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Sparkling
Australia has unexpectedly received a shipment of Pfizer to vaccinate the young people. And before we knew it, we had already received an invitation. We opened it and went.
Ha, the Vaccination Station, which was previously open around the clock, every day, was only open half days on Wednesday and Friday, but registration was also at the Med. Center. So we go there, first everything is recorded, then the question about Medicare, the statutory health insurance – no – we are tourists, then they have to go somewhere else. But she was kind enough to write down the address for us, which was, firstly, very far out and, secondly, would not have vaccinated us. You’d think they’d be happy about anyone who gets vaccinated. Man, then we’ll wait until Wednesday – after all, we were on the waiting list there and the invitation came from there.
The e-mail was shown straight away, the people were also very nice, do you want to stay right away? Yes, why not, everything recorded, then, no, without Medicare it won’t work. But at least they gave us an address just around the corner. The young girl at the registration desk looked a bit grumpy: but the young girl looks old, looked at the data again, then made sure my age was right again, then got all flustered, because suddenly the old lady looked young, she could hardly believe it, her face brightened up and her day was saved – and mine too. Around 150 young people were waiting in the hall. Our first thought was that this was going to be fun, but thanks to 20 vaccination stations and good organization, things went quickly.
Uijuijui! We walked to the fitness park today, quite a way and found other equipment on the way, the path goes along the river and – the afternoon stayed dry!
02.10.
I wanted to put on EM quickly at night when the fuse blew and Gerhard too, almost, because the fuse didn’t want to stay in and it was dripping from the ceiling in the bathroom again. So first we had to sleep, then buy a fuse. This time we can say: luckily the night should be quite cold again.
First breakfast, open the fridge as little as possible, then get a fuse. The first DIY store didn’t have any, despite the information on the Internet, and the second was of course further away. Gerhard was finally back in the afternoon — but the new fuse didn’t help either.
We didn’t think we could rely on the manager either and told them down at the hotel and they promised to call the house manager. Gloomy weather, dark, no electricity, no hot coffee, no hot food, no computer, no TV, yes, back in civilization —– but candles on and playing Scrabble to pass the time, and so much so that we forgot the time and no manager has yet contacted us. Into the lobby: well, the manager always has a lot to do and is difficult to reach (ha, haven’t heard from the cell phone yet???) But maybe it’s better to call our manager ourselves now? And the unbelievable happened, the house manager was there straight away. He then came back with the message that the fuse, which can be found behind locked doors, was OK, so an electrician would have to be called, but despite our best efforts he couldn’t be found by 8 a.m. on Saturday. Sunday morning he found out that the fuse in the hallway was out after all, it only took 3 minutes. It wouldn’t have mattered now because our freezer had defrosted in the meantime. Well, we then ate 2 days more than usual.
05.10.
Finally went to Tai Chi today. I had been looking for a long time, but there was hardly anything to be found or it was too far away. With so many Chinese people here, I had imagined it would be different. Now I noticed a group nearby: led by 2 Aussies! But it was good and there was also a Chinese member. It is often difficult to find something on the internet, as in the USA most people are not very internet friendly and if they are, there are only very neglected homepages. It’s often by chance that you come across something.
So now I go to Tai Chi on Tuesday at 9:30, to the „Hollywood Morning Show“ at 11 and then to the dance club.
Finally managed to go to a hotel for jazz today, one of those old hotels that were only built on one floor over 100 years ago, so they take up a lot of space and the restaurant or pub underneath is correspondingly large. Jazz musicians perform in this restaurant every Wednesday. Our focus has been on this for weeks, but the rain (to put it mildly) has always kept us away. Now it hasn’t been raining for 3 days, but the night temperatures have dropped to 5°, but warmly dressed we made our sporty walk there and will do it again.
Gerhard has been invited to the opening of an architects‘ exhibition at the university today.
Went to a movie, „Tony Halik“, which was quickly sold out for the Polish Film Festival and was therefore shown again afterwards in the nice little cinema. By a Polish adventurer, the wife happily gave birth to a child in a tent in the middle of nowhere, well at least that can’t happen to me. (we don’t have a tent ;-)) …-G ) Before that, she had been given a good shake in the jeep. If the movie hadn’t consisted of documentary footage, you wouldn’t have believed it.
18.10.
There was a big storm somewhere, the storm came right up to here and we didn’t sleep a wink all night, it rumbled and rumbled, we thought the roof was going to fly off at any moment.
The storm continues for another 2 days – and again rain, rain, rain.
23.10.
Went to the wine tasting today with an incredible 60 wine stands.
24.10.
Karin drove with us through the area along the Swan River again. The first thing we did was go for a walk.
….then visited 3 wineries, but we didn’t feel like drinking any more alcohol after yesterday. We also came to an interesting village with cute restaurants, unfortunately it was Sunday and everything was closed or closed early. There was also a huge complex, actually a small town, which housed a church school for boys. It was impossible to find out what was housed in the many buildings. There was a chilly atmosphere. One place further on, the same thing in a Catholic version.
02.11.
I sat up late last night making an „elegant“ Ascot hat from a sun hat. The „Morning Show“ was canceled because the biggest horse race of the year, the „Melbourne Cup“, was taking place today. I didn’t really want to take part, but the ladies wouldn’t let me rest and after a critical look at my outfit, I was told: they can’t come like that , it has to be elegant and above all with a hat. …. and then I won first prize with the hat and that as a newcomer!!! On the way back, a brief conversation in the elevator: „Did your horse win?“ „No, but my hat did.“
We went to the movie theater for the Italian Film Festival. Then there’s the English film festival. At the opening films there is almost always a suitable drink, sometimes a mini snack and at the closing film too. Here we are encouraged to go to the cinema more often than I have ever been in my life, but as there are also many excellent older films shown that you have always wanted to see, it is a good opportunity.
Jazzfestival
Today is the opening event of the Jazz Festival in the courtyard of the State Theatre.
There was a great atmosphere at the opening of the jazz festival and a didgeroo player was also allowed to play and got a big round of applause. Now most musicians are very cosmopolitan anyway and don’t have the derogatory problems – do they? I have always found the Aussis to be very open towards foreigners, oh yes, Aborigines are not foreigners…….,
Today it continues in the city center at 11 am. A big youth jazz concert. The seats were all taken and in the middle of the performance 3 Aborigines stepped in front of the stage with a poster, one stopped and played a great didgeridoo, briefly, but really great. I would have liked it if the musicians had included the didgeridoo player. It was a pity that nobody reacted and I was the only one who clapped.
The others, who were a little more refined, sat there rather petrified, thinking, „What are they doing here?
The whole thing took place on a square where there were many great slogans in the ground to remind us that the land actually belongs to the aborigines and that it was taken from them by civilization and one of the important gathering places was destroyed and the lakes that were here were filled in. Whenever I walked across the square, it always occurred to me: and if Aborigines were to appear here, many would think: what are THEY doing here!
It was actually a bit sad. It left me no peace and I set out to look for them. And I succeeded and then I got rid of what was close to my heart and thanked him for playing the didgeroo so well, I think he was pleased and then played another piece just for me, as he emphasized. That was a wonderful moment. By the time I had found Gerhard to take a picture, the musician had unfortunately already left, but I got talking to the woman who was playing and it is always very interesting to listen to the Aboridgines and I still have to learn to approach them more openly. It’s not always easy, depending on what your experiences have been like.
But recently, in a small exhibition of paintings by students, you could read statements that give hope and don’t just apply to AU.
It is not diversity that divides us, it is the inability to recognize, accept and celebrate this diversity.
If people get to know each other, they can learn from each other and they would understand each other better. Cohesion is the key.
Afterwards we went to Northbridge to the next concert in a brewery, which didn’t have much to do with jazz, but the home-brewed beer and the food are excellent here and we went back to the apartment after it just got too cold.
Jazz in the Park
Today was the best concert in Hyde Park, everyone could bring their own picnic or buy something there. Nothing works here without a picnic and wine or beer. This time we didn’t want to forget it. But now Byo wasn’t specified, it’s sometimes written at the restaurant and is called Bring Your Own. But sometimes the park also says: Strictly No Alcohol. So we poured the red wine into a beet juice bottle. Karin’s comment: you guys are real Aussies. So it started at 12 noon with a march through the park a‘ la New Orleans, everyone was allowed to bring an instrument and join in. It went really well and was great fun.
We were lucky to get hold of the last parasol, everything was crowded and we struggled to find a shady spot for Karin under the umbrella. Karin arrived an hour later: can’t we go into the sun, it’s too cold here.
Another big storm all night. I was totally exhausted and skipped Tai Chi.
Now it’s the turn of Seniors‘ Week
Did I mention that people over 50, or 55 at the latest, count as senior citizens here? 1-5 infant, 6-12 child, 13-19 teenager, 20- 29 young girl, young man, from 30 to 40 we have the young woman, the „young man“ still remains. 40- 55 : if you have become one: the „lady“, otherwise just „that one“, the „gentleman“ or just „that one“. Then comes the longest section, the seniors. From 50/55 onwards, you count as a senior citizen, which takes up almost half of your life.
Today was the highlight, Senior Day in one of the countless parks. This one was at the Swan River. There was free coffee, tea, water and great ice cream from the most expensive hotel nearby and lots of concerts. You could try out everything from tower climbing to line dancing and canoeing. As I had always wanted to do this, we signed up for it, but unfortunately it got so windy that they had to cancel. The winds here are often very icy as they come from Antarctica. No one had ever told us this before, but according to some stories, many people felt the same way: Mother – who helped her daughter pack her suitcase – to the warm clothes: well, you don’t need them anymore. And the daughter couldn’t understand why her fiancé didn’t warn her….. But you can recognize a real Aussie by the fact that he only wears shorts, even in the coldest winter. Boots yes, in exceptional cases a slightly thicker jacket, but everything with shorts. You can recognize Chinese people from behind by the fact that they wear thick, padded jackets even in warmer weather. And us? We solved the warm jacket problem by putting it off until it got warmer.
In my English lessons, our main teacher, who is also the head of the church, is absent and we got a Chinese teacher who is absolutely funny and makes learning English fun. Everyone loves him. It’s a mystery to me how the Chinese always manage to be the best in English, even though they also have to cope with the different font.
11.11.
The water has been acting up for about 5 days. I wash my hair, fill the shampoo in the applicator bottle with water and lather my hair, then take a shower. Only the lukewarm shower didn’t get warmer, but colder to ice-cold. G e r h a r d …. Made hot water, washed out the mop bucket, waited shivering in the shower. Well, no problem, the hotel is full, they’ll take care of it. In between, the water was really hot, well, please, hotter than before. But at the next „turn“ it was ice cold again. They can’t get a grip on it.
Today the 5 . Day cold showered (we are spoiled again) Now I was angry. Now it turns out that our water does have its own connection and it’s quite exciting. There is a square flap in the ceiling 20×20 cm above the washing machine. So the handyman can either stick his head or his arms through it. But he seems to be used to it, because he managed to replace the thermostat, which was totally filthy. Now we have such hot water that we need a very long time (4 knobs, 1.50 m from the shower, from there about 6 m to the thermostat) until the water is usable. When you turn the knob, it always takes a while for the water to reach the shower. As agile as I am, I have now got into the habit of stretching my leg far back under the shower when I turn the knobs. Oh, how practical it was when the thermostat was at least a little calcified.
But at least they finally got rid of the water from the ceiling in the bathroom. The only thing they haven’t got to grips with yet is the lamp, despite their promises, unlike me: I just don’t look at it any more.
12.11.
Went to the concert today in the courtyard of a block of houses organized by the community. From the English course, Rebecca and Carlo from Venezuela live there, also because of Covid. Had a nice evening and got to know one of their 3 sons, who is happy to have his parents there for a while, also to look after the children.
Went to the English film festival today: „The Duke“ Also an additional screening as the previous ones were all sold out. At the festivals that run alongside the normal cinema program, only films by older famous directors or new films with lots of awards.
Finally made it to the night market, which takes place every Monday evening from 5.00 to 9.00. We are not big foodies, especially since we watch „Gordon Ramsay’s Hell Kitchen“ on TV. The food carts line the street to the right and left and there was a lot going on.
Today to the Italian Film Festival : „Marriage Italian Style“ with Sophia Loren
21.11.
After the whole city has been decorated for Christmas since mid-October and 2 main shopping streets have been lavishly redesigned for Christmas, the lighting was switched on there this evening with a festive ceremony.
Today, Wednesday, a free „school“ day and our season opener: off to Cottesloe Beach, the only one without waves, it’s hot and in the middle of the week. To our surprise, it was very crowded, the sea was very choppy, still very cold and the Antarctic wind was blowing.
29.11.
Last English in the Bilbiothek with coffee, tea and cookies. Had a chat with the two South Africans today, one of them came here with her husband 3 years ago to visit her son and after a year the husband died……. Everyone has their own fate here.
04.12.
Today was the Christmas parade, the biggest main street (there are about 20 different bus routes alone) was completely closed for about 4 hours. The whole long route was packed and that already 45 minutes before the start. The stairs to the Cathedral: full, lawns, sidewalks all full. Picnic on the roadside: blankets spread out and then off we went, some sat in a chair on the roadside and everyone enjoyed their picnic. Nothing works here without food. I don’t know whether there used to be a famine here or whether it’s from the times of the conquerors, when one or two people not only died of thirst but also starved to death. On our way to the parade we passed large crowds of people, curious to see what was going on: people were queuing to get something to eat at McDonalds and the like! Nothing works without food.
07.12. Christmas Party
After the „Hollywood Morning Show“, there was a great buffet in our dance club with treats we had brought with us. I didn’t know this, but at the last minute I had packed a big packet of speculoos that was supposed to be on the charity table. Afterwards we practiced because the best dancers were supposed to give a dance performance next week and so I found out that the dance group was called „Hollywood Dance Club“, well please is that nothing, that I belong to a dance group in my old age that is also called HOLLYWOOD DANCE CLUB !!!!
08.12.
It’s supposed to be 40° today. Without further ado, we drive to our favorite beach and are surprised how empty it is despite our worst fears. And it’s heavenly to enjoy the cool water in this heat.
In the evening, we have an appointment for a concert in Victoria Park. We take sushi and white wine with us on the way and pour it into our water bottles. Ever since I bought sushi for breakfast on the way to the morning show after Tai Chi the other day, it’s been an absolute hit. Always wanted and never done. But there are many street cafes here that get fresh sushi delivered a few times a day, light, tasty and goes well with white wine and Gerhard now likes it too. (the white wine… 😉 -G.)
After yesterday’s hot day, it’s only 25° today and 20° tomorrow.
11.12.
At 7pm for the Christmas concert in the RAC Arena, which holds 15,500 people, with the WASO (West Australian Symphony Orchestra). Normally the tickets are quite expensive, but twice a year they give a concert with free tickets and we found out just in time to get the last 3.
12.12.
Went to Clairmont Park today to see the Perth Youth Symphony Orchestra, it was very crowded. In front of us sat 2 continuous drinker.
The 2 women only managed 2 bottles of wine and we had filled half our bottle of wine into the water bottle, but at least they were elegant bottles.
14.12.
Today the big Christmas party in the town hall for Regular Patrons. Like many things free of charge 
but only with tickets. The Christmas Morning Tea started at 10am. The rows of seats had all been cleared away and tables were set out, nicely decorated and laden with goodies. All sponsored by the city. The clearing away and rearranging takes place here all the time, wherever you go, people are clearing away, putting away or rearranging on a grand scale, it must be a job here.
The morning show was at 11 and the dance group did very well, even though they didn’t even work out during the rehearsal. Afterwards we went with our group to the Hilton where a buffet had been ordered and I was glad that I let myself be persuaded to come along. And I didn’t regret it, I had a lot of fun.
For the evening we had tickets for Christmas carols in the Cathedral – it was full to the last seat.
17.12.
Now it’s on to the English class’s United Church Christmas Party on Friday. The last day before the summer vacation, which lasts until the beginning of February. Fortunately, thanks to a book about the experiences of immigrants, we know that when it says „bring a plate“, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t enough plates, but bring something to eat. And I racked my brains as to what I could bring. And the food the Asians brought was unbeatable. I was lucky, the Russians brought me to their table and that was not without its problems.
Afterwards, we were treated to something pious and some of us performed. And I promised to come on Christmas Eve and bring my husband with me. People keep asking me what my husband is doing all day, well, I don’t know either. I have the feeling they don’t even think my husband exists. I thought Gerhard would make friends with Carlo a bit, now he’s told me that he didn’t understand him at all and I had already admired him. ( Uhhmmm – the Carlo???? …-G. ) Now it’s starting to happen that groups form and then people only conserve in their own language, so as the only German I have to make sure I keep up. Maybe I should start speaking Spanish again. ( then the others won’t understand anything either ;-)) …-G. )
In the evening we saw the new „West Side Story“ by Steven Spielberg in a preview with a glass of champagne, which was great. One of the cinemas was sold out in no time, the second one too and luckily we found out about it before the third one was sold out as well. Who else is going when the film officially opens?
Balett
I had wanted to go to the ballet at „His Majestic Theater“ for a long time, but had always missed it because of all the other dates. The Majestic Theater was built in 1904 for ballet performances, Gerhard gave me the ticket for Christmas for „The Nutcracker“ by Tchaikovsky, Karin was also in the mood and so we had a great evening. The whole thing lasted 2 ½ hours with only short interruptions. It was amazing with around 100 participants and lots of children who were still cross-fingered right to the end.
Due to the lack of options, the images are taken from the article in Wikimedia.org! …-G.
22.12.
Tomorrow we want to go to Mandurah, a 1-hour train ride. That’s nothing for those who are stuck in a rut. People come from other places for the English lessons and the dance club. The boat trip on the water along the Christmas-lit Mandurah Foreshore has long been sold out on all days, but we want to see the lights, Gerhard never gets enough of them.
Now we were also in Mundarah, about 70 km south of Perth. Less than an hour by train. A short tour of the small town, which is connected to the sea via large inlets.
We weren’t able to take the boat trip – not too bad, as the Christmastrail turned out to be quite manageable and you wouldn’t have been able to see many of the figures from the water. But of course it was still an interesting and enjoyable excursion …-G.)
On the way to a brewery, we received a phone call: a backpacker tested positive, who was very active and had just left the movie theater on the 17th shortly before we arrived. Well, of course you can keep meticulous track of where he’s been. So from 18:00 masks are compulsory for 4 days, in closed rooms, which of course includes the train. Where to get something so quickly? The problem was quickly solved when we got a mask with our beer. There seem to be people who always have a mask with them just in case, because many put on their own. ( Like in Cologne for the carnival…. …-G. )
Appendix
As you can see, we are very busy. Christmas will soon be over and here it’s a mixture of carnival and Christmas. ( hence the masks again… …-G. ) It took me a long time to get used to it, until I saw the seniors ( 50+ please ) livening up, being cheerful and happy on the morning show and it infected me. And don’t we often celebrate birthdays like carnival?
And even if our information sometimes takes longer, we still think a lot about all those „left behind“ and are always very happy about your many positive comments and thank you very much.
Last but not least – we made it in time for Christmas – we have learned that you will probably have a little more time at home again next year, surely also to enjoy our blog ;-))
