Greens

Did you know that the "leidmotiv" for my trip was trees?
Sometimes I've felt like Asterix's little dog, Idefix in French. The way I could seem obsessive about native trees and about how possums do such damage to NZ forests. I don't cry like that dog though.
In revenge for them eating up the forests I spent all the cash I had left on me at the airport on objects using possum fur!
Actually, possum fur is quite good. Had I had more cash, I probably would have gone for a fur hat, or for gloves of possum/merino wool.
Oh, I wasn't going to talk about possums but about trees.

My journey essentially went from forest to forest, the forests around the lakes of Rotorua, those on the East Cape, the Mount Te Mata area, the beech forests in the North of the South Island, Paparoa National Park, Haast pass, Peel forest, the Beech forest of Lewis pass (and the sand flies), the Waitakere Ranges on the way to KareKare beach and of course the forests on the Kauri coast.
I was looking for a form of exoticism consisting in losing the familiarity of my familiar trees or trees I had seen elsewhere in the world.
In New Zealand, I discovered trees with leaves like fir trees but not the trunks. I saw fern trees aplenty. I fell in love with the tortured shapes of the pohutukawa. I became fascinated by miniature ferns.

Every time I saw an unfamiliar pattern or shape, I tried to take a picture. This new slide show is the Picasa photo album where I stowed them all and some birds. Please, feel free to add a name or explanation if you recognize something.

Signing out from my desk, this is jetlagged Dona.

Day Last

Checking my mails a last time and going over all those nice memories as I post my last pictures on Picasa.
I'm sad today but not only because I'm leaving this wonderful country and had to say goodbye to some dear new friends but also because I woke up this morning to read that one of my aunts died last night.
I'll be back here from Belgium.
Signing out from Auckland, this is Dona.

Scuba Poor Knight's Islands

Today, I sang in a cave. A cave where also Neil Finn gave a concert!!
I had booked a "Discover Scuba" trip to the Poor Knights Islands, a group of vulcanic islands constituting a marine reserve. The 2 main islands used to be the home of Maori but are now being won back by the regenerating forest of pohutukawa and other natives. Because of the marine reserve no one is allowed to set foot on shore but the area welcomes diving parties almost every day of the year.
The famous cave is large as a cathedral. Over lunch time the skipper motored us right in and did a little tour inside before stopping the engine. that's when I couldn't help myself. I first gave a little shout and when that came back nicely, it was a more melodious "Good morning, good mooorning".
Someone generously boosted my ego asking me for another one and so I went for a shortened version of Gounot's Ave Maria. It was amazing to play with the space and the accoustics of this water cave. I sang in different directions to feel how the sound reacted and it was huge!
By the time I finished and looked down from the cave ceiling, I saw everyone had come up on the sun deck around me. It was just amazing to sing in these top-accoustic conditions!
Oh, and the water was cold on the first dive,just 16C, and it was hard to breath normally as the cold water sneeked into my wetsuit every move I made (including breathing). In the afternoon a nicer 18C made it more comfortable. Very nice to dive in these sub-tropical waters.
That morning, as the Calypso (yep!) mored off I heard someone say, Are you Brucelle? His google alert had signaled the blog entrance I posted the day before. An American neuro-psychologist, he is working here in the Northlands where only 10 'head-doctors' are available for the whole population. I learned a lot about the situation here. Very interesting. (BTW: stay in touch ;-)

Tutukaka!

Mm, that sounds like a proud toddler stepping off the pottie...
Check this one out: www.sandsmotel.co.nz and find out what I'm talking about! The very bay this motel is on has been recommended to me as one of the best snorkeling areas, so I'm off to hire me a wetsuit and stuff and enjoy!
Tomorrow, Dive Tutukaka is taking me to Poor Knights Island for a couple of dives in this area Cousteau himself recognised as one of the 10 finest diving places in the world!!! (note to self: cut down on the exclamation marks).
Yesterday, I stayed at Carlos & Kelly's place in Auckland. I'm happy to get to see them 3 times dring my stay here as they've invited me to also stay on my last night next week. Leaving them early in the morning I took my time to get here. Drove West from Aukland to Karekare beach where they shot the famous beach scene for The Piano, then North through Helensvill where they have kept most of the old building giving this city a nice feel. (uploading the pictures as I write this. If the slideshow is not up yet go to http://picasaweb.google.com/donacn2/FromSouthToNorthWanakaToTutukaka#)
By then, I felt the weight of the past days driving and decided to cut short on the touring and to head straight up to Whangarei to book a sleeping place before driving on to Tutukaka.
And that's how I got to Whangarei today, to find me a webcafe and book the diving thing. All I need to do for today is some shopping for food and drive back to the motel along that beautiful country road lined with stone walls and young Kauri's.
Signing out from Whangarei (Fangarai), this is Dona

Crossing the Straight & Southern Glaciers

Picton is still there to see me return to the North Island. I've arrived here an hour ago, just in time to pick up the sandals I'd left behind in the Sequoia Lodge and to take pictures of a local little church I notice on my way down. It is painted in the most daring colours: a very vibrant blue on walls and roof and a kind of bright light green on doors and windows.
Wanaka was finally the most southern place I visited. I didn't intend to go this far South but I met Volker, a german guy in Punakaiki who convinced me to go see the glaciers. And see the glaciers we did! We chartered a little Cessna 185 - just like what I used to fly!!!! - and it took us over the whole area around Mount Cook (LOTR!), Fox glacier, Franz Josef (Franzel for the friends) glacier and Tasman Glacier where we landed and stayed a while with the engine off..........
Let me tell you this: GLACIERS ARE BIG BAD MOTHERS !!!!!
I never figured they moved as much stone until I actually saw it with my own eyes. After the flight, we went to the glacier lake, filled with icebergs and surrounded by a 20m wall of rocks the glacier had pushed on before retreating...
WOW!
OK, back to the here and now.
After the glaciers Volker and I went our separate ways - unfortunately because we had good fun - and I started driving back North (Geraldine, Christchurch, Hanmer Springs, Murchinson, Blenheim, Picton) on my way to the Poor Knights Island that is said to be one of the world's best diving and snorkeling places. And I intend to do both!
My drive up North will probably be very simple: tonight I sleep in Wellington, at the Stillwater Lodge like on my way down and then it's straight up North towards Auckland and Whangarei. I'm not clear yet exactly which road to Auckland I'll take. Taupo or not Taupo.

Allrighdy, time to go check in for the Ferry. I hope to get to upload the pictures I took of the glacier flight and afterward before too long.
Until then, signing out from Picton, this is Dona.

I'm in a small town called Geraldine with a very poor connection but a very beautifull Peel Forest.
When I get to my next stop and a better connection I'll get the pictures up of this but also of the AMAZING glacier flight we took yesterday (!!!!!!!!) from Mount Cokk Village... I'm still very stunned.
Over and out.

Road music

I haven't talked about the sounds that go with the sights!

These are the CD's I listen to as I drive:
Loop 003 : 2 CD's, sort of NZ's buddah bar, a collection of NZ artists, cool
Trinity Roots-Home, Land and Sea : An NZ group, also kinda funky
"Once were warriors" soundtrack : Nice collection of NZ music and other stuff

Other stuff:
Bliss - Britten - Holst, a pastorale, Gloriana, Rig Veda: excellent for immense landscapes!
Pink, Funhouse : :o)
Soul Grooves *2: Another funky compilation, not NZ
Moby, Play: great road stuff

Loooosers:
Engelbert Humperdink, the collection : (only 5$NZ at a supermarket) I might finally learn the lyrics of "please release me"... (probably not :-$
Mozart's requiem (ed. Berlin Classics Basics): I think the first violin and the conductor are having relationship issues...

From a bus full of PC's very excellent internet speed in Franz Josef, this is Dona

Punakaiki

Punakaiki is located in the Paparoa national Park.
To give you an impression of the landscapes you find here, I would refer you to King Kong's Island in the last version (by new Zealand's own Peter jackson, of course).

From Punakaiki - Paparoa National Park

Today and tomorrow I'm going to do walks into the park. There's also the opportunity to do some kayaking and horseback trips. The horseback goes into private lands I couldn't go alone, so I may try that.
More soon, on this channel.
Signing out from Punakaiki, this is Dona

Pictures Updated!! and Children's books

My pictures are updated!!!
I've finaly managed to get them all out there. Some of them you can see on this blog but they now live on Picasa under 2 names: donacn & donacn2 (where I put the last ones)
You will also start to find comments with the pictures. The East Cape album is done now.
Children's books
And a little yummy for myself is the list of children's books I have found here. Pictures of their covers are in an album now on Picasa too, under donacn2 (http://picasaweb.google.com/donacn2/NZOzChildrenSBooks#). These books are all underway to my parent's house for them to enjoy as long as I'm out here :-)

Picton to Punakaiki

When I was walking around in Wellington I went through this - I think - typical crisis in every longer trip. "I'm going too fast. I can't keep up with what I'm experiencing". I get some of that with jet lags too.
As I realized this, I pulled the break and started thinking hard about what I really expect, what would make me happy. The simple conclusion is that there's too much to see, but also that there's a lot I don't want to see, at least now.
Quoting Janeton (drinking song character): "la morale de cette morale" is that I want to see trees, native trees and preferably forest-loads of them.
Picton is a nice base to get an impression of the Marlborough Strait and eventually do the Queen Charlotte walk. I did a the Snout walk out of Picton, as good climber and a bit of native forest, but learned from it that this area is not forest, it is only still reforestation. (Keep up the good work DOC)
A little visit to the Department of Conservation taught me that my dear forests were to the South, not at towards the Abel Tasman area - one down! - and mostly along the West Coast. So off I went.
Today's trip: Inland form Picton, over Blenheim, Murchinson to Westport, a bit of shopping & down to Punakaiki.
I'm staying at the Te Nikau Retreat. Imagin this: small buildings almost just huts, hidden under a jungle of fern trees and other native (yes! :-) growths. The PC I'm writing this from is in the main building but when I'm done, I'll be walking a few steps in the open and then down a narrow path descending into a narrow valley, under a roof of ferns and native trees. Still under this roof, some 20m further, the path franches off in 3 directions and my dorm house is just one of them. To the right it's to the beach and to the left it's to another cabin.
Outside, there's a big chicken without wings going about. It's a Weka, like a kiwi bird but with a shorter beak. Strange.
I might stay here for a few days.
I might even not go much further down the island, maybe just to Arthur's Pass and then back up, over Kaikoura.
Check out Punakaiki and Paparoa national park to find out why I can't leave too fast.
That's all for me tonight.
Check out the pictures in the top slide show here!!

The road to Wellington

The distances between place are not great in New Zealand but it takes you a while to get there. The maximum speed is only 100km/h and it is often slower due to road works, agglomerations or alp-like roads.
The road I drove take the diagonal from Center-East to South-West of the North Island and crossed a mountain ridge in the process. This mountain ridge was a big challenge to the European settlers and the then governement even "imported" scandinavians to beat the dense New Zealand forest. Town names remind you of the Danish Swedish and Norwegian ancestry.
I was tired when I arrived in Wellington. Neither of the two popular backpackers hostels looked attractive. Giving in to my lack of energy, I turned to the local "I Site" (tourism information point) who relocated me on the West coast, some 20 kilometers away. I am spending 2 nights in Mana, at the Stillwater lodge. Very pleasant and very accessible!
I have booked a ship to the South island on Wednesday evening so I have today and tomorrow to find out more about this city of wind and rain (Wellington, they call it). I must say, I think I prefer its atmosphere to that of Auckland. This city is more lively, diverse, cultural than Auckland. Or at least, it seems to be.

Mount Te Mata

Mount te Mata came to be because this god-guy wanted to impress a local skirt and took a bite off a mountain. It killed him but left a set of teeth marks in this one. By the way, she killed threw herself off the mountain and joined him in death...

I spent 1 1/2 days in Havelock North (the other Havelock is one he South Island, I asked) staying with Collin, a friend of my sister's. It is close to Napier, the city famous for its Art Deco center of town. I took a little tour. That evening, we drove up to the top of te Mata for a gorgeous view, had diner in a great Italian restaurant called Pipi (meaning seashell in maori I think) housed in a building totally painted pink and decorated with a great sense of humor. That night and the next, I slept in Collin's neighbour's transformed bus. This neighbour has turned a Japanese bus into a camper, complete with shower, toilet and widescreen TV!
The next day, we visited the local farmers' market, had lunch at the te Mata Cheese farm and took a nice walk around the Mohi Bush Reserve holding a nice collection of native plants. I took a picture of the golf range next to it where sheep graze around the flags.
That evening Collin cooked me a genuine New Zealand meal: a crown of lamb with an entree of barbecued asparagus and sides of some italian cabbage, pumkin and potatoes. Yummy!!!
The next day, I left early for the 300-something drive to Wellington.
Thank you Collin!!!

Rounding the East Cape

I promised you a story and here it is.
When I left Rotorua, the tourist trap, I drove off to the coast, to Whakatane where I slept in the Lloyd's Lodge kept by Dick and Kate. As we were only a few guests - a Swiss couple, a Taiwanese Australian, an Indian Kiwi and myself - we all had our own rooms. The Lodge itself is an old house that still is decorated the way it was made up 50 years ago. Yt in a surprisingly good state.
Not a very big town but the start of a beautiful coast line, Whakatane is named after a Maori chief's daughter who intervened where a woman wasn't supposed to, namely operate a canoe (or one of those big ones). When going out to great visitors, the men had left the women in the canoe. At some point the canoe started drifting off to the open sea. That's when this young lady undertook action against all 'savoir-vivre' and saved the canoe and its precious cargo. She has a statue in the harbor.
From Whakatane I had decided to follow the coast road all the way around to Gisborne and Napier.
The Pohutekawa tree is also called the Christmas tree as it blooms red around Christmas. It is a sturdy tree that grows into fabulous shapes when tortured by the winds.
Ohiwa harbor bay is an oyster farm area and a beautiful collection of little islands nested in lush vegetation (two dangerous words I'll want to use all the time here). It was hard to stop driving on that road because it was so beautiful. You'll see on my pictures that the wind was blowing very hard.
Opotiki, Opape, Hawai, Whiatianga, Okahu Point. I only stopped in Te Kaha, on a little peninsula where I found a spot sitting on some rocks, under large trees and with my feet on the dark beach sand, teased by some gulls.
Actually I made many stops on that road albeit to take pictures.
(SEE ALL PICTURES ON https://photos.app.goo.gl/420LbsUaP8E0Pspn2)
That afternoon, I kept driving until Te Araroa where I hoped to stay in a lodge that was recommended by the Lonely planet but heard that the owner had just sold this last lodging opportunity in the village. Mel's Place was apparently the place to go to. In Hicks bay on Onepoto (short bay) Beach Road. Mel and her husband moved to this bit of family ground some 19 years ago. There was only rocks and some grass then but they planted trees and after a while built their cottage and the side building that serves as a lodge. I took a picture of the view from the dorm, beautiful!
At Mel's, the sun wakes you up really early because there are no curtains. However she recommends that you wake up even earlier to drive to the East Cape lighthouse to see the sun rise even earlier. You'll be the first ones on the whole planet to see the sun on that calendar day!
I drove to the lighthouse around mid-day and even though it was well worth the trip over the gravel road, I was sorry I hadn't done it at day brake.
Tikitiki holds an old church that is probably the only Maori decorated building you get to visit freely. Normally the Maori carvings and paintings are on the Marae, the council houses, that are private to the Maori community.
Down in Ruatoria, the tourism information centre is held by a Maori. I assaulted him with questions about the Maori, about their political positions, about their economical views, on some key facts and figures and about much more. Thank you for your patience with me dear man!
The East coast of the cape is very different from the West. It is a coast of wide beaches and dryer weather. This is the coast where they shot "The Whale Rider"
GO SEE THE WHALE RIDER if you haven't seen it yet.
I spent that night in Tolaga Bay. Tolaga Bay has a delicious micro climate that makes you never want to leave......
It is also home to the longest pier in, was that in Australasia? I as more interested in the weather and the gorgeous looking streets in this small town. Streets called Endeavour, Resolution, Discovery and Adventure. It was hard to leave that cosy little cabin at the camping place next to the pier and my four and eight year-old neighbours.
From Tolaga Bay on the landscapes lost some of their fabulousness so it was easier to make a faster progress. I briefly stopped in Gisborne for books (nothing interesting), lunch and checking my emails. My ride ended on the Mahia peninsula. I drove around a bit to find something else than the motel in Mahia Beach the guide said was the only place but a lodge I found in Mahia was closed.
After checking into the motel I walked out the gates and onto the beach, adding some shells to my newly started collection. I was also tempted by a bit of driftwood that is now resting on the parcel shelve in the back of my car.
The Mahia peninsula hold a very nice little forest of native trees.
And that was the end of my trip around the East Cape.
From there I drove down to Napier to meet Collin, a friend of my sister Sophie. That's where i'm typing from right now. More in a next post.

Around the East Cape - Intro

A quick one just to introduce these beautiful three days I spent rounding the East Cape. Check your globe to spot it and prepare for the pictures I'll put on ASAP!!
From Gisborne, this is Dona

Rotorua, city of vulcanic activity and fast connexions

Rotorua is mostly promoted as a center of Maori culture, at least a place where tourist can gorge in maori events. It's the most advertised place in NZ. I haven't dipped my toe in it so I can't say how touristic or real-feel it is but I must say the idea of zoo-style stuff doesn't wet my apetite.
The best thing till now (arrived only last night ;-) is this internet cafe with a super high speed connection so I can finaly upload all my pictures. I'm going to set up slide shows on this blog and change them every time I check in so you get a nice feel of the action. (Note 2018: this doesn’t work anymore so just some pics)
Youth hostel kitchen !

Rotorua has a large range of spectacular vulcanic fenomenons such as hot pools, geisers, sulfur smell, and such. It is also an area rich in lakes so I'm hoping to do a nice walk this afternoon.
(SEE ALL PICTURES ON https://photos.app.goo.gl/VZ64oC1ymwZvlUas2)

this is a fun website to get an idea of the place: http://www.newzealand-webcams.com/tepuia/

Visiting Carlos and Kelly in Auckland

Neither Carlos nor I are very good at following up on stuff I thing like trying to reach people but anyway we did manage to connect and I met up with them at my arrival back in Auckland. At the Cathedral in Parnell, I had found they were playing Rossini's Petite Messe Solonelle and it was Beautiful!!

From there we drove to Devonport. A ferry will take you very quickly from the city center over the water but if you want to drive, you will have to go a long way around. On the other hand, driving around was the opportunity for Carlos to show me the area. Devonport used to be a bit shaby, a 'bohemian' neighbourhood. They considered buying something there but thought it was ridiculous to pay so much for houses that needed so much done. Now home prices have doubled and the population has slightly changed...
We went up Mt Victoria where I took the panoramic pictures shown here.

A cuppa tea in the afternoon sun followed by a walk by the shore and through the neighbourhood. I must come back here!
Kelly and Carlos took me around the map of New Zealand making all sorts of recommendations (I'm only here for a month!)
The next day, I visited a children's book shop up in Ponsonby and found a nice selection. The mail is taking them together with the Australian books I bought to Belgium, to my parent's house as I write. Some for myself (love'm) some for my new niece Julie (!!!!!), all to be enjoyed by all the family.
A quick lunch with carlos who had taken a day off for stuff and I'm on my way to Rotorua.
(SEE ALL PICTURES ON https://photos.app.goo.gl/JnhUrCplyXXB9WlE2)

Day 1 - Nov 1

I landed at 2pm. Just a 4hr flight but I had to wake up at 5am for it. Breakfast with Nina, an 8yr-old grand daughter who was sleeping over and was too excited when she heard me get up to go back to sleep.
My ethiopian cab driver studies accounting and has visited half the country in the 5 years he's been here.
At Auckland airport a bus took me to the car rental company for my new road buddy. A dark green tiny Toyota. Green just happens to be the theme for my trip :-)
9pm. I'm sitting in a piano bar, sipping on an OJ and listening to the local Fabulous Baker Boys...
Tomorrow, I'm meeting up with a friend from college (IHECS) to listen to a performance of Rossini's Petite Messe Solonelle in the Cathedral on Parnell road. Afterwards we'll have a walk on the other side of the harbor and then I'm spending one night at their home, in town.
Walking back to the hostel, I chat with a local. We discuss travel philosophy...

Bye bye Australia!

Today is my last day in Australia. Emirates is taking me back to NZ tomorrow morning (early :-( ...).
In one week, I've met almost all of my hosts family - Have I mentioned that they are friends of my grandmother whom I have known for almost 20 years? -, I've visited quite a bit of Melbourne, been down the Great Ocean Road and back over Ballarat, I've found some wonderful children's books like "Dairy of a Wombat" ("Morning: slept, scratched some itchy spots, slept some more" see http://www.jackiefrench.com/wombat.html), I've been sailing...
What's left on my check list?
Max is taking me on a walk through campus - Stephanie and him are both retired professors. And this afternoon, I'm going to wander around by foot and tram (very good!) through the center and some residential areas to look at building styles. Maybe, if I have time, I'll pop into the library and upload the pictures of my Great Ocean Road trip. (remember that all my pics are on Picasa, under donacn)
I'll be back here sometime this weekend, calling from Auckland.
Have a good one!

Sailing in Melbourne

Wednesday evening, Stephanie and Max' son Bruno had invited me on his ship for a small regatta off the Brighton shore (the one in Melbourne). They leave work early, get home to change and go to their ships to make it to the starting line on time. Life could be worse :o)

We had a starting time somewhere in the middle and finished in the top quarter. Not bad! Of course, my precious contribution consisted of taking pictures, making conversation, having a beer (?!? it was a Stella!) and staying out of the way.
Check out the picture in the slide show on the left.

Here's the setting sun reflecting on the Eureka building - one of my host's building projects.

Thank you Bruno and crew for a very pleasant evening.

Pictures!

There seemed to have been a little issue of absence of large bandwidth. Fortunately Melbourne has University libraries where you can use a machine for free for an hour and upload all you want.
By the way, my pictures are stored on Picasa (http://picasaweb.google.com/donacn) and if you have a gmail address, you can check them all out.

** note from the future: Picasso’s never made it !! It’s Google Photo now!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/JdRCjYOPphDg8zKq1

Melbourne - The end - 5 o'clock tea

A cuppa at the Andiamo in one of those nice alleys that run through the big blocks making up the center of Melbourne.

This is where you'll find the boutiques, the cafe's and lunch bars and restaurants and the specialized shops. Away from the cars and trams and from the franchises.
I ran into a Margiela boutique around the corner for example. Mmm, franchise?
People of all nationalities walk and work out here.
Australia (and Auckland, NZ) are like Europe far away from Europe. Except that the ethnical mix is much greater than what we know back home. On top of the European mix come people from every corner of Asia and Oceania. I feel very humble as a European, a former colonist.

(SEE ALL PICS ON https://photos.app.goo.gl/JdRCjYOPphDg8zKq1)

Best breakfast maybe ever!

Warrnambool, Victoria, Figgselers Cafe.
This morning, Figgy's served me two poached eggs with green asparagus, spinach & mushrooms on toast adn can say without a doubt it was the best breakast I can remember ever having had!
My dish looked and smelled great. The ingredients were fresh and tasty. The preparation was simple and skilled and the dish was nutriciously balanced.
What else could a woman want?
Figgy's Field Brekky!

Great Ocean Road - Ocean view

From Great Ocean Road and back over Ballarat 28-29/10/2008:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/CYBoI9t22rnYbv8L2
I'm sitting in an alcove in the rocks. In front of me is the ocean. Behind the horizon there are icebergs and penguins and other furry creatures.
I'm protected from the wind and warmed by the sun. [Panoramic picture to be posted]
Bread and capsicum and smoked salmon. Mmmmmm

Great Ocean Road - First leg

I stopped for some groceries and a cup of tea. Aireys Inlet Shopping Center. A general store, a fish monger, a diner, a surf shop, a pharmacy and a bakery. Oh, and a gas station.
This also is the Great Ocean Road.
Yesterday I picked up a rental car. It's been since Ireland that I haven't sat an the right hand side - a little fly is annoying me, flying around my face - As I drove off from the rental company I tried to focus on one thing at the time. Left lanyu, oh, hand brake, look left, speed limit, NO! not the wind screen whipers! the blinkers! etc.
Then I missed and exit on a roundabout and had to mavigate back to the right bearing.
Now, day @, I still hit the whipers when I want the blinkers.
Around 1 pm, I'll find myself a nice picnic spot by the sea and est my groceries.

(retro-post)
I had been hearing a lot about the Botanical Gardens of Melbourne and decided to take a walk there from Federation Square.
Note to self: distances are always greater in reality than they seem on a map.
At Federation Square, I crossed the river and turned left into the park. This is a nice walk because it give you a good view on the skyline of the city center. As I suggested a few lines ago, it took me a bit longer to get to the Botanical gardens than I thought. THere are a few parks between the gardens and the city.
People on their lunch break taking a stroll, joggers, runners running up and down a slope with backpacks on, magpies diving for my sunglasses...

You can really lay back in the botanical gardens, choose one of the areas that fits the mood you're in and walk around or sit on a bench or on the lawns. The way I walked in took me through an area that reminded me of botanical gardens in Bogor I think, were we would go for picnics when I was a kid.
I also did my Tai Chi in a Chinese style corner. Very appropriate.
Unexpectedly, I found the book shop by the pond to have an excellent collection of childrens books. Ever read "Diary of a Wombat"?

Pictures of the gardens: https://photos.app.goo.gl/HJApEfubKVinbMlx2

The NGV - Australian Art (2)

- Arthur Streeton, "balloon on fire", (WWI), painting
Landscapes of war stricken Europe, not lugubrious and bloody, blue skies and all, yet still war. Quiet green hills under a summer sky and 4 fumes fall down from very high. 4 balloons on fire.
A surprising view on World War I.
- Sid Long, "farm landscape", 1905, painting
Eucalyptus trees rising to the sky like smoke. The top of the trees ending in a blank sky in lines very "Art Nouveau" or Eagon Schiele.
- Rayner Hoff, "Faun and Nymph" 1924, bronze
A daring scene for those times. Yet it strikes me especially as a brilliant composition showing a perfect balance of the two bodies, both hanging back, holding each other by the arms. Like the famous Pieta, you can look at it from almost any side and admire it's perfection.

Federation Square

Belgian Callebaut chocolate in the entrance hall of the NGV

Isn't this bird 'animation' lovely? from a previous exhibition

Detail of the entrance hall

A sculpture inside the gallery

Pictures on https://photos.app.goo.gl/yAzyBlw2pKomcFjp1

NGV front entrance seen from graffiti alley.

NGV - Australian Art (1)

From Federation Square and the NGV on Indigenous art

The National Gallery of Victoria has 2 museums in Melbourne. Yesterday I visited the smaller one, on Australian Art, situated on the famous Federal Square.
Through a foundation, they have been encouraging and recording indigenous art for a few decades and show an interesting collection of paintings and sculptures. What I found most interesting though was a series of video interviews with some artists.
About artistic and mystical sensibilities (very approximate transcription): "I have been taught by my father who had magical powers. I also have magical powers. (...) I thought about it for a month and the subject became part of me. Then I made a painting. (...) Some subject may not be painted. They are dangerous."
I think he was talking about how some thoughts can drive you crazy as they confront you with impossibilities or with themes that are so huge that your mind cannot grasp them. Frightening.
Max, a retired professor in Philosophy, has written a book on Indigenous (Aboriginal) religions and is trying to explain some of it to me.
Maybe that is the strangeness of this art, that it entwines the religious thought so tightly.
We are not used to that kind of intensity.
(the NGV has a permanent collection of Indigenous art on show and is now also hosting a temporary exhibition)

No pictures today

Technology is great!
when it works...
Since my arrival in Melbourne 3 days ago, I couldn't seem to access my emails or my blog. Now I've got that sorted out but I still cannot put my pictures online. I'm working on a Mac and can't seem to find a USB port to fit my device in. I'll have to ask Max or Stephanie, my hosts, when they return.

Jetlag

I don't sleep well in planes. This time I slept twice for maybe one hour over 34 hours
My brain and body are showing the exhaustion. I don't memorize instructions I get. I feel like I'm in a constant earthquake. It is hard to focus with my eyes.
This morning, an airport shuttle took me to the hostel I had chosen from the guide. Oddly, I couldn't manage to understand how to use the payphones to call them from the airport. So i took the risk and just went there.
I'm sleeping in a mixed dorm of 8.
When you land at 6am, by the time you get to your hotel, most tenants are still asleep. The building is an old wooden house. Our dorm room had a very nice chimney of white marble and windows looking out on a wild, wild garden.[note: it's funny because I've been to the same hostel again since and it doesn't look wild at all?!? Jetlags...]
Walking back to town I could take a closer took at this town. There were some trafficjams but nothing compared to Brussels of Paris!!
The city is populated by huge sub-tropical trees that radiate peace and bliss. They make me feel good. I absolutely need to get to those forest I've read so much about.

A long visit to the Tourism Information desk to organise a car, a diving course, bus stops out here. Around the corner, St Matthew's church building looks inviting, calling me in to sing while these people discuss soms sort of even. Carlos's appartment turns out to be accross the street from the church. Now one home.

Here at the Internet Cafe, my head is spinning and I can hardly type. Young guys at the computers around me shout out enthusiastically at the game they are playing.
Tomorrow I fly off at 18:45. That's it for me guys. Let me get myself some groceries and then go and get some sleep.

[note: pictures at https://photos.app.goo.gl/JnhUrCplyXXB9WlE2)

What happened to the 22nd?

Today is the 23 rd of October. It has been since about 4 or 5 this morning. That's when our flight crossed the dayline.
I will never know what the 22nd of October, 2008 was like ...
Was it a good day? a bad day? a sunny day? a groundhog day?
It could have been the 20th that went missing. My birthday would not have taken place. I would not have gotten older.
My 21st of October lasted for 36 hours.
How was yours?

LAX, October 21

I'm halfway to New Zealand. Landing procedure. Pack up cabin bag. Get off the plane. hand over the green form. wait. Start eating a complementary apple. It looks like Snowwhite's apple but is absolutely tasteless. Toss it in the bin. Wait. Freshen up in transit lavatories. Wait. Board again.
I'm halfway to New Zealand !!!!

Sleep (October 21)

Heathrow, a bit later - I feel tired. For some time now, I haven't been able to go to sleep in time. There are some sleeping pills in my bag and maybe I shold use them on board.
I like sleeping. I enjoy rebooting in the morning wondering how time passed me by during the night. Before I can get there however, therealways is the night's "eve". Questions. "Have I done the things I was going to do?" "Have I done them the best I can, the best way I can?" Yep, I also procrastinate on sleep...

Day 1, Thursday October 21

Over the Channel, the sky is clear. I an't see the Chunnel terminal even though I have a clear sight on both sides of the narrow passage. Maybe it is hidden below us, out of my sight.
After the dreary skies in brussels, I think this is a good omen> Yeah, I shouldn't be looking for those but I'm still nervous about leaving for so long when I've only just started my new business.
14:17 - I'm drinking tea in Heathrow while waiting for my flight. 2 more hours before take-off.

Less than 48 hours

I've been throwing stuff in my open suitcase for about a week now. Tomorrow, my last day before departure, I should check it for any missing stuff. And then it'll be to late anyway LOL.
The best holidays are those with minimal planning. All you need to organize is how to get there (and back) and maybe your first night. (note to self: add "book a room for night 1" to my checklist).
This is SO exciting, yet I must admit very overwhelming... leaving for 6 weeks requires another level of preparation than for 2 weeks.
I need to go get some sleep. Tomorrow I work early.

15 days to go!

Tonight, I'm back on my blog to relate my trip to the other side of our planet; aka down under. My plan is to visit New Zealand pretty extensively but to start with a little sidestep to Melbourne to visit friends and to do a summary introduction to Oz.
I'll either post my pictures here or put links to Picasa as it goes.
BTW, I have this theory about the Wizard of Oz. I think it was written as an expression of anti-Australian feelings that were ongoing in the States in those days. Oz as a mysterious yet hostile country where nice and cute little American girl where in danger but where they could save some lost souls. Like true heroes.
I've booked my tickets and bought Lonely Planet guides for NZ and for Tramping NZ. That's about it. More to come soon.

Frail fins in the sand

This picture was taken about a year ago, on the beach near the northern lighthouse of Texel island, the Netherlands. I love the abstractness of this landscape. It would be hard to guess what size the fins are if you didn't have that woman in the back, and yet.
It seems the wind blows at a very regular speed over the beach, scraping it for its fine sand. Where the fine sand is held down by a heavier grain of sand or some other debris, the wind can only scrape past it. Still blowing hard but very regularly, the level of the beach lowered up to an inch, leaving these amazing little fins to look like miniature sharks have taken over the beach.

Limiting myself to excellence

Pre-viz

Have you ever done a visualization exercise? I've discovered an unexpected side of it tonight.

Years ago, a friend told me to visualize things I wanted to achieve. Picturing the different fazes of getting there and of course the completed achievement. Doing this seriously could guarantee the success of anything I would endeavor.
She would practice visualizing her future systematically and indeed, I saw her achieving things that blew my mind, changing her career path, moving abroad, working on her relationship etc.
I admired her for it, as of course I couldn't even get the first picture in focus. My mind would go all over the place and redesign the world instead.

Tonight, at an entrepreneurial networking event, there was a small workshop on visualizing your business project. The coach took us on a path, through a curtain, over a bridge and then off some stairs. I make it sound cheesy but actually, I was in to it and enjoyed my trip.
- In my mind, visualization was about visuals, pictures. Like taking a photograph... -
Somewhere down the stairs, she made us walk into our project sometime in the future when we will have reached success. "have a good look around and check out all the details you can see".

I step off the stairs, into that space and start looking for a desk, a computer, a pot plant... There was a large empty room. A very large room but no furniture or such stuff.
Suddenly I realized there was something else there that I wasn't expecting but that was far more essential to the space, to me. I opened my mind a bit further and I noticed the room was spacious, it was very luminous and there was an energy, a vibe.

So, there you go. My subconscious mind tells me it is totally OK to define my expectations purely subjectively. In the end, that's what it all comes down to. If the so-called vibes are good, ones material needs are much more limited.

On this happy thought, I bid you sweet dreams!
Brucelle

Today, I did some research on the net to understand the results of an IQ-test I took a long time ago. My point was to understand how the doctor came to the conclusion that I have an operational dyscalulia. Maybe it would help me to make progress in the way I deal with it.
These WAIS-III (see wikipedia for basics) test results mention a V-IQ and a P-IQ and there is an important different between both on my sheet. The numbers stuff were all under V-IQ, where I scored lower. ??

Here are some of the sites I read:
- http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=7&n=22
- www.radford.edu/~bhiltons/IQ%20Test%20InterpretationWAIS.ppt
- Wikipedia of course

What I found out was that the report was unclear because it showed my results in this grouping (VIQ-PIQ). It was impossible to deduce anything this way.


When I grouped my results under the four categories VCI, WMI, POI & PSI, the interpretation jumped out: the problem was all under WMI (Working memory Index).
"Working Memory Index:
Number ability and sequential processing. Responding to oral stimuli that involve the handling of numbers and/or letters in a step-by-step, sequential fashion and require a good, nondistractible attention span for success"
My scores were lower on Digit Span and much lower on Arithmetic: A poor short-term memory makes it hard for me to do arithmetics, calculus and remember procedures easily.
In practice, I've learned that simply using pen & paper or a calculator or an Exel worksheet is all I need to be operational with numbers. Where things can go wrong is when the subject of the discussion is numbers. Unless I get enough time to visualise, to give the numbers a framework, they quickly end being a part of my reality. Or worse, I misunderstand their value (Million? Billion? Zillion? whatever!).
A funny one is when I tell a whole story about something and after a while I'm asked if I don't mean the opposite. It turns out I've been using the opposite term all the time (i.e. dyslexia instead of dyscalculia)
Now, what I have is only a light form of dyscalculia. It's no fun but it's manageable. I can learn to get around it.
Learning disabilities can also have advantages. Some people mention a sort of "gift" they have. I think - not sure- that mine make me better at grasping the big picture, visualising, seeing patterns.

Check out the links I mention or Google for more. Brains are interesting subjects
Brucelle

Music

Poulenc. I don't know much about the guy but every time we meet, he makes me sweat. I suffer big time.
I'm talking about his compositions by the way. I think he's been dead for a while.
He's written some gorgeous music for polyphonies but every time, his love for dissonances got in the way.
We were rehearsing his Ave verum corpus tonight and I tripped on the same bar I always have. Previously, I sang it with a group of some 15 female voices. In other words, there was always my neighbor to pick me up when I lost my note. This time it's just a soprano, a mezzo and me, down in the basement (I'm a counter-alt). When I'm wrong, I'm all on my own, bringing the whole thing down...
Poulenc is tough but once you get used to the chord he put together, it sounds so obvious its frustrating. You see, I'm trying to tell myself I just have to sit down and play the chords to myself until I have it set in that head of mine.
Modern music isn't always pleasant but I've experienced it quite a few times that it looked like a torture at first read and after a while, when everyone's got their notes, it is incredible.
The Ave verum corpus has bits of harmonious melodies linked together by very strange chords - about four of them - and I keep struggling with the last one.

By the way, singing can be better than sex...
Have you ever tried singing in an old church? The good ones can have wonderful acoustics that makes you voice sound so much better. The best ones can blow you away at your first sound, give you the impression that you can sculpt their space with your voice, mold the sound of your music in the air around you.

Better than sex I tell you!
Brucelle