samtingbilongmi

The Europe Adventure for Jan & Me - England

2012-01-28T10:38:00.001+11:00

It is time to wrap up our meandering around Europe. As a finale, a few wonderful autumn days in the English country side was not hard to take, even though by now, we were about ready to climb back in that big metal tube, called the Airbus.

Part of the agenda was to see my granddaughter Georgie who lives just south of Bristol. We were looking forward to seeing her and share time together.

We arrived by Condor ferry in Weymouth: ....... and from there travelled mostly through Dorset and Devon to Bristol. I have to say that I always like the England countryside. It is lush and beautiful, even if the weather and lack of sunshine doesn't show it to its best.

Our first stop in Dorset. Thatch roofs add something special!

We chose a route that brought us through Exeter and then over the Dartmoors ....... to a little village by the name of Yelverton:

Yelverton, a good place to relax and to enjoy good company!

Like so many villages in England, it has lots of history and atmosphere. We thoroughly enjoyed spending the evening meal at the local pub and mixed and chatted with the locals. It was a happy night with good food. Our accommodation was equally delightful. The Poms know how to do B&B!

The following day saw us back on the narrow (VERY NARROW!!) roads through Devon. It is just as well we hardly met a vehicle and where we did, there was room to pass. All part of the England experience!

Taking in the sights en route! Love it!

The above view is typical of the countryside. I am glad that churches dominate the landscape. Without them, England simply would not be English!! We were happy to stop over and look inside the church shown in the above pic. A lovely and dignified atmosphere that is well expressed in the following photo:
A look in the tower inidcated that bell ringing is still done here. Oh, how tempting it was to pull one of those bell-ropes!

Our intentions had been to travel to Clovelly, but time beat us. Instead, we found our way to Bideford and enjoyed the northern part of Devon into Somerset towards Bristol.

Hitting the coast!

We found a delightful little town named Lynmouth: ......and found it very much to our liking, including Devonshire Tea in Devon (Where else?!) It was all very fattening and I realised that I would need to do something about my increased weight!

The restaurant was in a delightful setting along a brook, which just gurgled in front of us!The drive from Lynmouth to Churchill (near Bristol) was very scenic. The autumn colours were outstanding, though the road had Jan freaking out a bit as it traversed along some very steep terrain that she found very uncomfortable.
Once in Churchill, where we would spend the next couple of nights, we tried contacting Georgie and finally got through to her. She asked us where we were and we told her, 'in Churchill'. That seemed to suit her very well and she suggested that we meet in the local pub for some drinks and a meal. 'See you in about 15 minutes', she said!! It turned out that she was about 200 meters from the local pub on one side, and we were the same distance on the other side!! We had no idea and were obviously delighted!!

Jan & Georgie meet for the first time.

We had a most enjoyable day with Georgie and drove around her 'neck' of the woods. She suggested we go to Cheddar (of cheese fame) and spent a great time there, eating a meal, wandering around this intriguing place, joining the many poms who made the best of a (rare) sunny autumn day.A visit to Wells, in my opinion, was a must. Great city with a beautiful cathedral. The Bishop's Palace (I think that is what it is) is also worth lots of photos and we all enjoyed it:One thing I always do when in England is to attend Evensong as often as possible in one of the cathedrals. It is a great experience both spiritually and musically. I hoped we would be in time to attend the Wells' Cathedral Evensong. When we got there, it was already underway and had started early because of a special event, While this meant we could not sit in the choir stalls and experience the service more intimately, we made ourselves comfortable in the main sanctuary and still enjoyed the music, the readings and the atmosphere.

Had a lovely view of the organ and enjoyed its sounds both in singing and in a concluding voluntary.

I loved it - of course! So did Jan & Georgie.

The following day, our worship was a total contrast as we accompanied Georgie to her church in Clevedon. I was glad we had that opportunity and worship with Georgie in her church. We loved our visit and time with her.

With just a couple of days before our departure, we enjoyed visiting a family from Hobart and drove a little around the Cotswold. Just a bit disappointing, but I guess we were 'over' being tourists and were looking to heading home. Even so, our drive through the Cotswold had special moments as you can see in the following pics:

'Down Ampney', the name also given to a great hymn tune composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

Jan at the village pump. It was dry!These berries caught our eyes. So lovely!

Just one more appointment before heading for Heathrow and that was to catch up in Salibury with one of my High School teachers from way back in 1954! It was a lovely way to finish our trip and further to enjoy our last drive through the beautiful country side in Wiltshire:

With the above beautiful immages, we leave England and go back home!

"Come fly with me, let's fly let's fly away!"

AGARABI - The Golden Jubilee!

2012-01-03T13:43:00.002+11:00

In anyone's experience, 50 years is a long time. My experience in over fifty years of association with Papua New Guinea has been well 'Beyond all Expectations'! I wrote about this in my book of that title and emphasised that our lives in PNG has been part of an amazing journey where we learned so much - often the hard way. I am forever grateful for the special privilege that was ours to work among the Papua New Guineans.

I was one of the first E course graduates who, after six months of training in Rabaul, were sent to open new schools across the country, often in isolated places and away from cultural, emotional and professional support. The E course was an initiative of the Australian Administration in 1960 with the objective to accelerate primary education in Papua New Guinea. Many old timers in PNG did not think this would work and there were many sceptics.

Glad to say, that the scheme was an outstanding success, as was acknowledged by Loch Blatchford and Don Owner.

In part, these Educators made the following observations:

"I always admired the contribution made by the six-month trained E Course teachers. Those I met were of high quality, often working under difficult circumstances."

Don Owner, at the time the Chief of Division, Teacher Training, was another to recognise their worth. In February 1963 he stated, "Graduates of the first and second 'E' Courses are displaying a remarkable degree of enthusiasm. A continuous supply of 'E' Course graduates will ensure the Territory of a vastly improved system of primary education."

The comments seem extravagant, but it is nice to know that my fellow graduates and I were part of a special initiative that made a difference in the development of PNG. As for me personally, I believe that the Papua New Guineans taught me a lot more about life than I could have taught them. I am forever grateful to them and the opportunity given to me to be involved.

In the end, I left teaching in 1967 and returned to a position in administration, finally completing my days in Papua New Guinea as the Accountant of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary in 1972.

So where is all that leading to. I could continue to ramble on and on about my years as teacher and tell you of the many happy - and some not so happy, experiences that were part of our lives. My family can read more about this in the book I have written. However, the purpose of this blog is to jump to 2011, which is the golden jubilee year of the school that I was privileged to be Head Teacher of.

In May 1961, I was posted to Agarabi (near Kainantu) to start a new primary school with the help of a couple of national teachers and the local government council. The project was totally self-help as there was no money to build the school. It is a story too long for this blog, but in brief, the local populations built three classrooms from bush materials - bush timber, bamboo and thatch roof. They looked great and blended in perfectly with the environment. I loved them, and was especially pleased to hear Sir High Foot (later Lord Carrington), as head of the United Mission to PNG in 1962 comment on the 'pleasing design and beautiful setting of the school, and the use of traditional design and local materials'.

The first three classrooms almost ready for occupation!

There was no fanfare when we finally moved into our school later in May 1961; just a normal assembly. First assembly in May 1961

When 50 years later, almost to the day, I met the Headmaster and staff of the school, along with the School Council, I was deeply overcome with emotion, especially when the Headmaster invited me to speak at an assembly of all the students on the grounds of the school (That in itself evoked memories of my children playing there and where Carol had her first driving lesson in our jeep).

A welcome sign along the Highlands Highway!

There are many highlights of our visit and it is not possible to cover everything. One notable occasion was to meet up with a dear old man. Mr. Ono Aia, who in 1961 was the President of the Agarabi Local Government Council who, along with Patrol Officer Barry (now Sir Barry) Holloway, were instrumental in supporting the establishment of the school. I recall with gratitude their support and counsel.

Ono Aia, now in his eighties.Ono, Brenda, Graeme and I watched over by one of my students - Kusap.

In May 1961, the school numbered 100 children from Prep through to Grade 2. In May 2011, fifty years on, the school numbers 550 students, ranging from Prep through to Grade 8. The school looks great and is a tribute to the School Council, the community and the staff. Headmaster Kapi is a man of vision who was really happy to show us around and talk about his hopes and aspirations for the years ahead. A fine man indeed!

The Agarabi Primary T School in 1964. Note the use of local architecture and materials

The same School in 2011 - 50 years since the school's opening.
The small building on the foreground left and the building on the foreground right date back to 1961-2.

We made an unexpected visit on Saturday (the day after arriving in the Highlands) and were delighted that Kapi was around, along with some staff. It was a wonderful reunion that was enjoyed by all of us, including my daughters, sons in law and grandchildren.

Above: Happy reunion. Below: Plus with Kapi's wife and family

With Kapi, some of his family and, of course, my family and other kids.

When Headmaster Kapi realised we would be visiting on the Monday, he arranged for the school Council to be available to welcome us. When we arrived the school was buzzing with final preparations for our visit. We felt very honoured that the School Council made a special effort to meet us.

The School President was happy to receive five copies of the Agarabi New Testament - just released the day before, for use in the new school library that was funded by the Petrusma family. There were plenty of happy smiles, as you can see:

Above: The presentation of five Agarabi New Testaments.
Below: Kapi received a gift for the school from the family.

The new school library. We were told that this initiative so pleased AUS-AID, that the school was allocated PNGK20,000 to assist in purchasing resources.

The new School Library nearing completion.

The above delightful picture of this youngster among hundreds of donated books still to be sorted. What will become of this youngster?
And below: This staff member showed obvious delight in proceedings, as did all staff members.

Having made our presentations to the School Council, I was invited to address the school assembly. A very special moment indeed. Brenda likewise was asked to say a few words and found the experience very moving. While she would not remember her time in Agarabi, she was nevertheless a child of the area, having spent her first two years here.

An attentive school. It was so pleasing to see how well the school is going.

Below: With the School Council President, Headmaster Kapi, and Brenda.

One of the other pleasures was to meet up with some of my old students. Some in their village and others at the New Testament dedication:

Heather, Brenda & Jan with Karato who was a foundation student of the school.

Add Pasin (above) and Darasi (below) as two more foundation students.

Farewell to Darasi.

There is much more that I could share, but hope that the above gives a good indication of how special our visit was. The intriguing thing was that the school was totally unaware of its 50th Anniversary (almost to the day we visited). We hope they enjoyed our visit as much as we enjoyed meeting with them.

As mentioned above, Brenda spent the first two years of her life in Agarabi. She was born in the township of Goroka - about 2.5 hour drive from Agarabi. Having one spare day, we decided to drive to Goroka and briefly see this place of memories.

The old Goroka hospital where Brenda was born.

Glad we could relax over lunch.

The ever vigil Graeme, who took many of our photographs, along with Jan.

And the last word belongs to Jan. While in Kainantu (near the school) I took the family to the Kainantu Cultural Centre to purchase locally produced goodies, including pottery. The temptation was too much for Jan, and she delighted in throwing a pot. I was really happy for her!

Above: With one of the potters, and below, Jan at the wheel! So happy to see!

Katoomba and all that!

2011-11-08T15:35:00.015+11:00

Jan & I had a few wonderful days in and around Sydney last month. The main object was for Jan to join a small family re-union on her mother's side and she was very much looking forward to catching up with relatives. For good measure, yours truly joined the party and very much enjoyed meeting folk that mean a lot to Jan.

The venue chosen for the reunion was Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. It was especially arranged to celebrate the eightieth birthday of a cousin of Jan's mother. Marie flew down from the Gold Coast, accompanied by her daughter Ann-Maree, and apparently was pleasantly surprised to meet up with family, including Jan whom she had not seen for some time. I am not sure whether I was the 'bonus', but felt privileged to share these couple of days.

Katoomba is a gorgeous place and a popular tourist attraction. I had not been there since the mid nineteen eighties and was delighted to visit it again. The accommodation was at Jamieson House, a lovely old place that overlooked the Jamieson Valley, not far from the popular 'Three Sisters' at Echo Point.

Jamieson House

Overlooking the Jamieson Valley, from our accommodation.

Very cozy with a four-poster bed for the 'princess'!

The little group was soon busy reminiscing about the past, bringing up family occasions, places and people.

Jan chatting with Margaret & Marie.

It was a little too much for me and I was quite happy to absorb myself in the book I had with me.

Part of the experience was to visit places that were important to the family, including nearby 'Roseneath', a property once owned by Mary & Ted Rae. The old house held special memories for the family. Today, the gardens are quite different, but somewhat overrun. Here is just a sample of photos taken during our visit:

The address, post box and all!The house, somewhat hidden. There was no one there, so everyone wandered around it!

I rather liked what I saw. Lots of colour - obviously a garden that was very loved in the past.

Jan had a ball and was not going to miss out on any of the pleasures of this trip down memory lane!

Certainly was a lovely spot!

Nearby were lovely walks, including those around the Cascades. Jan & I found a bit of time to go exploring by ourselves and indulge in our photography and each other's company. Share a little of our walk:

By cool streams, 'He leadeth me!' What would we do without water. And it always adds so specially to any picture!

We got to the three sisters lookout, but the weather was pretty damp and the views restricted. Nevertheless, the mood there was magic. Have a look:

Ah YES!!! Mysterious! Subtle! Breathtaking!

The following morning!

Just before we drove back to Sydney, Jan took the above photograph of the three sisters. A great view!! Jan and I very much enjoyed travelling to Katoomba by train and have vowed we will do it again SOON! Actually, I left my trousers, shirt and belt behind.....so it will be sooner than expected!!

Tasmania in Winter!!

2011-08-29T15:16:00.010+10:00

There is no doubt that Jan and I enjoy being on the move. I still have to finish a chapter about our visit to the Agarabi school in Papua New Guinea, that I started fifty years ago in 1961. But that story will just have to wait because since, we travelled back to Sydney for a month of catching up with Jan's family and friends as well as my daughter and family plus Woonona friends.

It was a busy month that began by travelling the Princess Highway from Melbourne to Sydney. Always a great journey that is never boring and always include parts we have not seen before. Sydney itself was busy and beautiful! Even though we spent over three weeks there, we could not fully cover everyone, to our regret!

On returning to Tasmania, we found we had misread (or more correctly, I misread) our itinerary and as a result landed back on Tassie soil a day earlier. The sad part of that was that we missed out seeing my sister in law in Bendigo. The 'silver lining' was that on arriving in Devonport we were welcomes by a glorious sunny day and, with the day totally to ourselves took our time getting back to Hobart.

It really was a remarkable day (perhaps, like all days in Tassie)with glorious scenery that tempted us to go off the highway at Deloraine and drive towards Mole Creek. Our cameras got busy and we now just want to share just a bit of the magic with you.

We were glad that there was little traffic on the road.

The scenery was sometimes magic with mist and sometimes just colourful.Above & below just took our breath away. Talk about
'sheep in pasture green....beside still waters' WOW!!Looking at these trees, SPRING is on the way!

Above & below: Any wonder we took our time. Just sooooo good!

If you click on the image, you will see clearly snow on the mountains.
The locals told us that there has been a lot of snow this winter.

And all that clean air!

Further along highway we stopped off at the Copper Art Gallery in Carrick, which was interesting. Then on to Hagley, which is always a favourite village, especially St Marys church that is set so ideally in this rural vista.

Great spot and very peaceful!

As we continued to Hobart, we saw the evidence of much rain in Tasmania. For many years the State suffered severe droughts and now, thanks to the rain, the place is again lush and green. Even so, it does cause other problems. In the meantime, we enjoy the scene before our eyes:

The South Esk in flood. Not seen like this for years.

Finally back home. Always a special part of any holiday. We had a good time and are grateful to our family and friends who made our Sydney stay again so wonderful.

The view from our lounge looking towards Hobart at sunset.

AGARABI - A Treasure finally received!

2011-06-29T13:17:00.032+10:00

It is 50 years ago since Carol and I, as a young and enthusiastic couple, arrived in the Papua New Guinea outstation of Kainantu in the Eastern Highlands of that country to start a primary school among the Agarabi people.

Our own primary objective - following a missionary call to both of us, was to bring the good news about Jesus to the people of Papua New Guinea. While that was easier with children, the language barrier was substantial with adults. We soon found that there was no Scripture in the local language, which made it difficult for local pastors to bring the gospel to people's hearts. Interpreting from the English text just did not do it! It needed their mother tongue to bring true meaning.

Lorna Luff was one of the first members of Wycliffe Bible Translators/SIL when it began work in Papua New Guinea in 1956. In 1959, Lora began working among the Agarabi people and Jean Goddard from America joined her in 1961. Lorna and Jean worked in the Agarabi language for many years and much of the New Testament was translated in rough draft. In the late 1980s Lorna retired to Australia, and Jean, not wanting to continue alone, began helping other translation teams.

It was not until 1995 that Ron & Michelle Olson arrived from USA. Ron, along with two local guides and his son Ben, conducted a three-day survey, hiking through the entire area of the Agarabi language. Their objective was to determine the dialect boundaries, and to discern the Agarabi people's desire for a translation of the Scriptures in their own language.

On the third day of this survey trip, tired ad ready to go home, Ron and his group entered the last village they intended to visit. A local man, out of breath from hurrying, came up to Ron and said in the trade language (Melanesian Pidgin), "I want you to come to my house so that we can talk about Bible translation." As they began walking up the steep hill to Darasi's house, Darasi began relating his story to Ron. Darasi had worked with Lorna and Jean many years earlier as a village checker and interestingly, was one of my student in the early 1960s.

Darasi told Ron that on this very day, when he was at a clinic about 20 miles away, he felt the Holy Spirit directing him to return home as soon as possible. because he had an important visitor. So Darasi hopped on a PMV (Public Motor Vehicle) - the PNG equivalent of a bus service, and then hurried along the bush road that leads to his village, Kanimpa.

Kanimpa

Darasi concluded that God wanted him to continue to work with the Olsons on the translation of the Bible into his language. In June 2009, the last book of the Agarabi New Testament went through SIL's rigorous 'quality control' testing.

The presentation and dedication of the Agarabi New Testament was planned for 22 May 2011, and unless something drastic happened, there was no way I would not be there to share the occasion. I suppose, in a sense, it was a sort of concluding chapter in our association with Agarabi people over 50 years. Though our love for them will never go.

As it turned out, daughters Brenda & Heather - along with husbands Graeme & Brent, plus grandchildren Kathryn & Thomas, also put their hands up to be part of the party. Dear Jan wasn't altogether sure about venturing to, what is a much reported dangerous country. I full understand her concerns, but reassured her that we would be among friends in Kainantu and of course, would be very careful.

Meet the family! Pasin & his family are introduced to
Brenda & Graeme, Heather, Brent, Kathryn & Thomas.
Kathryn especially, drew plenty of attention!

This is therefore my story about the dedication of the Agarabi New Testament. This chapter will be followed by more stories about other experiences during this visit. I did not take many photos myself (too busy saying hello to everyone) and I am grateful to Graeme, Sandy, Jeff, Ron, Jan & Thomas for supplying images that so highlight the celebration!

Mine has been a special joy to follow the development of the Agarabi Scriptures translation project and, as I said earlier, to see the active involvement in this project of one of my former Agarabi students. As a student, I knew him as Narao, but he has been quick to point out to me that I both misheard and mis-spelled his name so long ago! Hmmmm! Yes Teacher!

Good to meet up with Darasi again!

It has also been a special delight to meet Ron & Michelle Olson & their family. We first visited them back in 2005 along with Brenda. Since then, we have delighted in their friendship and enjoy their companionship on life's journey.

What a special day when we saw for the first time the printed Agarabi New Testament - the Kama Vaya!

This is a special moment. Michelle & Ron holding the Agarabi New

Testament and a number of booklets to assist in literacy.

Much planning and work by the Agarabi people had gone into celebrating the coming of this Treasure, and on Sunday 22 May, the village of Kanimpa waited with expectations the events planned for the day!

The Agarabi children shared in the excitement.

The platform, all set to welcome God's treasured Word! The above little one had a comfortable seat, while others sat onthe grass or just stood, enjoying the proceedings.

Being welcomed back by the Agarabi people is special, but no more so than for Ron & Michelle who lived and worked in this village for 15+ years. It was quite obvious that they are much loved and appreciated:

The smiles say it all!

As is appropriate on occasions such as these - and especially considering that it has taken so long, music played an important part:

It all created such a special atmosphere!

SIL Director, Tim Lithgow, gave the gathering a wonderful address about the coming of Scripture in the heart language of the Agarabi people and how much more meaningful the good news is in one's own language:Ron spoke movingly about the history of the translation project and how he and Michelle were privileged to play an important part in the translation of God's Word:We very much enjoyed meeting Sandy & Dawn who represented Ron & Michelle's home church in USA. This church has been an important supporter and partner with the Agarabi people and the Olsons. Dawn spoke on behalf of the church and presented the Agarabi people a small hand-held audio unit that plays the New Testament in the Agarabi language - an ongoing project. I fully support this media as it will reach people who themselves cannot read or who do not have a New Testament.

Ron with Dawn, holding the audio playback unit. I was also asked to bring a word of encouragement.
After all those many years away from PNG, it surprised me that my
Tok Pisin (Pidgin) flowed so easily. From what I heard, my little
speech was well understood.

In contrast, there was a delightful skit about how things were in what were 'dark days' (their words), before the good news of Jesus came to the Agarabi people. It was amusing and brought many memories back of the days when traditional singsings were part of my early contact with these people.

Warriors in traditional garb preparing for a confrontation with white missionaries.
And below, first contact with the Lutheran missionary. Above: The Olson family enjoying the drama.
Below: As did Jan & Kathryn. Plus the gathering of many Agarabi folk & Wycliffe personnel
from every vantage point!

It was finally time for the most important part of the day, and that was to bring the Holy Scriptures into the village and be presented to the people. When Ron asked for some help in bringing the boxes of Testaments to the front, I was unable to resist going with him to carry the precious treasure to the people. I felt very small, knowing acutely the incredible work put in by all the translators and others. It was such a special moment!

Ron led the procession, followed by his son Josh, then 'yours truly'
and others including Graeme, Brent & Thomas. A carton of 40 books was almost too much for this 'old man', but
by God's kindness, I got there - a little out of breath! The above photo shows all who did the 'hard yards', plus there
were those in the past who were recognised in absentia.

For K10, it was excellent value! Young and old purchased copies. A priceless joy! This dear old man, the village Elder, dignified and respected! Ben, Sandy & Dawn with villagers.
They represented so many others who were a part in this event.For Jan & I it was a special moment we shared.

Michelle sharing the joy of God's Word. With two of my own past students, sharing the coming of God's Word. Hallelujah! And this is surely my favourite of all the above photos.
Agarabi men sharing their new found Treasure. It is a precious sight!

I really don't know how to finish this blog, because in many ways it is a fresh and new beginning! I feel very privileged to having shared in the Agarabi people's lives for 50 years. I relived those long ago 'colonial' days and now see a proud people who express themselves in a new age of independence. My prayer is that the words from Holy Scripture will be a special influence in lives of generations to come.

In the words of Darasi, when speaking what God's Word in Agarabi means to him, 'It tastes like honey on bread!' Check it out on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKWJ1nnw2XI

The European Adventure for Jan & Me - Channel Islands

2011-04-12T11:17:00.013+10:00

It is time to conclude the story of what has been a wonderful adventure for Jan & I. Having travelled to Germany, Holland & Belgium, we were now looking forward to visiting the Channel Islands. I had not been there before, but was always intrigued by its history. It is part of England, yet so close to France. For Jan, it was even more special because of family connections with the island of Jersey. Her great grandfather migrated from there to Australia in 1883.

We woke up early on the morning of our departure from St Malo (France) and walked down to the ferry terminal where we were quickly checked in and boarded almost immediately. The ferry we travelled on has strong connections with Hobart as it was a wave-piercing catamaran built in Hobart by Incat.

It was a bit of a disappointment that the ship was only running on two engines, rather than three, thereby slowing us down. But, being on holidays and time to spare, it did not bother us much and we just relaxed, arriving in Jersey half an hour late - the crossing from France took 1.75 hours.

Thankfully, a quiet crossing!

With time on our hands, we walked to our hotel, which was on the Esplanade overlooking the bay. Once checked in, we headed for the Tourist Information Centre to get our bearings. A visit to the St Helliers Genealogy Library (Societe Jersiaise, est 1873) ensured that Jan had an appointment for the following day to research the Delacour family history. Walking around St Helliers was a treat, and the following pics gives you a glimpse of this town:

Times Square? Well, a St Hellier copy.

Life in St Helliers: Above, Liberation Square and
below a market place, which was fun!

The following day saw us at the Societe Jersiaise, in the Genealogy Library. The weather was terrible, so we were quite happy to dig in at the library and begin our research. When we got there, Anna, the helpful librarian, had already dug out several records for us to have a look at. The table was covered with records and it all looked overwhelming!! Where to start? We soon settled down and routinely went through the stuff that was available, gleaning new information and confirming other information. The time simply flew, and 2 pm was on us sooner than expected.

Thankfully, the weather over the weekend improved. So we bought ourselves a bus pass and began exploring this rather small, but interesting island. What is it about islands and us? We just love them.

Greve De Lecq

Jersey is divided into a number of parishes. All steeped in history and, of course, the Delacour presence (well sort of)! We especially enjoyed the township of St Albans. It is a delightful old town, which to my mind , is like a traditional English fishing port with amazing tidal changes. We just enjoyed the atmosphere, had a drink in a local pub and found an Italian Restaurant that really took our fancy. It was a very busy place - always a good sign, and their Tennerfest menu looked very tempting.

We had no hesitation to returning to this restaurant for an evening meal. While they were fully booked, they most kindly fitted us in. The meal was outstanding and we thoroughly enjoyed the food and the excellent service. We went back to our hotel as two very happy people!!

The Sunday saw us on another bus trip, taking in the lovely town of Gorey. Not exactly the best weather, but that did not prevent us from enjoying this town.

Gorgeous green and historic Gorey with the castle a dominant feature.

We finally found our way to St Marys, another little village in the interior of the island. The autumn colours abound and added to the atmosphere.At the St Helliers Genealogy Library, we found that St Marys played an important part in the lives of the Delacours. It was therefore with considerable interest that we made our way to the parish church and checked out the cemetery for Delacours. Alas, without success.

Instead, we found another delightful restaurant across the road. The place was packed with people and all tables were booked. The staff suggested that they could fit us in at 2 pm, which was too late for us to get back into St Helliers. During the conversation with staff, Jan mentioned that we had stopped in St Marys to check on her ancestors, the Delacours. As we were leaving, the head waiter or owner called us back and told us that he thought he COULD squeeze us in. We gladly accepted and Jan believed that it was because of the DLC connection that we got the table there and then.

Once again, the lunch was superb!!

The looks says it all. It did not only look tempting, it WAS delicious!

Also tried the local Pear Cider, which was a smash!!

Back to the DLC search. On our return from St Marys, we had enough time to search for the houses where the Delacours lived in St Helliers, including:

Looking down Gloucester Street: What was it like 150 years ago
when the Delacour kids played footie in this street?

Devonshire Place, which we are sure, would have been quite different during the residency of Delacours.

And from the top looking towards the two houses in the previous two pics.
The Village church is again visible.

It is amazing where we got the energy from, but we walked up the hill to the Almorah cemetery to look for more Delacour graves. This time we struck gold when Jan found the grave of Pierre De La Cour born about 1800, who was married to Molly Esnouf.

The Almorah Cemetery, St Helliers -
According to the cemetery records, the above is the area where Abraham Pierre Delacour - Jan's great, great, great grandfather is buried. Sadly, there was no sign of a grave stone.

However, the grave stone below is that of Abraham Pierre's uncle & aunt - Pierre Delacour & Marie Esnouf.

Our final search about the Delacour family was in St Lawrence. According to the records we read at the Genealogy Library, St Lawrence is where many of the Delacours worked and lived. Once again a lovely village but we found little evidence in the graveyards of any Delacours. That did not stop us from enjoying the visit and chatting with the locals:

The Church in St Lawrence and its interior below.

We completed the Channel Island visit by visiting the historic Elizabeth Castle on the waterfront. To get there, one either walks at low tide over a path, or alternatively and more sensibly, take the aqua duck across, which is what we did.

An amazing place that was also used by the German occupation forces in WWII. Let's just give you a brief pictorial tour:A scale model of the castle.

And the real thing! Impressive!

Incredible views that makes this place pretty impregnable.

Above & below: Looking back. Our hotel can be clearly seen in both photos.

We were in our element, taking photos, and enjoying the sunny day.
The contrast between the guns above and the World War II gun below is 'chalk & Cheese'. I suspect the gun below would do much more damage.

Time to say goodbye with the hope to revisit Jersey again sometime in the future. Our chariot awaits for a 'reduced-speed' journey to Weymouth in England. At least the sunset with the castle in the foreground as a silhouette made up a little for that. Way to go!!

The magic of Hobart

2011-02-21T08:25:00.019+11:00

Hobart is always a great place to be - even in winter. But in summer, the city comes to life, beginning with the Sydney to Hobart yacht race that had its beginning in 1945. According to those who have actually done this, it is one of the toughest yacht races. The start of the race in Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day is always spectacular with around 100 yachts eagerly awaiting the starting gun. The first - and indeed every subsequent yacht that crosses the finishing line, always receives an enthusiastic welcome from the Hobart people.

This year, we were able to watch the finish from our balcony at around 8 pm - 3 days later. While we live a few kilometers from the finish line, we nevertheless felt part of this special occasion and salute all involved. The following morning we visited the docks and mingled with the crowd. It is such a festive atmosphere. Not only does Hobart host the Sydney-Hobart race, but also the Melbourne-Hobart race via the East Coast, the Melbourne-Hobart race via the west Coast, and the Launceston-Hobart race.

Heading for the finishing line.
An exciting moment for both crew and spectators (Jan & I!!)
Our house is somewhere on the far left across the river.

The festivities are many and continue throughout January and February. Large cruise ships that come to Hobart during the summer also add to the occasion.

Last weekend was the annual Royal Hobart Regatta, another Hobart icon that dates back to 1838. In recent years, this event has been extended to include the Wooden Boat Festival and I think, contributes extensively to the atmosphere. This year was no exception and the weather was perfect.

Hobart at its best!

The naval warship as flagship of the Regatta dressed for the occasion!

We began the day by walking across the Tasman Bridge. I had never done that before and thoroughly enjoyed the walk, except for the deafening noise of the traffic. But the views certainly made up for that!The views extend from Rosny Point on the eastern side to the distant view of Bruny Island and the mouth of the Derwent River, to Mount Nelson, the Hobart city and the Domain that incorporates our beautiful Government House, the official residence of Tasmania's Governor.

Tasmania's Government House. What a great setting!

If you click on the above photo you will see Jan taking photos
of me while I am on the bridge.

Once on the Hobart docks, we enjoyed mingling with the crowds that grew by the hour. We were really happy to have made an early start! There was much to see and to enjoy, including:

The Tall Ships at Elizabeth Street Pier

The vast collection of wooden boats in the harbour:

The three-masted barque James Craig plus several other tall ships:

People took the opportunity of doing things they normally don't, like rowing (if you can call it that) boats, playing music, etc etc. Let me share the activities pictorially:

This looked like fun!

An old but beautiful lady of the Derwent that was used at times for Royal visits.

It was delightfully busy with the James Craig keeping a watchful eye on things!

The above was ENTERTAINMENT!! A music group in a hut on
a barge had lots of fun. They were joined by a boat that had a
pianist playing in unison with the barge mob . Good stuff!!

It was obvious that people enjoyed the day. Weather perfect. Lots do to, including wooden boats of all varieties manufactured from different timbers. We happily joined the other 'dreamers' perhaps wishing we could all be young again.And what about the one above Jan?Perhaps, every picture tells a story.
It was a wonderful day that reached incredible heights!

The Europe Adventure for Jan & Me - Holland 3

2011-01-24T15:27:00.027+11:00

Time to complete our Holland journey. It is amazing how much can be done or seen in just ten days. We were very glad to have our own vehicle, as this helped us in going to those places we wanted to visit.

One of my wishes was for us to explore the province of Friesland in some detail. However, time got the better of us and we had to be satisfied with one full day of travel around the area of Smallingerland and the Friesian lakes. Smallingerland is the area where the Petrusma forebears came from, especially around Drachten and Beesterzwaag. Having done a lot of work on the Petrusma Family Tree, I was especially keen to see in greater detail this part of my heritage and at the same time give Jan a glimpse of this lovely part of the world. With only a full day available, there was little hope of covering everything, let alone contact people with the name of Petrusma.

Thankfully, we had a reasonably early start and headed north on the free-way. Our intention was to visit the towns of Sloten, Hindelopen, Sneek & Drachten. A big ask!!!

Of these places, Sloten was a delightful surprise.

It isn't the official crest, but is interesting
- found on the wall of a house.

Sloten is recorded as the smallest of the Friesian cities - yes it is known as a city, but has only a population of around 760! It received its city status in 1426 and during our visit we saw only very few inhabitants, including an older man, a widower, who had a small bric-a-brac shop with some delightful old dutch/friesian wares. The prices were extraordinary cheap and the old man told us that modern dutch folk were not interested in these collectibles any longer, which seemed rather sad. Items included delightful Royal Delft. If we had private plane, we would have been tempted to take the lot!!! (DON'T THINK SO!!) Our Friesian friend seemed lonely and was happy to engage in conversation. What a pity we had so little time.

As to Sloten as a township, we were entranced. It is compact, neat and tidy and we enjoyed our walk. Let us share a small sample of our photos:A view of the connecting canal, giving a great perspective of Sloten.

How quiet! We are about to enter the little antique shop.

The old Friesian cities were protected by city walls and gates,
including this watergate.

Slotermeer. This is a lovely scene and would make a great painting!

How some live! Love this house boat. And look at the 'hills' hoist.
A bit of Australia?

From Sloten, we drove to the township of Hindelopen. Hindelopen received its municipal rights in 1225 and is one of the eleven Friesian cities. It is a gorgeous town, very village like, and is located along Het Ijselmeer, or the Zuiderzee in the past. Because of its proximity to the Zuiderzee, it was very much a fishing village. Wikpedia tells me that it must have been quite some town in its heyday around 1650 to 1790 when Hindelopen possessed a fleet of more than eighty vessels.

The harbour as it is today. No doubt, a very busy place in summer!

Looking from the bridge over the locks.

Jan & I very much enjoyed walking around this town, noting the dyke that protected it from the sea - something we do not see in Australia. Looking from the top, we had a great vista and tried to imagine what it would have been like centuries ago. I love the photo below of the 'fork in the road' (my Hobart friends will know what I mean), showing the entry into the village from the waterfront. You can see just a little of the dyke on the right side. The main church is a dominant feature and can be seen in most places:

Much is now modernised, but there is plenty to remind visitors of the lifestyle years ago.

Sneek is one of the larger Friesian cities and boasts a population of approximately 33000. It is dominated by the beautiful watergate, which in the past was part of the city's fortification.

We did not have a lot of time to explore Sneek - would have liked to, but enjoyed the little we saw. Another place to go back to!

Before we left the Netherlands, and while we still had the car, we drove to the delightful windmill extravagance of Kinderdijk!! AND IT WAS EXTRAVAGANT!! I knew of the place and seen photographs, but had not been there before.

The scene that met our eyes. Great, despite the weather!

It was a wet and somewhat miserable day, negotiating the heavy dutch traffic, especially around the city of Rotterdam. But with GPS, signage and helpful dutch folk, we safely arrived in Kinderdijk. This must be one of Holland's great tourist attractions. Thankfully, and perhaps due to the weather, there were not all that many people around.

Million dollar views!

Having travelled all morning, we were ready first for a cuppa and found a little cafeteria at the parking lot. We were somewhat taken aback by the poor attitude of those who served us. A very much, 'Oh not more tourists to serve! Go away' The coffee and service was terrible. The weather did not help. But.......all was forgiven when we took in the views and ambiance of this amazing place.

The tourist brochure will tell you that

'Nowhere around the world you can find a place like Kinderdijk. It is the only place in the world where you can find so many windmills concentrated on such a short area. This is one of the reason why Kinderdijk has been added to the UNESCO world heritage list.'

Our time was spent walking along the footpaths that take in the most incredible views of the windmills. There are some 19 windmills to look at, dating back to 1738. There was another windmill built in 1521, but burned down in 1997. It has been restored and is operational. Clever dutch people!!

Despite the rain and dark day, I was thrilled to take some great photos!

The above photo has to be my favourite.
I love the way the windmills look with water reflections and
clouds providing a great balance.

'Kinderdijk is the final pumping station that control the waters of the Alblasserwaard, an area that is approximately 10 by 20 miles wide, before the river Lek takes it to the sea. Since the 1950's the function of the windmills has been taken over by the pumping station which is one of the largest in the world.'

Above: The windmill replacement!! Do I say more?
No doubt very efficient, but not in the same category as the beautiful windmills.

The information tells me that the windmills can be again operational in case of emergencies.

Thank you Holland for providing such variety. A wonderful visit that we both enjoyed. So to finish, let us leave you with just a glimpse of another great town in the low countries - Brugge in Belgium. I have always loved this place and wanted Jan to see and experience it:

Our hotel on the left 'Koffie Boontjes' (Coffee Beans)
close to the city square as can be seen down the street.

Still close to our hotel with the Belfry dominant.

1434 and in excellent condition!

Above: A little building with a big impact.
While we did not indulge in Brugge chocolate,
we DID indulge big time in Brugge waffles. Irresistible!

Walking around Brugge and taking a canal cruise is always a pleasure.

Outstanding!

Thank you Brugge! We highly recommend you.

The next chapter will take us to Jersey in the Channel Islands.

The Europe Adventure for Jan & Me - Family Connections in Holland

2010-12-27T16:06:00.027+11:00

One of the enjoyment of visiting Holland was to connect with my past and with family. I have already mentioned in an earlier blog that we met up with Pieter & Corrie. They joined us for the special occasion of celebrating Jan's birthday on 22 September. Not only did we celebrate this special day together, but we did so in my birth town of Haren.

It was great to introduce Jan to Haren. After parking the car we immediately set out for Kerkstraat, the street where the family home was and where I was born. I still can't get over how everything is so close together and Jan was quite taken by the fact that the opposite corner from the family home was the church where I was baptised; across the road was the cemetery where my paternal grand-parents are buried; a few doors down the street is the school - which is no longer a school, that I attended for almost all my primary education. Further down the road - a hundred meters or so, is the birth home of my own father. As I said, it was all so close together and we enjoyed the journey of rediscovering those long ago days:

The family home, especially built for my parents. Their share of the three-storey property extends from the fifth window from the left on the top storey to as far as the end of the 3-storey building on the right.
Below; as it was in 1931, almost complete with my parents in front:

The view across the road where the family went to church every Sunday.

It is stretching it a bit to think that my grandparents were across the road 'keeping an eye' on things. During his lifetime, my grandfather regularly visited my parents and checked on how the business was going.

And just down the road - some fifty meters or so, was my school. I am standing in front of what was Grade 1 in 1945 when I began school.

And below, in front of the same classroom with my teacher, Mrs Romein at the top left. My sister Wilhelmina & I are sitting bottom right with Pieter & Errit immediately behind us. How we have changed!!!

Another view from the main street end showing how close everything was with the family home on the left, the church in the background and on the right the street access to the cemetery.

Kerkstraat isn't a long street. One can see the full length from one end to the other. My paternal grandparent's home is still looking great, though having a changed roof and a different upstairs facade. It is still very recognizable:

And below in about 1925 with my father posing in front:While doing the 'before and now', have a look at the following comparison:The door on the left above was a window in the next photo. The window of the house next door looks exactly the same. The photo below, with my father, can be easily compared with the photo taken in 2010.

It was fun showing Jan my village. It is a delightful place of which I am very proud. The walking tour finished at an old favourite spot - Boerema Park, which we visited often and where I remember skating in the winter:

In the end, it was Jan's special day and we celebrated with a delightful lunch in the town:Life is about relationships, and celebrating Jan's birthday along with Pieter and Corrie is part of that!

Just before leaving for our European adventure, I received an unexpected email from a cousin of mine whom I had not seen for some sixty years and who, not surprisingly, did not remember me. Irma inquired about my knowledge of the family tree. Having done a lot of work on that over recent years, I was able to respond providing her with information that we had gathered. With our visit to Holland, it seemed natural to arrange to meet her.

We spent a most delightful day with Irma and her husband Adri (who was just three weeks younger than me). There was immediate rapport between us and our whole visit was a happy experience. I think that our respective spouses smiled at, what they observed as, similar family traits. Hmmmm! I have been told that I look like my grandfather Bouman, but perhaps Adri saw other similarities as well! Whatever, we just got on like a house on fire and it was a real treat to connect after so many years. Many of the photos that follow were taken by Irma, who is quite expert in photography, and I thank her for permitting me to use these on this blog.
After a delicious lunch Adri & Irma invited us to stretch our legs and see a little of their surroundings. We were ready for a good walk and gladly agreed. They took us to a property now used as accommodation for widows of ex servicemen. It is set in lovely bushlands and is very peaceful.
In showing you the next lot of photos, let me do so as a special tribute to Adri Buenk who passed away just a couple of weeks ago. On our return to Hobart, we received news that Adri was diagnosed with cancer and in the space of a couple of months was 'called home' by our Heavenly Father. It was a huge shock that I found personally very hard to cope with. Jan & I remember him with much enjoyment and the following photos reflect this. It was a happy walk, full of colour and diversity as I am sure was his life.

Our cameras were non-stop. So much to enjoy!

As we began our walk, we came across these wonderful toadstools. I have never seen so many different types in one spot nor the variety of colour that we feasted our eyes on. It reminded me of fairy tale stories that one reads during childhood. What was missing were the elves and fairies!!!

And finally, the above wonderful photo showing the fine and regular detail of God's amazing ingenuity in creation. Perfectly made. In the same way he made each of us - special in every detail.

Thanks again Irma!

Christmas at Tranmere

2010-12-22T10:37:00.005+11:00

Jan has been busy setting up our Christmas lights - with a little help from me.

Without realising it, our theme for this Christmas is centered on light. How appropriate as we celebrate the birth of the one who is the Light of the World!

As we send Christmas greetings to all who read this blog, so we pray that you will enjoy the happiness that the Light of the World gives! Here are just a few shots of the lights that illuminate our place:

It was a windy evening and the lights tossed to and fro

Above: Hobart in the background added to our lights, and below, our golden tree with the Derwent River and Hobart's Western Shore on the background.

Above & below: Once again, the winds that night created their own special affect in these photos taken from the foreshore.

Above: looking from the outside in. All very peaceful!
and Below:
Jan's creative decoration of the tree.

Have a wonderful and peaceful Christmas!

The Europe Adventure for Jan & Me - Holland 1

2010-12-06T14:02:00.036+11:00

After a fantastic 10 days near the Bodensee with Sylvia & Jochen, I looked forward to sharing my 'motherland' - or is it 'fatherland'? - with Jan. While Holland may only be about half the size of Tasmania, there is a lot to see and do and we knew that, like Germany, there would not be enough time to do it all. So, we needed to be a bit choosy. Jan relied on me to pick those places that would add a lot to the pleasure of our trip.

After arriving in Arnhem by the ICE train from Stuttgard, we drove to the little town of Nunspeet in the Veluwe area. This is an area best known as a holiday destination for the Dutch who make great use of the bush, walking & cycling tracks and other outdoor delights. Speaking about cycling, I am tempted to sub title this blog chapter as 'All those push bikes!' I knew that the Dutch are great bicycle riders, but was still overwhelmed by the number of bikes on the roads everywhere. They have absolute right of way and expect it. When driving - and when walking - one has to have eyes everywhere as the riders appear silently, without notice. Quite frightening!! On our journey from Arnhem to Nunspeet we both were stressed to the point of total exhaustion. But we made it safely to our accommodation at the Stolpenheim Bungalowpark where brother Pieter and his wife Corrie greeted us with a bottle of wine and food. A good brother and sister indeed!!

It was nice to relax on our first day in Nunspeet, and the next day - Sunday, we took delight in checking out the local delicacy of Pannenkoeken - All those pannekoeken! To counter that indulgence, we enjoyed walking around the township where the first signs of autumn were clearly evident:

The above photo is in contrast to the day before, when we went shopping in the town. Everything is shut on Sundays, except for some restaurants.Above: Saturday morning. You can see Jan and Corrie (with the long cane) making their way leisurely towards us.

There is no question that Nunspeet is a lovely town with beautiful houses, like below:
Together with Pieter & Corrie, we also wandered around the lakeside town of Hardewijk and enjoyed typical Dutch atmosphere:
In years gone by, Harderwijk was a fishing port on the Zuiderzee and while there is still a lot of boating activity to the port, Hardewijk is now largely blocked by the South-east Polder (reclaimed land). Parts of the old city wall and gates are still there as per below:

And what is a dutch waterside town without 'klompen'. Interesting to see that instead of leaving the clogs outside the door, these were neatly in their own rack.

On our first big day by ourselves we chose to visit Giethoorn, about 1.5 hours drive from Nunspeet. A comfortable ride in our hired Renault over busy motorways, saw us in this very special town. I visited Giethoorn first as a boy of 10 years or so and I always remembered that occasion. I really wanted to take Jan there and show her All that water!

The best I can do is to quote a brief resume of Giethoorn from Wikpedia:

Giethoorn was founded by a group of fugitives. They came about the year 1230 from regions bordering the Mediteranean. These first inhabitants found masses of horns of wild goats, which had probably died in 1170 during the St. Elizabeth's flood. They called their settlement Geytenhorn (geit = goat), now known by its present name of Giethoorn.

The village owes it characteristic appearance to harvesting peat. The peat diggers dug up the peat-soil at places that most suited them, mixed it in a trough and spread it out on the land to dry. Once dried, it would be cut as peat. This peat harvesting led to the formation of large and small lakes. To transport the peat, ditches and canals were excavated. There were no roads; all transport was by the canals on barges and boats.

It is a gorgeous village, affectionately referred to by the dutch as 'The Venice of Holland'. Even though it was drizzling rain for much of the time we were there, we found the atmosphere very special and very relaxing. Yes, it is touristy, but also very genuine. We enjoyed talking to folk, taking oodles of photos that all came out wonderfully well, watched school children 'having a ball' paddling their little boats - All those boats! One must most certainly take a canal ride. Ours lasted much longer than normal, because we talked endlessly to our guide who was most informative and forgot the time (there was us plus one other Dutch couple). We seem to do that to boat operators!

Taking over the helm!

We walked & walked - All that walking! And found the most exhilarating scenes. Just gorgeous. Just have a look at the following and imagine the atmosphere: We loved the visit to Giethoorn and strongly recommend it to anyone visiting the Netherlands. Just hope that I won't bore you with another lot of great scenes. Here we go:

Smiles all around, and 'All those Bridges!'

And 'All those thatch Cottages!'

From the above, you will no doubt get the correct impression that we were blown away by this lovely village. A big contrast was when we railed to Amsterdam for a day in that amazing city. Sadly, it was another wet day, but that did not dampen our spirits as we ventured into the Amsterdam fray - bulk people. (Jan loved it!) So many tourists! Our first stop was the Rijksmuseum to view the wonderful paintings on display there, including Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Steen etc . So many and so breathtaking! It took time, yet there wasn't enough time. To be face to face with THE masterpieces is pretty special that we both enjoyed. I certainly saw Vermeer in a new light, including this lovely 'Kitchen Maid':
Now, of course I can plaster this chapter with images of other amazing paintings, but merely suggest for you to go and have a look yourself. I am sure that, like us, you wont be disappointed!

I think we must have been a little crazy to walk from the Rijksmuseum back to the station. We were already tired, but even so, did enjoy mixing with the many others. When we saw a canal boat jetty, we could not resist the opportunity to rest our weary legs and let the boat and its driver do the hard work for us, leaving us to take in the sights of Amsterdam and take pictures, like the following (just a few):

Autumn colours were brilliant during the occasional sunny periods.

Taking photos through the glass roof was different!

Above & below: House boats were a-plenty. It surely is an alternative lifestyle!

Below: With all that Water, the Dutch knew how to make ships.

While not exactly as big a contrast as Giethoorn to Amsterdam, there was something delightfully different about the medieval city of Delft. Delft is perhaps best known internationally because of its Delft Blue Pottery. Well, at least as far as tourists are concerned.

Amazing how one can market the Delft brand. Lamp post - Totem pole!

Historically, it has a special place in the hearts of the people of the Netherlands, especially the association with the Royal House of Orange-Nassau which began in the second half of the 16th century, when Willem of Orange led the struggle against the Spanish for independence in the Netherlands. Willem made Delft his place of residence in 1572 and was assassinated there in 1584. He was buried in the 'New Church', which since then is the traditional place of burial for the Dutch royal family.

I was not aware that Delft was also the birth place of the painter Vermeer, referred to earlier. We enjoyed visiting the Vermeer gallery. It is funny how early education details re surface as I read the account of the Delft Explosion in 1654 when a gunpowder store exploded, killing over 100 hundred people and destroyed much of the city as recorded by the painter Egbert van de Poel in the following painting:We very much enjoyed Delft. It was a quiet Sunday in contrast to Amsterdam! We enjoyed the walks along the canals (grachten); joined the locals at a pub that dished up a most acceptable meal and generally had a good time.

Once again the autumn colours added to the Delft atmosphere!

Above and below: The city square featuring churches and,
YES
souvenier shops!!

Delft as a city, dates back to the 13th century and received its charter in 1246. It was surrounded by a city wall with city gates and water gates. A very well preserved water gate caught our attention as we wandered down the canal in the following photograph:

I like the above photo. The towers in the background belong to the Oostpoort (Eastern water gate) that dates back to circa 1400. Buildings were certainly meant to last in those days!

To finish telling about the Delft visit, let me conclude with a painting of how Vermeer saw his city in about 1660:

I like his work!!!

Well, enough for this chapter. More to come!
In the meantime, enjoy the visit to Holland with us.

The Europe Adventure for Jan & Me - Bavaria

2010-11-23T16:38:00.002+11:00

Everything about our ten days with Jochen & Sylvia was special, and when they suggested we spend three days in Bavaria, we were very quick to say, 'Yes Please!!' The extra bonus was that Sylvia was born in this area, which made it even more special.

We left Liggesdorf on the Sunday on a lovely sunny day and on the way made a stop at Lindau near the Austrian border on the Bodensee.

Thankfully, it was a lovely day to walk around Lindau

Once again, we were treated to a lovely old town with much to see and enjoy. The little lakeside port of Lindau had all the elements of history & architecture, all in a sublime setting. Let's give you a glimpse of what we enjoyed.

The lake-side port of Linda.
Tourist boats were a-plenty and many took advantage of the glorious day.

Including us two!

No question! It was a fun time enjoyed by the four of us
- and we kicked up our heels!

But, there was a long journey ahead of us and it was time to move on to Bavaria. We left the flatter countryside of the Bodensee and headed into the Bavarian mountains. The oohs and aahs about the countryside were adequate expressions of our enjoyment. It was great to finally stop at a roadside parking area to admire the following views:

How peaceful is this! Grazing cows on green pasture with a
Bavarian village on the background!

And just a reminder of the map, showing where we traveled. Please click on for a larger image:Our journey took us through breathtaking scenery around mountains and over mountains, finally arriving at our destination of Eisenberg where we overnighted at Landgasthof Cockelwirt. This is a special place for Sylvia who told us that she stayed here with her family as a young person and it left a lasting impression on her. It is a delightful place and we were very comfortable. The views from our rooms were great and looked out over the small village across the road, as you can see:We arrived at 5 pm and were thankful that there was still a lot of daylight for us to enjoy the surroundings. Glad we took photos then, as the following morning the weather had closed in. The late afternoon sun just lit up the countryside, the mountains and everything that flows from that. It was very much a 'wow' factor. Once in the village, we were enticed to sample the local brew in the local pub. We were not disappointed. It was a lovely place for a drink and it was pretty full when we got there. We happily joined the locals and shared a table with another couple. The different languages did not bother us a lot and with Jochen and Sylvia to assist, had a fun time.The locally brewed beer was very nice and it was obvious that this little village pub was well regarded.

Mixing with the locals! And below, the painting on the ceiling above where we sat:

Our dinner that evening was at the Cockelwirt, which has a cozy restaurant - or as my Dutch friends will have it, it was 'gezellig'! On the recommendation of Sylvia, we all ordered the speciality of the house, which is a special recipe with a half chicken each. It was a banquet of delicious food.

We're putting on the weight, that's for sure!

The following morning saw us on our way to Neuschwanstein, the site of Ludwig II's magnificent late 19th century castle. The castle is built at an elevation of just over 1000 meters, or 3300 feet. in the Bavarian forests. The lead up to this attraction is magnificent as the following photo shows. Once in the village, we were taken up to the castle by shuttle bus, surrounded by crowds of people. And this was on a rainy Monday! What would it be like on a summer weekend day? Glad we didn't find out!

As we entered through the village, we got this first view of the castle
and just to the right we saw the castle of Hohenschwangau pictured below:

The buses were also chocka full. We just managed to squeeze in at the front of the bus before the door shut, much to our delight!Jochen and Sylvia found it all very amusing!

With so much rain, most of the people wanted to shelter in the castle's entrance. We chose to gently push our way through into the courtyard and found that more to our liking:Despite the rain, we very much enjoyed visiting Neuschwanstein. The autumn colours and the spectacular scenery were great.
We found the castle guide very informative and with her excellent English, got a lot out of it, including the fact that Ludwig admired the work of Richard Wagner. 'The king saw the buildings as representatives of a romantic interpretation of the Middle Ages as well as the musical mythology of his friend Richard Wagner. Wagner's operas Tannhäuser and Lohengrin had made a lasting impression on him.' (Ref: Wikpedia) He wrote to Wagner in May 1868 as follows:

"It is my intention to rebuild the old castle ruin of Hohenschwangau near the Pöllat Gorge in the authentic style of the old German knights' castles, and I must confess to you that I am looking forward very much to living there one day; you know the revered guest I would like to accommodate there; the location is one of the most beautiful to be found, holy and unapproachable, a worthy temple for the divine friend who has brought salvation and true blessing to the world. It will also remind you of Tannhäuser and Lohengrin."

Throughout, the design pays homage to the German legends of Lohengrin. Hohenschwangau, where Ludwig spent much of his youth, had decorations of these sagas. These themes were taken up in the operas of Composer Richard Wagner. Many rooms bear a border depicting the various operas written by Wagner, including a theater permanently featuring the set of one such play. Many of the interior rooms remain undecorated, with only 14 rooms finished before Ludwig's death. (Ref Wikpedia)

This model gives a good idea of the romantic style of this castle.
It is indeed, very elaborate and it is no wonder that up to 1.3 million people visit this outstanding castle.

The Pöllat Gorge and the bridge from where we had the best view of the castle.
Pity is was a murky day, but still nevertheless, breathtaking!

Anything after this must surely be less interesting. But not so. Sylvia skilfully drove us to our next destination to another of Ludwig II's castles. This time his palace at Linderhof: Above, my buddy and me admiring the gardens and sculptures at Linderhof!

And the ladies needed to be in our party as well!

It was a long and most enjoyable day and we were ready to relax in our booked accommodation in Garmisch Patenkirchen. Alas, when we finally found the guesthouse, the rooms were not available and they had booked us for another day! However, the owners finally found suitable accommodation in the centre of town where we settled for the night. The following morning, we were greeted by the following views:As you can see above, the weather had improved and we enjoyed a wander around this town, which is typical Bavarian:Our journey today would take us through beautiful country & smaller towns, finally going back to Liggesdorf. Our first stop after leaving Garmisch Patenkirchen was Mittenwald. A great town where we would have liked to spend more time and go up the mountain where we could see snow. But, there just wasn't that sort of time. A walk around Mittenwald was all that we could manage. The 'grafiti' on the houses told us how creative the people are in Bavaria and how proud they are of their homes:

Even the church was decorated with lovely artwork above. and below,
the splendid ceiling in this church.

To complete the art connection,
the photo below is in recognition of a violin maker from the area:

There was enough time to have lunch in Mittenwald and Sylvia & Jochen strongly recommended a Bavarian delicacy of 'white sausage' with sweet seeded mustard & pretzels. We weren't disappointed and very much enjoyed it:

From here we traveled to Oberammergau, the place where every ten years the Passion Play is performed. It goes back to 1630. That is some long running show and is apparently booked out up to 4 years in advance. We enjoyed wandering around this little town: bought a CD as well as the inevitable ice cream. We noticed that ice cream is very reasonably priced here and paid Euro 4.80 for ice creams in a cone for the four of us. Certainly much cheaper than Oz!

A visit to the catholic church in Wieskirke was next:When we arrived, the priest in charge of the music was speaking to a group and explained its history, spoke about the organs (the main organ had just been renovated or replaced at a cost of Eu700, 000), and demonstrated the acoustics with his own excellent voice. We said hello to him afterwards and he invited me to play the small chamber organ near the altar but I declined.

Our final stop was Kaufbeuren where Sylvia spent much of her earlier life. After that it was back home to Liggesdorf, but not before a glorious sunset:

But.....it is time to say our farewells to Germany. A farewell lunch in Ludwigshafen (very appropriate after our encounters with Ludwig II) -

"Thank you Jochen & Sylvia. It was 'sehr gut'. We loved it!"

It was time to pack our cases, and then to Singen to catch the first of three trains to Holland.

The Europe Adventure for Jan & Me - Bodensee

2010-10-18T15:19:00.032+11:00

Jan keeps reminding everyone, who want to hear, that the only thing she had planned for the year 2010 was to visit her friends Sylvia & Jochen in Germany and that all those other activities - like selling two houses, packing up and leaving Sydney, buying a new house, getting married, travel frequently in Australia - were just not part of that. Finally, after a roller-coaster year, we took the plunge and booked our tickets to Germany, flying with Singapore Airlines from Melbourne to Singapore and from there on the new Air Bus A380 to Zurich. It was a long trip, as all of you who travel will know. The planes on both segments were full and there weren't a lot of spare seats.

Arriving in Zurich, we made our way to the Airport Railway Station and soon found ourselves on, what we hoped, was the right platform. A quick check with another passenger confirmed that we were on the right track and much to our delight, the lady - whose name is Amy, told us that she was also heading for Singen, the nearest railway station to where Jochen & Sylvia lived. Amy was most kind and helpful, especially when we needed to change trains with little enough time to do so. We appreciated her assistance.

Arriving at Singen, we were relieved to connect with Sylvia on her mobile phone and learnt that she was less than ten minutes from the station. Much excitement! It was lovely to see the two ladies being reunited after some four years. For me at least, I was happy to settle in the back of her car and let Sylvia take over, driving us to her home in the little, and very delightful, village of Liggersdorf not all that far away from the Bodensee (Lake Constance).

Liggesdorf in Hohenfels

Meeting Jochen was also a treat and he and I immediately enjoyed an excellent rapport. Both Jochen & Sylvia speak excellent English, which made for easier conversation. Their home is beautifully situated in the village. Everything is delightfully quiet. Their garden is a credit to them and their kind hospitality very generous.

Our home for ten delightful days, and below with our hosts.

Liggesdorf is not very far from the Bodensee, and it was not long before our hosts treated us to some wonderful sightseeing excursions. Here is a map of the area with Hohenfel clearly marked as the centre of our activities. Clicking on this map will give you a better idea of how much we covered showing the routes of different trips:
After a couple of days of getting over jetlag (it took a little longer than that), Jochen & Sylvia introduced us to their village and surroundings, including the community (we had two dinners with them!) with the Mayor present at both! Talk about being welcomed with overwhelming kindness!

There are lovely forests to walk through and with our hosts being active walkers, were encouraged to enjoy them. Our first walk gave us a feel for the place and we were warmly welcomed by the 'local residents', as you can see in the following picture:

These lovely horses seemed happy to welcome us, but in fact were just let loose for their daily exercise. Liggesdorf on the background. And isn't it all green!!

And just a glimpse of our time in the forests:

It might look good, but there was nothing to shoot (or to shoot with).
The shooting season for deer wasn't far away though.

No wonder the locals were warned to be 'vorzicht'!! But the smile tells a lot!

After a couple of days, Jochen and Sylvia considered it reasonably safe for us to be taken to (or let loose in) a wider audience!! They could not have picked a better spot than Uberlingen, an unspoilt medieval city on the shores of the Bodensee. There was plenty to see and our cameras were kept busy, though it would be boring if I placed too many photos on this blog chapter.

Uberlingen

Every picture tells a story. One of many light and happy moments.
You can see Jochen is enjoying himself, but what about Jan? YES!!
You better believe it!

Meersburg was another magic place on the Bodensee. This time it was Sunday and the weather was perfect. The locals were out in force, along with hundreds of visitors from other areas who took their families to the lake. We parked the car and walked 6-7 kilometers along the top that overlooked the lake, to Hagnau. The walking/cycling track was through vineyards that were just about ready for the autumn harvest.

The grapes looked yummi and we did sample both the white and red grapes.

The only thing we needed to watch were the many cyclists along with fellow pedestrians. But the setting was just gorgeous.

Just a magic day!

After our long and most enjoyable walk, we dropped into the lakeside town of Meersburg, a lovely German town with old buildings and heaps of atmosphere. It was time for the winefest and there were stacks of people enjoying themselves and having a great time. We just soaked it up.

The crowds were much larger in other parts of Meersburg.

A reminder of the past.

This lovely view of the Meersburg harbour is picture book stuff.
What a day! What a view!

And a view from the harbour side looking up to the buildings above.

On our way home we passed the 'Basilica of our Lady' by Lake Constance at Birnau. A very nice church with hordes of people both to visit and to worship. While we were there, the choir was rehearsing a Latin mass and we happily sat in the pews for some time to soak up the atmosphere and the music.The art work in this basilica is quite outstanding. Its earliest history goes back some 600 years, but this new church was built during 1746-50.

We enjoyed sharing in a moment of quiet worship with the choir & organ rehearsing.

It was good to see that the church in Germany is still active and well attended, though sadly, we did not see many younger folk.

The village church in Liggesdorf.

But then, one can also worship among the flowers. We visited the island of Mainau and thoroughly enjoyed the lovely gardens that were established by Count Lennart Bernadotte-Stiftung, who poured all his energies into making this a wonderful place to visit. When we were there, the Dahlias were in full bloom with many varieties to feast our eyes on. So let me finish this chapter with a selection of these flowers, which are a favourite of mine, along with some other photos taken during our visit:

By now, autumn colours abound. Always a lovely time of the year.

The cascade of water looked great both from this angle and from the top!

I had the above variety in my garden at Lauderdale.
Also love the shot below with the bumble bees doing their bit!

And they just kept on coming. So many!

And just to be different, these sun flowers looked great and there were plenty of them!
Plus a pair of other ring ins brightening up the day!

And finally, this delightful sculpture that fitted most beautifully in this setting:

Look out for the next chapter when we head off to Bavaria!

Tranmere Moods!

2010-06-22T13:44:00.014+10:00

The views from our house are spectacular, and rather than keep this all to ourselves, we thought you might like to enjoy the panorama with us. The pictures below were all taken over the past fortnight and give some indication of the variety of moods. Every morning is different. Every evening is different. Moods change during the day and sometimes over an hour.

The other day I woke up at 7 am and was blinded as the moonlight streamed in as it completed its journey over Mount Wellington. The colour was intense and breathtaking:

WOW!! What a way to begin a new day!

Early mornings can be quite a feast of colour. During winter months in Hobart, we have often, what we call locally, the 'Bridgewater Gerry'. It is a fog that comes down from the settlement of Bridgewater - some 25 kilometers up river from here.

A light 'Birdgewater Gerry.

It settles over the river, covers the Tasman Bridge (and I guess the Bowen Bridge) and motors, often with amazing speed, down to the mouth of the Derwent River. It is quite a sight when we are so close to it:

These three photos give a new feeling of the 'Bridgewater Gerry'Then there are the mornings when we wake up to snow on Mount Wellington.

Not too many of those this year - YET! People from mainland Australia often ask us how we are coping with the cold Hobart weather. What cold weather? Oh yes, on top of Wellington (1270+ meters) it can get cold. In the month of June, Hobart enjoys an average temperature of 12 degrees Celsius with an average minimum of 4.9. Very acceptable. The strange phenomena is that it mostly feels warmer than that. For those of you who do not believe that, come and see for yourselves.

During the day, our moods vary from the brilliant sunny day to the windy ones. With the Derwent River in front of our place, we just soak up these wonderful vistas:

Is it any wonder that dolphins venture out into our world? The following parade of dolphins had us rushing home to get our cameras. They paraded right in front of our house and we grateful 'saluted' these beautiful creatures:Every evening, Jan & I stand at our window and watch the setting of the sun. Once again, there is such magic variety, and I know we have only just started this magic experience as we settle down to married bliss:

Sunset over Bellerive Cricket oval, as seen from our house.

Never say, NEVER!!!!

2010-06-03T16:00:00.043+10:00

13th March 2010 was an important day for Jan & me. After three years on my own, God in His kindness and generosity introduced me to a wonderful lady who has now become my new life's companion. Most of you who read this blog will know the story, but for those to whom this is a bit of a surprise, particularly because of my clearly stated intention never to marry again, the following is a very brief 'what happened to Siebrand' statement - extract from my Christmas letter:

In January 2008, I was introduced to Jan O'Connell from Sydney and enjoyed a new friendship, sharing a number of similar interest, but not expecting anything else.

Early in 2008, I began rediscovering our beautiful island of Tasmania in company of Jan and other friends from Sydney. I had not fully explored the north-east that includes the Bay of Fires - now an internationally recognised destination. The area is beautiful! About the same time, I revisited Bruny Island, also with Jan, and was knocked out by the outstanding beauty of this island (see previous chapters). We included a boat trip further south, enjoying the marine life of seals, albatross, dolphins, gannets, marlin plus the outstanding coastline, all in perfect weather.

Since then, we have enjoyed King Island (never been there before), Waratah, Wynyard, Cockle Creek and the Pieman River - all covered in previous blog chapters. The last of these destinations was the most moving of all my experiences this year. It is awesome!

It was at the Pieman that the realisation came to me that I could share a new and exciting chapter of my life with Jan by my side enjoying new love and companionship for whatever time God allows us. The rest is history!

And here we are!

I won't bore you with the hectic events of the months from November to March, but believe me, selling houses/buying a house/consolidating and shifting two households into one, was exhausting! Our Wedding Day, Saturday 13 March 2010, was a lovely, sunny day, with a lot of promise for two very happy people.

The wedding was a quiet affair with Jan's brothers (Peter & Barry) and their wives (Narelle & Vickie) coming over from NSW. Most of my large family were present with the exception of Georgie who was in UK, Jess who was in Fiji, and the three grandchildren from Kiama with whom we caught up a week later. Mark just managed to get in on time from USA. Natasha & KaLoon made it all the way from USA. Cal, Sarah & Allie, James & Nigel made it from Adelaide. Vicki & Philip from Kiama. Amy & Richard from Melbourne. My cup was truly full and running over. Our friends Jim & Trish made it from Canberra with Fred & Gillian from Sydney. How we would have loved all our friends to share the occasion, but logistics did not make that possible.

The wedding and reception was at the new Providore in Sorell. Our Chef was Marlene who is truly a wonderful cook and we very much enjoyed her culinary creations.

Many have asked for photos and we apologise for our tardiness for not getting these to you. So let me give you a bit of a photographic summary. Special thanks to Jim & Natasha who kindly provided us with all the photos.

Quite different to our first walk down the aisle, we decided to check into our hotel (Wrest Point) before the wedding and leave from there direct to the wedding venue. Jim & Trish most kindly drove to Wrest Point to pick us up. It was a delightfully relaxing start that included having drinks along the waterfront with Jim & Trish.

Ready for the big occasion!

Above: Leaving Wrest Point, hopefully looking the part.
Below: Good to be driven in relaxed company.
At the wedding venue where we were welcomed by our 'wedding entourage', made up of Luke, Ellie & Joe.
With Ellie.
Bring it on! We are ready!

Brother Hank was our Celebrant. It was his first wedding as a Wedding Celebrant. It is something he would like to do more of when he retires (who knows when that will be!). So, it was also a big occasion for him. As is typical, he was thoroughly prepared though perhaps a little nervous - understandably so. We were delighted that Hank, who has been a wonderful encouragement and support to us both, was able to officiate.

Hank in charge and doing it well.

I was very happy that all my family along with Jan's two brothers were able contribute to the ceremony as well as in other ways. As a family, it brought us close together and was a strong voice of support and love.

Daughter Ann, above, read from the Scriptures, and Vicki, below commended us to God, praying for His blessing on our lives together.

Exchanging vows was a special moment. Siebrand first

Then Jan was asked to do her bit. She turned to Hank and with a twinkle in her eyes asked him, "Can't I just say ditto?" Now I ask you, how should a Wedding Celebrant - especially at his first ceremony, respond to that? With that exchange, whatever nerves or tension there may have been, disappeared into thin air! All went smoothly, including the exchange of the wedding rings, though we were just a little concerned at Ring Bearer Joe who found it hard not to fiddle with the precious band. Jan is all for keeping an eye on that ring. The kids loved their involvement and doesn't Joe look the part with those pants of his. What a character!But, the ring was safely delivered to Grandpa to place it on Jan's finger.
Jan placing Siebrand's ring on his finger.

After those formalities, Celebrant Hank gave us permission (as though I needed one) to embrace my bride, obviously much to his pleasure and sanction.

That just left the signing of the Register:
It was with considerable happiness that brother Hank handed us our Certificate and proudly presented us as
"Mr Siebrand Petrusma & Mrs Jeanette Elizabeth Petrusma-Delacour!"We did it!!!
Just a few shots of ourselves:And with the Delacour contingent:And these beautiful people are all part of the family:
Daughters Brenda & AnnDaughter Vicki with PhilipMark looks chirpy after flying in from USATimDaughter Heather with BrentSister Iemke from Brisbane with BrendaBrother Henk & GailBrother Dirk & BethTrish with JanFred & Gillian

Entertainment was organised by Graeme, who always excels in organising something different, including a segment 'How well do you know Siebrand & Jan?'Gillian thought long and hard over this question, while other questions delighted Jan & the family at my expense (of course!).Oh no! Not another one! Obviously the above pic captured another dig at the groom! All of course enjoyed by the attentive audience:Natasha, accompanied by her sister Amy sang a favourite 'As Time Goes By'. I miss her voice.

Heather on the other hand wrote her own song and composed the music for it. This was special and expressed her love and deep feelings. Thanks Heather! Speeches were left to a minimum and I very much appreciated Jan's brother Barry, welcoming me into the Delacour family. Love this guy's humour. He ought to do some comedy writing!Daughter Brenda welcomed Jan into the Petrusma Clan, and did it well with illustrations that were both humourous and serious. Both Jan and I feel very accepted in our extended family and appreciate expressions of loving support.The final words came from both of us as we acknowledged our past, our new-found love and happiness, and the generosity of our families and many friends.Our lovely Wedding Cake was made and decorated by Mark's creative wife Cal, who brought it with her as carry on luggage from Adelaide. Many thanks Cal. We know you will create many more of these as your cake business expands and people enjoy your excellent work.To be surrounded by many of my grandchildren made the day all the more special. Here they are (well, at least some of them, with others mentioned earlier):Sarah & James from AdelaideJoe & Ellie from HobartKarina & Gemma from HobartAndrew from Devonport & Nigel from Adelaide

Kathryn & Thomas from Hobart

Well, there we have it. Time flies and we have been married almost three months, busy settling into our new routines, enjoying our companionship, looking forward to quality time with family and friends, plus lots of travel. Our Tranmere home is a haven of beauty and peace, with the Derwent River just in front of us. The next blog chapter will probably be about our Tranmere abode.

Rediscovering Tasmania - Bruny Island 2

2009-12-27T13:25:00.001+11:00

Our second day on Bruny was also full of happy experiences. Our main activity for the day was to venture on an Adventure Boat trip that would take us from Adventure Bay down to The Friars. We were very much hoping for a beautiful day, like the one the day before. And indeed, we woke up to a gorgeous day with the morning views enticing us to get on the road and make the best of every minute.

'Morning has broken'

Getting down to the jetty set the scene for plenty more photography.Allonah Jetty

We were soon on the road to the island's main settlement, Adventure Bay, which has a bit of history of its own that is worth passing on. My research tells me that while Adventure Bay was first discovered in 1773 by Tobias Furneaux, Abel Tasman tried to land in the vicinity of Adventure Bay in November 1642. It was Furneaux however, who named the bay after his ship, HMS Adventure. Four years after Furneaux's visit, James Cook's two ships, the Resolution and Discovery visited the Bay on 26 January 1777 and stayed for two days. Apparently, Cook carved his initials in a tree that was destroyed in a 1905 bushfire.

In 1788 and again in 1792 William Bligh anchored in Adventure Bay. The island itself however is named after the French explorer Bruni d'Entrecastreau who explored the Channel region in 1792. It was known as Bruni Island until 1918, when the spelling was changed to Bruny. Ref Wikpedia

A visit to the Bligh Museum is most worthwhile and is full of information. We also visited Resolution Creek (named after one of Cook's ships).......... ..........................and found the following information on the tourist info board:

"Known as the 'Watering Place' on the charts of Captain Tobias Furneaux (Adventure 1773) and Captain James Cook (Resolution 1777), this waterway, from which early explorers replenished their supplies of fresh water, was later named Resolution River by Captain William Bligh during his visit on the Bounty in 1788. Bligh had been Sail Master on Cook's ship in 1773.

Accompanying Bligh on his next visit in 1792 was Lieutenant George Tobin, the expedition's Principal Artist. Of the seven paintings executed by Tobin in Adventure Bay, one depicted the area known as 'Two Tree Point'. It is thought that these trees depicted by Tobin are still standing today, making them at least 250 years of age."

This wonderful painting by George Tobias in 1792 of where Resolution Creek (River) enters Adventure Bay was displayed on the information board.

Nearby, we found a model of a ship that gives information about the sailings of early explorers. calling in at Adventure Bay. It was a place we first visited as a family back in 1969 and I was glad Jan and I found it again. So, a photo of me, followed by the 1969 photo of the children at the same place:

Mark, Brenda & Ann. (Don't remember where Vicki was)

Our boat trip was due to leave Adventure Bay at 10 am and we had to be available from 9.30 to be geared up for our trip. We were the only ones that took the trip from Adventure Bay. A busload of people arrived a little late. They had come from Hobart on the catamaran Peppermint Bay II and disembarked at Barnes Bay in order to go on this adventure trip. The guide told us that they were late because as they travelled to Bruny Island, they encountered a pod of dolphins and the captain decided it was too good for his passengers not to enjoy them. That is the spirit of Peppermint Bay II and I like them because of it.

Above: the fast coastal expedition vessel Adventure. It seats up to 48 passengers and travels at a most enjoyable speed, powered by four 350 HP outboard motors!

Whilst it delayed our departure from AB a little, it wasn't a real problem and we were looking forward to a great day. The boat was about 70% full and we had a great guide who loved the geological formations around Bruny and enjoyed telling us about them:

Mighty rock formations - so old!!

The sea was just as we hoped for. We had good views allowing for great photography, including the following:

The 'Totem Pole' through which we sailed.'Nooks & Crannies'

Action at a blow hole.And nature at its best with this small colony of comorants.

Finally, we arrived at the southern most point of our journey at The Friars, the home of a colony of seals:

The seal colony on the left and the far background is where we were yesterday at the lighthouse. Wonderful scenery, calm seas, colourful weather, and an enjoyable travel companion by my side. Can't ask for anything more!Above and below, the seals both sunbaking and frolicking in the water.

If looks could kill!! They are certainly a haughty variety, but looked perfectly at ease with our company. I do wonder however, whether the increased frequency of these boats loaded with tourists will affect them and their habitat in the future. But what a privilege it was for us to see these babies in their natural habitat and content and............very well fed by the looks of them!

A final look before we set off to find other marine wonders.Gorgeous place. We were so glad we went on such a perfect day!

As we headed back to Adventure Bay, the crew thought it would be nice if we could find some dolphins and other marine life. We sailed further east and finally there was the call 'DOLPHIN!' Not only dolphins. We saw effectively a feeding frenzie before our eyes with albatross, gannets, seagulls, seals and dolphins all having, what must have been , an early lunch. Click on the image to give a better appreciation of the number of birds feeding on the fish below that apparently had been herded by the dolphins for a feed:But dolphins there were aplenty. They are such a graceful and beautiful creature and we all delighted in their accompanying us:You have to be quick to catch them at the right moment. It's a bit of a problem with digital cameras as there is just that extra delay in recording the image. But, I am sure you get the idea that it was a pretty special experience - dolphins always are!

This blog chapter is about at its end. It will also be my last offering for 2009. I will leave you with just a couple of photos taken at Adventure Bay that will hopefully entice you to make a point of visiting Bruny Island:

Rediscovering Tasmania - Bruny Island

2009-12-19T08:36:00.003+11:00

Early this year (2009), my dear friends from Sydney, Geoff & Heather, came down to Tasmania to visit both Geoff's Tasmanian family and me. They invited their friend Jan, to whom I was introduced twelve months previously, to accompany them and suggested that it would be nice for Siebrand to join the party for a visit to the Tasmanian north-east. As this was an area I had not been to for many long years and, indeed, there were some areas that I never been to, it sounded very inviting and I agreed most happily to join the party. The itinerary was also to include visits to Ross and Coles Bay. I hope to cover these places on another blog chapter.

On our return to Hobart, Geoff & Heather were occupied with special family occasions, and Jan indicated to me that she would love to visit Bruny Island. This was another on the 'to-do' list for me. The result was that we decided to visit Bruny together. It is truly a remarkable island. I had not been there since 1970!

As it turned out, the weather was perfect and we thoroughly enjoyed the many attractions on Bruny. This is the story of rediscovering Bruny Island!

Despite it being such a small place, we chose to do it over two days and even then did not allow sufficient time to do it all. But what we did, was fantastic. An early start saw as at the Kettering ferry terminal for the 20 minute trip across to Barnes Bay. We were no sooner off the ferry and on the road when our cameras got busy and clicked almost non-stop, beginning at the Isthmus that divides the north from the south of Bruny. This narrow strip is a breeding ground for Penguins. Have a look:
At this same place, there is a special memorial to one of the last Tasmanian Aboriginals who was born on Bruny Island. Let the memorial tell its own story (Please click on the image for an enlargement. It's worth it!):It is not a pretty story. Truganini died in Hobart, in 1876. aged 64.

Our journey continued on to the southern part of Bruny and then crossed from Adventure Bay to Cloudy Bay. Once again, the views were quite outstanding:And a telephoto view of the lighthouse from the same position:

I'll take you to the lighthouse in a little while. From near this lookout we found the location of an old sawmill. Relics of the past is right:The Tramway in the above pic, I presume, is the one that is shown on the board that tells the story of this site. The old photo on the left of the board was of the LOCO that was used to transport the timber to the jetty at Lunawanna with the photo on the right showing the tramway from 1927 to 1949. The rail tracks look like timber ones!I was very interested to see on the same board a photo of the old ship Lenena, which also plied between Burnie and Melbourne in the 1950s when I worked there. All rather interesting and fits in well with how important rail was in the early development of this State (see my last blog chapter about Ida BayRailway.

And the following pic shows clearly the kind of terrain these sawmillers had to contend with!Having enjoyed this bit of history, we made our way down to Cloudy Bay. It really was magic. A gorgeous beach on a lovely day, but not warm enough to swim.Lunch in such an idyllic location tasted all the better, though I could have done without the bee stings!

Our ongoing journey was along breathtaking scenery to the most southern part of Bruny Island where the lighthouse is located. Please forgive me about raving on about the beauty of Bruny, but I am sure most people would enjoy scenes like the following:

And then this outstanding view of the Bruny Island Lighthouse:

"Colonial architect John Lee Archer designed the 13 metre high Cape Bruny lighthouse. it was built from lical stone and cost 2,500 pounds (approx $4,800) to build even though it was constructed using free convict labour. The lighthouse was lit in 1838 and is the oldest continuously-manned lighthouse in Australia. It was decommissioned in 1996, when it was replaced by a solar-powered tower. The original parabolic reflectors used approximately half a litre of sperm (whale) oil every hour of use."

http://www.brunyisland.net.au/Cape_Bruny/Lightstation/lighthouse.html

What a treat was in store for us. Before going to Bruny, I had rung up the lighthouse keeper and requested the opportunity to go up the lighthouse. It is 40 years since we took our children up there and it seemed like a good idea to do it again.

1969 with from left Brenda, Vicki, Ann & Mark on top of the lighthouse.

Lighthouse keeper Andy kindly gave us his time and led us up the spiral staircase:

Jan wasn't so sure at first but was soon comfortable. Once on top, Andy gave us a colourful account of the lighthouse and explained how the light worked in the past and how it is used these days. We loved his passion for this facility and for his work.

The solar-powered lights.

Andy had a store of info and had a most attentive audience:Being such a perfect day with only a slight breeze, he took us outside on the balcony to allow us to enjoy the unlimited spectacular views to all points of the compass, beginning with a view of the lighthouse keepers' cottages and the car park:Once outside, we continued to enjoy this fascinating man and his deep interest in his work. What a guy!Our eyes must have been sparkling, not only with Andy's fascinating story telling, but also with the most magnificent views. Our cameras worked non stop and the enjoyment is certainly evident on Jan's face:The above view looking East, gives also a good indication of the rugged coastline along Bruny Island.The above: looking West. Below: looking south towards the southern ocean. I suspect it must be good cray fishing down there!

There were many more excellent photos that I am tempted to show, but perhaps, the above will give you a fair idea of what an extraordinary day we had. But...............the day was not finished yet!!

I realise this is a rather long blog chapter, but I do need to share the end of the day with you and then do a further chapter about our second day on Bruny Island.

Our accommodation was on top of a hill at Allonah, overlooking the D'Entrecasteaux Channel. With a glass of wine and some cheese and nibbles, we were absorbed in the wonderful sunset to which we were treated. Have a look:

Wow!! What a day! What an awesome Creation! What an awesome God!!!

Rediscovering Tasmania - Huonville

2009-12-12T17:30:00.018+11:00

In days gone by, Huonville was best known for its many apple orchards. Today, tourists flock to it in great numbers for the scenery, the Tahune Rainforests, the Caves etc. Many a mainland visitor has been so entranced by the Huonville beauty that they bought property. It is an outstanding place to visit. Dover is one of those places and on this beautiful made a colourful pic:Another 45 kilometers further south from Dover is where the most southern road in Australia comes to an end, at a place called Cockles Creek. Don't you love that name? Well, I do. And at the end of the road, there is just magic and peace. Let me show you:The pic above of the bridge is where the road ends, and immediately beyond it is the following sign that tells you have arrived at the most southern road in Australia. From here, it is walking into the the great south-west, where you even meet quolls in their natural habitat. We enjoyed wandering in the area and time literally vanished!
Being the end of the road, Cockle Creek is not the most visited place. It is reached by a gravel road from Ida Bay. So, apart from it being the furthest 'place' in Australia reachable by road, what else do we know about it?

Cockle Creek is on the shores of Recherche bay, a sheltered bay with outstanding scenery as you can see from the above couple of pics. The following comments are from 'A Traveller’s Glimpse into the History of Recherche Bay in the Far South of Tasmania.'

The original inhabitants of this area were the Aboriginal people. Their first encounter with Europeans was with the French, an amicable meeting which could be considered a ‘cultural exchange’. The French expeditions were focused on the scientific study of native flora, fauna, geology and the waterways of Van Diemen’s Land.

Recherche Bay itself, sheltered from the wildest weather, provided some safe harbour for the influx of early settlers, sealers and convicts. Early industries based initially on coal-mining and whaling became established.

Jan and I walked along the beach to Bronze Whale Sculpture. Jan, being the artist, enjoys taking photos of things such as the following delightful patterns on the beach. It looks to me like a charcoal sketch of something:Along further, the bronze sculpture in a delightful setting:Pity really about killing so many whales. How I would have loved to seen whale calves frolicking in this bay. Certainly, the above story breaks my heart and I am glad that community opinion is against whaling.

On our return to Hobart, we decided to stop off at the Ida Bay Railway. It looked intriguing, and it was. In fact, it was a load of fun, laughter, and history. We arrived there for the last available train ride and.....yes, we were again the only ones aboard!

The tourist brochures will tell you that:

Ida Bay Railway is the last operating bush tramway in Tasmania, and also has the distinction of being the most southerly railway in Australia.
The 2' (610mm) line was constructed in 1922 to carry limestone to a wharf at Brick Point on Ida Bay, from where it was shipped to Electrona. In 1950, the line was extended to Deep Hole because of silting at Brick Point. The line was used for this purpose until 1975. The following year tourist trains commenced running and continue to do so until now.

With Jan & I being the only passengers, the whole two carriages were for us to enjoy, while the driver - Allan, and his girlfriend occupied the engine. All very cozy like! As far us two, well we just enjoyed the scenery and the attention from our interesting Guide. Let the pictures tell our story:

Above: I was kidding myself (or was it Jan) that we could be the engine drivers, but in the end were happier to occupy our First Class Carriage (below)We're on our way.

The narrow 610mm track that at times felt wobbly and made lots of noise. All part of the fun at no extra cost!

Our first stop was the cemetery. Alan kindly explained to us the history of the two graves, while his co-driver was comfortable in the engine cabin:The graves were part of the early history on Ida Bay and showed how tough those pioneering days were. Hard work indeed.

Jan took delight in taking shots of the beautiful scenery en route, while I took delight in taking a photo of her looking smug and happy!And the scenery along the way? Just a couple of Jan's great photos:Finally, we came to the end of the line and wandered around where the terminus had been in the past. Rusty railway and a discarded set of wheels that belonged to a previous era was some of the evidence of what must have been a hard time:
In all, an enlightening and enjoyable experience that completed a wonderful day! To finish, another of Jan's great finds - ever the artist and a great companion to boot!

No guessing who represents me - the front of course!!

Rediscovering Tasmania - Near Hobart

2009-10-30T13:16:00.014+11:00

It was a special pleasure to have granddaughter Jessica over from Adelaide for a week. Her fiancee Simon (Gumby) tagged along, and it was fun to spend time together and visit a couple of special spots around Hobart.

There are many scenic and beautiful places around our beautiful city and one does not have to drive too far out to enjoy magnificent bush scenery or embark on short walks to waterfalls, rain forests and walking among the treetops. So this 'rediscovery' chapter is about taking Jess & Simon to National Park, where we walked to waterfalls, as well as taking Simon along to Tahune rain forests while Jess had to make a quick trip to Sydney.

The drive to National Park is itself a treat. In autumn it is especially stunning, as can be seen in the following photo taken on a previous occasion during autumn: With the Derwent River central to this scene, one receives a panorama view of Mt Wellington, Collins Cap, New Norfolk and beyond towards National Park where we were heading.

This view from Pulpit Rock takes your breath away. And what a lovely day:Not quite sure what they are saying, though it does not matter.
Importantly, they look pretty happy!

Arriving at National Park, we parked the car and walked first to Russell Falls along a very easy walk-way. Along the way, we helped ourselves to lots of photos with the following good results:

Jess looking cool and happy - of course seeing she was with her Grandpa!!Tasmanian streams like the above are plentiful and pristine!And no, neither made it but had fun doing it!Then, finally Russell Falls from a couple of angles
How magic is this?

On our way to the next waterfall, we stopped to have a look at this peaceful spot. Some folk were staring into the water and told us that they had spotted a couple of platipus which live in this habitat. They are a shy animal and while I have visited these places often, have never seen them in the wild. All the staring into the water did not convince these creatures to come out again. But it is certainly an idyllic spot:

Our next walk was to the Lady Barron falls, a good one hour walk there and back. The walk did us good and we only met one couple along the way. Lady Barron is quite different from Russell Falls, but nevertheless, well worth a visit. Here are just a couple of pics:

Above is self explanatory and below, Simon & Jess sharing

the enjoyment of a great day

As I mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, Jess needed to attend a meeting in Sydney, leaving the two guys to enjoy a day at the Tahune rain forest. Here one is able to experience the magnitude of our trees and walk through the tree tops. It is yet another of those great spots near Hobart.

Looking around and walking among tree tops; looking below and realising the height of some of these timbers, and.........................and looking above:

Finally, we came to the cantilever and enjoyed the views both of it and from it.One can clearly see how the Picton and Huon Rivers join to become the Huon River from that spot on. Later in this chapter, we will visit that spot and cross both the Picton and the Huon - another enjoyable walk.

Simon in an unusually serious mood. He is good company!

We enjoyed walking to the Picton/Huon Rivers junction taking yet further photographic evidence of the beauty of this place:There are two swinging bridges to cross.It is rather hard to hold the camera still as the bridge does move plenty!

Along the way to Tahune, we stopped at a couple of places, enjoying the peace of the forests, staggered by the largeness of creation as well as the gentleness of the undergrowth, like:Then there was this giant 'old man' of the forest:

Or just another short walk in the Keogh rain forest, which is full of interest and information - and platipus if they show themselves:

One can get totally lost in these surroundings, listening to the wind in the trees and hearing the creek just bubbling along:

Then, all of a sudden a dramatic change as you turn another corner and see this amazing tree with a burr that is the delight of wood-turners:

Who will be my next visitor to share all this beauty? And yes, I do at times carry on a commentary, sharing my love for Tasmania. Other times, we are just quiet, enjoying the awesome inspiration one draws from God's handy work!

Rediscovering Tasmania - Wynyard

2009-10-12T14:21:00.012+11:00

October is an ideal time to visit the township of Wynyard, located on the north-west coast of Tasmania. In recent years, Wynyard has become especially known for its colourful show of tulips, grown on Table Cape.

The Colours of Wynyard - Bloomin' Tulip Festival draws many people and the town celebrates Spring over a weekend in October.

Wynyard is an increasingly popular tourist centre situated on the Inglis River with easy access to Bass Strait. I am told that today, visitors flock to see the local scenic attraction of Table Cape, a former volcano with views inland along the north coast. Table Cape, an intensely beautiful headland with views back to Wynyard, was originally named by Bass and Flinders who sailed along the coast in 1798.

The Table Cape on which the tulip farms are located with the
beautiful lighthouse - below, keeping a watch on shipping along the coast.The lookout, not far from the lighthouse, provides panorama
views of Wynyard, east along the coast.

I have always enjoyed Wynyard and during the 1950s visited the place regularly on Saturdays. It was from here that I had my first ever plane flight on board a tiny little single engine Auster, similar to the one below:On our recent visit to King Island (see Rediscover Tasmania - King Island), we flew over Wynyard and took the following stunning views (please make allowances for the discoloured aircraft windows that distorts the photograph somewhat).

Table Cape in the foreground - the site of the tulip farm, the town in the middle and the mountains to the south, including Valentine Peak gives a pretty good overview of this delightful place where people are friendly and there is much to see.Below, Table Cape as seen from the air with the lighthouse prominent:

Wynyard certainly comes alive in October when visitors come to enjoy the

The Colours of Wynyard - Bloomin' Tulip Festival

The town is well worth a special visit during this festival and especially to visit the tulip farms on Table Cape. The main tulip farm is located near the lighthouse on Table Cape and the combination of the two make for wonderful photographic opportunities:

So, enjoy the views with this 'old' man - hmmm! Old? I don't think so.
His eye for beauty is still A-OK!

When we were there a couple of weeks ago, the weather was quite outstanding, as the following small selection of photos will show - and don't be afraid to click on the images to get the full benefit of the colour and the perspective:

The above scene remind me of the 23rd Psalm - the Shepherd Psalm:

The Lord is my Shepherd; I have everything I need.
He lets me rest in pastures of green grass - surrounded by colour,
And leads me to quiet pools of fresh water.
He gives me new strength and guides me in the right paths.
Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid.
I know that your goodness and love will be with me all my life;
And your house will be my home as long as I live.

Psalm 23 Good News version.

Colour galore!And finally, these outstanding views - so colourful and majestic!

Visit Wynyard, and indeed the whole of the beautiful north west coast of Tasmania, and you will not be disappointed. It is peaceful & friendly with excellent food and accommodation.

Rediscovering Tasmania - Pieman River

2009-09-30T21:56:00.001+10:00

I do not cease to be amazed by the extraordinary beauty of the West Coast of Tasmania. It is rugged, unspoilt and just stunning. I had visited several parts of the west coast, including the Gordon River - a top tourist destination, the Arthur River - more remote and quiet, the several lakes and waterfalls, the mountains etc etc. One needs a lot of days to see it all thoroughly.

One place I had not visited was the Pieman River. It has been on the to-do list for some years, but just did not happen. Well, after Waratah, we drove through the stunning Tarkine Forests to Corinna, which is on the Pieman River and from where one has to cross the Pieman by barge - there is no bridge. It is named 'Fatman' Vehicle Barge and is now the only cable driven vehicular barge in Tasmania. When we arrived at Corinna, the first thing that struck me was, what appeared to me, a film-set, complete with all the appropriate props that one sees in western movies, except for horses and cowboys. Well, that was my first impression.Corinna, once named Royenrine was proclaimed a township in 1894. As a gold mining town in the late 1800s it had two hotels, one of which is still standing. 'The largest nugget of gold ever found in Tasmania weighed 243 ounces (6.89 kilograms) and was found in nearby Rocky River.' (Quote from 'A Wilderness getaway')

Today, the nugget of gold is the Pieman River's outstanding and unspoilt beauty. By the way, it was the explorer, Captain James Kelly who discovered the Pieman River in 1816 and orginally named it the Retreat River. But what a place!

Here we experienced the awesome power of creation in a way that I rarely experienced before. So, let me share just a tiny part of our experience. My personal experience was all the more profound in the context of the emptiness that was part of my life since my 70th birthday in April. It was on the Pieman River that I sensed a release from that emptiness as we traveled this wonderful waterway that included the Savage and Donaldson Rivers, which run into it.

With the regular cruise vessel (MV Arcadia II) out of commission, we were offered a small 8-seater boat and were the only two passengers on a day that was overcast & wet. Being a small boat, we were able to negotiate much further up the smaller Savage & Donaldson Rivers and were ever so grateful that the Arcadia was not operating at the time. Dale, our driver, was a great guy who obviously enjoyed our enthusiasm and our unbridled delight. He was happy to share his own love for the Pieman to the extent that he was late back at Corinna. Instead of 2 hours, we were gone for 2.75 hours. We were just hoping that he would not get into trouble over that. He certainly had two very grateful passengers who were gobsmacked with what he showed us. So perhaps, with these opening words, I should show you some of the magic, but have to warn you that photos do not do full justice nor can capture the absolue beauty we encountered.

But, I should start at the beginning.

The Corinna accommodation is outstanding with beautifully restored miners cottages and the building of new ones with that lovely old 1800s look. I highly recommend it!

The owners did a wonderful job and we enjoyed our 2-bedroom cottage immensely: It was delighfully private with the back verandah facing the bush
and wallaby just hopping around.
We were also on the look out for Tasmanian Devils, but did not see any:After a long day on the road, remembering that we left King Island that morning and spent time in Waratah as well, it was good to relax, facing the bush and hearing the rustling of the wind in the trees, and enjoying each other's company. It was good enough to down a bottle of Tasmanian red wine!

The following morning was time for our big adventure on the river. We rugged up and were glad we did as it was cold on the water, though once under way, we hardly noticed it. Dale, our driver steered us straight to where Huon Pine trees grew in abundance. Having done the Gordon River on a number of occasions, I just expected to see a bit more of the same - and that was always welcome. However, for me, the Pieman River had more Huon Pine than I have seen in any other place. Whereever we looked, we were surrounded by old trees, hundreds of years old, that are unique to our little Tassie. Nowhere in the world are they to be found. They mature only after hundred of years and can go back a couple of millenia. I love the trees and love the timber, which is popular with craftsmen for wood turning.

Above & below, Huon Pine trees, looking so small, but are hundreds of years old!An indication of the weather. It rained, but made for a special mood!The misty clouds added considerably to the atmosphere!

The whole trip was one magic scene after another. At every corner we anticipated variety with reflections, colourful trees, branches and tree trunks here, there and everywhere. We just took it all in and I kept thinking of that great song

'Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear hear the mighty thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed;
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee,
How great thou art!'

Do yourself a big favour and click on each image to enlarge it and share the full impact of our experience. Some of the detail astounded us (The white spots are as a result of the rain we could not avoid). The following selection of scenes is only a small sample of what we enjoyed:The tour included a visit to Lover's Falls and Dale took us through the rain forest to view and enjoy this fall. We all expected more water at the falls, but what we saw was special enough!

Above: The waterfall finally cascades into the Pieman River, and below, the pattern of the water among the ferns makes for a lovely photo.The isolated Lover's Fall, though not a large waterfall, was spectacular and so ideal in a rain forest setting.

From here, Dale steered the boat up the Donaldson River and once again we were entranced by the beauty and peace of this stretch of water. We were just so impressed with Dale's careful handling of the boat and at the same giving us maximum opportunity to take it all in. He himself was rather surprised how quickly the time went. So, the Donaldson River and you may say, 'More of the same'. Yes, perhaps, but yet so different. So, once again, a small selection of what we took:

Now you have to admit, the above ferns reflecting on the river is great,
and the mood along the river below just quietens the heart!This tree captured my attention and I love its character and how it is shaped. Fallen gracefully!This is about as far Dale dared to go. The rapids, the soft mist, the trees. It all added to the great morning we experienced!Above & below: We had company and were accompanied by this one cormorant

And finally, a scene on the Savage River where I want to return to in the foreseeable future, hire a kayak, and explore more of the Pieman River, the Savage River and the Donaldson River. Plus, a few bush walks won't go astray either.Anything I post after this blog chapter may be very mundane, but I'll try and give you a feast with a difference. I did get carried away with this one a bit and do not apologise. It was just a great adventure.

Rediscovering Tasmania - Waratah

2009-09-26T10:17:00.001+10:00

When traveling recently from Devonport to the West Coast, we decided to drop into the small settlement of Waratah. I first visited Waratah back sometime in the 1950s along with a friend of my father's who had worked there during its heyday as a mining town. Subsequently, I revisited the place in 1972 taking with me my own family. At that time I thought there was nothing particularly special about the place, but perhaps that was only because we just went to the Mount Bischoff mine that was closed in 1947.'The Mt Bischoff mine was discovered by farmer and part-time prospector James “Philosopher” Smith in 1871, and for many years was one of the world’s richest tin mines (Groves et al., 1972). After 70 years of continuous production, the Mt Bischoff mine finally closed in 1947.'

As Waratah looked during its mining boom
&
a photograph of James 'Philosopher Smith.
(love the beard!)

While we did not go to the mine site - which appeared to be working again, it was good to explore a little around the old town. It was splendid, very clean and well maintained. A credit to this small community. At its peak the town, which now has only a few hundred residents, had a population in excess of 5,000. Quite sizable and set in such a wonderful country side:Today, as you enter it, your eyes feast on a lovely little lake and is a great introduction to Waratah:The outstanding feature of the town surely has to be the waterfall and we enjoyed the various views of this:

Our first view from the Waratah hotel.And then getting closer to the fall just towering over our heads. All this at no cost. Wow!

Being a mining town with quite a history meant that there was lots of evidence of how things were in the past. The hotel I am sure was the main social centre hub where the locals both refreshed themselves and caught up with one another. I am quite certain that it was a very supportive community, as you would be when cut off from the outside world. Perhaps shades of our New Guinea experience? While we were there we chatted happily to some of the residents.

But the hotel had other attractions. Just have a look at the next photo,

and click on it to enjoy the read!'Darts, dice, billards, dodges with early closing hours, spruiking new gadgets in the magnificent Commercial room and osmiridium* nugget tendered as currency at the bar have enlivened Bischoff Hotel as a community meeting place.'
I love it! Wrest Point Casino, Hobart eat your heart out! 'New gadgets' defies imagination.

*Osmiridium is a rare alloy once mined in the Waratah district for use in the gold nibs of fountain pens. Now that is a bit of trivia worth noting!

I am sure that the hotel was a more enjoyable place for miners who, I lived in tiny miner's cottage like this:No doubt, the miner's life at that time was tough. Not only miners, but the whole infrastructure that went with it, including a railway:

From bullock teams .....to steam trains.

Finally, we visited the shed where the community set up restored machinery that stamped or crushed tin ore. We turned the machinery on for a couple of minutes, which is all we could stand. It was a terrifying noise and I am certain that the workers who operated this machinery must have suffered occupational deafness bigtime!

And below, this beautifully kept community hall:

Our visit to Waratah was a 'find' and it was thoroughly enjoyable. Great to rediscover a Tasmanian town like Waratah. And the town's name? I have no idea why it was named Waratah, but it is certainly a gorgeous name that of course belongs to that wonderful Tasmanian flower bearing the same name:

But, it was time to move on through the delightful ranges to the Pieman River.

A great vista indeed!