We had lunch today with Normal Habel. Norm is a pastor, an Old Testament Scholar, and a Holden faculty person from the 1970's who lives in Adelaide. He is from here. He ended up in St. Louis at Concordia Seminary and then returned to Adelaide in 1974 after everything blew up in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Norm is a fascinating and creative person with a deep passion for the environment. He is part of the planning for a big conference here in July, 2017, called EcoReformation. It sounds really good. We talked a lot about Holden, and church, and many other things. A very lovely time.
We then made our way back to our apartment, including a stop at St, Peter’s Cathedaral, the aforementioned Anglican cathedral we did not attend! It was an interesting and beautiful place.
I then remembered that I had not bought sago, that important South Pacific starch that is an integral ingredient in the Norwegian fruit soup I make. Over the years I have commissioned various people to bring me some when they visit down here, and I have been grateful for that service. But now when I have opportunity, I totally forget! And we found out that even more stores are closed on Easter Monday than were closed on Good Friday! But all is well. I have a good stash at home, and my cousin Sharon keeps me supplied from a New Zealand friends of hers.
So now our bags are packed and we are ready for a long 24+ hours of airports and flights tomorrow. We arrive in the US on Tuesday, but then head down to San Diego to visit Seattle friends who have been living there recently.
Monday, March 28, 2016
Australia 2016 - Easter in Adelaide
This morning we attended worship at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church. South Australia is littered with Lutheran churches, but we picked this one near where we’re staying because they had a really strong up-front statement on their website about ordaining women in the Lutheran Church in Australia. (One person told us that the Roman Catholics will ordain women before the LCA!)
So there we were at the 10 a.m. service, labeled “traditional,” the third of three. We were certainly in the right age group as the nave filled up. As I looked around I started thinking that maybe we should have gone to the Anglican cathedral after all. Maybe this was going to be more “traditional” than I thought.
The organ prelude was good, and we stood for the processional. (Oddly, the “March” from Scipione by Handel!) And then the opening hymn - “Thine is the Glory” - was introduced and the congregation began to sing. I said, “This is what Lutheran is - this powerful, amazing singing that fills room, and head, and heart.” As we talked later, Larry had noted the same. What a heritage of song with have with our sisters and brothers in Christ throughout the world.
The Children’s Word was very well done - a skit linking Christmas and Easter. Very funny moments and a well prepared cast. The sermon was really good. The pastor started out saying that all the Easter treats - bunnies, and so on - are pretty northern items. So Australia needs its own Easter symbol for the day being in Autumn. He offered the Granny Smith apple as the sign, and did a wonderful job talking about new life coming from the rubbish heap, just as the Granny Smith apple was begun from such a circumstance. And he had Granny Smith’s for each of us to take home with us.
After church we went to the South Australia Museum. We especially enjoyed the excellent presentations of Aboriginal Culture.
The day ended with snack for supper and the last Doc Martin (which we saw in England in October) and a Call the Midwife we’d already seen as well. But it was fine.
So there we were at the 10 a.m. service, labeled “traditional,” the third of three. We were certainly in the right age group as the nave filled up. As I looked around I started thinking that maybe we should have gone to the Anglican cathedral after all. Maybe this was going to be more “traditional” than I thought.
The organ prelude was good, and we stood for the processional. (Oddly, the “March” from Scipione by Handel!) And then the opening hymn - “Thine is the Glory” - was introduced and the congregation began to sing. I said, “This is what Lutheran is - this powerful, amazing singing that fills room, and head, and heart.” As we talked later, Larry had noted the same. What a heritage of song with have with our sisters and brothers in Christ throughout the world.
The Children’s Word was very well done - a skit linking Christmas and Easter. Very funny moments and a well prepared cast. The sermon was really good. The pastor started out saying that all the Easter treats - bunnies, and so on - are pretty northern items. So Australia needs its own Easter symbol for the day being in Autumn. He offered the Granny Smith apple as the sign, and did a wonderful job talking about new life coming from the rubbish heap, just as the Granny Smith apple was begun from such a circumstance. And he had Granny Smith’s for each of us to take home with us.
After church we went to the South Australia Museum. We especially enjoyed the excellent presentations of Aboriginal Culture.
The day ended with snack for supper and the last Doc Martin (which we saw in England in October) and a Call the Midwife we’d already seen as well. But it was fine.
Australia 2016 - Barossa Valley
Saturday was our day to go to the famous Barossa Valley wine region. It’s about an hour NE of Adelaide. Again we drove through lovely country, including more bush fire areas. We were headed for Bethany, the first German settlement in the Barossa. Paul Kretschmer had contacted his good friend Robert Schrapel whose family has owned Bethany Wines for 5 generations.
Rob graciously gave us over an hour of his time on a very busy day. He’d given his regular crew the Easter weekend off, so he was doing everything from the tasting room to the wine vats! (There were other people doing the tasting room as well.) He took us up a hill behind the winery and showed us the whole valley and told us the story of its settlement. Ans Englishman named Angas first came there, and then invited Silesians from Germany, Lutherans who didn’t want to comply with their duke’s order to merge all the Protestants. An interesting story. He then gave us a private tasting of their wines. We had a wonderful conversation and a great time. I had met Rob briefly in 1976 when he dropped in at Holden for three days to visit Paul Kretschmer.
Rob gave us a good lunch tip and suggestions for the rest of our day. We had a great lunch at the Tununda Bakery where we also bought the last 4 hot cross buns for our breakfasts! Then we headed for Settesfield, one of the original German settlements. On the way we went by Gnadenfrei Lutheran Church - St. Michael’s it is also called - and went in as a group of women were decorating for Easter Sunday. They were putting up way cool stuff!
Settelsfield was very interesting and very touristy. We appreciated the Jam Factory craft studios. It reminded us of the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana, where an old factory has been turned into studios and support for artists.
We then went and looked at Wolf Blass. The very famous Barossa winemaker has a virtual wine city and it was pretty impressive!
We then headed home by a wonderful road through a gorge - beautiful, and another different landscape.
We splurged for dinner at the restaurant next door. Very good.
Rob graciously gave us over an hour of his time on a very busy day. He’d given his regular crew the Easter weekend off, so he was doing everything from the tasting room to the wine vats! (There were other people doing the tasting room as well.) He took us up a hill behind the winery and showed us the whole valley and told us the story of its settlement. Ans Englishman named Angas first came there, and then invited Silesians from Germany, Lutherans who didn’t want to comply with their duke’s order to merge all the Protestants. An interesting story. He then gave us a private tasting of their wines. We had a wonderful conversation and a great time. I had met Rob briefly in 1976 when he dropped in at Holden for three days to visit Paul Kretschmer.
Rob gave us a good lunch tip and suggestions for the rest of our day. We had a great lunch at the Tununda Bakery where we also bought the last 4 hot cross buns for our breakfasts! Then we headed for Settesfield, one of the original German settlements. On the way we went by Gnadenfrei Lutheran Church - St. Michael’s it is also called - and went in as a group of women were decorating for Easter Sunday. They were putting up way cool stuff!
Settelsfield was very interesting and very touristy. We appreciated the Jam Factory craft studios. It reminded us of the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana, where an old factory has been turned into studios and support for artists.
We then went and looked at Wolf Blass. The very famous Barossa winemaker has a virtual wine city and it was pretty impressive!
We then headed home by a wonderful road through a gorge - beautiful, and another different landscape.
We splurged for dinner at the restaurant next door. Very good.
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Australia 2016 - Good Friday
On Good Friday we went looking for open things and headed into the Adelaide Hills to go to Hahndorf. The drive into the hills was very beautiful - reminded us a little of home! We went up a pass over Mt, Lofty, then down into the town of Hahndorf. This is the first German settlement in South Australia, and it’s kind of the Leavenworth of Australia, although not quite as over-the-top. We think everyone else in the area decided to head this way as well, finding open resturants and shops on a really beautiful day. It could not have been more pleasant. We had a good time exploring, found some things to purchase, saw lovely art and had a nice lunch.
When we left Hahndorf we wandered through back roads and made our way to the Cleland Wildlife Park. Although we arrive just an hour before closing, we did get to see the Koalas they bring out for people to hold and pet, albeit very briefly. We saw others asleep in their Eucalyptus perches, and walked to other areas to see Emu, different varieties of Kangaroo, Wallabees, and lots of birds. It was a beautiful spot and we’re glad we stopped.
We wandered down another back road to Adelaide and were rewarded with spectacular views over the city and the Gulf of Vincent, on which Adelaide sits. There are many gulfs and bays and peninsulas all around Adelaide, the Southern Ocean cutting into the land at many places. A truly beautiful Good Friday drive, with the St. Matthew Passion playing from my phone.
When we left Hahndorf we wandered through back roads and made our way to the Cleland Wildlife Park. Although we arrive just an hour before closing, we did get to see the Koalas they bring out for people to hold and pet, albeit very briefly. We saw others asleep in their Eucalyptus perches, and walked to other areas to see Emu, different varieties of Kangaroo, Wallabees, and lots of birds. It was a beautiful spot and we’re glad we stopped.
We wandered down another back road to Adelaide and were rewarded with spectacular views over the city and the Gulf of Vincent, on which Adelaide sits. There are many gulfs and bays and peninsulas all around Adelaide, the Southern Ocean cutting into the land at many places. A truly beautiful Good Friday drive, with the St. Matthew Passion playing from my phone.
Australia 2016 - Exploring Adelaide
On Thursday we decided to explore Adelaide and get our bearings in this city. This is a very industrial city, but beautiful as well. A main industry has been the manufacture of the Holden automobile (a GM car like Chevrolet) and Ford. But now those factories are going away to other shores - the usual story - so important jobs will go away.
They have a free bus service for the city and North Adelaide (where we’re staying) called the City Connector. The stop for it was right outside our little complex of apartments, which made it really easy. One route goes clockwise, and one anticlockwise (that’s the word here!). As the stops are the same, it just all depends on when you want to get on and for how long!
We successfully made our way to the downtown (CBD - Central Business District they say in Australia) and to the Rundle Mall, a big pedestrian-only zone where all the major shopping is located. We stopped in at the Tourist Information to find out what would be open and closed on Good Friday. Good Friday is a national holiday in Australia, and large shops and businesses are legally obligated to close - they face big fines if they don’t. So everything pretty much just shuts down.
We looked around in the Rundle Mall for a while. These days downtown shopping in developed countries looks pretty much the same everywhere. But Australian shops have their own flavor and style - lots of nice clothing and shoes. We looked in at Country Road and Trenery, shops where our friends the Powelsons always go when they are in Perth/Fremantle.
After the mall we made our way to the Central Market. This is terrific. Like similar markets in other cities, it has farmers’ produce, meats, cheeses, bread, and flowers. It is a really fun environment, with a lot of activity and variety. We had fun picking out a couple things for dinner. People were lined up everywhere buying their food for their Easter dinners. Here that’s mostly fresh seafood - fish and beautiful local prawns. It was fun to be there and to stand in Easter-prep lines ourselves! We left the market and found our bus stop and headed back to the apartment. Along the way there was a lot of police presence in one area, with news cameras and all kinds of excitement. It was by the River Torrens, which flows through Adelaide. We learned later that a body had been discovered in the river. Our bus driver had an interesting (and successful) time negotiating the bus route so everyone could get where they wanted to be!
They have a free bus service for the city and North Adelaide (where we’re staying) called the City Connector. The stop for it was right outside our little complex of apartments, which made it really easy. One route goes clockwise, and one anticlockwise (that’s the word here!). As the stops are the same, it just all depends on when you want to get on and for how long!
We successfully made our way to the downtown (CBD - Central Business District they say in Australia) and to the Rundle Mall, a big pedestrian-only zone where all the major shopping is located. We stopped in at the Tourist Information to find out what would be open and closed on Good Friday. Good Friday is a national holiday in Australia, and large shops and businesses are legally obligated to close - they face big fines if they don’t. So everything pretty much just shuts down.
We looked around in the Rundle Mall for a while. These days downtown shopping in developed countries looks pretty much the same everywhere. But Australian shops have their own flavor and style - lots of nice clothing and shoes. We looked in at Country Road and Trenery, shops where our friends the Powelsons always go when they are in Perth/Fremantle.
After the mall we made our way to the Central Market. This is terrific. Like similar markets in other cities, it has farmers’ produce, meats, cheeses, bread, and flowers. It is a really fun environment, with a lot of activity and variety. We had fun picking out a couple things for dinner. People were lined up everywhere buying their food for their Easter dinners. Here that’s mostly fresh seafood - fish and beautiful local prawns. It was fun to be there and to stand in Easter-prep lines ourselves! We left the market and found our bus stop and headed back to the apartment. Along the way there was a lot of police presence in one area, with news cameras and all kinds of excitement. It was by the River Torrens, which flows through Adelaide. We learned later that a body had been discovered in the river. Our bus driver had an interesting (and successful) time negotiating the bus route so everyone could get where they wanted to be!
Australia 2016 - Taralee Orchards
One reason we came to Adelaide and South Australia was to visit an old Holden friend, Paul Kretschmer and his family, in the above mentioned Wirrabarra. Our three hour drive north took us through beautiful countryside, including the wine-rich Clare Valley. It also took us through many areas where fire had blazed through, as recently as a couple months ago. Fire is a hazard all through Australia. We’ve been impressed, though, with the ways in which informaton and material is given to people to prepare them for fire. It’s quite thorough and straight-forward and lets people know the speed and danger of fire and that it’s not to be ignored.
We arrive at Taralee Orchards around 1 p.m. - just in time for lunch! It was lovely to see Paul again and to meet Denise and also Marie, their “Wwoofer.” Wwoof” stands for Wordwide Workers on Organic Farms, or Willing Workers on Organic Farms. In the 15 + years the Kretschmers have had their orchards and farm, they’ve had help from all over to assist with all the work. Marie is from Germany, and she was delightful! Lunch helped us get oriented to the the farm and the area. After lunch, we got right into the action, helping Marie package dried fruit for sale.
After lunch we wandered around the farm. What a beautiful place. They have several gardens, many chickens, 4 roosters, a few cows and sheep, and dog named Jet (who came with us on our walk), and their extensive stone fruit orchards. Their main products are the stone fruits, both fresh and dried, and many related items such as an amazingly delicious corn relish, among other things. It is quite an operation, all totally organic, all done by hand, and with a wonderful community spirit. Their sales include the usual wholesale, but they also go to weekly farmers’ markets throughout the region.
On the farm they do B and B with two lovely cottages. The one closest to their house - Apricot Cottage - was being remodeled while we were there, and we walked up the hill to Ruby Cottage, a lovely place with a wonderful view. We also walked down the road from their place a bit, through beautiful forest.
A terrible fire came through their area in 2014. They successfully defended their property, but were also fortunate in that the wind shifted at the last minute so that the fire did not continue their way. There were many properties burned in this fire and it was a hard time all around. The community had put together a book of people’s stories of the fire, and Renae Kretschmer wrote a wonderful piece about the fire at Taralee. She had also put together a picture book for their family of what had happened there. Paul said, given the hard work she was doing to defend against the fire, he didn’t know how she managed to have time to take pictures!
In the early evening, Sue and Trevor Lange arrived on their way back to south of Adelaide from Western Australia. Sue is Denise’s sister. It was very enjoyable to meet them. We all had dinner together out on the veranda - still warm enough to do that, even at the beginning Autumn - and enjoyed steaks from their own cattle. The Kretschmer son Raymon did the honors at the BBQ, and it was delicious! A wonderful day all around.
The next day we all gathered for breakfast at 8:30, and then Denise, Renae, and Marie all headed off for a sports day for Renae’s school. She is a track star! Later we heard from Paul that she had won 5 of her first 6 events and was well on track to once again win the individual over all award. We helped clean up, visited some with Sue and Trevor, and then later helped Paul slice fruit (peaches and plums) for the drier.
After lunch and another good conversation, we finally said farewell and headed back towards Adelaide. Our time at Taralee was really exceptional, and we are so glad we arranged to make this visit.
We arrive at Taralee Orchards around 1 p.m. - just in time for lunch! It was lovely to see Paul again and to meet Denise and also Marie, their “Wwoofer.” Wwoof” stands for Wordwide Workers on Organic Farms, or Willing Workers on Organic Farms. In the 15 + years the Kretschmers have had their orchards and farm, they’ve had help from all over to assist with all the work. Marie is from Germany, and she was delightful! Lunch helped us get oriented to the the farm and the area. After lunch, we got right into the action, helping Marie package dried fruit for sale.
After lunch we wandered around the farm. What a beautiful place. They have several gardens, many chickens, 4 roosters, a few cows and sheep, and dog named Jet (who came with us on our walk), and their extensive stone fruit orchards. Their main products are the stone fruits, both fresh and dried, and many related items such as an amazingly delicious corn relish, among other things. It is quite an operation, all totally organic, all done by hand, and with a wonderful community spirit. Their sales include the usual wholesale, but they also go to weekly farmers’ markets throughout the region.
On the farm they do B and B with two lovely cottages. The one closest to their house - Apricot Cottage - was being remodeled while we were there, and we walked up the hill to Ruby Cottage, a lovely place with a wonderful view. We also walked down the road from their place a bit, through beautiful forest.
A terrible fire came through their area in 2014. They successfully defended their property, but were also fortunate in that the wind shifted at the last minute so that the fire did not continue their way. There were many properties burned in this fire and it was a hard time all around. The community had put together a book of people’s stories of the fire, and Renae Kretschmer wrote a wonderful piece about the fire at Taralee. She had also put together a picture book for their family of what had happened there. Paul said, given the hard work she was doing to defend against the fire, he didn’t know how she managed to have time to take pictures!
In the early evening, Sue and Trevor Lange arrived on their way back to south of Adelaide from Western Australia. Sue is Denise’s sister. It was very enjoyable to meet them. We all had dinner together out on the veranda - still warm enough to do that, even at the beginning Autumn - and enjoyed steaks from their own cattle. The Kretschmer son Raymon did the honors at the BBQ, and it was delicious! A wonderful day all around.
The next day we all gathered for breakfast at 8:30, and then Denise, Renae, and Marie all headed off for a sports day for Renae’s school. She is a track star! Later we heard from Paul that she had won 5 of her first 6 events and was well on track to once again win the individual over all award. We helped clean up, visited some with Sue and Trevor, and then later helped Paul slice fruit (peaches and plums) for the drier.
After lunch and another good conversation, we finally said farewell and headed back towards Adelaide. Our time at Taralee was really exceptional, and we are so glad we arranged to make this visit.
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Australia 2016 - Travel to Adelaide
We arose very early on Monday morning to get to the airport for a 5:50 a.m. flight to Sydney. We managed to successfully leave the rental car and find our way to check to our bags and get our boarding passes. The main industry in Western Australia is mining, and it was very interesting to be there early in the morning to see all the miners geared up and heading for their flights to the mines. Reminded us of the Rio Tinto remediation workers at Holden Village. (Rio Tinto is a huge global mining company that started in Australia but is now headquartered in London. It owns the tallest building in Perth.)
Our flight to Sydney was uneventful. We had a couple hours to wait in Sydney for our flight to Adelaide. Ironically, our flight to Sydney flew right over Adelaide! (This trip has been an odd one for planning.) The flight to Adelaide was a delightful adventure. We were in aisle seats across from each other, and our seat partners were totally talkative. Those next to me almost instantly gave me their contact info if our trips in South Australia came near their home in the Adelaide Hills! Larry was sitting with one of four farmers wives who had gone to Sydney for the Madonna concert. The conversations lasted the entire two hour trip! One hilarious moment was when we said where we were going and pronounced the town “Wirrabahrra.” A chorus of about 10 people hollered “WiRAbarra.” (It’s spelled Wirrabarra.) Anyway, it was a very entertaining flight.
After arriving, we retrieved our luggage and easily picked up our rental car, and pretty easily found our way to our apartment rental here. It is a nice and comfortable place, although not as pleasant as our Fremantle flat. We found a very good dinner in the pub next door. So our Adelaide adventure begins.
Our flight to Sydney was uneventful. We had a couple hours to wait in Sydney for our flight to Adelaide. Ironically, our flight to Sydney flew right over Adelaide! (This trip has been an odd one for planning.) The flight to Adelaide was a delightful adventure. We were in aisle seats across from each other, and our seat partners were totally talkative. Those next to me almost instantly gave me their contact info if our trips in South Australia came near their home in the Adelaide Hills! Larry was sitting with one of four farmers wives who had gone to Sydney for the Madonna concert. The conversations lasted the entire two hour trip! One hilarious moment was when we said where we were going and pronounced the town “Wirrabahrra.” A chorus of about 10 people hollered “WiRAbarra.” (It’s spelled Wirrabarra.) Anyway, it was a very entertaining flight.
After arriving, we retrieved our luggage and easily picked up our rental car, and pretty easily found our way to our apartment rental here. It is a nice and comfortable place, although not as pleasant as our Fremantle flat. We found a very good dinner in the pub next door. So our Adelaide adventure begins.
Australia 2016 - Palm Sunday and Farewell
We had decided to attend the Anglican Cathedral in Perth - St. George - for Palm Sunday services. We had a little difficulty getting there. We are great fans of the maps.me app which does GPS without wi-fi. But... if you don’t get the right satellites with the right order, there can be problems! On this day the instructions came just past the turn we were supposed to take. So we arrive about 15 minutes late for church - just missed the Palm Sunday procession! We got there in time for Confessions and Forgiveness, which was much needed for the navigator.
The service was lovely and the music splendid. I had noted that on their website and was not disappointed. The Passion according to Luke was sung to a setting by Orlando de Lassus, and the very fine choir also sang one of Williams Byrd’s Mass for Four Voices and a Hosanna by Thomas Weelkes. The church was decorated with huge palm fronds - very beautiful.
After church we were warmly welcomed by one member who took us around and introduced to lots of people. Very friendly indeed! We headed back to 11 King Street to pack up for leaving the next day and to enjoy that lovely space.
Dinner was a farewell meal with Wally and Eileen, Claire, Jared, and Georgia, Jean, and Jean’s son and daughter-in-law Aaron and Nikki. We ate at Joy Kitchen, a Chinese restaurant by the Fremantle harbor. It was really great food. It was sad for these family members to be saying farewell and sad for us as we concluded our great time in Fremantle.
The service was lovely and the music splendid. I had noted that on their website and was not disappointed. The Passion according to Luke was sung to a setting by Orlando de Lassus, and the very fine choir also sang one of Williams Byrd’s Mass for Four Voices and a Hosanna by Thomas Weelkes. The church was decorated with huge palm fronds - very beautiful.
After church we were warmly welcomed by one member who took us around and introduced to lots of people. Very friendly indeed! We headed back to 11 King Street to pack up for leaving the next day and to enjoy that lovely space.
Dinner was a farewell meal with Wally and Eileen, Claire, Jared, and Georgia, Jean, and Jean’s son and daughter-in-law Aaron and Nikki. We ate at Joy Kitchen, a Chinese restaurant by the Fremantle harbor. It was really great food. It was sad for these family members to be saying farewell and sad for us as we concluded our great time in Fremantle.
Australia 2016 - Rockingham and the Catalpa Memorial
On Saturday Larry and I headed to the town of Rockingham, about 45 minutes south of Fremantle. This was the place where the Catalpa picked up the Fenian prisoners after they escaped from Fremantle Prison. We had discovered that there is a memorial to the escapees at the Rockingham Beach.
Traveling down there meant following the route on the Rockingham Road that the Fenians had followed on their escape. Now the area is heavily industrial, and there are two big Australian Navy installations as well, including Garden Island, the place behind which the Catalpa was anchored awaiting the prisoners. We drove in to town and found the tourist information office, and thereby found the location of the memorial. It was a short distance away, and is a very beautiful piece that uses the Irish Wild Geese theme for its motif.
After we looked at the memorial, we went to the end of the road and hiked out to Point Peron. From there we could see the breakers that could have cause so much difficulty for the Catalpa and its row boat. The rock formations at the point were very interesting - much different from other things we have see here. The point also has many World War II battlements tucked away in the rocks and scrub.
We left Rockingham again by the old coast road and headed back to Fremantle. When we got there we were invited for tea by our Air BnB hosts, Dave and Zolly Williams. We had a wonderful 2-hour conversation with them ranging over all kinds of subjects. Their rental flat is just perfect and we’ve been very happy to be there.
We had dinner that evening at another neighborhood place - Young George - and had another splendid meal. One dish included Kangaroo, which was tender and tasty.
Traveling down there meant following the route on the Rockingham Road that the Fenians had followed on their escape. Now the area is heavily industrial, and there are two big Australian Navy installations as well, including Garden Island, the place behind which the Catalpa was anchored awaiting the prisoners. We drove in to town and found the tourist information office, and thereby found the location of the memorial. It was a short distance away, and is a very beautiful piece that uses the Irish Wild Geese theme for its motif.
After we looked at the memorial, we went to the end of the road and hiked out to Point Peron. From there we could see the breakers that could have cause so much difficulty for the Catalpa and its row boat. The rock formations at the point were very interesting - much different from other things we have see here. The point also has many World War II battlements tucked away in the rocks and scrub.
We left Rockingham again by the old coast road and headed back to Fremantle. When we got there we were invited for tea by our Air BnB hosts, Dave and Zolly Williams. We had a wonderful 2-hour conversation with them ranging over all kinds of subjects. Their rental flat is just perfect and we’ve been very happy to be there.
We had dinner that evening at another neighborhood place - Young George - and had another splendid meal. One dish included Kangaroo, which was tender and tasty.
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Australia 2016 - Botanical Gardens and Fremantle Markets
On Friday Jean took us to King’s Park, an amazing and wonderful public park in Perth. The have a terrific botanical garden that showcases the various regions of Western Australia. We thoroughly enjoyed the wide variety of flora, and all the amazing birds we saw. And the views of Perth from the park are astonishing! After our walk around, we went into their gallery of local art and found a perfect Fremantle print for Eileen - it has all the right places on it and will look splendid in their home.
After the park we went back to Fremantle and went to the Fremantle Markets. It reminded us of a small scale Pike Place Market. Fremantle/Perth and Seattle are much alike, having been started at about the same time. Western Australia also has the same problems with Eastern Australia that we in the Western US have with the East. Here’s a little article about it here: https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/31138973/perth-spurned-by-eastern-states/ (I couldn't get this to go live, so paste in your browser.)
The markets were a lot of fun. We found a shark soft toy for Nico (grandson age 8) and some patches, and a fun top for me. We had samosas that were very good as well.
That evening Larry and I went back to Barque for another wonderful meal, but we skipped the big fish this time!
After the park we went back to Fremantle and went to the Fremantle Markets. It reminded us of a small scale Pike Place Market. Fremantle/Perth and Seattle are much alike, having been started at about the same time. Western Australia also has the same problems with Eastern Australia that we in the Western US have with the East. Here’s a little article about it here: https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/31138973/perth-spurned-by-eastern-states/ (I couldn't get this to go live, so paste in your browser.)
The markets were a lot of fun. We found a shark soft toy for Nico (grandson age 8) and some patches, and a fun top for me. We had samosas that were very good as well.
That evening Larry and I went back to Barque for another wonderful meal, but we skipped the big fish this time!
Australia 2016 - Shopping
On Thursday we went shopping for a couple things we wanted to pick up. Our first stop was at the shop at the Perth zoo, looking for a particular soft toy for one of our grandsons. We had a great time with the clerks who were bound and determined to find what we wanted. They went digging in newly delivered boxes and successfully located a really cute Quokka. (See Rottnest Island above.) We also found a wonderful little hippo for Georgia!
The people here are amazingly open and friendly. I think it’s a whole culture of extroverts. Every encounter engenders a conversation about something or other. People are also well-informed about the US, for the most part, and are curious about the current political drama.
After we left the zoo we went to a big shopping mall looking for a couple other things, including a fun pair of yellow sandals I had seen when we were downtown on Monday. We found them! They were on sale, and after you include the dominat American dollar here (multiply by .7) they were practically free! We discovered one or two items more, and had a lovely time.
Dinner that night was at Claire and Jared’s - another wonderful evening.
The people here are amazingly open and friendly. I think it’s a whole culture of extroverts. Every encounter engenders a conversation about something or other. People are also well-informed about the US, for the most part, and are curious about the current political drama.
After we left the zoo we went to a big shopping mall looking for a couple other things, including a fun pair of yellow sandals I had seen when we were downtown on Monday. We found them! They were on sale, and after you include the dominat American dollar here (multiply by .7) they were practically free! We discovered one or two items more, and had a lovely time.
Dinner that night was at Claire and Jared’s - another wonderful evening.
Australia 2016 - Museums and Boats
On Wednesday we took the Doing Time tour at the Fremantle Prison. It was very well done, and we enjoyed learning much more about this place that has become the central focus of our time in Fremantle. The history is rather gruesome, but also very interesting in terms of how the place has shaped and been shaped by this community. As noted before (wedding reception) it is an official World Heritage site.
The tour lasted one hour and fifteen minutes. At the beginning (in the “Intake” room) our tour guide asked us where we all were from. Oddly, there was one couple from Idaho and one from Sequim! So the Pacific Northwest was well represented in our group.
After the prison, we made our way to the harbor and to the Maritime Museum. Outside are walls of names of people who immigrated to Australia at different times. Australia, like the US, is a nation of immigrants and people often speak, like we do, about where their family comes from originally. We found the names of Eileen’s parents who arrived from England (with Bernard, Jean, and 6-month old Eileen) in 1954.
This is such a water-ocean-sea culture that the musuem has more stuff than you can almost take in. (We saw that they are planning to redo and expand it.) Sailing is just huge here, and Perth is most famous for finally dethroning the New York Yacht Club in the America’s Cup in 1983. Here’s the opening paragraph from Wikipedia: The 1983 America's Cup was the occasion of the first winning challenge to the New York Yacht Club, which had successfully defended the cup over a period of 132 years. An Australian syndicate representing the Royal Perth Yacht Club fielded the Australia II, skippered by John Bertrand, against defender Liberty, skippered by Dennis Conner. Australia II won the match races to win the America's Cup, ending the longest winning streak in sporting history and ending U.S. domination of the racing series.
The Australia II is on display at the Maritime Museum, and there are display cases for every America’s Cup from the beginning with a model boat for each contender in each case. Pretty fascinating, I’d say. All through our time here we see almost daily regattas of one class or another on some bay or area of the ocean. And there a thousands and thousands of cruisers and other boats. This is a boating place for sure.
Keeping to the boating them, after the Maritime Museum we went looking for a grocery store that had been mentioned called the Boat Shed Market. The building had once housed a boat shed, hence the name. It’s well known for its take away food. We got some basics we needed to replenish, and picked up dinner in the form of salmon and pea fritters and a crisp broccoli salad. It was delicious.
The tour lasted one hour and fifteen minutes. At the beginning (in the “Intake” room) our tour guide asked us where we all were from. Oddly, there was one couple from Idaho and one from Sequim! So the Pacific Northwest was well represented in our group.
After the prison, we made our way to the harbor and to the Maritime Museum. Outside are walls of names of people who immigrated to Australia at different times. Australia, like the US, is a nation of immigrants and people often speak, like we do, about where their family comes from originally. We found the names of Eileen’s parents who arrived from England (with Bernard, Jean, and 6-month old Eileen) in 1954.
This is such a water-ocean-sea culture that the musuem has more stuff than you can almost take in. (We saw that they are planning to redo and expand it.) Sailing is just huge here, and Perth is most famous for finally dethroning the New York Yacht Club in the America’s Cup in 1983. Here’s the opening paragraph from Wikipedia: The 1983 America's Cup was the occasion of the first winning challenge to the New York Yacht Club, which had successfully defended the cup over a period of 132 years. An Australian syndicate representing the Royal Perth Yacht Club fielded the Australia II, skippered by John Bertrand, against defender Liberty, skippered by Dennis Conner. Australia II won the match races to win the America's Cup, ending the longest winning streak in sporting history and ending U.S. domination of the racing series.
The Australia II is on display at the Maritime Museum, and there are display cases for every America’s Cup from the beginning with a model boat for each contender in each case. Pretty fascinating, I’d say. All through our time here we see almost daily regattas of one class or another on some bay or area of the ocean. And there a thousands and thousands of cruisers and other boats. This is a boating place for sure.
Keeping to the boating them, after the Maritime Museum we went looking for a grocery store that had been mentioned called the Boat Shed Market. The building had once housed a boat shed, hence the name. It’s well known for its take away food. We got some basics we needed to replenish, and picked up dinner in the form of salmon and pea fritters and a crisp broccoli salad. It was delicious.
Australia 2016 - Time with Family
On Tuesday the 14th Eileen and Wally took us with them to visit Eileen’s family. We had, of course, been with these people all through the wedding events, but its was lovely to visit in their homes and have more leisure for conversation.
We started for lunch at the home of Eileen’s sister-in-law Sandra. She is the widow of Eileen oldest brother Bernard, who died suddenly when he was still quite young. We really enjoy Sandra, and it was fun to be with her in her home. She was also babysitting her 2½ year-old granddaughter Eden who was also a lot of fun. We had a great lunch of quiche and salad, and were entertained by Sandra as she took us through the paces of her Thermomix, a German do-everything kitchen machine that is very popular in Australia. We saw lots of birds and flowers in her lovely garden.
When we left Sandra’s we headed to Jean’s house in the other direction. We had a leisurely afternoon paddling around in her pool. Dinner was a terrific chicken cooked in a Tagine with olives from her own tree. The fresh vegetables and everything here are really amazing. It is, of course, the end of summer, and many things are in their prime. We are reaping the benefits! We were joined for dinner by Jean’s boarded Eleanor. She works for the Red Cross dealing with people who have been misplaced by fire. There is still a very high danger in Southwestern Australia for fire. When we went to Margaret River we drove through a large area that had been burned last year. The people with whom Eleanor works are still dealing with their terrific losses from that fire. One whole town has simply disappeared.
We started for lunch at the home of Eileen’s sister-in-law Sandra. She is the widow of Eileen oldest brother Bernard, who died suddenly when he was still quite young. We really enjoy Sandra, and it was fun to be with her in her home. She was also babysitting her 2½ year-old granddaughter Eden who was also a lot of fun. We had a great lunch of quiche and salad, and were entertained by Sandra as she took us through the paces of her Thermomix, a German do-everything kitchen machine that is very popular in Australia. We saw lots of birds and flowers in her lovely garden.
When we left Sandra’s we headed to Jean’s house in the other direction. We had a leisurely afternoon paddling around in her pool. Dinner was a terrific chicken cooked in a Tagine with olives from her own tree. The fresh vegetables and everything here are really amazing. It is, of course, the end of summer, and many things are in their prime. We are reaping the benefits! We were joined for dinner by Jean’s boarded Eleanor. She works for the Red Cross dealing with people who have been misplaced by fire. There is still a very high danger in Southwestern Australia for fire. When we went to Margaret River we drove through a large area that had been burned last year. The people with whom Eleanor works are still dealing with their terrific losses from that fire. One whole town has simply disappeared.
Australia 2016 - Downtown Perth, Food Trucks, and Heat
On Monday the 13th, Eileen’s sister Jean (who came to the Villa in Vassenello, Italy with us in 2011) took us into downtown Perth. We went to the Art Gallery, which is small but has a very interesting collection. I was particularly drawn to the work of English painter Stanley Spencer, and will enjoy learning more about his work.
We tried to go the historical museum, but it’s closed for renovation. We did, however, have a lovely lunch in the shaded garden of the museum - an opportunity for a good visit with Jean. The shade part is of particular importance on this day. In our measures it 104º - REALLY HOT! It was like the hottest March day on record for the last six years. Ugh.
In the evening, Jean and Eileen and Wally came over to our flat and we walked down to the Swan River just below where we are and got dinner from three food trucks that show up only on Monday evenings. It was still rather hot, but the walk was nice. We did, however, bring our food back up to the air conditioned flat! We had Middle Easter, Brazilian, and Mexican food with a Korean twist!
We tried to go the historical museum, but it’s closed for renovation. We did, however, have a lovely lunch in the shaded garden of the museum - an opportunity for a good visit with Jean. The shade part is of particular importance on this day. In our measures it 104º - REALLY HOT! It was like the hottest March day on record for the last six years. Ugh.
In the evening, Jean and Eileen and Wally came over to our flat and we walked down to the Swan River just below where we are and got dinner from three food trucks that show up only on Monday evenings. It was still rather hot, but the walk was nice. We did, however, bring our food back up to the air conditioned flat! We had Middle Easter, Brazilian, and Mexican food with a Korean twist!
Australia 2016 - Wedding Recovery
On Sunday, March 13, Claire and Jared hosted (yes, hosted) a recovery BBQ at their home. It was fun to have everyone together again, especially those who had been at the pre-wedding events. The younger folk who had partied the night away were a little worse for wear, but everyone was in good spirits. There was, as has been true throughout, a great spirit of community and celebration.
After the BBQ, Larry and I came back to the flat. We just had wine and cheese and crackers for dinner - there’s been plenty of food! And we enjoyed some “TV” via live stream on my laptop. It is still fairly amazing to me that we can record things on our TV at home and watch them halfway around the world! It’s too bad that we can’t do On Demand, or even streaming services like Netflix or, our favorite, Acorn Online. But... the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has a great streaming service and we’ve discovered Janet King - a great series! We could also see Dr. Blake, but it’s Series 4, and we’d like to see 2 and 3 first.
After the BBQ, Larry and I came back to the flat. We just had wine and cheese and crackers for dinner - there’s been plenty of food! And we enjoyed some “TV” via live stream on my laptop. It is still fairly amazing to me that we can record things on our TV at home and watch them halfway around the world! It’s too bad that we can’t do On Demand, or even streaming services like Netflix or, our favorite, Acorn Online. But... the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has a great streaming service and we’ve discovered Janet King - a great series! We could also see Dr. Blake, but it’s Series 4, and we’d like to see 2 and 3 first.
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Australia 2016 - The Wedding!
The wedding on March 12 went off very well. The service itself was at The Round House, the oldest building in Fremantle. It’s in the historic downtown right on the edge of the harbor. Whalers used to bring their catch to it and the whales were taken into the tunnel underneath. This was also the place - at the old jetty next door at Bathers Beach - where criminals and convicts were first disembarked from their English boats before being marched in kilometer to the Fremantle Prison.
I spent part of the morning finishing my own writing for the service and Larry and I went to an office store to get it printed. I also needed to find some way to hold it. We settled on a small presentation folder with slip covers in it. The pages fit perfectly, and I was glad to have it done that way as during the service it was very windy!
People started gathering around 4:45 p.m. and the service itself started at 5 p.m. Wally and Claire arrived in Jared’s 1960's era navy blue Holden ute. Very classy! The service went very well, if I do say so myself, and everyone seemed most appreciative. As noted above, the partnership of Australian Cclebrant Doug South was excellent indeed.
After the service there was champagne and oysters right there at the Round House. At around 6 p.m. everyone began to walk from there to the Fremantle Prison for the reception. Larry and I drove because it was easier earlier, but it was fun to see everyone walking down the street in their wedding finery! One of Jared’s friends carried the “J&C” banner in front. Very festive!
Larry and I arrived at the prison a little before 6:30, and we were all asked to wait until 6:30 to go through the big iron gates. When we were let into the yard, the golden limestone walls were rather beautiful in the setting sun. We walked around behind the cell blocks to the grass outside the old machine shop, the location of the reception. There we were served drinks (Negronis, champagn) and beautiful hors d’oeuvres. Claire and Jared arrived a few minutes later in the Holden ute with a lovely “Just Married” sign on its back! Then we all went in for the reception.
Claire had done an amazing job making this old prison space festive and beautiful. Because the Fremantle prison is a World Heritage Site, they could not attach anything to the walls or anywhere. So great imagination and igenuity came into play, and it was a wonderful site. We were all seated at six long tables in the room so it had a great community feel. Jared’s cousin Paul was the MC, and did a great job. Very funny. Jared’s mother, Wendy, is a trained singer, and so the proceedings started, much to our surprise, with her singing the Star Spangled Banner! We Americans sang along! The food was wonderful, the speehes great, the dancing fun and funky - all in all, a wonderful party. Adults went home at a reasonable hour (that would be midnight) and the young folk went out and partied until the wee hours. Claire and Jared’s life together got off to a great start!
I spent part of the morning finishing my own writing for the service and Larry and I went to an office store to get it printed. I also needed to find some way to hold it. We settled on a small presentation folder with slip covers in it. The pages fit perfectly, and I was glad to have it done that way as during the service it was very windy!
People started gathering around 4:45 p.m. and the service itself started at 5 p.m. Wally and Claire arrived in Jared’s 1960's era navy blue Holden ute. Very classy! The service went very well, if I do say so myself, and everyone seemed most appreciative. As noted above, the partnership of Australian Cclebrant Doug South was excellent indeed.
After the service there was champagne and oysters right there at the Round House. At around 6 p.m. everyone began to walk from there to the Fremantle Prison for the reception. Larry and I drove because it was easier earlier, but it was fun to see everyone walking down the street in their wedding finery! One of Jared’s friends carried the “J&C” banner in front. Very festive!
Larry and I arrived at the prison a little before 6:30, and we were all asked to wait until 6:30 to go through the big iron gates. When we were let into the yard, the golden limestone walls were rather beautiful in the setting sun. We walked around behind the cell blocks to the grass outside the old machine shop, the location of the reception. There we were served drinks (Negronis, champagn) and beautiful hors d’oeuvres. Claire and Jared arrived a few minutes later in the Holden ute with a lovely “Just Married” sign on its back! Then we all went in for the reception.
Claire had done an amazing job making this old prison space festive and beautiful. Because the Fremantle prison is a World Heritage Site, they could not attach anything to the walls or anywhere. So great imagination and igenuity came into play, and it was a wonderful site. We were all seated at six long tables in the room so it had a great community feel. Jared’s cousin Paul was the MC, and did a great job. Very funny. Jared’s mother, Wendy, is a trained singer, and so the proceedings started, much to our surprise, with her singing the Star Spangled Banner! We Americans sang along! The food was wonderful, the speehes great, the dancing fun and funky - all in all, a wonderful party. Adults went home at a reasonable hour (that would be midnight) and the young folk went out and partied until the wee hours. Claire and Jared’s life together got off to a great start!
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Australia 2016 - Catching Up
Dear readers - I hope to be up to date with everything by the end of the March 18. Stay tuned!
Friday, March 11, 2016
Australia 2016 - Sunset Drinks and Dinner
Friday was a quiet day to work on this blog, for example, and also do some wedding prep. It's pretty hot around here, so going out in the daytime is not always the best option. Our flat has air conditioning, which is very nice indeed.
Around 4:30 we picked up the Schneiers and headed off for the beautiful suburb of Cottesloe.(Fremantle is all suburbs, like St. Louis) Lots of gorgeous homes here, and the Civic Centre is in one of the oldest and largest. There is a beautiful lawn that looks west over the ocean, up above Cottesloe beach where Eileen and her sister Jean always went when they were young. (They lived a ways away in Mosman Park.) Everyone brought beverages, and the Australian men had a pickup cricket game! It was a beautiful evening and a lovely, lovely spot.
After the sunset, about 10 of the adults went to a local Italian restaurant for dinner - Il Lido, appropriately. It was very good, but very loud, and we spent the evening hollering at each other. But, as they say, a good time was had by all!
We delivered the Schneiers back to their hotel and headed back to the flat. Tomorrow is the wedding!
Around 4:30 we picked up the Schneiers and headed off for the beautiful suburb of Cottesloe.(Fremantle is all suburbs, like St. Louis) Lots of gorgeous homes here, and the Civic Centre is in one of the oldest and largest. There is a beautiful lawn that looks west over the ocean, up above Cottesloe beach where Eileen and her sister Jean always went when they were young. (They lived a ways away in Mosman Park.) Everyone brought beverages, and the Australian men had a pickup cricket game! It was a beautiful evening and a lovely, lovely spot.
After the sunset, about 10 of the adults went to a local Italian restaurant for dinner - Il Lido, appropriately. It was very good, but very loud, and we spent the evening hollering at each other. But, as they say, a good time was had by all!
We delivered the Schneiers back to their hotel and headed back to the flat. Tomorrow is the wedding!
Australia 2016 - Rottnest Island
Thursday was a day of adventure! We all took a catamaran ride to
Rottnest Island off the Fremantle Harbor. It’s a 1 hour and 45 minute
trip, and the sailing is not always smooth. Most of the folk prone to
seasickness (like Larry) prepared themselves ahead of time with some
Dramamine or similar remedy. It seemed to go ok for Larry, but he and
the others were very brave to come along at all!
We first sailed into a small lagoon by rocks on the west side of the island. We swam, snorkeled, kayaked, and paddle-boarded off the catamaran. It was a great time! The little island near the lagoon was a refuge for the Australian Sea Lion The Australian sea lion, one of the rarest species of sea lion in the world and only found in Western Australia and South Australia. They are a threatened species, and are much more friendly and cute than the voracious California variety we know in the Pacific Northwest!
After our play-in-the-water break, we headed for Rottnest Island itself. The name of the island is Dutch for Rat’s Nest, because the original Dutch settlers thought the cute little local marsupials were rats! They are actually Quokkas, and are only found on Rottnest Island. We managed to see a few before we had to board our boat again and head back to Fremantle. On the return trip we had a nice trip of real sailing in great wind - yippee!
In the evening we joined the Powelsons and Jason and Betsy Schneier, friends of theirs from Seattle here for the wedding. We ate at Barque, just up the street from our flat. Really good pan-Asian food. We shared a giant fried Gold Band Snapper, presented to us sitting up on a platter! It was delicious.
More sun, more ocean, more great food - just another day in Fremantle!
We first sailed into a small lagoon by rocks on the west side of the island. We swam, snorkeled, kayaked, and paddle-boarded off the catamaran. It was a great time! The little island near the lagoon was a refuge for the Australian Sea Lion The Australian sea lion, one of the rarest species of sea lion in the world and only found in Western Australia and South Australia. They are a threatened species, and are much more friendly and cute than the voracious California variety we know in the Pacific Northwest!
After our play-in-the-water break, we headed for Rottnest Island itself. The name of the island is Dutch for Rat’s Nest, because the original Dutch settlers thought the cute little local marsupials were rats! They are actually Quokkas, and are only found on Rottnest Island. We managed to see a few before we had to board our boat again and head back to Fremantle. On the return trip we had a nice trip of real sailing in great wind - yippee!
In the evening we joined the Powelsons and Jason and Betsy Schneier, friends of theirs from Seattle here for the wedding. We ate at Barque, just up the street from our flat. Really good pan-Asian food. We shared a giant fried Gold Band Snapper, presented to us sitting up on a platter! It was delicious.
More sun, more ocean, more great food - just another day in Fremantle!
Australia 2016 - Planning and Parking Tickets
On Wednesday morning I went to do some wedding service planning with Claire. Larry and I spent part of the afternoon in downtown Fremantle checking out locations and all - and getting a $50 parking ticket! The Australian dollar is worth less than the US dollar, so it worked out to about $37 after I paid it. Just didn’t see the signs! Later Wednesday afternoon we had a wedding rehearsal at The Roundhouse, where the service will be held. This - also a former prison - is a beautiful location overlooking the harbor. It’s the oldest building in Western Australia. After the rehearsal, Larry and I ate at Little Creatures, a waterfront brewery. It is a huge place, but we found a quiet table and ordered some fries, mussels, and a sardine dish with apples, parsley, and croutons. The fries (too many!) and mussels were good, but the sardine dish was spectacular! A lot of good cooking in this town!
Later that evening I drove over to Claire and Jared’s and met the Celebrant for the wedding. I’m actually the main person for officiating, but I can’t legally do it in Australia. Here they have official folk called Celebrants who a licensed to perform weddings. His name is Doug Booth and he a really nice man. It was fun that all we had planned was in total agreement with what he needs to accomplish. There is very specific language he needs to use for the wedding to be legal. Very interesting. He’s also doing all kinds of things to help it all go smoothly, like bring microphones and sound system and all. Splendid. I think he and I will be a nice team to do the wedding.
Later that evening I drove over to Claire and Jared’s and met the Celebrant for the wedding. I’m actually the main person for officiating, but I can’t legally do it in Australia. Here they have official folk called Celebrants who a licensed to perform weddings. His name is Doug Booth and he a really nice man. It was fun that all we had planned was in total agreement with what he needs to accomplish. There is very specific language he needs to use for the wedding to be legal. Very interesting. He’s also doing all kinds of things to help it all go smoothly, like bring microphones and sound system and all. Splendid. I think he and I will be a nice team to do the wedding.
Australia 2016 - Back to Fremantle
On Monday we had another leisurely day in Margaret River, not doing much but reading our books and enjoying it all. We did go into town to check about the book. The owner had forgotten about it, but promised to bring it in Tuesday morning. So we put that on our schedule when we headed out on Tuesday.
Tuesday was about cleaning up the house and getting packed up to return to Fremantle. When we left, we went back to the bookshop. The owner had indeed brought the book, but it wasn’t the one we had read. (We had hoped to find The Voyage of Catalpa to give to Powelsons.) But the one he brought was the transcript of the proceedings that followed the prison escape - right up Larry’s alley for interest! And the owner gave it us for free. All in all a successful transaction and we learned more of the history of this part of the world.
On our way out we stopped at Providore, a lovely place to purchase Margaret River provisions. We purchased some. Then we stopped at a nut and cereal farm store and bought some of their own grown macadamia nuts. Our last stop in Margaret River was the Margaret River Dairy. We bought some cheese and delicious Passion Fruit yogurt - my current favorite breakfast item!
We stopped further up the way in Bunbury and their fairly new farmers’ market. It was more like a Whole Foods, but there was a lot of local produce. We were astonished by the size of the lettuces, cabbages, leeks, and celery. Humongous! We had a bite to eat for lunch from their deli and then made our way back to Fremantle.
Our first task back at the flat was to do laundry. No dryers here - everything is hung up on the line. Things dry very quickly in this hot, dry climate. Dinner was back at chez Powelson with local Asian food.
Tuesday was about cleaning up the house and getting packed up to return to Fremantle. When we left, we went back to the bookshop. The owner had indeed brought the book, but it wasn’t the one we had read. (We had hoped to find The Voyage of Catalpa to give to Powelsons.) But the one he brought was the transcript of the proceedings that followed the prison escape - right up Larry’s alley for interest! And the owner gave it us for free. All in all a successful transaction and we learned more of the history of this part of the world.
On our way out we stopped at Providore, a lovely place to purchase Margaret River provisions. We purchased some. Then we stopped at a nut and cereal farm store and bought some of their own grown macadamia nuts. Our last stop in Margaret River was the Margaret River Dairy. We bought some cheese and delicious Passion Fruit yogurt - my current favorite breakfast item!
We stopped further up the way in Bunbury and their fairly new farmers’ market. It was more like a Whole Foods, but there was a lot of local produce. We were astonished by the size of the lettuces, cabbages, leeks, and celery. Humongous! We had a bite to eat for lunch from their deli and then made our way back to Fremantle.
Our first task back at the flat was to do laundry. No dryers here - everything is hung up on the line. Things dry very quickly in this hot, dry climate. Dinner was back at chez Powelson with local Asian food.
Australia 2016 - Margaret River Wine Tasting and Kangaroos!
On Sunday we had a special wedding event. A bus picked up 27 of us to tour three wineries in the region.
We had a very pleasant drive around and went to Watershed, Leeuwin and
Vasse Felix. Watershed had a superb presenter of the wine there. Leeuwin
is one of the oldest wineries in the area. Vasse Felix is the first
one, with the oldest vineyard first planted in 1967. This is a young
terroire that has become very famous, especially for Chardonnay.
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| The group at Watershed Winery |
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| A lizzard at Wastershed. |
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| A Kookaburra at Leeuwin. The Kookaburra is not native to Western Australia - very cute, but a bit of a pest! |
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| The "kids" table at Vasse Felix. |
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| The "adult" table! |
We arrived back at our Margaret River house with wine purchases in tow and rejoicing taste buds!
Australia 2016 - In Margaret River
We then arrived in Margaret River at the house the Powelsons have rented before. The Powelsons have come to Margaret River as a family many times during their visits over the years to see Eileen’s family. The house is big enough for 10 of us, a really nice place where we could all sit outside around a big table and enjoy food, wine, and conversation.
All of our dinners were cooked in, including a first night (Friday) superb barbecued lamb.
Everyone who was part of the Margaret River event came for dinner. It was great to meet more of Jared’s family and Jared and Claire’s friends. At each wedding event over a little over a week more and more people have joined the festivities!
On Saturday Larry and I headed south from Margaret River to see more of this gorgeous area. We drove on Caves Road, so named because below it is a chain of limestone caves. We stopped and toured the Lake Cave - 300 steps down and 300 steps back up! It was an amazingly beautiful place.
From there we continued south towards Augusta. We stopped at Hamelin Bay to see some Manta Rays - supposedly always there! - but they didn’t show up. All the beaches in Western Australia are fabulously beautiful - blue, blue clear water in the Indian Ocean, and a complete coastline of white sand. Amazing.
When we got to Augusta we headed right away to Cape Leewuin, the southernmost point on the Australian continent. When we bought our tickets to enter the lighthouse area, there was a printed sign that said “Lighthouse this way. South Pole, 5435 KM!” The cape is where the Southern Ocean and the Indian Ocean meet. It was a very interesting to visit there and hear about the many stories of survival and loss that are part of its history.
In Augusta we found some spectacular fish and chips in Augusta, and started to make our way north again on the beautiful Caves Road. We stopped to take some pictures of the magnificent Karri forest. These ancient and giant trees are amazing. We had seen them 15 years ago in New Zealand - spelled Kauri there. But the depth of the forests here was particularly lovely.
Before we came here our friend Suzanne Phillips had suggested a book to read - The Voyage of the Catalpa by Peter F. Stevens. It’s a real adventure story about the rescue of six Irish Fenian prisoners from the Fremantle Prison in 1876. (The Historic Fremantle Prison is the location of the wedding reception on Saturday!) Larry read it before we left and I just had about 75 pages left. Just for fun, we’ve been looking for it here, and to that end had stopped in at the Margaret River Bookshop. That turned into a fascinating conversation with the owner whose grandparents had know John Reilly and Father McCabe, two of the people involved in the rescue. He then told us of the rescue of the patrol boat Georgette - one of the British patrol boats which did not catch the Catalpa - and showed us a picture on the shop wall of the house where the rescuers had lived. He told us he had a Catalpa book at his home, and we should stop back. So we put that on our agenda. But, on this day, we went to Red Gate to see if we could find the spot of the Georgette shipwreck. We weren’t successful, but one look at the beach and the bay showed us that it is definitely a likely shipwreck spot!
When we got back to the house Larry and I went on a walk with Wally to see Kangaroos come out in the evening, Very cool! Look closely to see the Joey in its pouch in the second picture.
Everyone who was part of the Margaret River event came for dinner. It was great to meet more of Jared’s family and Jared and Claire’s friends. At each wedding event over a little over a week more and more people have joined the festivities!
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| The banner for Jared and Claire that was put up at each event. |
On Saturday Larry and I headed south from Margaret River to see more of this gorgeous area. We drove on Caves Road, so named because below it is a chain of limestone caves. We stopped and toured the Lake Cave - 300 steps down and 300 steps back up! It was an amazingly beautiful place.
From there we continued south towards Augusta. We stopped at Hamelin Bay to see some Manta Rays - supposedly always there! - but they didn’t show up. All the beaches in Western Australia are fabulously beautiful - blue, blue clear water in the Indian Ocean, and a complete coastline of white sand. Amazing.
When we got to Augusta we headed right away to Cape Leewuin, the southernmost point on the Australian continent. When we bought our tickets to enter the lighthouse area, there was a printed sign that said “Lighthouse this way. South Pole, 5435 KM!” The cape is where the Southern Ocean and the Indian Ocean meet. It was a very interesting to visit there and hear about the many stories of survival and loss that are part of its history.
In Augusta we found some spectacular fish and chips in Augusta, and started to make our way north again on the beautiful Caves Road. We stopped to take some pictures of the magnificent Karri forest. These ancient and giant trees are amazing. We had seen them 15 years ago in New Zealand - spelled Kauri there. But the depth of the forests here was particularly lovely.
Before we came here our friend Suzanne Phillips had suggested a book to read - The Voyage of the Catalpa by Peter F. Stevens. It’s a real adventure story about the rescue of six Irish Fenian prisoners from the Fremantle Prison in 1876. (The Historic Fremantle Prison is the location of the wedding reception on Saturday!) Larry read it before we left and I just had about 75 pages left. Just for fun, we’ve been looking for it here, and to that end had stopped in at the Margaret River Bookshop. That turned into a fascinating conversation with the owner whose grandparents had know John Reilly and Father McCabe, two of the people involved in the rescue. He then told us of the rescue of the patrol boat Georgette - one of the British patrol boats which did not catch the Catalpa - and showed us a picture on the shop wall of the house where the rescuers had lived. He told us he had a Catalpa book at his home, and we should stop back. So we put that on our agenda. But, on this day, we went to Red Gate to see if we could find the spot of the Georgette shipwreck. We weren’t successful, but one look at the beach and the bay showed us that it is definitely a likely shipwreck spot!
When we got back to the house Larry and I went on a walk with Wally to see Kangaroos come out in the evening, Very cool! Look closely to see the Joey in its pouch in the second picture.
Australia 2016 - En Route to Margaret River
There are many events planned for family and friends arriving from all around Australia and the world (well, mostly Seattle) for the wedding. One was a weekend in the Margaret River region of Western Australia. Famous for its wines, the area is a very popular surfing, camping, and hiking area as well. The weekend we were there was also a four-day weekend here - the equivalent of Labor Day in the USA - so we joined everyone else in exploring this grand place.
When we headed for Margaret River we stopped in Busselton to see the famous jetty, longest in the Southern Hemisphere at 2 KM. Things being what they are, we ran into Amy Powelson and her Auntie Jean (Eileen’s sister)!
After Busselton we went out to the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse, the northern end of the Margaret River region.
After we had explored the lighthouse, Larry asked at the shop where the restrooms were. The clerk, identifying “restrooms” as toilets, gave him directions and then said to his companion, “restrooms?”
When we headed for Margaret River we stopped in Busselton to see the famous jetty, longest in the Southern Hemisphere at 2 KM. Things being what they are, we ran into Amy Powelson and her Auntie Jean (Eileen’s sister)!
After Busselton we went out to the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse, the northern end of the Margaret River region.
After we had explored the lighthouse, Larry asked at the shop where the restrooms were. The clerk, identifying “restrooms” as toilets, gave him directions and then said to his companion, “restrooms?”
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Australia 2016 - Fremantle Flat
Our friends Wally and Eileen Powelson met us at the gate (a Perth perk!) when we landed. It was great to see them, and the wedding of their youngest daughter, Claire, is the purpose of this travel. They took us to the flat we’ll be in for the next three weeks. It’s a great Air Bnb place they had rented the previous August. It’s in an older part of Fremantle, and has the same cool architecture of the rest of the neighborhood. [insert picture] We got there with a little bit of tour of the Perth/Fremantle city, and it was nice to see this really beautiful city. They left us in the good hands of our Air Bnb host, Zolly, and we set about making ourselves comfortable. It’s a great place!
Wally and Eileen then took us the short distance to the Auto Europe office so we could pick up our rental car. Ironically, it’s exactly the same make, model, and color as the Powelson’s. So we have a regular fleet of white Toyota Camry Altise.
We all (Wally, Eileen and their other two daughters Sarah and Amy) had dinner that evening at a a wonderful restaurant called Limones just two blocks from our flat, so a lovely evening walk. It was superb. We’ll be enjoying the beautiful seafood here all during our stay.
It’s great fun to be with the Powelsons - terrific conversation across the generations, and shared love of food and drink! This will be a great trip.
On Wednesday we got oriented and that evening we had Mosman Park fish and chips with the Powelsons. Yum!
On Thursday Powelsons took many of us to a fabulous resturant called Bib & Tucker on the waterfront. We had small plates to share. The Salt Cod Fritters and Soft Shell Crab Sliders were just delicious. That meal being plenty for the day, Larry and I just shared and apple and some cheese and crackers that evening!
Wally and Eileen then took us the short distance to the Auto Europe office so we could pick up our rental car. Ironically, it’s exactly the same make, model, and color as the Powelson’s. So we have a regular fleet of white Toyota Camry Altise.
We all (Wally, Eileen and their other two daughters Sarah and Amy) had dinner that evening at a a wonderful restaurant called Limones just two blocks from our flat, so a lovely evening walk. It was superb. We’ll be enjoying the beautiful seafood here all during our stay.
It’s great fun to be with the Powelsons - terrific conversation across the generations, and shared love of food and drink! This will be a great trip.
On Wednesday we got oriented and that evening we had Mosman Park fish and chips with the Powelsons. Yum!
On Thursday Powelsons took many of us to a fabulous resturant called Bib & Tucker on the waterfront. We had small plates to share. The Salt Cod Fritters and Soft Shell Crab Sliders were just delicious. That meal being plenty for the day, Larry and I just shared and apple and some cheese and crackers that evening!
Australia 2016 - Getting There
The first big thing is getting here. The three flights - Seattle-LA, LA-Sydney, Sydney-Perth - combined to make 23.5 hours in the air. Larry calculated total travel time at 37 hours. Perth is the most isolated city in the world. We believe it!
The flight to Sydney was in a behemoth Airbus 380 - the world’s biggest passenger plane. It was a remarkably smooth flight, but it sure does hold a lot of people! The accouterments weren’t as good as a Boeing plane, I thought, but I am prejudiced at that point, although the flight attendant whose jump seat was across from our seats independently volunteered the same opinion.
Long travel time and giant planes encourage profound thinking on big topics, and I was helped in this by a New York Times movie review of the Son of Saul. Here’s the link: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/son-of-saul-kierkegaard-and-the-holocaust/. The ideas here are well worth pondering as the objectifying rhetoric of the political campaigns gets even worse. The author writes: There is less of a tendency for modern humans to live thoroughly immersed in life, experiencing it, and more of a tendency of being mostly distracted by its abstractions, by all the ways our culture conceptually frames our existence as individuals, Democrats and Republicans, man and women, one percenters, workers, consumers, and so on. And here, as a result, is the problem: by becoming less subjective, we become more cut off from sources of meaning and value. identifying the naming of categories for persons is certainly true in my (subjective) experience. Our own state of Washington, which used to be a model of good democracy with people from both parties in significant offices in our government, shifted to the totally objective mode when the political parties insisted on a party-dominated primary election. It used to only be caucuses for the purpose of delegates to the state conventions. Now it’s another media draw, although the primary itself is meaningless. It’s another sad commentary on our larger civic problems of isolation and separation, in other words, objectifying one another. So these are the loft thoughts I had as we were carried across the Pacific onto another continent and into another WA (Western Australia).
Another interesting aspect of our flight was that we crossed the International Dateline on February 29. I posed this question to our grandsons on the way to the airport: If we cross the International Dateline on “Leap Day” have we missed it entirely because it only happens once every four years? Or, do we really get the time back when we return to GMT -8 (a.k.a. Pacific Standard - or Daylight it will be - Time) ? They thought that was a good question (they’re 11 and 8) and gave it some serious thought. The conclusion was that we haven’t lost any minutes of our lives, but we’ll certainly have to wait another four years to experience another “Leap Day.”
The flight to Sydney was in a behemoth Airbus 380 - the world’s biggest passenger plane. It was a remarkably smooth flight, but it sure does hold a lot of people! The accouterments weren’t as good as a Boeing plane, I thought, but I am prejudiced at that point, although the flight attendant whose jump seat was across from our seats independently volunteered the same opinion.
Long travel time and giant planes encourage profound thinking on big topics, and I was helped in this by a New York Times movie review of the Son of Saul. Here’s the link: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/son-of-saul-kierkegaard-and-the-holocaust/. The ideas here are well worth pondering as the objectifying rhetoric of the political campaigns gets even worse. The author writes: There is less of a tendency for modern humans to live thoroughly immersed in life, experiencing it, and more of a tendency of being mostly distracted by its abstractions, by all the ways our culture conceptually frames our existence as individuals, Democrats and Republicans, man and women, one percenters, workers, consumers, and so on. And here, as a result, is the problem: by becoming less subjective, we become more cut off from sources of meaning and value. identifying the naming of categories for persons is certainly true in my (subjective) experience. Our own state of Washington, which used to be a model of good democracy with people from both parties in significant offices in our government, shifted to the totally objective mode when the political parties insisted on a party-dominated primary election. It used to only be caucuses for the purpose of delegates to the state conventions. Now it’s another media draw, although the primary itself is meaningless. It’s another sad commentary on our larger civic problems of isolation and separation, in other words, objectifying one another. So these are the loft thoughts I had as we were carried across the Pacific onto another continent and into another WA (Western Australia).
Another interesting aspect of our flight was that we crossed the International Dateline on February 29. I posed this question to our grandsons on the way to the airport: If we cross the International Dateline on “Leap Day” have we missed it entirely because it only happens once every four years? Or, do we really get the time back when we return to GMT -8 (a.k.a. Pacific Standard - or Daylight it will be - Time) ? They thought that was a good question (they’re 11 and 8) and gave it some serious thought. The conclusion was that we haven’t lost any minutes of our lives, but we’ll certainly have to wait another four years to experience another “Leap Day.”
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