We’ll marvel at the people we see and meet in the queues at the polling station, and maybe for a short while, see our communities in a different light, as neighbours who could become friends."
While I'm on the topic, may I thank the Australian Electorale Commission. Sure, there have been stuff-ups and always will. It's an imperfect system run by imperfect people, but every Election, they organise the votes, the people, the spaces to vote, in a very short amount of time. Then they spend the next two weeks sorting out the Senate papers (seriously, that thing was the size of a small doona). It's not easy organising voting across a country as big as this, with communities days drive from anywhere, and crowded inner cities. It's a hard task organising huge numbers of people who haven't done this before, training them all and getting them, the boxes, and the votes in the right place. I know, I've one of those people three times, which is why I always thank the staff at the polling booth. It's the least I can do.
Now, let's get us get ourselves a better class of politican.
"Australian democracy is not feral. The edges and electricity that British and American campaigns have touched in recent months have not been seen in the mainstream here.
And, I, for one, am sick of cringing everytime he opens his big trap.
*liberal in name only. Seriously, they should be reported for advertising under false pretences....
Actually the full paragraph that this quote comes from makes interesting reading
( Our politicians may have forgotten this....Collapse )
I think I will be reminding myself of this truism for the next three-four years.
I'm currently listening to one of my favourite comfort pieces: Ralph Vaughan Williams' "The Lark Ascending" and if that doesn't work, the neighbours may be a loud,full performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. I haven't played it on the new stereo yet. Time to see how it goes. Followed, possibly, by the Waifs and "Lighthouse"
Here, watch this. Have some cheer.
What's your comfort music?
Finally, it had to happen. It was time to farewell Paris and head off on the next stage of our adventure.
So after farewelling our landlady* , our favourite breakfast cafe and St Germain, we headed for Montparnesse station via the Metro. Between us and our train are stairs, lots and lots of stairs. It must really suck to be in a wheelchair in this town.
After giving ourselves new abdominal hernias hauling Big Red and Big Purple up and down stairs, we make it plenty of time to find our seats and enjoy the ride.
TGVs are very fast, smooth, and actually quiet. That surprised me. Also the online food was good. We need these trains in Australia.
Having found our hotel by the magical means known as the local taxi service, we parked our stuff and went for a wander, found dinner, recommenced wandering, and promptly got lost.
Nantes is a medieval town** and the inhabitants so liked it that why they re-built it the same fashion after the bombing of WW2 ***. If you don't the place then it's easy to go right instead of left (or vice versa), and forget where your hotel is. But we made it bak unscathed.
Tomorrow, I fly with a giant heron, we ride a giant mechanical elephant and we go in search of Jules Verne
*our landlady was running late, due to the fact she'd been up all night correcting proofs. Turns out se's a novelist and a painter. She alo is one to be fussed wit formalities. She told us that when we want to come back, just emil her directly. She also gave us the bond back in ash, which made things a lot easier.
**yes, all the towns in this region are medieval (if not Roman). Be nice, I'm Australian - I'm not used to buildings older than 250 years old
***I got this info from a notice in the main square, so it must be true.
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- Current Location:France, Centre,Loir-et-Cher,Arrondissement de Blois,Blois, Blois
Today is the day we most wanted to spend in Paris - our tenth wedding anniversary.
Naturally, that means we go and visit the Catacombs. In the midst of Death, etc....
( First, a warning.....Collapse )
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Wherein our intrepid adventures set forth into the vast spaces of the Louvre, hunting an elusive painting and discovering divers strange wonders.
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