Holidays

No! Today is not St Patrick's Day and I am not even interested in St Patrick's celebration anyway but this cross will just mark my lack of inspiration and motivation to post anything in this blog lately. It has been quite a discipline over the past two years and I knew that I would eventually give up the task one day. I am not saying I will not post anything ever. I may keep this blog alive for a while posting from time to time but in the meantime I will take a break away from the cyberspace. Hurray!

Rest

Mum, this is one of the chairs you might be enjoying while you're here. I have personally never used them since I could not really find the time but I am sure it is quite nice especially at sunset to just sit there with a glass and relax!

Exercise

I have never been big on exercise since I have never really found any sport I was finding pleasure practicing. That said since I arrived in Darwin I have taken up on swimming big time. I isually go to the pool at least 5 times a week swimming anything between 1 and 1.5 km. I additionally have this machine on which I occasionally step on in front of the TV. But this is much less fun! This morning I woke up a bit earlier to try and burn off the extra calories from yesterday's dinner.

Album of the Week: Meanderthals 'Desire Lines'

A couple of years ago we had Studio. We then had A Mountain Of One. And now we have Meanderthals. They all have in common the fact that they produce a very particular sound that is difficult to label. I believe it won't take long before somebody comes up with a brilliant idea to tag this mix of Progressive, 70s West-Coast, Dub, Kraurock, Electronica, Balearic and Psychedelia kind of music. Never mind the label, the soothing effect it creates when you listen to it is just amazing. I am not talking about Cafe Whatever or Buddha Lift music. What London's Idjut Boys and Oslo's Rune Lindbaek came up with is the ideal dreamscape. Record of the week, of the month of the year of course! Unfortunately there is only one track to listen to on MySpace so you will have to google elsewhere if you want a preview. But it is pretty safe to just head to Piccadilly Records and purchase their album on CD or on Vinyl.

Not Rubens

Samson and Delilah is a Northern Territory movie that has made it to this year's 'Un Certain Regard' selection at Cannes. I am just coming out from a screening session and it left me with a strange feeling. It justly depicts the sad reality of the parrallel life many aboriginals unfortunately live in this country. There is no denying that despite the National Pardon the scars remain deep in this part of the world. If your view of Australia is one of kangaroos, koalas and exotism, do not forget that there is also another side that is not that visible to the average tourist but that is a reality you cannot escape from. The way this movie is filmed is simply exceptional and filled with sensitivity and realism. I can't promise you two hours of fun but you will certainly come out of this screening with a better understanding of the Aboriginal suffering. The actors are extraordinary and the music is unforgettable. I sincerely hope it can win a prize at Cannes in order to bring it to a wider audience. An absolute must see!

Here we go again!

No crocodile story but an emu story for a change. Where else in the world do you have a newspaper relating such stories? 'Woman fends off horny emu', what a title really!? When you read the article it does not have much substance it leaves you with a feeling of being a non-story in fact. But the point is that the title seems to attract readers since this rag continues to increase its publication when the rest of the world newspapers are struggling.

Autumn Fruits

Nothing is as good as Spring and Summer fruits. When Autumn comes we still have the joy of grapes and pears start to appear. The only problem is that I always find it very difficult to choose my pears. They are either too hard, too mushy or tasteless. But when you pick a good one they can be so yummy!

Ryū Murakami

I love Japanese literature. I love many Japanese things actually. But their writers are so special. Banana Yoshimoto is on top of my list as well as Ryu Murakami. I am surprised Audition has only been issued at the beginning of the year since it has already been made into a cult movie in 1999. I suppose you can call it a psycho thriller. I just finished it today and I am still disturbed by its story. It is very in the line of his previous masterpieces, Coin Locker Babies, Piercing, In The Miso Soup, Raffles Hotel and Almost Transparent Blue. I read them and loved them all.

She's back!

A few weeks ago I was telling you about the Stella Deneb that is the biggest Cattle Vessel in the world. Amazingly, she was back at Darwin Port today to load another huge load of cows. I was surprised to note that she had changed name since her last trip though! She is now called the Ocean Shearer. Not so appropriate for cows but I am sure the kiwis will appreciate when she goes there for a big sheep load the next time.

Gourmet Traveller

My favourite food magazine has to be the ever excellent Australian Gourmet Traveller. I have picked up so many recipes from this monthly publication. If you live out of Australia you usually can find it through any good English magazine provider. It reflects the amazing diversity of Australia cuisine that borrows from the best from any other country in the world really.

Record of the Week: Little Birdy 'Confetti'

There are so many good records to chose from every week that it is difficult to pick a highlight. But every once in a while comes something pretty much different that grabs your ears and that you know is very special. Actually, this weekend I saw this compilation in a record store called: '(There must be) Something in the Water'. It is the Swan river we are talking about since Perth has been pretty much on the music map lately. All this to introduce Little Birdy's thrid and new album. Kathy Steele's voice is very unique. It probably is a love or hate thing. In my case, obviously, I fell in love with her voice on the strength of the single track 'Brother'. Watch the video here and buy the album through the usual suspects. More info and previews on MySpace.

Circular Quay

After a morning lazying around we decided to head to Circular Quay for a late breakfast. Above is the view from the breakfast table. But a small digital camera definitely does not allow for a 360 degrees view. So you will have to use your imagination if you want to see the ever breathtaking Sydney Harbour Bridge or the iconic Sydney Opera House!

Sydney Skyline

I moved back from Papua to Sydney. The view over Sydney's skyline from my room is quite a contrast compared to the virgin Highland forests of PNG. That said, due to the fact I am pretty much a 21st century urban westerner I somehow realise I feel more confortable in that environment.

Beaver Falls

Oh what a day! I have been flying nearly all day up and down the country. The highlight of the trip definitely has been circling around the Beaver Falls which are kind of a Papuan version of the Niagara Falls except that they are only visible by air. They are not usually part of any touristical itinerary for this very reason. The views over the huge Lake Kitubu were also quite rewarding.

Air Niugini

Today I am off to Papua New Guinea again for a few days. As long as they are short trips (shorter than a week) I do not mind really. But I cannot say that I was thrilled by the idea of flying with Air Niugini. But in the end it was an uneventfull and even an interesting flight.

Brissie

After the wallaby spotted in the wild last week-end here comes his urban brother spotted on the streets of Brisbane this morning. I did not really have time for sightseeing but the nice temperature of around 20 degrees that provides a chilly change compared to the temperatures I am experiencing in Darwin allowed for a nice walk from the hotel to the meeting room.

Mermaid Beach

How does it sound to you? The name is pretty exotic, isn't it? And if I tell you it is located at Surfers Paradise, it is even better! I landed at Brisbane this afternoon and headed straight south driving for around an hour before reaching the place where some friends are currently staying. I wish I could have more time to explore the area and to relax on the beach. Unfortunately, tomorrow will be a long day spent attending a business workshop.

Record of the Week: Mendes & Alçada 'Coaster'

That is nice and slow… Portugal is on the map again with this lovely piece of vinyl out on the flawless Claremont 56. I absolutely love whatever comes out on this label. And when it is on a Smith & Mudd, Balearic spirit and from Portugal it just can’t disappoint. Please pay attention and do not miss this beauty from Mendes & Alçada as you may regret it! On the 12” front, also worth a mention are the Burial and Four Tet essential collaboration on a very limited black label pressing and Featurecast take on Aretha Franklin’s One Step classic could also have easily been my record of the week.

In the park

The sight of a wallaby in the wild is something that always amazes me. Actually, the sight of any animal in the wild brings its own share of pleasure. But on top of the list come the wallabies, as well as the wombats and the koalas (only seen once in the wild). In this part of Australia I strangely do not get to see many of the three above mentioned creatures. But I had my good share of frogs, spiders, crocodiles, spiders and on a kinder note, birds....

Biographies

Since I discovered the fantastic Genet biography as written by Edmund White in 1993, I have developed an interest for biographies in general. I find it the best way to learn a piece of history at the same time as you are discovering interesting facts from fascinating people. I just finished two of those lately. On one side a book actually relating the handful of facts we know about Shakespeare and elaborating about all what we do not know as cleverly researched by the ever captivating Bill Bryson. On the other side I came to learn a great deal about Charles Darwin from the inside since this book actually is an autobiography.

First of May

The first of May is not a Public Holiday here but next Monday is. Nothing special to report since it has been a normal working day. I have a colleague / friend staying at home for a few days. She wanted to go to Kakadu over the weekend but we had to scrap those plans as some vessels will keep me busy all weekend long. Instead we settled for this amazing ABC documentary about The Wet which I would highly recommend to anyone.

Food of the Day - Part Two

And now for something completely different: Jelly. I absolutely love Jelly! It is so easy to prepare, so easy to eat, so tasty and yet probably so bad for health. But as any of my favourite foods, as long as you do not eat it excessively (as I did tonight) you should be fine. Since I am in Australia I was made to purchase the Aeroplane brand. Orange is my favourite. Yummy! The time when TV ads were lasting for two minutes is well over but you should have a look at this TV classic!

Food of the Day

The food of day is: Oyster. I never used to like them. Or I used to only like them fried or cooked. But wether it is in America or here in Australia I usually enjoy oysters as they are much tastier and fleshy. Thay have actually grown so much on me that if they are on the menu I am now most likely to order them as my first choice. That's insane how tastes can radically change over the years.

The Dry

OK. My plants may have been dry for a while now but they are quite representative of what is happening in the Top End at the moment. It is incredible how fast the humidity has fallen down in the past days and how quickly all the green is turning into brown. And I am not talking about all the fires currently taking place that traditionally clear the scrubs in order to avoid bigger fires when everything is dead dry! 

Record of the Week: Seth Sentry 'The Waiter Minute EP'

Seth Sentry seems like a friendly fella! He is from Melbourne and I discovered him through Triple J unearthed. His self produced EP ‘The Waiter Minute EP’ is perfect Aussie MC Songwriter Hip Hop Pop! Yes! Somewhere in between Mike Skinner’s The Streets and what Everlast should have been if he had not turned has-been! Slices of life that are very easy to imagine . The first pressing has now sold out but Seth promises a second batch to be ready by the end of May so you can already place your orders through his MySpace page. Other contenders for the record of the week come with the amazing BBC rendition of Kings Of Leon’s ‘Use Somebody’ by Bat For Lashes, Smith & Mudd ‘Le Suivant’ new album and the latest Speck Mountain ‘Some Sweet Relief’

Mary and Max

I suppose you all have seen Wallace and Gromit. Let's cut a long story short... even if Mary and Max is an animation movie with characters made out of clay, it has nothing to do with Wallace and Gromit. This production is purely Australian, out of Melbourne, and is as dark as the film poster or the preview suggest. Very bleak indeed. I cannot say that there is much to laugh about. After viewing this movie, that I was expecting to be quite funny, I came out with a strange impression. I am still not sure if I liked it or not though.

ANZAC

Today is a National Public Holiday in Australia and in New Zealand. And it is also a Saturday so it does not make a big difference for lots of people. But Anzac Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. The main and notable event for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was the famous fight at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I and this day is also a commemoration for the soldiers who fought in France and Belgium.

More more more

One million heads were planned so it is obvious that the cattle season is not over. Imagine the quantity of cows being sent to the Middle East! One million heads! So when I went to the Port today I overtook dozens of cattle road trains. On this picture you can see a few specimen with their load waiting to be delivered. Poor cows. It is actually a sad image to see them stuck there inside those trucks, standing and looking at the sea.

Vas-y Jean-Claude!

That is a real Darwin institution and the sign that the dry season is now officially here to stay. We were pleased to enjoy the seasonal reopening of this great outdoor event called the 'Deckchair Cinema' and the movie played was a real surprise. JCVD. Who would have thought I would one day see a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie! But it was an hilarious and sometimes touching experience. Wether you are a fan of the actor or not I could only recommend this incredible piece of cinema. It has to be seen to be believed. The muscles from Brussels. Aware!

Good Frog

If I have an ugly beast at my front door I have a lovely one in my backyard. You may remember the colourful green frog I posted some time back. Lately, the nature has been quite present (it actually always is in this part of the world) since I had to evacuate my office a couple of weeks ago because of a bat, I recently had to deal with a Carpet Python (which appears to be a friendly snake) and I had the surprise to witness this lovely guest in the office toilets. Not the best place for her.