Games near the Port of Newcastle.





Indonesian shadow puppets refer to figures from mythology. Those old traditions must have been popular and it seems that diverse beliefs were acceptable in Indonesia.

Spot the Wicked Camper. Travelling north? Visit Newcastle! Then further on do the outstanding Woodford Folk Festival 27 Dec to 1 Jan, just beyond Brisbane (with camping) our answer to Glastonbury.

In response to an objection to an outrageous slogan on a van it was said: "It is a parody like all our vans. They're effectively taking the mickey out of every subject we do" Particularly in the case of the home grown vans in this country.
Jesus said follow me...I am the way...he loves you even if no one else does

Going like a blur.
Non-wicked van, contour design and a traveller from the Netherlands.
Above: not up to standard at all.
And this is not a wicked .......

Onion domes have sprouted in the park as part of the Moscow Circus which features international stars, acrobats, death defying acts and........ the Globe of Death motorbike stunt.

The circus is from Michael Edgley who has long been part of the entertaiment industry. Originally the family were English immigrants.
In the 1960's Eric Edgley established an innovative working relationship with the Russian authorities and started bringing Russian performers to the West beginning with 25 members of the Bolshoi Ballet touring Australia in 1962 and followed on by other renowed attractions and extravaganzas presented by the Michael Edgley company.

The villagers are restless. Coal miners are knocking at their door.
(Incidentally rainwater collected in a tank is used by the household - I guess)
In a river cool on a causeway crossing in the Hunter valley.


Q&A: Durian.
Remarkable pungent fleshy fruit!
Bahasa Indonesia or maybe Malay.

In this district the properties, farmhouses and hobby farms are deserted and have been acquired by the coal mining industry.
The locality, Anvil Hill, will be mined and renamed Mangoola by the Xstrata company. I imagine much of the area, far and wide, is subject to exploration and mining leases.



Below Q&A: Bagaimana isinya?
(Bahasa Indonesia)

The protests were in vain and the mine went ahead in the Hunter valley.
The government has just set a target of 5% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. We need more reductions. By various means coal mining can't lose out - yet.
Our lifestyle in this country is very extravagent. We have to pay the price for greenhouse gas emissions. We could have suffered losses for a worthwhile cause like climate change instead of 'donating' our investments to gangster financiers on the other side of the 'free' world.


Bahasa Indonesia

'St John' of radio NEWFM wed this very afternoon! The happy couple looked splendid and a traditional Filipeno outfit was worn by the groom.

At first sight it looks good but how embarrassing.
Motorcycle trike and trailer mit roadside assistance.

Instead of baggage at the airport there sat another Triumph motorcycle with its own 'armour plated' 'saddle bags'. Tiger: no danger of this one becoming extinct! Liquid cooled 12 valve DOHC in line 3 cylinder, 1050, with sequential electronic fuel injection.
Please do not sit on display!!


Q&A: Benda apakah itu?
Who knows, just some Australiana from the souvineer shelves at the airport.

As if chasing a storm. Storms arrive in November-December and the tropical wet season hits the far north.


Q&A: mana yang tinggi? mana yang rendah?
(Bahasa Indonesia)

Straw coloured fields in the Hunter valley.
Childhood stories by Mary O'Hara and greener times are recalled in: The Green Grass Of Wyoming and My Friend Flicka, when Flicka was a horse rather than a program!




Q&A: Rambutan. (Bahasa Indonesia)

This store is a surprise package. In the Hunter valley, this cavernous old shop, in Aberdeen, has a unique rear wall that divides the household off from the 'busy' trading floor.
Originally, I imagine, various trading departments would have extended back into the recesses instead of this fantastic construction.

Signs and Wonders. Here is believed to be a new sign with new wording. Kiss and Ride Area!
All measures are tried so as to prevent road accidents from occuring outside our schools.

The school year ends next week. At least this society keeps some individuality in that way.
I vote for a turn around with the local Christmas celebrated in June, Easter in September and all the rest!

Last stop
All trains of thought
Shunt off.

Here is a full scale Hornby-style model railway.
Silver trains, on auto, run back and forth, almost on the shore line. All Change! Toot toot!
Heroic-the-tug-boat and Shortland-the-Stockton-Ferry exchange 'hello' while Harry-the-Cafe-on-wheels-tram-car joins in and animates the conversation in a landscape full of authentic detail against the backdrop of old-hilly-city fanned by salty-sea-breeze.
'I do want to look my best for the new CCTV,' Ms City-rail is heard to say.

The inner suburbs are served by a short branch line and Newcastle Station is on the end of the line, a hop step and jump from the best beach and within spitting distance of the Harbour. These features might be considered quaint.
The GPT Group propose to transform the city and suggest removal of the the railway line along the harbourside section and a bus transit service instead - all of which has merit.
All the same, it was always wondered by me if the roadway along the foreshore was ideal as it divides and hassels and uses up a lot of the narrow tract of land along the foreshore.
Photo below: at the end of the line.

Darley Australia stud, near Aberdeen was peaceful in the Upper Hunter Valley.
The ruler of Dubai, Seikh Mohammed Bin Rashi Al Maktoum, who is into global breeding and racing operations, is the owner.
Darley has now purchased Woodland Stud which is another large enterprise that had been in the hands of a local identity, Bob Ingham, who is said to have received $500million.
Other millionaires from the Middle East and Ireland have similar thoroughbred breeding interests in the valley.


The Islamic calendar is marked by Eid al-Adha of the 8-11th December. The festival recalls Abraham's role and observances would be followed by millions, even billions of people, who, from where I am situated, form a somewhat parallel universe and follow an alternative traditional calendar.

The State Premier was about to depart from an event in Sydney.
Closer to home, the Toy Run is on today and it has been said that Newcastle has one of the best.
Possibly the Toy Run predominates in this country but Google refers to some others around the globe. Hard to know.
Hundreds of bikers do their bit and ride with donations of toys for charity for Christmas giving.

No horse power. The Car broke down. Roadside assistance from NRMA Motoring and Services. At least it was a convenient place for repairs.

Scone in the Upper Hunter Valley is home to the thoroughbred.
Mare and Foal, in bronze, has pride of place in Elizabeth Park. Scone is a small country centre where the horse reigns supreme in the surrounding shire.


Siart yr Wyddor a luniwyd gan T C Evans, Cadrawd, tua 1900. National Museum of Wales. Extract for study purposes.

Coasting along in the Hunter Valley humming Along the Road To Gundagai or, to be really over the top, pleasant Songs from the Auvergne.


Rustic Czech chic:

Countryside of the Scone and Aberdeen region of the Hunter Valley.
The sight of nature, on a wonderful day, is splendid. Is it like The Unbearable Lightness Of Being of the Czech novel (and the old movie), although, the lightness is really related, with some charm, to complexity, to instincts and to the mystery of life.


Below: A Czech children's book - at least, that's my guess. From Brink Brink Cililink by A Janouskova. An extract for study purposes.

Memorials. Memorials contrasted with exuberant students.
Further to the photo of the carillon several days ago is the grand sandstone tower in which is installed the University of Sydney War Memorial Carillon.
The bells were cast and installed by John Taylor & Co of Leicestershire and after various modifications over time the carillon now has 54 bells with a range of four and a half octaves and is fully chromatic.
The lowest note (the bourdon) is the G on the bottom line in the bass stave; it weighs over 4 tonnes. The overtones include the minor third that gives the bell its characteristic mournful sound.
Recitals include a free session every Sunday afternoon at 2pm. (this information is from the Recital Booklet)
The dulcet tones of the bells were unobtrusive and filled the afternoon air with melody quite free of electronic overkill and I believe, the minor overtones, did create an unexpected effect.


In the vicinity is the Nicholson Museum where another memorial is found from ancient Rome with Greek inscription as below:
....For Felix The sweetest child His nurse (made this) as a memorial.

We all grieved for some little children from our part of the world this past week.

Passengers on the Cremorne ferry.

Vale : Joern Utzon, designer of the Sydney Opera House.
Trivia: The shape of the opera house is formed by rearranging the segments of half a sphere.
A day ahead of myself my round theme was also posted previous to this.