Radzster.net

Ah… bushwalking. A good reminder of why we love living in this gorgeous country called Australia…

We are never more than an hour’s drive away from a decent speck of bush here. I’m always up for a healthy, brisk walk and a close encounter with nature…

Waterfalls are a nice surprise. You can hear them in the distance, and then all of a sudden - wham! Right in front of you… This particular one was not so much a surprise, but very much a tough climb to get to. Well worth it tough.

My friends in Europe always ask about the notorious creepy crawlies; you know, the fact that the world’s most venomous spiders and snakes are to be found here. No worries mate! You actually have to be quite lucky to see any.
Especially snakes… They can “feel” you coming, and slither off to safety.
Looking forward to the sunny weather again, so we can go bushwalking…

{This article was moved here from another blog platform and has been “pre-dated” in WordPress to preserve chronology.}

I have something with water…
Not quite sure what, but the idea of living on a houseboat seems very appealing to me. Perhaps it’s because it puts you closer to nature? I don’t know.

How about… the movement of the water, the small and neatly organised space, the sense that you are not “tied down” somewhere, but could just float off to another place along the waters edge… Over romanticised? Probably ;-)

I just can’t shake the fact that this way of life intrigues me… Lures me…

In Belgium and Holland houseboats are quite common, but in Australia, it seems to be a rare sight. Too much red tape to cut through, it seems… I did come across one company called ArkiBoat from the Hawkesbury region, who make very modern, architect designed houseboats for residential “live-aboard” use, not just weekenders or rentals.

Apparently there are only 4 mooring licenses available for Sydney harbour (all taken of course), and no future plans to expand on this environmentally friendly, light footprint way of living. Such a shame.
The Broadwater area between Brisbane and the Gold Coast seems to offer some possibilities. Will need to investigate further.

To be continued…

{This article was moved here from another blog platform and has been “pre-dated” in WordPress to preserve chronology.}

Yesterday there was quite a bit of polemics about the fact that the organisers of the Big Day Out (BDO) festivals had recently banned depictions of the Australian flag (not just flags, also bandana’s etc.), because at the Sydney event last year a group of people had forced passers by to pledge allegiance to the flag and acted in an aggressive and racist way.
In fact there was never really a ban but a “discouragement” to bring flags etc. to the festival… Most Australians seem to feel this was seriously over the top and even a disgrace. And how quick the politicians were to jump on the bandwagon of the masses (it’s an election year).

The event usually coincides with Australia Day, which would justify Australians wanting to celebrate all that is so great about their country by waving their flag about. But last year at the BDO, the racial Cronulla riots were still very fresh… A flag has two sides,… and apparently it showed it’s ugly face that day.

I am Belgian, and of course I have a Belgian flag, which I like to drape around and wave about on my sofa whenever fellow countrymen and woman are on the world stage (Vooruit Kim! Droogt’ z’af op de Australian Open! ;-).
And… I have an Australian flag… Which I’ve had since I was a little girl in fact. Since I was about 8 years old, I wanted to emigrate to Australia. I had seen some documentary on TV and just totally fell in love with the place, the natural beauty… the people. So I am here, because I truely love Australia, and hope to officially become an Australian in the near future…
I was even waving the Aussie flag about in Belgium last year during the World Cup whenever the Socceroos played, and also the flag of Trinidad & Tobago whenever the Soca Warriors played (my mum is from Trinibago). But in retrospect, I feel I should be more conscious of what a flag stands for.

It can definitely be used as a ‘gang colour’… Identifying ‘us’ against ‘them’… with clear nationalist and even racial undertones. Australians should also not forget that their precious flag does not represent all Australians… That there are certain Australians that are reminded of the atrocities inflected upon them… by bearers of this flag… and the Union Jack.
And the design of the Australian flag has been debated for some years now:
http://www.ausflag.com.au/ausflag/pfdc.html

I think I liked the Aussies better when they didn’t know the words to “Advance Australia Fair” and were not so overtly “patriotic” and “proud” to be Australian, that they feel they need to wave their flag about and show their “true blue” colours on every possible occasion…

And perhaps the media should focus more attention on the fact that The Big Day Out is going Carbon Neutral. A much more important issue…

You can read more about the issue here:
http://www.bigdayout.com/
http://www.news.com.au/
http://www.smh.com.au/
http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/media/gallery.cfm - an overview of the different Australian flags and symbols

Make no mistake… I love Australia… But it is not “blind” love…

Take care, and have a harmonious, warm and friendly Australia Day and The Big Day Out,
Radzster

{This article was moved here from another blog platform and has been “pre-dated” in WordPress to preserve chronology.}

One of my favourite little treats is a “broodje Camenbertje”, or a Camenbert sandwich roll. Hmm… come to think of it, it’s been quite a while since I’ve had one. Think I’ll just pop out to the shops to get me some good quality French cheese, some delicious buns, “runny honey”… and a touch of cinnamon.

Drooling yet? No? Before I scoot off, I’ll tell you how to make it. It’s pucka tucka mate!
(Yeah, should reserve a blog spot for a Jamie Oliver rave too ;-)

1. slice a breadroll in half… be careful, mind your fingers there
2. spread some cream cheese on one side (full, light… whatever takes your fancy)
3. before you unwrap your Camembert, give it a little squeeze to feel if it is ripe enough - should feel a bit squichy and not bounce back into shape too quick (so NOT like a fresh chicken)
4. when ripe, cut off a couple of Camenbert slices (skin and all!), and spread them around your cream cheese sided breadroll
5. grab your pot of runny honey and drizzle some over your Camenbert
6. grate some cinnamon over the top, or sprinkle some cinnamon powder on it
7. close your breadroll or bun
8. put on a micro-waveable plate and heat for approx. 30 sec. on max (750 Watt or more)
9. TING! - the Camenbert should be oozing out of your bun… if not, pop in for another 30 sec.
10. sit down, relax and indulge…

Enjoy!!!

{This article was moved here from another blog platform and has been “pre-dated” in WordPress to preserve chronology.}

My favourite day of the week…
Why? Because of a little poem my grandfather once taught me:
“Oh donderdag, oh donderdag,
de schoonste dag der dagen…
’s Morgens nog een halve week,
en ’s Avonds maar twee dagen…”
Ehm,… my English translation can not possibly do it justice, but I’ll have a go:

“Oh Thursday, oh Thursday,
most beautiful day of days,
morning’s still a half a week,
and evening ’s but two days…”

I don’t know who the original poem is from, but I think it’s a little gem. It was written at the time when most people would be working 6 days a week. I just love it because it reminds me of my “Vava”… Every Thursday is his day!