Last Post

Cathy and I tied up a few loose ends in the last couple of days of my vacation. I met a friend of the family, the Deputy Mayor of Ryde, Roy Maggio, and presented him with an honorary pack of Reese’s Peanut Butter cups (the Skor bars were under lock and key!).

We finally made it to Harry’s Cafe de Wheels – a local institution since 1945 for celebrities and common folk alike.

I ate the best cure for a night of drinking that I could ever imagine – may I present…The Tiger!

A spicy meat pie wrapped in flaky pastry, topped with mashed potatoes, mushy peas and a puddle of gravy. Fantastic!!

I bid a fond farewell to the family dog, Oscar…

and took one last look at the Southern Cross beaming at me from the sky.

The next morning, I took some pictures of the Sticky Wicky cricket game that Cathy and her husband are in the process of bringing to market.

One last family photo..

and a quick trip to the airport, and I was gone. An incredible voyage, to be remembered forever. Thank you, Cathy and Peter, and Billy, and Rachel, and even Matthew and Simon. You were wonderful to be with, and it was especially fun to reconnect with Cathy. It really is true – you make the best friends in Kindergarten!

Back to the Prairies, and the waterlogged fields…

Koala Park

Today was the one overcast, slightly drizzly day that I had on our entire vacation. After a fortifying lunch of “chicken and chips” (the most amazing charcoal grilled chicken – beats Swiss Chalet!), Cathy and I headed out to the Koala Park.

This was a privately run sanctuary for injured animals, and housed all sorts of them. Members of the same family have run the place since 1928. First we saw swamp wallabies, followed by dingoes, tiny penguins and birds of all kinds.

As we walked under a large enclosure, we saw something that looked like giant pussywillows.

Closer inspection revealed that these were the koalas. There are no words to describe how incredibly cute these animals are. And thanks to Denise, the koala keeper, we (and a busload of Japanese tourists) were allowed to pet and snuggle with one of them. After each and every one of the tourists had their picture snapped, Cathy and I stayed behind to learn a little bit more about the animals. Tadpole, the 3 year old who was our model, had been born and raised in captivity.

Some fascinating facts…

– koalas are marsupials NOT bears, and they sleep upwards of 20 hours per day

– koala babies are born outside the mother’s pouch and are about the size of jellybeans

– they have to crawl inside the pouch, where they find a nipple and latch on for the next 6 months

– the pouch runs up the belly (backwards compared to a kangaroo)

– after 6 months, the babies will poke their heads out of the pouch to feed on their mother’s poo

– the eucalyptus leaves that they eat contain cyanide, but once it’s been processed through the digestive tract, it’s safe for the babies to eat

– there are only 5 species of the 800 or so types of eucalyptus that can are the main food for koalas, with about 40 more being “dessert” species

– habitat destruction is the greatest threat to their livelihood

They have a special toe on their hind leg that has 2 claws and is used just for combing their hair. They don’t shed, so they’re constantly itching themselves. Their front paws have 2 opposable thumbs and very sharp claws for defense, and their palm prints can be used for identification. They also have white markings on their bums that can be used to ID them.

The koalas are allowed to roam free throughout the park, and can be found in any of the surrounding trees. For the most part, they stay in the park, but occasionally one will be found in a neighbouring yard and has to be returned. Such was the case today. An errant koala was chased to the front of the park by Denise, and she tried to catch it while it jumped up a tree. It lashed out with its claws and narrowly missed raking some of the skin off Denise’s face (they are cranky little dudes).

Denise ran to get a camera and take pictures of it before it ran to the top of the tree. As it turns out, this was NOT a koala that she recognized. She said that sometimes the koalas will hide their babies in the treetops, and they will grow to maturity without her knowing. This one was a young and robust male with a beautiful coat, and was obviously well-fed.

After our koala adventure, we went on to explore the other animals in the park. There were cassowaries, emus, kookaburras, flying foxes and wallaroos. The wallaroos were very tame and were kept in an open area where you could go in and pet them. There was one with a joey hanging out of her pouch, and as we watched, the impossibly large joey backed out of the pouch and wandered over to us to get some petting. Sooooo cute!

Our last stop was to visit the matriarch of the park. Denise had taken a shine to Cathy, and even though she was on her way home, she stopped to show us Mathilda, a 20-year-old wombat. With Denise’s coaxing, Mathilda shuffled her way out of her comfy barrel and came over to say hello. Wombats are like the biggest, fattest groundhogs you’ve ever seen. They are herbivorous marsupials and dig huge networks of underground tunnels that are big enough for humans to crawl through. Cathy has a friend with a farm and field full of wombat holes, and she was always concerned that her kids would get lost in them.

Wombats also have an interesting mechanism of self-defense. They have a large plate of cartilage under their skin that covers their lower back. If they are disturbed in their burrow, they will sit with their back facing the entrance. If a dingo is after them, they won’t be able to bite through the plate. And if the dingo is stupid enough to enter the tunnel, a wombat will lie down flat and wait for the dingo to be almost on top of them, then will whomp its body upwards and crush the dingo’s skull against the top of the tunnel.

Much was learned at this koala park, despite the family’s struggles to keep the place open and maintained. To help with the upkeep, I left some money in the gift store, and then we were on our way.

Pylon Climb

Since I splashed out on the shark dive, I didn’t want to shell out for the Bridge Climb as well. So we did the next best thing – climbed the Southern Pylon. The pylons are the concrete structures at either end of the bridge. They were built purely for decoration, and aren’t necessary for its structural integrity.

Inside the pylon are tons of stairs that take you to the lookout at the top. We were there 15 minutes before it closed, so we raced to the top before they locked us out. It was the perfect time to go – the light of the setting sun was beautiful and the lights all over the city were starting to come out.

On the way down, we stopped to look through the small museum inside, which showed how the bridge was built and some of the more interesting features like the hinges on either end, which allow the bridge to expand up to 1 foot upwards when the metal heats up. There was also an scary story about one of the workers who fell from the road level into the water. He survived, but his boots were shoved up around his thighs and he had many broken bones.

After the Pylon climb, Cathy and I and her friend Roberta wandered through the Rocks Market. We had great Thai street food, and wandered amongst the stalls showcasing art and jewellery. There were street performers and the atmosphere was vibrant and colourful. I took more shots of the city with all the lights – truly stunning.

On our way to the ferry, Cathy told me about Hungry Jack’s. When Burger King first tried to set up shop in Australia, there already was a small fast food joint called Burger King. Rather than spend the money on a large and potentially fruitless lawsuit, Burger King decided to rebrand themselves as Hungry Jack’s. They have all the same menu items (Whoppers, etc.), it’s jut the name that is different.

High Tea at the Opera House (skip if you’re male!)

Cathy and I got all dressed up to go to our date with the Opera. We were both very excited because, as busy moms, we don’t have many opportunities to get all spiffed up and do something girly. So off we went in our skirts and heels, feeling very posh.

We were greeted with champagne with a splash of cassis (our glasses were topped up constantly, so we were feeling pretty good by the end of the afternoon). Tea arrived, but it really was secondary to the champagne. Our first course of savouries arrived, and they were OK, nothing spectacular (had better at the British Museum). But then the desserts came. Mmmmmmm…..

While we were finishing dessert, our hostess introduced our opera singer for the day – David Corcoran and the pianist accompanying him, Simon Kenway. Young and handsome, David was considered a “pup” in the opera world. It was still spectacular listening to his voice. He performed 5 pieces, then came back for another encore. We had the BEST seats in the house. Our table was directly in front of the performance area, and everyone agreed that this was even better than being in the concert hall. We were up close and personal with the performers, and it even moved Cathy – a die-hard country and western fan.

We had the most delightful dinner companions. Beside us, Diane and Simone, a mother-in-law and young bride, were celebrating the first anniversary of her marriage. Diane had lived in Winnipeg for awhile, so we had much to discuss, or disparage, I should say. Across from us, sat two wonderful women – Stephanie from England and Pat from Sydney – who were visiting with each other as they had done many times over the years. Cathy and I agreed that in 20 years or so, we wanted to be just like them.

The afternoon was perfect, and we were amongst the last to leave. Good food and drink, good music, good conversation – it was tough to leave. We ended up visiting the Opera house again, this time for a symphony concert. The acoustics were unbelievable, and even though we were sitting in the very last row of the nosebleeds, the view was great. It felt quite intimate.

As we took the ferry back home, Cathy suggested that we drop by her friend’s house as they had an amazing view of the city. She wasn’t kidding. The house was perched at the top of one of the hills overlooking Woolwich Wharf (our ferry stop). It was an old house with amazing architectural details and multiple fireplaces, and the view from the 2 balconies was tough to beat.

Sydney at Night

There is a stunning light show on for the month of June. It is to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the arrival of Governor Lachlan Macquarie and his wife Elizabeth to Sydney in 1810. They are credited with planning and building the towns and city infrastructure, as well as implementing a “second chance” philosophy for the emancipated convicts. They also brought art and culture, and helped to civilize New South Wales.

Macquarie Street connects the Sydney Opera House to St. Mary’s Cathedral, and buildings all along the road are illuminated with stunning ever-changing light shows. Here are just a few of the bajillion pictures I took:

Australian War Memorial

We came down the mountain and went to the Australian War Memorial – a fascinating and very moving place. I discovered that, while Remembrance Day is observed and important, it is really Anzac Day that the Ozzies truly revere. It was on April 25, 1915 when the Ozzies landed at Gallipoli in Turkey, to help the Brits defend their interests in the Middle East from the threat of the Ottoman Empire. Until this time, Australians considered themselves transplanted Britons, and a war against Britain was a war against them. Their allegiance shifted as the war went on, and it was the events at Gallipoli that galvanized the country. They went in as Brits, but came out as Australians.

The Australians had a reputation for being tough, strong and intensely loyal and keeping their sense of humour despite being rife with dysentery, lice and miserable conditions. They became the ideal for future generations. Sadly, the campaigns launched from the beach up the steep slopes proved to be too much and after 8 months of fighting  about 8700 died and over 17,000 were wounded. The British later conceded that it had been an ill-conceived plan. You can read more about it here.

In the Second World War exhibit, they had airplanes and submarines on exhibit, including one Japanese midget sub that snuck into Sydney Harbour on a suicide mission and attacked the ships. It caused widespread panic and confusion as they couldn’t figure out how the sub had evaded their defences.

Kathleen, you’ll be happy to know that John McCrae and Flander’s Fields are alive and well on this side of the world, and highly esteemed. The poppies are everywhere!

Guest Blogger – Peter Dodds

We interrupt our regular programming to invite Peter Dodds to write his very first blog. Over to you, Peter!

The term football mean different things to different people. In Australia, football can be broken down into 4 codes:

1) Rugby League  (Kangaroos)

2) Rugby Union (Wallabies)

3) Australian Rules (no Australian national team)

4) Soccer (Socceroos) The two rugbys are very similar games, with League being an offshoot to Union. The split was in 1908 with some rugby players wanting to be paid to play and so formed their own professional competition (League). Union remained amateur for another 80 years. Main differences:

1) Union has 15 players, League has 13

2) Union has line outs, rucks and mauls to contest

3) League has a tackle count

To score points you aim to place the ball over the try line. League and Union are played mainly by the eastern states of New South Wales and Queensland, and compete for support.

AFL, or Aussie Rules, is a different game altogether, where players aim to kick the ball through the goalposts to score points. It is played on an oval, with 18 players on each side. It is played mainly in the southern and western states of Australia with Melbourne being the main base. This code has made huge inroads in popularity with Sydney and Brisbane having strong teams. They recently lured two of rugby league’s best players (Israel Folau and Karmichael Hunt) to convert to AFL to help promote the code. Very clever, and everyone’s interest has turned to see, “how they go”.

Soccer is very popular around Australia, especially in younger age groups. It is appealing to “mums” as it has no contact. When the kids can choose, they generally choose one of the other codes to play. Everyone follows the Socceroos when a World Cup is on.

I grew up in NSW country playing rugby league until I attended boarding school in Sydney. Rugby Union was the only choice and my loyalties were converted. I represented Sydney University at colts level and played in Sydney’s Premier competition for Western Suburbs in the early 90’s. I still play about 3 games a year for our local golden oldies team. You must be over 35 and willing to drink port at half time (served on a silver platter!). Every result is a draw and our careers get better with every beer. Just good fun.

My boys play league, Union and soccer for local clubs and even play Australian Rules for school!

Union to me is the best code. It has a participation mentality, regardless of your ability. It is the most social and welcoming at every level. I now coach Billy’s U11 team and we compete in an A grade competition in the north of Sydney. I also coach Simon and Matthew’s U7 rugby league team.

Football here is a winter sport and you can imagine the competition for participation. Stay tuned and I will tell you all about our one and only true national sport, played right across Australia in summer….cricket.

Canberra

Canberra is halfway between Sydney and “the snow”, and it’s a little bit like being in the Quebec mountains. The Brindabella range surrounds Canberra, but these are gently rounded mountains not the craggy peaks of the Rockies. We drove to the top of Mount Ainslie, keeping an eye out for the local wildlife…

The view from the top is quite stunning.

And here’s a closer look at the Anzac Parade which leads from the Australian War Memorial to the river. Across the river are the houses of Parliament.

We didn’t stay up there too long because Cathy and her family were FREEZING. There was a brisk wind, and the air felt really fresh and clean, just like in the Rockies.

Canberra Flora and Fauna

Phil has a little pet magpie. Every morning, this little fellow steps up to the glass door and serenades Phil until he opens the door to feed him. He’s been doing this since the bird was a baby. Magpies here are NOT like the ones back home. Here they have the most beautiful song – you could listen to it for hours.

There are other incredible birds that drop by throughout the day…

Crimson Rosella

Other types of Rosellas

Pink Galahs

I missed seeing the white cockatoos, but apparently they’re everywhere. The flora is just as spectacular as the birds. There were roses everywhere, despite the frosty overnight lows.

Orchids

Lemons – apparently the secret to good lemons is to pee in the pot!

And the most fantastic espaliered tree I’ve ever seen. Each branch bears a DIFFERENT fruit – plums, peaches, apricots, and nectarines all grafted onto one trunk. You can get citrus trees that bear 4 different kinds of fruit. Amazing!

At the Dodds Family Compound

Those Ozzies are really clever. I’m at Cathy’s in-laws house in Canberra, and I have to marvel at the layout of their house. Most houses here are bungalows, with no basement and no central heating, clay tile roofs and SINGLE paned windows! Canberra is known as a “cold” place to live (and it has gone down to -5 while I’m here, with frost on the grass in the mornings), so people do have central heating.

But here’s the clever part. Peter’s parents built this house specifically to accommodate visiting family. They have their own living space that takes up half the house, and the other half is for guests. They can close off the one half with a series of sliding doors so they don’t have to heat that side when they don’t have company. Smart!

The elder Dodds (Phil and Helen) are the most generous hosts; I felt like I was living in a 5-star hotel. My own room, fantastic gourmet food (and lots of it!), a spa-like bathroom – I didn’t want to leave! And to top it off, Phil and Helen were just wonderful people. Phil kept me entertained with his punny dad jokes (just like Vince!) and Helen kept plying me with food and crossword puzzles (just like Terry!). I felt right at home.

I found out that Phil’s generosity extended to the community – he received the Order of Australia for his outstanding contributions to his home town of Wyalong where he was a pharmacist for many years.

Our seafood feast with the items we brought from the Sydney Fish Market – prawns (they don’t call them shrimp here), Oysters Kilpatrick (with bacon and Worcestershire, Oysters Mornay (with cheese sauce) and Tiger Flathead fillets in a light tempura-like batter.

Sunday lunch was a big event at the Dodds. Peter’s sisters Susan and Joanne came with their families plus a few friends – there must have been close to 30 of us. Lunch was cooked on the Barbie – chicken kebabs, sausages and heavenly lamb.

And all the fixings. For dessert we had a lemon sponge pudding (made with lemons from the backyard), strawberry rhubarb crumble (made with rhubarb from the backyard) with ice cream or thick cream. Soooooooo good! I may have to declare some extra baggage when I fly home…around my middle!

Phil had the most amazing story to tell about his ancestry that he himself had just discovered. His great  great grandfather, Samuel Dodd, worked in a confectionery in England, but was actually a contract thief a la Oliver Twist. He was caught stealing fireirons, and at the tender age of 17 was shipped off to Australia with a boatload of convicts (Harsh!). When he arrived, he performed 7 years of transportation (that’s what they called the sentence), after which he was a free man.  He married Sarah Jane and had 5 children together. The father died at 42, and left the poor mum with 5 mouths to feed. She couldn’t care for them all, so sent the 3 youngest (2 boys and 1 girl) off to an orphanage. They went in with the last name Dodd, but everyone called them “Dodd’s boys”, so when they came out, they were known as Dodds.

And Thomas Dodds is the grandfather of Phil, who is the father of Peter (Cathy’s husband). Phil’s father was Billy Dodds, the namesake of Cathy’s eldest boy.

The Dodds used to own a pub in Canberra, which was quite a lively place from what I hear. It has since been sold a couple of times, and its latest incarnation is the most beautiful tea room. Cathy and I dropped in for a cuppa by the fire.

I had the Billy Tea, an authentic bush beverage. There were literally hundreds to choose from, as well as all kinds of tea-related desserts. The Billy Tea was a mix of black Australian Daintree and eucalyptus leaves. I was expecting a minty flavour, but the eucalyptus adds a delicious smokiness to the tea.