I live in a suberb of Perth, Western Australia called Kelmscott.
Kelmscott is 24kms south of Perth city.

Perth lies on the south west coast about 3kms inland on the river Swan.

Western Australia is 2,500kms, app, north to south and 1,700kms, app, east to west.
It has a population of around 1.6million of which 1.2million live in and around Perth.
The population of Australia is about 20million.

Our nearest capital city is Adelaide, the capital of South Australia which is 2,250kms away.
Perth is arguably the most isolated capital city on earth.

WA is about one third of the Australian continent and is rich in ore, minerals,grain and livestock all of which are also exported.

The weather is normally hot and dry during the summer months (over Xmas) and temps can go as high as 43DegC for days on end.
During the winter months it rains heavily but temps always stay above freezing.
Water is our most precious resource.

I hope this gives some Idea of WA.

Regards..........Alan

For you Americans having trouble with the metric conversions: Conversion Calculators
_____________

And I thought it got hot in Savannah!

What is climate like, Alan? Is it more on the wet or dry side? What kind of wildlife do you have (and how big are the bugs)? Are the stars bright at night? Do you drive on the left or right side of the road? I could go on like this forever...

Thanks for sharing, Alan

Thanks for that, Alan. I've known a number of people from Australia (mostly from living in Ireland) and had some idea of the vastness - and relatively sparse population - of the country, but had no idea that the distances were that great.

Speaking of geography, while I currently reside in Florida of all places, I did spend eighteen years living in Ireland (mostly Dublin), if anyone - Jaime? - has any questions about a slightly closer global neighbor. Damn - I've even got used to writing "neighbor" again rather than "neighbour". I've been back here longer than I'd realised (or realized, even).

And I have already confirmed that the water in the toilet, upon flushing, does in fact swirly in a counter-clockwise direction. There is no need to place a collect call to Alan!

Mike




Have no idea what I am talking about? That's ok. It's a joke from the Simpsons. You should really start watching them.

Alan, I want to come to Australia just to watch the toilet flush.

This is a great new forum, by the way...

I would come with you, but I'm introverted HAHAHAHAHA

Madtown

I hope I can answer a few questions.

First to MT..........nahh, your not introverted just a selective memory .

Cyan.
Feel free to come........We have 2 toilets, 3 washbasins and a shower. You should be able to verify it.

Wertz.
Yup.....its a long way around the joint.
We have a doctor service called 'The Royal Flying Doctors' based in Perth that fly all over to the isolated homesteads in WA dealing with emergencies and health care.
Its the only way to get to the outback.

You think you have forgotten 'Proper English".
The 'true blue' Aussies hang, draw and quarter it........ie...
G'Day.....hello.
Onya....well done.
Cardie...wooly jumper.
Owyagoing?........how are you.
Its like a foreign language...

Jaime.

Mostly the summer temps are around 30-35degC.
Because of our huge coastline and beautiful beaches that are practically empty because of the small population, its then time to troll off to the beach and have a swim.

NOW THE BAD BITS!!!!!
Australia is home to some of the most venemous creatures on the planet.
The box Jellyfish is in the 'Guinness Book of Records' as being the most poisoness creature in the World.........we dont get them in WA but plenty up north.

Redback Spiders.......I think you call them 'Black Widows?'.
We get them around the house now and then but having the place sprayed once a year keeps them away.

Poisoness Snakes.......just about all 8 species are poisoness.
Again we dont get many in the Metro area but out in the bush you may see them.

White Pointer Sharks.....We very occasionally see them.

I think thats enough.
Feel free to pop over any time and we can sit under the patio, have a barbie and a few beers and a natter.

Regards.........Alan

I heard an American from New Jersey say that he never met anyone as rude as the couple of Aussies he knows. (Now, New Jersey people are not ones to criticize others for being rude and in this part of NJ, "manners are best kept in the South", they say.)

"In comparison to the Spanish, the Chinese, and the eastern europeans, the Aussies were unbelievably rude." he said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Unbelievably." he said and - his eyes rolling around wildly.

Is there something in the Aussie culture that lends itself to... brashness?

jjirout

They're all descended from transported criminals.

So what exactly is vegemite? What is it made of? When do you eat it? What does it taste like? etc. I'm just curious, because that's one of the items that Americans always associate with Australia.

Also, I once had a candy bar called a Violet Crumble, which was brought to me by a friend from New Zealand. It was chocolate-covered honeycomb, and it was one of the most interesting, yummy candy bars I had ever eaten. Are these common in Australia, as well?

Do Australians become annoyed by being compared with New Zealanders and vice versa?

Yes, but I should add that, according to Alan, fifty percent of Aussies transported themselves to Australia.

However, there is the other fifty percent to consider ...

jjirout

Not all Aussies were decended from criminals. Some were decended from the jailers .

Like all cultures there are the good and the bad but the subtle art of tact is certainly not an Aussie strong point.
There is a tendancy to 'call a spade a spade'.

Jaime.
Forgot to answer regarding stars and roads.............
WA is not heavily industrialised so there is very little pollution.During the summer the stars are very bright.
We drive on the L/H side of the road.

Regards.....Alan

Ahhhh........Vegemite .
Its a vegetable and yeast extract, dark brown with the consistancy of soft butter.
Its difficult to describe the taste but here goes.......A little salty with the taste of concentrated beef and spread thin on toast.

'Violet Crumble'.
Yup...very popular here. It can also be bought in loose chunks called 'Rocky Road'.

The Kiwis and OZ have always had some rivalry between them especially concerning sport.
The Aussie derogatory name for New Zealand is 'Aussie South Island' which stirs them up a bit.
The Kiwi accent is a little different to OZ. They tend to flatten their 'I' like this........
Fridge sounds like frudge.
Fish and Chips sounds like Fush and Chups.. etc.

Regards.........Alan

I've had the dubious privilege of tasting Vegemite myself. It's very similar to Marmite, if you've ever had the pleasure...

Do Yanks use "fridge"? I don't recall coming across the term prior to my move to Ireland. If not, it's an Anglo-Irish-Aussie abbreviation for refrigerator - even if pronounced by a New Zealander.

Am I to take it by your roll eyes that you either a.)don't like Vegemite or b.)you get tired of Americans asking you what it is?

It's interesting. In America, we also have a popular ice-cream called Rocky Road. It has chocolate, marshmallows, and I think some kind of nut in it, but I can't remember which one, because I'm not fond of it. The crumbled honey-comb sounds rather good, though. Is there any other food that you would say defines Australia?

Wertz, I have not tasted Marmite. I think I'm going to have to track some of this food down, so that I can educate my taste buds...usually a very enjoyable experience.

So what about Dublin? Any points of interest that we should know about?

I'd like to know more about this 50 percent of Australians who descended from criminals and/or the jailers in charge of the criminals...

When a prisoner was a prisoner was he/she allowed to have relations with members of the opposite sex? Was a prisoner's life restrictive? Were there significantly less women than men in the country? At what point did the country throw off its shackles?

Do Australians today keep records of their lineage? What was a typical crime that resulted in being transplanted?

Ultimately, how do these past events resurface today in Australian culture?

If possible, replies to any of the above questions would be welcomed.

jjirout

I have visited your vast country 3 x. Once it was a non-stop flight from CA. At that time it was the longest commercial non-stop flight in the world! I thought we were on that plane for days and we were in was first class. No we can't afford that... mileage redemption...(another forum?)
It was enjoyable. The opera in Sydney is fabulous. We saw a couple of good ones. The people.and the beer were pretty fun. Frankly, I found the people a lot like Americans. Some of them liked giving us a hard time, but in a friendly way.
We enjoyed visiting the wine country a lot. The first time we were there was in your Spring, the second the summer, third in Winter. I will testify to the heat!
I rememberbeing warned about the brown recluse spider ? The Rocks were interesting, but I'm sure like all historical places it has become touristy over the years. Non the less, it is always fun to see places where history was made.
It would be fun to visit again, but it is just tooooooooo far.

jjirout.

I suspect somewhat less than 50% of the population these days are 3 to 5th generation Aussies. The actual figure I cant find nor can I find the proportions of women to men..........sorry.

Maybe this short site may help?.

http://history1900s.about.com/gi/dynamic/o...org/history.htm

When we talk of prisoners a great many of them worked for the early settlers that came over with them and the best of them were granted freedom and land.
They were also employed by the colony Governers erecting buildings, clearing land etc in exchange for board and lodgings.
The worst of them, murderers and the like were kept in goal.

It is worth remembering that in England at the time the goals were overcrowded and many prisoners were held on old 'hulks' ( old wooden ships ) moored on the Thames river. Many of them imprisoned for something as little as stealing a loaf of bread or not paying debts.

During the early times of transportation from England at least as many settlers as criminals came here with the promise of land of their own.
Settling increased as the colonies became established.

The early settlers had it hard.
The land was dry, hot and barren and whatever food existed was hard to find.
On the trip from England, which often took well over 6months, the cattle, chickens and plants supplied by the Government were more important than the lives of the settlers and were given the precious water and food first.
Many settlers and prisoners died during the voyage.

England continued supplying commodities to the settlements for many years but the long dangerous voyage, and the losses of ships during it, found many of the original settlers, and convicts, had passed away.
It is worth bearing in mind that communications during that time depended on dispatches recieved mostly from sailing ships returning from Australia and could take often over a year to get back to England.

However enough of the colonies survived.

Regarding lineage.
The Aussies are only just becoming aware of how precious their lineage is.
For instance.........
My wife is a only a 4th generation Aussie.
Her great Grandmother and Father had no house to live in.
They drove two horse drawn wagons full of supplies to the outback settlements taking months to get there and lived in 'humpys' (crude tents).
Her g. Grandad was from England and g. Grandma from Scotland met and married in OZ in the mid 1800's.
We traced it back this far.

How about telling me about where you live?.
I would enjoy that.

Regards.......Alan

Nettie.

You went over east by the sound of it.

Horrible place .
Full of humidity and bad beer .

Come to WA next time.........better beer, better wine and better climate.

Careto you...Alan

Actually Alan we did get to Perth. We spent quite a bit of time visiting your vast country. It is too far to travel and not to stay a while

Nettie and JJirout.

Is there any chance you can give me some info on where you live and what it is like??.
I am interested.


Regards..Alan

Since you didn't ask me, I'm volunteering info about Magnificant Madison in Wonderful Wisconsin.
I hope it works!


http://psych.wisc.edu/gradstudies/madlife.html

http://argonautpress.com/Wisc.Aerials.html




Madtown

Sorry MT........

Looks a really nice place.....

Can I ask you how you personally find it, likes and dislikes?

It is so much more intimate than the glossy pics on the sites when someone there tells me about it.

My thanks in anticipation.........Alan

Ok, where do I begin. First let me tell you I'm wild about Madison. I've even been know to boast about Madison! I'm not the only one who thinks it's a wonderful place. In 1996 Entrepreneur magazine ranked Madison the third best city for starting a small business. In 1997 Employment Review magazine selected Madison as one of the "10 Best Places to Live and Work." A few years ago Money magazine chose Madison as the best place to live in the USA.

I like Madison because it's unique. A city built on a half mile wide isthmus between two glacial lakes connected by a river. A medium sized city of just under 200,000, with a small town flavor. Farmers market on the square every Saturday from spring until fall...it's the place to be! When you get tired of shopping buy a snack and a coffee from one of the many vendors and sit on the capital lawn and people watch. You're sure to see 10 or 15 people you know.

Wednesday evenings, during the summer, are set aside for Concerts On The Square. Come early, bring the family. Let the kids run while you set up chairs or spread a blanket on the ground. Bring your supper or buy one already prepared and waiting for you. Be sure to bring wine. You are about to be entertained by the Madison Chamber Orchestra.

There is free musical entertainment all summer long in Madison, not only downtown, but in neighborhood parks also. Jazz, rock, country, you name it. It's everywhere.On the top of the beautiful Monona Terrace Auditorium designed by Frank Lloyd Wright which overlooks Lake Monona, or the Union Terrace, part of the University of Wis, along the shores of Lake Mondota, or just on a downtown street corner.

Madison is the home of the state government and the University of Wisconsin. I think the students make up about 20 per cent of the populationThere are 4000 foreign students from 126 countries. Madison is also a leading center for the world dairy industry. Dane County is ranked among the top 10 counties in the nation in value of farm products including corn, alfalfa, hogs, cattle and dairy products. When you think of Wisconsin you automatically say Cheeseheads! Another great dairy product is UW Babcock Dairy Ice Cream. You may have to stand in line a long time to buy some, but it's worth it.

. I worked for many years for the UW-Business Services as a data entry operator. I loved the hustle and bustle of being on campus, but I also liked getting away for a quiet walk along the lake during my lunch hour. That's what's so great here, wherever you walk, bike or drive you are near water.

Madison has miles of connecting bike trails, which is very important to our family. We have about 200 parks and several golf courses. We have neighborhood community associations that take great pride in keeping our neighborhoods clean and safe. Our schools rank high in scholastic achievement and we have excellent health care.

In Madtown you can dine on Eastern Mediterranean, Chinese, Italian, Greek, and about any other kind of food you can think of. Someone said "Madison's most endearing trait: its ability to harmonize nature with urban sophistication. Especially for its size and locale, Madison revolves around a wide variety of ethnic restaurants, performing arts and outdoor leisure activities."

If you feel like a ride after lunch, you're only a 15 minute drive in any direction from America's heartland. Drive through Wisconsin's rolling hills and lush green countryside dotted with picturesque farms and back home in an hour unless you stop at one of the little towns or villages you pass through.

Madison now has a great Civic Center and Art Center but it's going to get even better. Jerry Frautschi, a Madison businessman, has given Madison 50 million dollars to renovate and expand its downtown art facilities. The project is called Overture Center for the Arts. "The district is the next step in achieving the vision of an integrated cultural arts area in downtown Madison." I hope you'll take a quick look. www.overturefoundation.com

There are always things to do here. . Yesterday I was given two tickets to IL Trovatore to be presented by Madison Opera. I tried to trick Himself into going.with me....told him I had two tickets to a musical and he agreed to accompany me. Later he asked for more information so I told him it was an Italian musical. He wanted to know what kind of Italian musical. Well, I'm not sure, I think it's just some Italian music, I told him. He made me show him the tickets and the jig was up. So I doned my long skirt and pearls, and went with my sister. Sisters really are handy.

Anyway, back to Madison. Madison is a wonderful place to raise kids. Good schools, all kinds of sports and activities. Nice neighborhoods with plenty of open spaces. We lived by a small spring fed lake (Wingra) where we kept a row boat for fishing. When our kids were old enough they would row out to a small island and build forts. The lake is partly surrounded by Wingra woods where they spent a lot of time. My son told me recently that he has to pay thousands of dollers to send his kids to camp in the summer so they can do what he did free of charge in Madison.

I almost forgot about the UW Arboretum which is located on the south shore of Lake Wingra. It has both wooded and open trails. This is a great place, in town, to enjoy nature. ." A favorite among cross country skiers. While skiing, the noise of the nearby highway provides the only evidence that you haven't left town. The trails are almost all two directional and flat. In some places the trails are so narrow that you'll have to stand to the side to let skiers coming toward you pass.These ungroomed trails wouldn't attract so many skiers if the Arboretum wasn't such a special place. Expect to ski near tall prairie grass and through deep woods. There are few better ways to enjoy a fine winters day."

" Here you will also find restorations of pine and boreal forests. A pine forest restoration named after pioneer conservationist Aldo Leopold, who guided early development of the Arboretum. - Curtis Prairie. Site of the world's oldest restored prairie. Site of classic experiments on fire ecology during the 1940s. - Wingra Woods. Oak woods being converted to an example of a northern maple forest. You will enjoy the sight of springs, glimpses of Lake Wingra, and evidence of a glacial lake bed. "

I have lived here all my life, but many Madison residents are former studens who stayed on in Madison after graduating from the UW. The came, they liked, they stayed. This was easy to do because of Madison's low unemployment.

"Madison isn't like most cities. It's academic-driven, entrepreneurial spirit is foreign to all but the most progressive communities. The available work force dictates what gets developed." says Bob Brennan, president of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce. "Madison is geared to more of a high-tech center than a Chevrolet body plant. You live with what your talents are."

Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine called it "a Midwestern Silicon Valley" because of the 250 technology companies in Dane County. These high tech businesses, whose services range from biomedical research to designing computer software and serve not only South-Central Wisconsin, but also a global marketplace, now employ at least 6 percent of the labor force in Greater Madison.

..I guess this about sums it up for me: " In his book Madison & Dane County, Wisconsin State Journal writer Ron Seely talks lovingly about a 'sense of place' and how Madison's special landscape--its splendid lakes and green hills--works its way so deeply into peoples lives. 'Although there are perhaps more famous scenic spots to visit in this country, few places exact as much commitment and pride from their residents as does Dane County.

Three things I don't like about Madison is the high real estate taxes, wind chill of minus 60 and UW students when they act up on Halloween, costing the city $80,000 dollers.

MT

PS Madison is the home Eric Heiden, winner of five gold olympic medals!

My grandparents came over to America from the Chzeck Republic and Lithuania in the early 1900's during an immigration wave. They settled down in Cicero, Chicago with an enclave of the above and in an area where the Italian mafia was prominent. They moved from Chicago, IL to Nashville, TN and now we're in North Brunswick, New Jersey. I have lived in all three areas and have settled down in Monroe, NJ.

People are awfully friendly in Nashville TN, more serious in Chicago, IL, and in New Jersey, people vary from being just plain rude to being refreshingly honest. The music scene in New Jersey is pretty interesting, and there are many whose weekends revolve around it. Very rich towns scrape up against some tough neighborhoods, and whether your in a quaint town, an inner city, on a country road, or at the shore, there will be an enormous shopping mall nearby. Guananteed.

And diners. New Jersey is famous for its diners.



jjirout

I'm going to leave it up to Jaime to post some info about Savannah, as she's the one with the history degree.

But, I will say that Forrest Gump was filmed here, and around here. We're within a mile of where Forrest's bench was (even though it is not actually there-- it was only a prop).

Also, if you've ever seen Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, you've seen most of downtown Savannah. The entire movie was filmed here, and was based on a true story that happened here.

Some cool things about Savannah:

We're the first planned city in the US.
We are allowed to walk around and drink alcohol in public.
Our town is haunted (yeah, right).
...and a whole bunch more of which I can't think right now.

Mike

Not to be outdone. Rodney Dangerfield movie, Back To School was filmed at the University of Wisconsin, Madison 1986.

Madtown

So I looked it up. According to the local paper, the following were shot or partially shot in and around Savannah and our surrounding area, called "the Lowcountry".

I haven't heard of quite a few of them.

"Forces of Nature" - Sandra Bullock & Ben Affleck
"The General's Daughter" - John Travolta, James Woods
"Wild America" - Johnathan Taylor Thomas (Home Improvement)
"G.I. Jane" - Demi Moore.
"White Squall" - Jeff Bridges
"The Last Dance" - Sharon Stone & Rob Morrow (Northern Exposure)
"Jungle Book" - Filmed in India and the Lowcountry
"Something to Talk About" - Julia Roberts, Dennis Quaid, and Robert Duvall
"Now and Then" - Demi Moore, Melanie Griffith, Rosie O'Donnell, and Rita Wilson
"Camilla" - Jessica Tandy & Bridget Fonda
"Forrest Gump"
"Chasers" - Tom Berenger
"Prince of Tides" - Barbara Streisand, Blythe Danner, Nick Nolte, and George Carlin
"Love Crimes" - Sean Young and Patrick Bergin
"The Rose and the Jackal" - Christopher Reeve
"Glory" - Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Matthew Broderick, and Jane Alexander
"War Story"
"Due East"
"Pals" - Don Ameche and George C. Scott
"The Other Side of the Black Eagle"
"Charlotte Forten's Mission" - Melba Moore
"The Big Chill" - William Hurt, Jeff Goldblum, Glenn Close, Kevin Kline, Meg Tilly
"Solomon Northrop's Odyssey"
"Great White"
"Tales of Ordinary Madness" - Ben Gazzara
"Carny" - Robbie Robertson (from The Band), Jodie Foster, Gary Busey
"Orphan Train" - Glenn Close & Jill Eikenberry
"The Great Santini" - Robert Duvall, Blythe Danner
"Lincoln Conspiracy"
"Roots" (two episodes)
"Gator" - Burt Reynolds
"The Bingo Long Traveling All Stars and Motor Kings" - Billy Dee Williams, James Earl Jones, and Richard Pryor
"Distance" - James Wood
"The Longest Yard" - Burt Reynolds
"Cape Fear" - Gregory Peck and Rubert Mitchum

So out-do that, Madtown!

Mike

I love my city and am always looking for a chance to talk about it. Hope you have a few minutes...

Savannah, Georgia is on the southeast coast of the United States. We are 18 miles west of the Atlantic ocean. We are situated on a 40 foot bluff on the southside of the Savannah River.

Savannah was chartered as the first city of the colony of Georgia in 1732. It was established by James Oglethorpe with the approval of the British crown as a colony for debtors to go to escape prison (much like Australia). It also served as an outpost to protect the larger city to the north, Charleston, from Spanish Florida. We have a number of forts in the area including Fort Pulaski, Fort McAllister and Old Fort Jackson (there is also Fort Stewart, which is still an active army fort). The historic forts have battle reenactments and cannon and firearms demonstrations during most of the year.

As Mike told all of you, Savannah is the first "planned" city in the US, Oglethorpe was the designer. We have 24 squares that are placed in a symmetrical grid throughout the city. The squares are a mix of lush tropical gardens and ancient live oak trees covered with Spanish moss (the spooky stuff of haunted movies). Check out this map of downtown Savannah to get an idea of the planning. Also, please check out this link for a photo tour of Savannah.

The city has the largest historic district in the United States. Many of the houses and buildings look very much like they did when they were originally built. Much of the preservation can be accredited to the Historic Savannah Foundation and the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).

After World War II, a number of landmarks were destroyed in the name of "progress." A group of local ladies joined together, as the Historic Savannah Foundation, in 1955 to work to protect the buildings. They had the foresight to use Savannah's historical charm as part of tourism promotions. Their efforts worked and little by little, parts of the city have been declared part of the National Historic Registry and tourism is our strongest industry.

SCAD came along in the late 1970's. The school has been responsible for the restoration of great number of the buildings downtown. Some of the old guard (a/k/a "NOGS" - North of Gaston Street - the really old district) bristled at the idea of an art college, or more specifically, art students and all their eccentricities moving into the "Belle of the South." Most have come to accept and even respect the hard work (and the LOADS of money) the college has put into this city.

Many new projects are in the works. You can walk around anywhere downtown and will be guaranteed to see a zoning meeting notice regarding the restoration of a building. The city has VERY STRICT zoning requirements because of the historical preservation. Meetings must be had regarding nearly every change. When a live oak tree must be cut down or even trimmed, a notice is hanged on or near the tree regarding a meeting to be held to determine the tree's future...I kid you not.

One secret of Savannah that you will never learn on tourism websites or brochures is our penchant for eccentric people. I think this may be characteristic of many warm cities (like Key West and New Orleans), but we seem to have a large number of very harmless but very weird people. We have "Particle Man," a large balding white man with very long dreadlocks, who walks around moving his fingers about as if he were conducting an orchestra. Word has it, he is "counting his particles." I have not asked him about it. We also have the "Happy Tooter." This guy plays his saxophone in Johnson Square, right outside my office, for hours. Problem is, he doesn't know how to play many songs. His repertoire consists of the National Anthem, Georgia on my Mind, Yankee Doodle, and When the Saints go Marching In. He plays all of those terribly. We also have a large number of homeless people that live in Chippewa Square. They all look like ex-hippies who don't know what to do now that Jerry Garcia is gone and the Dead aren't touring. They are a very nice bunch and are always sure to greet you in the morning. The only weirdo that may trouble you is "Forty-One Cents Guy" This guy goes around asking tourists if they have forty-one cents. He always uses this specific amount because he has found people cough up the money more often than when asked, "got some change?" As soon as he gets the money, he goes to Wet Willies on River Street and gets a "to-go" cup. I could fill another page talking about all the people who carry signs and placards around town, too.

I have just realized how much I have written. I guess I should stop for now. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have about my beautiful city, as you can see, I love talking about it

Well!!! We are selective

Madtown

I don't understand. Please explain

Sorry, I was answering Mike.

Madtown

With only a month to go, Savannah is really gearing up for St. Patrick's Day....er, week. A day is just not enough for Savannah.

I didn't think St. Pat's celebrations could get much bigger than those I grew up with near Chicago. I was wrong. Couple a near guarantee of upper 70 degree weather with open container laws and we have one heck of a partying town.

St. Pat's week is the official kick-off of tourist season. I hope all of you can be a tourist here someday. It's great

St. Pat's In Savannah 2003 Info Guide

Whew! I didn't realise Australia was quite that big or quite that empty, people-wise.

Even the US looks overcrowded by comparison.

Quite how they fit in nearly 60 million of us Brits into an island and a bit (i.e. Northern Ireland) into less than 250000 square miles (less than 1/18th the size of the USA; and ten times smaller than Western Australia) AND still have room for large proportions of the country to be almost empty (the Scottish Highlands and North Wales, for example) eludes me.

One of the best things about going abroad from here is the sense of space you get almost anywhere, even in the cities.

Well, anyway, I live in Swindon, in the county of Wiltshire, which is on about the same latitude as London, but is about 60 miles West. Swindon is in the Northen corner of the county, which is very roughly the same shape as a child's drawing of a house - Swindon is in the pointed roof. A few miles North West takes you into Gloucestershire and NE into Oxfordshire - Oxford is only 40 miles away, as is Bristol.

The town has just under 200,000 inhabitants, and was originally a farming town - the name comes form the Anglo-Saxon for Pig Hill - Wiltshire Ham has been famed for centuries. In the mid 19th century, an engineer called Brunel chose the town to house the railyards and factories of his 'Great Western Railway', and the town expanded rapidly. After the Second World War, the railway works went into decline, and most of it is now gone, although many of the terraced houses built for the railway workers still stand (I live in one that was built in the 1890s). Now Swindon is a bit of a hi-tech boom-town, like others in the 'M4 corridor' (the M4 it the main motroway joining London with the West of England and South Wales, where I grew up).

Nationally, if it means anything, Swindon is the archetype for soul-less modern towns that have grown too fast to have developed any kind of interesting character. This is true, to some extent, but most of this derives from London's metropolitan snobbery about anywhere outside London. (I used to live there, so I know.)

Wiltshire is mostly old and rural, however - Stonehenge is here, as is the vilage of Avebury (built inside a much larger and more complex stone circle). Salisbury Plain lies in the south of the county, which is largely empty, as it is one of the main army exercise areas in the UK, particularly for tank training.

Like most of the UK, it's all very green, and gently hilly. There are chalk downs just South of Swindon (the North Wessex Downs), and we are just to the south of the Cotswolds - much beloved by tourists and royalty.

Too much information?

I am in my fourth year here in Nashville and just this past weekend I went to the Grand Ole Opry at the historic Ryman Theater (the original home) I went because my mom was in town and wanted to go. I am glad I went, it is another world gleaned from the past and from the rural hinterland around here. It is not the Nashville I live in but it is a quaint piece of Americana.

jjirout/Eeyore: Have either of you seen Robert Altman's film, Nashville? It's a brilliant movie (definitely in my top ten), but I'm told that, at the time it was released (1976, I think), Nashville residents didn't think much of it. Never having known a Nashville resident well enough to ask, I've been unable to get any first-hand opinions. The film is more a portrait of about two dozen Americans than a portrait of the city itself, but I'd be interested in a reaction from someone who actually knows the Athens of the South...

I live in Marion County, Tennessee, overlooking the Sequatchie Valley. This is a long, narrow rift with ridges on both sides and the gentle Sequatchie River flowing through it. We have forty acres of wooded land for our cats to run around in. Our mailing address says Whitwell, but the nearest community is Powell's Crossroads, which has exactly one stoplight. We are about twenty-five miles from Chattanooga, where I work and where we do most of our major shopping and dining out. For longer excursions, Knoxville and Atlanta are about two hours away. Marion County is very pretty, with lots of trees and hills and rivers and cliffs and caves.

You should visit Canada some day. We have 32 million people spread over nearly 10 million square kilometres. It's vast. I'm from Toronto (the Good) but am currently exiled to Peterborough, a small town of about 70,000 people where I attend university. I miss the restaurants, the people, the public transit, and the glorious population diversity of home.

Woodland Park was once a little cow town above Colorado Springs. We still have a rodeo each year, but a lot of $500,000 houses are going up around us. The little town is becoming a bedroom community.

Building has slowed due to the economy, and I imagine things will get worse before they get better.

One advantage of being surrounded by expensive mansions is that when wildfires break out, like the Hayman blaze of last year, we can count on the fire being held back to save the expensive houses. Our little, relatively cheap, 23-year-old shack sitting on 2/3 of an acre and on the side of a hill facing Pikes Peak is fairly well insulated from that kind of disaster. We are surrounded by ponderosa pine and mountain mahogony bushes, though. A real bad one would probably take us out.

Eventually, we'll need to leave the steepness and all the stairs. Maybe get a place along the Arkansas River between Buena Vista and Salida? Maybe raise wild turkeys and free-range chickens? Rock in the rocking chair, pick guitar to the rhythm of a banty rooster's strut, listen to the river's song. That, I think, is about as close to paradise as you can get in this world.

The most interesting thing around here is when a weather front comes in. We'll be getting snow later on tonight through to Wednesday. It makes you feel like you're in one of those snow globes. Then, with the forest coated in white, the bright sun comes out to make light sculptures in the air. The snow melts into the earth quickly to be held through freezing, released slowly through daytime thaw, and so it goes until the spring rains come.

On hot summer days, the smell of pine is very strong. Ponderosa pine also has a hint of vanilla in its bouquet, making the air sweet and delicious. Normally, we get afternoon thunderboomers in the summer, the echoes rolling across the hills as if the Great Spirit of the Utes and Arapaho has spoken.

This can be an unforgiving land. If you aren't prepared for any eventuality, you can get caught in a summer storm that rips the life out of you just like that. It has come close to me several times--once I had just enough time to get a tent up before freezing rain and high winds tore across the hills, and stuck around all night long. Thought for sure the tent was going to buy it, and me along with it. Another time a thunderboomer caught me on top of Pikes Peak. I was on my motorcycle. That storm took out one of our best photographers--lightening hit.

As is true with much of nature, the beauty and peace can turn ugly and dangerous in an instant.

We would have it no other way.

Sigh...

AuthorMusician, your description of Winter Park has made me feel very nostalgic and a little home sick for that fresh mountain air. I actually spent most of my later childhood and teenage years living in Pine, Colorado, and when I moved to the Washington Park area of Denver six years ago, it was really tough on me. I used to lie awake at night in my downtown apartment, because I could hear the sound of the cars on Speer Blvd and the whistling of the trains that pass over Alameda. I was so used to the quiet rustling of the wind through the pines and the occasional sound of a coyote that the city noises were very disconcerting to me.

The thing that I miss the most about living in the mountains is the amazing starscape. I used to sneak out of my house at night and go to this little mountain cemetery that was a short distance from my house. It was relatively isolated and dark there, and my friends and I would sit there and stare at the stars for hours, drinking wine, and listening to the coyotes sing. If it sounds romantic, that's because it truly was. There's no better environment for a Kerouac toting teenager with an over-active imagination.

Anyhow, I don't live in the mountains anymore, and I've mostly given up the practice of hanging out in cemeteries. I lived in Wash Park, an eclectic and somewhat bohemian neighborhood in the downtown area, for four and a half years, which certainly was a fun and unique experience, and now I'm living in the suburbs of Denver in an apartment next to a park with nice mature trees and quaint little creek. It's a nice compromise between two extremes, I think, but one of these days, I would really like to move back to the mountains.

Cyan,

You'll be back up here. I remember the curse some old-time Native American leader made on Boulder Canyon. The curse was that once you came to the mountains (around there), you will DIE!

Well, what really happens is that you fall in love and come back at some point to live out the rest of your life. But only if you've truly fallen in love.

Not a bad curse, if you ask me.

BTW, just a small point--Winter Park is quite a ways away from Woodland Park. However, I love that part of the country too! Lots of snow in the winter, usually wetter in the spring/summer.

I understand the shock of urban noise on the sensative ears of those of us who grew up closer to nature. The reverse is often true too--the quiet of nature often upsets urban dwellers! Huh, go figure.

Pine sure is pretty. I'll have to check out the graveyard next time we go that way to Denver. Lydia and I both like to walk around old gravestones and speculate on the lives that were lived.

Yes, the stars! There's too much light pollution here to get a good gander, but you don't have to go far to get it. We have a special place on the edge of South Park for star gazing. That's another possibility for spending our really old age--when the legs give out.

You're wise to find the urban nature areas. Every urban place I've lived--even in Virginia near DC, there was a little patch of paradise. Having those help we who have been displaced to make it through. Hug a tree for me and I'll do the same for you

Actually, I meant to type Woodland Park, but I must have had my wires crossed or something...not at all uncommon



South Park is absolutely stunning. I would love to live there, too.



Consider it done.

After an long winter the Nashville area is finally erupting in Spring right now. I sat out in the yard watching my kids frolic outside and my daffodils bloom this weekend. Now the pear trees are bursting out in white flowers all over town soon to make it seem like a spring snow when the petals fall to the ground. It is about darn time dagnabit.

Here in Neah Bay, spring means it's fishing time again. About a week ago we had the pre-season 48 hour halibut opener. My buddy's boat came in with 14,000 pounds. I've got a couple of nice halibut in my freezer now! They'll be out again soon for cod, and then halibut season will be upon us. Autumn is my favorite season here, as I am a river fisher. Can't wait for those King salmon to start running up the rivers! There is nothing like hooking a 35 pound king salmon on a rod, standing on the banks of the Sooes river as the sun rises! Nothing!

Heres a new place, Anchorage, Alaska. The city has 250,000 people, which is half the population of the entire state. Right now we have sunlight until 10pm to escalate to 23 hrs by mid June, then we get a pinkish dusk at 2am and the day starts all over at about 3am.

Life in Alaska is all about wildlife and harsh conditions. Bears are around within 15 min of the city and have been known to be seen downtown, Eagles are about 3 ft high and strong and can take your cat away as a meal. The most common anomaly in Anchorage is our Moose population which can be found in any part of the city, crossing 4 lane streets, at the airport terminal, trying to get in! or on your front lawn. They are dangerous, so you have to be really careful, they will kick you to death.

The mountain range is visable from everywhere in the city, the ocean is 10 minutes away. Its too cold to ever swim in, but there is kayaking among the glaciers leading into the ocean.
Theres lots of hikes and bike trails, CC skiing, snowmobiling and snowshoeing, fairs and cultural events, like the Iditarod.

Everyone fishes and we get subsistance fishing which means every alaskan resident can go out and get lots of fish to keep you through the winter, chum fish for your dogs too. You have never seen so many salmon as when they come into the rivers to spawn. You can fish next to bears, who dont care about humans when the salmon run.

There are plenty of big mosquitos. Summer is manic and people are out too long and too late, its all outdoor life because of the long days and adjunct, the long winter nights. Winter is quiet and lazy and moody, but this winter was warm with little snow. You sleep alot, just like a bear.

I think that many people have the wrong idea about Alaska. Its not so bad. If you love the outdoors and incredible beauty, and you can sacrifce sophistication for simpler pleasures, attune your body with nature, its a great place to live.

Tucson... I live near the La Paloma resort (which means the Dove) but I can't see any golf courses out my window. Tucson can be really hot 108-110 during the summer but it usually is around 100 or 102 because of the elevation. The biggest, most important thing is Tucson is the University of Arizona that is located "Downtown" which is south of me. I live in the Foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains which can provide some relief from the Summer weather if you can stand being in a place called Summerhaven that has no beach. Another thing Tucson has is Cacti. Tucson is known for its Saguaro Cacti which are the tall ones with the two big arms. Some people have the misconception that the desert is just one big sand dune thing with a bunch of cacti but the truth is much of the Desert looks like this. Pehaps the best feature of Tucson is the (non-summer) weather. It stays 70-80 for much of the year and we don't have Iraqi style dust storms!

I live in Athens Georgia, home of UGA Bulldogs and REM! theres lots of old antebellum homes and the down town scence is very eclectic. Great local music, very liberal and also very conservative, it's an interesting mix. Downtown is like a scaled down Seatl\Sanfransisco dropped into the old south!

I hear Athens is beautiful, Billy Jean. I haven't had the fortune of getting up there yet but I hope to soon.

We sure do have a lot of SouthEastern US members here lately

My home (Toronto) has the only genuine Castle present in North America. We're also considered the most multi-ethnic (I hate that word) city on the planet and home to the greatest number of restaurants per capita of any metropolitan area.

Athens is referred to as "The Classic City". It's very beautiful. I'm in love with this town. UGA is one of the oldest Universities, if not the oldest in the US, some thing like that! It's got a great feel to it. It's large enough to have that big city feel, an eclectic mini-metropolis. But at the same time there's a sense of community. Well, seperate but equal. It's pretty funny, the vast difference between the downtown crowd and the church goers, it's a sort of understood segregation. You can see Michael Stipe walking around at any given time with some buddy of his that just might look familiar. LOCAL MUSIC ROCKS! Even though I MJ Thanks for making me feel welcomed Jaime!