Post #167 30 March 2018

Gentlefolk,

This post covers the period 16 - 30 March 2018.

We spent a week in Sydney helping Andrew with the kids while Caroline was visiting the factory in Indonesia - Vera very busy (while I was very much in a supporting role). Gave us a chance to connect with the kids, Eddie now 4 and Jay just 1 year old: uber-cute.

President Trump continued to dominate the news: replaced his National Security Adviser, General H R McMaster with Ambassador John Bolton (via twitter!); replaced VA Secretary David Shulkin with White House physician Admiral Dr Ronny Jackson; foreshadowed punitive tariffs on a range of imports from China; Stormy Daniels and others described relationships; expressed direct criticism (via twitter) of Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

President Putin was reelected for another 6 years - surprised?  Britain (and other countries) expelled Russian diplomats in response to the Skripal nerve-agent incident in Salisbury.

Am reading Part 1 of Kevin Rudd's autobiography "Not for the faint-hearted" published last year.  From growing up on a small farm to becoming Prime Minister - an incredible story. We both worked at the Australian Embassy in Beijing 1985 - 86. Kevin was in the Political Section and I was in the Trade Section; our paths didn't cross too often but he was impressive even then.  His time as PM was cut short (the subject of Part 2) which I thought was a great pity - he had a vision of a better Australia.

On 18 March the blog passed 20,000 hits - a milestone!

Here are some photos of things we got involved with during this fortnight.

Canberra band "Super Rats" playing Romanian folk music at Smith's Alternative on Friday 16 March.  It was a bit like Hungarian gypsy music - ranges from lively to melancholy. Smith's is a great little music place in Canberra City, cafe by day and then a 50-seat music venue at night.

Lunch for Vera's birthday, from left: Ami Spinks, Ibu Supomo; me; Tony Spinks; Vera; and Demsi. Lovely friends.

On Saturday night 17 March I went to the Brumbies Super Rugby first home game with Paul Nicoll. After suffering a couple of losses they had a good win, 24 - 17, over the Durban Sharks.  Here winger Henry Speight is signing autographs for fans after the game. While the Brumbies have been the best Australian side in recent years we have not started well and the Melbourne Rebels look like usurping our spot this year.

The Annual General Meeting of the Australian Indonesian Families Association was held at Ketut Nanik Clynes' place in Monash on Sunday 18 March.  First a delicious lunch (the Indons have their priorities right!) then the formalities.  It is a fun group which organises a number of social events during the year for the Indonesian community.  Ketut Nanik Clynes will be the President again (she did a great job last year); Vera was elected to serve on the 2018 AIFA Committee (I am on the Committee of the Australia China Friendship Society, so we will both be doing our bit).

Vera & I spent 20 - 27 March in Sydney to help Andrew with the kids while Caroline was in Indonesia.  Here are Vera and Andrew in front of the kids' Day Care Center; they are there Monday to Thursday from about 9.30am to 5.30pm.

  Andrew and Caroline have leased a shop at 322 Crown Street, Surry Hills - a big commitment, but they needed somewhere to display the Reddie range of furniture (www.reddie.com.au). Unusual neighbours: a pizza joint on one side and a Caribbean bar on the other!  The first 6 weeks has been a steep learning curve, but early indications are positive (fingers crossed!). Operating a small business is challenging and we admire Andrew & Caroline for having a go. 

Andrew having a snack inside his shop.

Andrew describing the Reddie furniture range to Vera and our friend Michael Kramer (just back from a trip to South America). 

Jay and Eddie relaxing at home.

We took Eddie and Jay-jay over the road to Prince Alfred Park for a picnic.

Eddie attends a 'learn-to-swim' class at the pool in Prince Alfred Park.  Afterwards we walked down to Redfern for his soccer class.

On our return from soccer training Eddie and I watched this rally by citizens concerned about the environment. The organisers claimed 10,000 people participated (seemed fewer to me).  They marched from Town Hall up to Prince Alfred Park where there were speeches and music.

One of the interesting floats in the procession.

About 30 farmers on horseback participated in the rally.  This guy rode down to the stage and gave an impassioned plea to do more to save the environment.  Something spooked his horse which reared up he almost fell off.

Music was provided by the Bushwhackers Band - good sound - Eddie was embarrassed by my dancing.

One of the other horses in the rally.  

We caught up with old friends, Carole and Rob Hodge, over lunch at a Chinese restaurant.  We first met them back in 1985 when Rob was doing business in China and I was in the Trade Section of the Embassy.  Carole works in the International Students Department of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). She said that UTS has about 14,000 foreign students, mainly from China and India.  

This is the restaurant where we had lunch.  It is on Broadway, not far from UTS. Good food, and relatively inexpensive - lots of young Chinese (presumably students) there.

Some of the dishes on offer at this restaurant.

Back to Canberra - a group of friends have lunch every Wednesday, from left: Neale Emanuel, Noel Cock, me, David Evans (the other regular is Paul Flint, but he was away). We go to different restaurants every week;  life is so busy that a regular commitment like this is a good way to keep in touch.

March 29, a photo with Geoff Baker who presented the U3A course on "Napoleon".  This was the last of 8 lectures.  Geoff is a great lecturer, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and brought Napoleon "to life" for the class.   An amazing story: from growing up in isolated Corsica, Napoleon became a General (in the French artillery) by the age of 25, and five years later crowned himself Emperor of France!  He was a military genius, but he was finally beaten by the Russian winter (same thing happened to Hitler). I'm really enjoying the range of study offered by the University of the Third Age.

The view from our balcony.  A bit hard to tell, but the leaves on the trees are starting to turn.  Autumn has arrived - cool nights, down to a chilly minimum of 2C last night; but the days are still very pleasant with maximums in the mid 20sC. Another month and Canberra's maximums will be ten degrees less.

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Well, that's it for this post.

The National Folk Festival is on in Canberra over this (Easter) long-weekend.  We would normally attend (wonderful music) but are preparing for our trip to Iran.  We are going with a group organised by the Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA).  Vera is concerned about personal security, but I'm confident it will be OK. I've been doing some background reading, and am really looking forward to experiencing ancient Persian culture (although it is now labelled a "rogue state" by some).

There won't be time to do any posts while we are away; will catch up when we are back in Canberra at the beginning of May.

Best wishes, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Vera & Alex Olah
Canberra, Australia
Friday 30 March 2018

Post #166 19 March 2018

Gentlefolk,

This post covers activities / events in which we were involved in the first two weeks of March 2018.

My intention was to do one post for all of March, but quite a lot going on so I decided to split the month in two.

Some highlights:

For me the highlight of the period was the death of Stephen Hawking on 14 March 2018.  At the age of 21 he was diagnosed with motor neuron disease and given 2 years to live - instead he lived until the age of 76 and became a world-renowned physicist.  A truly remarkable person. In the wonderful movie "The theory of everything" Hawking was portrayed by Eddie Redmayne (an amazing performance for which he got an Oscar).

Important news from Beijing - the National Peoples Congress (NPC) removed term limits, so commentators are speculating that Xi Jin Ping will lead China for many, many years to come.

President Trump agreed to meet Kim Jong-un, leader of North Korea.  Wouldn't you love to be a "fly on the wall" at that meeting?

President Trump imposed 25% and 10% tariffs on imported steel and aluminium. Strong reaction from trading partners.  After intense lobbying Australia was exempted (the USA has a trade surplus with us so Trump sees us a 'good guys').  Canada, the major steel supplier to the US, got a temporary reprieve.  I suspect that the message was basically aimed at China (although Chinese steel exports to the US are relatively small), but Trump is determined to reduce America's huge trade deficit with China.

Here are photos of some of the activities in which Vera and I were involved during the first 2 weeks of March.

On Saturday 3 March the ACFS organised a Lantern Festival. In Chinese culture the Lantern Festival is held 2 weeks after Chinese New Year, and marks the end of those celebrations.  The event was held 6 - 9pm in the Beijing Gardens, on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin.  It was a beautiful, balmy, autumn evening.   

 Canberra has a large and active Chinese community which put on displays of music, dancing, martial arts, etc.

Around 700 people, including many families and children, attended the Lantern Festival. I was responsible for "publicity" and tried to place items about the event in newspapers, magazines and websites - so a big relief to see such a good turn-out. Many people brought picnics and the Committee also had drinks and snacks for sale.  

The evening started with a performance by the Chinese Traditional Orchestra from the ANU School of Music.

Dance performance.

Performance of martial arts.

Demonstration of tai chi.

A family group in the Chinese Pavilion.

Judging of the best hand-made lantern.  This was followed by a Lion Dance and the Festival concluded with a lantern parade around the Gardens. 

The following day, 4 March, the Chinese Embassy had an "Open Day" for invited guests.  The Chinese Embassy is one of the most outstanding Embassies in Canberra.  Grand building, surrounded by lovely gardens. 

A poster promoting China - Australia relations.

Vera listening to girls playing traditional instruments.

Dance performance.

The Embassy has extensive gardens, including a small but lovely lake.

A poster welcoming the Year of the Dog.

This gentleman was demonstrating Chinese calligraphy.

And now for something completely different ... we came across this group of enthusiasts who seek to promote Medieval jousting and fencing - the elaborate costumes - these guys take it seriously.

Statues of Prime Minister John Curtin walking with his Treasurer Ben Chifley in about 1944 (Chifley became PM when Curtin died the following year).  When they were in Canberra they stayed at the Kurrajong Hotel which was within easy walking distance of Old Parliament House, and these statues are on that route.

We invited some friends from the Canberra Old Time Dance Club (New Vogue or Sequence dancing) for afternoon tea.  From left: Bob Stoddard, Eugen and Nee Braun, Kaye Stoddard, and Vera.  We are very pleased to have started dancing again - it's fun, gentle exercise, and the people are great.

To mark its 50th anniversary (opened on 15 August 1968) the National Library of Australia has an exhibition titled "Changing Times" on events which took place in 1968. Highlights: John Gorton becomes Australian Prime Minister (after disappearance of Harold Holt); Biafra famine; Tet Offensive; Prague Spring; student demonstrations in Paris, London, Berlin; assassination of Martin Luther King and later Bobby Kennedy; Nixon beat Humphrey in the US election; Beatles 'White Album'; 2001 A Space Odyssey; Mexico Olympics; etc.

My friend David Evans in front of a French poster from 1968. 

I gave two lectures on "Aspects of Chinese Culture" to a group at the University of the Third Age (U3A).

Some of the U3A group. The class is People, Places and Ideas, and individual members do presentations on subjects which interest them (for example, the week after me, a lady did a very good lecture on "The Arabs").  Another course I am doing at the moment is on "Napoleon"; the lecturer is Geoff Baker who has made a close study of Napoleon Bonaparte's life - amazing story.

On 10 March Vera and I went up to Sydney for the combined birthday parties of our grandkids: Jay turned one, and Eddie turned 4.  Caroline and Andrew invited friends and family, and kids from Eddie's class at day care.  

Vera with little Jay-Jay, who just turned one.

Paul Milton (Caroline's father) with James Hutton, a school buddy of Andrew's.

Birthday boy Eddie (4 years old) with his friend Jet.

We returned from Sydney in time to attend the "Symphony in the Park", and annual event in Canberra.  The theme was "Queen" and a Freddie Mercury impersonator was backed up by the entire Canberra Symphony Orchestra - a big, big sound.

Part of the large crowd in Commonwealth Park.  It was a beautiful autumn night.

We went to the concert with old friends Helen and Neil Moffat.

Freddie Mercury performing on stage.

Another shot of Freddie Mercury - it was amazing, he looked, sang and moved just like the real thing!

Many prominent buildings, like Old Parliament House here, have special light displays during the annual Enlighten Festival in Canberra.

This depiction of a famous painting was on the facade of the National Gallery.

On 12 March we drove to Bowral (about 180km from Canberra) to have lunch with old friends Tomoko and John Scott and see their marvellous new home.

First drinks in the lovely garden ...

... then lunch inside.  Tomoko prepared a delicious meal.From left: Christine Brill, Ian Loiterton; Vera; Logan Brill; Tomoko & John Scott; Sharon Loiterton.  We attended the Australian National University back in the mid-1960s.  I had the pleasure of working with John during a posting in Brazil: he is a great character: smart, wonderful raconteur, and talented sportsman. 

Vera & I registered to do the U3A course "Travellers Tales - Iran, Land of Persians" presented by Ross Howard.  He has been to more countries than I have had hot dinners, and has a terrific, down-to-earth presentation style. He will give 4 two-hour lectures on Iran, introducing the country, its people, and culture. Fascinating part of the world. 

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As I write this post the latest news is that President Trump has replaced Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, with Mike Pompeo.  The new head of the CIA will be Gina Haspel, 61, the first female to hold that position. Talk about 'revolving doors' - there's never a dull moment with this President.

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Best wishes, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Vera & Alex Olah
Canberra, Australia
Monday 19 March 2018