17 April 2010
15 April 2010
Fortress Around Your Heart
Click here to listen ...
Under the ruins of a walled city
Crumbling towers and beams of yellow light
No flags of truce, no cries of pity
The siege guns had been pounding all through the night
It took a day to build the city
We walked through its streets in the afternoon
As I returned across the lands I'd known
I recognized the fields where I'd once played
I had to stop in my tracks for fear
Of walking on the mines I'd laid
And if I built this fortress around your heart
Encircled you in trenches and barbed wire
Then let me build a bridge
For I cannot fill the chasm
And let me set the battlements on fire
Then I went off to fight some battle
That I'd invented inside my head
Away so long for years and years
You probably thought or even wished that I was dead
While the armies are all sleeping
Beneath the tattered flag we'd made
I had to stop in my track for fear
Of walking on the mines I'd laid
- Sting
Under the ruins of a walled city
Crumbling towers and beams of yellow light
No flags of truce, no cries of pity
The siege guns had been pounding all through the night
It took a day to build the city
We walked through its streets in the afternoon
As I returned across the lands I'd known
I recognized the fields where I'd once played
I had to stop in my tracks for fear
Of walking on the mines I'd laid
And if I built this fortress around your heart
Encircled you in trenches and barbed wire
Then let me build a bridge
For I cannot fill the chasm
And let me set the battlements on fire
Then I went off to fight some battle
That I'd invented inside my head
Away so long for years and years
You probably thought or even wished that I was dead
While the armies are all sleeping
Beneath the tattered flag we'd made
I had to stop in my track for fear
Of walking on the mines I'd laid
- Sting
05 April 2010
Roadtrip 2010: Melbourne and Canberra in 5 days
We did it again! Another holiday that was packed and exhausting. I got sick when we came home.
This road trip was all about experiencing the annual Melbourne leg of the Formula One Grand Prix. The hubby is a huge fan. His brother who is visiting from the Philippines turned out to be a follower too. And so we loaded our bags and ourselves into the Kluger - myself, the hubby, the sister-in-law, the brother-in-law and my two boys. (Sidebar: You cannot have six passengers in a Toyota Kluger and expect enough room for an Esky. You will have to leave some non-essentials such as camp chairs behind.)
Anatomy of a Fast-paced Holiday
Day 1: Friday on the move
Spent 10 hours on the road with a 5:30 am start. Lots of toilet and food stops along the way. We missed the lunch stop at Albury, the border town between New South Wales and Victoria. Fortunately, I packed peanut butter sandwiches. We found a picnic spot at a sleepy town called Chiltern (see photo above).
We arrived in Melbourne at 5:30 pm. I immediately loved the city with its art-filled laneways and quaint little shops and cafes. Our hotel, Accor's Mercure, was in the CBD. Restaurants dotted the streets and all amenities were a stone's throw away. Adobo, our packed comfort food, always tastes good when one is too beat to think where or what to eat!
Day 2: Saturday at Albert Park
Excitement mounted when we arrived at the Grand Prix gate. The hubby uncharacteristically blurted out, "I am so excited!" The sound of Formula One cars gunning around the circuit during practice proved too much for Migo's sensitive ears. We decided to watch qualifying from the big screen instead.
Below are sight and sounds of an F1 experience: girls, RAAF Roulettes and lots of fast cars!
Day 3: Sunday at Albert Park
The cars went by in a blur and the engines were definitely deafening. Ear plugs are a must! The entire place was in a frenzy, the atmosphere electric. You don't really see or hear anything during the race, except for the "wheeee" of the cars. Watching the race on TV with the replays is more comfortable and entertaining. However, live action is so much more gratifying or so I rationalise.
Day 4: The drive to Canberra
A non-event. We stayed at Best Western Parklands in a three bedroom unit.
Day 5: A side trip to Paris
And for an experience diametrically opposite the Grand Prix, we stopped by the National Art Gallery in Canberra to see Masterpieces from Paris. A once in a lifetime event that brought paintings from the Musee D'Orsay to our neck of the woods.
The snaking queue in heavy downpour. These folks are utterly adamant!
Oh did i mention that we waited for 1.5 hours to get inside the exhibition rooms? Getting wet in the rain was a small price to pay. That makes us as stubborn as the rest of 'em!
I must admit my heart skipped a beat when I saw Vincent van Gogh's 'Starry Night' masterpiece. I heard Don McLean's song "Vincent" in my head ... "Starry starry night. Paint your palette blue and gray ..."
You must click here for a complete audio description of this joyous painting!
This road trip was all about experiencing the annual Melbourne leg of the Formula One Grand Prix. The hubby is a huge fan. His brother who is visiting from the Philippines turned out to be a follower too. And so we loaded our bags and ourselves into the Kluger - myself, the hubby, the sister-in-law, the brother-in-law and my two boys. (Sidebar: You cannot have six passengers in a Toyota Kluger and expect enough room for an Esky. You will have to leave some non-essentials such as camp chairs behind.)
Anatomy of a Fast-paced Holiday
Day 1: Friday on the moveSpent 10 hours on the road with a 5:30 am start. Lots of toilet and food stops along the way. We missed the lunch stop at Albury, the border town between New South Wales and Victoria. Fortunately, I packed peanut butter sandwiches. We found a picnic spot at a sleepy town called Chiltern (see photo above).
We arrived in Melbourne at 5:30 pm. I immediately loved the city with its art-filled laneways and quaint little shops and cafes. Our hotel, Accor's Mercure, was in the CBD. Restaurants dotted the streets and all amenities were a stone's throw away. Adobo, our packed comfort food, always tastes good when one is too beat to think where or what to eat!
Day 2: Saturday at Albert Park
Excitement mounted when we arrived at the Grand Prix gate. The hubby uncharacteristically blurted out, "I am so excited!" The sound of Formula One cars gunning around the circuit during practice proved too much for Migo's sensitive ears. We decided to watch qualifying from the big screen instead.
Below are sight and sounds of an F1 experience: girls, RAAF Roulettes and lots of fast cars!
Day 3: Sunday at Albert Park
The cars went by in a blur and the engines were definitely deafening. Ear plugs are a must! The entire place was in a frenzy, the atmosphere electric. You don't really see or hear anything during the race, except for the "wheeee" of the cars. Watching the race on TV with the replays is more comfortable and entertaining. However, live action is so much more gratifying or so I rationalise.
Day 4: The drive to Canberra
A non-event. We stayed at Best Western Parklands in a three bedroom unit.
Day 5: A side trip to Paris
And for an experience diametrically opposite the Grand Prix, we stopped by the National Art Gallery in Canberra to see Masterpieces from Paris. A once in a lifetime event that brought paintings from the Musee D'Orsay to our neck of the woods.
The snaking queue in heavy downpour. These folks are utterly adamant!Oh did i mention that we waited for 1.5 hours to get inside the exhibition rooms? Getting wet in the rain was a small price to pay. That makes us as stubborn as the rest of 'em!
I must admit my heart skipped a beat when I saw Vincent van Gogh's 'Starry Night' masterpiece. I heard Don McLean's song "Vincent" in my head ... "Starry starry night. Paint your palette blue and gray ..."
You must click here for a complete audio description of this joyous painting!
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