Tuesday, May 28, 2013

On top of the world

 
Like a great many other New Zealand citizens, I am feeling very proud
of one of our national heroes today.
It is 60 years since Edmund Hillary and his guide, Sherpa Tenzing,
made the first successful ascent of Mt Everest.

"It was from a radio transmitter at Namche that the news of Everest's conquest on 29 May 1953 was sent. It arrived in London in time for the Queen's coronation three days later on 2 June. The British had been trying to climb the mountain since the early 1920s, but competitors were pressing in on what had once been a British-dominated sport. The Swiss had nearly succeeded in 1952. The French looked likely to succeed in 1954. There was much pressure."
Guardian

Hillary took this photo of Tenzing standing on the summit:


"Mountaineering people will gather in London today to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Hillary's standing "on the top of the world". It will not be the first commemoration, but it is the first at which the man they honour will be missing. Hillary died in 2008.
Also missing will be his Sherpa climbing companion, the late Tensing Norgay. The two men's sons will represent them at the Royal Geographical Society function, in the presence of the Queen."
Marlborough Express

Good on you, Sir Ed!

Glory lies in the attempt to reach one's goal and not in reaching it. 
~ Mahatma Gandhi

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Visiting the Market

On my recent visit to Melbourne, I deliberately booked a hotel within walking
distance of the Queen Victoria Market.
I don't like going out at night alone in a big city, so I planned to buy supplies
at the market, and enjoy some of the great variety of delicious food available.



Melbourne has large populations of Greeks, Italians, Germans, Lebanese...
a liquorice allsorts of nationalities.
I think they all have food stalls in the deli area of the market!



I enjoy just walking around looking at all of the different choices - so many!
I bought ciabatta bread, still warm. I chose spicy Italian sopressa, German cheese, Greek yoghurt - all made near Melbourne by recent immigrants or second-, third-, ninth-generation Australians. I bought tomatoes, grapes, melon, olives... all so beautiful, so fresh. I dined like royalty every night.



Everybody seems to enjoy the ambiance of the market...


 One of the things I miss about living in a small town is the markets that big cities have, so the Queen Vic market was a highlight of my 2 weeks in Australia.
 
Don't worry, I had plenty of great lunches in fabulous restaurants, thanks to 
friends and relatives. 
But I have to confess I enjoyed my delicious solitary 'picnics'. 

Oh - and (sorry, Aussie mates) I only bought New Zealand wine!!


And - I'm on a diet ....

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Thematic Photographic 242: Vegetative Melbourne

Carmi's latest theme suits me. I've just come back from a holiday in Melbourne, Australia,
where I found lots to photograph in the way of growing things. 

Early morning light showed off the trees in the Treasury Gardens beautifully:



I love the Conservatory in the Fitzroy Gardens -
there are always wonderful displays (and it's warm!)





Nearby, Captain Cook's cottage has some spectacular vegetation around it.
There's a statue of the old explorer himself, keeping watch:




On my walkabouts I saw many of Melbourne's old terraced houses:


Along the banks of the Yarra River the trees are beginning to change colour:




Lastly - the produce in the organic hall at the Queen Victoria market
is so fresh that it's practically still growing:


For other people's vegetative musings go here.

“Ideas, like individuals, live and die. They flourish, according to their nature, in one soil or climate and droop in another. They are the vegetation of the mental world.”
~William MacNeile Dixon