When the Cheshire emerges...

If anyone has learned anything about me recently it's that I love sport. More as a spectator than a player (although the world game's what I play), and particularly a slave to the biggest events.
The Olympics is the ultimate. It's always captured me as something special, with the sports showcasing true patriotism and sportsmanship. London 2012's been an improvement on Beijing because of the time difference - I was working or at uni throughout the 2008 games which didn't help much. But while there have already been some great moments and I'm loving it, hasn't London served up its drama so far?...
The Opening Ceremony

Didn't watch it all in the end, although I saw highlights on TV. Woke up to have just missed Greece and then Australia walk into the stadium. While disappointed about that, I'm not really a stickler for watching it anyway. I never saw Nikki Webster's gig in full back in 2000.

I was really underwhelmed by the choice to have the kids light the cauldron. Initial reaction was along the lines of: "Really? That's it?" To be fair, no-one saw it coming. It was simple, and preluding to a new generation. But after first thinking it was a nice gesture I got really angry because they hadn't earned that right when there were so many athletes that could've done it. I think it's a copout that organisers pretty much said "OK, we can't pick from you seven so you each pick a kid and it'll be this awesome symbolic thing."

Not a fan.

Days 1-3

Day 4's started now, but so far Australia has, for our standards anyway, failed to deliver. Feels a bit like Beijing where we didn't find our ground for some time. Tomic and Stosur out in the tennis, ironically leaving only Hewitt in for the hunt. What a fighter he's ended up being. Cadel Evans out of the individual time trial from fatigue, two falls in our equestrian team...
Then the pool.


The men's 4x100 freestyle relay. They came fourth. OK, so that wasn't good when they were expected to win. But that's the luck of the draw. Then poor Matt Targett had to front up in the 9 studio TWICE to break it down. It was all the coverage could latch onto and it was way too much. They asked so much of him and yet he handled it so well. Meanwhile, glad Nick D'Arcy's on a plane home, Christian Sprenger's reaction to his silver win was so amazing (and unfortunately overshadowed by the relay bombout), while I felt for Emily Seebohm in the other extreme to coming second - because I would've blubbered exactly the same.

The coverage

This is really bad sportsmanship because I appreciate the challenges live TV would create, but really, I want to punch Leila McKinnon in the face. Her adlibbing is not up to scratch and watching in the mornings is awkward. The whole production's not up to scratch. Among numerous glitches we've already seen Alicia Coutts' semi-final race played instead of the final where she won bronze in the morning highlights (with McKinnon's "Oh it's the wrong race!" heard as it finished), her not being told what camera to look at... and then rehashing so much of the same thing when we could be seeing more live coverage, perhaps of a different sport. Like HANDBALL. Not everyone wants Australia to be in every single event shown.
I am glad James Brayshaw's got a gig with the rowing though. He and Giaan Rooney by the pool save this from 9 being completely boring. Oh, hang on, this is 9 we're talking about. Don't know if they can save themselves from that.

Damn, all I can think about is how much I'm missing Bruce McAvaney's calls right now.

I scored this dispenser from an antique store in Newcastle on my first trip back in January. The shopkeeper's son had decided to give it up and she was happy it was going to someone deserving. While it's taken some time for the M&Ms to find their way to these guys, I can safely say I'm using it well and good now.

M&Ms are so awesome.

A year ago today, I was at Kerkyra, Greece, on the wrong side of the nationwide taxi strikes.

While you couldn't be on the right side for about three weeks (most of our time in Greece's mainland), we had made do until this point, our second day on the island also known as Corfu. With my two grandmothers unable to walk long distances with their large suitcases (and the rest of the family struggling), tensions were high and we always needed help. Bring in the locals desperate for a buck. We paid family friends to take us to airports, and in Kerkyra a few days later an unsuspecting man with a ute. We had to ask the guy, there was no other choice.

This experience was at tourist attraction Achilleon Castle (a home of the Habsburg dynasty). Just as we waited for the bus to come around the cabs came. Blocking the one-way traffic all the way up the hill for a good half hour. Cops were there but couldn't (or didn't) do a thing. I just remained in disbelief as to how they could protest so fiercely at such a critical time. While what they were angry about was understandable, there were a lot put out by the extremities.

Kerkyra was a Venetian-reminiscent beauty with all its Italian influence. For me, seeing nothing but families and couples was a bit too much, and without taxis it was hard to attempt being young and go out. It's a beautiful part of the world though.

A year ago today I was Paleochori, Athamania, Greece, on an afternoon trip from Arta to see the remains of where my grandfather grew up.

While the house is now non-existent, there is a holiday house next door that distant relatives still use. Met some there on the day actually including teenage girls which was a bit wack! But kinda cool.

Why? Uh, it's actually in the middle of nowhere. This is a view from the road to it a few minutes away.



See the group of houses on the left? That's it.

Stunning. The journey wound us through mountains behind more mountains, up and down, and we were lucky my mum's cousins knew the roads. What surprised me was the buses that were managing the trek.

More than an hour from Arta, the nearest major city, it's behind mountains and more mountains... beautiful in their isolation. Greece's mountainous terrain in the central and northern areas of the country are comparable to other wonders like Switzerland and Scotland.

Arta itself was nice too, if not hot. We took it a bit slower here; I actually revelled in the afternoon siesta for a change. I'd also found out about the Oslo massacre and Amy Winehouse's death though, both very sad.

The bridge connecting the Pelopponnese's north and the mainland

Arta's famous bridge. Really interesting backstory.

Great moussaka

On the road to Paleochori

The decoration wasn't a request, they just had ESP. But welcomed.

A year ago today I was at Pyrgos, Ilias, Greece, having enjoyed finally seeing the house my maternal grandmother spent her childhood in.

It's not been left to ruin thank goodness, as my grandma's only sibling still in Greece often visits and has maintained the upkeep.

My grandma, or yiayia as we call her which is the Greek word, was one of eight children. You can clearly tell that this is not a big property. They did it rough in those days... at least now there's a well-functioning Western toilet.

It's a town of 20-30,000 people, not small by any means. We spent three days there, the next two of which included exploring Pyrgos but also going to Olympia which is only 20km or so away (yeah, how cool is that, ancient sporting ruins at your doorstep). My second visit there wasn't as comprehensive but I finally found the 'floga' (the spot where they ignite the flame); the first time around I managed to miss it.

Best hot chips everrrr.

Half of the town of Olympia is eateries for the tourists. But this street was pretty.

My great grandparents' resting place.

The most beautiful cemetery I think I've ever set foot in

This car was stationary. No-one inside. And parked on a zebra crossing.

***I'd written this before learning about the Aurora Massacre and on learning about it through seeing the CBS Evening News broadcast on Sky News, I cried. The Batman legacy is not there for people to think it's OK to dress up in a mask and shoot people. That's not what he's about at all. He's about being a symbol to stop corruption by targeting the bad guys, not the innocents. The claim he called himself The Joker is possibly the scariest part of all... true issues. It's heartbreaking that even a cinema can be a target now.

No classic review this week because I stuffed up and left my USB at work with no backup on my laptop. Slight fail, but I think it's fittind this review stands alone. Christopher Nolan is a freakin' genius.

The Dark Knight Rises (M)

*Published in the Daily Liberal (Dubbo), Western Advocate (Bathurst), Parkes Champion Post and Midstate Observer (Orange) from Saturday 21/6/2012

MISSED LAST WEEK'S REVIEWS? See what I thought of Ted and Spartacus.

I had a bit of an Antiques Roadshow (English version) moment on the weekend, attending my first-ever antiques and collectables fair.

Dubbo's fair is predominantly hosted by Rotaract, which I've been a part of since the start of the year, so we were there doing our bit by selling entry and raffle tickets. It's Rotaract's biggest annual fundraiser so I was sure to do what I could on my one day off. Rugs were needed underneath the tables for the constant breeze coming in but everyone was in good spirits.

***

I'd decided to get an early interview done to have for the week at work so while waiting for our weekend photographer to rock up after my Rotaract duties were done, I went in to have a look.

I had $35 in my wallet and I spent all of it.

But it was on a few things! Two lovely floral cake plates for $10 each which will go nice with some white coffee cups I bought from the auction at my soccer club's trivia night, a pair of love heart mosaic earrings for $10 and a necklace with a mother of pearl pendant for $5.

Both jewellery pieces were from the same stall, a company from the Gold Coast. He claimed most items were 50 years or older - while I don't know if I believe that for the earrings, I do for the necklace. It makes me think of faraway places with the palm trees, I love it.

Have you ever found any antique bargains?

Finding things when you least expect them is one of life's nicest surprises, isn't it? Something you perhaps lost, or don't remember buying... but when they show up in the peculiar places they do, it makes your day right?

I've had one of those days.
At the moment I'm keeping myself well occupied by going through the box of mementos I sent home while away in Europe and going through all the pamphlets and maps to put in a scrapbook.
I did this for my first trip as well, and did a relatively good job of it. But a large part of that trip was on tour where I had information given to me and didn't really collect too much for myself. This time around that was a lot different, so it's taking me much longer and I'm hating that I'm leaving certain (less important) things out.
***

One of the things I found was something I knew I had but was confused as to when I'd sent it home. A friend from my Egypt tour wanted to get the photos from the Valley of the Kings off the CD I'd bought on our way out of the site (you can't take photos yourself but the CDs are cheap enough), and I planned to give it to her later on my travels. I can't remember whether I had it at the time, but at some point it fell into my box home.

The second CD is by a Glaswegian band I watched in a pub in the West End while it was heavily raining on a summer's day. I remember they had really quirky lyrics and were great to listen to. The girl I was with on this particular day didn't get to buy a CD for herself either. I can't wait to listen to this, I don't remember their sound well because it's been so long - a chance to rediscover something new!

Then the big one.


Are they not the COOLEST? I buy pins wherever I visit, you see, and the fact that I forgot about these is just crazy. I could've gone crazy in that shop to be honest, so to find all of this has been a really awesome surprise. Go me.

I just want to watch Colin Firth in Pride and Prejudice all over again looking at these...

A year ago today I was at Hydra and Poros, Greece, on a daytrip from Athens.

Hydra's port

A week with the family in Athens started our time on the mainland, but the islands before had been so good we decided to visit these two islands and soak up the sun in a different setting over one of the days. Just gorgeous. The rest of the week was catching up with Athens relatives, gorging on more yiros and seeing the last Harry Potter movie! Just because I'd missed out on the London premiere by mere days it did NOT mean I was going to wait to get back to Australia to see the film!

I didn't take many photos of the islands (for a change) because I was just enjoying myself. And it was hot so we just went straight to the beach in Poros.

A Hydra donkey to greet us...

Poros

A lot of people are disappointed by Athens because it's not the pretty Paris or bouncy Barcelona. But I really liked it even the second time round, there are awesome social areas, good shopping (the shoe shopfront displays alone are the best in the world, hands down - so many beautiful heels...) and the centre's just filled with history that slaps you in the face. Heck, that's the whole country in a nutshell really.

This club was still something out of a movie a year after my first time there. But it was more touristy this time...

A turn of Greek dancing in a suburban restaurant anyone? That's my uncle being taught some moves by our Athenian cousin.

Next: my journey continues to discover my maternal ancestry. Up in the next few days!