This is a copy of what I found in an ABC News Report:
“Thousands of Australians have attended dawn services around the country to commemorate Anzac Day and honour the men and women who have fought and died in war.
The services mark the 99th anniversary of the first landings by Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli in 1915.
More than 35,000 people were expected at today’s national ceremony at the Australian War Memorial.
Prince William and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge were surprise attendees at the dawn service in Canberra.”
I got up at 5 am and watched dawn services from Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne on ABC TV.
The Anzac Day March in Sydney starts at 9 am. I think I am going to watch some of this. There is also to watch the Anzac Day Dawn Service at Gallipoli which is shown at 12,30 our time., and then at 1,30 pm our time there is the Villers-Britonneux Memorial Service from France. I like to watch all these sombre services with their beautiful musical displays and reciting of poems and stories.
On Wednesday was our check-up Finch Therapy day. We had an appointment for 10 am. Instead of taking the car, we travelled to Thirroul by train. We arrived in Thirroul with about forty minutes to spare and took time to look around a bit. I thought it was a good opportunity to take a few pictures.
This sign was not to be overlooked as we left the station.Looking back to the Entrance to Thirroul Station.Along the main road close to where all the shops were we noticed this nursery.
Peter is taking a Picture with his Tablet. What of?
We walked a bit further and reached our destination. Our check-ups turned out to be good. What a relief! We were told our bodies were still well aligned. But to come back for another check-up in three months.
This week is a short working week. On Monday was Easter Monday. And this week on Friday is a Public Holiday, namely Anzac Day which always falls onto the 25th of April.
I saw this sign in the window of one shop:
They advertised a wonderful package. I was thinking that maybe I should take up this offer one day. It seems to be good value.
I just had another look at Peter’s post about Easter Sunday, the 8th of April 2012, which happened to be our son Martin’s birthday. I just loved looking at all the pictures again. Reblogging it on auntyuta gives me the opportunity to share it with my blogger friends. I think the pictures are very lovely! 🙂
After our not so French coffee break we continued our drive up the mountain road. Thanks to GPS, installed in the car, we were always sure where we were and where we were heading. Martin had no trouble finding the place we wanted to go to, while Uta and I enjoyed the scenery. Suddenly we were stopping at the drive way
We could hardly see the house for the trees. Somewhere up the hill it must be, we thought.
Somehow we found a way up there and sure enough the reception committee was waiting for us.
We hadn’t seen our Grandson and his young family since the Christmas holidays and they had moved to a new location. There are still a lot of things to do for Tristan and he looks like a pioneer of time long gone. Still, he found the time to read his girls a story and…
Minnamurra Rainforest Centre says: “Visit Minnamurra Rainsforest wher nature is easy to reach.” They are open 7 days 9 am to 5 pm. You can find out more when you go to:
Our plan was to go to Minnamurra Rainforest early in the morning on Easter Sunday, the 20th of April. We had booked lunch for 1 pm in Wollongong. That meant we all had to get up early to have breakfast before 8 am. We were all very good and got ready on time. We were the first visitors at the Centre arriving there just before 9 am. Well before midday we were back home again to get ready for lunch in Wollongong.
We were very lucky again with the weather. It was a perfect day for a walk through the rainforest.
This snake greeted us on a wall of the Visitors’ Centre.Peter found something to hang on to!Oh yes, I quite like it!Here we met up with our son Martin and his daughter Lauren.
They had gone all the way up to Minnamurra Waterfalls. Peter and I had remained on the lower level, taking quite a few photos of the forest. Here are some of the photos:
Here I googled some tourist information:
‘”It’s an incredible feeling, to stand among the trees in this ancient patch of rainforest and imagine a time when it covered most of the land around here.”
Visit the multi award-winning Minnamurra Rainforest Centre and experience the splendour of the rainforest.
Chat to friendly staff in the Minnamurra Visitor Centre – they’re experts on the area so will be able to give you plenty of useful information – and check out the interpretive signs and Aboriginal artefacts on display. You might also find that perfect little present or souvenir in the Centre’s gift shop.
Then it’s time to wander the network of elevated walkways through the rare remnant rainforest that once reached throughout the Illawarra. Feel your senses awakening as you listen to the birds, feel the spray of the waterfalls and spot rainforest residents – perhaps the superb lyrebird, eastern water dragon or swamp wallaby.
There’s also a picnic area by the river, so pack your hamper and enjoy a barbecue in this splendid environment.’
Location: shown on Minnamurra Rainforest Centre map
Getting there: Minnamurra Rainforest Centre is located in the foothills of Jamberoo Valley, west of Kiama on the NSW South Coast. To get there from Jamberoo, drive west on Jamberoo Road and turn left onto Jamberoo Mountain Road. Take the first right onto Minnamurra Falls Road, and you’ll find Minnamurra Rainforest Centre about 3km along to the end of the road.
Road access: Sealed road – 2WD vehicles.
Opening hours: The Minnamurra Rainforest Centre is:
Open 9am–5pm (Monday-Sunday).
Closed on Christmas Day
Facilities: picnic tables, gas/electric barbecues, flush toilets, drinking water, cafe/kiosk, carpark, lookout, trackhead/access point, venue
Vehicle entry fee: $11 per vehicle per day. For passengers travelling by private transport (bus or taxi), the fee is $4.40 per adult and $2.20 per child.
Sydney and surrounds is bathed in beautiful autumn sunshine. We are so lucky that after all this rain during the past few weeks the skies cleared up.
The Pagoda of the Nan Tien Temple near Wollongong.
Yesterday, on Easter Saturday, we went to the Nan Tien Temple. We had planned on having a vegetarian lunch in their downstairs Tea Room. The extended car places near the Temple were all taken. It was absolutely amazing how many cars were parked everywhere. We had never seen the place this packed full. It turned out there were celebrations going on for Buddha’s Birthday. However we found out later that the birthday had already been on the 8th of April. Never mind this, more celebrations are planned. The next celebrations are going to be on the Mothers’ Day Weekend.
It was announced on the speaker system that people could register their children between the ages of two and seven. From 12,30 on these children would be given a special birthday celebration party in the courtyard. Everything for free! Later on we saw lots of food- and gift-stalls near the courtyard. We did not get any food there for we had already eaten an excellent lunch in the tea-room.
Peter chose a noodle dish.Lauren had a Laksa dish.
My choice was first of all some Cappucino.
The coffee arrived well covered in chocolate together with a dish that looked liked minced meat but was vegetarian of course.
I had ordered a curry dish with rice which was delicious. Sorry, I forgot to take a photo of of this rice dish. I took some photos of these interesting glass teapots that contained some exotic teas.
We went for a walk further up the hill towards the Gratitude Bell. Peter took a picture of me near this bell. Martin did give the bell a try chiming it. The sound is very pleasant and carries over large parts of the surrounding area.
This is Martin near the Gratitude Bell looking towards the Pagoda.Here I caught Peter as he is walking near some tall bamboo plants at Nan Tien Temple.Port Kembla Beach was deserted on Easter Saturday Morning.This is our son Martin going for a swim in Port Kembla Pool.
The wind on that morning was very unpleasant. Lauren did not go for a swim. Peter and I decided too that we would not go into the water.
The previous day, on Good Friday, we had Caroline and Matthew staying with us and also Monika and a lot of her family, including little Lucas.
Lucas liked to play again with some toy cars.
Here he is with Great-Granddad.Time to have some marzipan covered Nut Cake that Peter made.
Caroline did bring some home baked apple and plum cake along, and Krystal and Monika had also baked some cake!
Our Frangipani bush started flowering just in time for Easter!
The following is a copy of what I wrote last year about Palm Sunday. Tomorrow is going to be another Palm Sunday. I can’t believe how quickly one year has passed!
“Palm Sunday morning was a glorious morning for me. A few minutes after seven o’clock, when the sun had just started coming up a bit, I slowly walked to the church carrying my piece of palm which Peter had cut off for me from our palm tree. I arrived at 7,30. People were already walking towards an outside table where the priest started blessing the palms. After a few minutes everyone assembled in the church for the Palm Sunday mass.
During mass the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke was read. Some parts were read by a narrator, then there were other parts being read by a different person; in bold types was printed out on the overhead screen what the crowd (the congregation) had to read, and Father read the part of Jesus.
Towards the end Jesus said: Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.
And the narrator said: With these words he breathed his last.”
I wrote last year in response to one comment: “We have a priest who’s always coming up with new ideas how to beautify the church and its surrounds. His enthusiasm is uplifting. On Good Friday there were Hot-cross buns for everyone who participated in walking to the fourteen Stations. I had asked Peter to come and pick me up. This is why I could not stay for refreshments. And further on I did not make it to go to Saturday’s Vigil. We had visitors. Somehow I also did not make it to go to Easter Sunday Morning Mass. It was a lovely Easter anyway. I like it when we have visitors.”
Well, this was last year. This year Palm Sunday is on the 13th of April and Easter Sunday is not till tge 20th of April. We are very lucky that this year too we are going to have visitors again staying with us over the Easter holidays. I am very much looking forward to this. Nobody in my family is Catholic. That means I ought to make an effort to go to church by myself.
In March 1879 American Henry George published in San Francisco: PROGRESS AND POVERTY. It is a big read, more than 500 pages. We have had this book for many years. Still, I never took time to read it properly.
You may have noticed that I googled a lot these past few days. It all had to do with where past civilisations and our civilisation are headed for.
The unequal distribution of wealth and privilege is examined. Progress as well as poverty, how can this be? THIS IS THE QUESTION.
In 1979 Agnes George de Mille, the granddaughter of Henry George, published this:
w.progwwress.org/tpr/who-was-henry-george/
I found the above when I googled ‘Henry George‘. There are many more links to Henry George in Google!
Probably around the beginning of the year 2000 an Italian Forum was established in Leichardt, an inner Western suburb of Sydney. We had a look at the Forum towards the end of May 2000. It was still pretty new then.
Caroline, Peter and I enjoyed gelato and a cup of coffee. A year later, in 2001 all three of us went with Ilse to the Forum. The Forum looked still fairly new!
I wear my favourite hat again!
On that day, when we went to the Forum, Peter took this picture of us at Caroline’s place in Sydney.
It was probably April 2001 when we drove with Ilse to Canberra. We stayed there in the Formula One Hotel for one night. This time Ilse made sure that we booked for her a separate room. When we had previously stayed with her in Newcastle in another Formula One Hotel we had booked only one room for the three of us, and Ilse did not like this at all! There was only one double bed and a single bunk above the bed. Peter climbed – with difficulty I might say – into the bunk bed. Ilse had to sleep with me – horror of horrors – in the queen-sized double bed. I did not mind this at all. I kept well to my side of the bed. Ilse did not disturb me at all. But I do not blame Ilse for wanting her own bed when we stayed at Formula One in Canberra.
In Canberra we had a good look around at Parliament House, also a lovely lunch there in the canteen. Going back home the following day we drove towards Batemans Bay and from there along the coastal road.
On the way to Canberra we went along the Hume Highway via Goulburn.
We stopped for a while at a park in Goulburn, Ilse loved the trees there.In Front of Parliament House, Canberra
Looking through one photo album I came across two pictures that were taken on Saturday, 10th of March, 2001. On that day we had lunch with Ilse at a cafe near the Parkridge Apartments in Sydmey. We had booked a very nice apartment at the Parkridge. If I remember right it was on the seventh floor and had two bedrooms. We stayed there for three nights. This gave us the opportunity to explore Sydney a little bit. The apartment was right in the centre of Sydney and quite reasonably priced. Our apartment was in the main road. But where we had lunch that was in a back road behind the Parkridge Apartments.
This is where we had lunch on that Saturday.
On the second Sunday of May is always Mothers’ Day. In May there are also the birthdays of Ilse and Peter. Ilse always points out that she is one year and three days older than Peter! I think Ilse was still with us for both birthdays. On Mothers’ Day we met the whole family in Merrylands, a Western Suburb of Sydney, where Gaby and David lived. David came with us to the Merrylands Bowling Club for lunch. Here he is with Ilse. I think he liked her quite a lot. Who wouldn’t?
I took the following picture in Central Park, Merrylands. David did not come with us to the park. He had gone home already.
Natasha and Roxy in Front of the ClubLittle Krystal had found herself a RESERVED Seat already!Martin sits opposite the Twins, Ryan and Troy.Gaby made it to the Falls in Central Park.We all enjoyed Central Park.Here again four of our granddaughters in Central Park in 2001.
I can’t help myself, I just scanned a few more photos while Peter is doing some more research about the end of WW II on the other computer. I think I start with a couple of photos that were taken on Caroline’s birthday on the 9th of December 1999. That same week Caroline moved away to Sydney, where she had a job.
Caroline is 21. We had a bit of a celebration with family and some of Caroline’s friends at the German Club. This family photo was taken later on at our home.I think our son Martin took the previous picture. Here he is resting on the lawn in front of our house.
SYDNEY 2000, these Olympic Games were a great experience for us. We felt really uplifted during the Olympics and the Paralympics. Peter was a volunteer during both events. He was one of the drivers, driving around important people from hotels to the different venues. The volunteers were treated very well by the organisers of the Games. It was a very interesting time for Peter.
There was some fun to be had during the Games for Roxy, Krystal, and Natasha.This is Sydney Harbour during the time of the Games.Peter took this pictures with me in the foreground.At this function for the volunteers, Gaby wanted to be present too. She was very proud of her Dad!This picture with Peter and Ilse was taken during her stay with us in 2001
In 2001 Ilse came again sometime in February. She had liked her stay in 1999 so much that she stayed in 2001 one month longer, namely well into May of 2001. We were very happy when it turned out that Margot and Richard were able to come and visit us while Ilse was with us as well. Margot is Peter’s and Ilse’s cousin. So Margot and her husband Richard stayed with us for one week. One day we went with them by train to Sydney. Gaby did come to Sydney as well for she wanted to meet Margot and Richard. We all had lunch at a restaurant at Circular Quay, Richard shouting the meal for all of us. Then we went for a stroll towards the Opera House.
This is a look from the site of the Opera House towards Circular Quay. Richard on the left in the picture.Here we are on the other side of the Harbour with the Opera House in the background.
On another day we went to Kiama, a beautiful little seaside town. The old Post Office there had been painted a lovely pinkish colour.
We are having fun at the entrance to the Post Office. Ilse has adorned herself with a lovely fresh Frangipani.
After one week’s stay with us, Margot and Richard did fly back to Perth. Ilse, Peter, Caroline and Gaby farewelled them at the airport. I think I had to stay home because there wasn’t room for me in the car. Our little car, that we still have now, was in 2001 less than a year old. We had bought it new in May 2000. Ilse used to call out car ‘Paulchen’. She liked it and always praised it. She did not want us to say anything bad about it! 🙂
Farewelling Richard and Margot at Sydney AirportCaroline, Ilse, Gaby, and Peter at the Airport in Sydney to farewell Richard and Margot
AuntyUta 