It's been a good weekend. First we went to Carols of the King on Friday, that was a big Carol sing-a-long event, about 1,000 people came, it was amazing! The missionaries did an awesome job 'hosting it', and it was a nice thing to be out and have a picnic, and sing carols into the night, holding our little candles ... which were flameless fake ones. I was introduced to some new people last night, and one woman named Teia and I had been talking when some of her children came over after playing in the grass. They had Christmas lights braided into the hair that were twinkling, she leaned forward towards them and said, "Girls! This is Molly ... and she's a YANK!" Haha!
As we sat and sang, and held our fake little candles, I looked up into the sky and finally saw the Southern Cross for the first time since I've been here. I live too close to too much light to be able to see it from where I live, so it was wonderful to be able to see it again. I had a bit of a heart twinge though, it reminded me of the first time that I had seen the Southern Cross, back in St. Croix. I'm missing that home a little tonight.
But the whole even was really neat, because singing Christmas carols this way is a sure Aussie thing. I guess it'd have to be, where else is it warm enough for people to go sit in a big grassy area, enjoy a picnic, and let your kids run wild barefoot, and sticky with Christmas lollies (candy). It's such an Aussie thing that as I'm writing this we have the Woolies Christmas Carol Special on TV, which is being held in Sydney. Essentially it's the same thing that we did, only way more than 1,000 people, and it looks as if the audience gets actual candles (and hey! look! there's Russell Crowe sitting in the grass with his family -- yes, definitely in Australia!)
Then, this morning, we went and cleaned at the church (everyone had different assignments). I had several errands to run this morning, so I wasn't sure if I would be able to go. Both the bank and post office, and both places I needed to go to, are closed by the time I get back from work, and only open early on Saturdays, and even then I had to find the special ones that were open (meaning take a couple buses to get there). But Liz said that we only had to clean toilets, so I was fine with that. I, however, forgot that "toilets" here mean the bathrooms. As in all the bathrooms in the building, including cleaning walls, the doors, the vents, etc., so even with the two us working full steam ... haha, well ... let's just say it took a while.
But afterwards, I was still able to get everything sorted, I still don't have access to money from my bank just yet. The banks here close at 4pm, so it's been a hassel working things out, so I'm going to have to wait for my debit card to come in the mail. Waiting, haha, I think I'm getting a bit used to that.
After all of those things were sorted, we went to Freo (Fremantle) and we had Fish and Chips. It was amazing!!! Today was the second to last day in the International Sailing Championships here in Freo (we saw some of the kitesurfers), and we sat on the dock under an umbrella table, and ate our fish and chips with salt and malt vinegar. The fish and chips are served in packing paper, so you unfold the packing paper to get to your food and dig in!
We then made our way to the E-Shed markets, and one of the fruit vendors, an older man who was sitting lazily back in his chair, offered us some orange slices. We grabbed two, and thanked him, and he said, "Go ahead and try 'em, they're sweeter than a boyfriend's kiss, they are!"
It's been a really good Saturday.
And now I'm ending my post the same way I ended my day ... with a little Australian country music
boys from the BUSH
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
basket of fried pickels
so ... I find myself in quite the pickle ... and not just any pickle ... I'm currently in a great big basket of fried pickles!
Back when I lived in St. Croix, we liked to go to this place called the Brew Pub, anyone who came to visit me, I took to the Brew Pub. Well I had gone with some friends, and I wanted to try something I hadn't had before. I saw on the menu that they had friend pickles. I didn't have enough money to buy the appetizer and an entree, so I just bought the fried pickles, having heard that they were amazing.
I got the basket, and I bit into a fried pickle, and it was like the earth moved. I loved it! They were amazing, and I didn't even like pickles then (I do now, but my stance on pickles tends to change frequently and violently ... so who knows how I'll feel next week). Anyways, I really loved it. Everyone at my table had one, and then I had another ... but they were fried pickles, and while tasty ... there was a limit to how much I could handle, so after my second fried pickle, I was done.
But I still had a basket of fried pickles in front of me, and I had spent precious money on them. What had started as something amazing and good, ended up being a big basket of 'oh no'. I sat down and munched away at those fried pickles, my roommates laughing and making fun of me, while I kept saying, "I don't want to, but I can't just leave 'em! I got myself into this, and now I've got to eat my way out."
I was SICK by the time I was done, and now ... I will never again eat a fried pickle ... ever ever ever again. (fried pickles even became an inside joke for my roommates and myself)
Right about now you might be thinking, why in the world is Molly talking about friend pickles?
Well. It's because I am back in my basket of friend pickles. I arrived in Perth 15 November (that's how they write the date here) and I have been looking for jobs, well, let me put it this way, the first time I applied to a job in Perth was July of this year. And I had a whole lot of nothing. nothing. nothing. nothing.
Finally, 2 December King Edward Memorial Hospital offered me a position, but later told me that my start date wouldn't be until 19 December, and that odds were even that I wouldn't start even that early, and that was only if everything passed through ... meaning that I was left being told that I might not actually have a job after all.
At this point, I felt like I was going to be unemployed for the rest of my life.
So, the search continued, as did the the building stress. Until, 7 December (my birthday) I got a call from Conor with Kelly Services. His dad had apparently lived in Arizona for a bit, and so after a quick chat with me said that I could have the job, if I wanted it, I went down to the city, filled out some paperwork, and the very next day I was the newest and only Temp at Morton Seed and Grain in Bibra Lake.
Morton Seed and Grain buys grain for people and animals from farmers in Western Australia, and then they sell it to all sorts of places, including, exporting it to both India and China. I was feeling ON TOP of the world my first day, I was helping a great deal, and they kept thanking me for being there (they had to downsize a few years ago because of a drought, but now they have more grain than they've had in several years, and simply don't have nearly enough people to handle it all, I'm there to help and make sure no one quits before Christmas). I finally was ACTUALLY working (it felt SOO good), and it was a short temp position that would last through Christmas, things were fitting together perfectly. I had this job to last me until King Edward finally pulled through. Like I said, I was ON TOP of the world.
I came home from my first day temping, to two phone messages. The first, from Josh with King Edward Memorial, and the second from the Department of Child Protection. I assumed that Josh had called with bad news. For one, he had called instead of emailed (which is how we usually communicate), but I was happy that DCP had called, and tried to leave a message, but it was after business hours and I just kept getting transferred to the main phone tree, but thought it was no big deal. I had spoken with DCP earlier and they had said that they might not be doing anything until February anyways. So I thought it was interesting but didn't think much of it.
I came home Friday after another work day (woo!), first to an email from Josh. 'you've been cleared, and you can start on 12 December' Monday... this Monday (I'm writing this late, so technically today), a full week before the tentative start date that he didn't even think I would be lucky enough to get, and I could start on Monday (and now I have a temping job too).
I also had two emails from the Department of Child Protection and a second phone message from them. The emails both said that they were trying to get a hold of me, and the voice message said: "If you want a job, call us back"
Basket of fried pickles. Almost overnight I had gone from having NO job, to having THREE.
And of course, this all happened on Friday, meaning that there would be NOTHING I could do for two days until Monday. Of course, the job with DCP is the job I want ... it's the 'beginning of my career job', so THAT job is my priority. But they were only calling to schedule an interview there are no guarantees with them, and even then, I still don't think I would even begin training until February 2012. So, I am in a basket of pickles. I emailed Josh, and was very honest about my situation, and ultimately said that I would be happy to work after Christmas but that I would need to leave for DCP, given that opportunity, so I also said that I completely understood if that didn't work for them (obviously ... I figure it won't, but I thought it was best to let them tell me that, than simply assume it for them). Ugh.
Now I have to figure out what to do from January to February ... and that's if I get the job with DCP.
basket of fried pickles.
Back when I lived in St. Croix, we liked to go to this place called the Brew Pub, anyone who came to visit me, I took to the Brew Pub. Well I had gone with some friends, and I wanted to try something I hadn't had before. I saw on the menu that they had friend pickles. I didn't have enough money to buy the appetizer and an entree, so I just bought the fried pickles, having heard that they were amazing.
I got the basket, and I bit into a fried pickle, and it was like the earth moved. I loved it! They were amazing, and I didn't even like pickles then (I do now, but my stance on pickles tends to change frequently and violently ... so who knows how I'll feel next week). Anyways, I really loved it. Everyone at my table had one, and then I had another ... but they were fried pickles, and while tasty ... there was a limit to how much I could handle, so after my second fried pickle, I was done.
But I still had a basket of fried pickles in front of me, and I had spent precious money on them. What had started as something amazing and good, ended up being a big basket of 'oh no'. I sat down and munched away at those fried pickles, my roommates laughing and making fun of me, while I kept saying, "I don't want to, but I can't just leave 'em! I got myself into this, and now I've got to eat my way out."
I was SICK by the time I was done, and now ... I will never again eat a fried pickle ... ever ever ever again. (fried pickles even became an inside joke for my roommates and myself)
Right about now you might be thinking, why in the world is Molly talking about friend pickles?
Well. It's because I am back in my basket of friend pickles. I arrived in Perth 15 November (that's how they write the date here) and I have been looking for jobs, well, let me put it this way, the first time I applied to a job in Perth was July of this year. And I had a whole lot of nothing. nothing. nothing. nothing.
Finally, 2 December King Edward Memorial Hospital offered me a position, but later told me that my start date wouldn't be until 19 December, and that odds were even that I wouldn't start even that early, and that was only if everything passed through ... meaning that I was left being told that I might not actually have a job after all.
At this point, I felt like I was going to be unemployed for the rest of my life.
So, the search continued, as did the the building stress. Until, 7 December (my birthday) I got a call from Conor with Kelly Services. His dad had apparently lived in Arizona for a bit, and so after a quick chat with me said that I could have the job, if I wanted it, I went down to the city, filled out some paperwork, and the very next day I was the newest and only Temp at Morton Seed and Grain in Bibra Lake.
Morton Seed and Grain buys grain for people and animals from farmers in Western Australia, and then they sell it to all sorts of places, including, exporting it to both India and China. I was feeling ON TOP of the world my first day, I was helping a great deal, and they kept thanking me for being there (they had to downsize a few years ago because of a drought, but now they have more grain than they've had in several years, and simply don't have nearly enough people to handle it all, I'm there to help and make sure no one quits before Christmas). I finally was ACTUALLY working (it felt SOO good), and it was a short temp position that would last through Christmas, things were fitting together perfectly. I had this job to last me until King Edward finally pulled through. Like I said, I was ON TOP of the world.
I came home from my first day temping, to two phone messages. The first, from Josh with King Edward Memorial, and the second from the Department of Child Protection. I assumed that Josh had called with bad news. For one, he had called instead of emailed (which is how we usually communicate), but I was happy that DCP had called, and tried to leave a message, but it was after business hours and I just kept getting transferred to the main phone tree, but thought it was no big deal. I had spoken with DCP earlier and they had said that they might not be doing anything until February anyways. So I thought it was interesting but didn't think much of it.
I came home Friday after another work day (woo!), first to an email from Josh. 'you've been cleared, and you can start on 12 December' Monday... this Monday (I'm writing this late, so technically today), a full week before the tentative start date that he didn't even think I would be lucky enough to get, and I could start on Monday (and now I have a temping job too).
I also had two emails from the Department of Child Protection and a second phone message from them. The emails both said that they were trying to get a hold of me, and the voice message said: "If you want a job, call us back"
Basket of fried pickles. Almost overnight I had gone from having NO job, to having THREE.
And of course, this all happened on Friday, meaning that there would be NOTHING I could do for two days until Monday. Of course, the job with DCP is the job I want ... it's the 'beginning of my career job', so THAT job is my priority. But they were only calling to schedule an interview there are no guarantees with them, and even then, I still don't think I would even begin training until February 2012. So, I am in a basket of pickles. I emailed Josh, and was very honest about my situation, and ultimately said that I would be happy to work after Christmas but that I would need to leave for DCP, given that opportunity, so I also said that I completely understood if that didn't work for them (obviously ... I figure it won't, but I thought it was best to let them tell me that, than simply assume it for them). Ugh.
Now I have to figure out what to do from January to February ... and that's if I get the job with DCP.
basket of fried pickles.
Symphony in the City
what do you like to do on a Saturday night?
well I like to hang out with 20,000 of my closest Aussie friends, and listen to the beautiful free concert put on by WASO (West Australian Symphony Orchestra) in the Perth CBD (central business district/city center).
Liz packed a bunch of great stuff, cheese, beet dip (really good!), we bought some rolls, and I bought half of a passion fruit cheesecake from the store across the street. Now ... I have a word or two to say about Australian cheesecake. It's really, really good, but I feel like it shouldn't be called cheesecake, because in Australia when you buy cheesecake, it's all 'no bake cheesecake' ... which, as we all know, certainly can't compare to it's much lovelier older sister, baked New York style cheesecake. mmm. But, it was passion fruit flavored, and just as in St. Croix where I gobbled up passion fruit whenever I could, I am the same way here. If something has passion fruit anything, I am all over it.
We took the 881 bus into the city, and then walked towards the Bell Tower to the park where it was going to be. Things kicked off at 7:10pm, but Liz and I got there just before 4, and Blaire had gotten there at 3 pm. He's been reading the Hunger Games, and so he was chosen to go and save a space for us and get some reading in, before Liz and I came, and before his wife would come later on.
While we waited for Naomi (Blaire's wife) and things to kick off, we talked, and laughed, and played several games of Sequence, which is a really fun board game.
Right before things began we had the happy privilege of running into Yuri and Juan and their son Vicente. They are one of the cutest young families I've ever seen. Yuri doesn't speak very much english (they're in Australia from Chile because Juan is studying for an advanced degree here), and they've only been here a couple months with their sweet two year old son. I ADORE Yuri, and was grateful we she was there to joke around with! :) With so many people there, it was quite a miracle that we ran into them, but it was SO much fun, I am grateful that we did.
The music was beautiful! At one point they were playing Handel's Messiah and the choir was singing Hallelujah, and a woman sitting on the ground behind us said, "Oh! Is this a sing-a-long? Cause I'm gonna join in" and she sang the entire song with the choir ... at the top of her lungs ... every time she screeched out a Hallelujah, Yuri and I would laugh with one another.
Then, an Italian violinist played something so beautiful, it made me cry. Vicente fell fast asleep listening, and Yuri put some ear plugs in his ears while he was sleeping .... BECAUSE, when they played the 1812 ouverture, they used REAL cannons, and the bells from the Bell Tower in Perth ... it was REALLY cool!!!!
It was a great night, and if you would like to check it out, here's a link http://freezone.iinet.net.au/channels/freezone/music/waso if for whatever reason the link doesn't work, you can search Symphony in the City - really, if you have the time, it is an awesome thing. Also-because we were right in front, we made it on TV a lot, so that's cool, so you might catch a glimpse of us.
well I like to hang out with 20,000 of my closest Aussie friends, and listen to the beautiful free concert put on by WASO (West Australian Symphony Orchestra) in the Perth CBD (central business district/city center).
Liz packed a bunch of great stuff, cheese, beet dip (really good!), we bought some rolls, and I bought half of a passion fruit cheesecake from the store across the street. Now ... I have a word or two to say about Australian cheesecake. It's really, really good, but I feel like it shouldn't be called cheesecake, because in Australia when you buy cheesecake, it's all 'no bake cheesecake' ... which, as we all know, certainly can't compare to it's much lovelier older sister, baked New York style cheesecake. mmm. But, it was passion fruit flavored, and just as in St. Croix where I gobbled up passion fruit whenever I could, I am the same way here. If something has passion fruit anything, I am all over it.
We took the 881 bus into the city, and then walked towards the Bell Tower to the park where it was going to be. Things kicked off at 7:10pm, but Liz and I got there just before 4, and Blaire had gotten there at 3 pm. He's been reading the Hunger Games, and so he was chosen to go and save a space for us and get some reading in, before Liz and I came, and before his wife would come later on.
While we waited for Naomi (Blaire's wife) and things to kick off, we talked, and laughed, and played several games of Sequence, which is a really fun board game.
Right before things began we had the happy privilege of running into Yuri and Juan and their son Vicente. They are one of the cutest young families I've ever seen. Yuri doesn't speak very much english (they're in Australia from Chile because Juan is studying for an advanced degree here), and they've only been here a couple months with their sweet two year old son. I ADORE Yuri, and was grateful we she was there to joke around with! :) With so many people there, it was quite a miracle that we ran into them, but it was SO much fun, I am grateful that we did.
The music was beautiful! At one point they were playing Handel's Messiah and the choir was singing Hallelujah, and a woman sitting on the ground behind us said, "Oh! Is this a sing-a-long? Cause I'm gonna join in" and she sang the entire song with the choir ... at the top of her lungs ... every time she screeched out a Hallelujah, Yuri and I would laugh with one another.
Then, an Italian violinist played something so beautiful, it made me cry. Vicente fell fast asleep listening, and Yuri put some ear plugs in his ears while he was sleeping .... BECAUSE, when they played the 1812 ouverture, they used REAL cannons, and the bells from the Bell Tower in Perth ... it was REALLY cool!!!!
It was a great night, and if you would like to check it out, here's a link http://freezone.iinet.net.au/channels/freezone/music/waso if for whatever reason the link doesn't work, you can search Symphony in the City - really, if you have the time, it is an awesome thing. Also-because we were right in front, we made it on TV a lot, so that's cool, so you might catch a glimpse of us.
 |
| nothing more awesome than a chubby storm trooper |
 |
| the feast! |
 |
| 20,000 people were there |
 |
| the symphony!! |
 |
| Vicente!!!!! (I just want to eat him UP!) |
Sunday, December 4, 2011
christmas dinner came three weeks early! :)
Tonight we had a Christmas dinner with Liz, Erin, and Michelle (another YSA), Erin is off to Vancouver, Seattle, Utah, and a good chunk in Calgary, and will be gone over Christmas, so we had a little early celebration!
For starters Liz made a shrimp cocktail (she really pulled out all the stops!) Then, we had pork with crackle (it's the pig skin all brown and lovely from the oven ... yum!), potatoes, pumpkin, and parsnips, green beans with almonds, and peas.
Then for dessert we had shortbread cookies mailed form Melbourne by Liz's mom, trifle, and fruit mince pies ... there's Christmas pudding with custard and ice cream as well ... but we were well stuffed with everything else that we'll have to eat that tomorrow before Erin leaves on Tuesday ... and there's still pie left in the fridge! :)
errr ... the Holidays don't exactly help me in healthful plans, but, boy howdy, it sure is fun! :)
Here are some pics ... enjoy!
For starters Liz made a shrimp cocktail (she really pulled out all the stops!) Then, we had pork with crackle (it's the pig skin all brown and lovely from the oven ... yum!), potatoes, pumpkin, and parsnips, green beans with almonds, and peas.
Then for dessert we had shortbread cookies mailed form Melbourne by Liz's mom, trifle, and fruit mince pies ... there's Christmas pudding with custard and ice cream as well ... but we were well stuffed with everything else that we'll have to eat that tomorrow before Erin leaves on Tuesday ... and there's still pie left in the fridge! :)
errr ... the Holidays don't exactly help me in healthful plans, but, boy howdy, it sure is fun! :)
Here are some pics ... enjoy!
 |
| Erin, and you can see the trifle, fruit mince pies, and shortbread |
 |
| I think that this is too cute ... both Erin and Liz working on quilts, cuter still is that they're actually working on each other's quilt. Erin's is actually the blue one, for a good girlfriend's birthday and the Christmas one is a gift from Liz to her son and his family in Canada, to be used as a tablecloth |
Saturday, December 3, 2011
the taste of summer
Well, summer has arrived here in Australia!
And boy howdy am I grateful! I've been bundled up in my fleece pajamas and hoodie every night because it felt so cold to me. The Aussies made fun of me for being so cold in 23 degree weather (that's like 73 degrees Fahrenheit). I was getting annoyed. I have perfectly good cold weather clothes that I didn't even have to look at during the Arizona fall, and I was shaking life a leaf, having left every stitch of it at home except for one hoodie and a pair of Christmas fleece pajamas, thinking I wouldn't need them in this supposedly 'hot' country's late spring ... I kept thinking, "false advertising" in my head. But tonight I am down to my singlet (tank top) and shorts as I write on my bed, and summer has finally arrived.
There is something that makes me laugh though. This house has AC, but my room is the only room in the house that doesn't get it ... sound familiar? Let's see ... no AC in my room in Gilbert, and no AC in the entire house in St. Croix, and no AC in my room here. There's an irony here that brings a completeness to my journey, like, "Welcome to Australia, you don't get any AC, and THAT is how you know that you've ended up in the right place!" But NOT having AC for so long has its advantages ... while everyone else is fanning themselves, I feel quite content. :) The only thing I don't like is that all this hot weather has made me the world's biggest cold weather wimp. The second it dips below 80 degrees, if it isn't humid enough, I get goosebumps and start looking for a sweater and some socks.
I am getting more and more situated here in Spearwood, getting a better feel for the lay of the land, and spending tons of time on public transport, heaven bless buses and trains. Of everywhere I've been and every place I've seen ... I've got to say that Freo (Fremantle) is my favorite. There's always an awesome breeze, and I have yet to see a cloudy day, in Freo at least. I have pictures of Freo posted on Facebook from a while ago, but I'll be writing a post dedicated to just that city later after I've seen more of the sailing races and events here (INXS were here today, and I saw them prepping the stage before their concert tonight in Freo to kick off all the sailing events).
It feels a tad surreal, Aussies are a bit stuck in yesteryear, in every good way. It's funny to hear Liz (my roommate talk about it), apparently a new law was just recently released that allows grocers and other shops to stay open late, i.e. past 5 or 6 until about 8,9 or 10. Liz is absolutely scandalized! A grocery store open after 7? Why would anyone need to go to a grocery store then? The chemist (pharmacy) down the street is open until 10 pm, but I think they've always been allowed to stay open later. And I've been to the grocery store here around 7 pm, all the other shops around it were closed ... and there are very few people in the grocery store. Liz said that businesses had lobbied for extended hours, hoping to get Sundays, but instead got extended hours during the rest of the week. Stores are only allowed to be open on a Sunday only a handful of times each year. (although my pondering over why the government is so involved in when people's businesses choose to be open I guess highlights my yankee roots).
When Liz and Erin need bread, not always, but usually we go to the baker. There are several bakeries in town, they're very popular. And if you need some good sausages you go to your neighborhood butcher. I couldn't believe that stores that COULD NOT exist in the States (at least outside of wealthier areas that could support them, and trust me, I do not live in a wealthy area here in Australia) are thriving. Brumby's a bakery we frequent is even a chain store of bakeries. Aussies don't do much "one stop shopping" in my experience, and I have to say, I like it.
Hand in hand with this life philosophy is the popularity of fresh fruit and veg (Aussies say veg instead of vegetables) from weekly markets.
In Freo, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (they're allowed to be open I guess because Freo is a part of a tourist distract, where the rules are a little different). And people will go every week and buy their fruit and veg, from, gasp ... the very same people who grow it! But even in this little enclave from the world ... things are changing.
There's currently a supermarket war, at least in Perth, but I dare say elsewhere in the country as well, between Coles, IGA, and Woolsworths (lovingly referred to as Woolies here), and it's driving prices WAY down (still more expensive than I'm used to seeing, but I'm getting more used to it). It great for the consumer, but it is ravaging the bakeries, buchers, and even the fruit and veg folk. While it's nice to be able experience life in a place where people still buy things from different people and places ... I can see and feel the end of it coming ... 24 hour Super Walmarts ... I guess here we come.
I spoke to a fruit vendor at the Kalamunda markets today, he was in the middle of slicing a great big summer ripe watermelon as we began to talk about the current state and economy of fruit and veg these days. He seemed to like our banter, and as we continued to talk, he decided to take a break and sliced three quick half rounds of fresh, sweet watermelon and handed some to Liz and myself while he munched on his own slice under the hot afternoon sun. He was a big guy, in his early fifties, a bit swollen around the middle, with red sun worshiped skin, wearing a pair of overalls, and missing more than a few teeth while his son, who looked to only be about 12, weighed produce and managed the till.
"You can't beat the quality of fresh produce, the super markets don't really know how to handle the stuff. As long as it looks pretty, if it's tasteless, and awful then that's just what they're looking for! Too many people are okay with that these days I reckon."
I nodded my head in solemn understanding ... my mouth filled with watermelon and seeds I'd been saving up, being unsure if it was okay to spit watermelon seeds in the dirt in Australia.
"I can't say I blame them though, I understand it. It's the way things are going these days. Tons of people buy their produce from grocery stores." He smiled a wide smile, showing just how many teeth he had missing, and rested his hand on the side of dirty overalls. "It's just funny because to hear people tell it, they never buy produce from the grocery stores, but someone's gotta be doing it." He laughed a hoarse laugh that made me think he must be a smoker as he and Liz moved onto happier conversation, discussing the cost of a tray of peaches ($12 for the tray), and we ended up walking away with sugar snap peas, mangoes, avocados, nectarines, apples, and a tray of peaches.
They do little pieces on TV here where bakers talk about the superior quality of their bread ($3) over the $1 loaf bread at the grocery store, the love and craftsmanship that goes into every loaf ... but I'm an American ... I can already tell you what's ahead. The consumer loves a good bargain, and it doesn't matter how lovingly you've treated that bread ... in the long run, the majority of consumers are going to choose the $1 bread they can buy while on a diaper run at 9:30 pm. ugh. :(
But, for while it lasts, it's lovely. I genuinely hope that I'm wrong ... that there's something in Australian genetics that will always have people swinging by the bakery so they can buy fresh rolls so they can make a roll for lunch (a sandwich) at home. My fingers are crossed.
And boy howdy am I grateful! I've been bundled up in my fleece pajamas and hoodie every night because it felt so cold to me. The Aussies made fun of me for being so cold in 23 degree weather (that's like 73 degrees Fahrenheit). I was getting annoyed. I have perfectly good cold weather clothes that I didn't even have to look at during the Arizona fall, and I was shaking life a leaf, having left every stitch of it at home except for one hoodie and a pair of Christmas fleece pajamas, thinking I wouldn't need them in this supposedly 'hot' country's late spring ... I kept thinking, "false advertising" in my head. But tonight I am down to my singlet (tank top) and shorts as I write on my bed, and summer has finally arrived.
There is something that makes me laugh though. This house has AC, but my room is the only room in the house that doesn't get it ... sound familiar? Let's see ... no AC in my room in Gilbert, and no AC in the entire house in St. Croix, and no AC in my room here. There's an irony here that brings a completeness to my journey, like, "Welcome to Australia, you don't get any AC, and THAT is how you know that you've ended up in the right place!" But NOT having AC for so long has its advantages ... while everyone else is fanning themselves, I feel quite content. :) The only thing I don't like is that all this hot weather has made me the world's biggest cold weather wimp. The second it dips below 80 degrees, if it isn't humid enough, I get goosebumps and start looking for a sweater and some socks.
I am getting more and more situated here in Spearwood, getting a better feel for the lay of the land, and spending tons of time on public transport, heaven bless buses and trains. Of everywhere I've been and every place I've seen ... I've got to say that Freo (Fremantle) is my favorite. There's always an awesome breeze, and I have yet to see a cloudy day, in Freo at least. I have pictures of Freo posted on Facebook from a while ago, but I'll be writing a post dedicated to just that city later after I've seen more of the sailing races and events here (INXS were here today, and I saw them prepping the stage before their concert tonight in Freo to kick off all the sailing events).
It feels a tad surreal, Aussies are a bit stuck in yesteryear, in every good way. It's funny to hear Liz (my roommate talk about it), apparently a new law was just recently released that allows grocers and other shops to stay open late, i.e. past 5 or 6 until about 8,9 or 10. Liz is absolutely scandalized! A grocery store open after 7? Why would anyone need to go to a grocery store then? The chemist (pharmacy) down the street is open until 10 pm, but I think they've always been allowed to stay open later. And I've been to the grocery store here around 7 pm, all the other shops around it were closed ... and there are very few people in the grocery store. Liz said that businesses had lobbied for extended hours, hoping to get Sundays, but instead got extended hours during the rest of the week. Stores are only allowed to be open on a Sunday only a handful of times each year. (although my pondering over why the government is so involved in when people's businesses choose to be open I guess highlights my yankee roots).
When Liz and Erin need bread, not always, but usually we go to the baker. There are several bakeries in town, they're very popular. And if you need some good sausages you go to your neighborhood butcher. I couldn't believe that stores that COULD NOT exist in the States (at least outside of wealthier areas that could support them, and trust me, I do not live in a wealthy area here in Australia) are thriving. Brumby's a bakery we frequent is even a chain store of bakeries. Aussies don't do much "one stop shopping" in my experience, and I have to say, I like it.
 |
| Fremantle Bazaar held at the Fremantle Arts Centre, this fair sells mostly crafts, this is where I spent my Friday night, I love markets and fairs here. |
 |
| Another picture from the Fremantle Bazaar |
Hand in hand with this life philosophy is the popularity of fresh fruit and veg (Aussies say veg instead of vegetables) from weekly markets.
In Freo, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (they're allowed to be open I guess because Freo is a part of a tourist distract, where the rules are a little different). And people will go every week and buy their fruit and veg, from, gasp ... the very same people who grow it! But even in this little enclave from the world ... things are changing.
There's currently a supermarket war, at least in Perth, but I dare say elsewhere in the country as well, between Coles, IGA, and Woolsworths (lovingly referred to as Woolies here), and it's driving prices WAY down (still more expensive than I'm used to seeing, but I'm getting more used to it). It great for the consumer, but it is ravaging the bakeries, buchers, and even the fruit and veg folk. While it's nice to be able experience life in a place where people still buy things from different people and places ... I can see and feel the end of it coming ... 24 hour Super Walmarts ... I guess here we come.
I spoke to a fruit vendor at the Kalamunda markets today, he was in the middle of slicing a great big summer ripe watermelon as we began to talk about the current state and economy of fruit and veg these days. He seemed to like our banter, and as we continued to talk, he decided to take a break and sliced three quick half rounds of fresh, sweet watermelon and handed some to Liz and myself while he munched on his own slice under the hot afternoon sun. He was a big guy, in his early fifties, a bit swollen around the middle, with red sun worshiped skin, wearing a pair of overalls, and missing more than a few teeth while his son, who looked to only be about 12, weighed produce and managed the till.
"You can't beat the quality of fresh produce, the super markets don't really know how to handle the stuff. As long as it looks pretty, if it's tasteless, and awful then that's just what they're looking for! Too many people are okay with that these days I reckon."
I nodded my head in solemn understanding ... my mouth filled with watermelon and seeds I'd been saving up, being unsure if it was okay to spit watermelon seeds in the dirt in Australia.
"I can't say I blame them though, I understand it. It's the way things are going these days. Tons of people buy their produce from grocery stores." He smiled a wide smile, showing just how many teeth he had missing, and rested his hand on the side of dirty overalls. "It's just funny because to hear people tell it, they never buy produce from the grocery stores, but someone's gotta be doing it." He laughed a hoarse laugh that made me think he must be a smoker as he and Liz moved onto happier conversation, discussing the cost of a tray of peaches ($12 for the tray), and we ended up walking away with sugar snap peas, mangoes, avocados, nectarines, apples, and a tray of peaches.
 |
| Kalamunda Market |
They do little pieces on TV here where bakers talk about the superior quality of their bread ($3) over the $1 loaf bread at the grocery store, the love and craftsmanship that goes into every loaf ... but I'm an American ... I can already tell you what's ahead. The consumer loves a good bargain, and it doesn't matter how lovingly you've treated that bread ... in the long run, the majority of consumers are going to choose the $1 bread they can buy while on a diaper run at 9:30 pm. ugh. :(
But, for while it lasts, it's lovely. I genuinely hope that I'm wrong ... that there's something in Australian genetics that will always have people swinging by the bakery so they can buy fresh rolls so they can make a roll for lunch (a sandwich) at home. My fingers are crossed.
 |
| Brumby's one of the chain bakeries around here in Perth |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)