as is the Badlands cowboy town of Medora. But I’m personally fascinated by the food culture, and how it matches our preconceptions of Americans and their collective weight problem (a problem, in all fairness, shared by many Australians, including this writer).<br />
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After several meals in roadside restaurants in small country towns along the Hi-Line, the east-west highway that runs parallel to the Canadian border, I decide that American food operates on two essential principles: choice and quantity. <br />
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“Choice” lies mainly in the micro-management of a dish’s accompaniments. By the time I reach our Bismarck hotel’s restaurant and the waitress rattles off a list of dressings to accompany my salad (“Green Goddess? What’s that?” “I don’t know sir, it comes out of a packet.”), I’m suffering choice fatigue.<br />
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The next day, while the rest of the group is riding horses and wranglin’ li’l dogies, I slip away to experience an aspect of American cuisine that’s always fascinated me: the humble diner.<br />
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North Dakota, it turns out, is not the obvious place to find one of these fast-vanishing icons, as diners were largely a feature of industrial cities along the east coast. Thus, Kroll’s Diner off the Memorial Highway in Mandan, Bismarck’s twin sister across the Missouri River, is a replica of the streamlined steel diner popular after World War II.<br />
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“I was watching a PBS special and they had a program about diners back in the early 1900s,” says owner Keith Glatt when I meet him a day later across town. “And I thought it would be really neat to do something like that. Then I was looking through a restaurant trade journal and they had these prefabricated diners. They’re built in Florida. They ship them to wherever you want them, and there you have a diner.”<br />
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Modern or not, it’s a beauty. I’m astounded by the sheer shininess of the building, a long structure of super-reflective metal. It’s easy to curl a lip at the architecture of the modernist era, but occasionally, when I see a building like this, I sense the postwar positivity behind it.<br />
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Inside, the nostalgia continues via a wealth of stainless steel, pink patterned laminate tabletops, cushioned booths, and strips of pink neon lighting. Then I take a seat within a booth, and notice a culinary element that’s very Bismarck - the number of dishes based on German cuisine, brought here by 19th century settlers.<br />
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For starters I order knoephla soup, an old-fashioned cream of chicken soup dotted with rectangular potato dumplings. It’s tasty and filling, but it’s nothing compared to the weightiness of my main course, fleischkuechle.<br />
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There’s no way to describe this dish gracefully: it’s a hamburger patty wrapped in an envelope of pastry which is deep-fried, then served on a skillet with a side of mashed potato and gravy.<br />
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The done thing is to squirt a dollop of ketchup into the pastry pocket before consuming. Strangely, the final concoction tastes satisfyingly like an Aussie meat pie.<br />
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I finish the meal with pumpkin pie. I’ve never had pumpkin pie before - in fact I don’t much like pumpkin - but it’s such a staple of American TV and movies that I have to give it a go.<br />
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The smooth, solid orange-brown filling packed with cinnamon and nutmeg doesn’t look promising, but it tastes great. With a side serve of cream, it’s damn good.<br />
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Another dessert Glatt recommends is his rhubarb crisp. “Rhubarb is very popular in this region,” he says. “You can’t kill it. You try to dig it out of your garden and get rid of it, next year it’s back. It handles the extreme climate we have up here.”<br />
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And though today is mild, it does become very cold in North Dakota in winter. I imagine the snow and ice piled up outside the Mandan diner, with myself slotted into a cheery booth and looking out at the whiteness while waiting for my hot apple pie to arrive, and somehow that seems just fine.<br />
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<i><a href="http://sitdownandeat.com/" target="_blank">Kroll's Diner</a> is located at </i><span class="section-info-text"><span class="widget-pane-link"><i>4401 Memorial Hwy, Mandan, North Dakota, USA.</i></span></span>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-76281646729156205022018-08-10T06:00:00.000+10:002018-08-10T06:00:12.500+10:00Wrecked in Stockholm: The Fatal Voyage of the Vasa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As much as I love history, I don't make a beeline for historical museums when I'm visiting a new city.<br />
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As a travel writer I need new or under-explored attractions to write about; and chances are, a long-established historical museum will either be overexposed or a bit dull.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxiwCY12E_vF9oysMN10xldPzIPPKCoDepT01qH3vgP53YjYjA2Ly-wuDLJvG9nQxlALLvH6v5YVtYnO_doMfdv0ZGmgd7r4BWfN-2IOLS54S2xyKwwC3SmW6IOoyy-JIuwi39hyphenhyphenVQy5M/s1600/IMG_5195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxiwCY12E_vF9oysMN10xldPzIPPKCoDepT01qH3vgP53YjYjA2Ly-wuDLJvG9nQxlALLvH6v5YVtYnO_doMfdv0ZGmgd7r4BWfN-2IOLS54S2xyKwwC3SmW6IOoyy-JIuwi39hyphenhyphenVQy5M/s320/IMG_5195.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
So I reluctantly set time aside to visit the Vasa Museum when I visited Stockholm, Sweden in 2012. It had been open since 1990, after all, and housed a ship that was almost 300 years old.<br />
<br />
But I'm glad I did go. It was magnificent.<br />
<br />
Here's the story. On 10 August 1628 the splendid new warship <i>Vasa</i> set sail on its maiden voyage, crowds cheering it from the docks.<br />
<br />
It managed to cover a full 1300 metres out from Stockholm when it keeled over and sank.<br />
<br />
Awkward. Especially since the <i>Vasa</i> was headed to the war raging between Sweden and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.<br />
<br />
The Commonwealth was Eastern Europe's great power of the time, covering a million square kilometres from the Baltic to the Black Sea, and this was the fourth conflict in a row between the rival Baltic kingdoms.<br />
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Seventeenth-century Sweden's loss was our gain, however. Surprisingly well-preserved by the brackish conditions of the Baltic, the ship was rediscovered and salvaged in 1961. After decades of treatment, it was installed in its current home.<br />
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Walking around its hull in dim light, peering at it from different angles, it was easy to imagine it was the 17th century again and the <i>Vasa</i> about to undertake its disastrous first voyage.<br />
<br />
I recommend a visit to the museum if you're ever in Sweden.<br />
<br />
Which goes to show, you should never write off a history museum because the subject sounds a bit, er, dry.<br />
<br />
<i>The Vasa Museum is located at Galärvarvsvägen 14, Stockholm. Find opening hours and entry fees <a href="https://www.vasamuseet.se/" target="_blank">at its website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-9362980635145804632018-08-02T09:26:00.000+10:002018-08-02T11:21:44.192+10:00Capital! All the Capital Cities I've Visited<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNp_FpYAfDq7l4z9TB6DSjDCM-x490ark4fnAzZ3wkQDCrGNpJpQHEcMglLdiJaYu0caT0I5zXOThzyXjpz84O2V0vuVmKydOUZqJoInGdSEclq9CsGKNW2efLkEKXD9coN6iCR_cMQVnt/s1600/IMG_0722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNp_FpYAfDq7l4z9TB6DSjDCM-x490ark4fnAzZ3wkQDCrGNpJpQHEcMglLdiJaYu0caT0I5zXOThzyXjpz84O2V0vuVmKydOUZqJoInGdSEclq9CsGKNW2efLkEKXD9coN6iCR_cMQVnt/s400/IMG_0722.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A model of the Houses of Parliament, London,<br />
within the Mini-Europe theme park in Brussels, Belgium.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I was musing the other day about national capitals, those cities in which the government of a country is based.<br />
<br />
Often they're the most prominent city of a nation, and thus the most popular destination for international tourists as well: think London, or Paris.<br />
<br />
Other times they're not so prominent, though may still draw overseas visitors: Canberra perhaps, or Ottawa. Some capitals are barely known to tourists, who usually visit another part of the country entirely: Suva, Fiji springs to mind here.<br />
<br />
Some countries are so big, of course, that you can see quite a lot of them without reaching the capital. I've been to the USA eight times now, and still haven't visited Washington, DC. Nor have I got to Beijing while in China.<br />
<br />
Does it matter? Not really, unless you're fascinated by attractions connected with government.<br />
<br />
I am, as it goes, because my university degree was in history and politics. So it occurred to me to list in order all the national capitals I've visited, and in what year that visit happened.<br />
<br />
Note that I didn't get to the capital of my own nation before visiting that of neighbouring Indonesia. I was living in Perth then, and from there Jakarta was more accessible by air than Canberra in those days!<br />
<br />
<b>National Capitals Visited:</b><br />
<br />
1. Jakarta, Indonesia (1981)<br />
2. Canberra, Australia (1989)<br />
3. London, UK (1990)<br />
4. Paris, France (1990)<br />
5. Cairo, Egypt (1992)<br />
6. Budapest, Hungary (1993)<br />
7. Vienna, Austria (1993)<br />
8. Prague, Czechia (1993)<br />
9. Damascus, Syria (1994)<br />
10. Amman, Jordan (1994)<br />
<br />
11. Warsaw, Poland (1994)<br />
12. Berlin, Germany (1994) <br />
13. Bangkok, Thailand (1997)<br />
14. Suva, Fiji (1999)<br />
15. Rome, Italy (2001)<br />
16. Vatican City (2001) <br />
17. Wellington, New Zealand (2003)<br />
18. Santiago, Chile (2005)<br />
19. Vilnius, Lithuania (2008)<br />
20. Bratislava, Slovakia (2008)<br />
<br />
21. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2009)<br />
22. Ljubljana, Slovenia (2010)<br />
23. Ottawa, Canada (2010)<br />
24. Delhi, India (2011)<br />
25. Dublin, Ireland (2011)<br />
26. Stockholm, Sweden (2012)<br />
27. Seoul, South Korea (2014)<br />
28. Muscat, Oman (2014)<br />
29. Brussels, Belgium (2014)<br />
30. Singapore (2015)<br />
<br />
31. Copenhagen, Denmark (2016)<br />
32. Kiev, Ukraine (2016)<br />
33. Pretoria, South Africa (2018)... though South Africa is more complicated, as its Parliament actually sits in Cape Town, and its judiciary in Bloemfontein.<br />
<br />
And I'm hoping to be in Tokyo before the end of the year! Capital.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-83989740888373268282018-07-27T06:00:00.000+10:002018-07-27T06:00:00.285+10:00Art in Albury: MAMA Knows BestSomething that's impressed me in recent years is the quality of art galleries in Australia's regional towns and cities. As someone remarked a few years ago, they seem to have taken over from churches as the spiritual hub of communities in these secular times.<br />
<br />
Last week Narrelle and I visited Albury, a city in New South Wales on the Murray River border with Victoria. I was keen to have a look at the Murray Art Museum Albury, MAMA for short.<br />
<br />
It's certainly an attractive building from the front, housed as it is in the former Town Hall bui<em></em>lding on Dean Street:<br />
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The interior, however, is anything but old-school, with a modern extension stretching out behind the original structure:<br />
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As for the art, there are several galleries with interesting exhibitions. On the ground floor, the main gallery houses items from MAMA's permanent collection.<br />
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One that particularly caught my eye was this untitled piece by Allan and Phil Murray, Indigenous men from the Yorta Yorta people of the region west of Albury. It's a fascinating mix of ancient craft and modern presentation:<br />
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More works from an Aboriginal creator were on display in <i>Flyblown</i>, a series of large framed photographs with elemental themes, the title hinting at the effect of colonisation on the original peoples of Australia.<br />
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MAMA specialises in photographic art, and one gallery displayed entries in the 2018 National Photography Prize. I was particularly taken by the work of Kieran Butler, a Mauritian-born artist who upends conventions by mashing together photos and other materials to explore identity.<br />
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The most intriguing set of photos in this gallery was created by Tully Arnot. His large images, draped and curled around the space, featured high-definition shots of the human body, augmented by artificial intelligence filling in gaps.<br />
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The most engaging exhibition at MAMA, for me, was <i>Flagging Opinion</i>, which had a story behind it.<br />
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For a mural project in the town of Tallangatta, artist Ashlee Laing had painted a Muslim woman in a niqab (the traditional veil which covers most of the face) bearing the pattern of an Australian flag. The owner of the building which it was painted on had then removed it, igniting an intense debate about identity.<br />
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For MAMA, Laing recreated the original piece, and paired it with a Ned Kelly figure in a helmet decorated with an Australian flag.<br />
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Speakers dotted around the room played recorded comments from members of the public about the original work. It was bold and provocative art, sparking a conversation about the Aussie identity - and stereotypes of it - that is well worth having.<br />
<br />
If you're passing through Albury by car (or my preferred option of train), I recommend MAMA for a dose of thought-provoking art.<br />
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<i>MAMA is located at </i><span class="st"><em>546 Dean Street, Albury, Australia. Free entry, find opening hours and other details <a href="http://www.mamalbury.com.au/" target="_blank">at its website</a>.</em></span>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-43480567105722880862018-07-20T06:00:00.000+10:002018-07-20T06:00:11.932+10:00Review: BNE-YVR in Air Canada Business Class<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>On this trip I travelled courtesy of <a href="http://destinationcanada.com/" target="_blank">Destination Canada</a>, and was upgraded by Air Canada.</i><br />
<br />
Last year I took the 13-hour flight from Brisbane to Vancouver aboard one of Air Canada's Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner planes, right up the front in seat 1D. This is what it was like.<br />
<br />
<b>The seat</b><br />
<br />
As expected, there was plenty of space to move in Business Class. My seat was a pod in a central set of two, with the seat angled toward the centre of the plane.<br />
<br />
The seat was heavily cushioned though still fairly firm, and could be reconfigured to personal taste by touchscreen controls - all the way down to a lie-flat bed.<br />
<br />
Storage space was not as generous as some versions of Business I'd experienced on other airlines, and there were no bins directly above the central seats. However, there were sufficient slots and shelves into which to load my personal belongings.<br />
<br />
A personal comfort pack contained toiletries, an eye mask and socks, with a choice of earbuds or quality headphones within a concealed compartment.<br />
<br />
<b>The screen</b><br />
<br />
In front of me was a large entertainment screen. Its menus were highly responsive to touch, and contained details of food and drink, as well as shopping options.<br />
<br />
Neither the movie nor TV show selections seemed very impressive, and it was difficult to find recent cinema releases. However there were some decent viewing choices among each: cutting edge television comedy such as <i>Atlanta</i> for example, and popular Hollywood movies such as <i>Logan</i>.<br />
<br />
Something I hadn't seen before was a Pride category under movies, with critically-acclaimed films with gay themes including <i>Milk</i> and <i>Priscilla, Queen of the Desert</i>. A clever innovation was a Personal Favourites menus you could build, then click on to watch.<br />
<br />
<b>The eats</b><br />
<br />
Lunch was the first meal of the flight, for which I chose barramundi fillet with ginger-soy glaze and bok choy, which was attractively presented and tasty. It was preceded by an excellent smoked salmon appetiser and a green salad.<br />
<br />
Other main courses on the menu were lamb cutlets, braised chicken breast, and a vegetarian pasta. Afterward there was cheese, fruit, blueberry cheesecake, or ice cream.<br />
<br />
Snacks were available on request during our journey, including a chicken leek pie, smoked salmon, a tuna sandwich, and hummus. No mere packet of pretzels in Business Class!<br />
<br />
Before we landed in the Vancouver morning, we were served brunch with the choice of an omelette, Belgian waffles, or a chicken pasta.<br />
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<b>The judgement</b><br />
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Air Canada's Business Class service on the Dreamliner was a comfortable, relaxing experience, providing a good way to arrive in shape on the long trans-Pacific haul. A good choice... if you can afford it.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-45978176671633923272018-07-13T06:00:00.000+10:002018-07-13T06:00:14.148+10:00Art Barracks of Singapore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfS_0izWzXQ2lIZNQLdjlUxdkk6QYRHKVUCBumk8W_Jw2hpjM09JcBE2iz0kesoNNUkiHtndvBbB3p9cBlUQUzNHdD_upV9vPR336L1oF08GraGzywu-bP5oMGcQMtmVmGHQ7n6abyjoV/s1600/IMG_6424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfS_0izWzXQ2lIZNQLdjlUxdkk6QYRHKVUCBumk8W_Jw2hpjM09JcBE2iz0kesoNNUkiHtndvBbB3p9cBlUQUzNHdD_upV9vPR336L1oF08GraGzywu-bP5oMGcQMtmVmGHQ7n6abyjoV/s400/IMG_6424.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>On this trip I was hosted by the Singapore Tourism Board.</i><br />
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On my 2015 visit to Singapore, I spent an afternoon at Gillman Barracks.<br />
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Formerly a British army camp set up in the 1930s, it's now a "contemporary arts cluster", with art galleries strewn throughout the numerous buildings remaining from its military days.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0CGrmuVhPEQeQB0yPeeWGeOvzb4KoIK8k7ND4_g-y3brH-1iA7ghSuyKCpW_rxRXGJH1Vgb3g8fT2QqsIM1iAY8tiPoODFg1VbVy3OBA9sOzEtOHjlVYez3xNcKCfAg02bhTb4NPzH5s/s1600/IMG_6428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0CGrmuVhPEQeQB0yPeeWGeOvzb4KoIK8k7ND4_g-y3brH-1iA7ghSuyKCpW_rxRXGJH1Vgb3g8fT2QqsIM1iAY8tiPoODFg1VbVy3OBA9sOzEtOHjlVYez3xNcKCfAg02bhTb4NPzH5s/s640/IMG_6428.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A work by Filipino artist</i><span class="st"><i> Winner Jumalon, on display at the Yavuz Gallery in March 2015.</i></span></td></tr>
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There's a focus on contemporary art within its galleries. Though there's plenty of international work, the complex as a whole has an emphasis on emerging Asian artists.<br />
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It's a fascinating place, both for the breadth of its contemporary art exhibits, and also for the village-like setting of the barracks.<br />
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I had a very pleasant few hours there, eating lunch at one of the onsite restaurants and wandering between galleries.<br />
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As it's a gently hilly site with plenty of tropical greenery, there's none of the drabness you might expect of a former military facility.<br />
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Instead, it's a relatively quiet corner of Singapore, which allows you to take a breather from the city's usual traffic and crowds, and reflect on art.<br />
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<i>For opening hours and other details, visit the <a href="https://www.gillmanbarracks.com/" target="_blank">Gillman Barracks website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-19363252022964952732018-07-06T06:00:00.000+10:002018-07-06T06:00:09.628+10:00Great Exhibition of the North, UK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLPrF7e8hXIkD1s_vL6emmnT60IRvmLEpLtayr7Jkfdkuc6Z9u5QkhK98AWfricFppWKX-HTs7ZAd7N72dS3yx9Yg9CgRWqsbWTThClO0WM5nYEHhl0jZoptBQg5-_01imkI4bJWp4Zh6/s1600/P9140479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLPrF7e8hXIkD1s_vL6emmnT60IRvmLEpLtayr7Jkfdkuc6Z9u5QkhK98AWfricFppWKX-HTs7ZAd7N72dS3yx9Yg9CgRWqsbWTThClO0WM5nYEHhl0jZoptBQg5-_01imkI4bJWp4Zh6/s320/P9140479.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<i>On my Newcastle visit I was assisted by the Newcastle Gateshead Initiative.</i><br />
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From now to the end of September 2018, the UK's sister cities of Newcastle and Gateshead are hosting the Great Exhibition of the North.<br />
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It's a big multi-venue event showcasing art, design and innovation. <br />
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Drawing on the region’s industrial heritage, three walking trails with those themes link events and venues, including free shows. <br />
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When I visited the city last year, I walked along the Tyne’s riverside and visited key locations which are being used for the Great Exhibition.<br />
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Here's a look at a couple of them.<br />
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The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art is a prominent local landmark.<br />
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This imposing former flour mill <i>[pictured left]</i> stands over the other side of the river from Newcastle, across the Millennium Bridge <i>[above]</i> in Gateshead.<br />
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I had a wander through its cavernous interiors, perfectly suited to exhibiting large, bold pieces of art.<br />
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During the Great Exhibition, the Baltic will house several exhibitions connecting with its themes. <br />
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One of the most interesting is <i>Idea of North</i>, a multimedia exploration of local identity.<br />
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A key component will be a photo exhibition of women of northeastern England, captured across the decades (including a glimpse of the obscure 'cave rave' scene of the 1990s).<br />
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Another interesting nearby space is Sage Gateshead. Within its ultramodern facade, it presents music performances. It certainly stands out in its eye-catching building above the river:<br />
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After you've explored these venues, I suggest you step back over the Tyne to Newcastle's Broad Chare pub and support a local brewery by ordering a Wylam beer.<br />
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As a writer, I couldn't go past the Writers' Block pale ale. I recommend it. Unlikely to solve that literary affliction, but it tastes good.<br />
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<i>For more details of the Great Exhibition of the North, see <a href="https://getnorth2018.com/" target="_blank">the event's website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-31068916603849280222018-06-29T06:00:00.000+10:002018-06-29T06:00:07.391+10:00Nostalgia at the Derwent Pencil Museum, UK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Guest blogger this week is author <a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle M Harris</a>, whose new book is <a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/books/a-dream-to-build-a-kiss-on/" target="_blank">A Dream to Build a Kiss On</a>: a contemporary Sherlock Holmes/Watson romance told in chapters of 221 words. </i><br />
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I love a one-note museum – a space dedicated to one just one idea or one thing.<br />
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I’ve tasted the peculiar delights of the Morbid Anatomy Museum in New York, the fossils of the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, a sulphur museum in Poland, and on one memorable occasion, a <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2012/07/meaty-salami-museum-of-szeged-hungary.html">Hungarian salami museum</a>.<br />
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Basically, I can’t resist an oddball museum. When I found I would be near the Derwent Pencil Museum in the Lake District, you bet your best set of coloured pencils I went to see it.<br />
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Pencils, whether grey graphite or brightly coloured, have a more intriguing history than you might give them credit for, and this museum in Keswick is all over it.<br />
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A special HB Derwent Pencil Museum pencil is yours on paying the entry fee of £4.95.<br />
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It's rather a lot for a pencil, admittedly, but my heart still beats a little faster in the presence of a pristine new writing implement, never before pressed to paper.<br />
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Visitors can also get a quiz to fill out during their exploration of the museum, which charts the history and social impact of the pencil.<br />
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Among the things I learned was that the term ‘black market’ originated with the trade in stolen graphite in the 1700s, when the stuff was worth more than gold and used in munitions as well as writing.<br />
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Notorious graphite thieves with names like ‘Black Sal’ and ‘The Dandy Wad Stealer’ are surely deserving of some great swashbuckling novel by a latter-day Robert Louis Stevenson.<br />
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I also found that the real-life 'Q', Charles Fraser-Smith, liaised in World War Two with the Cumberland Pencil Company to devise a pencil containing a hidden compass and map which was otherwise indistinguishable from a regular pencil.<br />
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The program was so secret that, decades later, Derwent pencil makers had to reverse-engineer how it was done, in a technique that was not as simple as you’d think.<br />
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There’s a giant pencil in the museum which holds a Guinness Book of Records award.<br />
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There’s also one of only two special pencils made for the Queen’s Jubilee (Queen Elizabeth II has the other one) and case upon case of pencil sets in all their deliciously bright, charming glory.<br />
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The Derwent Pencil Museum may appeal to kids, but I can’t help feeling the greatest allure is for adults.<br />
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We grown-ups are the ones soaking in the nostalgia of our childhood days of carefree colouring and untrammelled creation, before anyone pronounced judgement about whether we were any good.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93N1gWTueudg0LkeTG870-RBpUYThDO-_1anMJKpWiLRRSZtWbZW7HKNpjaEpGrj50oc9AvTEG261q0AKLe5recwZj_el8jW-ytyXsuELaY7ksK1DbKHUasntCLBw-JVizWgoGGeqgKxm/s1600/IMG_2961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1317" data-original-width="1046" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93N1gWTueudg0LkeTG870-RBpUYThDO-_1anMJKpWiLRRSZtWbZW7HKNpjaEpGrj50oc9AvTEG261q0AKLe5recwZj_el8jW-ytyXsuELaY7ksK1DbKHUasntCLBw-JVizWgoGGeqgKxm/s320/IMG_2961.JPG" width="254" /></a>The back room of the museum is adorned with beautiful drawings done in Derwent – of animals, landscapes and flora.<br />
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Tubs of both ordinary and watercolour pencils sit on tables, along with squares of art paper, inviting all to travel back to the creative days of our youth.<br />
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Using a photograph I’d taken of a forbidding looking swan at Windermere the day before, I succumbed to the urge.<br />
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I took up my colours and didn’t care that I’m no artist. I drew my little swan and I was happy.<br />
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<i>The Derwent Pencil Museum is located at Southey Works, Keswick, UK. Find opening hours and other details at its <a href="https://www.derwentart.com/en/gb/7523/derwent-pencil-museum" target="_blank">website</a>. </i><br />
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<i>You can also support Narrelle’s fiction (and get rewards!) at her Patreon: <a href="https://www.patreon.com/NarrelleMHarris" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/NarrelleMHarris</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-38016926394888582562018-06-23T13:56:00.001+10:002018-06-23T13:56:13.332+10:00Review: Sage Hotel Melbourne, Ringwood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>For this review I was hosted by the Sage Hotel Melbourne, Ringwood.</i><br />
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If you ask inner-city Melburnians what they think of the eastern suburb of Ringwood, be prepared for some wrinkling of noses. The district had a bad rep in years past, of being somewhere poor and dodgy.<br />
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So it was with some surprise that I stepped out of Ringwood train station yesterday, to find the area north of the railway had been transformed by the rebuilding of the Eastland shopping centre.<br />
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It's still very outer-suburban - a huge mall with plentiful chain stores - but the frontage has been transformed into an attractive public square lined by restaurants with outdoor seating.<br />
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Next to this is Realm, a new public building which includes the local library.<br />
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And on top of the shopping centre, though entered from the main road, is the new Sage Hotel.<br />
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It's an eye-opener. One doesn't expect much from suburban hotels, but the Sage is impressive by any standard.<br />
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My room is compact but attractive, with a sleek modern look. The big windows face the Dandenong Ranges, so there's a lot of natural light and a view beyond the nearby suburban streets.<br />
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The room has a practical set-up, with a useful desk and a straightforward bathroom area. The hanging zone for clothing is open and a bit constricted, but otherwise there's sufficient space to move.<br />
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Where the hotel really stands out is in its public areas. The area beyond reception is one big open space, artfully divided by long open-sided bookshelves stacked with works ranging from art volumes to thriller novels.<br />
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The largest area is a combination of lounge, bar and co-working space. Alongside the comfortable lounge chairs is a number of desks which guests can use, and which are also available for hire by business people wanting a temporary workspace.<br />
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Opposite the lounge area is the restaurant, Partake. This is another open space, with a range of tables from banquettes to high tables. There's some impressive art on the walls, and even more impressive food on the menu.<br />
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To give you an example, last night I had this for dessert: the raspberry and strawberry mess with meringue, crème légère and Persian fairy floss.<br />
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It was excellent, and a symbol perhaps of how much Ringwood has changed.<br />
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And with its proximity to the Dandenong Ranges and the Yarra Valley, the Sage Hotel has a lot to offer tourists, as well as business people and hungry locals.<br />
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<i>The Sage Hotel is located at 211 Maroondah Hwy, Ringwood, Australia. For more info and bookings, <a href="https://www.nexthotels.com/sage/ringwood-melbourne/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">visit its website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-45832654361925535222018-06-15T06:00:00.000+10:002018-06-15T06:00:06.668+10:00Hadrian's Wall by Bus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>On this trip I was hosted by Visit Britain.</i> <br />
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Last year <a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a> and I visited Hadrian's Wall, constructed in AD 122 by the Roman Empire in order to mark and guard its northernmost border.<br />
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You can hike the entire length of the wall, but that's a long way to walk - the trail runs 135 kilometres from eastern Wallsend to Bowness-on-Solway in the west. And the best section is in the middle, where the hilly country with its lower population has left much of the structure intact.<br />
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The solution for us was to catch the seasonal AD122 bus. The bus runs between the railway stations of Haltwhistle (in the west) and Hexham
(in the east), with easy connections to Carlisle and Newcastle.<br />
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As it stops at key sites along the wall, including museums and former forts, it makes the historic structure accessible to everyone, though there's still some walking to do from the bus stops to the wall itself.<br />
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Not everyone's up for a long walk, especially in such hilly country, so it's a good option for travellers who are less mobile.<br />
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In the end we did walk a section of the wall, taking a leisurely two hours to stroll up and down the sloping trail west from the fort site now known as Housesteads.<br />
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Once we'd had enough of that, we used a farm access road to get back to the main road, where we were happy to flag down the next bus. A day ticket allows multiple rides, and the bus will pick up anywhere that's safe along its route.<br />
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The walk was great, but we were happy to get back on the bus and use it to reach the ruins of the former Roman military town south of the wall, Vindolanda <i>[pictured above]</i>.<br />
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We used it the next day as well, to see some of the wall-related sites closer to Haltwhistle. It was a great way to explore Hadrian's Wall, and allow some walking without exhausting ourselves.<br />
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<i>For more details about the AD122 bus, <a href="http://hadrianswallcountry.co.uk/travel/bus" target="_blank">click here</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-70351120903771714392018-06-08T06:00:00.000+10:002018-06-08T06:00:10.625+10:00Mind Your PMQ: Hong Kong's Design Hub<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>I was hosted on this trip by the Hong Kong Tourism Board.</i> <br />
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When I visited Hong Kong last year, I spent an afternoon at PMQ.<br />
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Opened in 2014, this arts and design hub is housed within the former Police Married Quarters from the British colonial era.<br />
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The complex contains workshops, galleries, pop-up shops and food outlets, housed within two seven-storey blocks remaining from the original institution.<br />
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These wings are linked by a modern structure called QUBE, which has a rooftop garden.<br />
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It's interesting to wander around the complex, up and down between the floors. There's always something new to see in each shopfront.<br />
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For an article I was writing, I talked to some young designers who were able to get a start in otherwise-expensive central Hong Kong by taking on a shop in PMQ.<br />
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One, Coney Ko <i>[pictured left]</i>, designs and sells jewellery with a retro look reminiscent of Art Deco. Another, Yeung Chi, is an award-winning fashion designer.<br />
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It's a fascinating place to visit, both for its outlets and its heritage. To learn more about the latter, you can join a regular free PMQ Heritage Interpretation Guided Tour.<br />
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<i>For tour bookings and more information, visit the <a href="http://www.pmq.org.hk/" target="_blank">PMQ website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-4476358394226941492018-06-01T11:20:00.001+10:002018-06-01T11:20:26.127+10:00Nexus of Change: Gdańsk Shipyard, Poland<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQANwk5lHd6LvUSNxHsd4AN839uexN_xuMmH-IkSEqX3Rl4FypWF1LWrr6Uzt_YHlIaS-j2dV1BGYeY-5nvtzm8tkzBfHST-UpcskZ0geY4QxphlMXAZe7fokxq-HysAUOpWv7gN207ZVq/s1600/P5230810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQANwk5lHd6LvUSNxHsd4AN839uexN_xuMmH-IkSEqX3Rl4FypWF1LWrr6Uzt_YHlIaS-j2dV1BGYeY-5nvtzm8tkzBfHST-UpcskZ0geY4QxphlMXAZe7fokxq-HysAUOpWv7gN207ZVq/s320/P5230810.JPG" width="240" /></a><i>I visited Poland in 2016 courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.</i> <br />
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In 1980, the Solidarity trade union was founded at the Lenin Shipyard (later renamed the Gdańsk Shipyard) in Gdańsk, Poland.<br />
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Led by electrician Lech Wałęsa, Solidarity became the first independent trade union recognised in Eastern Europe's communist bloc, after a massive strike forced the Polish government to legalise it.<br />
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A decade of struggle, repression and civil disobedience followed, until the collapse of the Berlin Wall and of Europe's communist regimes.<br />
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The Wall's collapse can be traced back to Solidarity, its foundation having forced the first cracks into the totalitarian structure.<br />
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Nowadays the Gdańsk Shipyard is much reduced as a working facility. On part of its former footprint stands the European Solidarity Centre, opened in 2014 with an exhibition explaining the long struggle for freedom which began here.<br />
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I walked through it on my 2016 visit, and for a student of history it was fascinating. From mock-ups of communist-era homes and offices, to chilling details of the surveillance state, it gives a sense of what it was like to live through those times.<br />
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At the end of the exhibition is a stylised replica of the circular conference table which negotiated a peaceful end to the regime. I saw it as a symbol of hope. Not every tussle for power has to end in bloody civil war.<br />
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In addition to housing the Centre, the shipyard site has hosted major rock concerts to mark Solidarity's struggle, and its distinctive Gate Number Two has become a symbol of freedom.<br />
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The gate still stands, and makes an impressive architectural counterpoint to the hyper-modern ESC building.<br />
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In a time of political uncertainty across Europe, with democracy seemingly shaky, this site - so crucial in the spread of freedom across the continent - is well worth a visit.<br />
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<i>The European Solidarity Centre is open daily from 10am, admission </i><i><span class="" itemprop="priceRange">20zł ($7)</span>. For more details, <a href="http://www.ecs.gda.pl/" target="_blank">visit its website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-18716562188881051342018-05-25T12:21:00.001+10:002018-05-25T12:21:53.702+10:00"He Gave Joy": Visiting PG Wodehouse's Grave on Long Island, New YorkWhen <a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a> and I visited New York in September 2014, we spent our last full day out of the city.<br />
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Catching a train along the Long Island Railroad on a sunny Sunday morning, we alighted at Speonk station, which serves the locality of Remsenburg.<br />
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It was in Remsenburg that our favourite author, PG Wodehouse, had spent his final years, and we wanted to pay tribute to him with a little pilgrimage while we were in the vicinity.<br />
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Visiting Wodehouse-related sites as I travel had become something of a hobby. In 2011 I <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/retracing-wodehouses-war-2fpud" target="_blank">visited the prison in Poland</a> where he had been interned in World War Two; and earlier in 2014 I'd <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/back-to-berlin.html" target="_blank">had a drink at the Berlin hotel</a> where he was subsequently quartered. In 2012 I had joined a group of PG Wodehouse Society members on a memorable weekend excursion to Norfolk, UK, visiting places connected with his life and work.<br />
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I didn't know what to expect when we arrived at Remsenburg, and was pleasantly surprised to find a cafe in operation next to the train station:<br />
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When we stepped inside for coffee, we realised it actually <i>was</i> the station. Or more correctly, had once been the station until replaced by the windswept concrete platform a slight distance west.<br />
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The interior was decked out with reminders of its railway past:<br />
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When we mentioned our quest to our waitress, she pointed to a section of wall - and we were delighted to discover a framed photograph of Wodehouse (top right), strolling to the local post office to send a manuscript to his publisher:<br />
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It was heartening to see that PGW's local fame had not entirely subsided, some four decades after his death.<br />
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We walked to the Remsenburg Community Presbyterian Church, an attractive white wooden structure with a modest spire. It was a pleasant 20 minute stroll on a sunny day, along Phillips Avenue to its intersection with Country Road.<br />
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Though it was a residential area, there were plenty of trees along the walk, giving the area a serene, semi-rural feel. I could see why Wodehouse had chosen this place as a retreat late in life, after the scarring experience of his imprisonment and manipulation by the German military in World War Two.<br />
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As we crossed to the church a pair of cyclists paused courteously to let us pass, then we stopped at the front of the building to examine a large commemorative sign:<br />
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Detailing his life and work, it ended with the words "His gentle humour and superb mastery of the English language continue to bring joy to readers all over the world."<br />
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In the graveyard behind the church, we found his final resting place:<br />
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And on top, to one side, a small figure placed there by a fan, suggesting the Infant Samuel at Prayer. Plaster figures of Samuel are mentioned several times in Wodehouse's short stories and novels, often in an amusing light at odds with their apparent piety.<br />
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In my favourite Jeeves and Wooster novel, <i>The Code of the Woosters</i>, Bertie Wooster's Aunt Dahlia uses a figure of Samuel to relieve her anxiety about the possible loss of her superb chef, Anatole: <br />
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<i>She rose, and moved restlessly to the mantelpiece. I could see that she was looking for something to break as a relief to her surging emotions – what Jeeves would have called a palliative – and courteously drew her attention to a terra cotta figure of the Infant Samuel at Prayer. She thanked me briefly, and hurled it against the opposite wall.</i></blockquote>
So it was good to see an approximation of Samuel here, unsmashed and working away at the old stand (as Wodehouse would have put it):<br />
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At an initial loss of how to mark the occasion, Narrelle and I decided to read aloud a few of our favourite Wodehousean extracts (thank heaven for the Kindle app on our phones!).<br />
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So I read out part of the short story in which Bertie first hires Jeeves, then Narrelle read the funny poem <i>A Pastoral</i>; I continued with part of a Jeeves short story set in New York City; and Narrelle concluded with the amusing poem <i>Good Gnu</i>.<br />
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It was fun, and moving, and made us shed a few tears as well.<br />
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After a while we started walking back to the station, and met one of the cyclists who'd let us cross earlier. It turned out he was originally from Perth, which surprised me not at all - you find random Australians everywhere around the world, in the seemingly most unlikely places.<br />
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Living in the area, he was curious about our mission, and why so many people made the trek out to Long Island to visit Wodehouse's grave. I could tell he was unfamiliar with PGW's work, so I mumbled a few words about enjoying his books and we pushed on.<br />
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Looking back, however, I wished I'd expressed myself more fully. All I needed to do was to borrow three words inscribed at the base of his gravestone: "He gave joy."Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-4098338069220196232018-05-18T11:40:00.000+10:002018-05-18T11:40:50.888+10:00Signs of South AfricaI've just returned from South Africa with a sizeable dose of jetlag, so please excuse me if this week's post is short and sweet.<br />
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While being driven around urban South Africa, I took a photo of the occasional advertisement or other sign on the walls of buildings. <br /><br />
It struck me that the ads in South Africa resemble the country's cities - a melding of African and international. Have a look at these, and see if you agree...<br />
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<br />Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-76759891559614157212018-05-11T06:00:00.000+10:002018-05-11T06:00:05.003+10:00Saving the Rhino in South Africa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week our media tour, hosted by South African Tourism, spent two nights at the Madikwe Game Reserve in the far north of the country.<br />
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We saw an enthralling array of wild animals, many up close. On one occasion elephants walked right by our vehicle. I made a list of the creatures we saw over our three general nature drives, and it ran like this:<br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Buffalo</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lions (with a dead zebra)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Elephants</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rhinos</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Giraffes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">A jackal</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wild dogs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Impala</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kudu</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wildebeest</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Zebra</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Baboons</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">A crocodile</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">A hyena</span></li>
</ul>
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But the most impressive drive was the one which focused on one animal only: the rhinoceros.<br />
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These big animals are in grave danger of poaching; every year they're illegally hunted in reserves across Africa. One of the ways to forestall this is to create a precise biological record of each rhino, which maximises the chances of a successful prosecution of smugglers and poachers, and thereby acts as a deterrent.<br />
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We were told there had recently been a prosecution in nearby Swaziland in which a poacher had received a 29 year prison sentence, his fate sealed by the irrefutable biological evidence trail back to a specific rhino.<br />
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In Madikwe this initiative is funded largely by visitors to the reserve's various lodges, who make donations which are dedicated entirely to that purpose.<br />
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We were lucky enough to see the program in action.<br />
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This is how it worked. First, a helicopter went up to locate an untagged rhino. Then the vet with the team sedated the animal with a tranquilliser dart, and we scrambled to reach it as it went under.<br />
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At this point we were allowed to approach the sleeping animal and hand the vet the necessary jars for the samples of horn and blood to be placed into. It was remarkable to stand next to such a large, exotic creature, it seeming something like a small dinosaur at rest.<br />
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Once the procedure was over, the vet injected the rhino with an agent to reverse the sedation and it awoke almost instantly, lumbering off through the bush to be reunited with its companions.<br />
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It was a special experience, and hopefully one which will help make rhino poaching ever more difficult in South Africa. And it enabled us to get an unusually close look at one of the country's many amazing animals. <br />
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<i>We stayed at Jaci's Lodge, see <a href="http://www.jacislodges.co.za/" target="_blank">www.jacislodges.co.za</a>. For general information about Madikwe Game Reserve, see <a href="https://www.madikwegamereserve.co.za/" target="_blank">www.madikwegamereserve.co.za</a>. </i></div>
Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-75821561709505287742018-05-04T06:00:00.000+10:002018-05-04T06:00:09.786+10:00Penguins & Vineyards: Attractions Outside Cape Town, South AfricaI'm currently in South Africa with a media group, courtesy of South African Tourism, and we've started our journey in Cape Town.<br />
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It's a great city, with a lively waterfront area and a lot of personality. It's also surrounded by interesting attractions, some of which we visited on our first day in the city.<br />
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The Atlantic coast is particularly impressive. We started the day at Maidens Cove, west of the city...<br />
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... then ascended to Chapman's Peak, with an equally stunning view. That's not my bike in the photo by the way, I'd never make it up that far! Though there were plenty of cyclists on the road, surprising in such hilly country.<br />
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At Boulders Beach we met a colony of African Penguins. They used to be known as jackass penguins due to their braying cry, and we heard plenty of that as they waddled around. They're big birds too, probably twice the size of the famous penguins at Phillip Island near Melbourne.<br />
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At Muizenberg we hopped out of the minibus briefly to take a look at the colourful bathing boxes on the beach:<br />
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Heading east, we entered wine country. We had an interesting wine tasting session at the Spier winery, matching chocolate with the varietals...<br />
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... then lunch at Le Petite Ferme came with this view:<br />
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We finished the day with a visit to Drakenstein prison, the final place at which Nelson Mandela was imprisoned before his release by the apartheid-era government after 27 years behind bars. A statue of the great man has been erected outside the facility's entrance, immortalising his triumphant stance upon walking to freedom:<br />
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It was an inspirational place at which to finish our day trip. The next day we visited Robben Island, where Mandela spent most of his imprisonment, for a grimmer look at the experience of freedom fighters against apartheid. But that's a story for another day...Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-63208733707323316502018-04-27T06:00:00.000+10:002018-04-27T06:00:15.889+10:00Cafes of Bendigo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was in Bendigo last weekend for my brother John's wedding to his longtime partner Chris, so while I was there I thought I'd check out the cafe scene.<br />
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The regional city, 150km north of Melbourne, has a wealth of attractive gardens and buildings inherited from the gold rush era of the 19th century. Now it has a fine collection of cafes too. Here are four I visited...<br />
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<b>1. Cortillé</b>, <span class="LrzXr">322 Lyttleton Tce, Bendigo.</span><br />
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<span class="LrzXr">There<i>'s</i> a bunch of good cafes near the railway station on the west side of the CBD, and this is one of the best. The interior, spread through two shopfronts, is a light-filled space with bricks walls painted white, floral artwork on the walls, and comfortable modern furniture.</span><br />
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<span class="LrzXr">Its coffee comes from Axil Coffee Roasters, and it's great stuff. The cafe's food menu is divided into </span><span class="LrzXr">those famous three meals: </span><span class="LrzXr">Breakfast, Lunch, and Waffles. The most interesting breakfast dish is the scrambled tofu with kale and enoki mushrooms, and at lunch there are items ranging from Moroccan lamb to a vegan pad thai.</span><br />
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<span class="LrzXr"><b>2. Bay Leaf</b>, </span>102 Mitchell St, Bendigo.<br />
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This cafe with Greek-inspired dishes was my and Narrelle's favourite of the four places we visited.<br />
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Mediterranean cuisines are perfectly suited for adaptation to a brunch menu, with their sharp flavours and unfussy ingredients, and the crew at Bay Leaf have cleverly converted Greek standards by adding a few extras: for example, the traditional cheese and spinach pastry spanakopita becomes a breakfast dish by adding a poached egg.<br />
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My own 'big breakfast' was an assortment which included some spectacular slow-cooked beans and a zucchini-based fritter. Lovely food from a menu with plenty of vegetarian options.<br />
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<b>3. Get Naked Espresso</b>, 73 Mitchell St, Bendigo.<br />
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The '90s live again at this grungy cafe, which specialises in coffee rather than food. Its interior off Mitchell St is a pared-down space with old armchairs and quirky posters on the walls. But wait! Step through the back of the space and it opens onto a surprisingly vast outdoor area, which turns into the bar known as Handle Bar in the evening. <br />
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The coffee is from Honeybird Coffee Roasters, an outfit based in Mount Beauty, and it's excellent; though I wasn't that fussed by the double-shelled reusable plastic cups the coffee is served in if drinking on the premises. It keeps the coffee hot, but doesn't have the classic feel of ceramic.<br />
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The Mitchell Street premises is one of three, and ideal if you're after a quick caffeine jolt rather than a meal.<br />
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<b>4. Brewhouse</b>, 4<span class="LrzXr">02 Hargreaves St, Bendigo.</span><br />
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<span class="LrzXr">This is the biggest of the cafes we visited, with a rambling interior decorated by colourful graffiti-like images across its walls. On a Sunday it was heaving with groups of family and friends - including our post-wedding party across two long tables. The service seemed to falter under pressure, but the staff stayed cheerful.</span><br />
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<span class="LrzXr">Brewhouse roasts its own coffee and accompanies it with an extensive menu, so this is the place for a leisurely catch-up over brunch. I tried the Smashing Pumpkins: pumpkin and sage smash with feta, kale and dukkah, and scrambled eggs <i>[see image, top right]</i>. It was good, though personally I'll be happy when the kale trend passes and that bitter crunchy stuff can be taken off menus. </span><br />
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<span class="LrzXr">Narrelle ordered the Eat Your Greens dish, which matched eggs with asparagus, broccolini, green beans, spinach, avocado, and pumpkin hummus. It was very green. And good.</span><br />
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<i><span class="LrzXr">For more info on visiting Bendigo, see <a href="https://www.bendigotourism.com/" target="_blank">Bendigo Tourism's website</a>.</span></i><br /><span class="LrzXr"></span>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-68422016035135233822018-04-17T06:00:00.000+10:002019-03-29T11:58:03.049+11:00Reviews: Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2018 (Part 2)It's the final week of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, and <a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a> and I have seen more shows. Here are our final two reviews for 2018...<br />
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<b>1. Ladylike: A Modern Guide to Etiquette</b><br />
Reviewed by Narrelle Harris<br />
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In her vintage frock, high heeled bubblegum pink shoes and be-ribboned blonde hair, Louise Beuvink presents as the epitome of womanliness. Then she kicks the shoes off, because who can wear those for an hour without crushing foot pain?<br />
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There's a fine tradition of salty women puncturing the ridiculous social standards to which women (and men) are held. With her easy tips for entertaining, how to stay beautiful for your man, and how to keep a smile on your face at all times, Louise Beuvink joins the ranks of the best of them.<br />
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Along the way we meet Drunk Louise and a vividly awkward scenario involving a cup in which she seizes the day, a woman's guide to cricket, and musical tips to help ladies get their needs satisfied.<br />
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My favourite section is a long riff on how women are <i>so</i> emotional and the flipside of the "Friendzone". A few lines are delivered too quickly, reducing the laughs, but most of the time she rollicks along with the audience right alongside her.<br />
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<i>Ladylike</i> is Louise Beuvink's MICF debut and it's robust, full of biting humour, and just a spicy touch of rage. <br />
<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2018/shows/ladylike-a-modern-guide-to-etiquette" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2018/shows/ladylike-a-modern-guide-to-etiquette" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a><br />
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<b>2. Summer Camp</b><br />
Reviewed by Tim Richards<br />
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Steve Bugeja doesn't seem the perfect role model for kids, especially the 18 year old version he reflects on in this show. Nerdy and squeaky-voiced, young Bugeja was an unconfident teenager when he went to the USA eight years ago to work at a summer camp for autistic children. Assigned to a challenging child named CJ, he struggled to cope with his role.<br />
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There's a lot of awkwardness in this show, but it's not at the expense of CJ; the kid did some funny and unpredictable stuff that made adults embarrassed, but Bugeja paints him as a happy, untroubled soul. The comedian himself is the butt of the joke, as he relates how he tried to figure out the best responses with minimal training.<br />
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Being a geeky young guy among more confident peers means he was also competing for the affections of a female colleague and being outshone at every turn. Unlucky as the young Steve was in love, however, the adult version is a likeable storyteller and his mishaps generate plenty of laughs.<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2018/shows/steve-bugeja-1" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a><br />
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That's
our final coverage for this year's festival. Hope you had some laughs!
Back to the regular schedule of travel-related posts next week.
Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-2140599105593610622018-04-14T11:26:00.001+10:002018-04-14T11:41:57.667+10:00Reviews: Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2018 (Part 1)The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is on again, and <a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a> and I have been seeing shows. Here's our first set of reviews for 2018...<br />
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<b>1. Good</b><br />
Reviewed by Tim Richards<br />
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I wish I had a dollar for every comedian I've seen who dumped a career in law for a career onstage. Tom Cashman is another one on the list, and his story about a dire interview with a law firm convinces me he made the right choice.<br />
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Cashman is a funny guy who combines the physicality of a skinny nerd (and cartoonish raised eyebrows) with the confidence that comes from not having been bullied at school; he says he went to a nerdy institution and never learned to cower. <br />
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The theme of Cashman's show is his attempts to be good, but that's a slight premise for an act that's largely observational stand-up. He has entertaining stories to relate about awkward escapades in his past, including the time he ogled a couple making out on Sydney's Oxford Street, the time he needed to have quiet sex, and the time he had a very unfortunate encounter with a treadmill. <br />
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There's the odd joke that falls flat - some of his sexual material is tacky rather than funny - but Cashman is an amusing new comedian. It'd be interesting to see him tackle a show with a more substantial theme.<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2018/shows/good" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a> <br />
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<b>2. Don't Worry They're Here</b><br />
Reviewed by Narrelle Harris<br />
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John Kearns wears a tonsured wig (he won't tell us why) and false buck teeth reminiscent of those of Gromit's hapless owner Wallace. He has the air of that world-weary, slightly aggressive older blue collar worker at the back of the pub, intent on sharing his take on life with you. You're almost certain that at some point you're going to be horribly offended, yet you'll have to politely endure.<br />
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Luckily, John Kearns turns out to not be that kind of philosopher. <br />
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Instead, he delivers an hour of seemingly unconnected pugnacious-melancholic philosophy, pleading with us to seize life's fleeting joys. He's full of non-sequiturs and warns that 40% of us will be disappointed by his show, "but I'll take those odds".<br />
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Kearns may seem to ramble, but he returns to themes and references, employing bathos and absurdism to low-key yet surprising effect.<br />
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His style is odd and thoughtful. While not filled from wall to (as he says, reassuringly dependable concrete) wall with laughs, it's a refreshing comedic take.<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2018/shows/john-kearns" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here] </a><br />
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<b>3. The Bear Pack</b><br />
Reviewed by Tim Richards<br />
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Improvised comedy can be bad. Very bad. Or maybe, when the performers know what they're doing, very good. Lucky for us, performing duo Steen Raskopoulos and Carlo Ritchie are in control of their created-on-the-spot art as they work with two topics tossed to them by audience members: a sinking ship, and a pickle.<br />
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What follows is an absurd tale of a second mate leaving a stricken ship for help, and being led across a mysterious island to a throne room where a malevolent king turns out to be a gherkin in disguise. This silly stuff is expertly given a soundtrack by Ange Lavoipierre, sitting onstage and playing the cello.<br />
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The plot matters less than the opportunities it presents for the actors to challenge and test each other, often pushing into awkward territory: setting up a situation where one of the actors has to play two conversing characters at the same time, for example; or one performer fleeing the stage for a snack break while leaving the other to carry the show.<br />
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It's a fun hour of unpredictable story-telling, and well scheduled at 11pm as a wind-down from more cerebral work earlier in the evening. And each night's story is, of course, unique.<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2018/shows/the-bear-pack" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a><br />
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More reviews next week. Enjoy the festival!
Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-5893618071688172762018-04-06T06:00:00.000+10:002018-04-06T06:00:39.436+10:00Eerie Masuria: Revisiting the Wolf's Lair, Poland<i>I visited Poland in 2016 courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.</i><br />
<i> </i> <br />
In Poland's northeast lies the beautiful region of Masuria.<br />
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It's a land of lakes and forests, but also has a dark past. When it was part of Germany in World War II, this was where Adolf Hitler sited his HQ for the invasion of the Soviet Union.<br />
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It was given the overly dramatic name of The Wolf's Lair (<i>Wolfsschanze</i> in German, <i>Wilczy Szaniec</i> in Polish).<br />
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Only partly destroyed before the Nazi retreat from the Red Army, the once-hidden forest base is now an eerie collection of monumental broken concrete bunkers among the trees; along with a monument to Von Stauffenberg's 1944 attempt to assassinate Hitler <i>(see the first photo below)</i>.<br />
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The site is a fascinating wartime relic, but also an eerie place to visit, walking among the huge shattered structures.<br />
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I first visited the Wolf's Lair in the depths of a Polish winter, when the ruins were covered with snow; then two years ago, I revisited in spring, when they seemed no less strange surrounded by vibrant greenery.<br />
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Here's what I found on my second visit...<br />
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By chance, on both visits (ten years apart), I was met by the same guide, Jadwiga - you can see her in the photo above. If you're ever visiting Masuria and need an English-speaking guide, I recommend hiring her services. You can contact Jadwiga by email, by <a href="mailto:jagoda10@poczta.onet.pl" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.<br />
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And as a bonus, here's another shot of Bunker 13 - Hitler's personal bunker - from my first visit in March 2006, when The Wolf's Lair felt like a very cold and lonely place indeed...<br />
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Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-76143625949972989202018-03-30T06:00:00.000+11:002018-03-30T06:00:06.406+11:00The Historic Tree of Albury, Australia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Between Christmas and New Year's Eve last year, <a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle</a> and I stayed in Albury for a few days.<br />
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To anyone fascinated by borders (as I am), Albury is an interesting place. It lies on the north bank of the Murray River, which is the boundary between New South Wales and Victoria.<br />
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On the south bank, Wodonga is its Victorian twin; together they form a busy regional centre of about 100,000 people.<br />
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We arrived at Albury's impressive railway station <i>(see photo, top right)</i> via the XPT train which runs twice daily between Melbourne and Sydney.<br />
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It's a grand edifice partly because of its lofty station building, which marked its importance in the 19th century as the crossing point between colonies.<br />
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Another impressive aspect is its very long platform, a product of the insanity by which each colony had different rail gauges. Until 1962, passengers on the Melbourne-Sydney journey had to change trains here, crossing from one side of the platform to the other.<br />
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We walked to our accommodation at the Best Western Hovell Tree Inn, on the western edge of the city centre near the banks of the Murray. The river here is fringed by a beautiful section of parkland, the Noreuil Park Foreshore, a lovely place to walk and a credit to the city.<br />
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Nearby is Hovell Tree Park. One day Narrelle and I were sitting at a barbecue area there, eating something we'd bought from a bakery across the road, when I found myself wondering what and where exactly <i>was</i> this Hovell Tree?<br />
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So I walked across the grass toward the river and found the tree!<br />
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It was marked by the explorers Hume and Hovell on 17 November 1824, on their epic expedition from Appin, south of Sydney, all the way to Corio Bay near where Geelong now stands.<br />
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This journey took place over a decade before Melbourne was founded, so much of this terrain was unknown to the white newcomers to Australia, though had been inhabited for millennia by Aboriginal peoples.<br />
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They were apparently surprised to encounter such an impressive river as the Murray, and had to jerry-rig a boat using a tarpaulin, in order to cross it.<br />
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The rest of the trip was equally eventful, with many difficulties involving the crossing of rivers and mountains, with occasional backtracking; you can read about it <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hume_and_Hovell_expedition" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Anyway, it was interesting to discover a fragment of colonial history across from our hotel, almost by accident. I felt a bit like an explorer myself.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-28751085420137323992018-03-23T06:00:00.000+11:002018-03-23T06:00:38.586+11:00Bratislava Diaries, Part 3: Curious Statuary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Here's the final instalment from my recently unearthed diary entries about a visit some years ago to Bratislava, capital city of Slovakia...</i><br />
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I encounter some odd recently-placed statues on my way through the Old Town today.<br />
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This seems to be a Central Europe trademark, whimsical bits of statuary interacting with the cityscape. <br />
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First there’s a moustachioed guy dipping his top hat, then a delightful paparazzo statue leaning around a corner with a long lens, eternally snapping the outdoor sippers at a street cafe. <br />
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Then finally, and most famously, the guy who looks like he’s down a manhole, though he’s leaning on its rim and having a rest. There’s even a sort of ‘man at work’ sign next to him.<br />
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Like a lot of Central European decor, these statues fit within their context, rather than seeming as cute as they might elsewhere. <br />
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It’s sad to realise that communism would never have put up anything like these – that in even in this cheeky, lightweight, irreverent humour there would have been a threat to its existence. Tragic that even humour couldn’t be tolerated. Or, more precisely, the individuality behind the humour and individual reactions.<br />
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I duck down an arcade full of fashionable clothing boutiques, to emerge next to U Jakuba.<br />
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I’d been looking out for this – an old-fashioned cafeteria of the type that once fed the proletariat in the communist days. And in fact, feeds all kinds of workers now. <br />
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It’s about time for lunch, so I go in, grab a tray and cutlery and join the queue. Reaching the counter, I pull the “I’ll have what she’s having” trick, and end up with what must be the lunch special – a schnitzel, mashed potato and pickles. <br />
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It’s excellent, simple food – and only costs me about $6.<br />
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Just down the road I hit a square, Námestie SNP. In the centre is a set of statues: a man in a robe with a rifle, and two women standing behind him.<br />
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Erected (I guess) in the communist era, it commemorates the Slovaks’ national revolt against Nazi rule in 1944. For such an emotional event, the blocky statuary seems strangely lifeless, lacking dynamism. <br />
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Though communism lacked a sense of humour, it is itself an enormous font of material for comedic treatment. Anything that took itself so very seriously is naturally asking for it. <br />
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And so it is that mock communist nostalgia bars have blossomed across the former Eastern Bloc. Bratislava’s version is a bar named KGB.<br />
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Descending to a basement off a busy pedestrian strip, I admire a portrait of Stalin flanked by US and Soviet flags and an electronic darts machine, then enjoy a good Slovak beer just across from a bust of a lecturing Lenin.<br />
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And so to the Slovak Radio building, my final communist-era highlight of the day. <br />
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It’s amazing, a huge rust-coloured inverted pyramid containing multiple floors of radio workers, each level wider than the next. <br />
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Perhaps this was a communist comment about overturning hierarchies? Whatever, it’s so absurd that I'm grinning as I take a photo of it. The structure is absurdly typical of what I expect from that era's architecture. <br />
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The communists mostly did bland, but every so often they’d go crazy and do absolutely, absurdly, ridiculously, impractically, over-the-top stuff like this. <br />
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No-one’s going to miss them, but at least they’ve left behind some relics from which we can get a good laugh.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-31119356380074758622018-03-16T06:00:00.000+11:002018-03-16T06:00:09.928+11:00Bratislava Diaries, Part 2: Boarding the UFO<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Here's the next instalment from my recently unearthed diary entries about a visit some years ago to Bratislava, capital city of Slovakia... </i><br />
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Across a bridge above a busy highway, a quick right... and suddenly I’m transported back centuries to the Old Town. <br />
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The narrow laneway leading to Michael’s Gate is an effective filter between the two worlds, funnelling me through an archway onto a gently sloping cobblestoned street.<br />
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Not far from here I find Čokoládovňa pod Michalom.<br />
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Up to now I’ve been noticing the similarities between Poland and Slovakia... but now I’m reminded again of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Vienna just 60km away with its tradition of coffee houses and cakes.<br />
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It’s too hot to sit inside, so I sit under the canopy that’s been erected in the middle of the street, one of a series of mini ‘beer gardens’. <br />
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The first page of the menu has dozens of varieties of hot chocolate, more fanciful as you get down the page. They range from Grand Cru (70% cocoa with a touch of vanilla) to the fanciful Sudanese (coconut, orange, honey, whipped cream). <br />
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I request a slight alteration to the Grand Cru, adding orange. When it arrives, it’s a revelation. Not only is the chocolate so thick and rich you need to eat it with a spoon; but the orange is actually pieces of orange. Delicious. Some might say it’s too hot for hot chocolate, but not me.<br />
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I also notice a lot of whipped cream in the menu items, something I always think of as an Austro-Hungarian emblem. Then, because I’m curious about the non-chocolate items, I order a heated apple juice, with absinthe, cinnamon and lemon <i> (see photo above)</i>. Wise?<br />
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Beyond the compact splendours of the Old Town, I’m dedicated to exploring the wonders of the communist era. The first stop is, naturally, the ‘UFO’ atop the New Bridge. <br />
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It’s extraordinary. I mean, it’s one thing to build an observation platform, but to decide to build it on top of a bridge, its saucer-shaped platform supported by two tall beams that lend it the name ‘UFO on a stick’? <br />
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As always with the communists’ more extreme flights of fancy, what were they thinking? It’s as if even anything frivolous, like a viewing platform, had to be attached to something functional, eg a bridge.<br />
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I approach from the Old Town, crossing the defiantly green Blue Danube along the pedestrian walkway slung beneath the traffic. Then it’s up up up via a lift inside the eastern support pillar. <br />
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From a rather swish modern foyer, one then climbs a few flights of stairs to the open area on the top. And it’s here that you get a good understanding of the different facets of Bratislava. <br />
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Stand facing north across the river, and the orange-brown tiles of the Old Town beckon, with hints of its winding alleys interrupted by the spires of churches. The castle, of course, is dramatically poised on the hill to the west.<br />
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Turn around and face south, however, and it’s a different story. Beyond modern offices and shopping malls stretches the Petržalka district, a vast collection of huge concrete boxes that look identical. <br />
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On the hazy horizon just beyond them are the unmistakeable pipes and vents of industry. It’s like heaven and hell, dramatically speaking; certainly I’ve never seen such immediate contrast in any city, even the Polish ones.<br />
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After I’ve had my fill of the view among the gaggle of German tourists, I descend to the bar off the foyer.<br />
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There’s nothing communist-era about this; it’s been renovated to cutting edge 21st century standards: stylish low chairs, a lot of white, a gleaming well-stocked bar. And as is inevitable with these places, a fairly steep drinks list. <br />
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The place also quivers slightly in the breeze, but not too alarmingly. I drink a $5 <i>doppio</i>, enjoy the view, watch the beautiful people drinking at the bar, then descend once more to the bridge.<br />
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It’s a hot day in Bratislava, well over 30 degrees with a dash of humidity, which means the covered beer gardens down here at human level are doing a good trade.<br />
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<i><b>Next post:</b> The strange statues of Bratislava...</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-21178823646403267662018-03-09T06:00:00.000+11:002018-03-09T06:00:36.304+11:00Bratislava Diaries, Part 1: Castle to Clocks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Browsing old files on my laptop, I came across notes I'd written about my visit a few years ago to Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia. </i><br />
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<i>I'd intended them to be the backbone of an article, but sadly I never wrote about the city.</i><br />
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<i>So here they are, with but a light edit to preserve their immediacy. Join me, just arrived by train from the Tatra Mountains on the Polish border...</i><br />
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So here I am in the Slovak capital. Hadn’t intended to come, but my schedule was a few days ahead in the end and it made sense.<br />
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Slid into the main station yesterday and immediately had a taste of the crumbling architecture of the communist years. The station is a bit shabby, as are the trains, but there’s a splendid mosaic in the main hall featuring folks in shirtsleeves watching <i>Sputnik</i> pass overhead – a sort of a modern Bayeux Tapestry.<br />
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Tram to apartment passed some fairly hideous concrete government buildings, then deposited me on crumbling pavement in residential district just outside city centre. Rented apartment has all the usual amenities: hard sofa bed to sleep on, dodgy hot water, not enough furniture. Handy for tram though.<br />
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It was a Sunday so I decided on an initial walk from heights of the castle down through the Old Town beneath it; a logical route followed by many in the old days, I’m sure.<br />
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But it was 30 degrees by mid-morning – no way was I walking up that hill if it could be avoided, so caught a bus.<br />
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This landed me on the quiet western side of the castle, and as I walked back toward it, my attention was caught by a modern white building on the right, its concourse promising lofty views.<br />
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I walked to the edge and was rewarded by a view down over the UFO, a strange circular observation deck built high above the structure of a 1970s bridge. But more of that later.<br />
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Turning back, I noticed a number of Slovak and EU flags fluttering above an artificial waterfall in front of the building, along with a statue of a woman handing out flowers as if she were Eliza Doolittle.<br />
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I realised this was the Slovak parliament, the seat of government for a Slovakia independent for the first time ever.<br />
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I felt warmly toward it, its fluttering flags and statue, as I’d felt warmly toward the compact presidential palace I’d spotted from the bus stop earlier, probably the haunt of some minor Austro-Hungarian noble in the old days.<br />
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I like these small Central European countries, they remind me of <i>Tintin</i>'s Syldavia.<br />
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To the castle, less decorative than usual but still rather impressive – a big brown rigidly geometric number on the hilltop, with four towers holding together a square with absolutely straight walls.<br />
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Wandered around inside the attractive grounds before beginning my descent, met some Malaysian guys on the way, had a chat about the heat. Finally put on sunblock. <br />
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The way down was via impressive castle gates leading to narrow winding streets on the side of the hill.<br />
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I stopped at the Blue Star, a tavern on the way whose menu boasted centuries of intrigue: politicians and nobles of the imperial days, meeting here to chew things over. After a Zlatý Bažant beer I felt looser, relaxed, able to keep going.<br />
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Stopped at the Clocks Museum, within a tall, narrow house on an intersection, in what was the Jewish quarter in pre-WWII times.<br />
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Incredibly dangerous stairs, but led up to small rooms filled with intricate timepieces. There were some intriguing pieces from an age mixing gilt baroque angels with then-new technology<br />
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They included a clock with the four stages of life carved on its surf, ending with a skull indicating death. Something to cheer you up on those cold winter evenings.<br />
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<i><b>Next post:</b> I ascend to the UFO...</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-54997808297019645342018-02-28T15:34:00.000+11:002018-02-28T15:34:24.509+11:00Visiting the Russian Woodpecker near Chernobyl, Ukraine<i>An article featuring my 2016 visit to the derelict Duga-1 radar base in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone was rewritten when the publisher wanted a different focus. So here’s my original description of the former Soviet radar base, for your enjoyment…</i><br />
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The eeriest moment on our overnight tour of Chernobyl happens not at the infamous reactor site, which exploded in 1986 and spewed radioactive waste into the sky. <br />
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Instead it’s at ‘Chernobyl 2’, a code-name used by Soviet authorities to hide an even more sensitive facility. For hidden within the forest was a huge radar installation guarding against an incoming missile launch. <br />
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It’s just one of several strange places visited on the tour, all abruptly deserted after the 1986 accident. <br />
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Clearly, this is not the itinerary of your average tourist jaunt. However, in recent years the Ukrainian government has allowed tour companies to take small groups into the 30 kilometre exclusion zone around the doomed reactor complex. <br />
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The company that’s hosting me, Chernobyl Tour, was founded by one of the emergency workers who helped clean up the site in the 1980s. Most of its customers visit on a day trip from Kiev, two hours away; but there’s the option of a two-day tour, which means a sleepover and more sites to visit.<br />
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The exclusion zone contains more than the radar base and the reactor complex with the ruined Reactor 4 under its protective shelter.<br />
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Numerous villages were also abandoned, along with the cities of Chernobyl and Pripyat. In many ways the villages are the saddest places to explore, with their collapsed houses and empty schools, still scattered with belongings including children’s toys.<br />
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The radar complex, formally known as Duga-1 but nicknamed the Russian Woodpecker for its endless clicking sounds when operational, is another memorable site.<br />
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It’s a spooky place, reached by turning off the main road past a dilapidated bus shelter painted with cartoon animals – part of its Cold War cover as the supposed location of a children’s holiday camp.<br />
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At the end of a bumpy road of concrete slabs is a huge radar array. Over 150m high and stretching for 800m along a forest clearing, it’s a complex structure of metal girders and components.<br />
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And it creaks in the wind, a creepy sound in a dead-quiet grove in the middle of nowhere. The sounds of the paranoid past, haunting the present.<br />
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<i>Tim Richards was hosted by Chernobyl Tour. You can find details of its tours and make bookings at <a href="http://chernobyl-tour.com/" target="_blank">chernobyl-tour.com</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-43274892721520192852018-02-23T06:00:00.000+11:002018-02-23T06:00:40.211+11:00Mysteries of French IslandI was recently hosted on a tour of French Island, in Western Port Bay southeast of Melbourne. This was a test run for a new series of tours being offered in conjunction with the ferry service which links the island to the mainland.<br />
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This was an intriguing invitation. Though it's long been possible to reach the island by ferry, there was no way to get around once there. There's no public transport on French Island, and its road surfaces aren't ideal for cycling.<br />
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I knew only a little of the history of the island; specifically that it was named in 1802 upon the visit of the French ship <i>Naturaliste</i>, part of the Baudin expedition to Australia. Other than that, it was a closed book to me.<br />
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The first thing I saw after disembarking the ferry was this impressive 4WD vehicle which Naturaliste Tours had purchased to penetrate to the most difficult parts of the island, which is largely a national park:<br />
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There's a lot of interesting wildlife on French Island. On our way to its southeast corner we passed this difficult to see echidna, shuffling along in the grass by the side of the road:<br />
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Then we broke out from bush into this large open space, an abandoned farm which had an eerie desolate air, with its empty farmhouse and old (but recently re-roofed) chicory kiln:<br />
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Near a nearby rocky beach, our guide pointed out many discarded shells, remnants of millennia of Aboriginal use of the foreshore:<br />
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On our way to French Island Vineyards, we spotted a koala up a tree:<br />
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The winery was a decorative contrast to all this wild nature, and we sampled some its wines while having lunch:<br />
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We finished our tour with a visit to the striking wetlands at the other end of the island, proof of the variety of its landscapes:<br />
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Then it was onto the return ferry to Stony Point on the mainland, and two trains back to Melbourne's CBD. Well worth the trip, and a fascinating insight into a lesser-known island on the city's doorstep.<br />
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<i>Details of Naturaliste Tours' French Island tours can be found by <a href="http://naturalistetours.com.au/" target="_blank">visiting its website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-9963342643419379952018-02-16T06:00:00.000+11:002018-02-16T06:00:39.861+11:00A Travel Reading Holiday in Lorne (Part 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Every couple of years I take a short summer holiday in the seaside town of Lorne <i>(see above photo)</i>, and do a lot of travel reading.<br />
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Last post I talked about two travel books I read there in late 2017, each regarding Africa. Now here are two more reviews of travel books among my holiday reading, set in South America and Europe...<br />
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1. <a href="http://amzn.to/2Dm6apP" target="_blank"><b>Turn Right at Machu Picchu</b></a>; by Mark Adams<br />
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The basic premise here is that Adams, an adventure travel magazine editor who rarely gets to do anything adventurous, decides to conquer the Inca Trail. in fact he goes much further than this, seeking to replicate the exploratory quests of Hiram Bingham a century ago.<br />
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It was Bingham who visited Machu Picchu and popularised its existence in the West, but he also explored several other significant sites over the following years. In the course of the book Adams visits these while detailing Bingham's expeditions, providing us with parallels between then and now.<br />
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It's an entertaining set-up, particularly as the writer is no hardened hiker; it makes it easy for us to identify with him when he struggles with the journey's demands.<br />
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The most entertaining element by far is the Aussie guide enlisted by Adams, an eccentric hardened bushman who seems like a real-life version of Crocodile Dundee; just as Bingham was said to have inspired Indiana Jones.<br />
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This was a thoroughly good read about a destination I'm not familiar with.<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2B7gJIn" target="_blank">[see this book at Amazon]</a> <br />
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2. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Border-Journey-Europe-Kapka-kassabova-ebook/dp/B06VWVW8PD/" target="_blank"><b>Border</b></a>; by Kapka Kassabova <br />
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Finally I struck a book with a style of travel more in tune with my own.<br />
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Kassabova is a Brit who was born in Bulgaria during the Cold War. In this book, she flits along and over the borders between three Balkan countries: Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey. Along the way she explores the history and folklore of the region, as much at home with relating ancient myths as detailing 20th century events.<br />
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This work had much less of the driving linear narrative that was present in the other travel books I read on my Lorne getaway. Instead, the author moves here and there, back and forth, sometimes staying in one village for an extended time.<br />
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As a result the book reads like a series of vignettes based on specific villages or border sub-regions, with local people and landscapes at their heart.<br />
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It's not as much a page-turner as a traditional travelogue, but <i>Border</i> does lend a lot of insight into the far southeast corner of Europe and the cultural and historical forces which have shaped it.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Border-Journey-Europe-Kapka-kassabova-ebook/dp/B06VWVW8PD/" target="_blank">[see this book at Amazon]</a> <br />
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That was my Lorne reading list in 2017. What should I read on my next tech-free travel reading holiday? Feel free to make suggestions in the comments section below.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-75951611926878591992018-02-09T06:00:00.000+11:002018-02-09T06:01:07.552+11:00A Travel Reading Holiday in Lorne (Part 1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Every couple of years I take a short summer holiday in Lorne, on the Great Ocean road here in Victoria, Australia.<br />
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It's always a few days about two weeks before Christmas, as that's a period before the festive season rush; when room rates drop while everything in the seaside town opens.<br />
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As I've done before, I made it a tech-free break, putting the phone in a drawer once I'd checked into the hotel. The objective - in addition to swimming and walking - was to read as many books as possible.<br />
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So here are some reviews of my travel-themed reading, starting with two books about Africa...<br />
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1. <a href="http://amzn.to/2DA8cjU" target="_blank"><b>Walking the Nile</b></a>; by Levison Wood<br />
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There's something slightly irritating about this adventurer who decides to walk the entire length of the Nile, from Rwanda to the Mediterranean. He exudes a subtle air of outdated British imperial folly, perhaps, though he is good mates with the Africans he employs as guides along the way.<br />
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There's something meaningless about the goal, though it does lead him through an interesting variety of landscapes and nations, and into difficult encounters which make for dramatic reading. One specific episode within this true story is shocking in its outcome, and nearly brought the walk to an end.<br />
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In fact the Nile is never fully walked, as Lervison is forced to skip a section of South Sudan after civil conflict comes too close for comfort. And Egypt, the final country, is something of a damp squib as his progress there is so closely monitored and regulated by the authorities.<br />
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Having said that, it is an entertaining journey which reveals a lot about the cultures encountered and landscapes crossed. <br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2FGE4En" target="_blank">[see this book at Amazon]</a> <br />
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2. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Last-Train-Zona-Verde-Overland-ebook/dp/B00AM7E6WE/" target="_blank"><b>The Last Train to Zona Verde</b></a>; by Paul Theroux<br />
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Some people aren't fans of Paul Theroux's travel writing, as they detect a cold misanthropy in his on-the-road observations. I'm not sure about that. It seems to me he is fact deeply invested in the places and people he encounters, but has a naturally detached way of relating them.<br />
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He also has a knack of getting people to speak to him, which seems the opposite of misanthropic.<br />
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In this follow-up journey to an earlier book about an overland trip from Cairo to Cape Town, he travels from Cape Town to Angola and talks to plenty of people along the way: shanty dwellers in South Africa, elephant handlers in Botswana, San tribesmen in Namibia, random strangers in Angola.<br />
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What Theroux doesn't do is suffer fools gladly, and if he takes a dislike to someone or something you know it. He's not a fan of Western culture in its incarnations as mass tourism or rapacious capitalism, and he's particularly scornful of international aid agencies.<br />
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He doesn't mind giving African people a serve over their societal shortcomings either, which can make for uncomfortable reading; though he's just as scathing of Europeans who fail his measures of decency.<br />
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The journey itself is fascinating, especially since Angola in particular is little visited by Westerners; partly because of its dependence on its misused (in Theroux's eyes) oil wealth. Indeed, it's in Angola that the trip - originally aimed at reaching the Mediterranean - falls apart and is abandoned.<br />
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Theroux, as if feeling awkward about not completing his stated quest, spends far too much time justifying himself at the end of the book. It didn't bother me; the journey as it was was intriguing, and I would've myself dropped out after the first difficult Angolan day.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Last-Train-Zona-Verde-Overland-ebook/dp/B00AM7E6WE/" target="_blank">[see this book at Amazon]</a><br />
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<i><b>Next:</b> Two more reviews - one of a hapless hike through the Andes, the other about the mysteries of a three-nation border region...</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-6153898497716289342018-02-02T06:00:00.000+11:002018-02-02T06:00:50.792+11:00Clifton's: LA's Retro Cafeteria Lives Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>From 1935 to 2011, Clifton's Cafeteria served meals on Los Angeles' Broadway as the LA Downtown went from boom to bust, then gradually became fashionable again. </i><br />
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<i>I visited the legendary eatery in 2015, when I was being hosted by <a href="https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Discover LA</a>. It had just reopened after extensive renovations, intended to update it for the 21st century while not losing too much of its retro appeal.</i><br />
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<i>Here's what I found...</i><br />
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Clifton's attractive retro exterior gives way to a wild interior. Simple wooden tables are set on four cascading levels, tiered as if placed on a hidden hillside. <br /><br />Each of these terraces has a rough-hewn look, with massive timber logs holding up the roof and criss-crossing each other.<br />
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This faux forest look is enhanced by murals of more trees, and pot plants scattered between the tables. There's also a big fake bear above the entrance, captured in mid-growl.<br /><br />
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Facing the bear is a rough castle facade, and a staircase leading up to a bar area.<br />
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All this cheesy splendour is backed up by the soundtrack, a selection of mid-20th century popular songs: <i>All of Me</i>, <i>You Ain't Got That Swing</i>, various jazz tunes.<br /><br />The bar area is impressive, the void in its centre dominated by a hollow tree trunk rising up several storeys.<br />
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Beyond the crazy tree there's more of the feel of a Western saloon, with waistcoated bartenders pouring drinks to customers seated on bar stools, or lounging in armchairs. <br /><br />The downstairs cafeteria is the prime focus, however.<br />
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In addition to its outlandish decor, Clifton's was famous for not turning anyone away, subsidising the meals of those who couldn't afford to pay.<br />
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There's still an original water feature by the entrance with a plaque asking people to toss in coins to help the needy.<br /><br />Past the tables, diners enter the kitchen area, which is laid out like a food hall with separate counters serving burgers, roast meats, salads, deli-style sandwiches and desserts.<br />
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You collect what you fancy, then pay for the lot at one of the tills on the way back to the tables.<br />
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If the tray is a bit unwieldy or too heavy to carry up the stairs to a table, one of the energetic resident busboys in their striped shirts will take it there for you.<br /><br />Even when I call in on a Monday afternoon it's extraordinary how much energy there is in the place - from the lively music, the busboys hurtling to and fro, and the buzz of conversation from diners stimulated by the over-the-top decor.<br />
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Attempting to assemble a vegetarian meal (not so easy, considering the meat-heavy menu), I select three side dishes from the burger counter - a bowl of sauteed vegetables, a serve of mac and cheese, and a serve of fries.<br />
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Not entirely healthy, but tasty in combination, with a sachet of hot sauce drizzled over the mac and cheese.<br /><br />This is teamed with a large, chilled glass of lemonade, a drink the Americans do inordinately well. It has just the right balance of sweet and sour, with a refreshing crisp chill. Perfect.<br /><br />And the whole thing costs me just US$11.98. Fine by me.<br />
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<i>Clifton's is located at 648 S Broadway, Los Angeles, USA. See <a href="http://cliftonsla.com/">cliftonsla.com</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-69798042429685302732018-01-26T06:00:00.000+11:002018-01-26T06:00:45.891+11:00Chile Summer Series: Glacier Cruise (Part 2)<i>Last post I described the beginning of a glacier cruise I took in southern Chile in 2006. Now the adventure continues...</i><br />
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On the second morning of the cruise we awoke to find the Pio XI glacier right outside our window. This is the largest glacier in South America, stretching back some 70 kilometres into the mountains. <br />
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If you saw this in a movie, you'd assume it was a special effect. Filling our field of vision is a cathedral of ice, ranging from pure white through blue shades to almost indigo depths.<br />
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Great vertical cracks resemble caves, promontories look like spires.<br />
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On its upper surface are projections like great crystals, and gigantic cracks hint from where the next giant chunk of ice will fall into the sea as the glacier makes its way down from the heights.<br />
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After a run in the ice-filled fiord in the excursion boat, we return to the ship and stand on the top deck as the <i>Skorpios</i> cruises parallel to the glacier’s cliff-like surface.<br />
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Every so often a chunk of ice breaks away and hits the water, with a deep crash and ensuing waves. <br />
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Standing there with a quiet sense of reverence, we all feel we’ve seen a major highlight of our travelling careers.<br />
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"Just look at it," says one of the Australian women. "Forget about photos. Look at it and carry it in your mind".<br />
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So we put down our cameras for a moment and just look.<br />
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And as we look, a barman sidles up with the inevitable brightly-coloured cocktails on a tray. <br />
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And so to Eden. Puerto Edén that is, a fishing village set in the middle of this chilly beauty.<br />
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It's strange to come across a settlement after travelling for days through areas with no evidence of human activity.<br />
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There are no roads in this part of Chile, and not even any streets in the town; instead, it has a series of raised boardwalks which lead around the village and up to a nearby lookout. <br />
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It's an attractive place, even in its obvious poverty. Fishing boats lie high and dry on the shore, brightly coloured with hand-painted names; fishing nets sit piled, ready for use; and the different coloured roofs are pleasing as they follow the curve of the bay.<br />
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The locals supplement their incomes by selling handcrafted souvenirs to visitors, mostly woven baskets and model boats made of wood or hide. We buy a few to pay our way.<br />
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Back on the ship, afternoon tea is served as Puerto Edén slips away in our wake, disappearing from sight as if it were never really there: like a South American Brigadoon. <br />
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Over the next few days we see more ice than you’d ever hope to meet, in an assortment of breathtaking glaciers. Each has its own distinctive formation: one even looks like a giant frozen meringue.<br />
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The mix of onboard treats and external adventure continues, typified by the Captain’s Ball whose buffet features animals carved from butter <br />
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Then for our final excursion, we go ashore and walk right up to the face of a glacier.<br />
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This seems to be the hallmark of the cruise: a neatly-judged balance of comfort and adventure.<br />
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Aboard we have pleasant cabins and plentiful food and drink, which are contrasted by frequent excursions to the rugged, primal wilderness outside.<br />
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Although the passengers are mostly a middle-aged bunch, I think it would work well with a family group, as there’s enough activity to keep kids occupied. And there are no unexpected costs, as the tariff includes all food and drink, even the alcoholic variety.<br />
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But that special glass of Scotch we had earlier - chilled by 50,000 year old ice from a glacier - may have spoiled me. Where’s the fun in drinking whisky with day-old ice, when you’ve had the really old stuff?<br />
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<i>Information about Skorpios cruises can be found at <a href="http://skorpios.cl/">skorpios.cl</a>. </i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-35813927752992255402018-01-19T06:00:00.000+11:002018-01-19T06:00:11.591+11:00Chile Summer Series: Glacier Cruise (Part 1)<i>Over January I'm running a series of my previously published print articles about Chile, South America.</i><br />
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<i><i><i>This article was first published in 2006, so some details may have changed, though the destination is still spectacular. For we're heading south to the glaciers of Patagonia</i></i>...</i><br />
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<i><b>Salud, dinero y amor!</b></i> (To health, wealth and love!)<br />
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This is no idle toast. We’re on the third day of a cruise through the glaciers and fiords of southern Chile, and have left the comfortable confines of the ship to get among the ice.<br />
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Passengers are lined up on the long benches of the open-air excursion craft, lifejackets on, as the boat grinds through the small floating bergs. <br />
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Without warning, the pilot sails up to an iceberg, rams into its flank, and extracts a large chunk with the aid of an ice-pick.<br />
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A few minutes later we’re milling around, clinking glasses as we toast each other - with 12 year old Scotch containing 50,000 year old ice.<br />
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Sure, it’s a gimmick - but what a gimmick.<br />
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Not that southern Chile needs any help to be impressive. Beyond the warm central portion of the country, where most Chileans live, the landscape changes dramatically.<br />
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The roads run out, and the terrain breaks up into a rugged collection of islands, mountains and glaciers, jumbled together in an almost uninhabited part of South America.<br />
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Beyond this, the land becomes flat again, home to grazing herds of domesticated sheep and wild llamas, as it approaches Antarctica.<br />
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This southern region is known as Patagonia, and is still one of the great frontiers of tourism.<br />
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But the journey needn’t be too hard. We’ve booked passage on the <i>Skorpios III</i>, a cruise ship which plies the inland waters and ice fields of Chilean Patagonia, offering one of the few ways to explore this glacial wilderness.<br />
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Arriving at the <i>Skorpios</i> dock by road from the southern city of Punta Arenas, we meet our fellow passengers at dinner.<br />
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There are Chileans, Venezuelans, Mexicans, and a big contingent of Brazilians among them, with Australians, French, Germans and Spaniards making up the numbers.<br />
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This diversity means the cruise lacks the sterile feel of a package tour conducted for Westerners only. All tour commentary is conducted in both Spanish and English.<br />
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But before the ship leaves the port town of Puerto Natales, we’re taken on a coach trip to the Torres del Paine National Park, one of Chile’s great natural treasures.<br />
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The Paine Towers that give the vast park its name are a spectacular group of craggy volcanic outcrops among distant snow-capped mountains. They’re an unlikely backdrop to the green tones of springtime which appear below the snowline.<br />
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On the way through the park, we have frequent sightings of local wildlife: nandus (South American ostriches), guanacos (cousins of the llama) and most impressive of all, black condors. <br />
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The weather is perfect: clear blue skies and uninterrupted sunshine. Not for the first time, I'm amazed by how warm it is here at 52 degrees south. <br />
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Then we stop for lunch, and get our first taste of this company’s catering arrangements. We’re expecting a stale sandwich and a soft drink. What we get is a waiter shaking cocktails, then serving them from a tray in real glassware, followed by a full-scale barbecue and Chilean wine. <br />
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Returned to the ship, we set sail through attractive, tree-covered green hills giving way to rocky slopes at the water's edge, with massive icy mountains beyond. As we progress toward the glaciers, chunks of ice float past us.<br />
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Picturesque though it is, I’m struck by the lack of human activity - there's simply no-one here. There’s something very relaxing in that thought. Not the first time, I'm glad I didn't bring my phone along.<i>..</i><br />
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<i><b>Next:</b> Much more ice, a remote village and the Captain's Ball...</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-21759638470829055332018-01-12T06:00:00.000+11:002018-01-12T06:00:45.530+11:00Chile Summer Series: Bohemian Santiago (Part 2)<i>Here's the next instalment of my previously published print articles about Chile, South America.</i><br />
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<i>Last post, I toured the former residence of poet Pablo Neruda in the company of guide Gonzalo Iturra. Now I find out more...</i><br />
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Gonzalo is so obviously fond of Neruda, and so knowledgeable about his house, that I arrange to meet up with him later over a beer to learn more about the poet and his neighbourhood.<br />
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<a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle</a> heads off to the riverside craft markets, while I kill a few hours hanging around the Barrio’s main drag, Pio Nono.<br />
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As it’s now late afternoon, the street has come to life, with university students filling the plastic chairs in the sun outside the corner pub I choose. Chileans love their outdoor drinking and dining, and it’s pleasant sitting among the good-natured crowd.<br />
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A waiter appears and I order <i>cervezas</i> (beer), to which he responds “Chico?” (“Small?”). As I’m considering this, he vanishes, to return with a half-litre stein of the amber fluid, obviously feeling that this large <i>gringo</i> had not got that way by consuming <i>chico</i> amounts of anything. <br />
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In due course I meet Gonzalo at Venezia, another long-term Barrio Bellavista survivor and a famous Pablo Neruda hangout.<br />
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It's so old and unrenovated that the dining room's floor is bowed down in the middle, just managing to bear its load of tables with sky-blue tablecloths, and straight-backed wooden chairs.<br />
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By now I’ve figured out that Neruda is a huge deal in Chile; but coming from a country where sportsmen matter way more than poets, I wonder why.<br />
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“He was the man who finally put Chile on the map,” explains Gonzalo. “Chile was a very isolated country, and people thought of us as a geographical accident.<br />
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"And then Neruda came and started thinking about the rivers and the mountains and the people and the workers and the fruit. He took small things from a poor background, and made them so big.”<br />
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What was he like as a person?<br />
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“He was a big kid in many ways, says Gonzalo. “He never took himself too seriously.<br />
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"When you met him, you were expecting this really important figure, and he’d be wearing a nightdress or something. He was an eccentric, and he knew that. He enjoyed it and people forgave all.”<br />
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As Gonzalo emphasises, the maintenance of his house is important not just as a memorial or museum, but as a glimpse into the poet’s mind.<br />
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“The houses are very much like him. They reflect his obsession with ships, and hidden things like secret passages. One of the steps in one of the staircases was made from a railroad sleeper. That’s a reference to his father, who used to work at a train station. <br />
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“He even believed that coloured glass would make things taste different; and when he ate, he should have lots of friends there, and never eat alone. That’s why there are lots of dining rooms in his houses.”<br />
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The reason we’re talking about more than one house, I discover, is because Neruda had three of these creations dotted across Chile.<br />
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In addition to La Chascona in Santiago, there’s La Sebastiana in the coastal port Valparaiso, and Casa de Isla Negra on the island of Isla Negra, each as colourful and unique as their former owner.<br />
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By settling in the Barrio and acting as the hub of its arty transformation, Pablo Neruda created a unique neighbourhood that symbolises the passion and energy of Chile and South America.<br />
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“The mix of people is what I like about this neighbourhood,” concludes Gonzalo. “You have people walking their dogs, TV celebrities, writers and intellectuals, and experimental artists. It’s like a bohemian oasis.”<br />
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<i>La Chascona is located at Fernando Marquez de la Plata 0192, Santiago, Chile. Find ticket prices and entry times at <a href="http://fundacionneruda.org/">fundacionneruda.org</a>. </i><br />
<i></i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-23275599611971345342018-01-05T06:00:00.000+11:002018-01-05T06:00:07.964+11:00Chile Summer Series: Bohemian Santiago (Part 1)<i>Over January, I'll be running a series of my previously published print articles about Chile, South America.</i><br />
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<i><i><i>This article was first published in 2009, so some details may have changed, though the destination retains its allure. For f</i></i>irst up is the capital city of Santiago...</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8iEm9fve9a6i5v-mbSkeJZVYYhA_2Ei7xpdtFUxsW5zjywvZQk5Og4mIl5t_I2m3LrhzlnDm5hcR2ogsTm8Cv38KRCGeUEYRjnKn55OBFZPh9xnUjwwosu4tMyCikeChyphenhyphenuJpb8xdzIhX/s1600/PB100545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8iEm9fve9a6i5v-mbSkeJZVYYhA_2Ei7xpdtFUxsW5zjywvZQk5Og4mIl5t_I2m3LrhzlnDm5hcR2ogsTm8Cv38KRCGeUEYRjnKn55OBFZPh9xnUjwwosu4tMyCikeChyphenhyphenuJpb8xdzIhX/s320/PB100545.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<b><i>Que aventura! </i></b><br />
<br />
This simple Spanish catchphrase – What an adventure! – has been our signature expression since entering Chile.<br />
<br />
We've applied it to all the usual traveller’s misadventures: missed buses, delayed luggage, queues at airports, language difficulties.<br />
<br />
But now <a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle</a> and I are gazing at an amazing sight through the window of a central Santiago lunch bar.<br />
<br />
Among the plastic replicas of its many dishes is the jaw-droppingly huge sandwich called <i>lomo completo</i>, a vast roll crammed with mounds of beef and various other ingredients.<br />
<br />
It’d have to be almost 20cm across. This is clearly the place for a budget-friendly, value-for-money, throw-the-diet-out lunch.<br />
<br />
It’s also frantically busy within. Sitting down at one of the dozens of small tables placed cheek-by-jowl is like taking part in a lively theatrical work.<br />
<br />
Waiters dash rapidly along the narrow channels between tables in the vast interior of this ‘Restaurant Fuente de Soda’ (literally a fountain of soda, but actually a cafeteria), diners make their frequent entrances and exits, and the occasional near collision or dropped plate adds suspense. <br />
<br />
Despite the pace, our waiter, like everyone else we’ve interacted with in the Chilean capital, is friendly, helpful and extraordinarily patient with our dodgy Spanish.<br />
<br />
Forewarned by the window displays, we order a single Via Italiana sandwich stacked with chicken and guacamole, to share. The sandwich’s name is something of a mystery, guacamole being very un-Italian... though very South American, as avocado is a New World fruit. In any case, it’s only 2300 pesos, about A$5.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNpt9ilxKdsKtJ5HG6pqaIivDXLJIYUvoGkO8YUQEZtP4OHhrHMY2_koB2fgOPKoGF7LqfUkCnKq2s88ZJm7Yr3ddoHv59Ck7Kxelec__9JQE15NgeDirVJXYxij2RqeHqsAwJSDSZato/s1600/PB110602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNpt9ilxKdsKtJ5HG6pqaIivDXLJIYUvoGkO8YUQEZtP4OHhrHMY2_koB2fgOPKoGF7LqfUkCnKq2s88ZJm7Yr3ddoHv59Ck7Kxelec__9JQE15NgeDirVJXYxij2RqeHqsAwJSDSZato/s400/PB110602.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Replenished, we head for Barrio Bellavista, the city’s famously bohemian district, a humming zone of restaurants, theatres, bars and live music by night. By day it has a different atmosphere, quieter but scenic, with narrow streets housing compact, attractive homes and shops.<br />
<br />
Behind the Barrio looms the Cerro San Cristobal, a mountain with a funicular railway running up to the peak, passing a zoo on the way. The funicular has been running since 1925, and has the old-fashioned air of a weekend attraction for families wondering what the hell to do with the kids. As you ascend, however, Santiago opens up beneath you. <br />
<br />
At the summit is a huge white statue of the Virgin Mary, as no self-respecting South American city could be without a giant Biblical figure on a hilltop. We're standing at the base of the statue, when the outline of huge mountains emerges out of the haze, rising dramatically from the plain to extraordinary heights.<br />
<br />
Smog makes the Andes difficult to see in the morning, but they usually appear more clearly in the afternoon, quite oblivious to the astonishing backdrop they create. But mountains this majestic need have little concern for the affairs of ants like us.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2oxk0a_1EDixIgeDAqnWjp-vggn4V9C17giMhjbHnadLBTW49J3nGkrJdfQdQDcdJdF1xYOqecxJH9LkUJx_uWaeKgeQgKHlIgpFBZJ1d3r-e7TMtITLlvXUe_rx0370SewBlL5VpOlzO/s1600/PB231278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2oxk0a_1EDixIgeDAqnWjp-vggn4V9C17giMhjbHnadLBTW49J3nGkrJdfQdQDcdJdF1xYOqecxJH9LkUJx_uWaeKgeQgKHlIgpFBZJ1d3r-e7TMtITLlvXUe_rx0370SewBlL5VpOlzO/s320/PB231278.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
Back down at street level, near the foot of the Cerro, lies a museum devoted to the late poet Pablo Neruda, national icon and winner of the 1971 Nobel Prize for Literature.<br />
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The street it’s on is a tiny, serene cul-de-sac lined with colourful houses, including La Chascona, now housing the museum but formerly the poet’s home until his death in 1973.<br />
<br />
The area in front of it has been turned into an attractive minimalist fountain, with narrow channels carrying water between blocks of burnt orange stone to a circular structure embedded in the street.<br />
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We’re taken through the house by tour guide Gonzalo Iturra, a man with an impressive moustache and smooth colloquial English. Neruda's house turns out to be delightful jumble of oddly-shaped rooms sprawling over different levels of the hillside, separated by cool, shaded sections of garden. <br />
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This disjointed home is filled with a most curious assortment of odds and ends. The great poet had the collector mania at its most acute: among his many objects of desire, he collected bottles, ship’s figureheads, paperweights, Toby mugs, dolls, ashtrays, and images of fertility gods, horses and watermelons.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxq0yufp4_4DX3s6hbAXjCBcKMUjt_hoP4b1M37eOcTyaANaPbPB83pQs9cq4iqAtZ0k5h8wkQzEG9Jcw3S2oUXEJDM69gi6aGs_elV_txMV5omhciCz032RBLb-zcPkDJiXqah3i2AyZ_/s1600/PB110592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxq0yufp4_4DX3s6hbAXjCBcKMUjt_hoP4b1M37eOcTyaANaPbPB83pQs9cq4iqAtZ0k5h8wkQzEG9Jcw3S2oUXEJDM69gi6aGs_elV_txMV5omhciCz032RBLb-zcPkDJiXqah3i2AyZ_/s400/PB110592.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Above all this, he was fascinated by the sea, and the house is peppered with items taken from ships. One room even has an angled floor especially constructed to creak, to imitate life aboard ship.<br />
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La Chascona is charming and colourful, reflecting a man with an extraordinarily creative and active mind. That he also liked to stroll around the house dressed as a sea captain, or even a nun, is neither here nor there - great men must be allowed their little foibles.<br />
<br />
I suggest to Gonzalo that Neruda could be regarded as eccentrico, and he replies: "Si... or maybe loco." But he says it with a smile.<br />
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<i><b>Next:</b> I buy Gonzalo a beer, and learn more about Neruda and his 'hood...</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-20150485815716999652017-12-08T06:00:00.000+11:002017-12-08T06:00:18.399+11:00One Trip, Multiple Stories: A Travel Writer's Rail Journey in West Coast USA<i>For the journey detailed below, I paid for my airfares and received
on-the-ground assistance from local tourism authorities and hotels. Full
disclosures are included with each linked article and blog post.</i><br />
<br />
This is, remarkably, my <b>500th post</b> at <i>Aerohaveno</i>. I started the blog way back in 2008, during the golden age of blogs, when social media outlets such as Facebook were new and yet to be adopted by the masses.<br />
<br />
In that era, a blog was the prime means for an individual to put their views online, whether on a topic of expertise or simply as personal reflection.<br />
<br />
Now we have the noise and colour of social media, and perhaps wonder if things are better.<br />
<br />
In any case, for post number 500 I'd like to repeat what I did for <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2015/12/one-trip-multiple-stories-travel.html">post 400</a> - draw back the curtain on how travel writing works, at least for a freelancer like me.<br />
<br />
In post 400 I looked at a trip I undertook around the world. This time I'll focus on the west coast of the USA.<br />
<br />
In October 2015 I flew into Los Angeles, then caught Amtrak trains up the west coast with visits to San Francisco, Portland and Seattle along the way.<br />
<br />
I've chosen this 2015 trip because the period elapsed since then has been long enough for almost everything I wrote about it to be published.<br />
<br />
Below I'll outline how each activity led to a specific piece of writing - with a link to the published article or blog post.<br />
<br />
Are you sitting comfortably? Then we'll begin.<br />
<br />
<i></i>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Monday 12 October 2015</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
<b>Activity: </b>Fly Qantas from Melbourne to Los Angeles.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story: </b><a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/flight-test-qantas-premium-economy-melbourne-to-los-angeles-gqsg02" target="_blank">A review of Qantas' Premium Economy class</a> for Fairfax Media's <i>Traveller</i> website in Australia.</li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2016/02/lax-to-downtown-los-angeles-by-public.html">Catching public transport from LAX to Downtown LA</a>.</li>
</ol>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<b>Activity: </b>Check out the renovated and reopened Clifton's Cafeteria in LA's Downtown.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story: </b><a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/the-60-best-travel-finds-of-2015-gls8hg" target="_blank">A short item about Clifton's</a> in a round-up of 2015 travel finds for Fairfax Media's <i>Traveller</i> website and print section in Australia.<b> </b></li>
<li><b>Second resulting story:</b>
An article about Downtown LA highlights for <i>roundtheworldflights.com</i> [story not currently
online].</li>
</ol>
<b><span style="color: red;">Tuesday 13 October to Wednesday 14 October 2015</span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAfbBw0NloER14wNMQUbKtieErq5OBOdzMWLsOecu77i_kITTSKqGTyTLc1UG0QsLy08ZEb9HGA3km8ipiKErztdpqUST58UoDEcoJsqMnQ7VqEHHIrzKKtHPMUyS0dV8anbjhHWZC1iX/s1600/IMG_2337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAfbBw0NloER14wNMQUbKtieErq5OBOdzMWLsOecu77i_kITTSKqGTyTLc1UG0QsLy08ZEb9HGA3km8ipiKErztdpqUST58UoDEcoJsqMnQ7VqEHHIrzKKtHPMUyS0dV8anbjhHWZC1iX/s320/IMG_2337.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Activity: </b>Take the guided studio tours at Warner Brothers, Universal Studios and Paramount Pictures.<br />
<b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/los-angeles/travel-tips-and-articles/lights-camera-los-angeles-studio-tours-in-la/40625c8c-8a11-5710-a052-1479d27628cf" target="_blank">An article about LA movie studio tours</a> for Lonely Planet's website.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Wednesday 14 October 2015</span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTh5g27GU147a_o70KE7OLX-20CM6DQqTHSm-gIzpBW6nZ0BwHJMn_07GH6zDNk4cIeFoSPUXyHwzOvrg3v_XYN8PZ7gUfNHtG_4Yd8rWQTARIvi3yHMKpBX_wf-aE3vxYDJBIJaUdx7_7/s1600/IMG_2500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTh5g27GU147a_o70KE7OLX-20CM6DQqTHSm-gIzpBW6nZ0BwHJMn_07GH6zDNk4cIeFoSPUXyHwzOvrg3v_XYN8PZ7gUfNHtG_4Yd8rWQTARIvi3yHMKpBX_wf-aE3vxYDJBIJaUdx7_7/s320/IMG_2500.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Activity:</b> Visit new Australian-owned café, Paramount Coffee Project.<br />
<b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="https://www.goodfood.com.au/it-pro/a-slice-of-australia-in-los-angeles-20151030-gklg7t" target="_blank">An article about Aussie-owned food and coffee outlets in LA</a>, for Fairfax Media's <i>Good Food</i> website in Australia.<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Thursday 15 October 2015</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Fiw-qcY2vKipDd45sRXdba44V6wcueAcywqJSZrkBcG7Pjy2E8o4lNeCuBJgGFwf0FEElc6KrtsV3GYWDY4lr4W5LDZTYt09zmy81FeFxkceYW06as_u4vL3JqAB7GEeANamibCi3MKy/s1600/IMG_2602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Fiw-qcY2vKipDd45sRXdba44V6wcueAcywqJSZrkBcG7Pjy2E8o4lNeCuBJgGFwf0FEElc6KrtsV3GYWDY4lr4W5LDZTYt09zmy81FeFxkceYW06as_u4vL3JqAB7GEeANamibCi3MKy/s320/IMG_2602.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Activity:</b> Explore new contemporary art gallery, The Broad, in LA's Bunker Hill.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story: </b><a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/the-60-best-travel-finds-of-2015-gls8hg" target="_blank">A short item about The Broad</a> in a round-up of 2015 travel finds for Fairfax Media's <i>Traveller</i> website and print section in Australia.</li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2015/10/taking-broad-view-at-broad-las-new-art.html">My visit to The Broad</a>. </li>
</ol>
<b>Activity:</b> Visit the Museum of Jurassic Technology in Culver City.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/los-angeles/travel-tips-and-articles/quirky-la-experiencing-the-unexpected-in-los-angeles" target="_blank">An article listing six quirky attractions of LA</a>, including the Museum of Jurassic Technology, for Lonely Planet's website.</li>
<li><b>Second resulting story:</b> Commissioned for an Australian media outlet, but yet to be published.</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Friday 16 October 2015</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRQt-BhM1C8eT6Dug2uFi8XLKcpSYvD4D615o91lXLN5Pdf2qcGi4QQylKuxHUvVyN4h7dKuwgmcmbg86i0R4p5rsepd5HgRj7_-Aktkw1IQw1QPfYX5BZqHhyphenhyphenEV1z9Ka7Zx6fJms7XPi/s1600/IMG_2723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRQt-BhM1C8eT6Dug2uFi8XLKcpSYvD4D615o91lXLN5Pdf2qcGi4QQylKuxHUvVyN4h7dKuwgmcmbg86i0R4p5rsepd5HgRj7_-Aktkw1IQw1QPfYX5BZqHhyphenhyphenEV1z9Ka7Zx6fJms7XPi/s320/IMG_2723.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Activity:</b> Catch the <i>Coast Starlight</i> sleeper train north from LA to Oakland (for San Francisco); then later onward to Portland and Seattle.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="http://emag.getupandgo.com.au/?iid=134478#folio=52" target="_blank">An article about the entire rail trip</a> for the magazine <i>Get Up & Go</i> in Australia.</li>
<li><b>Second resulting story:</b> <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/great-rail-journeys-from-los-angeles-to-seattle-by-amtrak-train-govuhy" target="_blank">An article about the sleeper train experience</a> for Fairfax Media's <i>Traveller</i> website and print section in Australia.</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Saturday 17 October 2015</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw11WNHde9a1nJnP05s0eJ96dcPnHefpIXlc8X7W9LesYBS8MtSM7Fb6RQWEtOBEvNuWByVyp29Dns9-x8Evi2aRrbQWfiOQ2qw6ElLMgVwINngUv7x_Yia7bo0zs5YoYRB5e79hA7n1cv/s1600/IMG_2872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw11WNHde9a1nJnP05s0eJ96dcPnHefpIXlc8X7W9LesYBS8MtSM7Fb6RQWEtOBEvNuWByVyp29Dns9-x8Evi2aRrbQWfiOQ2qw6ElLMgVwINngUv7x_Yia7bo0zs5YoYRB5e79hA7n1cv/s320/IMG_2872.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Activity:</b> Join the eccentric Emperor Norton's Fantastic San Francisco Time Machine tour.<br />
<b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/san-francisco-walking-tour-with-the-emperor-of-the-united-states-gxnz16" target="_blank">An article about the tour's highlights</a> for Fairfax Media's <i>Traveller</i> website in Australia.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Sunday 18 October 2015</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2017/02/beach-blanket-babylon-musical-madness_10.html">Review of the long-running musical revue <i>Beach Blanket Babylon</i></a>.<br />
<br />
<i></i>
<b><span style="color: red;">Monday 19 October 2015</span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPm9_0ZMgrWedhxopmBsZ8GTzBnQoNfn7PpM12RqiC2-ZNGqvrNoXMLuiUrm356XEHVxCo-PB4ut1mmy6ddhQixeFA7m0ws9Dn1UG4zfugswh1wIlfTmcAMJPwJ7hpo6Bg45RumVwxEzoQ/s1600/IMG_3062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPm9_0ZMgrWedhxopmBsZ8GTzBnQoNfn7PpM12RqiC2-ZNGqvrNoXMLuiUrm356XEHVxCo-PB4ut1mmy6ddhQixeFA7m0ws9Dn1UG4zfugswh1wIlfTmcAMJPwJ7hpo6Bg45RumVwxEzoQ/s320/IMG_3062.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Activity:</b> Attend the North Beach Underground tour of San Francisco, focusing on the Beat Generation.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/postcard-from-san-francisco-in-the-footsteps-of-kerouac-and-other-mad-ones-20151205-glgh7i" target="_blank">A 'Postcard from San Francisco' article</a> for the Spectrum (culture) section of <i>The Age</i> newspaper in Melbourne.</li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2017/06/walking-tours-of-san-francisco.html">Profile of six memorable tours of San Francisco</a>.</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2015/10/retro-transport-of-san-francisco.html">San Francisco's retro public transport</a>.<br />
<i></i><br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Thursday 22 October to Sunday 25 October 2015</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUDj_qPg6_QVyDvo2bN4UNpAjldll5Glk6D5VHZFGhmaR77Do_Z5fFqXfXTAL2pkXHeoUbmscCftnsi9yrW5TENwXM_plsQ43VJBT_2K-1w9g8pUddbJ936f6ijYkgIJ26FnY1E9L2Z9n/s1600/IMG_3476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUDj_qPg6_QVyDvo2bN4UNpAjldll5Glk6D5VHZFGhmaR77Do_Z5fFqXfXTAL2pkXHeoUbmscCftnsi9yrW5TENwXM_plsQ43VJBT_2K-1w9g8pUddbJ936f6ijYkgIJ26FnY1E9L2Z9n/s320/IMG_3476.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<i></i>
<b> </b><br />
<b>Activity:</b> Visit Voodoo Doughnuts, Stark's Vacuum Cleaner Museum, Powell's City of Books and other offbeat attractions in Portland, Oregon.<br />
<b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/oregon-us-travel-tips-and-advice-10-attractions-keeping-portland-weird-gpnv4h" target="_blank">A list of 'Ten attractions keeping Portland weird'</a> for Fairfax Media's <i>Traveller</i> website in Australia.<br />
<br />
<i></i>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2015/11/murals-statues-portland-street-art.html">Memorable street art of Portland</a>.<br />
<i></i><br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Saturday 24 October 2015</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTR6duWkyqDgxAudHm1zoKRcDgpnsTGMKakV66VP8KCiuUBNW6N6NscYVCejz9Vp7YXrdWHpEWr3CfRU7QvTFk4I3Mkn2yNIUcjfl3ql_D6g-LWNPB0ssNo49WssF6QmtDHm5_k8z8tAi/s1600/IMG_3748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTR6duWkyqDgxAudHm1zoKRcDgpnsTGMKakV66VP8KCiuUBNW6N6NscYVCejz9Vp7YXrdWHpEWr3CfRU7QvTFk4I3Mkn2yNIUcjfl3ql_D6g-LWNPB0ssNo49WssF6QmtDHm5_k8z8tAi/s320/IMG_3748.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<i></i>
<b> </b><br />
<b>Activity:</b> Join a food walking tour of North Mississippi Avenue, Portland.<br />
<b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="https://www.goodfood.com.au/travel/is-this-portlands-best-street-for-eating-20160413-go54a8" target="_blank">An article about highlights of the tour</a>, for Fairfax Media's <i>Good Food</i> website in Australia.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2016/09/sucks-to-be-uu-portlands-vacuum-cleaner.html">A visit to Stark's Vacuum Cleaner Museum, Portland</a>.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Sunday 25 October 2015</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2016/05/a-tour-of-portlands-coffee-culture.html">A tour of Portland's coffee culture</a>.<br />
<br />
<i></i>
<b><span style="color: red;">Monday 26 October 2015</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipp4PiJ2TKVk8FosvXmQjpTMb6AZMJPnSH4LYhisF-W8gYMLKNzbNA6VFsl-ndOoBXaB5UsJ2oXDnct2Q8HNxYecQHXot5HNbzMUF4wtjotkoAi80eH2JYYf_4gSXeB8k6EKDVyN0H_X74/s1600/IMG_4078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipp4PiJ2TKVk8FosvXmQjpTMb6AZMJPnSH4LYhisF-W8gYMLKNzbNA6VFsl-ndOoBXaB5UsJ2oXDnct2Q8HNxYecQHXot5HNbzMUF4wtjotkoAi80eH2JYYf_4gSXeB8k6EKDVyN0H_X74/s320/IMG_4078.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<i></i>
<b> </b><br />
<b>Activity:</b> Take a coffee walking tour of Seattle, Washington.<br />
<b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/seattle-usa-what-coffee-is-really-like-in-the-home-of-starbucks-glblmp" target="_blank">An article about the city's coffee highlights</a> for Fairfax Media's <i>Traveller</i> website in Australia.<br />
<br />
<i></i>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Wednesday 28 October 2015</b></span><br />
<br />
<i></i>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2017/09/seattles-living-computer-museum.html">Visiting Seattle's Living Computer Museum</a>.<br />
<i></i><br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Thursday 29 October 2015</span></b><br />
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<i></i>
<b> </b><br />
<b>Activity:</b> Travel to Snoqualmie and North Bend, to visit locations from the TV series <i>Twin Peaks</i>.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/postcard-from-twin-peaks-a-place-both-wonderful-and-strange-20160205-gmmxgo" target="_blank">A 'Postcard from Twin Peaks' article</a> for the Spectrum (culture) section of <i>The Age</i> newspaper in Melbourne.</li>
<li><b>Second resulting story:</b> <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/seattle/travel-tips-and-articles/welcome-to-twin-peaks-a-guide-to-the-locations-of-the-cult-classic/40625c8c-8a11-5710-a052-1479d276eb23" target="_blank">An article about <i>Twin Peaks</i> locations</a> for Lonely Planet's website.</li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2016/04/welcome-to-twin-peaks-aka-snoqualmie-usa.html">My visit to <i>Twin Peaks</i> locations</a>.</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Sunday 1 November 2015</b></span><br />
<br />
<i></i>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2015/11/subterranean-in-seattle-underground-tour.html">Taking a tour of Underground Seattle</a>.<br />
<i></i><br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Monday 2 November 2015</span></b><br />
<br />
<i></i>
<b>Activity:</b> Fly from Seattle to Los Angeles via Alaska Airlines.<br />
<b>Resulting story:</b> <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/flight-test-alaska-airlines-seattle-to-los-angeles-economy-class-gup32f" target="_blank">A review of Alaska Airlines' domestic Economy class</a> for Fairfax Media's <i>Traveller</i> website in Australia.<br />
<br />
<i></i>
<b>Activity:</b> Fly Qantas from Los Angeles to Melbourne.<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Resulting story:</b> A review of facilities at LAX for <i>roundtheworldflights.com</i> [story not currently online].<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b> </b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Blog Post:</b></span> <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2015/11/review-qantas-international-business.html">Review of the new Qantas International Business Lounge</a>.</li>
</ol>
And that's that! I arrived back home on Wednesday 4 November, courtesy of the International Dateline.<br />
<br />
<b>Writing output, financial income</b><br />
<br />
By my count, the trip produced a total of 18 paid articles for outside publications (with a 19th yet to be published and paid for), and 12 posts on this blog.<br />
<br />
I calculate
the paid articles earned a total of
$8850.72 (all figures here are in Australian dollars) for both words and photos, before adding any applicable sales tax.<br />
<br />
About another $500 should come in from the final article. And there was additional research undertaken on the
trip which I may yet write about, as well as revisiting its attractions in new ways.<br />
<br />
The blog posts don't earn any direct income, but drive traffic to <i>Aerohaveno</i> and thus contribute to the occasional small payments I receive from the Google Ads running on my blog.<br />
<br />
<b>Expenses</b><br />
<br />
I had significant expenses on this journey, especially since I was paying my own airfares on this occasion.<br />
<br />
Including airfares, I estimate my total expenses on this trip at $3028.26,
which leaves a profit of $5822.46 (plus $500 from the unpublished article, and possible income from future
stories derived from the same research material).<br />
<br />
Some trips have a greater return on outlay, others less so. Quite aside from the profit, however, this west coast USA trek turned out to be one of my favourite journeys ever, and I was very glad I'd taken it.<br />
<br />
It's not easy to make a living from travel writing; but if you can derive
a published story per day from a particular trip, you're off to a decent start.<br />
<br />
After this epic post, it's time for a break! <i>Aerohaveno</i> will be taking a break over the holiday season, and will be back with you in early January. Have a great New Year!
<br />
<ol>
</ol>
Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-36308046101273350162017-12-01T06:00:00.000+11:002017-12-01T06:00:12.001+11:00 2017: My Year in Travel<i>I was hosted on the trips mentioned below by the relevant local tourism authorities.</i> <br />
<br />
Everyone else in the media publishes 'year in review' round-ups at this time of the year, so I'm jumping on the bandwagon. Here are personal highlights from my travels over the past twelve months...<br />
<br />
<b>1. Admiring the Asian-European 'fusion architecture' of Macau.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoD3QBOv5of1wXL6arS55Kr1AlFnJjN7dYtMGjmIC4XGwjrIBHwNR_d-gZUgHjiUHKpExFJWYZ4WJitXis0pvTqFKOyIW3ZYoD5x-Jwgd2-xo901ccPALTGGEd2T0KrbCnLVWCQHtZkC-W/s1600/P2160260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoD3QBOv5of1wXL6arS55Kr1AlFnJjN7dYtMGjmIC4XGwjrIBHwNR_d-gZUgHjiUHKpExFJWYZ4WJitXis0pvTqFKOyIW3ZYoD5x-Jwgd2-xo901ccPALTGGEd2T0KrbCnLVWCQHtZkC-W/s400/P2160260.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I didn't know much about this former Portuguese territory before visiting it in February, but I quickly learned its European connection had lasted much longer than that of Hong Kong. The Portuguese were in Macau for over four centuries, from 1557 to 1999; by comparison, Hong Kong was under British rule for just over 150 years.<br />
<br />
As a result, there's quite a mix of Asian and European influences in Macau's architecture, with striking contrasts. The best example I saw was a former covered marketplace in Taipa Village (pictured above), which has Greek pillars and a Chinese roof.<br />
<br />
For more, read my blog post about about <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com.au/2017/02/my-favourite-place-in-macau.html">my favourite place in Macau</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>2. Riding the narrow trams of Hong Kong.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHuG99A_91Yq2HWEY19poalBLLZ8P3vmD_uWFh_dBV3hVXH79o_RpXiqqW8e6_WokCqP8JgtuXIs7rFtejsmBqrDvt5PMlDulDNXkv22zcDMsx6i64aPajLSHO02gMhY3qPtThT2tEvkF/s1600/IMG_2369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHuG99A_91Yq2HWEY19poalBLLZ8P3vmD_uWFh_dBV3hVXH79o_RpXiqqW8e6_WokCqP8JgtuXIs7rFtejsmBqrDvt5PMlDulDNXkv22zcDMsx6i64aPajLSHO02gMhY3qPtThT2tEvkF/s400/IMG_2369.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I enjoyed lots about Hong Kong on my first visit there - the food, its cultural attractions, the busy urban streets. One thing that stood out was the city's tram system, which runs along the north side of Hong Kong Island.<br />
<br />
I love trams, and these ones are particularly atmospheric. In addition to being double-decker, they're rather narrow, lending them a charmingly improbable fairytale look. It can be hard to get a seat on them sometimes, but they're hands-down more fun than catching the MTR underground railway.<br />
<b><br />3. Visiting Ballarat on a White Night.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhs8xd3Aa6Smql5tWrg347DWPQ2ASWZ2RnBMMKTZKAS0cqzyX1SVT9T4-NWWX_VpPSq0Akyfupzyh6fHXXC-owUUrrfV0IWVRNwFILQogzBzYQFURXOyqBYhBJ5pfqDdVYOeuBKD6EzqCy/s1600/P3050115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhs8xd3Aa6Smql5tWrg347DWPQ2ASWZ2RnBMMKTZKAS0cqzyX1SVT9T4-NWWX_VpPSq0Akyfupzyh6fHXXC-owUUrrfV0IWVRNwFILQogzBzYQFURXOyqBYhBJ5pfqDdVYOeuBKD6EzqCy/s400/P3050115.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Having missed Melbourne's annual White Night arts event while I was in Hong Kong, I took the chance to attend the first regional staging of it in Ballarat. It was loads of fun, being out until 4am on busy streets full of happy locals ogling illuminations which drew on the city's rich gold rush and Aboriginal history.<br />
<br />
I wrote about the experience <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com.au/2017/03/a-white-night-in-ballarat.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>4. Discovering First Nations culture in Vancouver.</b><br />
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<br />
I was impressed by Vancouver's Museum of Anthropology when I visited the Canadian city in July. It houses a wonderful collection of Indigenous art from the past two centuries, with an impressive new gallery in which modern-day First Nations artists comment on the cultural underpinnings of the art of their forebears.<br />
<br />
Read my post about the museum <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com.au/2017/07/masterworks-at-vancouvers-museum-of.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />
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</div>
<b>5. Cruising the Alaska Marine Highway.</b><br />
<br />
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<br />
Not all Alaskan cruises are on huge luxury cruise ships. Embarking at Prince Rupert, Canada, I took the <i>MV Matanuska</i> to the Alaskan state capital Juneau, then on to former gold rush town Skagway.<br />
<br />
These car ferries (with cabins) are used by locals as much as visitors, providing a great way to see the beautiful scenery on the Inside Passage while not being tied to a cruise itinerary.<br />
<br />
I wrote about cruising the Alaska Marine Highway in <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/north-america/travel-tips-and-articles/how-to-build-a-diy-rail-and-cruise-tour-of-canada-and-alaska/40625c8c-8a11-5710-a052-1479d2768eb2" target="_blank">this article</a> for Lonely Planet. <br />
<br />
<b>6. Taking the train to Yukon.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtTfzyhXnwuRVMRKbJQ0H_MrMN4g8mBKZoEhr5DK0k6pGPFipjA0J0S11VwvClWIlYryhB3T32osHVntNMjwA_9-HUiTlFLKKnWCh9uhdVQ4efJ9w3k92KG9WolVJJkpW2saGKH6mGvZOs/s1600/P7150737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtTfzyhXnwuRVMRKbJQ0H_MrMN4g8mBKZoEhr5DK0k6pGPFipjA0J0S11VwvClWIlYryhB3T32osHVntNMjwA_9-HUiTlFLKKnWCh9uhdVQ4efJ9w3k92KG9WolVJJkpW2saGKH6mGvZOs/s400/P7150737.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
There had to be a train in this list, right? You know how much I like rail travel. And a ride along the White Pass & Yukon Route railway is spectacular, with the narrow-gauge train chugging up from the Alaskan coast at Skagway through the mountains across the Canadian border to Carcross, Yukon. It's a brilliant journey, with magnificent scenery.<br />
<br />
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<b>7. Meeting a crocodile on the Sunshine Coast.</b></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oyAWp5qVaYA/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oyAWp5qVaYA?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
While attending the annual Australian Society of Travel Writers conference in Queensland in August, I was able to explore the late Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo.<br />
<br />
It's a lovely place to visit, with plenty of interesting animals, but the highlight for me was the arena show in which a couple of staff members (and a foolhardy white bird) hung around very close to a big saltwater crocodile - see my video clip above.<br />
<br />
You can read more about my Australia Zoo visit <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com.au/2017/08/australia-zoo-animals-on-sunshine-coast.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>8. Walking Hadrian's Wall in the UK.</b><br />
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<br />
I like a bit of walking, but I'm not one for multi-day treks. So when I learned about the hop-on, hop-off bus which serves key points along what was once the Roman Empire's border wall, I realised it'd be possible to do a shorter hike between bus stops.<br />
<br />
So <a href="http://www.narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle</a> and I spend over two hours strolling west of the former Roman fort at Housesteads - then transferred to the bus and headed off for lunch.<br />
<br />
Walking the undulating trail next to Hadrian's Wall was harder than I'd expected, but I'm glad we did it. Not only was it good to get out of my urban comfort zone, I felt I'd become closer to the inhabitants of the Roman era, otherwise so distant in time.<br />
<br />
I wrote about our Hadrian's Wall visit for the <i>Globe & Mail</i> newspaper in Canada; read it <a href="https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/destinations/roam-like-the-romans-on-a-tour-through-northernengland/article36808047/" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
<br />
So... how was your year in travel?Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-35801157462525399052017-11-24T06:00:00.000+11:002017-11-24T06:00:03.030+11:00Vancouver Eating<i>On this trip I was hosted by Destination Canada (</i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--></i></span><i><a href="https://www.destinationcanada.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>destinationcanada.com</i></a>), Destination British Columbia (<a href="http://www.hellobc.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HelloBC.com</a>) and Tourism Vancouver (<a href="https://www.tourismvancouver.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tourismvancouver.com</a>).</i> <br />
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On my recent visit to Vancouver, Canada, I had the opportunity to eat at some great restaurants. Here are three I liked - add them to the list for your next Van visit:<br />
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<b>1. The Acorn.</b> On my first day in Vancouver, I joined a mural tour in the Mount Pleasant district, then walked along Main Street to this excellent vegetarian restaurant (recommended by Vancouverite colleague <a href="https://twitter.com/nikkibayley" target="_blank">Nikki Bayley</a>).<br />
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It's a great place, with a friendly, relaxed atmosphere and an informal decor - on the hot sunny evening I visited, the windows were open to catch the breeze, so there was a sense of being connected with the street life outside.<br />
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Of the dishes, I particularly enjoyed the beer battered halloumi with zucchini and potato pancake, smashed peas, mint yogurt, and lemon balm. It looked - as intended - like a clever vego tribute to fish and chips:<br />
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<i>Find it at: 3995 Main St, Vancouver. <a href="http://www.theacornrestaurant.ca/" target="_blank">theacornrestaurant.ca</a></i><br />
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<b>2. Harvest Community Foods.</b> Two nights later I was ready to leave on <i>The Canadian</i> sleeper train to Jasper, part of a long rail and ferry journey up to Alaska and Yukon. It made sense to eat near Pacific Union Station, so this simple eatery on the edge of Chinatown was ideal.<br />
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Harvest focuses on healthy, sustainable produce, just what I needed. When travelling, it's easy to make poor food choices, but everything here looked great...<br />
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... so I went for a tofu dish, with a nut-based side salad, and a glass of home-made grape and green tea kombucha:<br />
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<i>Find it at: 243 Union St, Vancouver. <a href="http://harvestunion.ca/" target="_blank">harvestunion.ca</a></i><br />
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<b>3. Maenam. </b>When I returned from Yukon to Vancouver a few weeks later, I had dinner at this impressive Thai restaurant in Kitsilano. Dish after dish came out, as I shared a vegetarian version of the "chef's menu" selection.<br />
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Sadly I was too overwhelmed by the excellent food to make detailed notes, so I'm merely going to share some photos with you. Trust me - it was all delicious.<br />
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<i>Find it at: 1938 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver. <a href="http://maenam.ca/" target="_blank">maenam.ca</a></i><br />
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Have fun eating your own path through Vancouver's great dining scene. <i>Bon appetit!</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-26304290486490789912017-11-17T06:00:00.000+11:002017-11-17T06:00:05.722+11:00Vanished Melbourne (Part 2)In my <b>Melbourne Historical</b> app (sadly no more), I had a category called "Vanished". This listed several memorable Melbourne buildings which tragically had been demolished. Last post I shared three of them with you; here are three more...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>St Patrick's Hall at right. Photo courtesy of the State Library of Victoria.</i></span></td></tr>
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<b>4. St Patrick's Hall</b><br />
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<i>Lost birthplace of the Victorian Parliament</i><br />
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Opened in 1849, St Patrick's Hall served a number of handy purposes in its early years: as a meeting place for the Irish society which had built it, as a school, and as the venue for an exhibition of industry and agriculture long before the Royal Exhibition Building was built.<br />
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In 1851, however, it took on a much more prestigious role as the first home of the Victorian Parliament. Or more precisely, the home of the Legislative Council, the partly-elected chamber which later became the upper house of a more democratic legislature.<br />
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After hosting a grand ball to mark the formal separation of Victoria from the territory of New South Wales, the building was extensively renovated for its new purpose. In November 1851, the politicians moved in.<br />
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They wouldn't be there for long. In 1856 a new Parliament House was built on Spring Street to serve the two houses which had just been returned at Victoria's first fully democratic election. The Legislative Council moved out to join the new Legislative Assembly in its new home.<br />
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With a handy sum of rent money jingling in their pockets, the St Patrick's Society modernised the hall by adding a new three-storey facade which brought it up to the line of the street.<br />
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Over the next century the hall slowly fell into disuse, as other venues arose to serve the citizens' needs. St Patrick's Hall was demolished in 1957.<br />
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There are two reminders of the hall still present today. One is St Patrick's Alley off Little Bourke Street, which ran alongside the building. The other is the former Speaker's Chair, which now stands within Queen's Hall in Parliament House.<br />
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Nowadays the site of St Patrick's Hall is occupied by the offices of the Law Institute of Victoria, a fitting tribute to the vanished building which once held Victoria's first lawmakers.<br />
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<i>Visit the site: 470 Bourke St, Melbourne.</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Photo courtesy of the State Library of Victoria.</i></span></td></tr>
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<b>5. Stewart Dawson's Corner</b><br />
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<i>Once a popular meeting place, now forgotten</i><br />
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From the late 19th century to 1928, the northwest corner of the intersection of Collins and Swanston Streets was known as Stewart Dawson's Corner.<br />
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Dawson was a successful British jeweller and watchmaker who emigrated to Australia in 1886. He soon built up successful branches of his business in Australia and New Zealand, with Stewart Dawson's Building housing his Melbourne emporium.<br />
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The footpath in front of the building became a prime place for people to meet (perhaps because of the proximity of the Melbourne Town Hall clock across the street), second only to "under the clocks" at Flinders Street Station. As many young men loitered here, this spot was also teasingly known as Puppy Dog Corner.<br />
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For decades, everyone in Melbourne knew where Stewart Dawson's corner was. Then in 1932 Stewart Dawson's Building was demolished to make way for the impressive Depression-busting Manchester Unity Building.<br />
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Stewart Dawson's Corner is long forgotten in Melbourne. However, if you'd like to stand on a live and kicking Stewart Dawson's Corner, you can do so at the intersection of Lambton Quay and Willis Street in Wellington, New Zealand. Sadly, the 116-year-old branch of Stewart Dawson's at that location moved out of its long-term home in late 2016.<br />
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<i>Visit the site: Corner of Collins & Swanston Sts, Melbourne.</i><b> </b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Photo courtesy of the State Library of Victoria.</i></span></td></tr>
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<b>6. Theatre Royal</b><br />
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<i>A demolished theatre, once a byword for scandal</i><br />
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Melbourne's Theatre Royal opened in 1855 with Richard Sheridan's comic play <i>The School for Scandal</i>.<br />
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This may have been an omen - before long the theatre gained an unsavoury reputation for vice, especially prostitution, and respectable folk avoided it like the plague.<br />
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The most famous act to appear here in its early years was Lola Montez, the infamous courtesan who'd once been the mistress of the King of Bavaria.<br />
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Lola arrived in Melbourne in 1855 to find the city still humming from the discovery of gold a few years before.<br />
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Taking to the Theatre Royal stage, she performed her notorious 'Spider Dance'. This faux Spanish folk dance involved her energetically searching her skirts for an invisible spider, then stamping it to death.<br />
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The response of local newspaper critics ranged from hostile to lukewarm. <i>The Argus</i> described it as “utterly subversive of all ideas of public morality”; while <i>The Age</i> was initially impressed, until a second reviewer decided the dance was “simply ridiculous”.<br />
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After the theatre burned down in 1872, it was swiftly rebuilt. Leaving its dubious reputation behind, the Theatre Royal became a popular venue for plays and musicals over the next 60 years.<br />
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The Theatre Royal was demolished in 1933, to be replaced by a department store. Its address is now the site of the Target Centre shopping arcade.<br />
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Although Melbourne's Theatre Royal is no more, you can still visit a 19th century Theatre Royal in Hobart, and another in Castlemaine in country Victoria.<br />
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<i>Visit the site: 232 Bourke St, Melbourne.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-17394722191904246512017-11-10T06:00:00.000+11:002017-11-10T06:00:04.159+11:00Vanished Melbourne (Part 1)In my <b>Melbourne Historical</b> app (now sadly no more), I had a category called "Vanished". This listed several memorable Melbourne buildings which had tragically been demolished. I'd like to share them with you; here are the first three...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Photo courtesy of the State Library of Victoria.</i></span></td></tr>
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<b>1. Cole's Book Arcade</b><br />
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<i>A famous book emporium whose story is now concluded</i><br />
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One of Melbourne's best-remembered vanished buildings, Cole's Book Arcade was a prominent part of the city's life from 1883 to 1929.<br />
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Strong-willed proprietor Edward Cole, a firm believer in the educational and transformative powers of books, built a vast book emporium which eventually stretched between Bourke and Collins Streets. As part of this expansion, Cole paved and roofed Howey Place, a previously dingy alley off Little Collins Street.<br />
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Cole's sprawling shop beneath its skylit glass roof sold more than books, trading in confectionery and a vast array of household ornaments. It also contained diversions such as stuffed animals, funny mirrors and a changing parade of exhibitions.<br />
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Sadly, this unique emporium closed in 1929, and the building was demolished soon after.<br />
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Nowadays the Bourke Street Mall site is the home to upmarket department store David Jones, while Howey Place is lined by fashion boutiques. However, you can still see EW Cole's ornamental roof over Howey Place today.<br />
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<i>Visit the site: 299 Bourke St, Melbourne.</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwRSTDi32lOyICJKvLLFMT90TmUIRGpdqwi0KP8njVcrQBAoMMbOfqaXP5IFf4dsSxLV4YRUoNohhDsq1eRyYnIU2fgTtyZahNMlr1txSsNu1wdDKRaPvpzr3OmV-XSymh09ZIyceJqV8F/s1600/download%25282%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="675" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwRSTDi32lOyICJKvLLFMT90TmUIRGpdqwi0KP8njVcrQBAoMMbOfqaXP5IFf4dsSxLV4YRUoNohhDsq1eRyYnIU2fgTtyZahNMlr1txSsNu1wdDKRaPvpzr3OmV-XSymh09ZIyceJqV8F/s320/download%25282%2529.jpeg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Photo courtesy of the<br />State Library of Victoria.</i></span></td></tr>
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<b>2. Federal Coffee Palace</b><br />
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<i>A teetotal hotel which eventually turned to drink</i><br />
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Like the extant Hotel Windsor in its early years, the Federal Coffee Palace was an alcohol-free hotel whose owners believed in the temperance cause.<br />
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It opened in 1888, neatly timed for the influx of visitors attending the great Centennial Exhibition of that year at the Royal Exhibition Building.<br />
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Unfortunately, its owners' high-minded ideals were unable to compete with the proximity of various pubs, and in 1897 the hotel gained a liquor licence and became the Federal Palace Hotel, then later the Federal Hotel.<br />
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The Federal Coffee Palace was decorated in a flamboyant jumble of styles which outdid even the usual Victorian-era excesses. An arcaded foyer with a glass roof soared four storeys in height, and the grand staircase was decorated in red and white marble. Outside, its lofty domed tower was a prominent landmark in those low-rise days.<br />
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Unfortunately, the Federal didn't survive the advent of sophisticated modern hotels serving the jetsetters of the post-World War II era. It was demolished in 1973.<br />
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The beautiful hotel was succeeded by a bland concrete office tower, which is now giving way to a new 47-storey apartment building.<br />
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If you want to drink an espresso in memory of the grand edifice of temperance which once stood here, head a few blocks east to the cafe beneath the Elizabeth Street colonnade of the GPO Building. Its name? Federal Coffee Palace.<br />
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<i>Visit the site: 555 Collins St, Melbourne.</i> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZBf9kF7XK4VMLnuCxG0dAjuWD8Bx1tXMxVYkxR8BXJiNSFrjYA9OnhNupG7Zg3PyDr8hmH8_R9dTzbt5ravv55VfTC6MLEwcbcGnUyL_bs4GhGe9tKrfY48hkQx9dCoYqHuSYw5hjawm/s1600/download%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="1000" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZBf9kF7XK4VMLnuCxG0dAjuWD8Bx1tXMxVYkxR8BXJiNSFrjYA9OnhNupG7Zg3PyDr8hmH8_R9dTzbt5ravv55VfTC6MLEwcbcGnUyL_bs4GhGe9tKrfY48hkQx9dCoYqHuSYw5hjawm/s400/download%25281%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Photo courtesy of the State Library of Victoria.</i></span></td></tr>
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<b>3. Fish Market</b><br />
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<i>A monumental market that met its maker</i><br />
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Whenever Melburnians bemoan the destruction of the city's grand buildings of the past, an example that always gets a mention is the Fish Market. This 200 metre long building stretched along Flinders Street, its rear curving along the railway viaduct behind the site.<br />
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Opened in 1892 upon the closure of the previous fish market next to Flinders Street Station, the market stored and sold fish, poultry, rabbits and other game. Despite this mundane function, it was an elaborate expression of civic pride, with a central clock tower, an impressive arched entry, and conical towers dotted along its length.<br />
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In the late 1950s, the market's functions were relocated to a large new site on Footscray Road, West Melbourne. The Fish Market building was demolished in 1959.<br />
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Nowadays the site is occupied by the Northbank Place commercial and residential development, completed in 2009. There's something piscine in its curving walls and steel ribs, a tribute perhaps to its memorable predecessor.<br />
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<i>Visit the site: 545 Flinders St, Melbourne.</i> <br />
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<i><b>Next post:</b> three more demolished Melbourne gems, including a scandalous theatre and the Victorian Parliament's forgotten first home...</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-91360240052170697742017-11-03T06:00:00.000+11:002017-11-03T06:00:17.194+11:00Łódź, Poland: From Industrial Revolution to Movies<i>I visited Poland courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.</i> <br />
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Last year I revisited one of Poland's most overlooked cities, Łódź (pronounced 'woodge').<br />
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In the centre of the country, Poland's third-largest city was the epicentre of the Industrial Revolution in what was then a province of the Russian Empire. As a result, it has a lot of interesting industrial architecture, from repurposed factory complexes to tycoons' luxurious former homes.<br />
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It's more noted nowadays as the hub of the Polish film industry. Because Warsaw was in ruins at the end of the Second World War, movie-makers regrouped here after the conflict.<br />
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Cinematic highlights for visitors include the Cinematography Museum housed within a former mansion; the National Film School where Roman Polański once studied; and the animation museum of Se-ma-for Studios.<br />
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Here's a quick tour...<br />
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1. Start your visit with the <a href="http://kinomuzeum.pl/" target="_blank">Cinematography Museum</a>. There are two attractions here: the extensive collection of movie memorabilia, from early stereoscopic film viewers to sets and props from recent productions; and the beautiful mansion it's housed in, once the home of a Łódź textile king.<br />
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2. From the museum it's a short walk to the <a href="https://www.filmschool.lodz.pl/en/" target="_blank">National Film School</a>, spread across a number of buildings. It doesn't hold regular tours, but it's possible to pre-book one in English. This is the place where greats such as Polański, Kieślowski and Wajda got their start, and there are plaques to these ex-students on a set of stairs where they sat between classes.<br />
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3. Next stop is <a href="http://en.cit.lodz.pl/pokaz/5,161,1,se-ma-for-museum-of-animation" target="_blank">Se-ma-for Studios</a>, one of Poland's top animation creators. Its Animation Museum has a great range of puppets which have been used over the decades in Polish animated movies, including recent international co-productions. It's fun to look through the changing designs, even if you're not familiar with the productions.<br />
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4. A great place to end is Lodz's main street, ul Piotrowska. Here in the footpath is the <b>Walk of Fame</b>, embedded Hollywood-style stars with the names of famous Polish film-makers in them. Because Piotrowska is full of good restaurants and bars, it's a good spot to finish your visit over an excellent Polish beer.<br />
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It's worth staying over, but it's also possible to visit Łódź as a day trip by train from Warsaw (though it'd be a long and busy day). You can find out more about the city and its attractions at the <a href="http://en.cit.lodz.pl/" target="_blank">official Łódź tourism website</a>.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-42408704374909708522017-10-27T06:00:00.000+11:002017-10-27T06:00:15.060+11:00Help! Beatles Tour of Hamburg (With Ukulele)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>On this trip I was hosted by the German National Tourist Office.</i><br />
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"There's nowhere in the world they played more than Hamburg," says Stefanie Hempel as we stand in the German city's Beatles-Platz. "Here the foundation stone was laid for their career."<br />
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She's right. Hamburg was where the Beatles got their start, playing a huge number of gigs - Hempel estimates it as 300 concerts over two years.<br />
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Her tribute to their German residency is a specialist tour of the St Pauli neighbourhood around the Reeperbahn, the spine of Hamburg's famous red-light and entertainment district.<br />
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She punctuates stops at the sites of Beatles venues past and present, by playing Beatles songs - on her ukulele.<br />
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It may be a far cry from the Beatles' guitars or even George Harrison's sitar, but it seems to work. The compact instrument allows Hempel to belt out a tune, vocals included, with little preparation. Then we're off along St Pauli's dingy daytime streets to the next stop.<br />
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At Beatles-Platz itself, she sings <i>In My Life</i>. Then at the former Top Ten Club (see photo top right), she rocks a version of sea shanty <i>My Bonnie</i>, which the early Beatles performed with Tony Sheridan.<br />
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In a back street courtyard, we locate the doorway which John Lennon leaned against for the cover of his 1975 <i>Rock 'n' Roll</i> album...<br />
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... then we pause by the site of the former Bambi Kino, a cinema where the Beatles were boarded within a shabby storeroom between gigs:<br />
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One of the nearby places they performed at was the Indra, where they first used the Beatles name and initially acted as the backing band for a stripper (Hempel performs the Chuck Berry number <i>Rock and Roll Music</i> here):<br />
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Next is the Kaiserkeller, perhaps the Hamburg venue most linked with The Beatles in popular memory. It's still rocking:<br />
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And finally, we stand behind the site of the long-vanished Star Club, to admire this plaque listing the impressive array of talented artists who took the stage during its short life:<br />
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This is where Stefanie goes out with a bang, belting out <i>I Saw Her Standing There</i>. I join in the "Ooooh" bit in the chorus, of course. All you need is love, right?<br />
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<i>Find out more and make bookings at <a href="http://www.hempels-musictour.de/" target="_blank">Hempel's Beatles Tour website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-75771192354358112762017-10-20T06:00:00.000+11:002017-10-20T06:00:04.682+11:00Melbourne Creative Landmark: The Nicholas Building<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>I originally wrote this profile as part of a walking tour submission to Melbourne's <a href="http://cityofliterature.com.au/" target="_blank">City of Literature</a> office. With its consent, I'm sharing it with you...</i><br />
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This 1926 office building is at the heart of Melbourne’s creative traditions.<br />
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It was built on the fortunes of the Aspro company which manufactured aspirin, and for a long time it was a hub of Flinders Lane’s fashion industry, or ‘rag trade’.<br />
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There are still aspects of that trade active here today, including a company making buttons using traditional methods. <br />
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However, in recent years the building has broadened its creative activities, becoming what’s called a ‘vertical laneway’.<br />
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Like Melbourne’s famous ground-level lanes, a vertical laneway is composed of numerous small-scale businesses – located in a high-rise building.<br />
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Literature is a strong element of the Nicholas Building’s mix. This is where convicted bank robber Gregory Roberts wrote the novel <a href="http://amzn.to/2wRJpYj" target="_blank"><i>Shantaram</i></a>, based partly on his fugitive life in Mumbai.<br />
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It’s also the long-time home of Collected Works, Melbourne’s top poetry bookshop.<br />
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Walk to the list of tenants in the beautiful barrel-vaulted arcade, and look for enterprises that welcome visitors. <br />
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You’ll find the poetry bookshop, art galleries exhibiting local artists, the button shop selling its attractive creations, and other outlets selling handcrafted fashion and gifts. <br />
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Take some time to ascend in the old-fashioned lifts which retained attendants well into the 21st century, and explore the creativity of this extraordinary place.<br />
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As you leave the Nicholas Building, cross the street and take a moment to admire its impressive facade. Covered with terracotta tiles, it was influenced by the Chicago School and was at the cutting edge of Melbourne architecture in its day. <br />
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The Nicholas Building still stands out among its neighbours along Swanston Street. It may be a little wrinkled with the passage of time, but it has great bones.<br />
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<i>The Nicholas Building is located at 37 Swanston St, Melbourne, Australia.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-33247396292395380892017-10-13T06:00:00.000+11:002017-10-13T06:00:14.257+11:00Joo Chiat & Katong Food Tour: Singapore on a Plate<i>On this trip I was hosted by BetelBox Tours, the Singapore Tourism Board and the Raffles Singapore.</i> <br />
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When I visited Singapore in 2015, I went on an excellent food tour of the city's Joo Chiat and Katong neighbourhoods.<br />
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Operated by <a href="http://www.betelboxtours.com/" target="_blank">BetelBox Tours</a>, a company connected with a local hostel, it covered the food of
Singapore’s largest architecture conservation district: an area associated with Malay, Peranakan Straits Chinese, and Eurasian communities.<br />
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The tour was a pleasant walk through a low-rise area, and the food was great and
plentiful. It was fun, sociable, and with some interesting social history woven into the strolls between food stops.<br />
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It was also top value for money. Keen foodies as we were, the group I joined could hardly have polished off the vast quantity of edibles presented to us. From memory, the guide took leftovers from our final banquet back to the hostel as a treat for the backpackers.<br />
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Here are some images from the tour for your enjoyment...<br />
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Delicious! And colourful!<br />
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<i>Find out more about the Joo Chiat / Katong Food walk and make bookings <a href="http://www.betelboxtours.com/tour-detail/543c0d43da81622766496464/joo-chiat-katong-food-walk" target="_blank">at this link</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-17131924444139162242017-10-06T06:00:00.000+11:002017-10-06T06:00:16.033+11:00Portmeirion, Wales: The Village by Night<div dir="auto">
<i>On this trip I was hosted by Visit Britain.</i></div>
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In September I had the good fortune to revisit a place I haven't seen for 25 years: the beautiful village of Portmeirion in Wales.<br />
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Not that it's a real village. Rather it's a confection of Italianate buildings and facades, put in place over decades by the late Sir Clough Williams-Ellis.<br />
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The architect wanted to show how architecture and nature could work harmoniously together; so he rescued demolished statuary and facades from around Britain, reinstalling them here.<br />
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The result is a beautiful though slightly odd village which feels too sublime to be real: a fairy-tale place.<br />
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It was this curious quality which led actor/director Patrick McGoohan to film his surreal mystery-drama TV series <i>The Prisoner</i> here (below I'm wearing a characteristic badge of the Village's inhabitants in the series).<br />
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By chance the 50th anniversary of its first screening fell in September, and it's still a spectacular viewing experience - I recommend it to you.<br />
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Portmeirion is mostly visited by day-trippers, to whom it's open during daylight hours. But if you stay overnight in the hotel or one of its rooms scattered through the Village, you can roam around freely after dark.<br />
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This is what Narrelle and I did, and were rewarded with a magical experience. The sky was clear, the stars were out, and Williams-Ellis' remarkable creation was even more beautiful than ever.<br />
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After seeing these photos I took on the night, I hope you agree.</div>
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As the inhabitants of the Village were fond of saying in <i>The Prisoner</i>, "Be seeing you!"</div>
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And a small additional note: this post was written in the grand John Rylands Library in Manchester. A beautiful space for composition, I think you'll agree:<br />
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Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-48056779853082469272017-10-03T06:00:00.000+11:002017-10-03T06:00:05.276+11:00Review: Henry V at the Pop-up Globe, Melbourne<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisQT4Gng-7U-YfUrg0TVkZwVvxdfgJBn2yOLP03S-9MMbVkaXbBjNNWQHyx3xFQbwA-g1HHwTz85DxLUG5QXREaa8aXcG5F6ciK7fwr7IcMhZL9ngcW8DXhHMwvBQKDgPsfHhwk8U7zHk/s1600/280217Henry1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1069" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisQT4Gng-7U-YfUrg0TVkZwVvxdfgJBn2yOLP03S-9MMbVkaXbBjNNWQHyx3xFQbwA-g1HHwTz85DxLUG5QXREaa8aXcG5F6ciK7fwr7IcMhZL9ngcW8DXhHMwvBQKDgPsfHhwk8U7zHk/s320/280217Henry1.jpg" width="213" /></a> The slogan of the Globe Theatre replica currently adorning Melbourne's Kings Domain is "Shakespeare like it's 1614."<br />
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This seems like a missed opportunity to me; I would've gone with "Party like it's 1599." But I'm a turn of the century kinda guy, even if it's the 16th century we're talking about.<br />
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Whatever. The point is, there's an excellent scaled-down version of the Bard's famous venue parked next to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, with a repertoire of four plays: <i>Henry V</i>, <i>Othello</i>, <i>Much Ado About Nothing</i>, and <i>As You Like It</i>.<br />
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It's <i>Henry V</i> that Narrelle and I have come to see on an overcast Sunday afternoon which is tentatively threatening to rain. It shouldn't be a problem, as we have seats beneath the O-shaped roof, but the "groundlings" who get in cheap and stand in front of the stage are beneath the open sky and are not allowed umbrellas.<br />
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Even though it's a history play and might therefore be assumed to be weighty fare, I instantly realise that it's a great choice for this venue. For a start, the Chorus, the narrator character who introduces the play and changes of location, is perfectly in his element here. When he asks us...<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Can this cockpit hold<br />The vasty fields of France? or may we cram<br />Within this wooden O the very casques<br />That did affright the air at Agincourt?</i></blockquote>
... we can look above us and see the "wooden O" of which he speaks.<br />
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And it turns out, the "imaginary forces" he pleads for us to use are up to the job, aided by sound and motion upon the thrust stage. The battles with the French army, when they come, are noisy and clanging, aided at one point by the keen of bagpipes. <br />
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Despite this sound and fury, to which the audience lends wholeheartedly its support via cheers and clapping, the quiet scenes hold their own. When Henry and others reflect upon the coming deaths before the battle, Shakespeare's thoughtful words are received with respectful attention by the audience. There's true revulsion, too, at Henry's later war crime, his order to kill the French prisoners.<br />
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Still, the venue - with nothing like a fourth wall, especially given its daylight performances - invites a broad performance of this history play, and that's what we get. Comedy scenes are played up, stirring calls to arms are cheered, and cast members often walk through the audience, interacting with the groundlings.<br />
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The only element I'd question is the overwrought accents and highly effete mannerisms of the French, along with a jokey suggestion of the Dauphin's homosexual desires. Though this treatment has been used in other productions, it seem to harness prejudices that would be best left in the 16th century. We don't need to see the French portrayed as "unmanly" in order to recognise them as the baddies of Shakespeare's piece.<br />
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Overall, it's great fun to see the play in the setting for which it was written, and a delight to see audience members (many of them young) enjoying theatre so fully.<br />
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There are plenty of seating options from basic to more comfortable, but you can't beat the standing-room-only groundling tickets, which go for about $20. I spent the first half of the play seated, but the second half leaning on the stage, with actors whirling about just above me - and it was great fun. <br />
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The time went quickly and I was glad I'd forsaken my seat for the best spot in the house. If you choose this option though, take a raincoat - there's a lot of fake blood splashing about, and it might end up on you.<br />
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<i>The Pop-up Globe's season continues in Melbourne to 12 November 2017. Find details and make bookings <a href="https://popupglobe.com.au/" target="_blank">at its website</a>.</i> Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-58830596914690933592017-09-29T12:00:00.000+10:002017-09-29T12:00:31.787+10:00Reviews: Melbourne Fringe Festival 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's time again for Melbourne Fringe, the annual festival of performing arts which pushes boundaries. As <a href="http://narrellemharris.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a> and I were in Britain for most of this year's fest, we've only had a chance to catch a few shows in its final week. Here's what we've seen...<br />
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<b>1. Narrelle's Fringe Diary.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVqwOs0bCrTUvMuZajhSVegAeiVkISwG1aHe_v-2kVwfCpT18EhSozLauny_eB5vtbcmfBW0NmFv45slK0WNoirdrJO1P6dtxaZQbQPi3bGKl-KwuTepDYvakVrQWiLjwXQzG_rrsB_lF/s1600/yonder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="662" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVqwOs0bCrTUvMuZajhSVegAeiVkISwG1aHe_v-2kVwfCpT18EhSozLauny_eB5vtbcmfBW0NmFv45slK0WNoirdrJO1P6dtxaZQbQPi3bGKl-KwuTepDYvakVrQWiLjwXQzG_rrsB_lF/s320/yonder.jpg" width="223" /></a><a href="https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/event/the-yonder/" target="_blank">The Yonder</a><br />
Until 30 September 2017, Lithuanian Club<br />
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<a href="https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/event/title-and-deed/" target="_blank">Title and Deed: Monologue for a Slightly Foreign Man</a><br />
Until 30 September 2017, Arts House<br />
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It’s a challenge attending the Fringe Festival when you’ve returned home from the UK just the previous evening.<br />
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Fortunately, a great show can keep you alert even when your body’s circadian rhythms are staring dry-eyed into the stage lights and on to infinity.<br />
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Sadly though, the first show of the evening is not that show.<br />
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<b><i>The Yonder</i></b>, a “stupid race through deep space” is sadly just that. Three actors (Elizabeth Davie, Ezel Doruk and Shannan Lim, pictured above) play out a science fiction farce via tropes that were already outdated by the '80s.<br />
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The gay love sub-plot gives the best moments in a show that otherwise lacks pace, punch or originality. Otherwise it makes me miss the genius of the <a href="http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/20542/20040314-0000/www.stageleft.com.au/magseven.html" target="_blank">4 Noels</a>, or <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/comedy/melbourne-comedy-festival/melbourne-comedy-festival-2017-review-rama-nicholas-weaves-interplanetary-erotic-tales-in-the-lucky-ones-20170406-gvf6fu.html" target="_blank">Rama Nicholas</a>, who's so ably taken up where they left off.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhuXNWSdlz-N1Dj50c-GVZox3ULZwiGepzOz-hyo-u__AnxXyEl5qGC-0HOhzGjHqU7mu-g0LFbSh2ns7TUCT3vdxhBUjefbnYU1XP43aYOzFjHXHrBNwQlB9TtjGogTBW-MYwpal12DE/s1600/titledeed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="662" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhuXNWSdlz-N1Dj50c-GVZox3ULZwiGepzOz-hyo-u__AnxXyEl5qGC-0HOhzGjHqU7mu-g0LFbSh2ns7TUCT3vdxhBUjefbnYU1XP43aYOzFjHXHrBNwQlB9TtjGogTBW-MYwpal12DE/s320/titledeed.jpg" width="223" /></a>But hurrah for <b><i>Title and Deed</i></b>, exactly the tonic my jetlagged brain requires. Keith Brockett (pictured left) plays a traveller, a stranger in our land – a man in transit in the world and in life.<br />
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He tells us stories of an unidentified home and a half understood ‘here’ that render both places odd and liminal.<br />
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Brockett delivers Will Eno’s script with Wildean deftness, superb timing, and a fine sense of its absurdity and pathos.<br />
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It’s a performance which is funny, clever and often surprisingly contemplative. It’s also full of the joy of words and imagery, drawing together meanings and contrasts.<br />
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My head was full of three weeks of England and Wales; so the themes of countries, cultures and life being strange places where we are all lost sometimes was resonant.<br />
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Kudos to director Laura Maitland too. Kudos to everyone. <i>Title and Deed</i> is charming, funny, a delight.<br />
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I shall now resume staring into lights until I can see infinity.<br />
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(Oh, there it is).<br />
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<b>2. Tim's Fringe Diary.</b><br />
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<a href="https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/event/the-interpenetration-of-opposites/" target="_blank">The Interpenetration of Opposites</a><br />
Until 30 September 2017, Howey Downstairs<br />
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<a href="https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/event/the-basement-tapes/" target="_blank">The Basement Tapes</a><br />
Until 30 September 2017, Arts House<br />
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In one of PG Wodehouse's short stories, a character decries novels which feature "married couples who find life grey, and can't stick each other at any price."<br />
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I try to banish this amusing line from my mind as a recorded voiceover strikes up an argument between an apparent couple later in life, arguing over the everyday grind.<br />
<br />But <b><i>The Interpenetration of Opposites</i></b> is, in fact, that kind of story. It actually starts years earlier, with the actors portraying friends at university who progress from uncertainties about their study choices to uncertainties about their life choices.<br />
<br />There's tension between the pursuit of personal fulfilment, versus grasping for hard-edged security. Which could make the spine of a good drama, if the actors were up to the challenge. Unfortunately there's a lot of flat and unconvincing delivery onstage, leavened by the occasional dash of sarcastic intonation.<br />
<br />It doesn't help that the cast make the already difficult sightlines worse by sitting in the front row when not performing. Overall it's hard to like any of the characters, or even to identify with them. Maybe Wodehouse had it right after all.<br />
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I have more luck in North Melbourne, after hopping the 57 tram back to Arts House for <i><b>The Basement Tapes</b></i>.<br />
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In the Warehouse venue behind it, a young woman (played by Stella Reid) is fossicking among a jumbled collection of household objects.<br />
<br />They turn out to be the contents of her deceased grandmother's basement, which she's sorting through.<br />
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Then she finds an old cassette tape which her grandma recorded her memories on, and things take a sharp turn into strangeness.<br />
<br />No spoilers here, but what follows is an intriguing - at times, frightening - piece of theatre that's expertly delivered. Reid gives us a sympathetic, emotionally awkward character who we warm to, adding weight to her fate.<br />
<br />Everything about <i>The Basement Tapes</i> is well judged - including Jane Yonge's direction and Thomas Lambert's sound, which adds an eerie depth to this small-scale production.<br />
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It's a perfect piece of Fringe theatre, the sort of work that stays with you for some time. Even if it gives you nightmares.<br />
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<i>The Melbourne Fringe Festival continues to 1 October 2017. Find program details and buy tickets <a href="https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/" target="_blank">at its website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-28010475565291825082017-09-22T15:00:00.002+10:002017-09-22T15:00:13.073+10:00A Horse! A Horse! In Richard III's Footsteps near Leicester, UK<p><em>On my visit to Leicester I was hosted by the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre, the King Richard III Visitor Centre, and the Belmont Hotel.</em></p><p>"A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!"</p><p>There was a good chance I'd quote Shakespeare's famous line from Richard III at some point, the day I visited the <a href="http://www.bosworthbattlefield.org.uk">Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre</a>. The moment I heard about the marshy ground which had unhorsed him on the day of his final battle, out the words came.</p><p>That marsh had long been remembered, but its exact location in this much-drained modern era was uncertain until recently, when a comprehensive survey established precisely where the Battle of Bosworth Field had taken place in 1485.</p><p>It turns out that the Heritage Centre, established in the 1970s, is actually on the site of the king's camp rather than the battlefield itself, which stretches down from the site over privately-owned farmland.</p><p>However, there are great views from the centre's extensive parkland, which features old and new memorials to this epochal battle which ended the reign of the Plantagenet kings and ushered in the Tudor dynasty...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgerbqldMVPgrVu7ERsDtAgASysJpYXQtU9HT43nisuI7868Mh2nd-ccdWqRIcQu6J2GGoxOgRI6vQ2GSMUqevOAOX1ftz5KIz-fiJ5zR_xW2bbV0Q0FXcWZydlTbf9B-u2I9A5H_bFTC5Y/s9999/1505647338473328.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtQ_RPJN5t-RZOUsuD0fmQjK2brLekGkLQOcelX8tkBUli17cXKkf5pi3Snhf2UKuI5W5ZUAzjndNiuN6R2UEGKQEgUYRuTofE_vEBLTRilkf3APf8j-_shUiTxhF2TbRMmgzudKEN8TT/s9999/1505647360540540.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCinp0SU3x7odKqPJy7kRUwzdNANK9Vd4eLaQycg2j5w7n6xIQ_V-vG9PMkiC_RSbbFELOFsD-hPifnwcNFgvFPVe5p6YjRzXDEgt6QMoO2eZa0OPI1141XvlUFKS7er_YOksJbOiHH59/s9999/1505647387094593.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-9722J4q6NmMt9tjiE0QAFQcVU-Wf33a21uJAXh-tkQDeZw_ZgLxhtag1ICl6ZriyRhwxUXHwXA1jP_TQuhCLtkeeDxa-l8Xk0GyUOMYQxNWYzlowd9oN2q4YCv5C_cePm8ioWRJqufk/s9999/1505647404885427.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhianPsO6cAQ8mlf5ENpTfW-cit-YxcFSdK_tm9kCvnpvuf1czoRSAk4A_06USgLEUzKNtnHODJ00dpziHcPdMOiKBDC7MBaTiTRDNDbEhX73lMw3uNLhEx11n3peH1r8lA-MoZzBtq-CZ7/s9999/1505647444882902.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>There's also much to learn from the exhibitions within the buildings of a former farm.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdK86C5WqZpAYVkzzKFp271gTtsBrUpxGJ5vj0QjAtsRVyzTQNMQMfsdX8y3b89DU4XLlASWIMW8xcs6ZbU7GfHnTdcR5scCcclgFBvns8ZzMaCC_5g_J6GKuRHAbVdJxBU2dXWLpy40T/s9999/1505647539764969.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>Weaponry is well covered, with a wall of evil devices explained by intelligent captioning. The visitor also learns about the different classes of soldiers present at the battle, and how they would have fought.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHOqXBJxkTgZ9yzXb5PXfT6iVciHmGehDpFgvn8ryQvSW8F6pskTGaqwneTPfUJtrHcZtcvbZ8W67o6ol_RKUa_O4hQxV5vLqL5DXgj57gwds9BZAXGeRwtlNiT4Nhh03yAe0Tf-ADI5a/s9999/1505647674813817.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQ3WYZVLdot1ju4zm7sNcBwzf9AVdoQkjYcpueMOMGTH2tac87VWU1v8O-vQt0hayZMO6wDq4xlA9Fs2fCtxWakNc9ycMSLJxqvtW98xhf_40Pe1ENnUTvvQ-BeI1Bw51QtnuKz1_jDPA/s9999/1505647688813069.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXH_P_H_wbi5B_9yxw6eXhut-WJqaqynk5bSJB2hxs5O4lmAXq2IJrGRKpgktXCVIiAm_I1UeQQdWOr14z5WLoiokSl_Tp2L4opnws3MlJYMHuZJT-dJmwq41qzXaVO_CDUIcc-GEX-Apd/s9999/1505647716581713.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>There's some useful audio-visual content, including a depiction of the battle, and commentary from characters (a farmer-soldier, a mercenary's wife etc) who might have witnessed the events.</p><p>At the end of the exhibition is the interesting story of how the location of the battefield was debated over the decades, and how it was finally decided by a scientific survey which turned up cannon shot and other military debris.</p><p>This being England, the task was complicated by the locale also witnessing a battle in the later Civil War, but there was enough period evidence to fix the site once and for all.</p><p>Given the significance of the Tudor monarchs' era - including the break with the Catholic church, and the start of Britain's empire - it seems fitting that the place where their reign began should be appropriately marked and remembered.</p><p>With the recent rediscovery of King Richard III's remains in nearby Leicester, there's much more for the historically interested to do in the area - starting with a visit to the excellent <a href="https://kriii.com">King Richard III Visitor Centre</a>, followed by a visit to the late monarch's tomb in nearby Leicester Cathedral.</p><p>But that's a story I'll expand upon another day. As Shakespeare has Richard say, "An honest tale speeds best, being plainly told."</p>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-41754803105214330522017-09-15T15:00:00.000+10:002017-09-15T15:00:14.789+10:00Review: Jumeirah Carlton Towers, London<p><em>Disclosure: I was hosted by the Jumeirah Carlton Towers.</em></p><p>Narrelle and I started this trip with two nights at the Langham Hotel, then yesterday Ubered around to Belgravia for two nights at the Carlton.</p><p>The Carlton Towers was not a hotel I knew anything about, and its postwar exterior doesn't do much to catch the eye. But the location, near Knightsbridge Tube station, Harrods and Hyde Park, is appealing; and the rooms are lovely.</p><p>This is the interior of our Junior Suite, basically a joined bedroom and sitting room, with a balcony overlooking the leafy Cadogan Place Gardens (a private space, but one that hotel guests have access to)...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWakweAX_oMt97Qqwj7eZhUo0X4Cy1k-Br3PJXrtMlZpuVF_ypIk4r5_i9B8SWjcMDSCwrJ9MsMPuVsAU1unTBg1D-YwjAwNde5ZW3UCG-vU8Unsq2yCqoBlKEmhxS2zX5nYhLa0tnzYT0/s9999/1505034861282903.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNIoCvpmBArW3kLtD2dVzQnpK5Au_lxo7QROq5twM9rFPMdmQnubAr7gy0CHD0pEG6LUDqGkLDv6dmXxbDfFdFMRh26rSmBCb55kgGIyi8URh1C3LcxdTwsOxhHLuA8zzcUgZ_hy6j1dU7/s9999/1505034909850686.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgddFWLIpqmrsI6ATrGFhzpFCmcPhlfBJDFWZvB676iR5FJ8Bed1zY33w9D4KmySe1zZT40TQe1NEdd85L6ROEcxrv70UOpXq5uUYiQZhdCmmOYWLTh-E7G7W9s91W7BHMitYI71ynafZ/s9999/1505034935128485.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPY8zT7n9IpKODtoGdoQbgEq5p6yTkYhzN6CijUKq3KG_zdNy-fcffnBkE5QJ-xVx6mjPIoVctloe39mNI882BS9Gb22vcWtNhARsGgzvsEQs-TCAU0whlRLOcX1P-OXJ4pK5mFf0i5TN/s9999/1505034952055333.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>The room is very pleasant, the decor a nicely-judged mix of classical elements and modern lines. Very tasteful and soothing, as is the garden view from the balcony.</p><p>As for the hotel's public spaces, there's an ambient cafe/lounge off the lobby called the Chinoiserie (whose central tree is re-dressed as each season changes)...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC98WMRksc_irbUpk8VWf2GKc_Pj2Y-7rUrv4ibaBpFGx8oj8k7NmQNiT3XqivIrCYEp_3OtaUDW1FxZYZhCSkf4s0S6GAqYACHNHsxO425w0f57d5RqPPwonqYE3p69VYa1EMcsyosOqQ/s9999/1505035233644731.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>... and a restaurant which is about to undergo a major refurbishment. It's a pleasant spot in which to have breakfast, and there are hints of the hotel's Middle Eastern ownership in the spread: including hommus, labneh, etc.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOE90bYw2_nQ9-ZTQVKK0vLmB3FgiEIkRgHTtiPyXvLkExVL-VoT_Bpftnu7sJ_NV0DLdUzzO96c5uoeP0HFfHUEEOh_RsD06HIBI7cU-bT5qa-5NeOKLlBc9Rttg5lEJtXpvwxUfrKsVj/s9999/1505036157919891.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8J1WwUZregB_ZKCxOlaV8tU05ZLqLBT5bDv9tJRjAudHAbD5TFsmXQDrv5oCwFnsExlP7PiRcokqCn6KbKDusl_MkshGRaQqXwqkrQLykeGyoKWDp9mYs-0XtYJfZUkmJlUYAy6hYq51-/s9999/1505036211706758.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>Other guest facilities include a pool with a view...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmawbCrMzr1JCOuKoqbMDQ11duVlQAc3Cf_F2JTJ_e57UFCr6HB8tqh6m1frm1cm1G-IgACuAVmTY59l8IQdLuLyTeBYWT3_iwBHLx5KV0tLgSSpPehh-dBMITWFjfQjflV5KjVfNNEbu/s9999/1505035478174333.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>... and on the 9th floor, alongside the wellness centre and gym, is The Peak. This is an unexpectedly light-filled space with great views across London to the south. Appealed to me as a great place to sit and write.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGkcHgWKS1KR3FFa7cJlKEIyu3kfqAbqH0DMe9XYFxsGgBZY5q1U2z9ZwhdNjr2Hrkl49LMC07ZCV2ef3iivakHQExLY4UY26q7BE_OIXLsu07Cn71Ib8poTCfppONnIfkvhz3TD8y3d5P/s9999/1505035558780081.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>The hotel is, as you will have guessed, not cheap. But it's in a great location, and manages to be surprisingly serene in the centre of such a busy city.</p><p><em>The Jumeirah Carlton Towers is located at 1 Cadogan Place, Belgravia, London. Find more info and make bookings at <a href="https://www.jumeirah.com/">the Jumeirah website</a><a href="file:///private/var/mobile/Containers/Data/Application/A7EEB8DC-5721-414F-A9DA-3518FAE65553/tmp/#"></a>.</em></p>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-14736866267905280532017-09-08T06:00:00.000+10:002017-09-08T06:00:37.243+10:00Art in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland<p dir="auto"><em>On this trip I was hosted by Visit Sunshine Coast.</em></p><p>On my recent visit to Queensland's Sunshine Coast, I joined a couple of media tours.</p><p>The first one, held before the Australian Society of Travel Writers' annual convention, spurned the region's famous beaches and headed inland.</p><p>There's quite a rise in altitude as you head west, and a dramatic change in landscape. Instead of sleepy holiday towns along a strip of beach, you find villages scattered through mountainous green countryside.</p><p dir="ltr">The focus of this media tour was art, and I think our small group was fairly dubious about its abilities. We could all write, of course, but our skills at painting and pottery were largely untested.</p><p>Our first artistic stop was at the Mary Cairncross Reserve. There's a great view from here of the Glass House Mountains (named by Captain Cook; but I urge you to look up the <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_House_Mountains" target="_blank">Aboriginal story of the mountains' formation</a> on Wikipedia, it's fascinating).</p><p>Set up on a grassy area next to the visitor centre, and instructed by veteran artist James McKay, we had a go at painting the scene in watercolours...<br></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXdgrMIztYuQBefKS0eatp7Yc09F649Sx0xfuGor3t0vs2wFvJ9ROlUbbh_BeJXS063RmMVF6gMZ3ZvvX0oWL7NfWYLvJK2RJC8v3MKnKM42y8hZFUxkbxhTiLqV9EIOXMo2q0lJwCUUXa/s9999/IMG_51511.jpg" width="550" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p><br></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkk-jOPYPW4bLXNNGeJaUxdybZrJr8OTRw1SY9vE9rM3at0fccHNLMKMXWMMVRKmjex4Z5iACAUK_2DJriM2j-GMNnYxCTJ9hNit_0dArH7frFFnImOOjIku7IiFQSvRBGbyDrt4l_opz/s9999/IMG_51610.jpg" width="550" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p><br></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZCCVIqZ4EsViAwBQZm6Va_IVwdgE2QBLAeF5xjNJDcb6jFdqdXFHKA0PT6LEBYq4fi_ZZ3KqaTQ6pNi_zyblBavo3XrOFh_9gJww4qnCBQ3dYBkVo9uyGU8JQV765oTB7Lyt4_njWzFt/s9999/IMG_5174.jpg" width="550" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p><br></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNPq4N7Fu3uswzDoLmZQAkg8wzC4hKPdrfWS1EMO8RsMsAP6TLOAniBciVqkoG7H7NiIB7wSTWd-kpKtTjeb9P-m5RUlXhO6VrN93bkB8whz7CwztZIRpTF1Q1H-ustaodToMQHJ39CPL/s9999/IMG_1479.jpg" width="550" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p><br></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdfbFLsngVvZS-xCRLPLE6gvGlFutmBatKeuTE-7nuYf-2fBWtNFCqQsAjKrRXfY7QIIlOfnwKFUqvE6jJDOvaoDGZnnH_743ilU4WDrt5u8OVQHBgXB_czSUbrs-kVjmwUsCsPmTYH7m/s9999/IMG_5179.jpg" width="550" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>I think we didn't do too bad for beginners.</p><p>The next day, the challenge was clay rather than paint. We dropped into <a href="http://friedmudd.com" target="_blank">Fried Mudd</a>, a pottery studio near Maleny, to fashion a chicken in only two hours.</p><p>Again we were assisted by an expert (thank god), in this case potter Cathy Lawley. Cathy guided us through the process, as we fashioned two 'bowls' from strips of clay, which would then be joined to form the body of the chicken.</p><p>Tricky business, especially when we progressed to the finer details of markings, and fashioning the beak and comb. Here's how it went...<br></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ_1mjNnW9AAfMBbAe_4KhF6Ivyk1CkheCdCnmHg-vasUE5HpmrK1bhZhL9mImgeMJUogxTLvVKtc3EhAb9wt2F_GoDqHvaTQVYv7U_qW5QNXhNamtgCB3GMOLcvC5t7Mw7PTY2JU7RWii/s9999/photo1503448403703076.jpg" width="550" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p><br></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFwD4UExNL3Hr58-7KIxhYbd-VvL32gHVnQ_ZtAtFwi7cC5A5XZR0-Ndxy8v7gVodw4EwrZADIQWK_vDcHB_QWnM5PA2tj1JqMt0_ooOOfpAms63ZWmM9ZEZoOtrIPoVEW6YVYfb_G-2k/s9999/photo1503448476622629.jpg" width="412" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p><br></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_B33oUtOqhvYgFJu-2ItP5rf9Tt87HgXakt6ZokbRjlVWhx3X9GeleVBw3qNqPXaazVkIFLuY4k8GlSWfzNzUiPL3cHsd7rP3zTOb3wh8Gu6nLFWK7hJzjgzR3D1JHWcr_YhoeSCtCOlJ/s9999/IMG_5199.jpg" width="550" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p><br></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3a70rEUT6cgKlS1JaOKe-Xu83BeqA8NSbw7yX4eAxNPm34hzcT76peGVX-sfvkEmuYzmtGD0Pa0BmUgz-QUTZGb9YckL90MjEc7hJ3fcWyL_AlJZ1rjdZFgVCDAXsmTqRUatWkUQIaZe/s9999/IMG_5210.jpg" width="412" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>And here's what they looked a day later, after they'd been fired and delivered to us at the convention:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCsn00gb8Yg2jVwh78DggLq-JCbNBPceV4pZm5YFROyQrZcizXSZkbdCSESVPVrm53xMMkctvL6BOZ0n_VmHCXj-W-9tZKjFHnLRuzItKaOpKv65T8jNpkDLk_qeoLLWZ_kU5qoqE38rxI/s9999/IMG_5267.jpg" width="550" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p dir="ltr">I don't think we did a bad job here either, though I was happier with my painting.</p><p>But we learnt the basics of the two crafts, had some fun while creating, and saw some beautful scenery on the way.</p><p>If you're wondering how we got our two very heavy chickens home to Melbourne, by the way, we didn't.</p><p>We gifted them to my colleague <a href="https://eatdrinkandbekerry.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Kerry Heaney</a>, who lives in Brisbane, so she could add them to her chicken and have a trio of ceramic chooks in her garden.</p><p>And the names of our creations? Dahlia and Agatha. PG Wodehouse fans will know where we got those from.</p>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-35673945273572087362017-09-01T06:00:00.000+10:002017-09-01T06:00:18.918+10:00Seattle's Living Computer Museum<i>I stayed in Seattle as a guest of Railbookers, Visit Seattle and the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, though I paid my own airfare to the USA.</i><br />
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When I visited Seattle in 2015, I was struck by how many museums it had which referenced either technology or the future (or both).<br />
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One exception that referenced both technology and <i>the past</i> was the Living Computer Museum, in the industrial district of SoDo; named in the American style after its location <u>So</u>uth of <u>Do</u>wntown.<br />
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Established by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, the museum is dedicated to presenting the history of computing via working models of computers over the decades, which visitors are welcome to use.<br />
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To its credit, it has Apple computers on display as well as PCs.<br />
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This is the Apple Lisa, a 1983 computer which was one of the first to feature a graphical interface rather than a simple command line. It was inspired by a then decade-old groundbreaking graphical design by Xerox, which never fully capitalised on this brilliant leap in usability.<br />
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A large room at one end held a assortment of huge mainframe computers that looked as though they'd been salvaged from the set of <i>2001: A Space Odyssey</i>...<br />
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... though I most enjoyed sitting down and interacting with the individual computers. This early AT&T machine had a vertical page-shaped monitor. I wonder why that didn't become more of a thing? For writing, it would have made a lot of sense.<br />
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I enjoyed a game of Hangman on this DEC VT131 terminal...<br />
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... and wrote a note in Notepad on an early IBM PC running Windows 1.0:<br />
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And of course, I had to play a game of Pac-Man on one of the early games-based computers, the Atari 400:<br />
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There was a lot more to the museum, including guided tours. It may look a bit dry in images, but all the explanatory captioning was very good and it was involving, even for a layman who's merely used computers a lot in his work.<br />
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Since I visited, the museum has renamed itself Living Computers Museum + Labs, adding a section dedicated to emerging technologies such as virtual reality and self-driving cars.<br />
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But I'll always have a soft spot for these older devices, which helped us in the transition from the hard copy working world, to that dominated by the IT of today.<br />
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<i>Living Computers Museum + Labs is located at 2245 First Ave South, Seattle, USA. Entry fee US$12. For opening hours and other details, <a href="http://www.livingcomputers.org/" target="_blank">visit its website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-24934687222783283782017-08-25T06:00:00.000+10:002017-08-30T16:52:12.135+10:00Australia Zoo: Animals on the Sunshine Coast<i>I was hosted on this trip by Visit Sunshine Coast.</i><br />
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I've just visited Queensland's Sunshine Coast for the annual convention of the Australian Society of Travel Writers. As part of the event we go on short media tours before and after the formal proceedings, so the local tourism organisation can show off its attractions.<br />
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On Sunday a group of us made a quick visit to Australia Zoo, made famous by its founder, the late Steve Irwin. We started at the attached animal hospital, where injured animals are regularly brought in by rescuers. Visitors to the zoo can also enter the hospital and see how it works for a small additional fee.<br />
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This was a possum which had just been brought in, and was being looked after by a carer:<br />
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Inside the main zoo, we started at the koala enclosure, where a number of the animals were dozing in the branches. I know exactly how this guy feels on a Sunday morning:<br />
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A large open kangaroo area led past a red panda to Bindi's Island, where there were hard-to-photograph lemurs.<br />
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Then we zipped back to the, ahem, Crocoseum for the midday show. This started with birds of prey and progressed to saltwater crocodiles. As our hosts explained the habits and hazards of the croc, a saltie was released into the water at their feet and lurked ominously nearby.<br />
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That was a scary creature to watch as it moved in its purposeful reptilian way. I wonder if there's a race memory stuck away at the back of our minds when it comes to these crocs, telling us to BEWARE?<br />
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In any case I shot a short video clip of the croc grabbing the meat it was offered by the handler, generously passing up him and the white bird which was hanging around suicidally nearby.<br />
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Here's the clip:<br />
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At the end of the day we took part in a special session where we met several animals up close, including a wombat, macaw, lizard, snake and koala. It made for good photos:<br />
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It was a great day out among the animals and the surrounding greenery. Australia Zoo was much bigger than I expected, and there's food available onsite, so if I returned on my own I'd make a full day of it.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-21651933618126500162017-08-18T06:00:00.000+10:002017-08-18T06:00:25.586+10:00The Real Mai Tai of Honolulu, Hawaii<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>On this 2014 trip I travelled courtesy of Hawaii Tourism, the Oahu Visitors Bureau, and the Outrigger Waikiki.</i><br />
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The evening after I changed Honolulu hotels, moving into a room at the Outrigger Waikiki, I decided to go for a walk through the adjacent resorts.<br />
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As I was researching Honolulu bars for an article, I was aiming to enjoy an authentic Mai Tai at the aptly-named Mai Tai Bar at The Royal Hawaiian.<br />
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But by night it's easy to take a wrong turn and end up at somewhere quite different.<br />
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So when I finally found the bar I thought I was looking for, it turned out to be somewhere else altogether: the Rum Fire bar at the Sheraton Waikiki.<br />
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Oh well, that's a mistake anyone could make. And the Rum Fire was a fun place to hang out, with cool red and black decor and a lively crowd on that warm evening.<br />
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And though it was the wrong bar, I did get to enjoy an authentic Mai Tai; in fact, far more authentic than the sweet concoctions that usually go by that name.<br />
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Barman Joe, who was born in the Philippines and had lived in Hawaii from age 7, happily
made up an off-menu version of the Mai Tai, which I jotted down thus in my notes: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>1944 Mai Tai</b><br />
Lime juice<br />
Orgeat / Rock candy syrup<br />
Triple sec<br />
Meyers rum<br />
Parrot Bay rum</blockquote>
Not sure about the amounts of each, but Joe said this was basically the original 1944 Trader Vic's Mai Tai. I liked it a lot - it seemed much less sweet than other versions I'd sampled, especially since the only juice in it was lime.<br />
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This Mai Tai tasted like a real cocktail, not sweet alcoholic fruit juice. What a revelation. I knew Trader Vic was tougher than that.<br />
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I had to ask for it - and it cost US$18 - but it was well worth it. Though it spoiled me permanently for any other Mai Tai. Thanks Joe.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-45312079895492599072017-08-11T12:25:00.000+10:002017-08-11T12:25:43.342+10:00Buddhist for a Night: South Korea Temple Stay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I visited South Korea in 2014, courtesy of the Korea Tourism Organisation, I spent a lot of time in Seoul. The capital turned out to be a fascinating city, defying its stereotype of bland modernity.<br />
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The one big trip I took to the countryside was to stay overnight with a media group at the 9th century Haeinsa Temple, located in the leafy southern interior of the country.<br />
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It was an unconventional travel experience: wearing special pyjama-like clothing, getting up at 3am for chanting and bowing, and sleeping on thin mattresses upon heated floors in gender-segregated dorms.<br />
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One activity which my companions disliked was eating a vegetarian dinner in complete silence in the communal dining room.<br />
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For some reason though, I thoroughly enjoyed this. Maybe I do so much talking, that it felt refreshing to have an enforced break from it.<br />
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It was an interesting sleepover, though I was in two minds about some elements of the experience.<br />
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On one hand it was stimulating, taking place within an ancient temple in a beautiful natural setting.<br />
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We learned a fair amount about Buddhism, via an early Q&A session with a monk.<br />
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On the other hand, our subsequent 'training' sessions with the monk felt as if we were pretending to be Buddhists for the night, basically spiritual impostors.<br />
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It was an interesting tension, forcing some reflection on spirituality.<br />
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And I was glad I'd had the opportunity to visit the temple, especially to see its 700 year old collection of Buddhist texts on wooden printers' blocks. <br />
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The one big negative of the experience is that was that I managed to catch a hideous fast-acting sinus
infection from a random pilgrim.<br />
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It stayed with me for months, through the rest of this
trip and a subsequent trip to Oman.<br />
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Buddhists would no doubt tell me that such physical suffering is an inevitable part of existence; and a hazard of frequent travel.<br />
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<i>Find out more about South Korea's Templestay program at its website: <a href="http://eng.templestay.com/" target="_blank">eng.templestay.com</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-58038050288940918782017-08-04T11:09:00.023+10:002017-08-04T12:32:01.201+10:00A Day in Jasper, Canada<p><em>On this trip I was a guest of Destination Canada and Tourism Jasper.</em></p><p>During my recent trip to Canada I had a day free in Jasper, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. This period was dictated by the timetables of two VIA Rail trains I was catching - <em>The Canadian</em> up from Vancouver, then the train northwest to Prince Rupert. So I hadn't thought much in advance about what I'd do in the town.</p><p>Turned out there were plenty of options. As Jasper is a popular holiday town in a beautiful location, there are lots of short tours and eating choices for visitors. Here's what I did with my day in the mountains.</p><p><strong>1. Motorbike tour.</strong> In the middle of town is the base of Jasper Motorcycle Tours. It takes visitors on tours to nearby lakes and lookouts, perched on the back of, or in the sidecar of a Harley-Davidson.</p><p>There was a certain amount of theatrical dress-up involved, as the guest gets kitted out in leathers first:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4n2JD8ok9uNf0jg9cakO9-Fo8ySrOsJbtxp3TvT-Nz0q2o_d5PM7wPIMMONgOHd9vGUOFatK4xDl6ImtRNj0RtSQ5sfrTazhzlacCtGGTsz6t-lrf_pZ1tHkg4eHre9NVQ5nEm8aNS6q/s9999/1501810392653278.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNi0aVvtvuxrzh5p8fDaN4npO5i9kIGciRsh9fSmFYg5rlqeMtsTLJzmfKIAGDwq_zQP-xaUXsY3s6cfeUPTCETTb3OEYMxWX11IyLgg7rZS7htxDSt01aofjZycP0UZTDeoVw5cRZT86Q/s9999/1501810443275277.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>Then it was off into the mountains outside town for a while, for a taste of the open road and some impressive scenery:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTM3Pbb57zg4qXCDr_wf7JYWZ0F765EBdy0c6RakZEdaohiXuFja2cb4OOlSfmaT_sTvhElblboTXVRGTNV7UWZicOiFgczRQEVuoCNoF3PCzco8KkvnlQYlHmU9_yvwLYwffMQbTZ8ab/s9999/1501810537927221.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0GsvvY9dGKKfXMMkPhq_AfM7DgY6jH6u3ZXJReTS59jHiAAmls8dlCJMd4d6qiUzIltY-Anoto_RJ0aAOwC8T7Dr3VioOu5AOaMF5p8UPeqXn0ajLFNjOIpVCLx53Xqxn2PV6_xD43Qr/s9999/1501810564828517.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0VdvIl0dvY9ATSu0UMi2N1uR_xpEMWlpi44lSSSb4iQk9u-dP6-rYbNZJrUNjcA1dttEzQIhwpWwTM8Bw1S5mUeehqiM0SbaXg8QRQtecQ64ESqIS4AvROJvxMUQhQ83D3hjtmN1SqlhE/s9999/1501810590888950.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p><strong>2. To the heights.</strong> After my motorcycle jaunt, I headed to the base station of the Jasper Skytram, a cable car that runs to the top of Whistlers Mountain (and whose staff seemed mostly Aussies!). From the top there are great views of the township and the surrounding mountains:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF23Pycw_q31elrQahr3emQQA5u3-lx6tk9f7qGHxVqT86n4IX6-L81ZGZH_bVZGANk1JOTwrbk6OAwUVW6BshvJV38KEsBqZS9RILo2_Mo3EfsAPTBrqClwaGI6JWYjMcjNOx_TmE_O-y/s9999/1501811474291078.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGCbBUDfby4pK72sitZEIEPb0yOiwCGgCR1xa_94KI1VMdBuUXyMVO_x31Kyw8pAh_W4FVhVrUdfduFMy84Cn4j4XEpx7lI5vW2CfA_5HD-DEA4v66Km3QhuB_3Z6zIqNK1ooaH7sm60p/s9999/1501811487597146.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p><strong>3. Dinner in the woods.</strong> To finish off the day, I had an excellent dinner in the atmospheric dining room of Tekarra Lodge, just outside town.</p><p>A set of cabins built in the 1940s, the Lodge has a certain retro charm. I was also told that its restaurant was haunted (but maybe just by the ghost of that deer on the wall...). There was certainly a <em>Twin Peaks</em> vibe to the decor.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSzEhB111RHZ5-sCcmzPQT-qYRxOsps5g-FgHF3ZI0gfOXBncKxW14PuCysc9odeU7F0I0CFsgF1ukJYk4Nyo5s2__22SMeqKx3mE-slWcxxfgtb3uyyLJR5FwZhI0o9jMsZYVBu4BYnv/s9999/1501811697043746.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3P6jcD8p2qdHn969MJqNO-_G7uAvB47EP39oYL6fF0DehpVm7r52zWZjY3fEZiXoOJQG0rjzuUYziNyXMr5jUJ9dbKpurrkMaQZw-WhILjUfRNAvgCWPpF39_K71uvySEPC7e8ou_cLAf/s9999/1501811746361205.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVEksMF_Pxm7hYOVs93OZ_xWPzudSyp1yhluq3TrdiF2sy3kNg6sHyTV4EVxALRvmeSXeUosfUWPWcVG9HSG3WI0UHHM5XDHFGkYsCL2c3_oKWasES63raZPkOn2wZ9kWxiAYfe6j3n8fQ/s9999/1501811778246323.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>I didn't meet any ghosts after dark, but the intersection of the Miette and Athabasca Rivers seemed a good place at which to finish my Jasper day. The next morning, <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com.au/2017/07/train-stations-of-canadas-jasper-prince.html">I had a train to catch</a><a href="#"></a>.</p>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-9442604187360260702017-07-28T06:00:00.000+10:002017-07-28T06:00:16.483+10:00Train Stations of Canada's Jasper-Prince Rupert Line<em>On this trip I was hosted by the Canadian Tourism Commission, Destination British Columbia (<a href="http://www.hellobc.com.au/" target="_blank">HelloBC.com</a>) and VIA Rail.</em> <br />
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On my recent trip to Canada, I rode the railway from Jasper to Prince Rupert for the first time.<br />
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Though the route is lesser-known than that of The Canadian train which links Vancouver and Toronto, it's impressively scenic as it runs between several mountain ranges on its way to British Columbia's northern port.<br />
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I'll be writing about the journey in more depth for one of my outlets, so here I'm just going to focus on one element: the stations along the way.<br />
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We started at Jasper station around lunchtime on the first day. Being at the junction of two passenger routes, it's an impressive structure. It opened in 1926, replacing its predecessor which was lost in a fire the previous year.<br />
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Further along we paused at Dunster station, which opened in 1913. This is a "flag stop", which means trains don't stop here unless hailed by passengers.<br />
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It's a fine example of the standard station type which once existed along this line. Most have been demolished, but luckily locals bought this from the railway company and have restored it from a dilapidated state. So it stands as a great example of railway architecture from a century ago, and also fulfils a useful role as a general store.<br />
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Farther on, we stopped at McBride. This is another classic station, dating from 1919. As with Dunster station, it was adopted by locals and is now the home of the town's visitor information centre. I was able to hop out briefly to take a photo of this old CNR carriage standing nearby.<br />
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The major station on this line is at Prince George, the largest city in northern BC, where passengers spend a night before resuming the journey to Prince Rupert. No heritage building here - its relative significance means that it merits a modern concrete box:<br />
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The next day we were back on the rails, pausing briefly at the delightfully named Vanderhoof station, named after an early railway worker...<br />
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... before reaching Smithers station, opened 1918 and situated at the start of one of the most scenic stretches of the line. Babine Mountains Provincial Park is accessed from here, and the town is surrounded by four mountain ranges.<br />
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Running very late because of delays due to passing freight trains, we were able to alight for 15 minutes or so at Terrace station (while we waited for yet another freight train to go past).<br />
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An attractive timber building containing a visitor centre, this was once the family home of Terrace's founder, George Little. In 2003 it was relocated to this location and refurbished, to act as an anchor for the town's downtown heart. It was certainly the nicest station we encountered that day, especially as we had time to enter it and explore.<br />
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I'd show you the station we arrived at in Prince Rupert, which we reached over three hours late at 11.45pm, but there isn't one - instead the train drops passengers off at the BC Ferries terminal.<br />
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Near the site of the city's original station, nostalgics can visit the Kwinitsa Railway Museum. Originally a working station, it was floated down the Skeena River in 1985 to be installed here as a museum dedicated to the story of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. Which seems fitting, as it was that railway which gave birth to the city of Prince Rupert.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xjkAWeEA3jDQLIuZQO3oM4rREu17uq2e7uFzZVj3t6F1cUuKp6gMxakCsBLz4x45L7gHEf7gMSDB-szKvS4eoRQNMyvsiOmYDEfVLCkYp5VR1qoIPE7EysTxdUkET2vYv-XKx4V6Nly8/s1600/P7080382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xjkAWeEA3jDQLIuZQO3oM4rREu17uq2e7uFzZVj3t6F1cUuKp6gMxakCsBLz4x45L7gHEf7gMSDB-szKvS4eoRQNMyvsiOmYDEfVLCkYp5VR1qoIPE7EysTxdUkET2vYv-XKx4V6Nly8/s400/P7080382.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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As for the original Prince Rupert station which stands nearby, it's sadly now closed and boarded up. I like to feel
it'll be used again one day by passengers; if only for the reason that it's in a much more convenient central location. Here's hoping!Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-58083387234185868372017-07-21T05:00:00.003+10:002017-07-21T05:00:00.487+10:00Creature Comforts: Animals & Hot Springs in Whitehorse, Yukon<p><em>On this trip I was hosted by the Canadian Tourism Commission and <a href="http://www.travelyukon.com">Travel Yukon</a><a href="#"></a>.</em></p><p>I've just returned from Whitehorse, capital of Canada's Yukon Territory. Although many visitors use the city as a jumping-off point for places even more remote, such as Dawson City, there are plenty of things to see and do locally.</p><p>There's a cluster of attractions just outside town, along Takhini Springs Road, that I spent a day exploring courtesy of <a href="http://www.whitehorsetours.com">Who What Where Whitehorse Tours</a><a href="#"></a>.</p><p>First stop was the Yukon Wildlife Preserve. If you haven't had any luck spotting the territory's distinctive animals in the wild, you're sure to see some in this spacious open zoo.</p><p>For a start, there are these mule deer with their impressive antlers:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyP7S936-0cZXtsmXY3KMftUMSOmVHcgutiN0ASqBpfiHSaFYBm2lW5MIsC4wmovUIcaYy5tlRersn8OyceYqs6GsctC1KeU1hdcgKxdw7Uox1q807QwtDMN3sbNSdkpr7kzwSnjjN5R6R/s9999/1500414769935624.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>... and stone sheep with their frankly demonic horns:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOu8hCRVzPnVji7v2V2yh4iaAaXJTcxTJb_3ZyqupPw6xVHYwuC_HOIG8QQGpjhC2UiIAh3FHk2RHkF6ftE1cy_W90o_t5eYY4YRgvrsz0heB16C_5YBqtt4IwNWuCXXSI9nqL2X2Q7Fg/s9999/1500414833035587.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>... a lynx which sat still just long enough for this much-zoomed shot:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99H9KZOloxlJ6tnc-VYpPS2Drm6qSKitcQ2dypTP26MfACVIn1uhWAUteIjw8SQgUZ7tPWBE0s3tUDEnD2hNZCElSXLCwQfwiF-AmV5Cg8Tcyua0xHwqlFoqhyphenhyphenESYCsYfxvqJTXbgcnD9/s9999/1500415017603454.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>... and even a bison. That means I've now met both <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2016/12/poland-bison-legend.html">European bison</a><a href="#"></a> and North America bison (collect the set!)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzLjIo0XFIwwaOVPkOlJIzSPWxTRHJoHyEfOjBtVEeE6FBc5zBTNullqZidzGwBovxkqX1soOA5met0YbeSpdozXDCZl0a26L_H55_i3KbT0bDyyKH5K7ChW4x2D6nqin8wNu6IVwy2Igv/s9999/1500415125276534.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>After I left the Preserve, I headed a short distance along the road to the Takhini Hot Springs. These thermal springs bubble up from beneath the earth and are directed into two adjoining baths, one kept at 36°C and the other at 42°.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQiofHD4s_GCOCKq4FE2X78skX8h4jj3YYAWA0aR4_vksxwIsjGte4lH1pmJU7xOlYrsPOwUqSKUG62rIxuzWOgA8V1xqvbuZUZGcgwvZOkcPc-Ysuur-b4GTrTF6Y_vRi8OjdYvv0eW8E/s9999/1500415408667698.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>I can only imagine what it must be like to take a dip here in the midst of winter, in sub-zero temperatures. I'm told if you get out of the pool mid-winter and shake your hair, it'll freeze in place!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-39wT8kBwxLoMWSQ4dzEj9q1PU1E2mvgtL3XAviz7EzLPxdk2b9sST7mYuo_XH7Lqb4C9aOIA1R9-HERmBbzBaGjD8YY0k8q8dHQUVfBur5wIoO65-oXToVUDUa9i8EtmWzzcw9TiIi2/s9999/1500415437431760.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>After sampling the springs, I had lunch at the excelent Café Balzam, which is located in the same complex. Though it's a creperie, I opted for the day's special: a savoury waffle with cheese, spinach, pecan, egg and salmon. Tasty.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5z8tWsvWd0Yy3NQ4g5_YSrzSfUwK2tu4sy3i7_zEL7ygjEEti_9rpPIMCjkzBkol0n-fbmwcP5SHAV2Ohx2KXk-Zw_mAs64gU6d6yc2lPHeZ6N6GJQ8xNZ3OxCbJIudx_nj_6RIEi26bX/s9999/1500416088993887.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>For dessert I chose La Chevronnée: a goat's cheese crepe topped with blackcurrant preserve. That's the kind of dessert I favour, not too sweet.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGmMyHw6FFYbjYS0WWIe5bgwPgOJkHXrABbAXBMLd-EXpR8IExiBewJSTFmWTUHRrXr7ZRfLC8B9rITFzDO59RzH5UG6ayIQasEOTMfeq-u6KTiaGXWrv1Zage8UnPU9jdoziGyGkPBoT/s9999/1500416160632897.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>My conclusion? Whitehorse may be a frontier town in many ways, but it doesn't lack creature comforts. Nor interesting creatures.</p>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-2919774633676892362017-07-15T00:00:00.000+10:002017-07-15T00:00:26.200+10:00The Curious Case of Juneau, Alaska<p><em>In Juneau I was hosted by Travel Juneau, and I travelled there courtesy of the Alaska Marine Highway.</em></p><p>I've just spent three nights in one of the oddest little cities I've ever visited: Juneau, located in the southeast strip of Alaska that stretches alongside Canada's province of British Columbia.</p><p>Why is it such a curious delight? Let me give you some examples.</p><p><strong>1. You can't drive to Juneau.</strong></p><p>Although it's Alaska's second-largest city, you can only reach it by air or sea - the mountains around it have so far proved impenetrable to road-builders. So I arrived aboard the ship you can see below, the <em>MV Matanuska</em>. Built in the 1960s, it's one of the vessels of the Alaska Marine Highway, a network of ferry routes which stretches from Washington state all the the way north and west to the far-flung Aleutian Islands.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlioFfh1mgwRTKDt1ql7mHC2-SdQ2n43mRpuiO_N07IOeSOLxWvQ_HBykTj0k0GipynG8wriTrVsddcVDsZ2eq0HLsPuu2LyKcpO7enWPGhTrGhNFWEs_gUIwCkmLGcmQsWHsF1fynN0i/s9999/1499890834006953.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p><strong>2. The gardens grow upside-down.</strong></p><p>Well, not exactly. But at Glacier Gardens just outside Juneau, the gardeners have utilised upturned old tree trunks to create these strangely alluring elevated flower beds. It's also worth visiting for the golf cart tour they offer, heading high up along the slopes of the surrounding rainforest.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MPIwKNQm0r8QQNHXTcEoYXs7reY5aKqFPL1FU01B-mt9iXgx0ZTPw9uX5nzSZoGsgcBTrSUdyX5MMpQRk89IEV173dg0WXOYVrcS75b2sc4X6j0Mvg-sX4fPgYxMWVZShuO_AHXUv2tz/s9999/1499890872391316.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p><strong>3. It's the political hub of Alaska.</strong></p><p>Although Juneau can't be reached by road, and is located in the far southeast of the state, the city is the capital of Alaska. It's held that status since the 19th century, though there have been attempts to move the seat of government elsewhere. For the time being though, the State Capitol stands proudly in the heart of the city - a city often visited by bears in the middle of the night.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUg-poGyMwe-HdljGLGBYkPPZHkzzSXLPxAkhTAlehPGINbKfOCtVXkmWxdlNCX5ZCXWd87JoE99JNOxeKwwPu47dlCFBxaRNBL-hEMFy5fNBZ_RAqXSiCrq9FfQKprLdjnm4mng-iJc_/s9999/1499889577470047.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p><strong>4. Its location used to be in Russia.</strong></p><p>In the late 19th century, concerned about the vulnerability of its North American possession, the Russian Empire agreed to sell Alaska to the USA. In 1867 the territory was handed over with due ceremony in the Russian-era capital of Sitka - an event duly recorded in the exhibitions of the Alaska State Museum in Juneau (see below).</p><p>Naturally, as the museum notes, the indigenous Native Alaskans protested the sale; as the Russians were giving away a place they had never fully conquered, and which had seen millennia of prior occupancy.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthtQLJtbbGPf3rY0vrXLfTc24XwSazFEJam8YXzHh6xknCNPV7lMFv4hitRnpl2SpqO1yRzqfCf2rOnQ2EZWQMhfrnWNagugY7INGsZDgZgxp-VDxX0OmjHRvuHXHs6TzcokdGsVW2ORG/s9999/1499890912043600.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p><strong>5. The Russian presence lingers.</strong></p><p>Across southeastern Alaska there are traces of Russia's time in Alaska, most visibly the presence of Russian Orthodox churches. The oldest still standing is St Nicholas' Church in Juneau, a picturesque timber structure above the city's commercial core.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZN1T6dxRqeJSUXh4ZjCBT9_EmAtt3VrDa4jkStZJOORNrXNgIloxBCVz9yBR0jxmTDANuvGpMHCRB8CCYnxFLw99A0rBUL_NLvBf1L01MzHlaCf45lFTpJC-DKM21Ka0jMOdwVoAFPkk/s9999/1499890230463817.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p><strong>6. There's a shop selling a comprehensive range of Hawaiian goods.</strong></p><p>I don't even begin to understand this. But here it is.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkcOrwQFSFM6_wryyFbRKkGjXblegWaAdICJMnwR1kGLFNzbq74uEkx5vrOtlP9buyboG-6lNIeHiD8tTI6ReDTgB3HdSpEHb8yBKlMAJzNG6I8nWLvAMY4Avxhx5Imu5apzbPsfIVJ0wQ/s9999/1499890943396875.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" style="max-width: 100%;"></div>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-12978955716007699742017-07-07T22:00:00.004+10:002017-07-11T12:35:20.782+10:00Masterworks at Vancouver's Museum of Anthropology<p><em>On this trip I was hosted by the Canadian Tourism Commission, Destination British Columbia (<a href="http://www.hellobc.com.au/" target="_blank">HelloBC.com</a>) and Tourism Vancouver.</em></p><p>I've been to Vancouver three times, but never before made the minor trek out to the University of BC campus for the Museum of Anthropology. The recent opening of its Gallery of Northwest Coast Masterworks prompted me to finally get there, and I'm very glad I did.</p><p>The museum itself is excellent. Its focus is on works created by the First Nations peoples of Canada, particularly those of British Columbia. Thus the entrance leads down a ramp to a big airy space containing totem poles and other large carved pieces.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhippmJxoEBlmoYiCDXT5G6pAVMZsIS12X8aHb5CgTGrp06TFrJ3I5R1LGJBp-vG9YbTOxK0UOdBnJzjU6W6ZFVT_sF8UyExHMEYACkYVhVlnRUcxLbme-8IhRdvw0VnSzV5EmQK6CUwh/s9999/1499190549259466.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" width="450" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>On a sunny Sunday, with natural light illuminating the room, it was an impressive place to be; far removed from the stereotypical austere museum space.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1pWlg7D1PeXFliTf9YvwgpXk7ksDOl3z53kuMESB5qmstMfP2HPByeS6Ou_pTJrM5w4Fr3yPPFBhcsLXKgR4L1L2rCz-tlP_LHUHEjrYMO5H9eYNwzb1mWrJsKJja89u-9R8cHskJZrI4/s9999/1499190592657946.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" width="450" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>This central hall leads to several smaller rooms with various exhibitions. One of the most interesting to me contained a single work by the late Bill Reid. This big timber sculpture depicts a creation myth of the region, in which the raven discovers mankind within a clamshell and lets them out (reminding me of the legend of Pandora's Box!).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-Zd3QdGl9sYnAcQk3q7fR_Pa6LgzQYPpzFp_KuvcUpkt4r9FbaJ5J6PbYTZPh1mUz1JPLu625yX2KfltnBo5g7yOmVGLtyqW1iM3AYaqAhPvhAaxLFvDQyyf5UHHCJ9hrciWGi5aZ9ls/s9999/1499190785056944.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" width="450" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>My favourite room was the new gallery, which has a very clever and specific idea behind its set-up.</p><p>During the colonial years of the 19th century, as traditional cultural practices were disrupted, many First Nations artworks were acquired by private collectors and public institutions such as museums.</p><p>Over a century later, the provenance and precise significance of such objects has often been lost. So in this gallery, First Nations artists of today comment on these objects from the past, using their knowledge of both craft and culture to shine a light on each item's construction and meaning.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVb_MeXQkma_NGMblZVTCr06WXYe4ArYmUK8EoyN9IVEE8N0_kzVHdrce2yf4to6SKm5db8OWcSGT2asbqQhzTCMFxImDPNU5MNML7DBiBdeZ2QLS0iIJvS8-kGy0cOjOHwxETnCroXwYm/s9999/1499190849809840.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" width="450" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>It's a brilliant concept, which breathes life into what could otherwise seem dusty museum pieces. The artists' commentary, both in written form and audio, is warm and inclusive, often illustrated with personal stories which add context. You can literally feel the emotion these pieces spark within their creative desendants, and that's a marvellous thing to be able to share in.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7PnRFrpqt-8rLLb8uZSxpGso8AmEtcnudmRk789AXuaCYOTklt7JDycq1OZpVLzPvOXWzCPtc2TKKF0sYsrEzMiL0yPCNKluezUNhXwA2LzCbpoiLGpgnLV2U-Y0bbrQ1icnRUCcyg3vt/s9999/1499190974157729.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" width="500" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>It's also respectful to the current-day First Nations people of BC, a reminder that they are survivors and their culture has endured. I'd love to see this approach used in every museum where indigenous cultures are featured.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZA0rGqzTvoPWKkdKEEwl_ZLkBZCye1eUgbnUpmRdNJWLzvxiiiOTqqDKn6xg5_C7jrgbR_u40qLx2qay22z6Gx_8S2Wk2VFYSMpxFc4YT0-KVEe0mJzBC5S7UwGS1d5r64yTwgT2HamG7/s9999/1499191347264512.jpg" alt="img-alternative-text" width="450" style="max-width: 100%;"></div><p>I know in my own city, Museums Victoria worked with the people of the Kulin Nation in the set-up of the Bunjilaka section of Melbourne Museum, which is devoted to Indigenous culture. Perhaps even more can be done to bring forth the voices of creation from past and present.</p><p><em>The Museum of Anthropology is located at 6393 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver. <a href="http://moa.ubc.ca">Check out its website</a><a href="file:///private/var/mobile/Containers/Data/Application/7A1B61EC-DB1A-4868-A918-2B2BD8C8BAAB/tmp/#"></a> for admission fees and opening hours.</em></p>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-338698586244104012017-06-30T06:00:00.000+10:002017-06-30T06:00:01.115+10:00Walking Tours of San Francisco<i>I stayed in San Francisco as a guest of Railbookers.com and San Francisco Travel, and paid my own airfare to the USA. </i><br />
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When I visited San Francisco in 2015, I joined some great (and quirky) tours, and researched several others. Here's a list for you to consider the next time you're heading to SF...<br />
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<b>North Beach Underground.</b> Covering the Kerouac trail in the neighbourhood most closely associated with the Beat Poets. The tour visits the Beat Museum but also expands to take in the district's rough-and tumble history, from the 19th century Sydney Ducks gang to the illicit pleasures of the Prohibition era. See <a href="http://walksftours.com/" target="_blank">walksftours.com</a>. [Note: I wrote <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/postcard-from-san-francisco-in-the-footsteps-of-kerouac-and-other-mad-ones-20151205-glgh7i" target="_blank">an article about this tour</a> for <i>The Age</i>.]<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie5QKtv7Iuu4KEvty2t97fYbvO0_GgFcWHhqA09crbF896lPGuOfPQp-EwVF6kJg1mnevlmBDbnsF8NO6m0cVJQvTfAmH7k1rjW_s9OfA6mdca9jhM6VDf4knAy48m6gDZ33Rec8LXDNY2/s1600/IMG_2872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie5QKtv7Iuu4KEvty2t97fYbvO0_GgFcWHhqA09crbF896lPGuOfPQp-EwVF6kJg1mnevlmBDbnsF8NO6m0cVJQvTfAmH7k1rjW_s9OfA6mdca9jhM6VDf4knAy48m6gDZ33Rec8LXDNY2/s400/IMG_2872.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Emperor Norton’s Fantastic San Francisco Time Machine.</b> Fun tour of memorable and unusual moments in the city's history, led by a guide impersonating one of its greatest eccentrics. See <a href="http://emperornortontour.com/" target="_blank">emperornortontour.com</a>. <br />
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<b>Mural Tour.</b> Learn about the murals of the Mission district covering six blocks from Balmy Alley, in the company of an experienced muralist. See <a href="http://precitaeyes.org/" target="_blank">precitaeyes.org</a>.<br />
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<b>Chinatown Alleyway Tour.</b> Walk through the back streets of this vibrant neighbourhood, hearing about the trials and triumphs of the city’s Chinese community. See <a href="http://chinatownalleywaytours.org/" target="_blank">chinatownalleywaytours.org</a>.<br />
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<b>Haight-Ashbury Flower Power Walking Tour.</b> Set the controls for the 1960s in this tour of the hippie-era hub, epicentre of the Summer of Love. See <a href="http://haightashburytour.com/" target="_blank">haightashburytour.com</a>.<br />
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<b>Gold & Guns in Downtown SF.</b> Take a journey back to the rough-and-tumble gold rush era, when San Francisco’s waterfront was dodgy and dangerous. Includes cocktails. See <a href="http://walksftours.com/" target="_blank">walksftours.com</a>.<br />
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And finally, finish your tour day with the fun of <b>Beach Blanket Babylon</b>, the long-running satirical musical revue staged in North Beach. <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com.au/2017/02/beach-blanket-babylon-musical-madness_10.html" target="_blank">Here's my report on the big-hatted fun.</a>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-52463507915634162032017-06-23T06:00:00.000+10:002017-06-23T06:00:02.636+10:00Jjimjilbang! The Traditional Baths of South Korea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnS7LSyh-4tGJX1hHO2y8eFmIvhV-VczcXf-X0VqAhpeF7EY4mDofPYmGmSYqgilTZLZ7Y2FfqLQSeqd2i8LfoORf19Hz_7yfB7SULtRLmlmK387Ny6RJMWY0UptaXyKL2-CXsLW3bZaw1/s1600/IMG_6305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnS7LSyh-4tGJX1hHO2y8eFmIvhV-VczcXf-X0VqAhpeF7EY4mDofPYmGmSYqgilTZLZ7Y2FfqLQSeqd2i8LfoORf19Hz_7yfB7SULtRLmlmK387Ny6RJMWY0UptaXyKL2-CXsLW3bZaw1/s320/IMG_6305.JPG" width="240" /></a><i>I travelled to South Korea courtesy of the Korea Tourism Organisation.</i><br />
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There's nothing like getting naked and in hot water as a way of, er, immersing yourself in another culture.<br />
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So when I visited South Korea in 2014, I couldn't wait to try out a <i>jjimjilbang</i>, the traditional local bathhouse.<br />
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As I expected, these places are amazing. Firstly men and women bathe in separate areas, in baths of differing temperatures and compositions.<br />
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The compulsory nudity in the bath areas deters some overseas visitors,
which is partly why it's remained an authentically Korean experience.<br />
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It's accessible to foreigners but still very much dominated by locals,
who see these places as a leisure hangout.<br />
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In the bath area of a multi-storey <i>jjimjilbang</i> I visited in
central Seoul, an attendant gave me the world's most efficient,
energetic and somewhat brutal body scrub, removing what seemed kilos of
excess skin.<br />
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The baths are relaxing, but it's the communal areas visited afterward which are the most fun.<br />
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There are people of all ages hanging about there in the pyjama-like tops and shorts we're all issued with.<br />
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Patrons can enjoy a range of facilities - snack bars, pools, ice-cold rooms, kiln-heated rooms, computer gaming rooms.<br />
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The cost for the additional services you use or food you purchase is recorded on your electronic wristband, and you settle the bill on the way out.<br />
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And there's always a sleeping room with simple beds, and big heated floor area where people can sleep - all night if they want to.<br />
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It was great fun to experience these baths on my first Seoul visit, joining locals in an activity which turned out to be both memorable and relaxing.<br />
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If I lived in Seoul I'd be tempted to visit one of these facilities every Sunday
(especially in winter).<br />
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After a soothing bath, I could imagine spending hours relaxing, reading a book
and, um, chilling out.<br />
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<i>Recommended: <a href="http://www.dragonhillspa.com/" target="_blank">Dragon Hill Spa</a>, 40-712, Hangangno 3-ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Adult entry $14-$18, depending on time of day.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-22157382754103453532017-06-16T06:00:00.000+10:002017-06-16T06:00:03.603+10:00Walking Old Delhi, India<i>A few years ago I visited India's capital Delhi, hosted by Thai Airways, and joined a memorable walking tour of the oldest part of the city. As its original publisher has now removed the resulting story from the Web, here it is again for your enjoyment...</i><br />
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There’s only one way to really discover Old Delhi, the 17th century city laid out by Moghul emperor and Taj Mahal creator Shah Jahan: and that’s to walk it. <br />
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Though the government of India is centred on the geometric streets of New Delhi, the 1930s city constructed by the British colonial rulers, Old Delhi has more historic appeal.<br />
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Off pulsing Chandni Chowk, the district’s incredibly busy main street, are dozens of narrow alleyways leading to shopping precincts and eateries. <br />
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It’s not an easy place to navigate as a pedestrian. Which is why a guide from local company Delhi Heritage Walks leads a group through the organised chaos of Chandni Chowk and its back streets. <br />
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<b>Forts and temples</b><br />
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The walk begins at the grandest end of Chandni Chowk, at a T-junction opposite the massive Red Fort, once the palace of the Moghul Emperors. Its outlines are hazy in the early morning, but I can make out the Lahore Gate opposite the walk’s meeting point, the Sri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir temple of the Jain faith.<br />
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The guide today is Kanika Singh, a history graduate with a detailed knowledge of Moghul-era Delhi - and in fact the majority of the tour group is made up of Indians interested in their own country’s history.<br />
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Kanika explains that Sunday morning is the best time for the walk because it’s the only time that the area is quiet enough to lead a group; though 'quiet' is a relative term in Delhi, as there are plenty of people around us, strolling, sitting, shopping and cycling.<br />
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<b>Martyrs of history </b><br />
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Squeezing along the cracked pavement between motorcycles and other pedestrians, the group follows Kanika as she points out merchants’ houses from the 19th century, their attractive facades now plastered with advertising.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwy4pi7qqX-itiQBoursZyG-w0BFCVltAuCs_foJEMtAuCLyUXVwwMhg22BxYM4_wEtNBjV5OWrMQ4vzCdXVpK-QHAMsikl_4knFum2QFyFgXm9jgl_ugncEZ6IbC_U1zK6LkcAej13lR/s1600/P2060244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwy4pi7qqX-itiQBoursZyG-w0BFCVltAuCs_foJEMtAuCLyUXVwwMhg22BxYM4_wEtNBjV5OWrMQ4vzCdXVpK-QHAMsikl_4knFum2QFyFgXm9jgl_ugncEZ6IbC_U1zK6LkcAej13lR/s320/P2060244.JPG" width="240" /></a>Nearby there's a very respectable looking bank wherein the manager was killed by rebels in the uprising against British rule of 1857.<br />
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On a lighter note, a stall titled The Famous Jalebi Wala sells the deep-fried rings of sweet batter known as jalebi.<br />
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Further on, there’s another reminder of the diverse spirituality that’s at the heart of Indian history and culture: the Sis Ganj Gurdwara, an important Sikh place of worship.<br />
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It was on this spot, says Kanika, that the cruel Emperor Aurangzeb murdered a Sikh guru in the 17th century, which led to the later erection of this temple in his memory.<br />
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<b>Alleys lead to the square</b><br />
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After passing a decorative blue and white fountain, Kanika suddenly leads the group off the main street into a narrow alley, pointing out a popular stall selling <i>daulat ki chaat</i>.<br />
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This fascinating sweet Delhi specialty is made from frothed milk, saffron, pistachios and sugar, and decorated with the edible silver leaf known as <i>varq</i>. It’s a light, insubstantial treat with an unforgettable taste, and the more poetic merchants will tell you it requires an additional dose of moonlight to get it just right.<br />
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There’s no time to sample any, however, as Kanika leads onward while explaining how these areas stretching back from Chandni Chowk were formerly nobles’ estates enclosed by walls and gates.<br />
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Most of these boundaries were pulled down by the British to aid movement, but the odd gate still remains. Kanika points to one, a solid metal structure behind a stationery stall. <br />
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Returning to the main road, the space suddenly opens out. Here was once a public square, with a pool that reflected moonlight - which is what Chandni Chowk means, moonlit square.<br />
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The European-styled building opposite was once the British-built Town Hall, though it’s watched over nowadays by a statue of early independence leader Swami Shardhanand.<br />
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<b>A holy oasis</b><br />
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Crossing the road and entering another alleyway, we take a moment to inspect the interior of a small Hindu temple with a beautiful central canopy.<br />
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It’s dedicated to the Hindu god Lord Shiva, but surprisingly it’s also a family home. Kanika says the owner sells tea in the alleyway in front of the entrance on weekdays, and indeed there’s a small teacup-shaped sign hanging on one side. <br />
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The smallness of the temple is in sharp contrast with the vastness of the Fatehpuri Mosque, the next stop on the tour.<br />
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Named after a wife of Shah Jahan, the founder of the city, it’s a congregational mosque with a spacious open-air interior within its walls. It’s a peaceful place to visit on a Sunday morning, as visitors walk through its interior holding their shoes in deference to the Muslim tradition of entering a mosque without footwear. <br />
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At the far end is a structure with graceful arched openings and a central dome, wherein the imam preaches his sermon on a Friday, the Muslim holy day. In the centre of the vast courtyard is a decorative water tank which worshippers use for ablutions before prayer. Perched along the edge of this are people, sitting quietly as if in contemplation.<br />
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After the hectic street, this is the perfect place to take a moment to draw breath, relax and appreciate a dash of serenity.<br />
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<b>Chillies give way to a view</b><br />
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Nearing the end of its Old Delhi adventure, the group enters the Gadodia Market, a covered space given over to spice merchants. This is the place to buy chillies, and the pungent aroma of the hot red peppers seem ground into every stone within the market. <br />
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From here, the group enders a battered old stairwell and climbs to the top of the building. There’s a sweeping view of Old Delhi from this point, taking in minarets, gates, the fort, Chandni Chowk, and all the Delhi residents who make the old city such a memorable place for a Sunday morning exploration.<br />
<i><br />For more details and to make bookings, visit the <a href="http://www.delhiheritagewalks.com/" target="_blank">Delhi Heritage Tours website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-1675614215117568162017-06-09T06:00:00.000+10:002017-06-09T06:00:00.169+10:00Twin Peaks: It is Happening Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTKDGzU7PX5wBZZOHQU_U8amdCFS_ksNmOFhxoNTCUloaYtBnJPA4ecD-jgnBQ9w6fKif2wWA4jIPFoe_sLol9va4Csp6Drl32qCgBpQp9wjELPBDX0CeE_ULqGl1sQk14bw_pFNMGugy/s1600/tpp9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="656" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTKDGzU7PX5wBZZOHQU_U8amdCFS_ksNmOFhxoNTCUloaYtBnJPA4ecD-jgnBQ9w6fKif2wWA4jIPFoe_sLol9va4Csp6Drl32qCgBpQp9wjELPBDX0CeE_ULqGl1sQk14bw_pFNMGugy/s400/tpp9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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When <i>Twin Peaks</i> burst onto our TV screens here in Australia in 1991, we knew immediately we were watching something special.<br />
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At the time, <a href="http://mortalwords.com/" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a> and I were deeply involved in science fiction fandom, particularly those sections serving enthusiasts of British programs such as <i>Doctor Who</i> and <i>Blake’s 7</i>.<br />
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So it made sense for us to extend our fannish habits toward this astonishing new American show, with strong strands of horror and fantasy in its DNA.<br />
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One thing we did was to hold a costume party, on 18 May 1991. That’s where the above photo comes from – yes, that’s me as Doctor Jacoby, at the tender age of 26. Here's another shot of some attendees, appearing as (from left to right) Nadine, Audrey, James, two Coopers and Blackie:<br />
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The second and more substantial thing was to create a fanzine, <i>Wrapped in Plastic</i> (no relation to the US magazine of the same name, which ran from 1992 to 2005).<br />
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Publishing a fan magazine like this was second nature back then for ardent fans of popular science fiction or fantasy TV shows. For – and bear with me here – the Internet as we know it <b>was yet to be born</b>.<br />
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Yes! The World Wide Web was only opened to the public in late 1991, and the Mosaic browser which made it useful and easily accessible debuted in 1993. Email had been around for a while, but generally only scientists and academics used it back then.<br />
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So, in the age before digital, we had to share our passions in pure analogue style.<br />
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That meant typing, collating and literally cutting and pasting material onto sheets of A4 paper, which would then be photocopied, stapled and posted to subscribers.<br />
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Aside from meetings where people might get together to watch bootleg copies of episodes unavailable on VHS cassette, fanzines provided one of the few regular forums for fans to discuss their favourite TV programs. <br />
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They contained articles analysing minutiae of episodes, and speculating what might come next. There were short stories continuing the adventures of characters outside the confines of the small screen.<br />
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There was fan art, and clippings from newspapers and magazines. And there were lively letters to the editor, our forerunners of Facebook posts.<br />
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So… here for your download pleasure is an <a href="http://www.iwriter.com.au/twinpeaks/Wrapped%20in%20Plastic%20(omnibus%20collection)%20-%20Tim%20Richards%201991-1992.pdf" target="_blank">edited PDF version of the four issues of <i>Wrapped in Plastic</i></a>, which ran from August 1991 to June 1992.<br />
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For copyright reasons I’ve removed the various photocopied clippings which took up a fair chunk of each issue, as well as an ongoing episode guide which seems redundant now.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">At Twede's (aka the Double R), North Bend in 2015</span></td></tr>
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What remains are articles, letters, reviews, cartoons, crosswords, short stories (one a bit saucy), and a lot of fan art.<br />
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Amongst this are marvellous covers by Andrew Williams and Tim Howe, and many entertaining illustrations by my late, great friend Ian Gunn – don’t miss his absurdly overcomplicated flowchart on the last page on Issue One.<br />
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As you flick through the PDF, you’ll notice changing fonts – sometimes quite horrible dot-matrix style ones – along with variations in contrast that can make the text difficult to read.<br />
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What can I say? I didn’t have a computer then, so most of the fanzine was typed on an electric typewriter. However, if a contributor provided an article on a sheet of paper in their own chosen font, it was much easier to paste that in than to retype it. Hence the variety. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Overlooking the Snoqualmie Falls (aka White Tail Falls)<br />and the Salish Lodge (The Great Northern) in 2015.</span></td></tr>
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They were simpler times. But not, luckily, in Twin Peaks USA.<br />
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And now, all the way here in the future, it is happening again. As I said to my future self back in 1991, “I’ll see you again in 25 years.” And I made that date. Sort of.<br />
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Thanks to all the contributors to <i>Wrapped in Plastic</i> back in the day; if I’ve lost touch with you and you happen across this post, please get in touch so I can thank you directly.<br />
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My greatest gratitude goes to David Lynch and Mark Frost, for sharing their extraordinary creation with us, both in the 1990s and again today.<br />
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Its dreamlike sounds, images and characters have stayed with me through the years, and in 2015 I was delighted to visit its filming locations in Snoqualmie and North Bend (with the assistance of Visit Seattle), and write about them three times:<br />
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<li><a href="http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/postcard-from-twin-peaks-a-place-both-wonderful-and-strange-20160205-gmmxgo" target="_blank">Postcard from Twin Peaks</a>, for <i>The Age</i>;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/seattle/travel-tips-and-articles/welcome-to-twin-peaks-a-guide-to-the-locations-of-the-cult-classic" target="_blank">Welcome to Twin Peaks: a guide to the locations</a>, for Lonely Planet;</li>
<li><a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/welcome-to-twin-peaks-aka-snoqualmie-usa.html">Welcome to Twin Peaks (aka Snoqualmie USA)</a>, in this blog. </li>
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It was good to looking through issues of my fanzine again, handmade expressions of enthusiasm for a superlative television series. And great to be doing so in the middle of new episodes exploring the strange world of <i>Twin Peaks</i>.<br />
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In the words of Agent Cooper, “I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Every day, once a day, give yourself a present. Don't plan it. Don't wait for it. Just let it happen.”<br />
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With the new <i>Twin Peaks</i> season, it's once a week. But you get the idea. <br />
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<i><b>Twin Peaks</b> continues </i><i><i>until September 2017 </i>on streaming service <a href="https://www.stan.com.au/watch/twin-peaks" target="_blank">Stan</a> </i><i><i>in Australia</i>, with new episodes available each Monday afternoon. The omnibus edition of 1991-1992 Twin Peaks fanzine <b>Wrapped in Plastic</b> can be downloaded <a href="http://www.iwriter.com.au/twinpeaks/Wrapped%20in%20Plastic%20(omnibus%20collection)%20-%20Tim%20Richards%201991-1992.pdf" target="_blank">from this link</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-22342043773603845962017-06-02T06:00:00.000+10:002017-06-02T14:11:48.354+10:00The Best Coffee in Singapore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I was preparing to visit Singapore for the first time a couple of years ago, I asked my Singaporean friend <a href="http://coolerinsights.com/" target="_blank">Walter Lim</a> <i>[pictured above]</i> for some cafe recommendations. He's recently updated that list for me, so it seems unfair to withhold its coffee goodness from the rest of you. So here, with his blessing, are Walter's Singapore cafe tips...<br />
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1. <b>Strangers' Reunion.</b> An interesting concept opened by a former winner of Singapore's barista competition, Ryan Tan. Probably one of the best espresso style coffees here. <i>33 Kampong Bahru Rd, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/StrangersReunion" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/StrangersReunion</a></i><br />
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<b>2. Chye Seng Huat Hardware.</b> Another hipster joint occupying a former hardware shop <i>[see photo below]</i>. Its exterior is totally deceiving and I suspect it was inspired by Melbourne cafe joints! <i>150 Tyrwhitt Rd, <a href="http://www.cshhcoffee.com/" target="_blank">www.cshhcoffee.com</a></i><br />
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<b>3. Nanyang Old Coffee</b>. This joint serves traditional local-style coffee, which normally features a mix of Arabica and Robusta coffee beans, roasted in butter. One of the favourites in heritage-style coffee. <i>268 South Bridge Rd, <a href="http://www.nanyangoldcoffee.com/" target="_blank">www.nanyangoldcoffee.com</a></i><br />
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<b>4. Killiney Kopi Tiam.</b> "Kopi tiam" means coffee shop in our vernacular Hokkien dialect. The original Killiney coffee shop in Killiney Road may be worth trying. It serves the same traditional coffee as Nanyang. <i>67 Killiney Rd, <a href="http://www.killiney-kopitiam.com/" target="_blank">www.killiney-kopitiam.com</a></i><br />
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<b>5. Nylon Coffee Roasters. </b>This hole-in-the-wall joint in a quiet residential neighbourhood has its fans. They only serve espresso style coffees and nothing else! Pretty decent too. <i>4 Everton Park #01-40, <a href="http://www.nyloncoffee.sg/" target="_blank">www.nyloncoffee.sg</a></i><br />
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<b>6. Ronin</b><i><b>.</b></i> Uses a coffee blend roasted and imported from Melbourne (haha), Australia. Its coffee blend is a mix of 13 different origins, and is full-bodied and nutty, with a light citrus acidity that is designed to be served with milk for a smooth latte/cappuccino with a cocoa finish. <i>17 Hongkong St, <a href="http://ronin.sg/" target="_blank">ronin.sg</a></i><br />
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<b>7. Symmetry.</b> Symmetry is a restaurant and bar that is inspired by Australian casual dining culture, and French cuisine. <i>9 Jalan Kubor, <a href="http://www.symmetry.com.sg/" target="_blank">www.symmetry.com.sg</a></i><br />
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8. <b>Oriole Coffee + Bar.</b> Opened by Keith Loh, winner of Singapore's National Barista Championships in 2010. Oriole has won a cult following of coffee enthusiasts. Sourcing the finest and freshest Arabica beans, roasted locally before being brewed and retailed at outlets in the city. <i><span class="section-info-text">13 Stamford Rd & </span></i><span class="section-info-text"><i>96 Somerset Rd, <a href="http://www.oriole.com.sg/" target="_blank">www.oriole.com.sg</a></i></span><br />
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Enjoy!Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-77334564756347236092017-05-23T06:00:00.000+10:002017-05-23T06:00:10.030+10:00Review: King Roger Opera, Melbourne<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsz6mTcLgY1lo_CPP2EIPvwQ8NmnLxokNYxQXDsw5gsn8OSgUMoM2G64kmR_oeiRF8MpK8Ct0C5WhCCG3G4ihKKq3Q23OQeLfcahTfwngM0G_5P8LMmbw7BTJoms5XOdc2ZDz5CrMWmPQ/s1600/king-roger-ma17-jeff-busby-photo-06-high-res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsz6mTcLgY1lo_CPP2EIPvwQ8NmnLxokNYxQXDsw5gsn8OSgUMoM2G64kmR_oeiRF8MpK8Ct0C5WhCCG3G4ihKKq3Q23OQeLfcahTfwngM0G_5P8LMmbw7BTJoms5XOdc2ZDz5CrMWmPQ/s400/king-roger-ma17-jeff-busby-photo-06-high-res.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Having a happy life is all about balance, it seems. But that’s not as easy to achieve as it sounds, especially when it comes to balancing intellectual impulses against carnal, pleasure against self-control.<br />
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That’s the issue at the core of <i>King Roger</i>, a Polish opera from 1926 (<i>Król Roger</i> its original Polish title).<br />
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Its composer, Karol Szymanowski, knew well the tensions caused by extremes: as an aristocrat in an age of revolution, and a gay man in a time of sexual repression, he lived the conflict that’s played out on the State Theatre’s set.<br />
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And what a set. For the first two acts, the stage is dominated by a huge model of a head, perhaps representing the human mind that’s about to be subjected to psychological turmoil. <br />
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For into the rationally-ruled kingdom of King Roger comes a shepherd who is also a holy man, preaching a new doctrine of free love and sensuality, prioritising the pleasures of the body over the stimulations of the mind.<br />
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I couldn’t help but be reminded here by Rasputin, that contemporary of the composer who bewitched the Russian royal family and helped bring about their downfall.<br />
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The king is torn, condemning the preacher at the same time he is swayed by his all-too-human lust, represented on stage by athletic, writhing near-naked men performing an erotically charged dance on the lower levels of the head’s multi-storey interior. It’s a salacious nod perhaps to Szymanowski’s own conflicted sexuality.<br />
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It all ends in tears, of course. By the start of Act III the preacher has seized power, the head has been burnt to the ground, and Roger has been cast out without his beloved queen.<br />
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The revolution of pleasure is out of control, books are being burnt, and it’s only by baring his soul to the rising sun that the deposed king is able to seek redemption.<br />
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The Opera Australia performers do a fine job in what must have been a difficult production to master. I speak some Polish and I find it difficult enough to pronounce it correctly in everyday speech, let alone in song.<br />
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The set, with its giant head and symmetrical galleries, is a clever way to portray a psychological struggle in physical form, and the 1920s-era costumes are simple but effective.<br />
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As for the story, I suspect we all feel a little like Szymanowski in these difficult times – as if it’s easy to give in to excess, and balance is near-impossible to achieve.<br />
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<i><b>King Roger</b> continues at Arts Centre Melbourne until 27 May 2017. <a href="https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/whats-on/2017/opera/king-roger" target="_blank">Click here for more info or to make bookings.</a> [Credit: photos provided by Opera Australia, taken by Jeff Busby.]</i> Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-67938986821667178922017-05-19T06:00:00.000+10:002017-05-19T06:00:04.666+10:00Eastern Sleeper: Night Train from Kiev to Warsaw<i>I paid for my own train fare from Ukraine to Poland.</i><br />
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In June 2016 I caught the night train from Kiev, Ukraine to Warsaw, Poland.<br />
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This was a full overnight journey (and then some). I boarded at 16:48 at Kyiv-Passazhyrsky station and alighted at 09:10 the next morning at Warszawa Centralna.<br />
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It was what you might call old-school European train travel. I'd paid extra to have a 'single', ie the whole compartment to myself.<br />
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My bunk was in a sealed sleeper car (with no connection with the rest of the train, and no dining car). My carriage attendant was an impressively tall Ukrainian woman with no English who made me a cup of tea while I dined on sandwiches bought at the station in Kiev.<br />
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Then there were the theatrics along the way. A couple of hours waiting at the border in the dim pre-dawn light while Ukrainian border guards searched for smuggled cigarettes, and loud clanking sounds accompanied the adjustment of the train's wheels from the Ukrainian to Polish gauge. Loads of atmosphere!<br />
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Despite all this I did get some sleep, and attendant Natasha as I came to think of her (I never did get her name) happily posed for a photo on the platform at Warsaw.<br />
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I heartily recommend the Kiev-Warsaw sleeper or its shorter Krakow-Lviv counterpart if you yearn for a little of that old-fashioned night train travel with a dash of intrigue.<br />
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Here's a selection of photos I took on the journey:<br />
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As it's not possible yet to book these trains online, a reliable service I'd recommend to book these services ahead on your behalf is <a href="http://www.polrail.com/" target="_blank">Polrail</a>. Bon voyage! Or as the Ukrainians say, Щасливої подорожі!Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-72043878394949900402017-05-12T06:00:00.000+10:002017-05-12T06:00:00.163+10:00The LA You Don't Know<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>This article was originally written for the magazine of a travel agency, which was later bought out and never published it. So here it is, for your enjoyment (Disclosure: I've generally been assisted by the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board when visiting LA).</i><br />
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If you ask travellers what they know about Los Angeles, they’ll mention some obvious elements off the top of their heads. There’s Disneyland, of course, and the Pacific coast. Hollywood, the home of the movie industry. And linking them, plenty of spaghetti-like freeways. <br />
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These are all there, of course, but there’s much more to LA once you take the time to explore its lesser-known districts and its quirkier attractions. Here are several things to try when you’re next in the Californian city.<br />
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<b>Eat a French Dipped Sandwich</b><br />
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This classic sandwich has been a popular LA treat since 1908, and the best place to eat it is <a href="http://www.philippes.com/" target="_blank">Philippe the Original</a>. An old-fashioned diner on the edge of Chinatown, it boasts retro decor, sawdust on the floor, and an old-school candy counter.<br />
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Its famous French Dipped Sandwich was created when a roast beef sandwich was accidentally dropped into a roasting pan. The customer who ate it loved the result, so since then the beef-and-gravy sandwich has been on the menu.<br />
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Nowadays it’s prepared with a rich <i>jus</i> which has been rendered from roasting pan drippings and beef stock over two days. Eat it with pickles and potato salad at one of the long timber tables, maybe with a beer on the side.<br />
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<b>Soak Korean-style</b><br />
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West of LA’s Downtown is Koreatown, a sprawling neighbourhood populated by migrants from South Korea. It’s a great place to try Korean food, of course, but also to immerse yourself in a <i>jjimjilbang</i>. <br />
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The main attraction of this traditional Korean bathhouse is its series of heated baths. They’re segregated by gender, and it’s an all-nude experience – no swimming costumes allowed. After soaking, patrons get dressed in the provided T-shirt and shorts, and head to the communal relaxation areas which offer dining and entertainment options. <br />
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One of the best places to experience the Korean bathhouse in LA is <a href="http://www.wispausa.com/" target="_blank">Wi Spa</a>, located near MacArthur Park.<br />
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<b>Stroll along Broadway</b><br />
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In past decades the Downtown district was a dodgy part of Los Angeles, and best avoided. Now it’s returning to its past glory as gentrification takes hold, and is worth visiting for the impressive old cinema facades along Broadway.<br />
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Owned by the city’s famous movie studios a hundred years ago, these picture palaces were once the showcases of Hollywood’s finest output. Now they fulfil a variety of uses, from shopfronts to live music venues, and some still screen films.<br />
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At 10am each Saturday, the <a href="http://www.laconservancy.org/" target="_blank">Broadway Historic Theatre and Commercial District Walking Tour</a> heads along this street, showing off its architectural highlights.<br />
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<b>Meet a Different Kind of Star</b><br />
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There are plenty of stars in Hollywood, but you can raise your eyes to the original stars at <a href="http://www.griffithobs.org/" target="_blank">Griffith Observatory</a>. Situated on hills overlooking Los Angeles’ busy sprawl, this scientific complex is a beautiful example of art deco architecture. <br />
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Acting as an astronomical museum, its interior includes exhibits both old and new, along with a planetarium. From the outdoor terraces there are great views over the city, and you can also spot the famous Hollywood sign.<br />
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<b>Carry a Tune in a Music Hub</b><br />
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On the western edge of the Downtown is LA Live, a complex of entertainment venues and restaurants. Within its contemporary architecture you’ll also find the <a href="http://www.grammymuseum.org/" target="_blank">Grammy Museum</a>, dedicated to every aspect of music.<br />
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Over several levels, visitors learn about music genres from rock to soul, via interactive displays and audio recordings. There are also exhibits dedicated to particular singing stars.<br />
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<b>See a Real Spaceship</b><br />
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The <a href="http://www.californiasciencecenter.org/" target="_blank">California Science Centre</a> is the home of many fascinating exhibits involving science and nature. The most impressive of these by far is the Space Shuttle <i>Endeavour</i>. This enormous real-life spacecraft is suspended above the heads of visitors, allowing for a sweeping view of its sleek exterior. <br />
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Beyond this spectacular sight, it’s also possible to get up close with the early years of space travel. Encased within transparent shells is a Gemini 11 space capsule, and an Apollo capsule similar to the one that first took men to the Moon. For some hands-on excitement, you can also experience a mission within a Space Shuttle simulator.<br />
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<i>For more details of LA's attractions, visit <a href="http://www.discoverlosangeles.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">DiscoverLosAngeles.com</a>. </i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-14931765564399215372017-05-05T06:00:00.000+10:002017-05-05T06:00:00.188+10:00Poutine! The Best in Montreal & Quebec City<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>For my 2013 visit to Quebec I was hosted by the Canadian Tourism Commission.</i><br />
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On my most recent visit to Montreal and Quebec City with <a href="http://www.mortalwords.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a>, I had a bright idea.<br />
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Poutine! Visit a number of places serving the classic Quebecois dish comprising chips, gravy and cheese curds, and rank them according to highly scientific categories.<br />
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So I did. These were the results.<br />
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<b>1. Méchant Boeuf</b>, 124 Rue Saint-Paul Ouest, Montreal<br />
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<b>Decor</b> Wannabe nightclub<br />
<b>Vibe</b> Loud and energetic<br />
<b>Fill factor</b> Far bigger than expected for a side<br />
<b>Score</b> 3 (out of 5)<br />
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"Wicked Beef" is a noisy lively place with a dimly-lit restaurant area and a bright bar lit from beneath, with people rushing around and lots of loud conversation. Not a great place for a first date, but a great place to eat a burger, or seafood from the raw bar.<br />
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It doesn't specialise in poutine, instead it comes as a side to the burgers and other dishes. We order a burger with poutine as a side, expecting it to be something small. Instead we get an excellent tasty burger done medium, with a large plate of curds, chips and gravy in the classic style.<br />
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We feel we have to eat it before the burger, or it will go cold – and it looks like the kind of dish that shouldn't be eaten cold. It's tasty though not quite as hot as could be, topped with a non-conventional serve of pulled pork.<br />
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The only problem is, once we tackle the poutine, it's difficult to eat a whole burger.<br />
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<b>2. Montreal Pool Room</b>, Boulevard Saint-Laurent 1217, Montreal<br />
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<b>Decor</b> Minimalist diner with a long steel counter and photos of famous Quebeckers who've dropped in<br />
<b>Vibe</b> Trucker stop<br />
<b>Fill factor</b> Perfect late-night drunken fill-up<br />
<b>Score</b> 4 (out of 5)<br />
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This century-old institution in the former red light district (actually still somewhat red light - there's a <i>strip-teaseur</i> joint across the road) serves up simple fare. Its highlight is the <i>hot dog steamé</i>, a steamed sausage in a bun with toppings including chopped cabbage and onion, and relish.<br />
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It comes, of course, with an optional serve of poutine. I order the combo of two dogs (they're fairly small) and poutine with a drink <i>[see photo above]</i>, and focus on the poutine first.<br />
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Served in a polystyrene container, it's a sizeable serve of chips, gravy and curds. The curds are nicely firm, the chips aren't too soggy and the gravy is hot; so hot that I burn my lip, a hazard for the novice. On the counter are shakers of cayenne pepper and salt, and I apply the hot stuff to pleasing effect.<br />
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After that, the dogs are almost an anti-climax, plain-tasting in soft buns. It's a good combo; but I think the poutine upstages the dogs.<br />
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<b>3. La Banquise</b>, 994 Rue Rachel Est, Montreal<br />
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<b>Decor</b> Colourful tables and jumbled architecture<br />
<b>Vibe</b> Cheap and cheerful<br />
<b>Fill factor</b> Good way to refuel before hitting the Le Plateau district's very walkable streets<br />
<b>Score</b> 4 (out of 5) <br />
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We hit this 24-hour poutine emporium about 9am on a Sunday, when it's nearly empty except for a steady stream of taxi drivers pulling in for a post-shift feed.<br />
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What else to order but a breakfast poutine? There are several options including one with the kitchen sink, Le Cassoulet, but I order a version called L'Ensoleillée involving chopped up bacon and sausage mixed in with the poutine, and a serve of scrambled egg on top.<br />
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It is, as you'd imagine, even more filling than a standard poutine (if that's possible), with the full, comforting flavour of bacon and sausage clearly evident. It's like a full English Breakfast has been broken down to its constituent parts and added to chips, curds and gravy.<br />
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Narrelle chose La Savoyarde, poutine with bacon, onion, Swiss cheese and sour cream. She said it reminded her quite a lot of her Dad's version of bubble and squeak.<br />
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<b>4. Chez Ashton</b>, 54 Côte du Palais, Quebec City<br />
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<b>Decor</b> Reinvented '50s diner<br />
<b>Vibe</b> Colourful but quick<br />
<b>Fill factor</b> Filling and nominally healthy<br />
<b>Score</b> 4 (out of 5)<br />
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Quebec City is often visited after Montreal, and so many locals have told me to try Chez Ashton that we give it a go when we drop into town. Some say this place is the best poutine in Quebec, or at least the best in the provincial capital.<br />
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I'm confronted with a poutine menu offering just three choices: standard poutine, Galvaude (with chicken and peas on top) and Dulton (with spicy mince).<br />
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I go for the Galvaude, reckoning that the peas will allow me to regard it as a health food. It's actually very tasty, and the combination of chicken, peas and gravy, along with the chips and cheese curds, makes it taste not unlike a Sunday roast chicken and pea combo that your grandmother might have cooked up.<br />
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The gravy is particularly tasty, not too salty or thin, and it's a satisfying end to my poutine adventure.<br />
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As much as I enjoyed it, I don't feel the need to eat poutine again for a very long time. Or at least not until I next visit Canada.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-9061214663779504332017-04-28T06:00:00.000+10:002017-04-28T06:00:02.986+10:00Review: Bell Shakespeare's Richard 3, Melbourne<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Guest reviewer: Narrelle M Harris (who's just had a new story published in the adventure anthology <a href="https://narrellemharris.wordpress.com/2017/01/03/new-release-and-then-the-great-big-book-of-awesome-adventure-tales-volume-1/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">And Then...</a>)</i> <br />
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I first heard that a woman would be playing Richard in Bell Shakespeare’s new production of <i>Richard III</i> (rebadged by the company as <i>Richard 3</i>) via <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/this-woman-is-a-man-kate-mulvany-on-playing-shakespeares-greatest-villain-20170126-gtze4m.html" target="_blank">an article the title actor Kate Mulvany wrote for <i>The Age</i></a> back in February. <br />
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Her casting was fascinating not only as a woman intending to play Richard as a man, but because Mulvany herself has a severe spinal malformation resulting from treatment for childhood cancer. <br />
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Shakespeare’s King Richard III, with his hunched back and withered arm is not precisely the Richard of history, as we know from the discovery of his remains in recent years. Many people also make good arguments that he’s a lot less evil than the Lancaster-adoring (and by association Tudor-adoring) play would have him.<br />
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With this in mind, Bell Shakespeare’s production is a further step away from a play about history and embraces contemporary issues.<br />
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In the micro view, it’s about a terrible person whom we learn has been vilified since birth for his physical malformation. Richard is a monster, with a mind as twisted as his body. But which came first – his malice or theirs? Did he grow up so cruelly scorned that he chose to become the monster they saw, just to get back at them?<br />
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These are questions I always find fascinating about this play, and which were explored well in the <a href="https://narrellemharris.wordpress.com/2014/09/24/review-richard-iii-at-trafalgar-studios-london/" target="_blank">London production starring Martin Freeman</a> which I saw in 2014. <br />
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Bell Shakespeare’s Richard makes these questions central to the characterisation of the king, where we see his actions but only hints of his motivations, beyond the fact he hates the world and deliberately chooses to be as vile as possible.<br />
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He’s also charming, charismatic, ruthless and clever – or he’d never get away with what he does. He’s much cleverer than the people around him, who are riven by quarrels, rivalries, self-interest, petty ambitions and greed. They’re easy pickings for Richard to divide and therefore conquer.<br />
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Despite his cleverness and gleeful treachery, Mulvany’s Richard is a lonely man, “deliberately unloved” as the actress said in her article. As villainous as he is, you can see bent Richard is either patronised or treated with utter contempt by his family.<br />
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It’s easy to perceive that this has been his lot throughout his life. That kind of thing has to affect your own self-image, and onstage Mulvany masterfully gives Richard a very believable self-contempt that leads inexorably to his later realisation: “Alas, I rather hate myself.”<br />
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On this busy set Richard is forever surrounded by people, but almost nobody ever touches him, and rarely with any kindness. All the hands laid on him as he is declared king bestow on him a knowing glow. He’s tricked them all (and us too), and yet there’s a vulnerable joy for him in the contact.<br />
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That’s not as heartbreaking as a late scene where he’s trying to find something to swear on that he hasn’t ruined, and Elizabeth hushes and holds him a way, it seems, he never has been. It’s much too late to save or forgive him by then, but that moment of fragility is profoundly affecting.<br />
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Mulvany plays Richard as a man, but the combination of her true gender and her own crooked back (revealed to our awkward discomfort at one point) add to the sense that this prince, descended from kings, is accounted less than fully human because of an accident of birth.<br />
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There’s mastery in making an audience fall half in love with a self-confessed villain, leading us to collude with him in dreadful deeds, and then ultimately to feel compassion for someone who has proven himself a pitiless brute. And this is what the actor does with her final speech, lifted from Act V of <i>Henry VI Part III</i>: “I am myself alone.”<br />
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The collusion of the audience with Richard is the other brilliant strength of this production and the way it speaks of current politics. In the play program director Peter Evans says plainly: “For our times, this play is completely about Trump.”<br />
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The production that plays beautifully with the fourth wall, inviting the audience to egg Richard on as he slyly claws his way toward a crown. The cast make the most of the wicked humour and Mulvany is flawlessly, deliciously, blackly funny.<br />
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But like many who have voted for someone who’ll shake up the system – and who perhaps have found entertaining, even when their utterances are demonstrably untrue and contradictory – there comes a time when the sociopath on the throne isn’t funny anymore.<br />
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Despite achieving the crown and, it would seem, the love of the people, Richard can’t rest. Brutality follows brutality and the audience stops laughing. One particular death, shown graphically on stage, renders his previous sass and wit very ugly after all.<br />
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I’ve spoken so much of Mulvany here, it’s obvious that she’s the linchpin of this production. She graces monstrous Richard with such humanity that even if you can’t forgive his grievous sins, you can feel compassion for him. Richard might hate the world, but nobody hates Richard more than Richard does.<br />
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Her jewel of a performance is ably supported, although the remainder of the cast shine less brightly. Sandy Gore as Queen Margaret curses her enemies with great gravity and intensity, and James Evans’ Buckingham provides an excellent counterbalance in his scenes with Mulvany.<br />
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There’s so much more to unpack, but it’s best to see it for yourself. Whether your interest is in the study of a very human man warped in soul and mind as well as body, or in the study of how power can be seized by the plausible from the complacent, you’ll be rewarded.<br />
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Whichever it is, the power of Kate Mulvany in the central role sustains the play. Melbourne audiences are rightly grudging with their standing ovations, so Mulvany richly deserves the one she was willingly given the night I saw her perform.<br />
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<i><b>Richard 3 </b>runs to 7 May 2017 at the Arts Centre Melbourne; <a href="https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/whats-on/2017/theatre-drama/richard-3" target="_blank">find details and make bookings here</a>. For more about the Bell Shakespeare Company, <a href="https://www.bellshakespeare.com.au/" target="_blank">visit its website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-16723537340673779932017-04-21T06:00:00.000+10:002017-04-21T06:00:19.949+10:00By Train (and Train Ferry) to Copenhagen<i>I paid my own train fare from </i><i>Lübeck to Copenhagen.</i><br />
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Last year I had an interesting surprise on my way from Germany to Denmark.<br />
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Having booked a first class train ticket to the Danish capital, I discovered upon boarding that the journey would include a sea crossing. And we wouldn't be changing trains on the way.<br />
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The trip began at Lübeck's main station, an attractive example of German railway architecture:<br />
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This was my first class seat. Deutsche Bahn's first class carriages tend to be arranged in a 2-1 configuration, so a solo traveller can get a comfortable spot with a table.<br />
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The countryside we passed was flat and green, with the odd crop of wind turbines. The exciting part, however, occurred when we reached Puttgarden.<br />
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This German town is a port on the the Fehmarnbelt, an 18km wide strait. On the other side is Rødby, on the island of Lolland in Denmark.<br />
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At the water's edge the train was guided toward a massive ferry which was waiting for us, and ran along tracks which extended inside the vessel's loading bay. Once we were snugly slotted between numerous trucks which were also making the crossing, we were requested to leave the train and go aloft via lifts or stairs.<br />
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It was a surreal sight, to step down and walk alongside a train parked among other vehicles inside a ferry:<br />
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Up top there was a beautiful view, though the hot days of the past week were starting to give way to chillier weather.<br />
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On the decks below there were shops, a cafe, a restaurant and even a dedicated lounge for the truckers. Quite a generous spread of diversions, given it was only a 45-minute crossing.<br />
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The short voyage over, we returned to the train, where once again I marvelled at the neighbouring trucks:<br />
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And a few hours later we arrived at Copenhagen Central Station:<br />
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So that was the end of my train ferry adventure. Sadly the train ferry crossing from Puttgarden to Rødby is due to be replaced by a tunnel in the next few years.<br />
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It'll cut the train journey from Hamburg to Copenhagen by 90 minutes, which is great; but it won't be half as much fun.<br />
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<i>You can find find rail timetables and book tickets between Germany and Denmark at the <a href="http://www.bahn.com/" target="_blank">Deutsche Bahn site</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-85403926398696236272017-04-16T22:39:00.001+10:002017-04-16T22:39:31.988+10:00Reviews: Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2017 (Part 3)<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
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So far,<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"> </a><a href="http://www.mortalwords.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a> and I have reviewed four shows at this year's <a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/" target="_blank">Melbourne International Comedy Festival</a> - <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/reviews-melbourne-international-comedy.html">four in the first week</a> and <a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/reviews-melbourne-international-comedy_8.html" target="">another four</a> in the second.<br />
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Now here are our final three reviews, this time from two smaller venues away from the Melbourne Town Hall hub...<br />
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<b>1. Small Car</b><br />
Reviewed by Narrelle Harris <br />
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To succeed, improvisational theatre needs a cast with rapport, who trust each other to take bizarre moments and run with them, and know when the moment is running out of steam so they can flip it around to start a new scene.<br />
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Andrew Watt, Broni and Mario Hannah come onto the tiny Tuxedo Cat stage claiming the only thing they've prepared is "their friendship". It's clearly all they need to deliver on the aforementioned techniques.<br />
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Naturally, every night will deliver a unique show. Easter Sunday's audience provides the prompt of 'a painter's studio', and they're off with an hour of improv that tells a single story.<br />
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It's the tale of an artist whose paintings are blurry ruins because his model won't sit still. It's the story of his client, the wealthy Glenroy, whose chauffeur can't eat until Glenroy is happy, and Glenroy won't be happy until his mother is happy, and his domineering mother is never happy. Well, unless she's talking to Glenroy's brother Trevor, because Trevor is just so cool.<br />
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There are stolen hats, leading to a heartbroken milliner, onward to a science project and a dodgy dad who pretends to be dead to find out if his son loves him. It ends with Glenroy and his chauffeur finally getting a meal. Or nearly, anyway.<br />
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It's mad, it's unexpected, it's hilarious and unpredictable; yet strangely coherent. God knows what story you'll get when you take a ride with Small Car. Judging by their camaraderie and energy this night, the scenery will be great along the way.<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2017/shows/small-car" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a> <br />
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<b>2. Songs in the Key of Awesomesauce</b><br />
Reviewed by Tim Richards<br />
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With his clean-cut, bespectacled appearance, Matt Kilpa looks more like an accountant than a comedian - something he happily admits to. He's a talented guy with a guitar, however, and his show is a stream of comic songs on a variety of topics: including TV shows, sex, naturopathy and science.<br />
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It's amusing stuff, though there's nothing groundbreaking in the material; which in the case of <i>Captain Planet</i>, has to be explained to half the audience. However, Kilpa is confident and amusing and well-suited to his 6pm slot; he'll warm you up for the rest of your comedy evening.<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2017/shows/songs-in-the-key-of-awesomesauce" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a><br />
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<b>3. Just Like Buddha</b><br />
Reviewed by Narrelle Harris<br />
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Life can be difficult if you're trying to develop an easy-going Buddhist approach to life, but you have anxiety issues and work in advertising. <br />
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Anthony Jeannot explains how he navigates these tricky hazards, explaining what to do when the girl you're dating springs a surprise that doesn't end how either of you expect, and the unhelpful things that go through your mind when meditating. He also conducts an audience poll on whether certain insights he's had are the result of meditation or magic mushrooms.<br />
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Jeannot is nervy but likeable. His material and approach feel fresh, though more confident, crisp delivery would give the material extra oomph.<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2017/shows/life-s-a-trip" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a><br />
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That's our final coverage for this year's festival. Hope you had some laughs! Back to the regular schedule of travel-related posts next week.Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-24219163824365129032017-04-08T00:24:00.000+10:002017-04-08T00:24:13.769+10:00Reviews: Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2017 (Part 2)<a href="http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/reviews-melbourne-international-comedy.html">Last post</a>, <a href="http://www.mortalwords.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Narrelle Harris</a> and I reviewed four shows at this year's <a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/" target="_blank">Melbourne International Comedy Festival</a>. Here are four more...<br />
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<b>1. Nanette</b><br />
Reviewed by Narrelle Harris<br />
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Hannah Gadsby is giving up comedy. She tells us so at the start of her show, and insists it's not solely the fault of the surly Nanette who radiated so much hostility at a small town cafe. What follows is a powerful show that is as much drama as comedy.<br />
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The thing is, says Gadsby, she's built a career out of making painful parts of her life a joke, and editing out the end of each story - not so much a punchline as a punch in the gut. What we get here is best appreciated if you've followed the last decade of her shows, the themes of which inform an act that is fierce and funny, though not always simultaneously.<br />
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She does her comedian's job of building tension and then relieving it, but then builds more and more of it, and relieves less and less of it. The result is unexpected, deeply moving though also shockingly funny. It's almost like she's done a Bill Hicks of her own life, stripping it down and presenting a raw, honest version of it.<br />
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I say 'raw' but this is nothing like an undercooked performance. Gadsby may seem understated, but she's very good at what she does, guiding the audience from the usual droll routine to more prickly, more pointed elements of her relationship with the world. It's essentially a crafted theatrical monologue.<br />
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"Don't get the impression that because the world doesn't care about me [as a woman, as a lesbian] that I don't care about the world." Gadsby is indeed passionate. When the equal marriage debate hauls up lines like "think of the children!" she <i>does</i> think of the children: the ones growing up marginalised and ashamed of who they are.<br />
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This show is full of humour as well as anger, full of love as well as ferocity - often simultaneously, as in life. If this really is Hannah Gadsby's last season on the comedy stage, she's leaving us with her whole story, with tension-relieving laughter but also deep truths. Just as the best comedy should.<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2017/shows/hannah-gadsby-nanette" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a><br />
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<b>2. Sassy Best Friend</b><br />
Reviewed by Tim Richards<br />
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Rose Matafeo is a likeable, slightly dorky Kiwi who finds herself stuck in the role of the sassy best friend in a romantic comedy. You know, the one with the unruly curly hair and the lighting-fast comebacks, urging the lead character on to triumphs in love.<br />
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She'd like to be the lead though, and she has a stab at it in this hour of good-natured stand-up: telling us, for example, about her lonely life when she moved to London, and how she tried to solve that by hanging around Leicester Square and inserting herself into other people's stories.<br />
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She also has a stab at seducing a member of the audience over the hour (tonight's victim: Wes the marketing guy), partly through the time-honoured medium of removing her glasses to show how hot she is. In between these forays she relates her shortcomings, and how they keep her from perfection.<br />
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Matafeo is a warm, engaging comedian whose comedy revolves around her relatable life and its limitations. Her show is light but fun, and the audience in the tiny venue is won over. The only flaw, perhaps, is that the "sassy best friend" rom-com trope isn't explored enough; with development it could support a whole show by itself.<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2017/shows/rose-matafeo" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a><br />
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<b>3. Organic</b><br />
Reviewed by Tim Richards<br />
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Arj Barker is in love, and he's not afraid to admit it; thought he does submit any new jokes about his relationship to the other half for her approval before delivering them onstage.<br />
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Another element of his coupledom is an emphasis on organic food, and even gluten-free food (basically apples), which has made his life... interesting. In laid-back style, Barker hints at the trials healthy eating has caused him, while never varying from his "everything's fine" tone.<br />
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Although a relaxed delivery style is Barker's shtick, it sometimes seems too relaxed. The comedian has a habit of holding the microphone away from his face, causing the volume to drop, and there's not much energy as he arrives on stage and fiddles with his phone in order to record the show. <br />
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Having said that, there are plenty of laughs in the show, and Barker's familiarity with Australia is a strength as he flawlessly skewers the Aussie penchant for incorporating "shit" into slang, and cunningly subverts an event that's one of Melbourne's holiest of cows.<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2017/shows/arj-barker-organic" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a><br />
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<b>4. P.O.R.T.E.N.Z.A</b><br />
Reviewed by Narrelle Harris<br />
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When you enter a room to find a man in an unflattering blue dress, lipstick, rouge and a beret, dancing and greeting everyone ebulliently as they arrive, you know you're not in for the same old stand-up routine.<br />
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Absurd, clownish, unpredictable but ultimately rather sweet, Portenza feels like he's channelling absurdist comedy greats of the '70s - perhaps Kenny Everett or characters from Grahame Bond's <i>Aunty Jack Show</i>.<br />
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Through running gags (card tricks, poetry and an oft-mentioned family at the airport) and bizarre scenes and characters, the audience quickly comes to trust Portenza. We willingly engage with his banter and interaction. Ridiculous gags are set up early and later return, more ridiculous, to the delight of the crowd. <br />
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It's all a bit barmy and utterly absurd; and thoroughly good fun.<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2017/shows/neal-portenza" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a><br />
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Enjoy the festival! Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-44316561315984138632017-04-02T21:35:00.000+10:002017-04-02T21:35:05.511+10:00Reviews: Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2017 (Part 1)The <a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/" target="_blank">Melbourne International Comedy Festival</a> is one of Australia's
biggest cultural events, and 2017 is its 31st year of operation.<br />
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Every autumn it takes over the city centre, with numerous performance
spaces sited within the grand Melbourne Town Hall, along with many
others in nearby theatres, pubs and bars.<br />
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Several of this year's festival shows will be covered here by myself and Narrelle Harris (who's just had a new story published in <a href="https://narrellemharris.wordpress.com/2017/03/30/review-and-then-volume-1/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the adventure anthology <i>And Then...</i></a>)<br />
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Here's our first set of reviews.<br />
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<b>1. The Cat Show</b><br />
Reviewed by Narrelle Harris<br />
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Justin Heazlewood sets the tone for <i>The Cat Show</i> by crawling onto the stage in white shorts, spats, a furry bib and cat ears, and inspecting the stage. He gets onto his feet soon enough, but throughout the show he reverts to a dedicated cat-ness in which he gets audience members to dangle cat toys for him to play with, and chases scrunched up paper. <br />
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Other very recognisable cat behaviours come and go in between Heazlewood’s trademark comic songs, ranging from diagnoses of the mental health states of our feline friends and the perils of share houses, to more surreal topics.<br />
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Heazlewood’s fey charm, musical talent and occasional inspired bit of observation – his analysis of 'Missing' posters for lost cats springs to mind – keep this show going in spite of weak structure and some spots of sloppy execution. When he points out partway through that he really needs a director, you can’t help thinking he’s right.<br />
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But then there’s another strange and wistful song about life, and he head-butts a bit of furniture before inspecting the litter tray, and it seems that, like cats, The Bedroom Philosopher gets away with a lot because he’s so engaging. <br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2017/shows/the-bedroom-philosopher-the-cat-show" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a><br />
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<b>2. Something Better</b><br />
Reviewed by Tim Richards<br />
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I should've known that seeing a British comedian in the week Brexit was finally triggered would result in hearing material on that fateful blow to the EU. I just didn't expect it from Josie Long. Last time I saw her onstage, years ago, she was the quintessential "nice guy comedian" full of whimsical humour. This time, however, she's political - though still charming and sweet and endearingly gormless in her application to activism.<br />
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The impetus for her rambling but funny act might have been Brexit and Trump, but its subject is more herself than any outside force. Trying to figure out how things went so horribly wrong, she references <i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i> and the <i>Daily Mail</i>, while explaining why wishes always backfire. In the end, it seems, the trouble we're in is all her fault. But at least she can make you laugh about it.<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2017/shows/josie-long" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a> <br />
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<img alt="New Order" class="image" height="225" src="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/files/2017/media/shows/426/hero.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<b>3. New Order</b><br />
Reviewed by Tim Richards<br />
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Shows comprising several comedians doing individual sets can be like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get, except one will probably be a blokey young guy doing dick jokes.<br />
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Happily, <i>New Order</i> defies this tradition by giving us four up-and-coming British comedians who are funny, sharp and innovative. Brennan Reece, leading the set, does good-natured stand-up which revolves around family, particularly the nightmare son of his girlfriend.<br />
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He's succeeded by Ahir Shah, or "Shit Shag" (you'll have to attend to understand why). This beautifully spoken Brit of Indian heritage makes fun of his posh accent, then twists it to address racism and stereotypes. Brexit gets a run here too, as he works his way up to an eloquent near-rant which remains entertaining.<br />
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Third on the bill is Emma Sidi, who performs a large chunk of her set in pseudo-Spanish, as she plays out the scandalous betrayal of her character by her lover, Pablo. Switching to English, she drags a hapless audience member up on stage to harangue him, then reveals her terrible past as an addict of such drugs as Vicks Vaporub, Gaviscon and Paracetamol. She's an energetic breath of fresh air.<br />
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The final performer, Steve Bugeja, is a Class-A geek who gets mileage from his awkward love life. He recounts his failed attempts to fit in with the lads, and the horror of his failed attempt to spark a round of "Hip hip hooray". He's a likeable nerd and a funny final act.<br />
<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2017/shows/jenny-eclair" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2017/shows/new-order" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a><br />
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<b>4. How to be a Middle-Aged Woman (Without Going Insane)</b><br />
Reviewed by Narrelle Harris<br />
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As a woman of a certain age, I knew I'd spend this show either laughing or crying. In the end I did both.<br />
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There's undeniable hilarity in a brazen, frank woman sharing, brazenly and frankly, the physical, hormonal and emotional experiences of being middle-aged. As someone still new to the hazards of peri-menopause, there's also some tear-inducing relief that I'm not actually going nuts. (Or, as my husband puts it, I am a bit, but there's a <i>reason</i> for it.)<br />
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I last saw Jenny Eclair <a href="http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/20542/20040314-0000/www.stageleft.com.au/jeclar01.html" target="_blank">16 years ago</a>, where she was breathtakingly hilarious about the perils of having turned 40. At 57, she remains earthy, forthright, uproariously inappropriate and gloriously honest about not giving a damn if her bra and knickers match; sudden bouts of incandescent rage; ideas on how to harness the power of the hot flush; and the teeth-grating irritation that is Gwyneth Paltrow.<br />
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The audience is largely made up of middle-aged women (laughing so hard they possibly wee a little), and some younger women gaining unwelcome insights into the years to come. A smattering of men laugh just as hard.<br />
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And it is a very funny show. This isn't some cosily humorous look at menopause, and despite the title it contains almost no tips on how to survive it. Jenny Eclair is ribald, laugh-till-you-wheeze funny and also, as it happens, hotter than Beyonce (body temperature-wise).<br />
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<a href="https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2017/shows/jenny-eclair" target="_blank">[Find details and buy tix for this show here]</a><br />
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More reviews next week. Enjoy the festival!Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-13181723025554527612017-03-24T11:36:00.003+11:002017-03-24T12:55:53.439+11:00Symphony on Port Phillip Bay<i>I was hosted by Crystal Cruises for this visit.</i><br />
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I'm not much of a fan of large sea-going cruise ships, though I've been on some smaller river cruises that I've enjoyed.<br />
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That doesn't mean I won't have a peek aboard a large cruise ship when I get the chance. In January I was invited with a bunch of other travel writers aboard the <i>Crystal Symphony</i>, which was anchored at Port Melbourne's Station Pier preparatory to a major cruise.<br />
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It's a big vessel:<br />
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After going through security and boarding the ship, we were split into groups and were led on an informal tour. Our tour leader was a Swiss musician who performs for the passengers by night, and had volunteered to show us around.<br />
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The attention to detail in the vessel's interior design was impressive; evolving the golden age of ocean liners with a hint of Art Deco, but not so much as to make it look like a movie set:<br />
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I particularly liked the "@" symbol set in marble at the entrance of the computer room:<br />
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And the cinema looked pretty cool as well:</div>
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We ended up in this ambient bar, having a afternoon tea:</div>
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Looking out from the deck, I could see this lettering on the roof of the pier way below:</div>
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Seems an appropriate message for those arriving at Station Pier, where many new arrivals in the great postwar wave of migration had their first glimpse of Australia. Passengers on the <i>Crystal Symphony</i> are more well-heeled, but the message still applies. </div>
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<i>For more about the Crystal Symphony, <a href="http://www.crystalcruises.com/cruises/cruise-guidebook/our-ships/crystal-symphony" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">visit this link</a>.</i></div>
Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4703729428040928332.post-19370117039122954632017-03-17T06:00:00.000+11:002017-03-17T06:00:10.072+11:00Comics in Hong Kong<i>I was hosted on this trip by the Hong Kong Tourism Board.</i><br />
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On my final day in Hong Kong, I had most of the day free before I needed to head to the airport. I'd researched all the stories I was commissioned to write, so the question was: what to do?<br />
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First up, I needed coffee, so I headed to Espresso Alchemy in Quarry Bay (4 Hoi Wan St). I'd been tipped off to this small coffee chain by the day before, and had let them know I'd be dropping by.<br />
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Even so, I was surprised to discover its owner had an Aussie accent. I had a coffee with Ambrose Law, the owner, who was brought up in Australia and has done well building up his roastery and cafes in Hong Kong:<br />
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Being suitable caffeinated (and I liked Espresso Alchemy's coffee, they know what they're doing there), I headed west via Hong Kong's crazy double-decker trams to Wan Chai.<br />
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I'd remembered this was where I'd find Comix Home Base, a place I'd stumbled across earlier in my research.<br />
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As a comic book fan, this place was always going to be of interest. Devoted to both traditional comic books and animation, it's a small arts hub arranged around a light-filled courtyard.<br />
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The architecture is of more than passing interest, because the complex was created within the facades of ten tenement houses which were built a century ago, between 1916 and 1922.<br />
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Constructed under British colonial rule, the houses had an interesting combination of Chinese and western architectural features, such as Chinese tiled roofs and French doors. Some of this original style can be seen by crossing a walkbridge from the main block to the facades on the opposite side:<br />
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Inside the main building there are various rooms used for exhibitions and conferences, not all of them open to the general public. However, there are always anime movies playing, which you're welcome to sit down and enjoy:<br />
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The other great facility for visitors is the Comix Salon, down a passage from the viewing area:<br />
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This marvellous haven is a small reading room, its shelves stacked with comic books from around the world - Asia, Europe, North America:<br />
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I picked out a few collections of my favourite characters (I'm a DC guy from way back, not Marvel) and settled down for a read.<br />
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On the way out I passed Old Master Q, a character created by Hong Kong artist Alfonso Wong under the pen name Wong Chak:<br />
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The character first appeared in print in 1962, and his humorous adventures acted as a medium by which to indirectly explore political and social issues. The character stayed popular throughout the artist's life, which only ended recently; he passed away on 1 January 2017.<br />
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So that was Comix Home Base - a rest stop and an education all in one. If you're a comic book or animation fan, I recommend it when you visit Hong Kong.<br />
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<i>Comix Home Base is located at 7 Mallory St, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, China. Open 10am-8pm daily (Comix Salon noon-8pm, closed Monday). More details<a href="http://www.comixhomebase.com.hk/" target="_blank"> at its website</a>.</i>Tim Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05151344714771719558noreply@blogger.com0