Farewell to Canberra - Amazing Friends, Food and Fun in Melbourne

Farewell to Canberra - Amazing Friends, Food and Fun in Melbourne

Week Two (Wed. Oct 27 - Wed. Nov. 4, 2015)

Wednesday, October 27, 2015

Today was a multi-facetted day. We had a slow start to the morning with a leisurely breakfast prepared by Chris. Laundry followed closely after breakfast and the bright sunshine and clear blue sky beckoned us to hang the clothes outside. While out in the yard, I took advantage of the fine light to take several photos of the amazing spring flowers that were blooming in every corner of the yard. Pink, yellow, white, purple, red and orange flowers brought this property to life. How lovely to be enjoying spring flowers in October!

Around lunchtime, Chris, Harold, Jim and I climbed into the car and headed for the newly created Arboretum.  Some of you may recall that about 10 years ago, a vicious bushfire consumed many, many square miles of Australian bushland around Canberra. At one point the fire ventured into the city and destroyed more than 40 homes and killed several people. As the area healed from the fire and new growth began to appear, Canberra did significant planning about how to best use the masses of land affected and destroyed by the fire. One initiative was to create a new, enlarged arboretum, a place that would feature Australian trees and plants and also trees and plants from around the world. Sitting atop a high hill just outside town, the vista over the city itself is magnificent. One very special view is Parliament House far in the distance.

Following our visit to the Arboretum, we took a country drive through much of the area that was destroyed by the fire. Even now, remnants of trees are visible on the ground. What is wonderful though, is the amount of vegetation that has grown up all over the area. Most of the land is now covered with native Australian plants and trees, many of which actually require fire to break open the shells of the seeds so that they can germinate and take root. No more replanted pine plantations. How remarkable is the nature that surrounds us.

We made a quick stop at Cotter Dam which was under construction during our last visit three years ago. What an impressive structure, indeed, holding back millions of gallons of water and controlling its flow through the Murrumbidgee River. We enjoyed sighting several species of Australian birds frequent this area.

Back toward town, Jim and I were increasingly aware of how much Canberra has grown and developed over the last three years. New office buildings, enhanced roadways, more expressways, new suburbs, even discussion about adding light rail transit. Of course, that decision is controversial as it has been at home and the reality of the plan still lies years into the future.

We enjoyed a delicious meal around the table back at home and again, the air was filled with many topics of conversation. One by one we drifted off to bed …. And I am left writing this blog. Time to close. Good night.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

As we awakened this morning, another beautiful day was waiting for us. Brilliant sunshine, clear blue skies and a comfortable temperature. Following another cooked breakfast (thanks, Chris), we headed off on an adventure. Today we were going on a journey that would take us across mountains, through valleys, traversing Australian bushland and finally driving along the east coast of Australia with the deep blue Pacific Ocean at our side.

Each time we travel the streets of Canberra, we are impressed with the progress being made in the city and the building and road construction that accompanies it. It has been 20 years since we lived here and much of it now is not recognizable to us.  It does take a lot longer to reach the countryside than it did 20 years ago. But it remains a beautiful, well kept city, standing proudly as the nation’s capital.

We headed east and travelled along a major freeway for a short distance before turning off on a secondary road.  As we made the turn, the landscape changed from agricultural land to forest. There was very little traffic along this road and virtually no towns or even homes. Stretching as far as the eye could see on both sides of the road was Australian wilderness. Eucalyptus forests, fragrant and tall.  Native plants, abundant and often in bloom. Many varieties of birds flew through the air. Although we kept our eyes peeled, we did not see any 4 footed wildlife. It was the middle of the day and most would be nestled into the undergrowth for a siesta.

At one point, I inquired about the proximity of the nearest town (code for “I need a bathroom break”). The response was “about 50 kilometres from here”. Guess I will have to wait!

At last we came to a more major intersection and turned in the direction of Berry, a lovely country town that featured a corner pub, several cafes, some commercial shops and a clockmaker. That was our destination. Harold and Chris have a Swiss cuckoo clock in need of maintenance and this clockmaker is one of the few in Australia who provides that service. After dropping the clock off, we stopped for lunch at an outdoor café. It was a great place to watch people wander along the street and the food we ordered was delicious.

Back into the car, we turned in the direction of the coast. We traversed some high mountains and meandered through valleys. Along a ridge road, we caught our first glimpse of the Pacific and it was breathtaking. Such a vast expanse of deep blue water stretching to the horizon and beyond. It sparkled in the midday sun and gentle waves broke along the shoreline. Rugged cliffs and sandy beaches alternated along the shore.

We finally descended the hills to the level of the ocean.  In places the road was so close we could almost reach out and touch the water.  Waves broke on the rocky shoreline and spray cascaded into the air. 

We travelled north toward Woolongong and Sydney, seeking a new bridge that had been constructed hugging the cliffs, yet protruding out over the water.  And suddenly we were on it. High cliffs to our left, water to our right … and the ocean lapping directly under the road on which we were driving. It was quite a sensation to be suspended over the ocean, only secured by the metal rods attached to the cliff face. What a feat of engineering. And what a graceful structure. Beauty in nature and structure!

We traversed the bridge twice and then turned the car toward home. We had travelled quite a distance and had a 3 hour voyage ahead of us. Happily, the daylight lingers here well into the evening and we made it home just at dusk.

Our next thought was dinner. There was a new Nepalese restaurant in The Manuka shops, very close to home. We even found a parking space directly across from the restaurant.  Attentive service, a delightful ambience and delicious food worked together to create a wonderful meal. We ordered some dumplings, a chicken appetizer, three mild vindaloos (pork, goat and lamb) as well as a plate of grilled vegetables.  Bread and rice accompanied the main dishes. The quantities were perfect. Not a morsel was left.

Back home for a cup of tea and soon to bed. It had been a long and very enjoyable day. Many thanks to our good friends, Harold and Chris, for planning this perfect day.

Friday, October 30 – Sunday, November 1, 2015

We packed our bags, enjoyed one last cooked breakfast prepared by Chris and said our final good-byes …. Until next time. Chris dropped us off at the Canberra Airport and we checked in for our flight to Melbourne. Unfortunately the flight was delayed by several hours so our wait at the airport proved to be longer than anticipated. But at last, we were airborne and landed comfortably in Melbourne about 3 in the afternoon.

Picking up our bags was straightforward and so was collecting our rental car. There was a car waiting in the rental parking lot with our name on it. We simply had to put the key in the ignition and we were on our way. Although the traffic was heavy, the roads were quite familiar and we enjoyed our drive along the freeway, across the Bolte Bridge, through the cross-town tunnel, arriving in Glen Waverley about 5 pm.

David and Sue Morgan, our hosts, had prepared a very pleasant room for us. We were looking forward to being in one place for almost 3 weeks. We settled into this familiar setting (we have stayed with the Morgans in the past) and totally relaxed. A delicious evening meal followed accompanied by steady conversation, catching up on family news, travel plans, politics, housing prices and updates on friends. We truly felt like we had come home.

Saturday morning found us at the Glen, the local shopping mall, with the Saturday morning coffee group. This group has been gathering at the Glen every Saturday since we first lived here in 2000. The membership has changed slightly over the years and the group has grown. The conversation is always lively and, on occasion, raucous laughter fills the air and draws the attention of other people. On this particular Saturday, fourteen people gathered around the tables and share in the conversation and laughter. We were warmly welcomed back into the fold. It truly felt like we had been there just last week.

After coffee, we took a short time to begin to plan our itinerary for the 2 ½ weeks that we are here. There are many people we want to catch up with and we needed to get our calendar organized. Emails, phone calls and facebook messages went out and soon we were negotiating space in our calendar to fit all the events in.

We were happy to spend much of Saturday afternoon and evening with John and Barbara Hurst (who had visited us in March). We met their granddaughter, Jemima, who is about 2 weeks older than Clara. She is as cute as a button and was busily trying to learn how to climb a step and turn around to sit on it. She was very happy with her success and celebrated each time she did her new trick.

Saturday dinner was specially prepared by Barb to reflect the tastes of Australia – three Australian salads, including a beetroot salad, one of our favourite, and delicious and succulent barbequed kangaroo. We enjoyed being able to sit out on their deck, enjoying the sounds of the birds that faded as dark fell. And still the evening continued since it was warm enough to be very comfortable in the open air. As with Morgans, we had lots to catch up on and thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

We finished the evening by skyping with our grandchildren (and their parents). They were just starting their day in great anticipation of Halloween activities that would fill their evening. Edward and Wesley were excited about their costumes and little Clara had no idea what was in store for her.  It was fun to see them and have a conversation but it also made me feel a long distance away in space and time. One of the downsides of long distance travel.

Sunday morning dawned bright and beautiful. As was our pattern when we lived here, we headed off to church. Glen Waverley Church remains in our hearts for the kindnesses and warmth we received from the day we first attended a service. We felt the warmth again this morning as we arrived and were instantly recognized and greeted by so many friends. What a joy it was!

One short story … there is a new minister at Glen Waverley who does not know anything about us. Neil was certainly aware of us, perhaps from the attention we received prior to the service, or from our familiarity with the church and its routines during the service. Many people also gathered around our pew immediately after the service for a chat. Finally, Neil made his way over to our corner and greeted us with a “Hello” that had questions laced through his tone. Clearly he had discerned that we were well known in the congregation and he was wondering how and why. It was a pleasure to meet him and briefly share our story. It has been 15 years since we first moved to Glen Waverley and that experience  certainly has changed our lives.

We strolled down the Kingsway after church. The Kingsway is a street of shops and restaurants that is the heart of Glen Waverley. We took note of how many changes had occurred, businesses that have come and gone; new buildings that have been erected; the increased foot traffic along the sidewalks and the continued challenge of finding a parking space in front of the shops. It is a vibrant community, though quite different from the traditional shopping district it was when we first arrived. The butcher, the green grocer, the dress shop, the shoe store, the news agent and the sporting goods store have all given way to new restaurants, primarily Asian in nature. We were happy to see that our favourite bakery is still there as well as a favourite café that serves ‘smashed avocado on toast’ as a part of its breakfast menu. Yum! And indulgence yet to come.

 We left the Kingsway and made our way to a gathering at the East Empress Restaurant in the nearby suburb of Blackburn. A group of 12 friends from church gathered together for a Yum Cha lunch. It was as delicious as ever and we were delighted to be included in the invitation, both for the food and for the company. Once again it felt like we had seen them all just a few weeks ago. But time passes … one couple reminded us that we had house sat for them 9 years ago. We began feeding birds in their backyard and they have being doing that ever since. Our legacy, I guess.

The rest of Sunday was quiet. A nap, downloading photos, catching up on email and ongoing conversation with hosts, Sue and David… It was a lovely way to spend the afternoon and evening. Needless to say, dinner was simple after the substantial lunch we had all enjoyed.

Monday, November 2, 2015

This morning began with yet another social gathering.  This event occurs each week and began as some of our friends began to retire.  GOMERS (Grumpy Old Men and Early Retirees) has become an institution at Jells Park each Monday morning. The men were envious of the many opportunities for women to gather for coffee and other activities and decided to create their own group. Some members meet at 9:15 each week and set out to walk the park together at precisely 9:17 am. Others arrive about 10 am to meet the walkers for coffee at Madeline’s, the park café. Before long, some of the women began to come as well. And the rules were set ... It was ok for the women to walk with the men, but once at the café, they had to sit separately, for this was, after all, a men’s event. Today, there were 23 men gathered for coffee and 7 women.  It was great to be a part of this tradition.

Following coffee, we had a couple of errands to run and then came back home. It is a chilly inclement day and indoors is where we prefer to be. I have been working on our trip photo book as well as the annual photo books I make for each of the grandchildren, a delightful way to spend the afternoon.

Later in the afternoon I paid a visit to a physiotherapist though because I have somehow acquired significant pain in my knees. In Australia, it is not necessary to have a doctor’s referral to see a physio. I described the situation to her and she was able to reassure me that there was nothing significantly wrong with my knees other than some very tight muscles. A deep massage from her and some specific exercises over the next few days should help considerably. Apparently sitting for long periods of time on an airplane with an already sore knee can lead to this kind of pain.

We did have a bit of an adventure getting to the physiotherapist though. We had the address and her first name but no phone number to contact her. We found the correct street, Centre Dandenong Road, and followed it quite far until we came to the correct street address. It was a house that actually looked empty or even, perhaps, abandoned. I approached the door with some trepidation, wondering what I was getting myself into. I rang the doorbell, all the while hoping that no one would answer. That is exactly what happened but, now what? It was 10 minutes prior to my appointment and we really had no idea where we were going. So, we decided to drive further along the same road and soon passed from one suburb into another. And, presto, the buildings along the road were renumbered. So we once again followed the number until we reached the one we were looking for. This time it was a physiotherapy clinic, to our relief. I entered limpingly yet confidently and Katrina was waiting for me to arrive. Best of all, we had arrived bout 2 minutes prior to the appointed time. It all worked out in the end.

We enjoyed the drive back home, passing through some familiar areas of Melbourne and recalling times past when we lived here. We arrived home in time for dinner and spent the evening watching an Australian game show called Letters and Numbers. It was cognitively challenging, even for the viewer, and the grand prize was a MacQuarrie Dictionary. Quite a different presentation than the game shows we are more familiar with at home.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

This day is a public holiday across Australia because of a major horse race, known as The Melbourne Cup. Many businesses and public offices are closed for the day. Parties abound and the Flemington Raceway was festooned with roses and filled to capacity with race enthusiasts who were dressed for the occasion. Women all wear hats or fascinators; men sport shirts, ties and jackets, often tails; champagne flows freely as anticipation rises for the 3 o’clock race.

Other than a short coffee at our favourite bakery (Muddings) in the morning, we spent the day at home with the plan to watch the festivities and the race in the afternoon. It was fun to see the horses parade around the grounds; the attire of the people who were at the race; the colourful jockeys eager to mount their horses; the bettors who were placing big money on the horses. And finally it was 3 o’clock. Each one of us had selected a horse to win (none of us know anything about racing) and the horses and jockeys entered their gates.  And they were off!!

Even to the uninformed eye, it was an exciting race as all the horses manouevred for the best position from which to win the race. Finally, a horse who was not predicted to finish well broke away from the pack and thundered toward the finish line. Prince of Penzance handily crossed the line first, expertly guided by his jockey. What was truly remarkable about this winning steed is that the jockey was a young woman named Michelle Payne who became the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup. What a historic moment! And, along with her win, her brother, Steven, who has Downs Syndrome gained the spotlight as well for having strapped the horse prior to the race. Both Michelle and Steven were recognized on the podium and gave short thank you speeches. What a triumphant moment for these two young people and their family.

Following the race, we travelled to the suburb of Ashburton where some friends from our University of Michigan days live. We have stayed in touch with them over many years (more than 30) primarily through Christmas cards and letters. It is always a treat to catch up with them in person when we visit Australia. We pick up right where we left off and carry on a multifaceted conversation, peppered with politics, family, reminiscences and laughter. Not only did we have a delicious meal, but we had a delightful evening together.

Wednesday, November 4, 2015.

And that brings us to today. Coffee with this morning was at the Glen, the local shopping centre, with a group of women also from the church. Interestingly, each of the coffee groups that I attend are comprised of different women. And all of these coffee groups have been meeting for well over ten years. It was fun to catch up with the women who were there this morning.

We went to a wonderful Malaysian restaurant for lunch with Cynthia and Onn Chin, who just happen to be Malaysian. Needless to say, we let them choose the food and indulged in the texture and flavour of several wonderful Malaysian dishes. Skewers of meat, specially prepared rice, rendang, two wonderful desserts and some specialty drinks. Once again, we had a terrific time with friends and great food. We are on quite a roll.

I had a fresh manicure after lunch and then went home for a nap. Refreshed, we were once again going out to eat, this time at a new steak place not far from home. We were joining friend John Baines for dinner and he wanted to try out this new restaurant. The steak was delicious; the service was delightful (a Canadian server from Halifax) and the conversation was lively. What a wonderful evening with yet another great friend.

Now, home to bed for tomorrow is a new day.