Spa Country

After a leisurly awakening at 8:30 on Saturday morning, we packed our picknic basket and headed towards Victoria Spa Country. Having said that, the term 'Spa Country' is an exaggerated optimism, as the latest series of draughts have somewhat transformed the once free-flowing landscape to a network of dry creeks. But enough on the bad points!...

With the excuse of missing some pate, we stopped at Woodend, on the Calder Freeway. It is a lovely spot and a good opportunity to stretch your legs after an hour in the car, along a boring Freeway. While walking down the shopping strip (20 shops or so each side of the road), we popped in the local bakey in search of some fresh bread. We soon realised that this particular bakery is famous for its vanilla slices, for which both Lesley and I have a soft spot for... 15 minutes later we emerged content - especially me, having consumed the coffee I was craving for.

We spotted a deli and looked for some pate but to our disappointment there was nothing to get excited by. A jar of pickled gherkins for almost $7 put us right off the place. Luckily, another deli was to be found on the other side of the road and the so far untouched cracked pepper pate was begging to be bought!

From Woodend, Daylesford is an interesting 20 minutes drive non-stop but one should detour and make a point of visiting Trentham Falls. Don't expect Niagra-style falls, but do attempt to walk down the totally hidden path to the falls and get behind the water, just above the lagoon. We were there 2 years ago - I'll publish some photos soon.

Once at Daylesford, we made sure we know what time the chocolate shop closes (more on this later) and headed for The Blowhole. Incidentally, we picked up a local map from the Information Centre but one of the two assistants, allegedly a local, did not know if The Blowhole was blowing, so to speak. Given that we planned to go up there anyway, I wasn't too fussed about his ignorance.

Around one o'clock at the Blowhole, we decided to follow the 15 minute loop track. We soon realised that the place was lacking water... Despite recent months' rainfall, there was no water flowing along the steams. However as we walked clockwise along the bush track, we came to the lower (and only accessible) of two rockpools. The way the blowhole appears to work is that, once the upper rockpool has filled with water and as water keeps filling the first rockpool, a 3-metre long tunnel and approx 1 metre in diameter empties the its contents into the lower rockpool.

From there we drove back to Daylesford and down to the lake - our favourite spot. Walking around the lake takes 20-30 minutes, depending on whether I stop to take photos or if we stop now and again to admire and take in the beauty of the place. We decided to have lunch first so we occupied the picnic bench closest to the water and got going with our packed delicacies and a bottle of sparking wine (or, as Aussies would say, bubbly - how sad...). We enjoyed the sunshine and, once again, admitted how lucky we were to be out there without any rain. We started to shange our minds as a dark heavy cloud hid the sun for 10 minutes - but the windchill factor kept the wine cool!

We then took a brisk walk round the lake. 20 minutes, a few photos and a few cuddles (to warm each other up) later, we got in the car and headed towards Decadence. To us the big attraction of this place is not so much that they sell their own, handmade chocolate, but their signature Chilli Chocolate. Before some of you start saying "What? Chocolate withChill? eeew!...", watch the movie Chocolat. And google chilli chocolate too.

Decadence use their spicy chocolate to make hot chocolate drink. This is the ultimate indulgence on a coldish day and after a few kilometres of walking!

With our lungs full of fresh, cool air and our bellies equally full with delicacies we started the 90 minute drive back home. We felt relaxed and ready for the week ahead.

The Code (pt.2)

So we did watch the DaVinci Code on Friday night, as planned. There’s no point going on and on about it, I’ll be brief.

As I said in the previous entry, I liked the book a lot. I appreciated Brown’s extensive research and I liked the controversy it surfaced. It was about time someone challenged the power of the Vatican and how the higher rank priests use the poor and needy to get what they want and, more than anything else, forcing women to be inferior and stripped of any power and self-esteem.

To me, the movie was a fairly good representation of the events and characters described in the book. Silas was beautifully brought to life. Sir Teabing was more fascinating than in the book. Fache was just as stubborn and anal. The butler was fairly inconspicuous and cunning. Bishop Aringarosa was ok – not as impressive as I was expecting. The main characters did a pretty good job – Tom Hanks was spot on with the book’s Langdon. Sophie Neveu was sweeter on film than in the book.

What I really liked:

• The choice of places was very accurate, with Teabing’s little house possible the most stunning house in France
• The night photography in the Louvre and around Paris – truly, the most beautiful city in the world.
• How Teabing visually explained everything about The Last Supper and Mary Madgalene
• Roseline church and the crypt
• The last scene, over the inverted pyramid.
  

There’s nothing I didn’t like, but these three things I hated:

• Why the butler died at Docklands and not inside the Rolls Royce by the park, like in te book
• Product-placement: one reason not to buy a Sony Ericsson
• Why the hell did they swap the London library scene with the bus scene and the unnecessary internet search via the guy’s mobile? I know, probably for more product placement…

I really enjoyed the movie, not as much as the book of course. I’ll leave it at that. Let’s now stop being so critical and let’s just get on with our lives.

One last thing about the book… If at some point it turns out that it’s all true, can you just imagine how many movies would be made then?

The Code (pt.1)

While catching up with last week’s UK news on telegraph.co.uk I came across one of Matt’s comic strips (no copyright contention here people, it's just a link!) - which prompted this blog entry.

I have stayed away from the DaVinci Code avalanche of opinions for as long as I could bare. But I cannot take it anymore!

As many of you already have, I read the book last year and I absolutely loved it. Not just because it is a fantastic story (yes, it is a story!) but mainly because it is challenging and brave to question some very fundamental beliefs who a large part of our society is adamant about.

So the book got a huge amount of criticism – no surprises there. And now the movie is getting slammed too.

I am sick and tired of people who upfront dismiss something they don’t agree with. I see it every day, on the train, at work, in news broadcasts. And I did exhale a silent ‘yesss!’ when Ron Howard said: ‘if you think you won’t like it, don’t go to see it”.

And then there are the Tom Hanks critics: “His performance and portrayal of Langdon is wooden”. Well, if you did read the book, Prof Langdon is not quite Einstein, is he? He needs help every step of the way, he’s not Indiana Jones (which is probably they didn’t cast Harrison Ford).

The plan is that we’ll watch the movie tonight. You have no idea how eager I am to re-live this wonderfully provocative story. And I can’t wait to see Jean Reno (Leon) and Alfred Molina (Chocolat), two of my favourite actors. So watch this space for the post-movie reaction…

Not what you know, who you know

Because of my frequent travel to Sydney anthe fact that my company is happy to cover travel expenses, when I travel to or from Melbourne Airport I can catch a taxi instead of leaving my car at the airport and having to drive back home.

Now most people would share with me that catching a taxi anywhere in the world is sheer luck (good and bad). Melbourne is no exception. Since 2004, and up until late last year, I had to take my chances with the levels of standard of service quality and cleanliness (of both the car and the driver).

Then one day I hailed a cab from Docklands, going to Collins Street – normally a 10 to 15 minute drive and often accompanied with an upwards flick of the head, followed by a moan or the sound ‘Tsk’.

The taxi looked brand new, the driver well-groomed and polite (extremely) and, astonishingly, there was no unpleasant smell of any kind either. In the space of those 15 minutes we were calling each other in first-name terms, had covered the fact that I travel to Sydney, using Melbourne taxis to and from the airport and that I live 40 kilometres from the airport and via the city. I got out feeling happy and with a glossy business card with his name and mobile phone number – at my request.

The rest is history. I have used Mehmet’s services since then at least twice a month, mainly to and from the airport but also around the CBD too (although somehow he’s keener on the longer fares!). It is also worth mentioning that there’s a little network of friends and family happening, who sometimes step in when Mehmet is not available.

But the ‘value-add’ of Mehmet's service is the conversation over 45 minutes. And last Sunday was the most enjoyable so far. We spoke about memories from our childhood, mine in Greece and his in Turkey. We spoke about our kids, his now married and mine still at primary school, and about the difference in expectations and how much kids these days take for granted. We spoke about food – how could we not! – and found that we shared very similar experiences and memories from local markets as well as from home. But we did not debate who came up with the names – I do believe and admit that the Greeks borrowed quite a few words form the Turks and then “Helenicised” them.

Incidentally, at my work there are two interesting characters; a late-forties Turk and a mid-twenties Australian-born Greek. Both opinionated and both right at any point in time; last week we sat back and listened to their interesting debate about the origins of Baclava as well as the origins of Turkey itself.

Back to my taxi story and as we were talking, I started to feel my age. Not that I have a problem with growing older. I actually felt warm and fuzzy that, out of nowhere, I started to reflect and remember things about my childhood, things that in my normal day to day life only come up when the kids or Lesley ask about my childhood and what Greece is, or was, like. It is amazing but also sad, how many things I had forgotten in the last 15 years. But somehow parenthood and my new relationship have urged me to slowly think back, remember and re-live some of these memories.

So to me Mehmet’s taxi (by the way, a silver service, long-wheelbase Ford Fairmont with leather seats) is not just a clean, civil and safe ride. It is simple but meaningful conversation, making you feel grateful for where you are and what you’ve got. It is a few laughs and a friendly face when you come out of a plane full of strangers and a few days away from home. It is coming home.

If any of you catch cabs long-distance, I recommend Mehmet’s service for its obvious merits: clean, civil and safe. Anything else is a huge bonus.

Uber waste of time

The latest budget has shaken the country's Superannuation industry - or so we are being told on a daily basis. And there are, no doubt, a few significant improvements and simplifications to the one of the two most vital weapons to decent, comfortable requirement (the other one being your health of course).

Here’s a disclaimer: I work in the industry in a Technology capacity, I am not qualified to give advice – and I won’t.

But I am licenced to observe and whinge. A slow-cooking recipe, on the stove since 2001 and after a few stirs in 2003 and 2004, is on the brink of being served later this year – after the Government and Superannuation Iron Chefs gave their nod of approval: members of accumulation funds will be able to split their personal and employer contributions with their spouse. Sexy stuff, I hear you say… Yes, Superannuation is a fascinating subject, OK?

I won’t go into the technicalities of Splitting and an analysis of the issues around sexy three-letter-acronyms such as RBL – because I don’t want to be sued of causing fatal boredom. But here’s the whinge: I have spent a couple of weeks of my life developing technology solutions for the enablement and support of Contributions Splitting. Not just me – Business Analysts, BDMs, Member Communications and Project people in all similar Super providers around the country have been spending weeks analysing requirements and composing letters and communications to investors.

And all of a sudden, it’s all academic! Our future Prime Minister (chill...) has just gone and voided years of effort. And here’s me thinking: do these people actually talk to each other? Do the consultants actually consult? Do the researchers perform any research? Do the wizards cover all bases?

But the one thing that to me stands out the most in this reform is this: Over the age of 60 your allocated pension becomes tax-free income. Which poses the question: knowing that this is a gamblers’ nation, should the government be encouraging people to lift their life-long saving and disposing of it as they may think best? Did Tabcorp have a play in this strategy?!

And really, what’s the big deal anyway? Another government comes along (say in 5 years!...) and work out that there’s a lot of money sitting locked in superannuation accounts, because of the latest incentive. What do I think they’ll do? They’ll probably tax it.

I don’t know – and it’s not advice – but the Italian way of saving might have its merits after all…

Kung-Fu Writing

OK, nothing other than mindless, harmful fun! Spruce up your email signatures, your website, your blog. Tell your kids or your kids' friends!




Courtesy of http://tools.fodey.com/generators/animated/ninjatext.asp

What's so hard?

Three years ago I jumped on the personal webspace wagon. Before all that I was happily ignorant to the fact that a lot of people spend heaps of time fuddling around with web-publishing technologies.

Having spent weeks researching the best and cheapest provider of such a facility, I picked a U.S. firm mainly for its .NET capability and very cheap price. I then proceeded to design a website – menu structure, look and feel etc – and started to upload some photos too. I soon realised that I need automation, because it was taking too long to do something simple and repetitive. I moved to Microsoft FrontPage because it is almost intuitive (provided you have a convoluted mind) and clever enough to only publish the changes.

But it all started to get too hard.

So a few months ago (and having written a year’s worth of hosting off) I jumped on the blog wagon. And I am proud to point the finger to a ‘power’ blogger, ex-colleague of mine (see sidebar for link!). I was shown a free solution, a no-fuss no-frills interface and the ability to blog from anywhere, including work (sorry to rub it in Moshe!).

So I started blogging – venting off, showing off, stating the obvious etc. The thrill of it is the fact that you can say whatever you want and the gratification of receiving replies. And I can still post pictures if I want to in a not-so-direct way – but I don’t have power-user requirements any more.

But it all started to get too hard.

I found that it is a matter of free time. It seems that, no matter what, I manage to find time to start a new thing up. But it somehow tapers off. Not because something else comes up, but because I find myself saying “where’s the day gone” and choosing to pick up a book rather than pick up the keyboard and blog. The other factor is that I spend hours on the keyboard as part of my work (emailing, writing, drawing and happily not coding), so being faced with a keyboard late at night gives me the chills.

The subject of this blog has partly to do with the title of my blog space – “too hard to get”:

- I knew that at some point blogging would get “too hard”

- It was hard finding a catchy and well as available blog space name, so I made that frustration obvious in the title

- Friends often remark that I am really hard to get. I am famous for ‘deep dives’. People lose me for months and all of a sudden here I am again – either in person or in a blog.

But the truth of the matter is that I am a big fan of blogging. I love the sense of freedom that’s available to us. Sending a letter to newspapers or magazines often suffer from editorial freedom to sensor. This leads to more frustration.

My next research task is around mobile blogging. Because I spend a few hours a week on a train or a plane, I would like to use some of that time to read blogs rather than books. I am also looking for a new gadget and a music player… but that’s another blog coming up.

Have a good weekend, wherever you are.