Jindabyne - Guests and Galahs

With the long weekend over we find ourselves for the first time with an empty inn. We have a group of four men who will continue to stay here Monday to Friday (they are working in the area and their company puts them up here), but we have no tourists at the moment. So, barring any last minute calls or drop-ins, we may have the place to ourselves this weekend. Our hot weather continues; it was supposed to be 39C (102F) today. At least it’s not humid.

For entertainment we always have the Galahs, the cockatoo-like birds that are plentiful in all of Australia but especially here in Jindabyne. They gather in great numbers in the big tree outside our flat and we enjoy watching their antics as they come and go. They have a lovable clownish aspect to them. When it rains they hang upside down from the branches and flap their wings as if showering. Merrilyn says they do that from the power lines also. But in this heat even the Galahs are listless.

Galahs in the tree outside our flat.

"Is that you I smell?"

Jindabyne - Feel the Heat

It's a hot one today. We were supposed to reach 36C (97F). They say it will hit 38C (100F) tomorrow, and stay quite hot for the rest of the week. This is not usual so we don't have A/C here, just a fan to help cool us off, as well as Deborah's fine iced tea. We are supposed to be cooler here in the mountains and yet Sydney only hit 28C (81F) today. This seems terribly unfair.

Jindabyne - Australia Day Cricket

Australia Day was a holiday for everyone but Deborah, who was cleaning up after guests who had checked out. Her new position as innkeeper has firmly reinforced her opinion that some people are pigs. A glance at the recycling bin reinforces another conclusion: that Australians drink a LOT of beer. Granted, the weather has been quite hot and even I, who didn’t drink at all until about a year ago, drank a beer three days in a row. Unprecedented for me. Deborah asks if I’m becoming an alcoholic. I tell her no, I’m just becoming Australian.

I spent Australia Day painting (what else) and also watching Cricket on television. I saw a bit of it back in November but had no idea what was going on and quickly abandoned it. But Merrilyn, before she left for the beach house, sat down and explained the basics of the game to me, and now I actually enjoy watching it. The novelty may wear off eventually, but for now it is entertaining, if for no other reason than to hear the announcer use bizarre terms like bowlers, overs and wickets.

Apparently there are a number of variations of the game, some of which last about 3 hours and some of which are played over 5 days! The one I watched (off and on) yesterday was “only” a one-day game, lasting maybe 8 hours or so. I can’t imagine the numbness in the behinds of the spectators who sit in the grandstands watching the entire game. One of the amusing rituals of the long games is when they break for tea. Cricket is played by virtually all the former colonies of the British Empire. Yesterday’s match saw the Australians, who are supposed to be the world’s leading team, lose to the South Africans. Perhaps that explains the surplus of empty beer bottles.

Another view of Lake Jindabyne

Jindabyne - The Irish Are Coming!

Jindabyne is hosting an Irish Festival this weekend and our inn is fairly full, with a few of the guests sporting genuine, born of the old sod Irish brogues. Our lack of vacancies is compounded by the fact that this weekend marks the end of school summer holidays and it is a long weekend: Monday is Australia Day, a national holiday. Australia Day commemorates the anniversary of the landing of the first fleet in 1788 and the beginning of British Colonization of this land. I’m guessing the Aboriginal people here do not celebrate with quite the same level of enthusiasm as the rest.

We were able to catch a bit of Irish dancing, pipe playing, and traditional music on Saturday. Today I watched a bit of Ladies Hurling, which sounds like a sorority post-party regurgitation ritual but is actually a traditional Irish sport, supposedly the world’s fastest field team sport. I missed the men’s play but it was interesting to see the ladies have at it. The Hurling match was followed by Men’s Gaelic Football, which looked like a combination of rugby, soccer, and a bit of volleyball. You get the impression they were just making the rules up as they went along, but apparently the game’s roots date back to medieval times.

Pipe Band

Sword Dance

Ladies Hurling


Men's Gaelic Football

Someday this will be us.

Jindabyne - An Alarming Night

Merrilyn and David were finally able to take off for their beach house, leaving us in charge of the inn. They hadn’t been gone more than 10 minutes before Deborah booked her first room. She was born for this, frankly – adeptly dealing with customers, handling the reservation books, taking payments and exercising her considerable domestic skills in tidying the rooms, taking care of laundry, watering plants, etc. She actually enjoys it so I don’t feel too guilty letting her run the show while I park myself in front of my portable easel, lending only minimal help when she needs me to.

Of course, our first night on our own we were awakened (along with the guests) at midnight by the fire alarm. We had to scramble for our clothes, race downstairs to the alarm control box, unlock it, and test our memory of Merrilyn’s briefing on what buttons to press and how to diagnose the problem. We were able to silence the alarm but were unable to find any infernos on the top floor where the control box said to look for the problem. We also knocked on the doors of the guests to make sure they were not engulfed in flames. They ensured us they were not. Satisfied that it was a false alarm, we went back to bed but, with our hearts still pounding, found it hard to get back to sleep. We just managed to do so about an hour later when suddenly the alarm sounded again. So it was back on with the clothes, back downstairs, push more buttons, search fruitlessly for flames, return to our flat to lie wide-eyed in bed.

Eventually we did finally fall asleep until about 2:00am when, you guessed it, the alarm went off a third time. Aaaaaarrrrgh! We silenced it once more and called Merrilyn to ask for advice. The alarm actually went off a fourth time while we were on the phone. We had to wake the top floor guests again to check for evidence of combustion (thankfully everyone was understanding, and not ablaze). Under Merrilyn’s direction we turned the whole system off and left it to the next day to sort out. Deborah and I nevertheless stayed up until 3:00 drinking tea and trying to calm down, only half believing the alarm would not go off again. Needless to say, it was a restless night.

Today the alarm technicians stopped by to check out the system, finding no obvious problems. Later they stopped by again to inform us ours was not an isolated incident. Other establishments (including Merrilyn’s sister’s inn, as it turns out) had their alarms go off in the wee hours also. They suspect some sort of power surge, probably related to the thunderstorms that raged in the night. We are really hoping for a less exciting evening tonight.

Jindabyne - Charlotte Pass

David is still fighting the shingles and even had to postpone a planned-for knee operation until he is totally over it. He would like to complete his recovery at their beach house but needed to get some work done before he and Merrilyn could leave Jindabyne. He works as the manager at Charlotte Pass, the highest of the ski resorts in this area (and all of Australia for that matter). He went to work yesterday for the first time in a long time and today was kind enough to take us along with him so we could do a bit of hiking in Kosciuszko National Park, wherein lies Charlotte Pass.

We could have walked the 9km one way to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko, which at 2228 meters (7310 ft) is the highest peak in Australia. It’s not even a steep trail. But I’ve heard the view is nothing to write home about and we had limited time and the weather was a bit dicey so we instead headed across a valley toward Blue Lake, which we never quite reached. Deborah’s knees, lungs, and brain were not handling the steep trail well and the flies were both unmerciful and surprisingly undeterred by the strong winds. We stopped for a picnic but had to eat standing up, the better to shake off the swarm of flies attaching themselves to our legs. As the thunderclouds rolled in and started to spit on us we headed back to the car.

Despite some difficult conditions it was actually a nice hike. Alpine areas like this have a stark beauty like no other. Even Deborah, when not cursing under her breath at her sadistic husband for dragging her up and down this torture course, was glad she got the chance to see this striking landscape. Back at the resort Dave treated us to some refreshments and we enjoyed trading travels in Oz stories with a fellow North American (Canadian) who was tending bar. As an added bonus, on the drive back Dave pointed out a kangaroo and a couple of bush wallabies along the side of the road. And they weren’t even dead.

Charlotte Pass Ski Resort - a bit quiet this time of year.

The two left forks are streams, the right fork is our trail.

At the stream crossing.

Mount Kosciuszko in the distance.

Snow Gums - a winter hardy variety.

A good time of year for wildflowers (as well as flies apparently)

Me with a few hiking companions.

Possibly the last snow field left in Australia.

Another snow gum tree.

Yes, she is as miserable as she looks.

Jindabyne - Residential Architecture

A walk around the Jindabyne quickly confirms that this is a resort community centered around the winter ski season. It seems as though every other residential building is a lodge or B&B. Most of the architecture is pretty bland here in town, but a few of the lodges have the inevitable Swiss Chalet/Bavarian flourishes to evoke that classic kitschy winter wonderland ambiance. It sounds like Jindabyne doesn’t really get all that much snow, however; it’s mostly in their minds (and the surrounding mountains).

Merrilyn took us to see some of the outlying residential communities where the architecture is more interesting. The homes here are different than the ones we’ve seen in other parts of Australia. Elsewhere you see mostly brick or stucco with tile or metal roofs. Here you see less brick and the roofs are mostly metal. I’ve also seen a fair bit of corrugated metal siding, often used in combination with stone or stucco – a look I rather like.

There are definitely regional variations as well. Around Brisbane we saw a historical style called the Queenslander, which has large shady verandahs, filigree detail and is raised off the ground to catch the cooling breezes and protect from floodwaters. In the part of Sydney where we stayed almost every house was brick. In Canberra they were mostly stucco.

The gum trees that grow everywhere here are brittle and twisting and don’t make for good construction material. That may be why you don’t see that much wood used. Even the cabinets are usually laminate (yuck) or something similar. Tile floors are common, carpet less so – which makes sense in a warm climate. Newer homes often have closets like we are used to (robes they call them), albeit a bit smaller, but older homes either don’t have them or have a kind of cabinet instead. We haven’t been in high end homes, but the kitchen counters we’ve seen have all been laminate. The bathroom vanities have all been the type with the sinks molded into the counter rather than separate. Surprisingly, we haven’t seen many master suites with double sinks.

It’s impossible to know if what we’ve seen in our limited time here has been a representative sample of Australian architecture. But based on what we have seen I would say that overall the construction materials used in the exterior of houses here is superior to ours (more permanent), but the interior finishes are inferior. Below are some of the photos I’ve taken of houses, mostly in Brisbane near the start of our trip when everything seemed new and different and my camera was out to record it all.

A Queenslander (not my picture)

This and the next several photos were taken in Brisbane near where we were staying in the suburb of Runcorn.





Brick walls and tile roof - that's the uniform.

Rainwater storage tanks - thankfully most are not this ugly.


Note the pattern on the driveway. This is very common in Brisbane. Plain concrete driveways must be a major architectural faux pas. Note also the handsome pedestal mailbox on the left side of the driveway - also very common. Makes our pressure treated 4x4 posts look rather pitiful.




Nice landscaping...and another mailbox.

Another driveway pattern. The window at left has an external shade that can roll down and shade the window on hot days.

Solar water heater on the roof.

Flats (apartments) in Jindabyne.

Merrylin and David used to own this pseudo-Bavarian lodge. Merrylin's sister owns it now.

Jindabyne: Nice mix of corrugated steel siding above and stone below.

Modern house with a nice view of Lake Jindabyne.

Jindabyne - Automobiles

Australia, like the USA, is a car-centric country. It doesn’t have an extensive mass transit network like Europe, for instance; probably due to lack of population density, lower gas prices (less than half the price in Europe, about 25-30% higher than the USA though) and maybe for cultural reasons as well. Anyway, Australians depend on their cars to get around. I say this even though Deborah and I have managed to get around within the big cities very easily without a car. But most Australians still prefer to drive. And if you want to get to some of the outlying areas, it’s really the only viable option.

They don’t have a lot of the big gas-guzzling SUVs like we do. Smaller, fuel efficient cars are more prevalent. Japanese models seem to be the most popular, especially Toyota. Also popular is the Australian-made Holden brand, which is a subsidiary of General Motors. I’ve also seen plenty of Fords, Hondas, Mazdas, Volkswagons, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Hyundais, Peugeots, Subarus, etc. There are a lot of familiar models here, but some unfamiliar ones as well. And of course their steering wheels are all on the wrong side.

The very popular Holden Commodore - our Sydney hosts had two of these, both new, both green.

You don't see so many of the typical pickup trucks that we are used to. The type pictured here is more common. They call it a "Ute," which is short for utility vehicle.

You thought the El Camino was extinct? Not in Australia.

Jindabyne - The Lake

Lake Jindabyne is a man-made lake created in the 1960’s by damming the Snowy River. The new lake actually submerged the old town of Jindabyne, which still lies below. The new town was built on the shores of the new lake. It has a population of about 4000 and sits 991m (3251 ft) above sea level. The highest peak on mainland Australia is the nearby Mt. Kosciuszko at 2228m (7310 ft). Why do I sound like an almanac?

There is a nice walking/biking path around much of the lake, which we have made good use of. Apart from that I don’t expect to do a lot of sightseeing here. It’s just a quiet place with a pleasant climate to spend some time painting. We’ll be here until March 11. In the meantime I’ll try to post some blog entries on more general subjects related to Australia: cars, health care, architecture, etc. Stay tuned...

Sailboat race on the lake.

The path.

A passing child called this the "Twisty Tree"

Jindabyne - Arrival

We were glad we stopped in Canberra, but we were also glad we didn’t stay longer. Three days is about right. Our next stop, Jindabyne, is not well-served by public transportation. We were able to take a bus as far as Cooma but then had to rely on our next hosts to drive us the remaining 60km. Merrilyn was right on time to meet us at the bus stop and was kind enough to take us grocery shopping in Cooma where, she informed us, prices are a bit less than in Jindabyne.

She had to drive carefully as dusk was approaching and that is when kangaroos and echidnas tend to wander onto the road. We did in fact see a kangaroo in a nearby field and an echidna (a spiney, narrow snouted, porcupine-like mammal) shuffling along the side of the road. The echidna was thwarted in its attempt to move into the field ahead by a mesh fence. According to Merrilyn if one had sturdy gloves one could attempt to pick it up and move it the other side of the fence, but probably not successfully as the echidna has an amazing ability to burrow in and grip the ground and thus become virtually immovable. Another interesting and thankfully irrelevant fact about echidnas is that they have a four-headed penis.

Our new digs are a ski lodge owned by our hosts Merrilyn and David, who are originally from South Africa but have been in Australia for many years. Jindabyne is in the Snowy Mountains and is most popular in winter due to its proximity to nearby ski resorts. As it sits on the shores of a lake of the same name it is also a draw in summer for boating, fishing, swimming, and other aquatic endeavors in which I do not participate.

Merrilyn and David have a beach house they like to escape to in the off season and often bring in house sitters to look after the lodge while they are away. As it turns out they are hanging around here a bit longer as David has a case of the shingles he is trying to shake. (For some in the roofing trade that last sentence is a bad pun). In the meantime they are teaching us (well, Deborah really) how to run the inn. As Deborah and I have talked about opening a B&B someday, this is really good experience. Deborah calls it her B&B boot camp. She is helping to tidy up the rooms and learning from Merrilyn the tricks of the trade. Deborah is happy to have something to do while I paint, which should be most of the time while here in Jindabyne. This is my best opportunity to get a lot of painting done so I plan to make the most of it.

Our accommodation.

Deborah in full battle gear.

Canberra - Parliament and Museums

Canberra’s parliament building is not your traditional marble and granite neoclassical edifice perched on a hill. Instead it is a modern building dating back only to 1988 which is tucked into a hillside with a huge spacey flagpole rising from its center. We enjoyed a guided tour of the halls and chambers. Unfortunately, parliament is not currently sitting so we were unable to witness any of the famous interparty squabbling.

We also toured the National Art Gallery, but it was a bit disappointing. We didn’t have the time or inclination to see the special Degas exhibit but instead concentrated on the permanent collection. The best part was the South Asian pieces, for which I have a special fondness. The rest was unremarkable.

The National Museum of Australia on the other hand was excellent. It’s a historical/sociological/environmental museum in a funky modern building. Very interesting exhibits presented in varied, entertaining, tech-savvy ways. And it’s free!

We also enjoyed the War Memorial, which is part that – a memorial – and part museum. It depicts the Australian contribution to World Wars I and II in particular, and honors the Australian soldiers who lost their lives in those conflicts. We had a guided tour and it was good to get an Australian perspective on the great wars. The tour guide griped a bit about how Hollywood war movies tend to recast events to give the Americans all the credit and make them look like the only heroes. If it’s rated PG, he said, it stands for Propaganda Garbage.

The Old Parliament House served its function from 1927-1988 and is now primarily a museum.

The new Parliament House.

The 265 foot flagpole


Senate chambers. This is where the magic happens...

View from the Parliament House grass-covered roof. In the mid-distance is the white Old Parliament House. In the distance beyond is the War Memorial.

View of Lake Burley Griffin, the National Museum of Australia (modern building at left with red sections), and in foreground an embassy compound (Thailand?)

The War Memorial

List of names of the fallen. People put poppies next to loved ones.

You know Australia had a great many Irish immigrants. Lots of Flynns on these walls.

Many full-size, actual, real deal war machines on display.

The screen behind periodically shows a Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings) directed WWI dogfight film with surround sound.