becoming an australian

So proud of K; she is now an Australian citizen. The ceremony was in Sydney Town Hall and was a fabulous mix of the serious, amateur and surreal which I found completely touching. About 500 people from all around the world becoming Australians, and being welcomed by politicians using it as a chance to have a dig at Tony Abbott by calling for much more support for refugees.

Interesting to see how nations decide to define their identity at these moments. This one involved the Mayor, a small kind-of-jazz band playing Waltzing Matilda, a group pledge, the handing over of certificates with official photograph-takaing, and then a jolly version of Advance Australia Fair followed by tea and 'typical' Australian cakes. Which are lamingtons, anztac biscuits and miniature pavlovas. I think of these as Aussie 'battler' foods, by which I mean, poor people's comfort foods. So lamingtons are squares of stale victoria sponge, made palatable by rolling in cocoa powder and desiccated coconut (both dried foods that could be kept for ages in remote ranch kitchens). And all the Australians I know feel incredibly nostalgic about them. 

city bingo (2): more humorous signs (2)

Took the ferry over to South Perth to investigate where I stayed 25 years ago, and walked past this restaurant/hotel, with a sign that says - 'The Windsor. It Just Sounds Fancy.' Love it.

more weather

Despite Perth's accurate reputation for dry heat,  the humidity followed me there, together with the usual extraordinary electric storms. Sat on Rotto and watched storm after storm engulf Perth in the distance (and then us).

going to rotto

Another must-do - although not cheap - is a visit to Rottnest Island (or Rotto).  You get there by boat from Perth, Freemantle or the Hillarys, to a place almost without cars that is mainly a nature reserve with large shallow salt lakes in its centre and a whole series of beautiful bays around its periphery. It has a holiday camp feel, with groupings of near identical huts - left over from its penal colony and military days? - luggage transported by electric trucks, and tourists walking or cycling by.

It also has quokkas, a small marsupial not found in many places - hence its European name, since early Dutch travellers mistook them for rats. Despite the ferry there being packed, I rode off on my bicycle and later had the salt lakes and their bird life all to myself.

pretentious, moi?

Would recommend a walk through Kings Park in Perth to anyone. Mainly tailored bushland but beautiful all the same. Having negotiated the dense thicket of joggers who use the steps of Jacob's Ladder as part of their weekend workout, I (of course) had to have breakfast before my walk. Boiled eggs and soldiers in a wooden box, with the eggs contained in part of a cardboard egg carton.

I do think Australian city breakfasts are the best in the world, but sometimes just a tiny bit up themselves.

politest bus-stop in the world?

Have already mentioned the pleasures of non-car transport in Perth. Am also stunned by the design quality of the bus stops.  These are the most elegant and minimal I have ever seen (similar or better examples from elsewhere welcome) - being flat and rectangular aluminium panels, about the height of an average ten year old. But of course, that means they contain almost no information at all. 

photographic records?

I was lucky to catch the Art Gallery of Western Australia's New Passports, New Photography show which had some stonkingly good work, both local and international; much of it exploring the complexity of national identity, often in deliberately stylised ways (the one shown here by Fiona Foley.) I was unlucky to miss the The Giants and Spaced 2: future recall both of which events look pretty amazing.

art and culture

Perth is definitely aiming to re-invent itself as a city of culture. It's Cultural Centre (Art Gallery of Western Australia, State Library, Western Australian Museum) is literally located 'on the wrong side of the tracks' in Northbridge but is being revamped - evidenced when I was there by the FringeWorld festival.

As with many things so far in Australia, this event was experienced in torrential rain.

falling in love (again)

Fell completely in love with Perth, on my short trip there. Felt like a cross between a neat little city in a beautiful setting and Milton Keynes. Redway-type cycle-paths everywhere, plus free bus travel in the centre, whats not to like?

I think staying in a hotel nestled into the hillside that makes up Kings Park, that seemed to be run by Dutch people, and that felt like falling back into the 1970s - including period furniture and free bikes - together with a fabulous morning and evening ride along the banks of the Swan river to the University of Western Australia campus; and LOW humidity, all worked in its favour.

Perthians (Perthites? Perthers?) I spoke to mainly noted that it 'isn't as quiet as it used to be' though, which might just be damning with faint praise.

life and times of Tony Abbott

In the circles in which I mix Tony Abbott has never been that popular. Was pointed at these biggest blunders and Shit Tony Abbott Says compilation videos almost as soon as I arrived in Australia. And my local pavement has been inscribed with 'Abbott Liar' for some time.* Now, with the more recent 'blunder' of giving a knighthood to Prince Phillip without asking anyone, Tony's position seems ever more wobbly - its just no-one quite wants to be responsible for the final push.

* Interestingly, the sections with this inscribed graffiti have been replaced since I took this picture: but of course the problem of using in-situ concrete and then leaving it to dry is that miscreants have plenty of time to scrawl in wet cement - and have indeed written 'Abbott liar' all over again.