For my trip to Germany I will need money, At present the A$ is riding high in relation to US$,I thought it time to change to Euros.Also my Visa traveller cheques are developing dogs ears,I should check if they are cashable.
On the bus I meet Noel a fellow traveller,we chat about currancies,he advised I change my A$ in Chinatown as I would get a better rate.
He showed me his range of bank cards and insisted I get a debit card.We discuss my ANZ passbook account of 40 years,which charges me to keep my money safe so they can use it profitably,Noel is in disbelief.
On the train all passangers are watching their mobiles.I ask the lady across the isle what she is reading?
"my work shedule for to day,it is 9.45am so I realise the office has moved on to the rail,bus, or ferry services with more flexable hours
Once in the city I go to the exclusive Deutschbank,with its groundfloor restaurants and fountains.I speed to the 16th floor,where I am told on the intercom this is a wholesale bank,I query "do you have contact with Deutschbank in Germany" yes is the reply 'can you tell me if Deutschbank can cash my travellers cheques ?
No.
I cross the road to CBA and enquire can I change money.The suited official looks stunned we move to a counter which has Macquarie Bank on its front.I apolagise and get directed 10 meters along, to the CBA which I recognise,it has been here 100 years.
I obtain a rate for Euros,for my A$2,000 I will get E1285 plus a fee of $19.99
Applying the rule it is always best to shop around for the best rate I take a bus to Chinatown,locate Noel's store opposite The Bank of China
In my travells I have always found I get a better rate on the street than in the bank.
The young man behind the glass cubicle offers me E1300 for my A$2000, no commission.
I duly count out 2000 dollars and pass it under the glass,he in turn recounts it and puts it his drawer.He is then on his phone and says ,we dont have enough Euros,when I ask for his phone no. so I can ring to find out if they have enough Euros,he says no.
What sort of game is this ? I get my money back,walk up George Street I enquire at several kiosks for their Euro rate,they are all worse than CBA bank.
Was Noel right ?
The next day I am having lunch with the family at Eastwood ,I ask Superforex their Euro rate,they give be E1310 for my A$2000,the best rate of all.
Saturday, 29 July 2017
Friday, 21 July 2017
Doctor Dolittle goes to Hamilton
Its my granddaughters birthday on the 25th July,so I want to send her an interesting present,something that has links to my childhood. Doctor Dolittle !
As an 8 year old I read about the exploits of Doctor Dolittle,and the amazing things he did,almost effortlessly.
My father was away at the war,with the 2/5th Field regiment as a gunner in Syria,digging trenches and ducking bombs,so I sought comfort in reading Doctor Dolittle and learning about his family,the Pushmepullyou,,Gub Gub, Polenesia, Jip, Dab Dab,Too Too, Chee Chee, and Whitey.
He did a lot of travelling and went to Africa where he met the King ,I've been to Africa but did not meet a king or a queen.
Doctor Doolittle told the king about the postal service,and the king put post boxes on street corners,so his citizens could write letters to friends all over the world. They just had to put a stamp on the envelope, before slipping the envelope into the post box.
The magic ended when when a cow scratching his body against a post box pushed it over,and all the letters were revealed.
Malia lives 172 k's away,so I don't see her much,but I see her school reports,and her teacher says her approach to her school work is tenacious ! Wow I am amazed and impressed. My school report was just the opposite,.williams is slow,needs constant encouragement,but does have ability.
What will Malia think about this ? The book is 75 years old scribbled on ,lost its cover,but inside are pictures of Doctor Dolittle with his big round nose,carrying his leather bag,rushing off to do good ,somewhere.
In the parcel there is a birthday card signed by her uncle Josh and grandfather Tim with love and kisses,
conveyed by 7 $1.00 stamps to get it there on time.
Grainfed grandfathertim
As an 8 year old I read about the exploits of Doctor Dolittle,and the amazing things he did,almost effortlessly.
My father was away at the war,with the 2/5th Field regiment as a gunner in Syria,digging trenches and ducking bombs,so I sought comfort in reading Doctor Dolittle and learning about his family,the Pushmepullyou,,Gub Gub, Polenesia, Jip, Dab Dab,Too Too, Chee Chee, and Whitey.
He did a lot of travelling and went to Africa where he met the King ,I've been to Africa but did not meet a king or a queen.
Doctor Doolittle told the king about the postal service,and the king put post boxes on street corners,so his citizens could write letters to friends all over the world. They just had to put a stamp on the envelope, before slipping the envelope into the post box.
The magic ended when when a cow scratching his body against a post box pushed it over,and all the letters were revealed.
Malia lives 172 k's away,so I don't see her much,but I see her school reports,and her teacher says her approach to her school work is tenacious ! Wow I am amazed and impressed. My school report was just the opposite,.williams is slow,needs constant encouragement,but does have ability.
What will Malia think about this ? The book is 75 years old scribbled on ,lost its cover,but inside are pictures of Doctor Dolittle with his big round nose,carrying his leather bag,rushing off to do good ,somewhere.
In the parcel there is a birthday card signed by her uncle Josh and grandfather Tim with love and kisses,
conveyed by 7 $1.00 stamps to get it there on time.
Grainfed grandfathertim
Friday, 14 July 2017
ATTENTION HARVESTORS
After visiting half a dozen Community Gardens it was now becoming clear to Harvestors there are a number of components necessary for a successful Community garden.
1.An enterprising and skillful co-ordinator
2.An enthusiastic community who benefit from their activity.
3. Location where garden beds can be built.
4.Watertanks to collect rainfall,and distribute to plants.
5.A garden shed to store equipment,shovels forks,rakes,hoses,gloves,and seeds.
6.A co-operative council authority.
7. A legal structure for documenting the gardens authority,payment of membership annual fees,insurance,
compliance of regulations,and records of trial plantings.
8,Sunshine
9.Compost bins.
Each of the gardens visited yesterday varied in its approach to these factors.
The Ultimo Community Garden in McKee street park,was without a protective fence,and occasionally is raided by delinquents,without community spirit.It is surrounded by Eucalyptus trees,which creates an appealing location,but restricts sunshine especially in winter.
Photos of construction
The harvestors walked 2k's from Ultimo along Wattle street past woolstores with old cobblestone entrances,through Wentworth Park with its very very old Moreton Bay fig tree with weeping root system,passed high rise development,but no dog racing.
StHelens Community garden at 184 Glebe Point Road is located in the grounds of
providing space to establish garden beds,80 participants, a bonus worm farm.Its possable it owes its establishment to a persistant and determined co-ordinator Jock Mustard who batteled the Council authority for two years to gain permission to erect garden beds and compliance to operate.
St Helens Garden is adjacent to a outstanding example of late Victorian double fronted Italianate villa built round 1900-1902.the house is double fronted with bay windows and central tower. It has a hipped roof,central classic turret with fluted balustrade ,roof clad in slate and featured corbelled chimney corbelled eaves bracket and rosettes. Front veranda has a bullnose profile clad in corrugated steel metal and features cast iron colums cast iron brackets fringe valance and tessilated tiles.Front door centrally located arched portico and 5 panelled glazed with fanlights windows double hung,rendered sills and security bars.
In the rear is a two storey brick addition.
1.An enterprising and skillful co-ordinator
2.An enthusiastic community who benefit from their activity.
3. Location where garden beds can be built.
4.Watertanks to collect rainfall,and distribute to plants.
5.A garden shed to store equipment,shovels forks,rakes,hoses,gloves,and seeds.
6.A co-operative council authority.
7. A legal structure for documenting the gardens authority,payment of membership annual fees,insurance,
compliance of regulations,and records of trial plantings.
8,Sunshine
9.Compost bins.
Each of the gardens visited yesterday varied in its approach to these factors.
The Ultimo Community Garden in McKee street park,was without a protective fence,and occasionally is raided by delinquents,without community spirit.It is surrounded by Eucalyptus trees,which creates an appealing location,but restricts sunshine especially in winter.
Photos of construction
The harvestors walked 2k's from Ultimo along Wattle street past woolstores with old cobblestone entrances,through Wentworth Park with its very very old Moreton Bay fig tree with weeping root system,passed high rise development,but no dog racing.
StHelens Community garden at 184 Glebe Point Road is located in the grounds of
providing space to establish garden beds,80 participants, a bonus worm farm.Its possable it owes its establishment to a persistant and determined co-ordinator Jock Mustard who batteled the Council authority for two years to gain permission to erect garden beds and compliance to operate.
St Helens Garden is adjacent to a outstanding example of late Victorian double fronted Italianate villa built round 1900-1902.the house is double fronted with bay windows and central tower. It has a hipped roof,central classic turret with fluted balustrade ,roof clad in slate and featured corbelled chimney corbelled eaves bracket and rosettes. Front veranda has a bullnose profile clad in corrugated steel metal and features cast iron colums cast iron brackets fringe valance and tessilated tiles.Front door centrally located arched portico and 5 panelled glazed with fanlights windows double hung,rendered sills and security bars.
In the rear is a two storey brick addition.
Over half an hour with the Department
My drivers licence is due for renewal,I complete the green form which asks about my health.Do i have
certain conditions that would restrict my driving,No I tick,am I an Aboriginal, No I tick,do I take drugs ? not the medicinal that other funny stuff, No I tick.
Under the"Fair go for Safe drivers scheme you may be eligible for a 50% discount " Do I ? No.
How long do you want your licence for ? 3 years I state . Cost $134.00 I write out a cheque.
The operator feeds this information into the system, the system does not accept the information,
the Supervisor is called,he performs his magic, the process continues.
I must have my photo taken,gazing into a bright light,I protect my vision looking up,Not satisfactory
the bright light is switched off,instructions are to look straight ahead.Close your lips,are the instructions,
I comply.
Time is slipping by,I call over the Supervisor,explaining I have an appointment which I want to keep.
He states they can make an appointment for another time, I suggest that if I have provided all the information they require,I go now and they process the information when the computer can,and they post my licence to the address on the licence. Not possible says the Supervisor.
We are standing in an office that has recently had extensive renovations and new equipment,finally after a phone call to another department the system digests the information.
The operator prints a receipt and says" we will post your licence in a weeks time " I laugh because that is what I suggested 1/4 of an hour ago.
certain conditions that would restrict my driving,No I tick,am I an Aboriginal, No I tick,do I take drugs ? not the medicinal that other funny stuff, No I tick.
Under the"Fair go for Safe drivers scheme you may be eligible for a 50% discount " Do I ? No.
How long do you want your licence for ? 3 years I state . Cost $134.00 I write out a cheque.
The operator feeds this information into the system, the system does not accept the information,
the Supervisor is called,he performs his magic, the process continues.
I must have my photo taken,gazing into a bright light,I protect my vision looking up,Not satisfactory
the bright light is switched off,instructions are to look straight ahead.Close your lips,are the instructions,
I comply.
Time is slipping by,I call over the Supervisor,explaining I have an appointment which I want to keep.
He states they can make an appointment for another time, I suggest that if I have provided all the information they require,I go now and they process the information when the computer can,and they post my licence to the address on the licence. Not possible says the Supervisor.
We are standing in an office that has recently had extensive renovations and new equipment,finally after a phone call to another department the system digests the information.
The operator prints a receipt and says" we will post your licence in a weeks time " I laugh because that is what I suggested 1/4 of an hour ago.
Are we now victims of the dream that computers will improve our lives ?Formerly you could renew your licence in 15 minutes now it takes twice that time,we have dispensed with half the staff and spent a large fortune on renovations. What do you call this ? Progress ?
Monday, 10 July 2017
Saturday, 8 July 2017
Cruising round the Eastern bazaar
For our day out there were several choices,we could go to the
flicks at Paddington,take in a meal and movie at Newtown or head west into the
exotic,we chose to head west.
We both like sampling middle eastern food,I prefer to take mine with a
glass of wine,but after peering into the dark sombre bunker called a pub,we
headed up Auburn road ,our sights being tantalised by sultry olive skinned
females,in long loose fitting dresses and hejab.
A pleasant change from tight fitting jeans and fat bottoms.
We were in one of the most multicultural communities in Australia. The
traditional Anglo-Celtic European population has slowly been replaced by a high
percentage of migrants from Turkish,Lebanese and Vietnamese backgrounds.
Could we be induced to buy golden spiderweb designed necklaces, or
stacks of giant sized stainless steel cauldrons,suitable for cooking for an
extended family.
Photo of shops
We were attracted to several cake shops displaying in their sliding
shelf cabinets,intricate delicate designed cakes almost too attractive to
eat.But finally after walking most of the shopping area we arrived
at Khaybar restaurant,where Mustafa formerly from Kabul greeted us
We chose to eat at the outside paved area,so not to miss any passing
pedestrian traffic.on a bright sunny day.
After considered advice we chose ,bulanee kachalu, aush and
large buranee badenjan ,which meant we ate potatoe flavoured
flapjack,garlic flavoured noodles and vegetarian curry with dolops of
yoghurt.very satisfying.
The only distraction to our visual senses was we were overlooked by
Salim Mahaja's giant tower under construction.Totally out of place in a street
scape of two story shops .
What possesses an individual to break planning laws to submitte the
public to such a monster ?
Our magic carpet ride was extended by a favorable airline ticket price
to Europe.
Photo of
shopfronts
31.4% of the population of Auburn born in Australia, 13.3% born in
China,6.2% born in Turkey, 5% born in India 4% born in Lebanon according to the
2011 census. 42% are of Islamic faith 12.6% catholic and 12.3% no religion.
Overwhelmed by all of this we took our coffee and biscuits on the
train,for an Opal ride cost of $2.50
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