Post #179 29 July 2018

Gentlefolk,

This post describes some of our activities in July 2018.

Vera & I spent almost 3 weeks in Sydney during July, babysitting grandkids; first a stint of 2 weeks while Caroline and Andrew attended a friend's wedding in Mexico, then back to Canberra for a week before heading to Sydney for another 5 days while they participated in a big furniture fair in Melbourne. Great opportunity for us to connect with Fast Eddie and Little Jay-Jay.

But first a look at international happenings.

The biggest international event during July was the Football World Cup, with the Quarter Finals (France beat Uruguay, Belgium beat Brazil, England beat Sweden, and Croatia beat Russia), then the Semi Finals (Croatia beat England and France beat Belgium), the finally the Final (Belgium beat England to claim 3rd spot, and France 4 beat Croatia 2 to win the World Cup).

At Wimbeldon the Men's Semi Finals saw two very long matches: Djokovic beat Nadal in 5 hours 16 minutes and Anderson beat Isner in 6 hours and 36 minutes. In the Final Djokovic took just 65 minutes to beat Anderson.  In the Women's singles Angelique Kerber beat Serena Williams.

The whole world was transfixed by the rescue of a junior soccer team in up-country Thailand.  The team of 12 boys and their coach were exploring deep inside a big cave network when they became trapped by rising waters.  They were found intact after 9 days (a miracle!) and then it took another 8 days to get them out.  Aussie, British and American teams participated in the rescue effort.

President Trump attended a NATO meeting in Brussels where he blasted members (especially Germany); he then visited Great Britain; finally he met with Putin in Helsinki - afterwards he faced wide-spread criticism for  not confronting Putin about Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

In Brazil, Ecke Batista was sentenced to 30 years in jail for corruption; in 2012 Batista was rated the 7th richest person on earth (net value estimated at $35b). The bigger they are the harder they fall!

This photo by Zhang Kuang Long of the famous mosque in Isfahan won an iPhone photo competition (found it on the internet).  Isn't it stunning?  We were at that mosque in April - composing a shot like that takes special talent.

Here are some photos of July:

We took the train from Canberra to Sydney and return.  It's just a 10 minute walk from our apartment to Canberra Train Station.  Then it's a 15 minute walk to Andrew & Caroline's place at Surry Hills.  The photo shows the main board at Sydney's Central Railway Station.

One of the entrances to platforms at Central Station. The NSW Govt has announced plans for a major upgrade of Central Station; it is a grand old building, a landmark, but definitely could do with a face-lift.

The train we travelled on from Canberra to Sydney. The 300km journey takes 4 hours (a Chinese fast train would cover that distance in about 1.5 hours). Although slow, it is a comfortable way to travel.  There has been talk of a fast train connecting Brisbane - Sydney - Canberra - Melbourne but I doubt it will happen.  Our population is just too small and our love of cars too great.

Some of Vera's relatives (from her father's side) came for dinner.

We had lunch with old friends Carole and Rob Hodge, in a great little Chinese restaurant on Broadway. Carole works just up the road at University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

We had lunch with Yu Zhi Chao (Charles) who was one of my students at the China University of Petroleum in Qingdao.  Charles went on to do Engineering at Wollongong University and is now working in Sydney (at this stage he is running special courses for Chinese students - finding a job as an engineer has proven difficult).

With Charles we went to a Sichuan restaurant on George Street, called YX Taste. 

While in Sydney we visited the venerable Queen Victoria Building on the corner of George and Park Streets.

We always like to get down to China Town in Sydney. Lots of great restaurants.

Another lunch, this time with two of Vera's relatives, Maggie and Sianny at a Thai restaurant called "Home" on Sussex Street. 

The Thai restaurant had an open, and very busy, kitchen. It was very popular due to its delicious food and reasonable price.

I spent some time manning the Reddie shop, 322 Crown Street, Surry Hills. They normally have more furniture on display, but had to take some to the Fair in Melbourne.  

The children, Eddie and Jay, attend the Surry Hills Child Care Centre 4 days a week.  It is a 15 minute walk from their apartment (and 10 minutes from the Reddie shop).  Actually, it recently celebrated its 100th anniversary - founded in 1918 as SDN, to provide care for children of low-income families who lived in the district.  It is still a "not-for-profit" organisation; doesn't mean it is cheaper than privately-owned Child Care Centres, but at least profit isn't the main motivation.

Eddie with a teacher at SDN, and Vera talking to three of Eddie's class. The staff and students are multi-cultural, from many different backgrounds.  Andrew and Caroline have been very happy with the service provided. The kids are in a safe, clean, well-run place with dedicated staff and good facilities.  We dropped the kids off at about 9am and picked them up at 5pm.

Eddie, almost 4 and a half, is developing into a great little person.  We are known to Eddie and Jay as Oma and Opa (German-style) to differentiate us from Caroline's parents, Paul & Niniek, their other grandparents.

Fridays the kids have swimming classes at the Indigenous Sports Centre in George Street, Redfern; Eddie is first, and then Jay has her lesson.

Vera looked after Jay during this lesson.  Because Australians love the beach, it is very important for children to learn to swim at an early age.

Andrew & Caroline's apartment is across the street from Prince Alfred Park, which has good facilities for children.

Snack time in the Park.

A chance to roll around on the grass.  After a couple of cool days (after all, it is winter here), it warmed up and we had some lovely warm days (but the nights were cold).

Vera showing the kids a video on her phone. How quickly kids develop these days, they are exposed to so many creative experiences from an early age.

Eddie and Jay-jay engrossed in a TV program.  

Big brother feeding little sister.  Jay-Jay is always hungry these days - certainly enjoys her food.  She is strong and healthy, not quite walking yet, but a champion crawler. 

Eddie and I playing a version of Scrabble - instead of words Eddie likes to put names of school friends to letters.  

Time for the nightly bath.

After bath, time to brush teeth before bed.

Jay in her pram. On Sunday we took the kids to Darling Harbour (about 25 minute walk), then jumped on a ferry which took us to Watson's Bay and back to Circular Quay.

We took the ferry from Pyrmont Wharf near Darling Harbour. Beautiful clear, sunny day, but a cool breeze.

The ferry went under the Harbour Bridge ...

... and past the famous Opera House.  We went all the way to Watson's Bay and back to Circular Quay.  From there we took a train to Central and walked home.  It was a "day of discovery" for the kids.

Parents are back - happy times!

Andrew & Caroline back from their travels; and we headed back home to Canberra.

Back home in Canberra.  We attended the opening of an exhibition of photos of Beijing in 1901-2 at the China Centre, ANU.

A photo with Emeritus Professor Richard Rigby who officiated at the opening.  We served together at the Australian Embassy, Beijing in 1984 - 6.  Richard was in the Political Section and I was in the Trade Section. He later left Foreign Affairs for an academic career in Chinese Studies at the ANU.

We met Rod and Judy Power at the Photo Exhibition.  I worked with Rod at the Chief Minister's Department of the ACT Government in 2007.

A photo of Beijing 1901 - street barber.

Old Beijing had a big wall around the inner city, which was pulled down in the 1950s.

Another photo of Old Beijing - man with birds.  How life has changed!

Canberra Winter Festival in Civic.  The weather has been cold (night minimums regularly down to minus 7C, daytime maximums around +12C).

A skating rink was set up in Garema Place, Civic.

As part of the Winter Festival the Australia China Friendship Society ran two "Lantern-making Workshops".  I was responsible for getting families to come in to the tent, while Vera helped with making the lanterns. Good free family fun.

A family at the Lantern making Workshop.

Three children delighted with the lanterns they made.

We saw two French films: "Back to Burgundy" a lovely, easy-paced story about 3 young people who inherit a vineyard when their father dies, and "See you up there" a much more complex film set in the aftermath of the First World War. We love French movies - so much more "real" than most American movies. 

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On a personal note, Vera had a shock diagnosis and is booked in for a minor operation next week.  We are very grateful that Canberra has such great medical facilities, albeit expensive.  

A few weeks ago my right knee suddenly "blew up" after using the leg-press at the gym for the first time.  I hoped it would self-correct, and it is now getting better, but it has taken much longer than expected.

Vera & I discovered "Nordic Noir" on TV and enjoyed watching programs such as MODUS, GreyZone, Blue Eyes, and The Bridge.  All sub-titled of course, but that didn't detract from these excellent series.  Our normal go-to television channel is the govt-sponsored ABC but its programming is suffering from continuous budget cuts by the conservative government. 

I read "Finding My Virginity" by Richard Branson (2017).  He is an extraordinary person, a 'doer', who loves challenging himself both in business and in his personal life. His (limited) experience of Donald Trump makes interesting reading.

Another book about another extraordinary man is "Captain James Cook" by Richard Hough (1994).  What drove Cook, the son of a Yorkshire labourer, to explore largely unchartered waters?  Three amazing voyages around the Pacific Ocean: 1768 - 71 to observe the transit of Venus from Tahiti (his ship, HMS Endeavour, was only 30m long x 9m wide and carried 94; in 1770 he discovered the east coast of Australia and claimed it for Great Britain); 1772 - 75 to search for the Great South Land; and 1776 - 79 to look for a North West Passage. Explorer, navigator, surveyor, scientist, captain, leader, negotiator, husband, the list goes on and on.  A truly remarkable person.

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That's it for this post.

Best wishes, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Alex Olah and Vera Olah

Canberra, Australia

Sunday, 29 July 2018