Post #146 21 July 2017

Gentlefolk,

This post covers events / activities in the first part of July 2017.

Next week we leave for six weeks in Indonesia (2 in Bali, 4 in Java). Then a week in Perth on the way home.  We haven't been to Perth for many years, and this was a good opportunity to see some friends there.  So my next post will probably be in October.

The highlight of early-July was the visit to Canberra by my ex-student Yu Zhi Chao (Charles) and his parents Yu Cheng Zeng and Niu Cai Qin. They stayed with us for 3 nights.  Visits such as this make you get out and see more of Canberra's attractions.

Other highlights in July, including international, were:

I concluded the last post wondering if Roger Federer would win Wimbledon?  Well, we now know that he beat Marin Cilic in straight sets. That was his 8th Wimbledon title, and his 19th Grand Slam. At the ripe old age of almost 36, Federer is playing superb tennis.  Amazing athlete and such a nice guy to boot. What a champion.

BBC announced that the next "Doctor" (as in Doctor Who) would be a woman, Jodie Whittaker.

The probe into possible Russian interference in the 2016 US Presidential Election intensified with the revelation that Donald Trump Jr (and others) met with Russians in June 2016. Republicans haven't been able to agree on a replacement for Obamacare. Polls show Donald Trump's approval rating as President down to 36%.

The Iraqi Govt announced the defeat of Islamic State with the re-taking of Mosul.  But ISIS still exists in countryside and in parts of Syria.

Australia's Chief Scientist, Alan Finkel, presented his report to the Government on Australia's energy crisis. But conservatives within the Liberal-National Coalition expressed concern at coal's diminishing role.  In the meantime, electricity and gas prices in many parts of Australia rose by 20% on 1 July 2017. Ouch!

The dismal regular season of Super 16 Rugby came to an end. The Brumbies topped the Australian Conference (despite suffering defeats by the Reds and Chiefs in the last two games).  All the Australian teams were woeful this year - not a single victory against a NZ team! Tonight, the first round of the play-offs, the Brumbies take on the Hurricanes ... it will take a miracle ...

Here are some photos of July 2017:

I opened an account at the Kingston Branch of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) way back in 1968 when I worked for the Australian Chamber of Manufactures in Barton.  This branch closed on 30 June 2017, the fate of many small bank branches around the country.  The end of an era.  RIP.

The Indonesian Families Association (AIFA) had a lunch on 2 July to celebrate the end of Ramadan, the Moslem month of fasting.  The new Indonesian Ambassador, HE Kristianto Legawa, attended.  As it happens, both the Ambassador and his wife are Christians (90% of Indonesians are Moslems), but they actively support all community activities.

Lots of delicious Indonesian food, prepared by AIFA members, was available.

Yu Zhi Chao was my student in Qingdao; he then did engineering at the University of Wollongong.  His parents, Yu Cheng Zeng and Niu Cai Qin came to Australia for his graduation.  They stayed with us for 3 nights. We showed them around Canberra, Parliament House (above) and the War Memorial.

We found some kangaroos in the bush behind Ainslie.

The view from the top of Mount Ainslie.  It was a beautiful, clear, bright winter's day.

Teaching Vera how to make dumplings (jiaozi).

Delicious home-made dumplings.

Having dinner in our apartment.

On 12 July we took the train to Sydney, to say goodbye to Jolene Liampo who has been looking after Andrew & Caroline's children in Hong Kong and here.  She is a lovely lady, kind and thoughtful, wonderful with kids.  There are three trains a day between Canberra and Sydney.  It takes 4 hours to cover the 300 km.  Comfortable enough, but a bit slow (in China the journey would take about 1.5 hours by fast train!).  We caught the 7am train which arrived at Central at 11am, and then the 6.15pm return train. The train station is only about 300m from our apartment in Kingston.

An early-morning view from the train.  Heavy frost covered the ground. 

Jolene with Baby Jay, Vera, and Andrew with Little Eddie. We will miss Jolene!

Baby Jay is now 4 months old. She is gorgeous!!!!

Vera feeding Jay-Jay.  At this age all they seem to do is eat and poo!!

My turn to feed Jay-Jay.  

Niniek (Caroline's mother), with Little Eddie.  He is developing into a great little boy; loves "The Lion King" which he insists on us reading to him 2 or 3 times a day.

My sister Angie Ulrichsen flew to Europe for a holiday.  Saying farewell at Canberra Airport, from left: me, Aniko Carey, Vera, Angie, and Peter Carey. Singapore Air now has direct flights from Canberra to Singapore. 

On 20 July we had lunch with Graham Kendall who has been teaching English at Bin Hai College in Qingdao (about 5km from our former university UPC).  He is back in Sydney for the "summer vacation" - will return to Qingdao next month, in time for the start of the new academic year. Vera and I are in Sydney for a week to look after Little Eddie and Baby Jay while Andrew and Caroline participate in a trade display in Melbourne.   In a few days we fly to Bali for the start of our 6 week tour around Indonesia.

Here are some photos taken around Sydney.  The first three show the "Welcome Wall" - names of immigrants  - at the Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour.  Twenty years ago Vera & I had the following subscription put on the Wall "Akos Olah and Edeltraut Goerner and family".

The entrance to the Chinese Garden, near Darling Harbour.

Interesting architecture at the University of Technology Sydney.  Good to see something out of the ordinary.

The facade of the building in Surry Hills where Andrew and Caroline live in their apartment. It was an old church hall, and the developer had to keep the facade when they converted it into apartments.  Very convenient, about 300m from the South Concourse of Central Station.  They are adjacent to Prince Alfred Park.

Surry Hills is an old part of Sydney.  Many "workers cottages", as shown in the next three photos. By Australian standards it is "crowded", but nothing like Hong Kong or China.

A photo of St Mary's Cathedral, the main Catholic church near the centre of Sydney, taken from Hyde Park.  About 25% of Australians call themselves Catholics.

...

When I started this post I wondered if there was enough material to make it meaningful, but I needn't have worried.  We actually live fairly busy lives.  An advantage of keeping a blog - makes you look back and reflect on the things that took place.

Three other events are worth mentioning.

The first was an "author's talk" at the Asia Bookroom by Madeleine O'Dea. She spoke about her book published last year "Art, resistance and the making of modern China".  Madeleine went to Beijing in 1986 as a stringer for the Australian Financial Review.  We lived in Beijing at that time, and many of her comments about China in the 1980s resonated with us.

On 13 July I had dinner with a group of teachers from ANU College (Margie, Fiona, Kelsey, and Jasmin).  They asked if I was going to apply to teach another Access Intensive English course in November / December / January?   I dunno; just can't get too enthused.  Will have to decide soon.

The third event was my talk to U3A on "Some aspects of Chinese Culture", 10am - 12 noon on Tuesday 4 July 2017.  I focused on rather esoteric questions, such as: "Why does one see so few old people in China?";  "Why doesn't the game Chinese Whispers work in China?"; "Are there left-handed Chinese?"; "Why do many young Chinese admire Jews?" 35 U3A members attended and we had a lively and interesting discussion.

...

That's all for this post.

Next week we are off to Indonesia.  It is unlikely that I'll have time for any posts during our trip, so the next post will probably be in October 2017.

Best wishes, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Alex & Vera Olah
Sydney, Australia
Friday 21 July 2017