Author Archives: fordhampr

MY AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE, Part XV – Yes, you can go home

My final 10 days in Perth included a visit to my childhood home in Lesmurdie, up in the hills overlooking Perth that, in the 60s, were considered “the bush” but now is very much a bedroom community for the city. My parents designed our house up on top of the big hill (my father was a draftsman so it was easy for him to create the blueprints), it was set in a half-acre lot filled with gum trees and wild shrubs. There were incredible stone walls along the boundaries built by a hard-working Italian stonemason, and our house soon became well-known as the house behind the great wall, and was considered a landmark for locals and visitors on their Sunday drives in the country. It was here that I experienced the frightening Meckering earthquake in 1968, and the birth of my kid sister, Jennifer, who was now my tour-guide on this outing. I had planted a beautiful magnolia tree in the front garden in 1965 or 6 and was hoping it would still be there – it surely must be at least 60ft high by now?! We drove the back way, down Shasta Grove, and saw the overgrown back/side garden…sigh!It was so overgrown and I could barely see the house which had been so altered and expanded over the past 5 decades – all the beautifully groomed wildflower beds and lawns were unrecognizable. Jenny drove around the corner of Basildon Rd and pulled up in front… Here, I could see all the “improvements” previous owners had made, completely changing the integrity and beauty of the building. The wall had fallen into disrepair and only a few sections were still there. My heart was heavy…  BUT the lovely new owners who had just moved in were in the garden so I decided to put on a smile and go introduce myself. What a lovely welcome – we spent about 20 minutes chatting about the house’s history, and I got shown around inside to see what has been change…OMG, the beautiful Toodyay stone fireplace was gone (stunning sparkly stones from Toodyay, north of the city), and the kitchen had been reconfigured (much better) but my bedroom was still there – I took a photo of bro-in-law Geoff from the window.Sadly, as you can see, my magnolia tree was long gone. It would have been right there in the middle of the grass. The greenbelt across the street was still there, though, and I remembered fighting a huge bushfire there along with my parents and neighbours in 1969 (I think it was) – with water-soaked hessian sacks, beating the ground and scrub, trying to damp down all the vegetation so it wouldn’t catch fire. The flames rolled in across 2 valleys to the left of this photo…we saved the house and our neighbours’ homes along the street but all around us, the devastation could be seen for a couple of years with burnt tree stumps and blacked ground.

We then drove into Kalamunda, where I went to school (primary and high), about 5 miles from home. Yay, the old Kalamunda Hotel was still there so we went in for a nice pub lunch.The toilets were a treat – they still had the old dispensing units hung over the sink. Aaah, I think I’ll take some “vanity mints”.Next door to the pub, we found The Cheese Shop of Perth Hills, a wonderful cheese emporium where we all picked up cheeses for the night’s dinner. OMG, yum yum yum…I discovered cheeses I had never seen or tasted before. And the cheese mongers were all so friendly, making suggestions to suit all our varying palettes. So deelish! The store has since moved around the corner to the main Kalamunda drag to Haynes Street. Congrats, mates.  https://www.thecheeseshop.com.au/ 

Jenny then drove to the famous “zig-zag” road that winds its way down the hills from Kalamunda and although the road had definitely been improved and paved over, the thrill of seeing such beautiful views of the city in the distance as well as seeing all sorts of wildflowers was so exciting for me….weeeeeeeee.

I hope you enjoyed my visit home to the hills…it was quite the emotional rollercoaster for me. Next blog or two I’ll share my visit to the big museum & art gallery of Western Australia as well as the awesome aviation museum where I had the privilege of climbing up inside a Lancaster bomber that flew in the Dam Busters’ raids over Germany in WWII. Yeah, you’ll see me geek-out on all the RAAF memorabilia!

MY AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE, Part XIV – and on to Perth!

Suzi and I were sad to say goodbye to Broome…we’d had so much fun on our adventures with pearls, crocs and art. So along with Eduardo we flew down the coast of Western Australia to Perth, my home town where I grew up, went to school, got my first job and had my first kiss (thanks, Alan Mitchelmore).

My sister Jennifer picked us up (with lots of hugs and kisses) at the airport and drove us to the hotel/motel on the South Perth shore – 2 blocks away was the magnificent view of the city across the Swan River (pictured above). Our first sight-seeing trip was to Fremantle, the world-famous seaport for Perth where we had the most delicious lunch at Cicerello’s – when I was little, this was a small family seafood diner/shack on the fishermen’s jetty but now…OMG, it’s a huge dining and entertainment centre, out front of which there’s a big bronze statue of the late Bon Scott of AC/DC fame. Suzi was thrilled to touch the figure and take lots of pics…yes, she’s a huge fan. We took a walk around the city centre with its historical buildings, and just about every small side street had wine bars, cafes and boutiques. What a difference from my childhood days when Freo (as it’s known to locals) was a rough and tumble area that wasn’t too safe after dark. The Fremantle Market has been around since the 1800s and has become a must-see tourist attraction. It sells all sorts of touristy things as well as yummy foods like this awesome fudge. Being diabetic, I had to walk past…but not before taking photos of the deelish treats. Jenny then drove us up the coast to visit my favourite beaches including Cottesloe where we stood overlooking the surf and even saw lots of container ships and other cargo vessels waiting to get into port. Along the way, we passed an iconic image – the Dingo Flour silo. Every true-blue Aussie knows this one!Back to the hotel to relax before a wonderful dinner with the family. More adventures ahead including an emotional visit to the family home (below) up in the hills of Lesmurdie and a visit to the neighbouring town of Kalamunda where I went to school in the 60s.

MY AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE, PT. XIIID – I am the crocodile whisperer!

My final story on my visit to Broome, Western Australia, and I maybe saved the best and scariest to last?! Am sure most of you are familiar with the late legendary croc wrangler Steve Irwin – he was a hero to the animals indigenous to Australia and created his Australia Zoo park to preserve hundreds of species and educate people on the importance of the tiniest or even the most vicious and terrifying beasties.  This day, Suzi and I experienced the wonder of Down Under’s fiercest critters – the crocodile. The entrance hinted at things to come….off you go, Suzi, you first!About 15 minutes outside of Broome is the Malcolm Douglas Croc Sanctuary and Animal Refuge where we experienced this up-close-and-personal encounter with the crocs and oh my, was it ever exciting! I turned into a little kid, running from enclosure to enclosure ahead of the guided tour, seeing all the big and small reptilians and watching as the keeper (with several fingers missing!!) feed them.

I was just ahead of the crowd when I saw this monster…

The famous daily feeding tour showcases some of the largest crocodiles on display in Australia – you get to see both fresh water and salt water crocs who live behind safety barriers and chain link fences.  Best thing was when Suzi and I got to hold a baby croc – even though he was tiny, his bite could take off several fingers, hence the elastic band around his snout. If you want to visit, check out the website for details, hours and directions. It really was a brilliant afternoon, never to be forgotten!  https://www.malcolmdouglas.com.au/crocodile-park/

 

MY AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE, PT. XIIIC – Arts & entertainment in Broome

Broome may have the feel of an outback or frontier town but it’s full of art and entertainment to be envied by any big city. One of the first places in the historic Chinatown centre Suzi and I visited was the famous Sun Pictures movie house.
Inside the front doors, we found a number of museum displays including the old projectors and the outdoor seating for screenings under the stars – very similar to Winton’s Royal Cinema. Next was the beautiful Short Street Gallery which looks modest but it holds so many treasure….hundreds of world-class contemporary indigenous artworks… https://www.shortstgallery.com.au/  

The gallery’s director (sorry, I cannot remember his name just now) was so knowledgeable and shared the artists’ stories and backgrounds with us. He also directed us to their bigger storage facility (they rotate the artwork on a regular basis to keep visitors updated with new paintings). It was just 10 minutes’ drive away so Suzi and I popped over there for a visit…so glad we did. WOW! There are numerous galleries around town plus many of the restaurants and cafes display local artists’ works but after the Short St Gallery experience, my head hurt from being visually bombarded with colour, energy, stories and history. Time for a rest so Suzi and I hopped on the Broome Tramway bus for a touristy experience viewing buildings and historic places with someone else doing all the driving! Fun as well as educational…definitely recommend that. Next time, we visit the crocodile sanctuary for a full-on reptilian adventure where Suzi and I get up close and personal with hundreds of crocs!

 

MY AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE, Pt. XIIIb – PEARLS, PEARLS, PEARLS!

Ever since I was a little girl, I was fascinated by pearls, and after a school project on Broome and the early pearling industry, I vowed that one day I would own one. It’s taken me several decades to get there, but the #1 must-do for me in Broome was…buy a beautiful pearl. So I went on my own grail quest to find the pearl that would be mine. First thing was to learn more about how pearls were harvested, where they were found, how to tell a good pearl from a great pearl, how to listen when they “talk” to you. Your pearl will choose you!  Suzi chatted with the lovely lady at Broome Pearl Merchants store who shared all she knew with us. I checked out all the display cases (below) and although the jewellery was stunning, no pearl called out to me…. All around the shopping precinct, we found historical references to the industry from back in the last century and 1800s. It took a couple of shopping expeditions until I found MY pearl. I finally found it in the Pearls & Boheme store (pearls-boheme.com) – I saw the pendant in one display case then walked around the store a couple of times, but I kept coming back to that one big, bright shiny pearl. I told the lady working that day that I was interested and would come back for it. I needed time to decide whether I was going to spend a little more than I had planned. That night, I tossed and turned and all I could think of was that one pearl. So the next day, Suzi drove me into town to complete the transaction – I walked in the store to be met by owner and jewellery designer Brigitte Hoesl-Lindenberg. Yes, the pearl had been put aside for me…yaay!
PS: yeah, as you can see there was no make-up for me to look pretty. Would you wear it in 35degree heat? Naaah. The pearl sparkled enough for both of us…LOL. Pearl is now with me here in Toronto and all I need is a special event to wear it. But as Brigitte said “every day is a special event – wear your pearl”. So I sometimes sit and watch tv with it, I’ve even gone grocery shopping wearing it. And I’m wearing now as I write this blog.
Next Broome story will be on the fabulous old Sun Pictures outdoor cinema and the art galleries featuring the works of local indigenous artists. And after that….we go croc hunting!!

MY AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE, Pt. XIIIa – THE BEACHES OF BROOME

What can I saw about the beaches around Broome? I don’t think “fantastic” or “extraordinary” says enough.  The most popular and famous one is Cable Beach – 22kms long and bounded by red ochre cliffs and sand dunes, the wide expanses of white sand offers great beach combing and walks, especially at low tide. There are numerous resorts and caravan/camping grounds along the length of it, and Cable Beach has first-class dining venues, lots of parking lots…perfect for family activities as well as romantic strolls. Lifeguards are on duty at the beach from May to October and it is advisable to swim between the flags. Suzi and I had several enjoyable visits….

Cable Beach is famous world-wide for two things: the sunsets and the camels. Camels? Yes, there are 2 camel ride companies who take tourists up and down the beach atop the friendly beasties – Suzi and I decided to pass on that (the rides are pretty expensive) – but we enjoyed the sunsets every night, driving 5 minutes down to the main viewing area and along with hundreds of sun worshipers, watched as the sun dropped below the horizon. So beautiful and exciting…people would cheer and clap each time.

There are several more fab beaches around Broome, such as Roebuck Beach and Town Beach (below) with its long fishing jetty and a history that included WWII bombings and strafings that killed hundreds. But beware, there are salt water crocs, jellyfish and sharks that can kill ya! No swimming or paddling for me! Overall, it’s pretty safe on Broome’s beaches, just read the signs and know your seasons – when we went, it was not jellyfish season and the crocs were pretty scare. You’ll get the best view of the beaches flying into the town…when I looked out the window and saw this, my heart started pounding….get me to the beach! Next blog….I hit the Broome pearl boutiques and buy my fantasy pearl!

 

MY AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE, Pt.XIII – SWEPT AWAY IN BROOME!

Apart from Perth, Suzi and I spent the longest time in the beachside town of Broome, located up the top of Western Australia. As a kid, I remember doing a school project on Broome, all about the pearl industry that thrived up there in the early 20th century that continued through the 60s and 70s when the Mikimoto cultured pearls from Tahiti took over the market (thank goodness natural pearls are back and Broome rules once again). I thought no more about Broome until a few years ago when I discovered Aussie actor Aaron Pedersen’s body of work shot on location up there in The Circuit tv series (pictured below) and most recently Mystery Road II; once the decision was made to come home for a long visited, a stay in Broome was set!Flying in from Darwin, the expanse of beachy coastline was extraordinary….so exciting to land in such a remote town that’s full of history. Eduardo got a special welcome (above) aided by the flight crew who helped him down…yes, my little emu was treated to 1st class service on board. Once we touched down and checked into our lovely holiday cabin less than a mile from the spectacular Cable Beach, we started checking out all the attractions and activities – wow, so much to do and see in Broome. So I’ll be splitting the Broome blog into multiple parts to focus on the town, the beaches, the pearls, the red dirt roads and the crocs! So first, let’s go shopping…..

Our camp ground was so pretty and filled with birds and trees and leafy shrubs. It felt like we were in the jungle…but thankfully there were no spiders or snakes.We were only about 10 minutes from the downtown shopping precinct and thanks to beautifully maintained roads, the daily ride in was smooth and comfortable. Many of the shops were once pearlers’ huts that have been converted and upgraded, or new buildings that kept the feel of last century’s vibe.  Johnny Chi Lane (shown above) is a walkway between the two main streets and is lined with groovy boutiques and cafes. We stopped in at the Green Mango Café (below) which was once a big hippy hangout and has now morphed into a renowned café featuring organic handcrafted foods. It’s not air conditioned but well-worth the sweat! Check them out on Facebook.We then popped into the Broome Gallery owned by artist James Down. Loved his colourful work (originals, prints and souvenirs). I bought a couple of emu-themed postcards and enjoyed browsing the poster displays – oh if only I had more suitcase space! Although Broome is a very hot region, the streets were lined with beautiful tropical trees and flowering plants, as well as some sculptural installations showing of the culture and art that can be found here.
 Suzi suggested visiting the Saturday craft market so off we went to the old court house that was actually featured in The Circuit tv series which filmed there 2007-2009. Sure, things had changed a bit it was still recognizable and I got a thrill walking around where Aaron had trod – yeah, I had a real fan-girl moment there….LOL. We pulled into the parking lots across the road and when I looked up, I saw this…we were at the local jail!So many wonderful friendly vendors with food, art, jewellery… I fell in love with these two prints (above) by artist Betty Rupe (www.kimberleyart.com.au) and they are currently being framed back here in Toronto. Can’t wait to hang them on my wall. Emus and brolgas are native to the region so these are perfect Broome memories for me.

Whew, what a full day we had so with a great big BBQ grill across from the cabin, Suzi decided it was a lamb night for us. And I found my favourite soft drink to enjoy with the chops! Next blog will feature the beaches and the magnificent sunsets that have made Broome so famous around the world. And camels…lots of camels!

 

MY AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE Pt. XII – VISITING THE “TOP END”….DARWIN

I’ve always wanted to visit Darwin: at school in the 60’s we learnt about the terrifying bombings and loss of life during WWII, and I was horrified by the total devastation of Hurricane Tracy that flattened the town over Christmas 1974. But Darwin is a thriving centre of commerce, art and industry and Suzi and I spent a few days there, seeing all the sights and enjoying shopping.

We checked into our “camp ground” – stunning tropical gardens, cool swimming pool and bar then headed out to see the town….first up, we dropped into Australian Bush Traders, an indigenous owned  art gallery & café in the downtown core. Stunning artworks and decorative pieces – wish I could have taken everything! Thanks to Ruby and Jeff for showing us around and making our purchase decisions even harder. Oh, by the way, their are happy to ship things overseas so take a look at their website: https://aboriginalbushtraders.com/  and tell them I sent you! We strolled down the main shopping precinct, dropping in on more galleries and a fab bookstore. We walked the back alleys to find  the most exciting street art ever! Time for a quick nap after such a full day of shopping and exhausting humidity & heat. Eduardo kept me company while I snoozed.Suzi and I enjoyed a delightful sunset dinner cruise, departing from the famed Stokes Hall Wharf.

How delightful….our tour guide had a wealth of information on the history of Darwin from the early settlers through WWII and the big hurricane of ’74. He pointed out all the important buildings and points of interest that Suzi and I visited the next day from the land. But it was all about the sunset…. Sailing back into port, we were greeted by a fantastic light show from the big Ferris wheel (I went up earlier but it was too slow and the seats were surrounded by plastic curtains so no great photo opps…urgh!)Next day, we drove around the various beaches east of town and found all sorts of bays and stretches of sand. But remember, Darwin is home to saltwater crocs, sea snakes and sharks so no bathing for us…not even paddling!!

In the evening, we hit the famous Mindil Market overlooking the main beach and joined thousands of people watching the sunset.

The market is famous for its food trucks as well as trinkets and indigenous art. We had fun deciding what were were gonna eat but I was a little wary of the “giant octopus balls”…LOL

Time to bid farewell to Darwin and head south west to Broome, a town that’s been on my “bucket list” since childhood. Broome was and is the pearling capital of Australia and the s.w. Pacific region.  So many legends of famous pearling luggers (boats) that plied the seas around the N.W. of Western Australia. Plus it’s recently been the location for a number of award-winning tv shows featuring our favourite actor, Aaron Pedersen, who starred in The Circuit and Mystery Road II shot in and around town. It’s rumoured he even lives there now. So bags are packed, Eduardo is excited to board the plane so off we go….

 

TORONTO’S PROARTEDANZA PRESENTS ITS 2022 FALL SEASON PERFORMANCE Nov.2-5

With thanks to my friends at B.Rebel Communications…..

Featuring an expressive mixed program of contemporary dance works, with choreography by ROBERTO CAMPANELLA, CHANTELLE GOOD, SYREETA HECTOR and LESLEY TELFORD plus a cast of stellar performers – NOVEMBER 2 – 5, 2022 at Fleck Dance Theatre, Toronto

Following a 3-year hiatus, ProArteDanza presents its fall 2022 season performance featuring a quadruple-bill mixed program of unique, innovative and expressive choreographic voices. With works created by Roberto Campanella, Chantelle Good, Syreeta Hector and Lesley Telford, these four pieces seek to reconnect audiences and explore the complexity of the human condition through concepts surrounding internal conflict, change and memory. “After being absent on stage for 3 years and with an increased sense of loneliness experienced by many, we are all trying to reconnect, one way or another.”  – Roberto Campanella, ProArteDanza Co-Founder and Artistic Director

To kick-off their exciting repertoire of performances, ProArteDanza presents BEAST A LA MODE. Choreographed by Syreeta Hector, BEAST A LA MODE examines the powerful influence that environment has over one’s identity. This 30 minute performance explores aspects of ourselves that are both revealed and concealed, investigating the uneasy contradictions of character we develop in order to survive everyday life, and highlighting our essential need to compete with our collective identities.

To follow is Roberto Campanella’s emotionally resonant FEARFUL SYMMETRIES (2016) – pictured below, with the movement motif of running, which poses the question: is the ensemble on stage actually getting anywhere or merely struggling to keep up with an ever-changing world? Campanella’s choreography is accompanied by Fearful Symmetries, an orchestral work by composer John Adams. TETHERED TO YOUR PALMS, with choreography by Chantelle Good, explores the act of preserving memories both within ourselves and with others. Whether it be a scent, an image or a sensation, how can we take care of the sacred moments that stay with us, while honouring the truth of the initial experience? How can we hold someone’s memory of a shared encounter, even when it is different from our own? TETHERED TO YOUR PALMS’ music is complete with Nils Frahm’s Said and Done. 

Concluding the evening is a contemporary work choreographed by Lesley Telford. ONLY WHO IS LEFT is inspired by a quote by Bertrand Russell: “War does not determine who is right – only who is left.” Set to music by Michael Gordon, Beethoven, and Mozart, the piece explores the heroism and beauty of carrying on, the futile sensation of the fight and the acceptance of where we end up.

Dances are performed by Joey Arrigo, Sasha Ludavicius, Connor Mitton, Jake Poloz, Kelly Shaw, Eleanor van Veen, Evan Webb, Carleen Zouboules, and ProArteDanza apprentice, Giulia Petti.

ABOUT PROARTEDANZA: ProArteDanza is a repertory contemporary dance company which challenges and inspires our artists and our audience through bold new work and invests in the future of the art form through educational programs. Committed to “passion in performance”, ProArteDanza strives to reach the widest possible audience through an open, equitable and inclusive culture which fosters artistic risk-taking, innovation and collaboration.

DETAILS
When: November 2 – November 5, 2022 at 8pm
Where: Fleck Dance Theatre (Harbourfront Centre), 207 Queens Quay W, Toronto
Length: Approximately 1.5 hours with an intermission
Price: Tickets range from $25 – $45, with senior, student, and arts industry discounts available. To purchase tickets, please visit https://proartedanza.com/ or call the Fleck Dance Theatre Box Office at 416 973 4000.

MY AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE, Pt. XI – A TOWN CALLED ALICE

After leaving majestic Uluru, Suzi and I drove 4 hrs north to the legendary town of Alice Springs, passing desert and scrubland, and along the way visited a cool truck stop and wild bird aviary near Mt. Conner which is frequently mistaken for Uluru.


My favourite feature at the Curtin Springs “comfort station” was the loo! Out in the middle of nowhere, a clean flush toilet fit for a princess…and no lizards or snakes. Whew! Always lift the seat just in case. And there are great showers, too, for the dusty traveler. As we were pulling out of the carpark, I spied this huge cattle truck but there were no cattle inside…instead, dozens of camels were out for a ride. Hopefully up to one of the camel ride outfits or perhaps another farm and not to the slaughterhouse. Camel meat is very popular in the outback – I’d like to think they were going somewhere nice.

So off we went, on to the next truck stop – a couple of hours later we were in Erldunda, a pretty spot with a petrol station, convenience store and snack shop (yes, I had a meat pie and a Lamington…yummmmm). Erldunda was also home to a family of emus and my little friend, Eduardo, couldn’t wait to get acquainted! An hour later we were driving into Alice Springs, home to legends and myths and the subject of novels and films. Suddenly the roads were smoother and small homes could be seen just off the highway. And there was the old ‘Ghan engine, named for the Afghan traders who traveled the outback with camels loaded with goods, food and other household needs for the settlers and indigenous inhabitants of this remote outpost of humanity.We checked into our accoms and settled in for the night. But I was woken up by the most unique “alarm”….

We grabbed a morning coffee at Gloria Jean’s, a fab coffee house chain – Suzi’s favourite and she couldn’t believe there was a café in an Alice mall close by.Then off to the market to browse the local artisans’ wares and maybe pick up a souvenir or two. I picked up some lovely handcrafted earrings (above) while Suzi picked up a twirly potato thingy. Looked delicious!We found this amazing fabric store that specialized in aboriginal prints and both purchased fabric pieces to have framed upon return home. Easier to carry in a suitcase and get thru customs than a large canvas art piece. And less expensive, too. Can’t wait to get mine to my framers here in Toronto. We then popped up to ANZAC Hill to see the beautiful military memorial from all the wars in which Australia fought. What a great view…

The following day, I was to meet up with one of my favourite Australian indigenous filmmakers and actors, Trisha Penangke, for an interview however she was unwell and didn’t want to share germs with me so we had a nice phone chat instead – an online interview is pending. Suzi and I were to meet her at Telegraph Hill, the location of the first continental telegraph station and now a beautiful park. I had fun hugging giant trees and talking to the pigeons – Aussie pigeons are extremely beautiful with little tufts on their heads. As we drove down the hill, we noticed street signs pointing to the Alice Springs Botanical Gardens – what? Without much water how could this be? We got a lovely surprise when entering the gardens, finding all the native plants, flowers, trees, and some interesting sculptures and mosaic benches along the trails. Next morning, my Galah alarm clock woke me up nice and early as we were flying off to Darwin, way up north, filled with history from WWII bombings to deadly tornadoes….can’t wait for more adventures Down Under. As we headed to the airport, Suzi pointed out the amazing “parking lot” of planes that had been grounded during Covid – they’re still there, hundreds of jets of all sizes. WOW! Suzi took the next 3 photos. But now, it’s up, up and away to Darwin in the top end.