A reminder of the past and it wasn't Roman!

The following experience left me unsettled. It took me a few moments before 'The Four Corners' program earlier this year with Kerry O'Brien came to mind. It concerned two young men who had bought a small child and groomed it to accept sexual activity between grown men of the same gender and of itself. One of these men was jailed in California. I vaguely recalled the story as I watched from afar. I recalled that one man was Australian and the other Asian.
My partner and I were enjoying the late afternoon sun in Nimes with a glass of wine each. In a moment of reflection I knew that I could not go on with my holiday unless I did something about what I was watching. Was I simply a 'nosey parker' or a caring Australian who despised these criminal activities? I did what I could in a French speaking country...I took some photos and sent them to the Australian Federal Police with the underlying consideration should I be simply be a dreamer of nightmares, please tear these photos up.
But my assumption was that these two had now bought another child as the original had been taken away from them and placed into care. My photos left a lot to be desired but under the circumstances they were better than nothing. But they are enough to haunt me every time I open my Nimes folder.

More of NIMES!

More Roman roaming! Nimes is unbelievable when it comes to Roman artefacts. But it was D'Avignon, a night in a 1929 hotel and within walking distance of the Roman wall and the town itself by the river which was where our true roaming saga began. We left highly excited about what we might find in Arles in the company of our expert Archeologist...a Roman fashion victim? Perhaps, but he had a great sense of humour (British)...and married to a gorgeous French lady.

Nostradamus and his gold pot!

Unfortunately it his rumour which almost destroyed one of the famous towers in Nimes. I posted a picture of it but find to my surprise that by clicking on the photograph it won't enlarge..a and that was the idea...so you could read all about it. I'll try again!


Let's keep our fingers crossed this time.

Roman or roaming?

A bit of both. We were filling in time until we should meet up with the English Tour group at Arles, France. So what better way than to get a taste of the historic presence in the south of France, in Nimes in particular, than a car and  minds full of curiosity. Of course my scientific partner's research had planned the way beautifully.

 Yes we climbed the hundreds of steps and felt quite good for our efforts. If you click on the photos you'll be able to read all about it. The one issue which interested us as we experienced Nimes was the connection of the crocodile...no this wasn't the north of Australia...we thought for years that we had the crocodile monopoly...no, history is always there to prove us wrong...and if we had thought about it the crocodile is an ancient survivor...not only in Australia. And you expected scenes of the countryside!!

More weekend activities...despite the weather!

Yes I'm still in my home territory. I'll get back to my Roman experience soon. But what is motivating me right now is the fact that so many Aussie kids don't spend their spare time indoors developing terminal thumb problems, losing their eyesight, reducing their hearing ability, forgetting how to communicate, losing the ability to write their names as we are warned daily by those 'in the know'. And it is not the glorious Australian sunshine and clear skies that are compelling them to get out to receive their essential Vitamin D. I can prove that despite the 'bad' weather, howling winds, pouring rain, grey threatening clouds and a decision by those in power to cancel the supposed activity, the interest did not wane. In fact our photography club members let the enthusiasm creep into each members idea of potential creative ability and thought nothing of crouching above rain puddles while the experienced raced past and through....can you see it?
But I am not here to write about the enthusiasm experienced but to destroy another myth...the one about mothers molly coddling their young...keeping them in cotton wool...not allowing them to be physical...outside...not allowing them to take risks. Look at these images and tell me I'm wrong. It seemed to me that age for participation was no barrier...the cost of the 'glad rags' and the bicycles also astounded me. And, there was always a helping hand, mothers and fathers if not the older brothers or the more experienced. Mr. Peadophile, if you are out there, you'll notice that I have included only well clad and mostly unidentifiable young bodies.It is a great pity that photography has had to be reined in to accommodate the devious activity of others. but back to the positive!!! The helping hand!!

 
And here is the cost factor: The young adult helmet.
The 'breathing' and padded jacket. The essential gloves.
The attention-seeking brightly coloured and skuff-resistant trousers with shoes which clip into the pedals when the rider is at top speed AND not to forget the
essential riding tool of all...the steel framed bike with its speed raising pencil thin tyres and wheels. WOW! Impressed?
How many extra jobs calls for this clobber to be bought?

And then to be ridden through the puddles? No worries?

The boys are ready for take-off. But wait some are more ready than others...yes...my favourite...and he is staring straight at my camera...and what? His age? He's not old enough to take off here...or is he?
His much older and much more experienced companions are still gossiping about their activities of night before.

My young friend thinks 'I'll burn them off. As long that camera is on me'.
But what are they doing now? No matter! I'm beating them! Or rather...when I'm grown up...I'll be beating them. I'm only 5 right now......

Closer to home! Location! Location! location!

So I might be past a certain age but the Real Estate Investment Bug is still alive and well in my blood...or so I found out on the weekend. Actually the opportunities have been there for a long time now but never before had I spent the hours to admire the change that has overcome Midland and surrounds.
It may be because there are four houses for sale in my street alone and all at the one time! How can that be? This area is supposed to be the jewel in the crown of dear OLD Belmont! And the prices are supposed to be exorbitant...well some are...but it never hurts to keep up with the pace of home ownership.
So think about this: would riding to work be your cup of tea?

 So why not buy a unit or newly built house in the Midland area especially the area once occupied by the Midland Railway Workshops.Yes these pieces of land plus the empty buildings are available for the enthusiastic investor. No history has not been ignored or forgotten. In fact there are memorials well presented everywhere...the loss of loved ones during World War I and World War II but also the many blue collar workers who had slaved away at creating and maintaining the functional railway works.

Whatever you decide to buy there may be a pleasant piece of ART Work left to surprise you. They say two heads are always better than one....but what about three surrounded by several snakes? Now that is a surprise! apparently this piece was left behind after the last Art exhibition and no one has been interested in moving it since. Some of these building have been refurbished as doctors' surgeries and medical businesses and consequently sold. From what I can see refurbished apartments would be ideal. But, these ideas may
suit some... especially the young.
Don't forget to click on the image to enlarge.

Google I wish I could discover the secret for positioning these photos!!!!

A surprise for the unaware!

While exploring the Via Augusta, the Cote D'Azur in France, the highlights included not only glorious Roman ruins, the Via Julia Augusta once reaching the Alps and linking the Gallic Provences with the heart of the Roman Empire, but it brought opportunity to explore Provence and its lane ways. Many stone cottages with attractive fronts stopping us in our tracks.

Of course there was always one on the tour
who insisted in walking against the tide.
These are small images but can be enlarged simply by clicking on the picture.
Space is limited as the photographs explain but then the community spirit it brings can't be ignored. Everyone knows everyone else and all think nothing of greeting their neighbours, good friends or not. And tourists are welcomed. Curiosity abounds and amusement is automatic when the language differences become obvious. Everyone is fond of gardening but not all trust that their pots might be there in the morning. On the other hand they know for sure that their washing is safe.

 This nude was the surprise! I discovered this hole in the wall simply by looking up further than the photos required. It just shows you what you might discover if your horizons are widened. But who would bother to chip such a large hole in a sound wall and then not fix the sculpture securely to one of the walls? Those fingers still puzzle me today...they are not real but a part of a much larger sculpture I suspect.

Location! Location! Location!

That's what the Real Estate People chant all the way to the bank! And so do the churches...one in particular. And, we the tourists, don't we flock to see it all! But this one was special. Have you ever seen a church with a drawbridge? To keep out...what? The Tourists?

Certainly not the believers! But one can't go past the location! It is unique! And what a view! It is well worth a visit even if it does test your knees...a mighty climb to the top of Marseilles, France.
Don't forget to click on the images to enlarge them.

And what a view! On a clear day one can even appreciate the islands surrounding Marseilles. Of course we were on our Roman tour but how could we ignore this church on the distant hill? Believers or not...history was there to see...on our free afternoon.