I completed the tram challenge yesterday with a visiting acquaintance from the Gold Coast, Queensland.
Saturday night we caught up with Brighton Antique Dealer for a very nice dinner near her home, along with her Toyboy and a two others from her building. If you read the Trip Advisor reviews, you would never go there but we really liked it.
Sunday was killer hot at 38/100+ degrees which killed off any thought of attending this year's Pride March. Things became a bit ugly this year as anti police protestors clashed with police marching in the parade. Most unfortunate really. That the police march, including the Chief Commissioner is good, but I also understand why GLBTI people are against a police presence generally because of their mistreatment by police, hopefully mostly in the past. As happens, the State Premier marched too.
Monday morning was a bet wet and much cooler at abut 21/72. The rain cleared away but the clouds did not. We had brunch at a newish local café as we had been given a coffee voucher. The food was nice, the coffee, not as good as we expected.
At 1pm I met with D from Gold Coast and we caught a 75 tram to the terminus at Vermont South. It was a long trip, taking an hour but pleasant enough. We left the tram there and let it depart and then caught the next one back towards the city. We left at Hartwell where I took some mural photos and then caught the train back to the city.
We were sitting at the front of the tram and for some reason D was sitting on a single sideways street in front of me. A very attractive young woman boarded the tram somewhere in full leather, well done hair and full makeup. She looked stunning. I suppose she was mid twenties. She sorry, but do you mind if I sit with you. If I sit backwards I feel like I will throw up. D said we will have tone our conversation down then, half joking. She replied, I've seen and hear it all before. I said to her, How sad to be so jaded at such a young age. She laughed. Boy could she talk. She worked in a bar in the city and was on her way to work. In about fifteen minutes we knew almost everything about her. We even learnt about her grandmother's car, an Austin 1800 if that means anything to you. She was also interested in us and asked questions. It was an amazing experience.
We left the tram at Hartwell and I took some mural photos, but one I am not happy with and I missed some. I will just get the train back soon and get it right, when I am on my own.
I thought the train station was close to Toorak Road but it isn't, so it was a decent walk to the station. I knew we would not make the planned trains, and sure enough as we arrived the pedestrian gates closed. So close but so far. We didn't have too long to wait and at least it was a direct train without a change at Camberwell Station.
This Tuesday night we are just back from dinner with Bone Doctor and Jo, who is going to see Melanie Martinez in concert. I Googled 'images' and I can instantly see one reason why Jo likes her. Martinez' performance outfits match Jo's taste in clothing.
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That all sounds like a pretty eventful weekend. Glad you had a good time.
ReplyDeleteBut, crikey O'Reilly... an Austin 1800??? I am surprised there are any surviving! Back in the 1970s my sister had an Austin 1100. Such a pile of cr@p 😏 Not a good example of British engineering.
JayCee, I thought both the 1100 and 1800 were nice enough to drive but they were a mechanic's nightmare. The 1800 was quite spacious for its external size.
DeleteI went to that link you provided and dug up this sentence:
ReplyDelete"But police participation in pride events is controversial within the LGBTQ+ community, given their origin out of the protest movement against police oppression of queer people."
It's an inexact analogy, but I'm going to compare the LGBTQ community and the police to the United States and Great Britain. Back in 1776 there was a Stonewall riot of sorts, except it involved the aforementioned nations rather than sexual or gender identities. I'm sure there were hard feelings and mutual suspicions for quite some time afterwards, yet that did not stop the USA and GB from having a "special relationship" during WWI and WWII, a relationship that continues today. In my own queer opinion, I don't mind my community and the men in blue from having a special relationship--platonically, of course (or more than platonically depending on how the cop swings his baton.)
Kirk, I guess that sentence would refer to the Sydney Mardi Gras parade, which did begin as a protest march.
DeleteI am a little suspicious about 'special relationships' between countries. Apparently we have with your country, and with the UK, and with New Zealand. It sounds good though.
I fully agree with your final sentence.
Busy, but the Austin 1800? Dear me!
ReplyDeleteJB, it is such a shame that most of them fell apart and there are so few preserved.
DeleteThe 1800 has clearly made an impression. How come it hasn't rusted away?
ReplyDeleteWe don't use salt on our roads? I don't remember that they were prone to rust, but that may just be my defective memory.
DeleteWhat a breath of fresh air the very attractive young woman was! Some very attractive young women seem to lack personality for they are so obsessed with their exteriors that their inner selves are neglected. "All that glitters is not gold" is a true saying.
ReplyDeleteYP, she certainly had personality plus. Her appearance was meticulous and provoked attention, but she was so nice. Most women her age wouldn't give two old codgers the time of the day.
DeletePretty sure that's a magpie with a mutation called leucism
ReplyDeleteI must agree, not that I'm an expert. Thanks for sharing another interesting venture. Be well!
DeleteThanks Kylie. I think you are correct. My first thought was 'What does a juvenile magpie look like? Not like that'.
DeleteDarla, you know more than I do. Thank you.
DeleteSharing our limited knowledge is how it grows. Thanks and blessings, Andrew.
DeleteI wondered if you went to the March. I was saddened at the clashes. Let us learn from history and not relive it. But then I haven't been affected so can't comment on this particular situation.
ReplyDeleteMerlot, more has come out now and it seems they were professional protesters and activists, rather than GLBTI.
DeleteI haven't heard Dr Hugh Worth's name for ages. He used to be a really important and admirable animal man.
ReplyDeleteHels, who could forget his voice booming out baritone on the radio saying things like, 'Madam, the problem is with you and not your dog'.
DeleteOur crows here are black.
ReplyDeleteDora, as are ours, except in my part of the country, we only have ravens.
DeletePretty rambling weekend. Too bad you didn't make the train. Nice meals you packed in though.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
WWW, it was only a thirteen minute wait for the next train. Not bad on a quiet train line. Yes, nice meals, but then we won't get an invitation for another month perhaps.
DeleteThat's too bad about the march. Sounds like it set back any good will that might have developed between the police and the community.
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
Sandra, it is quite complex and it seems that these were regular demonstrators against many things. The police aren't perfect but from the top down, they are trying.
DeleteThat ceiling lamp is really classic. I would be keen to take a snap of that. The albino crow is very cool!
ReplyDeleteRoentare, it was quite westernised food as it needed to be in Brighton but still, good.
DeleteThat bird looks too pale to be a crow. You think that terminal looks boring? Check google earth and look at Adelaide's Parklands Terminal. I don't like that "rather spesh" light fitting.
ReplyDeleteRiver, if you remember, we caught The Overland to Adelaide, last year? Maybe 2022, and we experienced Parklands ourselves, where there wasn't any kind of public transport to the city and it took forever to get a taxis to come. We were not impressed with Parklands and it was not a good welcome. I wouldn't want the light fitting at home, for sure.
DeleteThere is public transport but you have to walk out of the station and around the road a bit (five minutes) to the nearest bus stop on Anzac Highway and from there all buses go to the city. If you had asked at the station I'm sure someone would have shown you the way. Taxis here do take forever :(
DeleteSaw the march etc. on the TV, such a pity it didn't go well.
ReplyDeleteReviews are not always right about anything really as everyone's taste is different.
Margaret, most reviews come from people who think they have something to complain about. I look at them and try to work which are serious complaints. The only really bad complaint I've made was against the Devonport Caravan Park, where we had a shocking cabin.
DeleteI'm sorry to see the opposition that police get now when participating in Pride marches. The LGBT community includes police officers and they should be embraced, not shunned because of their jobs. It's perfectly understandable to have issues with the police but that's not the place, IMHO.
ReplyDeleteSteve, I've subsequently learnt that it was a was protest group against many things, without a direct correction to GLBTI people. Though I expect even with good and sympathetic training, there is still homophobia within the 'force'.
DeleteI LOVE people who sit down and begin to talk. I love it when you have a moment of truly, really connecting with someone. I love people who are just as interested in me as I am interested in them. I wonder if that is one of the 'gifts' of being a bartender: that you learn how to connect quickly with total strangers.
ReplyDeleteDebby, I was a bartender for about 18 months in my youth and I can't say I learnt that connection skill. Mine was more invisible eye rolling and fuck off talking person. I'm here to pour you drinks, not to socially interact with you.
DeleteI don't imagine that you made great tips Andrew. Tsk.
DeleteThat bird is very interesting. I wonder if it is a species of crow, one with leucism, which is means they don't have the levels of pigment. My first thought was 'but it doesn't have pink eyes...' but further reading said that while albinism does result in pink eyes, leucism is not that extreme. They have some pigment, enough that their eyes would not be pink.
ReplyDeleteDebby, by its feet, shape and beak, it looked like an Australian magpie. Did you see Kylie's comment above. She also diagnosed leucism but for a magpie.
DeleteWe don't have magpies here. I was delighted when I saw them in England, right outside the airport after landing. I knew them right away.
DeleteAnd English magpies are quite different to Australian magpies.
DeleteI love it when I learn someone's life in 15 minutes.
ReplyDeleteTP, the juicy stuff was omitted, not that there was much.
DeleteIt sounds like that young woman has found herself the perfect job for someone who talks so easily to strangers.
ReplyDeleteThe tubes of beer each have a long plastic thin tube of some frozen substance to keep the brew cold.
Thanks for the explanation Pat. Most interesting but probably not an issue at this time of year in Toronto if you were outside. I know we did drink Canadian beer and it was our first experience of a bucket of beer, four, six or eight bottles in an ice bucket. I can't remember, nor the brand. It was lovely warm evening at a roof top bar in Jasper with a couple we had met on our tour. The sun was setting and cast a nice glow over us.
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