Well, today is the 11th day of the 11th month of the year. Armistice day. I thought it would be nice to pay our respects at the large ANZAC Memorial at Hyde Park in the heart of Sydney.

The ANZAC Memorial was opened in 1934. It looks imposing enough from the outside but is even bigger than you think once you explore the interior. The building was designed by Australian-born Charles Bruce Dellit and is clearly Art Deco inspired. This is not the site of the Sydney cenotaph as I first thought. The cenotaph is actually in nearby Martin Place.

Beneath the memorial building there is a museum. Similar to the much larger one in Canberra. As part of the museum there is a collection of soil from almost 1,700 locations around Australia. The War Memorial Soil Collection Program set out to collect soil from every location around Australia where there was an enlistee in WWI. Part of the four sided display is shown below.

11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month…

Initially the 11th of the 11th was meant to be in remembrance of those who paid the ultimate price in the First World War (WW1). Nowadays, as the clock strikes the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month, people stand in silence to honour the fallen from all wars.

The 11th hour on this day marks the end of the final battles and hostilities (that were only still ongoing on at the “western front”) of WW1. I found out at today’s service that in Australia, everyone thought World War 1 had ended on the 8th of November and a large party ensued. Then, three days later they got the news that it really had ended. The party got a immediate reboot and the celebrations rolled on…

Interesting to note that despite what has been going on recently in Europe and America – and also here in Australia to a lesser extent – with pro Palestinian protests, there was no sign of anything like that on this special day in central Sydney. Nor was there any sign of the police. In fact the police were conspicuous in their absence. However, I am sure the news will show a different story from other parts of the world later today/tomorrow. Crazy times (again!)…

The Star Ceremony

After the remembrance service the staff hand out golden stars with the names of ANZACs who gave their lives in the various wars. People in attendance are invited to take a star and pause to reflect on the name on the star before throwing it into the Hall of Silence. Notice all the stars on the Hall floor…

The Big Bullets

Not exactly on the official list of The ‘Bigs’ of Australia but does appear on some such lists if you look into it.

This larger than life artwork is the work of Aboriginal artist Tony Albert whose family has many years of military service. He created the dramatic structures to honour the sacrifices and bravery of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service men and women. One of the horizontal ‘bullets’ has an inscription on the ‘bullet’ base (see photos).

The sculpture work is inspired by his grandfather’s story about himself and 6 soldiers who escaped from a prisoner of war camp in Germany, only to be caught by Italian soldiers who lined them up to be shot. The Italians shot 3 of the men before realising their mistake. The men were POWs and should have been returned to Germany. Hence: 4 standing bullets (at 7-metres tall), to represent those who survived and 3 fallen shells in remembrance of those who paid the ultimate price. It is a fitting work of art so close to the ANZAC Memorial.

It’s been a funny old week. There is enough bad news on TV to keep us going for years. (When has it been any different lately?) But now and again something happens that gives you reason to forget all of that and just smile.

My faith in human nature has been restored – if only temporarily. As you get older your faith in humanity definitely takes a tumble. I don’t care how optimistic you are. Call it old(er) age; call it experience. But occasionally things like this happen that just give you hope. OK that’s a bit of a grumpy old dad type of thing to say, I know. But keep reading to the end…

Lost & Found

Dani went to the local shopping centre with his mates after school on Friday. It’s one of those end of week rituals kids get into. Invariably they’ll go for a nourishing burger at McDonalds (sarc.) or a super-value for money drink at Starbucks (extra sarc.).

This particular time they headed for the food court where Dani decided to take out his wallet and then have one of those foggy memory moments. For some unknown reason he put it down – he could not remember where of course – only to realise that he had lost it a few minutes later.

When he returned home his mum asked him why he hadn’t gone to the information desk in the shopping centre. After much discussion she went back to the shopping centre with him. Sure enough someone had handed in Dani’s wallet to the nearest manned information/help point – which in this case was the other side of the shopping centre.

The wallet contained some money (good old fashioned cash), one of those kids debit cards (yeah, more about those in a later post I think) plus Dani’s Real Madrid membership card. Nothing had been taken. A big thanks to the anonymous person out there who was kind enough to do the right thing.

Incidentally Dani had the good sense to call his mum and report what had happened once he realised his wallet was gone. At least that gave her the chance to cancel his debit card.

Footnote

I don’t want anyone reading this to take it the wrong way. I know the majority of people are good and honest. It’s not that there aren’t enough people with good intentions. There are. Plenty. Almost certainly the overwhelming majority. It’s just that the not so good minority are there and they are increasing. More than that they are the type who would not hand in someone’s lost property. I know that is hard to take as no doubt all of you reading this would hand in a purse or wallet if you found one. I know I would.

It’s easy to look at things from the ‘glass is half empty’ viewpoint. When in fact the glass is probably more like almost full! But it is still gives me a really nice feeling when this kind of thing happens.

This little drama had a happy ending but could easily have been the other way around.

Now. To teach that kid to take more care with his property… An ongoing battle…

Well, it’s Halloween. Again… That came around quick (as do most things these day). It is no secret on this blog that Halloween is Dani’s favourite event. Will it still be after today? Let’s find out…

Once again Dani and his mate Josh went out ‘Trick or Treating’ in the neighbourhood. Plus a little beyond this year… Josh was dressed as something called Duolingo. No; me neither?. But lots of other kids recognised it as the owl that is the face of a language learning “App” called Duolingo. OK? Now we all know…

Meanwhile Dani was dressed as… well, what exactly? With that wig he looked a bit like a cross between Garth from Wayne’s World and David Bowie from Labyrinth. Even something out of that 80’s group Kajagoogoo:  Don’t ask, cos I am not telling. If you don’t know then just look it up. Still, the wig got some favourable responses from the public.

I still can’t get used to the fact that it is daylight and too warm for face masks and certain other costumes. I am sure it would be the same – in reverse – for someone who grows up in the southern hemisphere and moves to the northern hemisphere. This opposite seasons thing is just something you grow up with and get so used to.

Fortunately it was not too hot today. At least when they were out and about spooking the locals.

Still the best fun day of the year Dan?

I would say the answer is a big “yes”. He enjoyed it as much as last year. Hopefully he will continue to enjoy Halloween for years to come. It’s just a bit of fun and great for the kids to dress up.

Meanwhile I have a complaint to make. The shopping centres need to rein it in more than a little bit. These bloody Christmas decorations were out even before the Halloween decorations in many places. Some shops and supermarket had aisles with Christmas stuff on one side and Halloween stuff on the other. That really makes no sense.

Please can we get one out of the way before the other takes over? Is that too much to ask?

Sculptures by the Sea – 2023

No way was that a year!?

It’s hard to believe but it really has been a year since we did the Sculptures by the Sea coastal walk from Tamarama beach to Bondi beach. Incredible! (Click here for that one). That was on the final day of the Sculptures exhibition last year (Nov. 6th). This time I saw it with some friends (Neil and Dawn) who were over from the UK.

The exhibition ends on 6th November (again), which is next weekend. Also we did this walk on a Friday. It was busy enough however. I am sure it will be as packed out as it was last year over the weekend. We kind of happened across it by accident. We were doing the full Bondi to Coogee coastal walk and I only realised what was going on when we arrived at Bondi beach.

Anyway here are some photos of this year’s Sculptures by the Sea exhibition… Enjoy.

Examples of the many exhibits..

From Grafton we took the much longer route to Brisbane via the town of Casino and the mountain pass border crossing on the winding B91 road. 

Casino

The town of Casino was initially called Cassino after Cassino (near Monte Cassino) in Italy. It is known (locally at least) as the “beef capital” of Australia. 

We had breakfast, took a quick look around then moved on.

Border Crossing

It was a long drive but the scenery is worth it. The B91 road becomes route 13 once you cross the border into Queensland. All the way up to the high point border, and for some time after crossing, the sight of Mount Lindesay dominates the area. I wonder if you are allowed to climb this one?… Anyone know?

Brisbane

Before heading for a well known lookout across the city we passed by a Hindu temple. A Ganesha temple to be more exact. I have seen places like this in India but they were older. Obviously this one looks brand new and shiny as it was only opened in 2015.

It is located almost 40km south of the city centre but it was worth the slight detour. Kind of odd really as it is in a relatively remote location. The inside was very colourful but photography is not allowed. I am no one to complain about rules like that in such places. The outside of the temple is spectacular enough. judge for yourselves. 

We only passed through Brisbane’s suburbs but we stopped at the Mount Coot-Tha Summit lookout – which offers some excellent views of the city and surrounding coast. And guess what? It was very busy. Naturally…

There were other angles but generally the overall view was always obscured by the rows of trees they have at the lookout point. Why the f*ck do they do that??! It really is nuts! They build roads paths fences and in this case restaurants at the lookout and allow trees to grow and spoil the f*cking views. It is a very big pet hate of mine. But time to move on and reach our destination…

Sunshine Coast – Coolum Beach

The Sunshine Coast is long and there are many towns along its length. After navigating the congested motorway to get north of the city we finally arrived at our chosen destination – Coolum Beach. Kind of half way up the length of the Sunshine Coast. Not to quiet but not as built up as one or two other resorts along this stretch of holiday heaven. Just about right for me.

This was our base for five days and time to relax. More to come of course….

As always: Please share these posts with friends and family, hit the “like” button and feel free to post a comment or question.

 

I wasn’t going to write about this but then I thought about what I wrote way back when I started this blog. It was supposed to be about my hopes and fears for my son. Among other things of course. It has morphed into all sorts, but mostly things that involve his opportunities and travels. I have tried and failed to avoid political type posts in the past and this is another example…

But maybe, right now, you could say that we are living in very dangerous and troubled times.

Then again, when has that not been the case? I grew up in the days of ‘the cold war‘ when the news/media would have you believe that a nuclear war could start at any time. They even went through a phase of producing documentary style dramas about how it might happen and, worse still, what it would be like to survive a nuclear holocaust.

This latest “dangerous times” I am talking about is of course the recent start of a new conflict/war between Israel and Palestine. Or is it the Gaza Strip? Does Palestine even exist outside of that small area? Anyway, I digress.. Here we are (again) watching a distant war unfold in the Middle East, wondering how it will affect us.

In fact, it already has.

Distant Wars Impact On Our Streets

Since the conflict started a few days ago, my son’s school has restarted for the final term of the year and they have employed armed security guards at the main gates. It might be a bit of a knee-jerk reaction but there are some Jewish kids at the school and the school is clearly not taking any chances. But can they sustain that level of security from now on? Will they try to do that? Should they?

You must surely know who they feel the threat is from. And therein lies the main problem. It is not the wars in the Middle East that are the problem. It is that there are people from that part of the world who bring it to the streets of Australia (and other countries of course). Already there has been a lot of tension in Sydney and the Jewish community has been on alert. Also, we happen to live in an area where there is a relatively large Jewish population. And all Jewish schools always have armed guards! Think about that one!

Look. I don’t want to get into the arguments of who is to blame for this latest war. It is a complicated situation and, not living there I really have no right to take sides. But these things are happening here right now and this could just be the start. The same will be true in many places around the globe of course.

What’s Next?

Then there is the threat of escalation. It is sure to escalate beyond what will inevitably be a one sided bombardment by Israeli forces. All the talk is of Iran being drawn into the fray. For me that would be just stupid. If/when that happens you can be sure that the USA will also get involved (if they aren’t already). And the natural follow on is that Russia and/or China then get dragged into it. Crazy times for sure.

Am I worried? No. Not particularly. The reason(s) is simple. Apart from the obvious – don’t worry about what you cannot control – it is as I stated above. I grew up when the cold war was at it’s height. I never worried about it back then and I won’t now. But the wider implications of this latest Middle East war could impact on all our lives.

MAD

At that time there was an explanation of why neither side (The USA and the then Soviet Union) would want to start a war. It was called Mutually Assured Destruction, or simply MAD. (Clearly the acronym came first in this case eh?) In other words it would be mad to start a war as both sides would lose once the nukes started flying. Both would be destroyed.

Yeah. Nobody would win so why would they even bother? Right? That’s the theory, and it worked for me back then; and still does. Just.

However, it does bother me that other countries like Iran will almost certainly get dragged into the war. It may not lead to an all out (world) war but it will be very bad for us all. I am not sure some American politicians understand that. Then again, maybe they do; and that does worry me! Perhaps that should worry us all….

Anyway I just thought I should document my thoughts on this. As always, when my son is old enough to read this (i.e. be interested enough in the content – he can already read of course) then he will see how I saw this potentially dangerous time in history. His history.

We always knew that we wanted to go to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland but how should we get there? By air or by car? We finally decided to take the long drive up north so that meant a stop over around the half-way mark. We chose the small town of Grafton. 

Grafton

The town of Grafton sits on the banks of the Clarence river, more than 620km from where we live. It takes well over 7 hours to drive there when you factor in the recommended (and much needed) rest stops and food breaks. So we set off first thing in the morning so as to arrive when there was still a few hours of daylight. 

En-route we stopped in Kempsey (just north of Port Macquarie) for a break. This is a place worth a closer look at some point. Famous for being the home of legendary Aussie country singer Slim Dusty and the now Aussie classic, the Akubra hat, which is manufactured in south Kempsey. 

The town of Grafton is in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales and grew up in the late 1830s around the so called “red gold” rush – the logging of the large cedar trees in the area. Nowadays the main industries are logging, farming and tourism. At that time the only way to cross the wide Clarence river was by ferry and so two separate towns formed – the main town (north) and South Grafton. Once the railway spanned the river in 1932 the two more or less became one. 

The population of Grafton is just under 20,000 and the town seems to be doing well with many businesses and places to eat and drink. There are also some excellent examples of well-preserved buildings. And yes; there is an old Gaol in Grafton (see above) but although it is a very well preserved building it is not open as a tourist attraction. Instead it has been taken over by businesses. Just as well perhaps as even I am feeling “gaoled out”…

The town is famous for its Jacaranda tree lined streets although only a few were in bloom when we were there. 

 

The following morning we once again headed off early with another long and scenic drive across the border and via Brisbane. More to come…

More? How long were we there for? It seems like we covered a lot in our trip to ‘Tassie’. In fact, I can confirm, we really did. Probably why I felt like I needed a holiday when we got home. Anyway, here are a few more quick visits/trips we made (or stayed) around the fabulous island state of Tasmania…

As always, if you like what you see, feel free to pass it on to friends and anyone you think might be interested. Also hit the “like” button and leave a comment. You can also click to follow on Twitter (or is it X?) and/or sign up for email alerts on future posts. Enjoy…

Richmond Gaol (and town)

Richmond is a small town about 25 km north-east of Hobart, with a population of less than 1000. Its most famous landmark is the Richmond Bridge, built in 1823 to 1825.  It is Australia’s oldest bridge still in use.

Another claim to fame (or should that be infamy) is the Richmond Gaol which is said to be the oldest colonial gaol. So, despite being somewhat “gaoled out” we had to take a look.

Much smaller than most of the gaols we have visited around Australia it was still interesting to see it. Yes. Even though we are now officially “gaoled out” (if that is even a thing) these old places of punishment, pain and suffering draw us – me anyway! – like a moth to a candle flame.

Perhaps its most famous inmate was the man who became the inspiration for Charles Dickens’ character Fagin in his book Oliver Twist. In 1830 Isaac “Ikey” Solomon was tried at the Old Bailey in London. He was found guilty of receiving stolen property – a criminal activity Solomon ran with his wife Ann. By all accounts they had been pretty successful at it, operating their business from a jeweller’s shop. Solomon was sent to Richmond Gaol in 1831 where he became one of the javelin-men – prisoners who were paid to watch over other prisoners.

Overall Richmond is actually quite a pleasant little town (more a village) and would be a nice place to stop for a couple of days.

Tullah and Lake Rosebery

It was ANZAC Day so many places were closed for the day. In the north-west region, while en-route to Cradle Mountain National Park we managed to find a place that was open and serving breakfast. And what a great little spot it was too. Tullah Lakeside Lodge in, well, Tullah.

This area seems full of lakes. Some natural, some man made hydro schemes providing much of the electricity that powers the state. Tullah sits on Lake Rosebery. The scenery in this tranquil location reminded me a lot of upstate New York where I spent some time working in my youth. Beautiful. Especially with Mount Murchison in full view just to the south.

Freycinet National Park and Wineglass Bay

On the east coast of Tasmania – about half way up (so to speak) lies the protected peninsula of Freycinet National Park. This is an area of outstanding natural beauty and you are rightly charged entry to the park. You may hear the park referred to as the jewel in Tasmania’s eastern coastline. And it is easy to see why when you hike up the track close to the top of Mount Amos.

At the northern end of the park the Cape Tourville lighthouse looks east towards New Zealand’s south island.

Tall Trees and Waterfalls in Mount Field National Park

Mount Field National Park is just northwest of Hobart. Well, about an hour and a half drive away to be more exact. Another place you could easily spend a whole holiday but (as usual) we were just passing through…

I had read a little about the so called Artificial Intelligence (AI) app called ChatGPT but I had never looked into it. I had heard that school kids and college students were using it to write essays. A form of cheating no doubt. And that is what many of the news reports I had heard were saying. 

Last weekend I decided to investigate for myself, with the help of my son Daniel who seemed to know all about it: Typical eh? After setting up an account we had a bit of fun with it.

It’s a bit of a long post this due to the story attached, but please bear with it. You may even have a good old laugh…

Trying it out…

First of all we tried it out by asking it to write a 500 word essay about some historical event. Clearly it can handle such tasks as there are plenty of facts out there already on famous people and places. I still wouldn’t say it was a great essay but you could certainly use it as a starting point and then maybe ‘tart it up’ a little.

Next I asked it to write about a far less known series of events surrounding two murders in 1930s Sydney. I knew all about it as I had just read a (well researched) book on the subject. ChatGPT failed miserably I have to say. It came back with what can only be described as lists of people and a few bullet points about them. Very poor but hardly surprising. The internet is not exactly littered with information on the topic I chose. So in the more obscure subjects ChatGPT is really not the all powerful application some people think it is. 

Then, Daniel asked it to write a story. And what it came back with was actually very funny. In fact it had us in tears of laughter. If you know about super heroes and villains and Marvel comic characters, then you will fully appreciate this one. Here it is… 

The Super Villain Story – By ChatGPT

This was Dani’s remit for ChatGPT:
“create a story about a super-villain called Smells who stinks everyone out.”

And here is the short story that ChatGPT came up with:

Once upon a time in the bustling metropolis of Scentopia, there arose a supervillain of truly foul proportions. He was known far and wide as “Smells,” a malevolent figure whose sinister power was not in brute strength or advanced technology, but in his ability to stink everyone out.

Smells, whose real name was Stanley Stenchfield, had not always been a villain. In fact, he had once been a brilliant chemist who had dedicated his life to creating the most exquisite fragrances the world had ever known. He had a natural talent for mixing scents and an unmatched passion for the art of perfumery.

However, one fateful day, disaster struck. An experiment in his laboratory went horribly wrong, causing a catastrophic chemical explosion that left Stanley forever altered. He emerged from the wreckage with a new and horrifying power—he could emit odors of such nauseating potency that they could incapacitate anyone within a mile radius.

Stanley Stenchfield, now Smells, embraced his newfound abilities with malevolent glee. He donned a dark, hooded cloak and a mask to hide his disfigured face, becoming the terror of Scentopia. His first act of villainy was to unleash his stench upon the annual Flower Festival, an event that celebrated the city’s beautiful floral displays.

As the citizens gathered to admire the vibrant blossoms, Smells approached the heart of the festival. With a wicked grin, he released a noxious cloud of odors that turned the joyous occasion into a nightmarish ordeal. People gagged, choked, and fled in terror, their eyes watering as they tried to escape the relentless assault on their senses.

News of Smells’ heinous act spread like wildfire, and the city was plunged into a state of panic. The mayor called for an emergency meeting of Scentopia’s superheroes, the Aromantics, a team of heroes with olfactory-themed powers.

The Aromantics consisted of three members: Floral Fury, who could control plant growth; Perfume Prince, who could create pleasant scents to counteract foul odors; and Breathmint, who had the power to purify the air. Together, they vowed to put an end to Smells’ reign of olfactory terror.

The Aromantics tracked down Smells to his lair, a hidden underground laboratory where he continued to concoct his toxic stenches. A fierce battle ensued, as Floral Fury used her plants to ensnare Smells, Perfume Prince countered his stenches with delightful fragrances, and Breathmint purified the air to weaken Smells’ power.

Smells fought fiercely, but the combined might of the Aromantics proved too much for him to handle. As the battle raged on, a brilliant idea struck Perfume Prince. He used his powers to create an overwhelming scent of freshly baked cinnamon rolls, a scent so irresistible that even Smells couldn’t resist.

Distracted by the mouthwatering aroma, Smells was momentarily incapacitated, allowing the Aromantics to subdue him. With their combined efforts, they managed to contain him in a specially designed, airtight chamber that nullified his stench.

Scentopia was saved, and Smells was incarcerated in a maximum-security facility specially equipped to neutralize his powers. Over time, the former perfumer’s heart softened as he realized the pain he had caused. He began to use his knowledge of scents to create beautiful fragrances for the city, helping to heal the scars of his past.

And so, the supervillain known as Smells was redeemed, becoming a force for good in Scentopia once more, all while teaching the city that even the most potent of powers could be harnessed for positive change when guided by a compassionate heart.

————————————————————–

In Conclusion:

I was quite impressed with ChatGPT – and I am not easily impressed! The speed at which it works right before your eyes is superb and entertaining to watch (well at least for a few times, then it gets boring as these things do). 

If you want an essay written on a subject that is widely documented on the internet such as famous people or well-known events then it actually works quite well. For me it is still not good enough to hand in an essay like this at school, and a half decent English/History/Geography teacher (are there any now?) would spot it right away. But it does provide the basis of a good essay needing only a few tweeks. In such cases, to do that correctly would require reading what ChatGPT has produced and working on it accordingly. So in that case it is not unlike doing all the research yourself. Not quite the end of the world, but still definitely a little like cheating.

Asking ChatGPT about something just that little bit more obscure however, is a complete waste of time. At least from the evidence of my little experiment. 

Where ChatGPT really comes into its own is in writing songs, poems or silly stories. It works well enough at this and is even fun (for a while). It’s easy to see how kids could spend a lot of time playing with it in this context. The short story above is – I thought – quite funny. But as always you need to try these things yourself to see if it works for you – even on a funny short story…

Stanley Stenchfield though… Hahaa.. That was enough for me. And so in line with Marvel super hero/villain names with the first and last names (often) starting with the same letter. If you don’t know, then check some of them out… Peter Parker, Curt Connors, Reed Richards, Green Goblin, Bruce Banner etc etc…

Please share and like this post. And leave a comment if you found it funny.

This weekend we did another leg of the famed Bondi to Manly coastal walk. Not that we are trying to do it all (particularly) but each year the colleagues of Dani’s mum organise the whole walk between them. Small groups doing one or two legs of the 80km route over the weekend. Last year we did Bondi Beach to Watson’s Bay, this year we did Watson’s Bay to Rose Bay. We took the bus to Watsons Bay and another bus back home from Rose Bay. Luckily the weather was perfect.

The official walk was 10km – or approximately 11,800 steps (according to Dani’s mum’s mobile phone app). Overall, with walking to and from bus stops, it came to (about) 12km or 15,000 steps (on the app). Dani had his mate from our building for moral support and they both did well.

Along the route there are quite a few small beaches. It’s hard to call them “hidden” beaches as they are all clearly visible and accessible from this path. But before development of this part of the world they would have been easier to access from the sea.

Along the route we passed a curious old cemetery (see photo below) only a few metres from the sea, and here is its story:
In 1882, religious people from the Society of the Sacred Heart travelled from England and established a school of the Sacred Heart in Sydney. The site, which is still a school, is just inland of this cemetery. The Chapel construction began in 1897 and was completed in 1900. The cemetery was first used in 1891 with one of the students being the the first burial.

Rose Bay is accessible land, sea and air. Near the ferry wharf is the sea plane terminal (see photos).

Rose Bay has many shops, cafes and restaurants. Even some small alleys have been artistically renovated and provide extra shops and businesses.  Collins Lane (below) is a fine example.