This past Sunday John and I walked down to Elwood Beach. While I sunbathed and read (American Wife-- sooooo not what I was expecting) John went for a swim in the Port Philip Bay. The Bay leads out to the Bass Strait, historically known for being treacherous, and is typically about 60° F (16° C). Most everyone went into the water shivering and hugging themselves. Out of water was very warm indeed! I don't want to jinx it, but I think summer may have officially arrived.
*Ahoy.
The walk is about ten minutes from our apartment, following along a canal, which someone very kindly decorated for the holidays. I'm not sure if you can see in the photo, but there is actually tinsel and ornaments hanging on the rail guard.
*Elwood Canal
*Christmas Ornaments
*Elwood Beach with Melbourne CDB in the background
We're leaving for Tasmania tomorrow morning. Have a safe and happy holidays and stay tuned for the Tassie update!
Jama and I got out to enjoy a Christmas party - Aussie style.
The party was hosted by my Monash supervisor a few Fridays back. The majority of attendees were from our research group, Atmospheric Science (aka Climateers), along with their families. It was great to see everyone get together outside Uni. Games were played, beverages and food were in abundance, Santa was there - needless to say it was a good time.
*"Ho, Ho, Ho - mate!"
* A little x-mas sport.
*Having a holiday beverage with the scientists of tomorrow.
As the night progressed and the party thinned a bit we decided it was time for our first band practice. We had multiple harmonicas, two guitars, a drum kit, a keyboard, and a tambourine. Luckily no one had any recording devices!
This holiday season is shaping up to be unlike any other-- 9,687 (but who's counting?) miles from home, in a country that doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving (there were no pilgrims down under) and summer (not winter) is just beginning.
Santa Claus in shorts and sandals doesn't exactly fit the holiday traditions to which we have become so accustom, but we are coping.
Despite these odds, we special ordered a turkey and whupped up all the fixins.
*Jama getting a few curls in with our 4.5 kilo bird.
*Working my magic with the stuffing. I should probably note that stuffing is actually much better when it is cooked outside of the bird.
*Savoring the moment.
The Menu: Turkey Herb stuffing Corn pudding Mashed potatoes with gravy (of course!) Grandma's potato yeast rolls Pecan and gingersnap pumpkin pie.
What are we thankful for?... The sunny, warm days. Family and friends. Emails, letters, photos and skyping with family. Days when the train isn't so crowded that I have to smell others peoples' body smell (priceless). A once in a lifetime experience with my mate.
Thank you for the chocolate turkey's. These were a bright spot in an otherwise depressing couple of days.
In other news...
Snoop will not be moving to Australia.
Other than that, not too much has been going on. Christmas parties are starting and seeing how Australians like a beverage, things should get interesting.
And though Australians do not celebrate it, we'll be giving thanks this weekend with a special order turkey, so stay tuned for a more thorough update!
I realize we don't post many updates, but it mostly seems as if we don't have much interesting news to share. If anyone has any special requests, holler.
Two weekends ago we spent the weekend traveling west. Our ultimate destination was the 12 Apostles, but we stopped along the way as we saw fit...
*The Great Ocean Road
...including Torquay (tore-key), a small town built entirely around surfing and near Bells Beach-- world famous surf destination.
*100% pure adrenaline.
...and Apollo Bay, where they serve up a mean fish and chips (salt, yum!). It was still a little cold for water sports, but we did dip our feets in and enjoy the pure sunshine.
*Apollo Bay, Victoria
...and the Treeptop Walk, home to the giant fern and dinosaur walk (random).
*John and the Giant Fern
*Aargh.
*We're going this way, John.
*Amongst the treetops.
...and finally the 12 Apostles, or the Sow and Piglets as it used to be known.
*Girl Gone Wild...with cheesecake, a birthday cookbook and blogging.
It's been a rather low key day. John came into the city and took me out to lunch at the 100-Mile Cafe-- all food on the menu does not come from any further than 100 miles away. Though it was a bit more leisurely than I would have liked during my first week at a new job, it was rather good.
The job. It's going slow. People and Culture (aka Human Resources) apparently were not sure of my legal ability to work. I signed the contract on Monday and showed up on Tuesday thinking everything was in line, but wait. On Wednesday, Payroll says I'm not allowed to work. So, it's Thursday and I still don't have an employee number. This means I can't sign onto a computer-- typically this wouldn't be that big of a deal, but the office doesn't keep paper copies of things I should be looking at.
This means I cannot join the gym or get discount train tickets. Sigh.
So it's been a little boring, but I think things are going to look up. Besides, aren't all jobs a little boring the first couple of days? Right? Sigh.
The building, however, is quite excellent. I think the pictures really say it all.
*Look! A trolley. Outside the old Magistrate's Court
*Inside the old Magistrate's Court
*The staircase to my office
So I'm 30. I don't feel any older than I did a year or two ago. Less anxious maybe... I do know that my taste buds have changed, but I'm not convinced that's a product of my turning 30. Anyhow, I've decided that I will model myself after my Grandma and age gracefully.
Stay posted. We are on the move again. This weekend we are heading out to drive the Great Ocean Road. I don't know what John has planned...besides driving, but I've got high hopes about our prospects.
Well, 29 September 2008 was a big day in Melbourne as it was this year's host city for the annual Australian Uni Games (AUGs). This year Melbourne based universities are hosting 28 events with over 7000 competitors from all Australia. I should probably point out that unlike the US, Australian Universities do not have collegiate sports teams. In other words there is nothing like the SEC here for footy. This adds to the significance of the AUGs games as it is the only chance for Uni's get to determine bragging rights for the upcoming year.
As you may or may not know I have recently taken up Taekwondo (see previous posting) and decided to compete in this year's games. To compete I had to first attain a yellow belt and then commit to Sunday sparring sessions. Needless to say there was a lot more to it than I had anticipated!
Before going further I should probably state the basics for a Taekwondo competition. The overall objective is to win as a team. To do this teams amass points as individual members win fights. The most points results in the winner. This seems fair enough except there is no limit to the size of a team giving larger squads the advantage.
*This year our club sent a relatively small team of 14 competitors. The individual competition is a point system as well, with 1 point for a body shot and 2 points for a head shot. Body shots can be kicks or punches and head shots can only be kicks. Fights last for two, 90 second rounds with a 30 second break in between. That is pretty much all there is to it.
*Pre-match excitement.
I ended up competing in the middle weight division (76-84 kg or 176-188 lbs) which is just below heavyweights. Believe it or not I am relativly large for the sport!
*Are you ready for this?
After waiting around half the day it was finally my time to fight. Needless to say I certainly had a different feeling in my gut than I remember having before a tennis match!
*Gettin ready to go with my coach, Jae Yueng!
*Channeling my inner Jean-Claude Van Damme!
*MOOOORTTTTALLLL COOOOMMBBBAATTT!
After a flurry of kicks the match was over and my opponents range seemed to get the better of me. I lost 4-2. I will say that I just missed landing a head kick in the final seconds but I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Even in loss I still had a great experience.
*I may be getting too old for this!
Oh yeah, believe it or not that gave me a medal anyway!
*My opponent...bit of a height advantage.
In the end our team ended up finishing second with 4 members winning gold. There were certainly some great matches as one of our guys beat a 110 kg competitor! As for me, I believe next time I will try and channel Chuck Norris!!!
*1st Annual Inman Park Hot & Humid 5K, September 2008
Well, I got back from the States last week and think I'm finally starting to sleep regularly again. It was a wonderful vacation and it was really good getting to visit with everybody...especially Snoop. For all that are curious, we're still trying to get him shipped over here, but his bloodwork has not been good enough for the Australian quarantine services. Alas.
It's a big week coming up here down under. I've got a new job starting on Tuesday. I'll be working for the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in their policy department. I'm super excited. I'm not sure how long the job will be mine, as I'm replacing someone who has gone on leave for six (6) months and may/may not be coming back. I'm really enjoying the short-term work arrangements though-- it gives me an opportunity to try different things out.
John is going to weigh-in today for Uni-Games '08. This will be John's first Tae-Kwon-Do comptetition and as Leif says, "he'll be using himself as a human weapon". I'll be covering the event, so look later this week for commentary and photos.
Also in the news.... On October 2nd, I turn 30. John and I will be celebrating this milestone(?) next weekend with a getaway to the Great Ocean Road. Who knows where the road will take us, so stay tuned!
At the end of the month, John will be taking his Confirmation of Canidature examanination. This is the first step towards the doctorate...if you don't count being accepted, getting the scholarship and moving.
It's been almost a month since we lasted posted, which basically means that not much has been going on here.
It's still winter here.
I found out this week that you cannot get graham crackers here. Which makes me wonder how cheesecake is made.
I also found out that a quart of ice cream is $10. This must mean that Australia has the most wholesome and pure milk in the world.
Like half the rest of the world we went to go see Dark Knight, but we went to see it at IMAX... near a park where possum are "protected species".
I am still working at the local council, though I don't think that I'll be staying much longer... in my current position anyways.
John has started tutoring a couple of classes, Earth System Interactions and Water Chemistry. This week he will be testing for yellow belt in TaeKwon Do, though I don't think I'm allowed to come.
I've booked my flight back for Virginia and Mel's wedding in August...not to worry, I'm not on Qantas. I'll be staying for 3 weeks and hope to bring Snoop back with me at that time. Imagine the awesome posts we'll be able to have then!
*Wow, bad photo! 4th of July picnic in Yarra Bend Park
Yesterday, July 5, we went to an Americans Abroad 4th of July picnic. Technically, it was a Democrats Abroad party and doubled a little bit as a political rally. Many were even going home specifically for the November elections. I would have preferred a straight Americans abroad, but truthfully, was happy to hang around anyone who thinks peanut butter and jelly is good and normal (as opposed to vegemite and butter) and who thinks it is appropriate that pie have fruit in it (as opposed to meat).
Though this picnic is not something I would attend in the States (i.e. a party based on the fact that we are Americans, where I don't know anyone), it was comforting to know that there are others here having a similar experience to John and me. Everyone was really outgoing and full of useful tips. For instance, I now know where to get Oreos... not that I've been wanting Oreos, but it's good to know where I could get them if I did want them.
I made an apple pie and we got decked out in our red, white and blue. I hate to honk my own horn, but the other apple pie in attendance couldn't hold a candle. We got to the party, and as you can see from the photos, were pretty much the only ones in patriotic colors!
*Betty Crocker in the kitchen
Someone brought a proper football and we listened to Mariah Carey; after all, nothing says USA more than MC, right? We ate cheeseburgers and a few people had even brought the King of Beers, which is not sold in any pub, corner store or grocery. There were even some jokers in the crowd (from New York, of course) that asked it they needed to speak to us more slowly as we were from the South!
Also, we got word of a good Mexican restaurant in the area. This is great news. The availability of Mexican food is very low and what has been found has not been good. It's funny, but if you meet another American here, they don't want to discuss immigration, illegal hiring or the pros/cons of border control, but where to find a good enchilada. I am not joking, this comes up every time.
*John wowing the crowd with his red cap!
Overall, it was a really easy going afternoon. The weather was, for once, pleasant and the company was familiar. We've been loving our time here, but it was nice to feel included.
We were lucky enough to get to spend most of the last week in Sydney. John took another short course and I (again) tagged along. We stayed in the notorious Kings Cross area of town and even had the pleasure of stealing glimpses of the Harbor Bridge and Opera House from the rooftop terrace at our hotel-- it was a budget hotel so try to gaze past the construction at the forefront.
*No-No-Notorious
*Glimpses at the rear
What a great place to be-- the weather could not have been better and there was so much to do and see. If there was a tour, by God, we were on it. Observatories, walking, the Opera House, harbors, beaches, walking, towers, mass transit-- whew, what an adventure.
My favorite part was the Royal Botanical Gardens. What a stroke of genius to set this land aside! There are numerous walking trails, trees aplenty and unbeatable views of the harbor and Opera House.
*Mrs. Macquerie's Chair
*Royal Botanical Gardens
*Royal Botanical Gardens
We really packed a lot into a few short days. Luckily, public transport was fairly extensive and ran everywhere we wanted or needed to go (unlike Melbourne, they have double-decker trains...brilliant!). Mostly though, we let our feet do the walking. And what a lot of walking we did...
I had a day free while John was still in class. I hit the streets and visited the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The admission was free and I got to view some excellent Australian photography from the 1950's.
*Art Gallery of New South Wales After my visit to the gallery, I went to the Sydney Tower, the southern hemisphere's tallest observation deck. Before I got there I ran across this giant chess board. As you can see there is quite a crowd, so I rested my dogs a moment and watched the match play out.
*Checkmate! Right now you may be thinking, "hang on, haven't they already been to the southern hemisphere's tallest observation deck". If you are, your memory is very good. The Skydeck 88 (found in "Melbourne Tourists Unite") is the southern hemispheres tallest residential observation deck.
*From Sydney Tower (notice St. Mary's in the bottom right corner)
*Archibald Fountain and St. Mary's Cathedral
Another highlight was the tour of the Opera House. The architect, JornUtzon, has never even seen the completed building. There are some who say the Opera House is nothing to get excited about. I beg to differ, it's an engineering marvel! I've posted several photos for those of you who also may never get to see it. For your information, it's a working building with 5 performance halls. I'd have like to gone to see a show, but we just didn't have time to fit everything in. Next time, Opera House. Next. Time.
*JP in between the two main performance halls
*The outer shell...completely self-cleaning
*The ribs of the the shell
*Interior of the Opera House, outside one of the main performance halls *Opera House and the harbor
*In between the Opera House and Central Quay (pronounced key)
We also took a harbor cruise, some may call it a ferry but I prefer cruise. What a beautiful harbor.
*Harbor Bridge and Luna Park (notice the two towers, also known as pylons)
We also hit another Australian beach, the famous Bondi Beach, though I have to admit I'd never heard of Bondi until we moved. Even though it was pretty chilly, many people were out riding the waves.
*Surf breaking at Bondi Beach
*Bondi Beach
One of the tours that we did not get to go on-- and believe me this was a cost issue-- was the Bridge Climb. You actually get to walk up the arch! Even John Black and Marlena Evans Black have been on the bridge climb-- they are on the celebrity climb wall...John took me into the reception room of the BridgeClimb office to torture me.
Instead we walked across the Harbor Bridge and went up into one of the four pylons, or towers that help anchor the bridge. In the second picture, you will notice small figures in the upper left hand corner. These are humans on the BridgeClimb tour. Next time, Harbor Bridge. Next. Time.
*At the base of the pylon
*Atop one of the 4 bridge pylons
I'm so glad that we got to experience Sydney on such a great week and don't think that just because we've been once we won't go again!
