Di's Diary

This is my new blog

2007-01-23T20:18:00.000-08:00

Please follow the Days of My Life now at www.snippetsnscraps.blogspot.com

A Postscript

2005-12-25T05:07:00.000-08:00

I actually wrote this entry three weeks ago, when we were almost home, but was distracted by domestic matters and didn't get around to posting it. However I was prevailed upon by family members, over Christmas dinner today, to complete my account of our wonderful trip. So here I go....

Our Singapore stopover has refreshed us, and as I type this we are on the last leg of our homeward journey, just 5 hours from Sydney. I’ve packed and repacked my suitcase and worried about excess baggage for the very last time – whoopee!

We did spend a good deal of yesterday lazing by the pool at the Shangri La Hotel, but there was very little sun. Indeed, we had to wait for a passing shower to clear before we went down to the pool to swim – we might have got wet….

A garden wedding, just a few metres away from the pool area, provided us with some musical entertainment as we lay reading, and helped us to stay awake for a little while. Heaven knows what the elegant guests thought of the two Aussie “white whales” popping their heads up over the backs of their sun lounges from time to time to watch the spectacle.

Eventually, though, we gave into the overwhelming urge to drift off, and came up to our room where Boak curled up on the bed and I revived with a shower and set off on foot for a couple of last minute items I’d been planning to buy from the lovely little boutique at Raffles Hotel.

Our hotel was slightly out of the hurly burly that is Singapore’s Orchard Road, so it was quite delightful walking past gardens and trees, notably those wonderful travellers’ palms. I always associate lush plant life with Singapore. You can almost hear the vines and glossy leaves breathing – and they give off a distinctive fragrance too. One can imagine that if the numerous men employed to trim and prune the public areas of Singapore went on strike for a year, then the entire city could easily succumb to the steady creep of these sinuous eager-beaver plants and become like Sleeping Beauty’s castle.

We ended our day drinking Singapore Slings on the 24th floor of our hotel, taking in the view across Singapore as fairy lights winked from shopping towers and hotels.

We had spent our last day in the city where we had spent our first on this Grand Tour. Little did we know then, on Day 1, as we excitedly contemplated this wonderful trip, that only 10 days later we would both be so ill.

We’ve avoided crises like the riots in Paris (the only sign of any unrest being an increased police presence), and a suicide bomber who blew himself up in our Amman hotel, just a few weeks after we’d stayed there and felt so safe.

We’ve recovered from potentially life-threatening illnesses, dysentery requiring me to spend 3 days in Intensive Care in a Cairo Hospital.

Still, it’s been a trip full of very special experiences for both of us.

Afternoon tea at Raffles.

Striding out on the walking track of the ancient stadium at Olympia in Greece.

Visiting the monasteries at Meteora in Greece, perched high on top of impossibly rocky pinnacles.

A romantic felucca ride at sunset on the Nile.

Our first sight of the Treasury building, and riding camels along the route traveled by caravanserai when they passed through the rose red city of Petra on the trade route of old.

Sitting on the hilltop at Angela’s villa in Tuscany and hearing nothing but the birds, as I stitched Lachy’s and Merry’s wedding quilt.

Venice veiled in mist,and drinking Bellinis in Harry’s Bar.

Our view of the Eiffel Tower bathed in twinkling Christmas lights as we emerged from the Metro on our way to dinner at Maxim’s – and the dinner at Maxim’s itself.

Visiting the battle field in the Somme where Ian’s uncle was killed.

Christmas shopping in London’s Regent Street.

Meeting fabric designer Kaffe Fassett at the Liberty store.

Taking long walks on frosty days in Oxford – and warming up with hot chocolate in the café in Blackwell’s bookshop!

Really, it’s just been wonderful – but just as delightful will be our homecoming!

Ive joined the Mile High Club!

2005-11-30T08:31:00.000-08:00

I’ve joined the Mile High Club!

Now don’t get me wrong, I am behaving myself – It’s just that I’m sending this blog entry from high in the sky over Siberia, courtesy of Singapore Airlines’ new wireless internet connection.

We’re on our way home now (or to Singapore, at least, for a day’s rest before the last leg) and enjoyed our final day in London steeping ourselves in all things English. Tower of London in the morning, wandering around Westminster and Whitehall in the afternoon, and afternoon tea at Fortnum and Masons.

Looking forward to seeing friends and family soon!

2005-11-27T14:27:00.000-08:00

Merton and Christ Church Colleges from the path where I took a walk a couple of days ago. I hope you enjoy looking at these photos I took. It was so peaceful - but very cold. So cold that after a while my camera froze so I had to stop shooting.

2005-11-27T14:26:00.000-08:00

My walk took me along the river at the bottom of Christ Church Meadow.

2005-11-27T14:25:00.000-08:00

Ducks on the river bank.

2005-11-27T14:24:00.001-08:00

You lookin' at me????

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Trees on the opposite bank of the river. I really love this one!

2005-11-27T14:23:00.000-08:00

Autumn colours.

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A pretty scene...

2005-11-27T14:18:00.000-08:00

Christ Church Oxford, where Charles Dodgson (a member of the academic staff) and Alice Liddell (daughter of the Dean) lived. This was the location where Dodgson told and wrote his famous stories "Alice in Wonderland" and "Alice Through the Looking Glass". The following pictures show just some of the places and things in Oxford that have links with the Alice stories.

2005-11-27T14:14:00.000-08:00

Statue of Dean Liddell, father of Alice.

2005-11-27T14:13:00.000-08:00

The chestnut tree in the Dean's Garden (all that we, the public, are allowed to see of it) where Lewis Carroll imagined the Cheshire Cat sitting.

2005-11-27T14:12:00.000-08:00

Christ Church Library. From here, Lewis Carroll (aka Charles Dodgson) would have seen the Liddell girls playing in the Dean's Garden over the wall nearby.

2005-11-27T14:10:00.000-08:00

The Alice Shop in St Aldates. It appears in the Alice books as "The Old Sheep Shop" and it's said that in Alice's day it was owned by an old woman who spoke in a bleating voice like a sheep! This shop is opposite Christ Church and Alice used to go there to buy her sweets. Today it sells Alice memorabilia.

2005-11-27T14:07:00.000-08:00

The path through Christ Church Meadow down to Folly Bridge - a path often taken by Alice and her sisters.

2005-11-27T14:06:00.000-08:00

Salters Boat Sheds, by Folly Bridge, where Dodgson hired a boat to row the Liddell sisters down the river. You can still hire rowing boats here.

2005-11-27T14:04:00.000-08:00

The meadows where Dodgson, his friend Robinson, the Liddell girls and their governess Miss Prickett, had their picnic and Dodgson first spun the tale of Alice in Wonderland.

2005-11-27T14:02:00.000-08:00

These brass "firedogs" in the dining hall at Christ Church have long necks - rather like the illustrations in the Alice in Wonderland books. It's thought they were models for the illustrator.

2005-11-27T13:59:00.000-08:00

The Oxford Museum of Natural History - Dodgson would have taken Alice and her sisters here often. Unfortunately the stuffed Dodo that the museum had held long after the bird's extinction was found to have lice in the 1770's - so it was burnt (lest the lice infest other valuable specimens in the Museum), all except its feet and head, which were mummified for posterity. Shame!

2005-11-27T13:56:00.000-08:00

Dinosaur skeleton inside the Museum of Natural History, a wonderful neo-Gothic Victorian building.

2005-11-27T13:54:00.000-08:00

This display case in the museum has examples of all the animals mentioned in the Alice books including the dodo, white rabbit, mock turtle, eaglet and walrus.

2005-11-27T13:52:00.000-08:00

This painting of the extinct Dodo was first hung in the Oxford Museum of Natural History in the mid 1800's and excited great interest in Oxford. Lewis Carroll (Charles Dodgson) would have taken Alice and her sisters to see it. Dodgson had a speech impediment, apparently, so said his name as "Do-do-dodgson", hence his nickname for himself in the Alice books,"The Dodo".

2005-11-27T13:48:00.000-08:00

Reconstruction of Dodo skeleton (on left) and Dodo (on right) - in Oxford Museum of Natural History.

2005-11-27T13:46:00.000-08:00

Cast of Dodo head in the Oxford Museum of Natural History.

2005-11-27T13:45:00.000-08:00

Casts of Dodo feet in the Oxford Museum of Natural History

2005-11-27T13:44:00.000-08:00

A white rabbit!

2005-11-27T13:42:00.000-08:00

Dining room at Christ Church where Alice's father, Dean Liddell, presided nightly at the High Table in the mid-1800's. Boak and I were privileged to be the guests of the Sub-Dean at High Table here in April 2003. Paintings of famous past members of Christ Church are hung on the walls.

2005-11-25T14:27:00.000-08:00

Harrods, Knightsbridge - where else!

2005-11-25T14:26:00.001-08:00

Harrods.

2005-11-25T14:26:00.000-08:00

Christmas trees at the front entrance to The Randolph Hotel in Oxford. We had afternoon tea here (another Morse location - they even have their own Morse Bar).

2005-11-25T14:24:00.000-08:00

Clery's, Dublin's largest department store, in O'Connell Street.

2005-11-25T14:23:00.001-08:00

Marks and Spencer, Oxford Street.

2005-11-25T14:23:00.000-08:00

Debenhams department store, Oxford Street.

2005-11-25T14:22:00.000-08:00

House of Fraser, department store, Oxford Street.

2005-11-25T14:21:00.001-08:00

Oxford Street, London.

2005-11-25T14:21:00.000-08:00

John Lewis department store in Oxford Street, London.

2005-11-25T14:20:00.001-08:00

Oxford Street, London.

2005-11-25T14:20:00.000-08:00

Lights over the middle of Oxford Street, London. These chandeliers are strung across the road along the length of Oxford Street.

2005-11-25T14:13:00.001-08:00

Regent Street, London.

2005-11-25T14:13:00.000-08:00

Regent Street, London.

2005-11-25T14:12:00.000-08:00

Paris sunset seen from the Place de la Concorde. Lighting here by God - does a good job, doesn't he?

2005-11-25T14:11:00.000-08:00

Printemps, Paris.

2005-11-25T14:10:00.000-08:00

Printemps, Paris department store.

2005-11-25T14:09:00.000-08:00

How did this photo of "moi" in front of Maxim's get here, with these photos of Christmas lights? Come to think of it, I was still all aglow the day after Boak had taken me there for dinner (a gift from my lovely step-mother in-law)

2005-11-25T14:06:00.000-08:00

Interior, Galleries Lafayette.

2005-11-25T14:05:00.000-08:00

Galleries Lafayette.

2005-11-25T14:04:00.000-08:00

Galleries Lafayette, Paris department store.

Christmas has come to town!

2005-11-25T13:58:00.000-08:00

All my life I’ve dreamt of experiencing a winter Christmas – well, now I’ve done the next best thing. On Friday last week I took the bus to London and soaked up the pre-Christmas atmosphere!

The Oxford bus dropped me at Marble Arch, in Park Lane, and from there I cruised along Oxford Street to Oxford Circus, nipping into department stores like Marks and Spencers, John Lewis, Debenhams and Selfridges. Didn’t actually make any purchases, but just absorbed the sights and sounds and enjoyed the eye-candy.

Like an automaton I turned into Regent Street and made a bee-line for Liberty. I have my own little ritual whenever I’m in London - I buy myself a glasses case in a different Liberty fabric. So in I plunged, looking for that wonderful gift hall they have, full of all things delightful, created out of Liberty’s William Morris fabric.

It wasn’t there!

“We don’t do that any more”, was the answer I received from the information desk. I do hate change… (Could I be getting old??) So I had to content myself with a Liberty handkerchief (couldn’t leave my favourite London shop empty-handed, now could I?)

However the good news was that I found out that Kaffe Fassett, a quilt and fabric designer of great note, was speaking at a morning tea at Liberty this week, so I booked myself in! He’s just published a book of quilt designs inspired by quilts in the Victoria and Albert Museum.

I dawdled around Regent Street until it was dark enough for the Christmas lights to show up clearly (it was nearly dark at 4 o’clock!), then began to make my slow way back to Park Lane, photographing as I went. This was when I really felt excited. Walking along Oxford Street, London’s Christmas lights shimmering above me against the dark night sky, people bustling past, wrapped up in long coats and woolly scarves and laden with shopping, and Christmas music drifting out of invitingly decorated shops – I loved it!!

So, though I haven’t experienced a northern hemisphere Christmas Day, with turkey and all the trimmings, I’ve experienced London at Christmas!

I hope you enjoy looking through my collection of Christmas lights photos. I’d award first prize to Galleries Lafayette in Paris – what do you think?

2005-11-25T13:56:00.000-08:00

The early morning view from the deck of our apartment as we prepared to leave for Dublin.

2005-11-25T13:53:00.000-08:00

Christ Church all covered in ice.

2005-11-25T13:51:00.000-08:00

The dining hall at Christ Church a few days earlier...

2005-11-25T13:49:00.000-08:00

Tom Tower with frost on the War Memorial Garden, so thick it looks like snow. It was cold!

2005-11-25T13:48:00.000-08:00

Tom Tower a few days earlier...

2005-11-25T13:44:00.000-08:00

Christ Church Oxford.

2005-11-25T13:43:00.000-08:00

The sun veiled by the early morning mist over a frosty Christ Church meadow.

2005-11-25T13:41:00.000-08:00

Boak walks ahead along the wide path.

2005-11-25T13:40:00.000-08:00

Tree in Christ Church Meadow.

What did you do last weekend?

2005-11-25T13:30:00.000-08:00

We went to Dublin (as you do).

This involved a very early start on Saturday morning, as we set out to catch the very comfortable, and gratifyingly warm, express bus from Oxford to Gatwick. But first we needed to crunch our way along the path through Christ Church Meadow, almost deserted except for a few hardy joggers huffing past. The extraordinarily heavy frost, which we’ve come to expect each morning here, gave everything a beautiful dusting of white – the next best thing to having snow – and an ethereal fog filtered our view of Oxford’s “dreaming spires”. I couldn't help stopping every now and then to take photos of this exquisitely beautiful scene, and I've posted a couple of photos I took of Christ Church just a few days earlier, in the sunshine. Don't think it was warmer when the sun shone, though - there was still thick frost on the plants at 12 noon.

Our Australian friends, Mark and Anna, with their little ones, have recently moved to Howth, near Dublin, where Mark is the Youth Minister at the Presbyterian Church. It must have been an enormous upheaval for them, leaving a close-knit extended family and lots of friends in Australia, not to mention traveling across the world with four children under 5 – including a new baby daughter.

Anxious to see them once we arrived in Dublin in the early afternoon, we checked into our hotel and caught a cab out to their home. I don’t know who was more excited to see whom. Twins Adelaide and Declan met us at the door with huge grins, hugs and drawings they’d done for us, and we were glad to see Mark and Anna, and little Matilda, looking just as happy – and Josephine thriving.

We made the most of the weekend, sharing two meals together and attending Howth Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning. Having met the congregation (who were very friendly and made us very welcome) will make it easier for us to imagine Mark and Anna in their context, living at Howth among these people, and to pray for their continued smooth settling in.

2005-11-25T13:28:00.000-08:00

Adelaide

2005-11-25T13:27:00.000-08:00

Declan

2005-11-25T13:26:00.000-08:00

Matilda

2005-11-25T13:25:00.000-08:00

Josephine

2005-11-25T13:23:00.000-08:00

View of Howth from the church tower.

2005-11-25T13:22:00.000-08:00

The Manse - Mark and Anna may move into this house early in the new year.

2005-11-25T13:18:00.000-08:00

Howth Presbyterian Church. A piece of trivia for you: the band, U2, used to practice in a large room up in this tower.

2005-11-25T13:14:00.000-08:00

This photo was taken from the church tower, and shows the houses along the road near Howth Presbyterian Church.

2005-11-25T13:12:00.000-08:00

Howth Harbour (around 4pm). Howth is a picturesque coastal suburb of Dublin.

2005-11-25T13:09:00.000-08:00

I love this picture of them all, on the sea wall at Howth harbour.

2005-11-25T12:57:00.000-08:00

Don't you love Kaffe's jumper!

2005-11-25T12:54:00.000-08:00

Kaffe Fassett signs my book.

My Kaffe Fassett day

2005-11-25T12:48:00.000-08:00

Once again I caught the bus to London yesterday, for the morning tea at Liberty where Kaffe Fassett spoke about his crafts – and it was wonderful. While he was meant to be promoting his latest book, “Kaffe Fassett’s V and A Quilts”, he actually explained much of his creative process, showed us some quilts and tantalized us with rolls of his exuberant fabrics.

Bought the book, got it signed, and had my photo taken with the great man himself!

The most rewarding part of the morning came a little later, however. Having decided I needed to purchase a couple of small pieces of Kaffe Fassett fabric from Liberty to mark the occasion, I was dallying and dallying, picking up bolts of fabric, and putting them down. All the while, Kaffe was signing his books at a nearby table, and chatting with the other ladies, but eventually the line came to an end and I heard a voice behind me.

“I’ve been watching you trying to choose”, he said. “Can I help?”

Am I silly, or what?! Of course he could help … any day!

I left Liberty with a few more pieces than I’d planned – six in fact – but as they’d been personally chosen by Kaffe Fassett, I had to have them …didn't I?

I spent the afternoon exploring the Victoria and Albert - fantastic! Even borrowed one of their free drawing kits, but I was so busy seeing the exhibits I didn't have time to stop and sketch. Pity...

By the way, Kaffe Fassett is decorating the V and A Christmas Tree this year, to be unveiled on 7th December, and his theme is Fans. Look for new Kaffe Fassett Rowan fabrics depicting fans soon, too.

2005-11-22T04:08:00.000-08:00

Here I am at "The Trout" at Wolvercote, close to Oxford, where we enjoyed some warming pub food!

2005-11-22T04:05:00.000-08:00

Feeding the peacocks is not allowed at "The Trout", so these two decided to press their beaks to the window in the hope of intimidating the diners inside ("That steak and kidney pud looks good, doesn't it, Mabel?")

2005-11-22T04:02:00.000-08:00

Bridge at "The Trout" - Do you remember seeing it in many Morse episodes, such as "The Jewel that Was Ours"? The pub even has a "Morse Bar".

2005-11-22T03:59:00.000-08:00

The river near "The Trout" at Wolvercote

2005-11-22T03:55:00.000-08:00

Our little rented apartment is on the top floor. The weather is too crisp to sit out on the balcony, but we have a glorious view as we are right by the river.

Oxford at last!

2005-11-21T13:09:00.000-08:00

After a hectic couple of weeks of train-hopping across Europe, staying in each place for four nights at the most, and hauling heavy bags on and off trains, it was a relief to arrive here in Oxford a little over a week ago. The apartment Boak rented is just as cheerful, clean and bright as it presented on the internet, and we’ve been very comfortable here. It’s on the top floor of a small double-storey block of apartments, only a couple of years old, down by the river and five minutes’ walk from Christ Church, and a little further to High Street and The Broad (where the famous Blackwell’s Bookshop calls siren-like to us!).

We had left the little village of Corbie in Northern France around 11am to drive to Lille. In spite of recent news reports of riots here (and in Paris) we saw no evidence of property damage or unrest. After dropping off our rented car, we caught the slick, fast Eurostar train through the cross-channel Tunnel, enjoying a delicious 3-course lunch with wine as we traveled, and arrived at London’s Waterloo Station around 3.30pm (having moved to another time zone). Next we hailed a London taxi (always love traveling in these!) to take us across to Paddington Station where we caught a train to Oxford, and used the services of yet another cab driver to deliver us to Friars Wharf. As you can imagine, by now we were rather weary and cold, but we received a warm welcome from our landlady’s friend who had thoughtfully turned on the central heating.

After an excellent night’s sleep we woke to this idyllic scene, the photo taken from our little deck....

A path beside the river leads to Folly Bridge. This was where Charles Dodgson hired a boat to take young Alice Liddell and her sisters on a picnic, spinning the tale of “Alice in Wonderland” as they rowed along.

The autumn colours are glorious right now.

Christ Church in sunshine

2005-11-21T13:02:00.000-08:00

As far as I’m concerned, Christ Church is the most beautiful of the Oxford colleges, so I’ve been loitering, camera in hand, to capture these photos.

Our Oxford Idyll

2005-11-21T11:57:00.000-08:00

Life has settled down into a very lazy routine. Boak spends the morning reading for about 4 hours (work-related, so he’s easing himself back in). Then we hop in the car and explore the beautiful Cotswolds – usually eating a hot lunch at one of the historic old pubs.

Of course we had to make a return visit to “The Trout” at Wolvercote, seen in so many Morse episodes, and one of our favourite Oxford pubs. It also has an “Alice in Wonderland” connection – the little picnic party disembarked nearby and enjoyed their afternoon tea by the river.

Chipping Campden was another place I wanted to revisit (nothing at all to do with the fact that there was a fabric shop there) and we ate at the Bantam Tea Rooms.

The days are short, though, and by four o’clock it’s almost dark – and very cold!

This was the beautiful full moon rising over the Cotswolds at 4.30pm.

I took this as we came out of "The Trout" after lunch - around 3.30pm!

Some final shots of the Somme

2005-11-16T02:51:00.000-08:00

Picking my way across a field. Beneath that grass was wet, sticky mud. Behind me is the gigantic crater left by the British army's Hawthorne Ridge mine explosion on 1st July 1916. While those look like large shrubs they are actually the very tops of tall trees growing from the deep crater floor.

Wearing my Armistice Day poppy on my beret.
Our Australian flag. No, we didn't desecrate it - on the contrary, we flew it proudly from our car aerial for 3 days, and this was all that was left by the time we returned the car at Lille. We left little bits of it all over the Somme...sort of poetic, isn't it?
...and some shots of the extraordinary beauty of the Somme today. I was particularly taken by the tracery of the bare tree branches everywhere, as well as the autumn colours on those that remained.

Exploding sheep??!!??

2005-11-16T02:44:00.000-08:00

Just before I leave my stories of France, I thought you might like this photo.

Last Saturday we visited Vimy, north of Arras, where the Canadian and German trenches have been preserved for visitors. Some have even been refurbished to their original form with sandbags and duckboards. You can walk through them, pop your head above the lip of a trench and eyeball your friend over in the enemy’s trenches. Again, as at Newfoundland Park near Beaumont Hamel, the two Front Lines were frighteningly close.

The area is vast, though, and unexploded munitions are still surfacing. (In fact, farmers all over the Somme area so regularly find these when they are ploughing that there are collection points beside some roads so that they can be taken away and dealt with safely.)

So at Vimy, much of the trench area is roped off from the public and large red signs warn of danger lest someone ventures through and is injured by unexploded munitions.

So who can explain the sheep grazing there?????

Does one of these woolly weapon-detectors periodically explode like something out of “Monty Python”?

"Le Macassar" (Corbie) - where we stayed for our Somme visit.

2005-11-14T03:56:00.000-08:00

Ian and Miguel - our super hosts - with "Spats"

At the end of each day's driving around the Somme battlefields, Ian and Miguel were ready with superb wines and nibbles, and we all relaxed here before Boak and I walked across the square to dinner at the local pub.

These photos show the Billyard Room, on the top floor of the house, with the decorator's meticulous attention to detail.

By the entrance foyer, there is a folly of a room - the Moroccan Room. Apparently in the 1930's there was a fashion for all things Eastern, and this room is a superb example of its kind.

This sitting room is decorated in the earlier Art Nouveau style.
This was our splendid - and very large - bathroom

These photos show our elegant, comfortable sitting room and bedroom areas of our suite at "Le Macassar"
Boak was tired after a day of driving! The trees seen through the window are in the town square.

Armistice Day in Villers Bretonneux

2005-11-13T03:30:00.000-08:00

Written 11 November

Today Boak and I marched in the Armistice Day parade in the village of Villers Bretonneux. Forget our Anzac Day parades – the French do things a little differently. At least in this little backwater.

If you missed school the day they did the Great War, this village was saved from the German advance by Australian troops in both April (coincidentally on 25th) and September 1918 – and they’ve never forgotten this. The links with our country are very strong. V-B is twinned with Robinvale in Victoria, the Australian flag flies beside the French, and even the town hall is embellished with kangaroos! Australian visitors, we found too, are soon spotted.

Like yesterday, today was overcast and around 11 degrees, but with the wind chill factor I really needed the gear that has become my Somme “uniform” – warm slacks, a spencer, jumper and two coats, a woolly scarf, and a beret pulled down over my ears. As well, just for the occasion, I wore my Aussie flag socks (thank you, Megan) under my boots. Of course no-one could see them, but they did give me the warm fuzzies!

With our Australian flag flapping from the car aerial, we arrived in the town square just in time for the parade to begin. The Villers Bretonneux brass band (all 12 of them) led the way, the drummer beating out the pace and the other instruments unsuccessfully trying not to hit too many wrong notes. Next came the tracksuit-clad Twirling group (baton twirlers), the youngest tot only about 4! The 4 regimental flags were carried next, then 5 gendarmes, and the 6 Sapeurs Pompiers (fire brigade) brought up the rear, the only group even trying to keep in formation.

When the few dozen townsfolk followed on, we decided to do things the French way and join in. Down the street we processed with our little band, oompah-ing and shuffling, smiling and greeting everyone with a “Bonjour”, scooping up strays along the way.

The first stop was the WWII memorial (Aussie flag flying beside the French one) where the tiniest Twirler was helped to lay a wreath, we had a minute’s silence, and then the local glee club sang “La Marseillaise”. Then, after re-forming, we all moved off along a different road to the WWI memorial (yes, another Aussie flag proudly flying with the French). Another wreath was laid, another minute of silence, and another Marseillaise warbled by the singers. The only difference was that this time the names of the dead, from both wars, were read out. A very moving experience, especially as we heard many with the same surnames.

The whole exercise had taken just about 35 minutes from start to finish! It was now around 11.15am so we all adjourned to the local multipurpose hall where the mayor took the microphone, thanked all the participants (especially congratulating the singers on their “enthusiastic” rendering of the national anthem), and invited everyone to join in refreshments. There being neither sun nor yardarm, we all hopped into the champagne and cassis.

People welcomed us with their smiles, one man proudly pointing to his collection of Australian pins on his lapel, and the President of the Franco-Australian Association came over and introduced himself to us. Like Boak, he has an Order of Australia award, and recognized the medals Boak was wearing. He then introduced us to the Mayor, and by the time my champagne glass had been topped up a couple of times I left Villers Bretonneux quite full of joie de vivre!

Flying our Australian flag from the car aerial.

The brass band

A spirited rendering of "La Marseillaise"

The townsfolk joined in

The Somme

2005-11-13T02:45:00.000-08:00

Written 10th November.

There’s an air of peace today in Newfoundland Park as you walk along the wide gravel path through the wood. Here and there beneath the trees are saucer-shaped dips in the ground where autumn leaves are collecting, and as you walk on your eye is immediately drawn to the elegant bronze sculpture of a Canadian elk on a rise above the path. But it wasn’t always so. The Canadian government has preserved this ground, near Beaumont Hamel in the Somme, and we are here, clutching our notes and quietly taking in our surroundings on the first stop of our self-drive tour of the Somme battlefields of Northern France.

From this viewpoint the bizarre formation of the terrain is tragically clear. The gentle slopes, undulating ridges and hollows, now covered in fine, green grass and looking as if giant moles have been at work, belie the horror of this place where, over 4 months, from July to November 1916, there were more than 1,300,000 casualties – around 20,000 lost their lives on 1st July alone, a record that has never been equaled in any battle in the world. These are the trenches, carefully preserved, where the Allied troops waited for their orders to advance across No Man’s Land towards the German front line. We can see that line too, so very, very close. I can’t believe how clear it all is still, almost 90 years on.

Over the course of this campaign so many lives were lost, and yet the front line moved little. The German and Allied front lines were so close - only tens of metres apart at points. They could have seen the whites of each other's eyes. It seems this was yet another battle where brave, idealistic young men didn’t stand a chance.

Under a steely sky, with icy wind blowing light sleety rain against our faces, we tramp across a field to see the giant crater left by a huge explosion engineered by the Allies at Hawthorne Ridge. It was supposed to blow the German artillery to bits, to prepare the way for the infantry, but instead, exploding at 7.20am, 10 minutes before the Allied offensive was to start, it simply alerted the Germans to what was to happen. They were ready to mow down these eager young men when the advance began at 7.30am.

Clods of mud stick to my boots as I pick my way through the potato crop, and recalling photos of the conditions in 1916 I feel guilty for being irritated by this minor inconvenience.

We are on a rise, and as I look into the distance – I can see for many kilometers across this open terrain – there are at least 5 war cemeteries. These are the battlefield cemeteries, established where battles happened, tiny fenced off areas, immaculately maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Here and there are woods of bare trees, but the landscape is mostly open, rolling hills, under cultivation, just as it would have been in 1916.

A special mission brings us to Serres Road Cemetery No 1. The uncle of a close Australian friend was killed in the Battle of the Somme, and we’ve promised to find his grave. Like all the other cemeteries, this one is neat as a pin, planted with rose bushes, the headstones a regulation size and design. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission which maintains these cemeteries has decreed that all should be equal in death.

I see one stone that reads “A Soldier of the Great War – Known only to God” and think, how sad. But then I see another, and another, and soon realize that around a third of the bodies buried here have never been formally identified. Our friend’s uncle was one of the lucky ones – if you can say that – since his name appears where he is buried, and I find his headstone, a yellow rose blooming brightly beside it. He was only 23 years old – younger than our own sons – and I try to imagine the pain his parents must have felt on hearing the news of his death so far away.

We’ve been told he died at Mouquet Farm, so we drive the short distance across rolling hills studded with copses and woods to where a memorial by the side of the road commemorates the soldiers who died here. Mouquet Farm (or as the larrikin “diggers” called it, “Moo Cow Farm”) was occupied by the Germans in September 1916, and its underground cellars afforded them valuable shelter. Australians fought bravely here in the early days of September trying to take this stronghold before being relieved by the Canadians on 5th. My heart sinks when I read this - our friend’s uncle was killed on 4th.

"Moo Cow" Farm today (above and below)

The Serre Road No. 1 Cemetery

A Soldier of the Great War

Known Unto God

Trenches at the scene of the Battle of the Somme

A photo essay so you can catch up with this week's experiences

2005-11-07T15:13:00.000-08:00

I'm afraid I've neglected you, gentle reader.

Since leaving Manciano a week ago we've been on the move with little time to even send emails, let alone maintain my blog. We drove back to Rome to return the rental car, then hopped on a train to Venice the next morning. Next stop was Milan, to see "The Last Supper", then by TGV train through the Italian Alps to Paris.

However I now have a fast wireless connection at this little gem of a hotel (The Caron de Beaumarchais Hotel) just off the Rue de Rivoli in the Marais district and can upload photos! So I'll attempt a quick catch-up with this photo essay of our stay in Venice.

In brief, we viewed the paintings in the Gallerie dell'Accademia and the Palazzo Rezzonico, visited the church of Santa Maria della Salute and the Basilica San Marco (a return visit), attended a superb Vivaldi concert in the Church of St Vidal, shopped and walked for miles exploring little bridges and alleys, lost ourselves many times, never tired of the bells that seemed to constantly ring out from one church or another, ate far too much, and generally savoured the joys of Venice without the crowds.

Venice looking exquisite in the morning mist.

Swanning at Quadri in the Piazza San Marco where we drank coffee while the palm court orchestra played Strauss waltzes. We also popped into Harry's Bar for Bellinis (champagne and peach juice).

Our view of the Grand Canal from our window

The Pensione Accademia - our room was the top window on the right.

Campo San Barnaba

This little square has been quite a favourite with film-makers. The facade of church of San Barnaba was featured in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", and the several scenes of the Katherine Hepburn movie "Summertime" were filmed here.

The Grand Canal

Arriving by boat at the Pensione Accademia. It had always been Boak's dream to arrive this way, so when an eager gent approached us struggling out of the station with our luggage he instantly accepted. It wasn't quite the speedboat he was expecting, but nevertheless this was a particularly fine way to arrive since the Pensione Accademia has its own landing just off the Grand Canal.

A visit to the thermal springs of Saturnia

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At 37 degrees, sitting in these waters is like taking a warm bath - with lots of strangers, some of whom have doubtful hygiene habits :-). It's best, I'm told, to bathe as high up in the cascade as possible! Yes, I just had to try the waters - but I kept my mouth closed....

Some final photos of the villa before we move on

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Harvested olives waiting to be taken away for pressing

The house is right up there on the top of the hill

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Manciano olives

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"Quilt" designs executed in coloured marble on the exterior walls of the Duomo at Pisa.

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Pisa - Leaning Tower

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Funny fountain, Florence

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Boak beside the River Arno, Florence

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Rear of the Villa Aurora hotel - our room was the one on the right.

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Queen Victoria slept here at the Hotel Villa Aurora, Fiesole - and so did we!

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Early morning misty view of Florence from our hotel window in Fiesole. If you squint you can just make out the dome of the Duomo in the centre above the outline of the trees.