Commonality of the rear view

With the passing of Jim Watkins, I was looking for photos from our time with him in August 2008 and experimenting with an older style of Blogpost presentation. I thought I would rejig this posting to reflect the time we went to stay with Jim at Ballina

the first photo is of Nick Martin at a stop we made from Nick and Ita's home in Carragline, Cork.

Signage of Lough Gur where we stopped for an explore on our way north

Nick, Ita and Barb showing in this photo

We met Jim in a Ballina Pub with some young women, Nieces perhaps - I can't recall. Anyway after a short conversation, Nick and Ita headed back to Cork and Jim took us to his place. Next day Jim drove us to a high point to get a view of the adjoining towns of Killaloe and Ballins.

Schmap Vancouver Guide

After posting my Museum of Anthropology photos on Flickr I received an invite 7 January, to submit one of my photos for inclusion in the newly released sixth edition of the Schmap Vancouver Guide: To see the photo click this link.

Sadly, another link that no longer works.

Irish hosts visit New Zealand

Nick and Ita, after some visits from other former colleagues and friends and then us, were inspired to visit New Zealand after 11 years away. Nick and Ita hired a rental car and went 'bed hopping' to various friends' homes whilst using our house as their base to come and go from.

Very enjoyable to return the favour after their wonderful hospitality to us back in August 2008.


The photos are of Nick and Nita descending into O'Neills Beach after crossing the little stream at Bethells Beach and going up and over the sand dune barrier.

Menin Gate video

Friday 8 August 2008 at Menin Gate, Belgium
During the Last Post ceremony I thought I would try running video mode on the Panasonic digital camera and was happily trying to hold things steady when I got this flashing warning in the screen that I only had 30 seconds left of battery time. I got this countdown and was hoping that the buglers would finish before my camera stopped.
You can see the result in the video.
Sue has since told us that her and Frank, "scored a really good last post last time...... complete with a brass band from UK and a bag piper...... was very moving and lasted 20 odd mins!

What a challenge it was to get the video uploaded. Left the computer on overnight, with the message 'still uploading'. I hope my data cap has not been exceeded for the month.

Menin Gate

Friday 8 August 2008 at Menin Gate in Belgium
After our visit to Bruges, Frank and Sue drove us to Tyne Cot Cemetry and then to Menin Gate to catch the 'Last Post' ceremony. Quite a moving event and something that Belgium has done every evening since 1929, except during the German occupation of the Second World War. I mentioned this to John Skelton when we met up with him and Deanna in England and he told of his visit with one of his boys to Menin Gate. John's story was from August the previous year (2007) when he was there together with Malcolm and his two sons and they were invited to participate in the daily Last Post memorial service. "There are no more first generation survivors, so it was very significant to have 2nd generation, 3rd generation, and 4th generation members from one family. It was an honour to participate.
Also I am guessing you know that Menin Gate has 5,4896 names, the Tyne Cot Cemetery has 34,984 names and nearly 90,000 have no known grave site."
John also mentioned later he and Deanna were going back to their favourite B & B in Belgium which is now a working farm, and the local history expert had told John that it is a few hundred yards away from the line where the New Zealand Expeditionary Force was during the battle for Passchendaele. John has walked the same area that his dad was in.

le petit Julien

7 August 2008 in Brussels, Belgium
On our way to this little sculpture I was wondering about all this focus on a little boy urinating in signs all over the place - including this shop, photographed over the top of Frank's head. The official website link from Wikipedia has an interesting introduction and there is another link giving a 360 degree scan of the site.

Mysterious little something with a big reputation

7 August 2008 in Brussels, Belgium
Whilst in Brussels that first day, after getting off the train from Amsterdam and meeting Frank and Sue Fesche, we were taken to a mystery location that had a big reputation. Well we were warned, you almost couldn't see it for all the visitors lining up to get their photographs taken in front of this little sculpture.