Viva Goa

Wondering why I’d have a post entitled Viva Goa on a blog about Australia? Well, I suppose this is what happens when one starts to get homesick. We begin to reminisce about times from back home, and let’s admit it – Goa is the best part of being Indian! Well, perhaps not always, but it is the best holiday destination if one wants sun, sand, greenery, culture and great food. Ah, yes! Goan food – a great mix of spicy, tangy and a myriad of flavors. Very distinct, indeed, as compared to any other Indian cuisine.

Through the months of April until September this year, a dear friend of mine (who since has moved to the USA) kept raving about a little Goan restaurant near her home in the heart of Sydney. She kept describing a sauce she had that could set a mouth on fire with the littlest dab on the tongue. And although I kept hearing about the food and the owner, we would not have the opportunity to visit the restaurant until the eve of her departure.

I had finally found a place way Down Under that not only provided me with the most fulfilling meal ever, but a chance to speak my own native tongue and eat with my fingers. Now that’s a cure for homesickness, indeed! This is not a review of a restaurant with good food, this is me telling you that this little eatery has the best Goan food I have ever eaten, not even in Goa have I had such mouth-watering fare! I am not a food critique, and will stop at mentioning that Viva Goa promises to have you coming back for more. Authentic Goan cuisine in the heart of Sydney, in fact it is Sydney’s only Goan restaurant.

Gus D’Souza, a native of the state of Goa in India, studied to be a chef, worked with the Sheraton Group in India, and then later in Switzerland. This makes him a very accomplished chef, indeed! But when it came to his own restaurant, the choice of cuisine was a no-brainer. He grew up with his mother and grandmother preparing some of the most delicious Goan curries with flavors so intense that he could never let go of them. He learnt everything there was to learn from his mother and now recreates them for us in his very own restaurant – Viva Goa.

Located in Pyrmont, Viva Goa is housed in a 130 year old cottage, and one wall still shows off the original clinker bricks. The ambience is friendly, the food is mouth-wateringly fantastic and the chef makes it a point to interact with his customers. The open plan of the kitchen is Gus’s way of telling his customers that he is a part of their culinary experience. The menu is exclusively Goan, with the recent addition of butter chicken by popular demand. India being such a vast country with such diversity, that it is very difficult to explain what exactly comprises “Indian cuisine”. Common foods found across the globe, like chicken tikka and naans, are not the only a very tiny part of the vast repertoire of Indian foods. Goan cuisine stands out as it is an amalgamation of Portuguese and Indian flavors. If you are up for strong flavors, then I do recommend you try the food at Viva Goa. There is nothing like it in the whole of Australia.

 

The Wide World

Dear readers,

It has been an absolute pleasure blogging here at WP and knowing that there are some who follow my little trips as and when they happen. Traffic to my blog has been beyond my expectations and that prompted me to begin work on my own little website where I can bring together 3 of my blogs and can make it easy for readers to access my articles on Suite101. The Tales of Oz will now be at The Wide World along with my blog on wildlife biology and my personal space to share my many ramblings with you. The site is live, though not yet complete, and awaiting your remarks, criticisms and comments. As someone who is not in the least bit tech-savvy, I have attempted at keeping it simple and easy to build for me, and easy to use for my readers.

I do hope you will visit me again at the new address and follow me as I share my world with you.

Thanks everyone, for being a part of my blogging experience.

South Coast NSW – From Nowra To Kiama

The Shoalhaven River from Nowra

There’s nothing fancy about Nowra, there’s nothing quaint about it either, but if you are looking for a place to settle down after retirement, you could consider it. It is the perfect place to base yourself out of while traveling to places along the southern coast, after all, the last CityRail stop is Bomaderry/Nowra. The twin towns of Bomaderry and Nowra lie on opposite banks of the Shoalhaven river. With nothing to do or see there that is particularly spectacular, it is the last watering hole with some sort of a life after 10pm. With businesses that cater to the booming tourism industry, there is no shortage of accommodation, options for hiring a car, eateries and supermarkets.  So stock up while you are in Nowra or Bomaderry and head out north or south to explore some of the most beautiful places that New South Wales has to offer.

Shoalhaven Heads from Cambewarra Lookout

Heading north out of Nowra, one can see a hill in the distance and atop is the Cambewarra Lookout. Looking out southward, it is one of the best spots to get a bird’s eye-view of the twin towns go about their business. To the east can be seen the Shoalhaven Heads, the mouth of the Shoalhaven river, meeting the Pacific Ocean. There is only so long you can stand and look out at the view, and with only a single cafe up there for any refreshments, choices are very limited. If you’d like to spot your hotel or a friend’s home, there is a telescope to get a closer look at the panorama before you. If you have all the time in the world, then order a coffee or a meal at the cafe at Cambewarra Lookout and sit out on their patio and enjoy the view while sipping on your preferred beverage or your favorite food. It just might be the balm your spirits needed.

Before I headed on my tour of the beaches and towns on the coast north of Nowra, I wanted to take a little detour. I had read somewhere that it is worth the drive to Fitzroy Falls in Morton National Park, a drive that goes through the little town of Kangaroo Valley and Hampden Bridge, Australia’s oldest suspension bridge. The drive from Cambewarra Lookout to Fitzroy Falls goes through some of the most beautiful dairy country there is to see. Little farms, ranches and stud farms dot the very green countryside that is nothing but gently rolling hills for miles. Every now and then there are little patches of dark green between the lighter green of the grassy hills. Cows sit by the fences of the farms, lazily chewing on cud and watching the cars zip past, or stare at idiots like me who are so fascinated by them that they have to stop and take pictures!

Hampden Bridge

As the road takes you closer to Kangaroo Valley, a little bridge appears that resembles something from a fort of days gone by. Hampden Bridge lies across the Kangaroo river and was opened in May 1898, only 7 days before the floods washed the old bridge away. Today it is the only surviving suspension bridge decked with timber from colonial times in New South Wales and is 77 meters in length and only one lane wide. Cars have to wait for oncoming traffic to clear before they can cross over. It is very popular with the tourists, who just have to stop and take pictures of the turreted structure. Like any other tourist seeing this quaint little bridge for the first time, I waited till there was a gap in the traffic and stood in the middle of the road to take the picture posted here. It’s almost like a scene out of books I used to read as a child, scenes from Enid Blyton’s old stories, and a wonderful compliment to the surrounding countryside. I can’t remember the number of times I said how much the country was the stuff out of stories, not realizing then the stories I read as a child were someone else’s reality.

Kangaroo Valley is a little village that has developed around the current tourist traffic. There are bikers in the local pub or hanging out on the streets with their mates. Tiny boutiques and little eateries line the main road which is none other than the highway itself. I just drove through, not sure how much time I had to kill and was keen on moving on. But here’s what I suggest – stop and walk around. Kangaroo Valley is quaint, albeit touristy. Step into some of the local stores, even though you may not want to shop. It’s a great pit stop, filled with old-world charm and color. The surrounding country is dotted is beautiful and the locals are mostly dairy farmers and animal breeders.

Fitzroy Falls

Fitzroy Falls is not a place you should venture to if you don’t have time on your hands. It will not do justice to just walk to the falls from the car park to see a waterfall, albeit a little scary one. There are a few trails that criss-cross through Morton National Park and it would do good to explore for a while. I did not have the time and all I saw was the two waterfalls – Fitzroy and Twin. Morton National Park is in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. The falls lie in the path of the Yarrunga Creek and fall 81 metres down. A viewing platform constructed almost adjacent to the drop gives an adrenalin-releasing view all the way to the bottom of the falls. It takes a second or two steady oneself and peer over the edge. If you are faint-hearted, I strongly recommend you do not venture to the edge of the platform. A walking trail leads to the Richardson Lookout, from where the Falls can be admired from a “safe” distance. A couple of minutes walk away is the Twin Falls, a smaller waterfall. There are other trails that can be followed to explore the bushland of Morton National Park. A visitors centre at the entrance to the park can provide all the information needed on the trails. Here was the first time I saw toilets which were nothing more than a hole in the ground, of course, the toilet bowls sat very daintily over the holes! So flushing not required!

After Fitzroy Falls it was back to the coast. The drive through the Southern Highlands is beautiful, but there are a lot of hairpin bends to get through and traffic on the highway is constant. Before I left for my little weekend getaway to the south coast, a dear friend mentioned I had to make a stop at a town called Berry. And I did! Now here’s where there is going to be some disparity in my description. I’m not sure what to make of Berry. It is a quaint little town, no doubt, and perhaps I was looking for something like what I felt at Kangaroo Valley. But Berry is larger and way more touristy than Kangaroo Valley. There are expensive boutiques and wonderful patisseries on the street. Cafes serve some amazing food and there are horse drawn carriages that take tourists on a tour of the streets. The bustle of the town is too much for me after all the space I enjoyed the previous day in Jervis Bay and earlier that day in the Southern Highlands. Berry is very popular with the tourists. The Lonely Planet guide very rightly describes Berry as “having the potential to become a chintzy nightmare, yet somehow it maintains its considerable historical graces without folding under the weight of antique shops and Devonshire teas”. I loved Berry for its vibrancy, and yet I was not comfortable with it. All I wanted was to get out of there, but somewhere I felt that this town was “pretty”.

7 Mile Beach, Gerroa

Once back on the coast road, I couldn’t stop admiring the picture postcard perfection of the area. On one side I had gently rolling green hills and on the other the Pacific Ocean was a brilliant blue. The first stop along the section of coast was the little town of Gerroa. The 7 Mile Beach is one of the most popular place to head to for surfing and other water sports. The waves here are gentle and kind, unlike further up in the north, and those who want to learn how to surf can do so here. There are many classes to choose from and summer sees the waters dotted with colorful sails. The beach is lined by littoral rainforest, and some of the species within these forests are in their southern most habitat on the continent. 7 Mile Beach is also very popular with researchers who study sand dune ecosystems and the forest ecology. Gerroa is laid-back and there is evidence of the property boom of 2000. Wealthy folks have set up home here and some of these properties are worth millions. This is where retirees with money to spare decided to set up shop and now have businesses of boat hire or surf classes. It is said that the first settlers here were possibly the survivors of the shipwreck of the Sydney Cove in 1797, and their reports brought more people over from Sydney. 7 Mile Beach became popular for horse racing in the mid 1800s and then in modern times, car and bike races. In 1933, the beach was used as the runway for the first commercial flight between Australia and New Zealand.

The golf course at Gerringong

Gerringong oozes wealth – for those who had more money to spare decided that Gerroa was too small for their style and Gerringong became the place to throw the money into beachfront property – or so it seemed to me! While driving north from Gerroa to Gerringong, the road over a crest and the vista that opens on the right hand side is of beautifully manicured grassy hills and Christmas trees all in a row and the Pacific Ocean beside it – this is the Gerringong Golf Club. It is open to everyone for a small fee and can you imagine what it would be like to play here? I don’t play golf or know anything about it, but if ever I do decide that I want to learn, I think this is where I’d head to. Playing golf on the cliff while the waves crash below onto the beach. On the left of the highway, continues the beautiful farm country. This is the scenic drive and continues all the way to Kiama and beyond perhaps, but for me Kiama was the last stop before I boarded the train. But before we move onto Kiama, I must mention the Bellachara Boutique Hotel. Prices may be comparable to Sydney, but the food at the restaurant is pretty good. If you are looking for a little glam by the ocean, then this is it!

Kiama Lighthouse

Kiama is where the electric trains from Sydney terminate. To travel further down to the last stop of Bomaderry on the CityRail network, a diesel train takes over. This was where I was to board my train back to Sydney. I had a couple of hours before catching my train and all I wanted to do was sit by the water and stop playing the tourist. But the Little Blowhole sign was tempting and once there, I waited a while for it to “blow”, but I was disappointed. A blowhole is a cavity that is formed in the rocky ground on the landward side of a sea cave. When waves enter the mouth of the cave, they are funneled up through the hole with a lot of force and get pushed with a loud noise if the weather conditions are appropriate for such a show. Considering the Little Blowhole wasn’t ready to “blow”, I headed to the larger blowhole near the Kiama Lighthouse. It is the town’s most popular tourist attraction. This time I was lucky – with a very loud whoosh, the waves were pushed by the wind and through the hole in the sea cave amongst the rocks. I tried to capture the phenomenon on camera, but sadly I was not that lucky. But there is a nice picture on the Wiki page for the Kiama Blowhole. The Kiama Lighthouse looks like it has been whitewashed just hours before. It is a beautiful structure in a town that has nothing more to it’s name except the blowholes and beautiful beaches. I sat on the rocks of a small enclosed beach for about an hour, watching seagulls at the shore and a couple of young surfers trying to catch a wave. It was pleasant. But my mind was back in Greenpatch. My time in the south coast of New South Wales was done for the time being. Another trip is yet to be planned and this time I have to go with more time and choose lesser places to visit so that I can make the most of it all. The waters here are still cold, summer is yet to come by and I think I shall wait and then wade into the beautiful waters of the south coast.

South Coast NSW – Jervis Bay

If there was a little piece of paradise on earth, then perhaps it would be somewhere within Jervis Bay. Now the truth of the matter is that I am not very well traveled, but from the little that I have seen, the area of Jervis Bay is one that I would want to run to every time I need to find some sun, sand, water, forests, or even myself. It would, perhaps, be a place I would go to find some peace and solitude or head to for fun and adventure. There are sheltered beaches with some of the whitest sands in the world, beautifully blue waters and plenty of water sports to enjoy. There is plenty of greenery to be had as well – the coast is enclosed in national parks and walking trails through mahogany, tea tree and blackbutt forests on rocky formations. There are places along the coastline that are perfect of diving – a plethora of marine life living amongst rocks, reefs, caves and arches. It’s perfect for a weekend getaway or a short summer holiday, or if you have the means, a great place to buy beachfront property!

Jervis Bay is by no means a tiny area. A 62 sq.km. strip of land forming a natural harbor, called the Jervis Bay Territory in the southern part of the bay, belongs to the Commonwealth of Australia. In simple words, it belongs to Canberra, because the landlocked capital wanted to call some stretch of beach it’s own. New South Wales gave it up to the ACT in 1915, giving the government access to the sea and setting up the naval college, HMAS Creswell, visible from Hyams Beach and Greenpatch.The rest of the area north of Hyams Beach belongs to New South Wales, though sections of Beecroft Peninsula is governed by ACT.

Penguins Head

I began my exploration of the little towns and beaches of Jervis Bay at Greenwell Point, a tiny fishing community with vibrant folk. The village of Greenwell Point is on the backwaters of the bay and the banks of the Crookhaven river, and the waters are calm and clear – the perfect spot for some boating, water skiing or any other water-sport that catches your fancy. There are plenty of places that hire out boats, canoes and kayaks; so explore the waters with pelicans by your side. Penguins Head is no more than about 10 minutes drive from Greenwell, and it is a little bit of rocky coast with cliffs looking over the water. It is supposed to be the best place to sight whales during their biannual migrations. At a couple of places along the fencing at the edge of the cliff are small information boards that helps the visitor identify the different types whales that are seen in the area. I stood there a while, hoping quite desperately, that I might catch sight of my first whale or dolphin, but it was not to be. Nonetheless, Penguins Head is a tiny little place, with nothing much to do but wait and watch, if you are up to it.

Callala Bay

Callala Bay lies on the northern part of Jervis Bay, and a great place to watch boats bobbing in the blue waters, or being unloaded from the boat ramp. Its a great place to get an education for the first timers, just watching the boat owners do their thing. Better yet, get a fishing rod, find a spot on the little jetty and enjoy a day of quiet fishing without getting your feet wet. There’s plenty of picnic benches around to enjoy an afternoon in the sun or in the shade of the eucalypts lining the beach. The calm, almost still waters are perfect for a swim if you’re apprehensive of doing so amongst the waves of the Pacific Ocean in other places. The sleepy little town has just the bare necessities the locals need and for the traveler, it may be quite challenging to find too many things to indulge in.

Callala Beach is no different, another little town with beachfront property that is the envy of most. The sands here are lighter in color than at Callala Bay,  almost white and very fine.

Callala Beach

They feel soft between the toes and all that is needed is a rug, some sunblock and a lazy day to lie on a quiet beach. With hardly a soul to see for miles, it seems like a wonderful place to just relax, swim and do nothing but be with oneself and enjoy a quiet day.

Huskisson is the largest town in the area, a typical tourist hub. This is where all the diving and boating businesses are located with classes being conducted for beginner divers. There is plenty to do in Huskys (as the locals call it) – from good food and drink to adventures in the waters of Jervis Bay. Its a great place to sample some of the freshest seafood in the area. For me, Huskys was nothing but a lunch stop. It is too touristy for my liking – I’m one of those travelers who prefer the out-of-the-way places where I am one of the few folks around. Enter Hyams Beach in the southern part of Jervis Bay! This little village sits on the edge of the whitest sands I have ever seen. The contrast between the blue waters of the bay and white of the sands is breathtakingly beautiful. All I wanted to do was stop and stare. Soft white beach bordered with green on one side and clear, azure blue on the other – its not a sight one gets to see too often. Sadly, by the time I got there, the sun was behind me and the pictures I took fail to do justice to the color of the sand.

Hyams Beach

Greenpatch

Greenpatch is a tiny village in the Jervis Bay Territory and part of ACT. To get to Greenpatch from Hyams, there is a toll of $10, but once in, it’s a plethora of green and colorful birds. There are signs everywhere along the road to beware of passing wombats, kangaroos and wallabies, and I saw my first marsupial while walking to the beach at Greenpatch. Mama wallaby with the little one safe in her pouch just sat there and stared. Beautiful animal indeed! Greenpatch is said to have the whitest sands in Australia, and the sea is calm and a great place for a swim. I watched the sun begin to sink and throw diamonds of light across the waves lapping at my feet. A family was playing beach soccer a little away and there was nobody else around to disturb the peace. I am in love with Greenpatch, and would love to spend an entire day there exploring the forest that lines the beach. There is a camping ground somewhere around and plenty of walking trails to keep busy. Its the perfect place for some R&R away from the maddening crowds of the city, if you are prepared to rough it out a little bit.

Jervis Bay might be the jewel in NSW’s crown, but it’s hard getting around unless you have your own car, or hire one. The train services to Bomaderry/Nowra from Sydney is not too bad, but once there a car has to be acquired if you want to explore the coastline south of Nowra. There are a few places one can hire a car in Nowra, but none elsewhere south of the city. So, if you don’t have access to a car, be prepared to hitchhike (chances of getting a ride may be very slim) or be prepared to walk a lot. The other option is to hire a boat and sail along the coast in Jervis Bay. Either way, its well worth the trip and subsequent ones as well. For the first time traveler, it may well be worth spending short spans in each place to decide what your personal preferences are, then plan subsequent trips only to the places that caught your fancy the first time round.

Angel – The Music of Joseph Tawadros

A couple of days ago I received an email with an invitation to a musical evening while at work and for a while I ignored it. A part of me wasn’t particularly keen, but then I hadn’t been to 505 for a while for my usual dose of good music. My musical education was overdue by a week! During a brief lull at the office, I decided to take a look at the website that was in the email. The music began as soon as the webpage loaded – and it was mesmerizing. It was different, I hadn’t heard music like that in a long while. I found myself wanting more and listened to the tunes that were listed on the website, and so by the end of the day, the decision to attend the performance was made.

Yesterday was the day I was introduced to the oud, the req and the wonderfully talented Tawadros brothers at the Tom Mann Theatre in Sydney. The oud is a stringed instrument used in Middle Eastern music while the req is a small tambourine with five cymbals and traditionally with skin covering. Joseph Tawadros has been performing on the oud since he was 12 years old, and younger brother James, not to be left behind, is a brilliant young percussionist. Joseph composes and produces his own music and is fascinating how talented this young pair is.

The music of Joseph Tawadros is a wonderful fusion of the old and the new, of life and spirit and solitude and peace. Spring is in the air, and listening to Joe, his brother James, Matt McMahon and Dimitri Vouras perform the music from the album Angel, brought love back into the heart of a skeptic. Within the span of a half hour, perhaps even less, I felt at peace with myself and with the world around me. I felt loneliness in the music and yet, it was nothing to be sad about, there was joy in the solitude that the music spoke of. I could feel nature’s beauty through the music, sitting in a small auditorium last evening. The music took me off my chair and transported me to the corners of the world where beauty waits to embrace the seeker. At one moment in time, I felt as though I was lying beneath the green canopy of a forest with the breeze rustling through the leaves above me. Another moment later, I felt I was floating along on the calm waters of an ocean, feeling the warm touch of the sun on my skin. A little while later, I felt like a bird soaring above the blue-green of the world below me and watching humanity play out it’s part. The music had some strange powers over me which were broken by the sudden applause of the audience, and I had to have the CDs with me. And as I write this, I am listening to the melodies of Angel again.

On the jacket of the CD is written – “When angels visit us we do not hear the rustle of their wings nor feel the feathery touch of the breast of a dove; but we know their presence by the love they create in our hearts.” During his introduction, Joseph told us what Angel meant to him. To him it is the presence of someone in the audience to whom he performs for, when he travels around the world and is surrounded by strangers. This album has the genius of Matt McMahon, one of Australia’s finest jazz pianists, and Dimitri Vouras, a multi-talented performer who can play the clarinet, the piano, the Shakuhachi (Japanese flute) and the Bansuri (the Indian flute). Joseph’s brother, James, all of 21 years of age, has already made a name for himself in the world of percussions, playing the Req, a small tambourine. Watching these talented men together is exhilarating, to say the least. I have watched Matt McMahon’s fingers dance on the keys of the piano before, and I will keep going back for more. I never imagined that the piano, the clarinet and the tunes of an oud could blend into one another and emerge as one beautifully melodious tune as these musicians made happen with Angel.

I am not someone who can be very eloquent about my feelings and it is the rare occasion that I go over the top with descriptions while writing. This is perhaps the first post I have written that sounds a tad bit over the top, but please, dear reader, take my word for it, sitting in the audience and listening to the awesome foursome perform the music of Joseph Tawadros was perhaps the most tranquil I have felt since moving to Australia. Every word I have written here is true and is no exaggeration. Go to Joseph’s website and listen for a while and perhaps then you will understand what I am trying to say here. In fact, I feel that I have not done justice to the maestro, that there’s so much more to say, but no words that I can use to express myself correctly. The music has made a believer out of a skeptic that is me, listening to it makes me want to believe in love and fairy tales, in humanity.

For those who are in Sydney, Joseph and James Tawadros will be performing on the 13th of Oct at the Red Rattler in Marrickville. I do suggest you find the time and indulge your senses. They will be performing the music from their latest albums – The Prophet and The Hour of Separation.

Joseph was kind enough to satisfy the whims of a fan by signing his CDs for me, and sending in the pictures I have posted here.

Music At The 505

I’ve managed to get into the folds of interesting friendships forged mostly around a love for great music. Every time this little gang of friends meet up, it’s usually to listen to some great live jazz or some other live gig going on in some corner of Sydney. I’ve tried to do some research on where the great stuff is happening, and although there’s a great many pubs and lounges that have live gigs most days, the best of the lot, according to me, is the nondescript venue of 505.

I heard about the place “through the grapevine”. Someone told a friend and a friend told me – and that is how 505 gets it’s faithful following, word of mouth. Not too long ago, it was running Sydney’s illegal underground music scene. It was a place where the local musicians and theatre groups could meet, collaborate and perform for anyone willing to be part of the most amazing gathering of talent in Sydney. This year, the venue went legit and am utterly glad I am now an ardent follower of what goes on there. The best jazz, blues and flamenco I have ever heard!

505 is located at 280, Cleveland Street in quaint Surry Hills, and is very easy to miss the door. Once in, there is a $10 to $15 entry fee (depending on the day of the week) and kindergarten school chairs and what look like overturned dustbins, used as stools, greet the visitor. But of course, there are a few tables along one wall and a little nook with a couple of tables as well. The bar has a not-too-bad selection of wines and the menu, though limited, is good. Kitchen closes by about 10pm, so do not forget to place the food orders before that time. But the highlight of it all is the music. Some of the best local musicians become regular acts at the 505. There is fusion and classical jazz, jazz flamenco, big band and a whole lot of world music and fusion. For six nights a week (505 remains closed on Sundays) there is great music to be enjoyed if you can find the venue.

It’s been 2 consecutive weeks for me, I’ve been there to listen to some lovely flamenco and some beautiful blues, and I think there’s a good chance that’s where I will be spending my birthday evening as well – the third week in a row! For anyone looking for great music, head to 505, but do remember, they are serious about their music – when the show begins, try not making a lot of noise!

The Monday Morning Train to Work

My first week at my first job in Australia is complete, and the new week begins. Thankfully, living 25km away is not an issue as the trains in Sydney are pretty good (if not the best). Before starting work last Monday, I had never taken the trains before 10.30am. Now, I’m on one anytime between 8.45am and 9am.

On most days, the carriages are quite noisy and sometimes quite an interesting place to be. It’s a great study in human behavior, for sure. On most days there are kids exploring the nooks and crannies, there are teenagers screaming at each other, sometimes using a lot of profanity, and there are adults talking quite loudly on the phone. During one commute, a group of teenage boys brought along a portable music system (a “beat box”?) and all of the other commuters got a crash course on the latest in rap/hip-hop music. All in all, it’s sometimes quite a noisy place to spend a commute.

But come Monday morning and the ambience in a train carriage changes dramatically. It does feel as though I am stuck in a carriage carrying mourners to a funeral! The cars are packed to the brim in the mornings, but despite the number of people traveling, there is an eerie silence that nobody seems to want to pierce. There can be heard the occasional conversation between ladies held in whispers. Phone conversations are very muted, while at other times these conversations are so loud that it makes one want to change cars. People are dressed in their work clothes, business suits give the ambience a feel of severity. Students are hooked onto their music or getting 40 winks on their way to the university. Some have their faces buried in a book or newspaper, others catch up on the work on their laptops that they should have done during the weekend. Others are staring out into space with a look of quiet boredom or perhaps Monday morning blues. Some are trying to hide behind dark glasses which just might be keeping out the previous night’s drinking binge.

It’s a huge change, the Cityrail commute on most days and time and the commute to work on a Monday morning. Somehow, through the rest of the week it doesn’t seem to be so severe and morose at the time I travel to work, but Monday’s are special – the week has just begun and the weekend is going to be a long time coming, and everyone knows it!

The Manly Scenic Walk – Spit Bridge to Manly

I had read about the Manly Scenic Walk even before I had arrived in Australia, all thanks to the Lonely Planet book that is in my possession. Every time I went to Manly, I talked about the walk, and for more than a couple of months have mentioned doing it, but somehow never came to fruition until a good friend said she was heading that way. Her original plan was to begin the walk at Manly and end at Spit Bridge, but it seemed a lot better to do it the other way round. So, accompanied by my ex-husband, the Manly Scenic Walk, or rather one part of it, was attempted. Of course, not to mention, the start of the walk was eventful enough with us walking around in circles for a while looking for the start point. The directions we had were flawless, but our sense of direction had us lost for a while. The idea was to begin the walk at around 1.30pm and finish by 4.30, but we effectively began at about 3pm and finished well on time, getting to Manly with some daylight left.

The walk from Spit Bridge to Manly Wharf is a 9.5km walk through the Sydney Harbor National Park. The path goes along the shore, in some places the water is at your feet, or your feet are romancing the sands of quiet beaches, and high tide has allowed for alternate routes to be added to the walk. There are some points, like the Crater Cove Lookout, that give panoramic views of the waters of Sydney Harbor National Park. The path is moderately difficult, with some uphill climbs that may seem a little tough for those with knee problems, but if done carefully and slowly, can be very enjoyable. The scenic beauty of the place is definitely worth the trek.

There are places along the trail that are significant and worth mentioning here. In fact, for those who would follow this trail in future, it’s worth keeping a look out for the signs that point to the historically important parts of this section of Sydney Harbor National Park. One of them is Grotto Point. There is an old lighthouse here and engravings on the rock. The Grotto Point Lighthouse is a hundred years old, being constructed in 1910 and began to be used in 1911. The engravings at Grotto Point are a part of the Aboriginal history and depict a kangaroo, fish and what may be boomerangs.

Crater Cove Lookout is a great vantage point to not only look out to sea, but get the first sight of the old Crater Cove Huts. This settlement was abandoned in the 1980s but is historically important to the area. The article that has been linked to gives an excellent description of the settlement and some of the original residents. Now, of course, the only residents there are the local fauna. Crater Cove Lookout gets ample importance during the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race and when folk want to sight whales. The views of Middle and South Head from this point are breathtakingly beautiful.

The next lookout, called Arabanoo Lookout, has magnificent views of Port Jackson, North Harbor and Manly. There some historically significant monuments there. The lookout is named after an Aborigine called Arabanoo who was kidnapped by the British marines in December 1788 under the orders of the then governor, Governor Philips. The reason given was as flippant as opening up lines of communication between the colony and the indigenous peoples. Apparently, Arabanoo lived with the British until 18th May 1789, when he died due to small pox.

My favorite spot on the entire walk was perhaps Reef Beach. It’s a small quiet beach with clear waters lapping the rocks on the shore. This was supposedly a nudist beach once upon a time, but to me it seemed to be the perfect spot to spend a quiet day with the family or alone. Bring along a rug, a book and some food, and perhaps a loved one, and its a great place to do nothing but relax, swim if it’s not winter and watch the yachts bob in the water.

It’s common for most folk to do the Manly Scenic Walk from Manly and end on Spit Road, but to me it doesn’t seem to make any sense at all. For those getting there from the city side, it’s best to take a bus to Seaforth/Spit Junction and begin at Spit Bridge. That way, most of the uphill climb is done in the early stages of the climb and the rest of the journey is a comfortable walk. Also there is the added comfort of being able to relax on the ferry ride back to the city of one does not have a car. For me, there’s always the treat at Max Brenner’s at the Manly Wharf. A warm waffle with loads of hot chocolate sauce poured over with is the ultimate end to a tiring but wonderful day!

Fire Water at The Rocks – Vivid Sydney 2010

Produced by the Sydney Harbor Foreshore Authority, Fire Water is supposed to be the story of the voyage of the “Sydney Cove”, a merchant ship that sailed from Calcutta to Australia in 1797. But it’s a love story as discovered by a young girl of Indian origin. The story about how her great grandfather came to Australia and fell in love. The story is narrated by the girl as part of a video she uploads telling of her school assignment regarding family histories. She discovers the story of her great grandfather and the audience sees the story as a giant pop-up book and animation projected onto a screen.

Robert Campbell is a man incharge of a factory in Calcutta that produces items from biscuits to rum. He, along with an Indian worker, decide they ought to send cargo to Australia. The Indian worker is sent while Campbell remains to take care of the factory. After a long and perilous journey, the ship begins to fill with water during a cyclone. Attempts at draining the water are not enough and near Preservation Island, the Sydney Cove sinks. The men on board manage to rescue some of the cargo and themselves. Stranded on an island with only biscuits as food, some of the men make a raft and set off to find the mainland. On reaching the mainland, the Indian man approaches the governor for aid to rescue the remaining men. While ships are made ready, the Indian meets and falls in love with an Irish woman. He sets sail again with the two ships the governor offers and rescues the remaining men. On the return journey, they discover that Tasmania is truly an island and one of the ships sink in another storm. The last scene is the one remaining ship returning to port and the Indian dying to meet his young love. At this juncture is a song that is partly in English and partly in Hindi. A heart-shaped fire loop is lit and flames reach for the sky, the ship is transformed in the colors of love and dancers entertain the crowds.

As innovative as it was, the performance for me was mediocre. I give top marks to the effort put in, but the song was hilarious, with lyrics that made me want to roll around in laughter, but that was only because I understood what was being said! A part of me wished I didn’t understand, then perhaps I wouldn’t have felt that cynical. But all in all, it was something different and the kids would have loved it. I liked the fact that the music for the whole show was live and some of the props were really nice.

Many groups made this performance a success. Sydney’s Bollywood dance schools were joined by Aeralise, a renowned theatre group that specializes in areal theatre. The set was designed by Erth, a company that does outdoor sets for theatre and live audiences. The music was composed by Bobby Singh, an internationally renowned tabla player, and Shenzo Gregorio, a multi-instrumentalist and composer. There were three shows every night for four nights in a row.

For me personally, this was not the highlight of Vivid Sydney as I has hoped it would be. I did go with an open mind, but was soon let down by the performance. But, if I was a young teenager, then perhaps I would have loved it. I do hope that the following year is better than this, that they find a better story to narrate and something with a little more finesse!

Tamil Sydney’s Musical Evening – Geethavani Awards 2010

I don’t fully fathom how I agreed to accompany a friend to a Tamil song competition. All I remember is being told that it was the Australian version of American Idol but all songs were Tamil! As difficult as that is to comprehend, I had committed myself to the evening and so tagged along to encounter the largest gathering of Tamilians I had ever seen outside of Tamil Nadu state in India!

The objective of attending Geethavani Awards 2010 was to support my friend’s piano teacher, who was part of the backup band for the competition. On wanting to support her teacher, my friend decided to commit me as a companion and had asked for two tickets to be reserved for us. In my effort to be a good friend, I admit to having become a little cynical about the evening and was not sure as to how I was supposed to express it on my blog. But by the time we walked out of Bankstown Town Hall, I saw the gathering in a different light. I saw it as being a part of something people would want to hold on to while making a life in a foreign land.

The Geethavani Awards are held every year by the Old Boys Association Sydney of the Jaffna Hindu College for young people across Australia to showcase their talent in song. The participants are asked to send in recordings of Tamil film songs sung by them and the few chosen then perform live. The audience votes for who they like best and the winner is awarded a cash prize and the chance to work on a musical career.

I’m fresh out of my homeland and still don’t understand why and how a community in a foreign land would want to hold on to their roots so tightly. But here’s what I appreciate the most. The effort put in by the children who sang and their families in encouraging them to learn something about their heritage. Every kid on stage was perhaps second generation Indian in Australia, all spoke with the Aussie accent, but when it came to singing in Tamil, the pronunciation was flawless. Well, at least to me it seemed flawless. There was a Bengali girl on stage who spoke not a word of Tamil but had learned her song well enough to be given an appreciation for trying something in a foreign tongue. Parents here are holding onto their culture and I am sure the children who have been born and brought up in Australia struggle with identifying themselves with that age old culture, and yet are curious enough to want to learn. Kudos to the parents for instilling a sense of “Indianness” into their children and hats off to the youngsters for mastering an art in a language that may be strange to them.

As for me, I came away with a new appreciation for the many families who migrated here for whatever reason and trying to make a life in a foreign land without letting go of their heritage. I realize that over time there will be plenty about home that I will miss and would want to hold onto, be it in dress, food or cultural activities, but as of now, I seem to want to experience the “foreignness” of living abroad.