GOOD FRIDAY 2011

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” – New Testament: 1 Peter 2:24

The day today was spent quietly and at home although we did go out on a couple of occasions. First to visit an elderly friend and take her some Easter eggs, flowers and cookies, and then later in the afternoon when we went to church. Our local Greek Orthodox church is St George and it’s located very close to our house on top of the hill. It is a lovely church, once upon a time it was an Anglican one, St David, but as it was not used it was taken over by the Greeks.

The liturgy of Good Friday is grave and extremely melancholy, as befits the most solemn and sorrowful day in the Christian calendar.  No work should be done on this day of prayer and reflection when one should mourn for Christ’s death on the cross.  No iron tools should be handled and hammers and nails are to be avoided especially, lest you crucify Christ anew.  If clothes are washed on this day, a member of the family will die. As the clothes hang out to dry they will be spotted with blood.  This belief is from the apocryphal story that relates of a washerwoman mockingly throwing dirty washing water on Christ on his way to Calvary.  Parsley seed can be planted on this day, provided a wooden spade is used.

The Greek Orthodox religion is particularly rich in tradition on this day.  Fasting is mandatory and only fruit, vegetables and boiled pulses are to be eaten without any trace of oil. Of course, no eggs, no dairy, no meat or fish can be consumed either. It is customary to drink some vinegar on this day to remember the vinegar Christ was given to drink on the cross when he was athirst.

The Vespers of Good Friday are particularly sombre in the Orthodox faith. There is a re-enactment of the Deposition from the Cross, with a holy embroidered icon called the “Epitaphios”, which depicts the dead Christ. On the afternoon of Good Friday, the priest and deacon place the Epitaphios on the Altar. The priest anoints the Epitaphios with perfumed oil, with a chalice, veil and the Gospel Book placed on top of the Epitaphios. During the reading of the Gospel lesson (compiled from selections of all four Gospels), which recounts the death of Christ, an icon depicting the Soma (body) of Christ is taken down from a cross which has been set up in the middle of the church. The Soma is wrapped in a white cloth and taken into the sanctuary. Near the end of the service, the priest and deacon, accompanied by acolytes with candles and incense, bring the Epitaphios icon in procession, from the Altar into the centre of the church and place it in a richly carved wooden bier which is decorated with flowers.

This bier or catafalque represents the Tomb of Christ. The Tomb is often sprinkled with flower petals and rosewater, decorated with candles, and ceremonially censed as a mark of respect. The bells of the church are tolled, and in traditionally Orthodox countries, flags are lowered to half-mast. Then the priest and faithful venerate the Epitaphios as the choir chants hymns. In Slavic churches, the service of Compline will be served next, during which a special Canon will be chanted which recalls the lamentations of the Virgin Mary.  The faithful continue to visit the tomb and venerate the Epitaphios throughout the afternoon and evening, until Matins, which is usually served in the evening during Holy Week, so that the largest number of people can attend.

The form which the veneration of the Epitaphios takes will vary between ethnic traditions. Some will make three prostrations, then kiss the image of Christ on the Epitaphios and the Gospel Book, and then make three more prostrations. Sometimes, the faithful will crawl under the table on which the Epitaphios has been placed, as though entering into death with Christ. Others may simply light a candle and/or say a short prayer with bowed head.  The priest may hear confessions at the Epitaphios, and he may anoint people who were not able to be present for the Holy Unction service earlier in the week.

After Matins, the bier containing the Epitaphios is carried in procession by the faithful around the church and neighbourhood. The parishioners follow holding lighted candles, to eventually return to the church. The Bier is held high above the entrance and all pass under it, symbolically entering the tomb of Christ.

Here is another of the great hymns of the Orthodox liturgy that is sung these days. It the “Axion Esti” meaning “It is truly worthy” and is an Encomium for Christ. It is sung by Petros Gaïtanos.

MAUNDY THURSDAY 2011

“And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: This is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: And they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.” - New Testament; Mark 22-24

Today is Holy Thursday for Christians and is also called Maundy Thursday. The word Maundymandatum comes from the Latin , which means “commandment”. At the Last Supper, which traditionally is commemorated as occurring on this day, Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34). Prior to breaking the bread with the disciples, Jesus washed their feet. Maundy Thursday worship services include Holy Communion in commemoration of the Last Supper. Following Christ’s example on this day, kings, bishops and other figures of great authority, humble themselves and wash the feet of as many paupers as they had years of age. This is a tradition that is still carried out in some churches.

The Last Supper was a Jewish Pesach Seder meal and Jesus gave a new meaning to two of the special foods used in the celebration: Bread and wine. He told his disciples to eat and drink them as his body and blood. Jesus was referring to his crucifixion the next day when his body would be broken and his blood spilled. Today, most Christians celebrate this with a service in church called Holy Communion. Through receiving the bread and wine they commune with Jesus. This union links them with God and their fellow Christians both now and in the past.

Most Protestant Christians see the bread and wine of Holy Communion as important symbolic reminders of Jesus, whereas Roman Catholic Christians talk about the bread and wine becoming his body and blood. In Roman Catholic churches the bread and wine are called the “Blessed Sacrament” and kept in a Tabernacle with a light burning in front of it. Some churches celebrate Holy Communion every day, some every Sunday, and others once a month or less often. Other Christian groups such as the Salvation Army and the Quakers do not have the ceremony at all.

The Last Supper is also the setting of one of the basest betrayals. Judas’ betrayal of his teacher, friend and mentor, Jesus:

“Jesus looked at each of his disciples. His face was full of sorrow. ‘One of you sitting here will betray me.’ And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, ‘Lord, is it I?’ Jesus answered, ‘The one to whom I shall give this bread.’ Then Jesus took a piece of bread from the loaf, dipped it in the dish of wine and handed it to Judas Iscariot. ‘Do whatever you have to do, but do it quickly.’ Jesus said. With a start, Judas got up from the table, left the room, and walked out into the night.”

I think that this is one of the most poignant scenes in the Passion and is of a deeply symbolic meaning and intent…

In Greek Orthodox tradition, Holy Thursday is full of traditions and in church the Holy Liturgy commemorates the Last Supper, marks the betrayal of Judas and acts out in moving chants the capture of Jesus and His Passion. The chants, which are centuries old are some of the most moving and awe-inspiring in the church tradition. Here is Petros Gaïtanos singling one these chants, “I Zoé en Táfo” (“Life enclosed in the grave”)



In the morning of Holy Thursday households were busily preparing for Easter, baking Easter cookies, tsoureki (Easter sweet bread) and quite importantly dying eggs red. For Greeks, Easter without eggs dyed red is not Easter. For this reason, it is often called “Red Thursday”. In different parts of Greece there are different and quite elaborate traditions relating to the dying of eggs. For example the number of eggs dyed is strictly controlled, in other parts the vessel in which they are dyed must brand new, the dye must not be taken out of the house or it must not be poured down the sink. The way in which the eggs are decorated also varies.

The Easter Egg is associated with beliefs and traditions that are thousands of years old. The egg was an important symbol in the mythologies of many early civilisations, including those of India and Egypt. It was commonly believed that the universe developed from a great egg and that the halves of its shell corresponded to Heaven and Earth. The egg was also connected with the springtime fertility rituals of many pre-Christian and Indo-European peoples, like the old Cretans, and both the Egyptians and the Persians made a practice of colouring eggs in the spring.

The Greeks custom of dying eggs red, signifies the blood of Christ that was shed in self-sacrifice. In recent years the colouring of the eggs has become more adventurous and their decoration more elaborate. The dyed, hard-boiled eggs are distributed on Easter Sunday and people rap their eggs against their friends’ eggs. The object of the custom is to crack as many of your opponents’ eggs as possible with your single (very tough!) egg. The owner of the last uncracked egg is considered lucky.

FULL MOON IN APRIL

“The moon is a friend for the lonesome to talk to.” - Carl Sandburg

The full moon on Monday ushered in the Easter holidays and Spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Easter is a movable feast that is calculated within various seasonal lunar calendar constraints. Easter was an old Spring fertility festival (Eostra was the name of the Celtic Spring goddess).  It is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the Spring Equinox on the 21st of March.  The dates of all other moveable feasts are calculated in connection with the date set for Easter in that year.  If there is no full moon between the Spring equinox calculated according to the Gregorian calendar and the Spring Equinox according to the Julian calendar, then Catholic and Orthodox Easter occur at the same time (Catholic Easter being calculated according to the Gregorian calendar and Orthodox Easter being calculated according to the Julian calendar).

Full moons were very significant in the past when lunar calendars were widespread. Each full moon of the year had its special name, according to what it signified. In medieval times the full moons were named thus:

• January: Wolf Moon
• February: Storm (or Ice) Moon
• March: Chaste Moon
• April: Seed (or Egg) Moon
• May: Hare Moon
• June: Dyan (or Diana) Moon
• July: Mead (or Rose) Moon
• August: Corn Moon
• September: Barley Moon
• October: Blood (or Harvest) Moon
• November: Snow Moon
• December: Oak Moon

I was in the garden in the coldness of evening on Monday, and caught the moon as it was rising. Bats were flying around the treetops and the full moon, bright and silvery peeked through the clouds. It was a magnificent sight and I could understand how it has inspired poets, delighted lovers, kept insomniacs awake and maddened lunatics through the ages. As the nearest heavenly body to earth, the moon exerts an all-powerful influence and is an endless source of inspiration, mythology and folklore to cultures all around the world.

Here is my full moon poem for Poetry Wednesday:

The Moon Tonight

The full moon bites tonight
With red fangs and ice-cold breath
That freezes to the marrow.
Which death would you prefer:
Exsanguination or a gelid sleep
That merges with death slowly?

The full moon mocks me tonight
Through shuttered windows
Sending thin, silver pins of light.
Moonlight still pierces the heart,
Even if shades are drawn;
And death lies still, waiting in the dark.

The full moon cackles tonight
Like an old crone, a witch,
Who weaves evil spells with moonbeams.
The ancient magic catches hearts
With a silvery net, this April night
As Egg Moon waxes full.

The full moon weeps tonight
As it reflects my face gazing at it,
Finally mirroring my heart of hearts.
An old story, a lost love, sadness –
All washed with moonshine tears
And are cleansed, at last redeemed.

PESACH

“And they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.” – Numbers 9:5, Old Testament

Today is the first day of Pesach, or the Jewish feast of the Passover. Pesach is a major Jewish Spring festival, commemorating the Exodus of the captive Jews from Egypt over 3,000 years ago. The ritual observance of this holiday centres around a special home service called the Seder (meaning “order”) and a festive meal. The holiday is characterised by the prohibition of chametz (leaven); and the eating of matzah (an unleavened bread). On the eve of the fifteenth day of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar, the faithful read from a book called the hagaddah, meaning “telling”, which contains the order of prayers, rituals, readings and songs for the Pesach Seder.

The Pesach Seder is the only ritual meal in the Jewish calendar year for which such an order is prescribed, hence its name. The Seder has a number of scriptural bases. Exodus 12:3-11 describes the meal of lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs, which the Israelites ate just prior to the Exodus. In addition, three separate passages in Exodus (12:26-7, 13:8, 13:14) and one in Deuteronomy (6:20-21) enunciate the duty of the parents to tell the story of the Exodus to their children. The Seder plate contains various symbolic foods referred to in the Seder itself.

In Israel, the first and the seventh days of Pesach are celebrated as full holidays. The five days in between, called the Intermediate Days (Chol Ha-Moed) are celebrated as half holidays. Outside of Israel, Passover is an eight-day holiday. The first two days and the last two days are celebrated as full holidays, and the four Intermediate Days are celebrated as half holidays.

The holiday starts by cleaning the house of all Chametz (leaven) so that it is eliminated from the house. There is a ceremony to search for the Chametz and it is called Bedikat Chametz (the searching out of the leaven) and Biur Chametz (the burning of leaven).   The highlight of Passover is the Seder (which means order). The Seder service is held at the dining table in most homes, and during the service the story of the Exodus from Egypt is told.  During Passover special passages from the Torah and the Haftarah are recited.

The Seder Plate contains the following foods:
Beitzah: The Roasted Egg is symbolic of the festival sacrifice made in biblical times. It is also a symbol of spring - the season in which Passover is always celebrated.

Chazeret: Lettuce is often used in addition to the maroras a bitter herb. The authorities are divided on the requirement of chazeret, so not all communities use it. Since the commandment (in Numbers 9:11) to eat the paschal lamb “with unleavened bread and bitter herbs” uses the plural (“bitter herbs”) most seder plates have a place for chazeret.

Zeroa: The Shankbone is symbolic of the Paschal lamb offered as the Passover sacrifice in biblical times. Some communities use a chicken neck as a substitute. Vegetarian households may use beetrrot.

Charoset: Apple, nuts, and spices ground together and mixed with wine are symbolic of the mortar used by Hebrew slaves to build Egyptian structures. There are several variations in the recipe for charoset. The Mishna describes a mixture of fruits, nuts, and vinegar.

Karpas: Parsley is dipped into salt water during the Seder. The salt water serves as a reminder of the tears shed during Egyptian slavery. The dipping of a vegetable as an appetizer is said to reflect the influence of Greek culture.

Maror: Bitter Herbs (usually horseradish) symbolize the bitterness of Egyptian slavery. The maror is often dipped in charoset to reduce its sharpness. Maror is used in the seder because of the commandment (in Numbers 9:11) to eat the paschal lamb “with unleavened bread and bitter herbs”.

Happy and Healthy Passover to all my Jewish readers and their families!

MOVIE MONDAY - MAO'S LAST DANCER

“I don’t want people who want to dance, I want people who have to dance.” - George Balanchine

We watched the Bruce Beresford 2009 film “Mao’s Last Dancer” at the weekend. This was a film that I had heard a lot about and some friends had recommended the autobiographical book by Li Cunxin, on which the film is based. As the movie was on special at the video shop we decided to get it and watch it. Jan Sardi wrote the screenplay based on this book and as I haven't read the book I shall refrain from commenting on how faithful an adaptation the film was, and thus review the film only.

First, if you dislike ballet, this film is not strictly speaking for you as it is about a ballet dancer and his rise to success. Admittedly, the actual ballet scenes themselves do not make up an enormous part of the film (so if you are a ballet fan, you may think that this is a disadvantage), however, there is lot of time spent on screen on the training of ballet dancers. This may drag on for people who do not like ballet. But, at the same time one cannot be but impressed by the rigour of this training, which is not unlike that of a top athlete (in fact more rigorous than some types of athletic training!).

The story is an oft-told tale of gifted youngster, who grows to be an exceptional artist in a non-Western country. He is given the opportunity to travel to the West and make a choice of whether to defect or not, sacrifice all for his art, fame and fortune, or forget his art and go back to his homeland and family. This film tells the real story of a boy, Li Cunxin, born sixth in a poor peasant family with seven sons. He is picked out from a provincial school in Qingdao by Madame Mao’s artistic scouts to train as a ballet dancer in Beijing in the 1970s. In the early 1980s, a visiting American choreographer from Houston notes Li’s talent and brings him to the USA to dance, where Li gains fame as a ballet dancer in the short time he is there. After experiencing first-hand the differences in the lifestyle and culture of  China and America, Li is faced with a dilemma. Should he return to the motherland to which he had always been taught to be loyal, or should he remain in his newly-found land of freedom and home of the girl he loves?

Beresford is an experienced enough director to weave the story of Li’s childhood and youth in China with his life in the US expertly and in a way that is engaging and lucid. Too many films with flashbacks end up being annoying, but this was well done. Beresford is a veteran Australian director who can produce popular films, and for this film, he definitely pleases the crowd, at least the crowd that likes to watch ballet and ballet dancers.

The two actors playing Li were Chengwu Gao (Li as a boy) and Chi Cao (as an 18-year-old), who both did fantastic work, given that neither is a professional. Chi Chao played in this film his first ever role with aplomb and disarming ingenuousness. As Ben Stevenson, the Houston Ballet artistic director who campaigns for Li to study in the US, Bruce Greenwood displays competency, with a well-grounded performance that ensures Ben’s culture and flamboyant personality is portrayed with restraint. There are fine performances also by all actors playing the Chinese characters, for example Joan Cheng, Chengwo Guo and Ferdinand Hoang. There are a few Australians in the cast also, Penne Hackforth-Jones and Jack Thompson being instantly recognisable faces for Australian viewers.

The film has humour and poignancy, is fast-moving, interesting and yes, even the non-balletic amongst the crowd will find it engaging to watch. The ballet sequences that are portrayed are well done and well-placed within the film. There are some wonderful scenes from Tchaikovsky’s “Swanlake”, Minkus’ “Don Quichotte” and Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring”. We enjoyed the film and recommend it highly.

Interestingly, even though it’s not mentioned in the film, when Li’s dance career came to an end he re-trained as a stockbroker, and he now lives in Melbourne. Certainly a “lived happily ever after in the decadent West” story!

ART SUNDAY - LEONARDO DA VINCI

“Artists are just children who refuse to put down their crayons.” - Al Hirschfeld

It was Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday last Friday, so it is only fitting that Art Sunday is dedicated to him. Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was born April 15, 1452, Anchiano, near Vinci, Republic of Florence and he died May 2, 1519, Cloux (now Clos-Lucé), France). He was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, draftsman, architect, engineer, and scientist. It is recorded that not only was he a polymath but also a man of exceptional physical beauty, with an attractive personality and a great singing prowess. The profound depth of his character can be guessed at from the manner in which he had compassionately tended to a dying person and then cut open the same person after his death for making anatomical studies. Apart from his scientific contributions, he also made meticulous studies and recorded his observations in writing and drawing on such varied subjects like plant growth, rock formations, atmospheric conditions, flow of water, draperies, animals, human faces and emotions etc. He was more prolific in his drawings than in his paintings though some of his paintings are believed to have been lost due to his rash painting experiments. His now world renowned fresco “The Last Supper” had started to deteriorate just a few years after he had completed it.

Leonardo’s exquisite portrayal of the human figure was supported by his anatomical studies. His formal training in the anatomy of the human body began with his apprenticeship to Andrea del Verrocchio, this master insisting that all his pupils learn anatomy. As an artist, he quickly became master of topographic anatomy, drawing many studies of muscles, tendons and other visible anatomical features. As a successful artist, he was given permission to dissect human corpses at the Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova in Florence and later at hospitals in Milan and Rome. From 1510 to 1511 he collaborated in his studies with the doctor Marcantonio della Torre.

Leonardo made over 200 pages of drawings and many pages of notes towards a treatise on anatomy. These papers were left to his heir, Francesco Melzi, for publication, a task of overwhelming difficulty because of its scope, and Leonardo’s highly idiosyncratic writing. It was left incomplete at the time of Melzi’s forty years later, with only a small amount of the material on anatomy included in Leonardo’s Treatise on painting, published in France in 1632. During the time that Melzi was ordering the material into chapters for publication, they were examined by a number of anatomists and artists, including Vasari, Cellini and Albrecht Durer who made a number of drawings from them. Leonardo drew many studies of the human skeleton and its parts, as well as muscles and sinews. He studied the mechanical functions of the skeleton and the muscular forces that are applied to it in a manner that prefigured the modern science of biomechanics.

He drew the heart and vascular system, the sex organs and other internal organs, making one of the first scientific drawings of a fetus in utero (see above). As an artist, Leonardo closely observed and recorded the effects of age and of human emotion on the physiology, studying in particular the effects of rage. He also drew many figures who had significant facial deformities or signs of illness. Leonardo also studied and drew the anatomy of many other animals as well, dissecting cows, birds, monkeys, bears, and frogs, and comparing in his drawings their anatomical structure with that of humans. He also made a number of studies of horses.

TCHAIKOVKSY & PERLMAN

“I am playing the violin, that's all I know, nothing else, no education, no nothing. You just practice every day.” - Itzhak Perlman

A busy day today, but also relaxing. The weather was fine, a beautiful sunny day, good for our shopping in Preston this time. There is a fine market there with all sorts of shops, greengrocers, butchers, delicatessens, fishmongers, clothing and shoe stores, supermarkets, cafés and right next to fine strip shopping along High Street.

For Song Saturday today, a beautiful Tchaikovsky piece, the “Sérénade Mélancolique” played on the violin by the incomparable Itzhak Perlman. If you wish to have the pdf score of this piece, it is available for download at this music manuscript wiki-site here.

http://youtu.be/4Erdbl0CTyw

It is a marvellous piece, is it not?

FASTING AND FEASTING

“It’s clearly more important to treat one’s fellow man well than to be always praying and fasting and touching one’s head to a prayer mat.” - Naguib Mahfouz

While we are now well approaching Easter, it is still Lent. People of Greek Orthodox faith have been fasting for the past five weeks or so, with no meat, dairy products or eggs being consumed. The fasting gets even stricter next week, which is the final week before Easter. Some people will not even consume fish, or any kind of fat, as well as the usual restricted diet without meat, dairy products or eggs. So what will be eaten you may ask… Fresh fruits and vegetables, pulses, nuts, olives (yes, the ones from which olive oil comes – go figure!), pickles of various kinds, tahini (pulverised sesame seed paste, which is quite oily actually, so that is cheating a bit, but nevertheless allowed), bread, rice, sugar-preserved or glacé fruits, lollies, jams, marmalades. Some people also eat octopus and squid, but they are rather boring when prepared without oil.

Fasting is good for health, especially so the first kind, not the highly restrictive type mentioned in the latter case. During fasting the body is rid of toxins, lighter meals are consumed, seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables are eaten in greater quantities and there is a decreased fat intake, especially the saturated fats associated with eggs, meat and dairy products. There are several such fasting periods throughout the year, not only the Great Lent before Easter, but also the Lesser Lent before Christmas and then various other smaller fasting periods (for example the first two weeks of August before the Dormition of the Virgin), as well as Wednesday and Friday fast days. Here is a Greek Lenten recipe conforming with the dietary fasting rules of the less strict type (i.e. cake contains oil, but no dairy products or eggs).

ORANGE SULTANA CAKE
Ingredients

500 g white self-raising flour
500 g fine semolina
250 g olive oil (light)
500 g sugar
1.5 glassfuls of freshly squeezed orange juice
1 shot glassful of lemon juice
zest of one orange
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 shot glassful of brandy
1.5 tsps baking soda
1 glassful sultanas
Orange marmalade

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
• Sift the flour and add the semolina, mixing well. Make a well in the centre and pour in the oil, mixing very well until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Mix the sugar and orange juice, stirring to dissolve well. Add the lemon juice, zest, cinnamon, cloves.
• Dissolve the baking soda in the brandy and add it to the sugar mixture. Add to the flour/oil mixture and mix well. Add the sultanas and mix well.
• Pour into a Bundt cake mould and bake in the pre-warmed fan-forced oven for about an hour, until it is well cooked.
• Once cooled, cut in half horizontally and remove the top carefully. Spread orange marmalade on the lower half and reassemble the cake. 

AN OASIS OF SERENITY IN SYDNEY CITY

“How fair is a garden amid the trials and passions of existence.” - Benjamin Disraeli

I was in Sydney for the day for work today, and once again it was a very full but satisfying day as a lot did get done and I was able to look at our new campus premises there. They are situated in the CBD and are in a large, modern building close to public transport, facilities, shops, services. I always like visiting Sydney, and especially so today as it was a glorious autumn day, mild and sunny. Although Melbourne is crowded and busy and cosmopolitan, Sydney is even more crowded and one often forgets that until one gets there. The traffic alone was horrendous, but walking in the City, the number of people rushing hither and thither was a bit of a challenge…

Our new premises are close to Chinatown and Darling Harbour, so it is an enviable location! One of my favourite places in Sydney is the Chinese Garden of Friendship. It is a serene, green and beautiful pocket of paradise in the midst of the helter-skelter of the metropolis. The Garden is located at the southern end of Darling Harbour, near the Sydney Entertainment Centre and adjacent to Chinatown. It is open daily from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm and attracts many local and international visitors.

The project of the Garden was begun by the Sydney Chinese community as a means of sharing their rich cultural heritage with their adopted homeland of Australia. The celebration of Australia’s 1988 Bicentenary, was the occasion for realising this project and the Chinese Garden is the result of a close bond of friendship and cooperation between the sister cities of Sydney and Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, China.

The Chinese Garden of Friendship was designed and built by Chinese landscape architects and gardeners. Similar to every classical Chinese Garden, there are traditional principles, which are considered and govern the use of four key elements of water, vegetation, stone and architecture. Together, these four elements combine to create perfect rapport with one another. The concepts of Yin and Yang, Feng Shui as well as artistic aesthetics all combine to create a harmonious and balanced whole, that leaves the visitors refreshed and calm once they have entered the compound.

The art of Chinese Garden design began in imperial parks during the Shang dynasty 3000 years ago. Later, gardens flourished on a smaller scale in the private gardens of China’s rich and powerful nobility and the successful merchant class. The Chinese Garden of Friendship at Darling Harbour is a scaled-down version of a typical private garden from this era.

Chinese Gardens differ from western-style gardens in that there are no planted flowerbeds or manicured lawns. Instead, wild aspects of nature are recreated in artfully designed landscapes that feature waterfalls, mountains, lakes and forests in “miniature”. While full-scale trees are used, there are symbolic elements that signify a clump of beautifully shaped rocks as “tall mountain”, a stand of trees as “forest”, and a large pond as “lake”, etc.

Exploring a Chinese Garden is a journey of discovery in which one finds many details that all blend together in a satisfying whole. One wanders along the pathways, crosses the bridges, climbs hillocks, observing only that part of the Garden that is visible at a time. Changing vistas bring into view new delights and surprising elements that refresh the soul and caress the eyes. As one follows the serpentine walkways, one encounters elegant pavilions, sheltered walkways and a pagoda or two scattered amongst the greenery and the rocky landscape. Private courtyards alternate with water features and art in the form of pottery, sculpture and bas reliefs for an integral part of the experience. A wonderful place to visit indeed!

serenity |səˈrenitē| noun ( pl. -ties)
The state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled: An oasis of serenity amidst the bustling city.
• (His/Your, etc., Serenity) a title given to a reigning prince or similar dignitary.
ORIGIN late Middle English: From Old French serenite, from Latin serenitas, from serenus ‘clear, fair’.

TO AUTUMN - KEATS

 
“The foliage has been losing its freshness through the month of August, and here and there a yellow leaf shows itself like the first gray hair amidst the locks of a beauty who has seen one season too many.” - Oliver Wendell Holmes

The autumnal mood has certainly taken hold of me with all this gray rainy weather we have been having, so what better for Poetry Wednesday than the old favourite, possibly what is th most anthologised poem in the English Language:

TO AUTUMN
John Keats (1795-1821)
1.
SEASON of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells.

2.
Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reap’d furrow sound asleep,
Drows’d with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.

3.
Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,—
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

And here is the poem read out also…

A VERY WET RAM NAVAMI...

“The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.” - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The heavens opened up last night and we experienced the wettest April day in more than 30 years. Near-record rainfall fell on parts of Melbourne with the equivalent of a month’s rainfall in about 24 hours. Flash flooding, damage to buildings, roof leaks and disruptions to transport all meant that State Emergency Services personnel, police and fire services were kept very busy. More than 200 calls to emergency services were made last night during the storms that woke many up (including us!). The Eastern suburbs (especially Burwood, Doncaster and Nunawading) were hardest hit by the storms, but the inner city was also flooded in many areas. There were reports of drivers being rescued from cars trapped in flooded roads near Syndal Station in Glen Waverley.

Rail services were disrupted, as low lying stations and cuttings were inundated, with Windsor station tracks heavily flooded, disrupting rails services for about five hours as pumps had failed. Rail system faults also surfaced at various places and caused added disruptions and delays. My own train this morning at 6:31 am was delayed for about 15 minutes, which delay time was not unusual throughout the public transport system, with trams and buses also delayed. Needless to say that traffic was particularly heavy this morning. More showers and low temperatures are forecast for tomorrow. There has also been some snow falling in the Alpine regions, and predictions for a heavy winter with good snowfalls are making the skiers very happy.

Listening to the heavy rain last night while lying in my warm bed made me grateful and content that I was in a safe, dry and warm place, while many others were not so fortunate. How many homeless were coping with the deluge, how many people had damage to heir house to deal with, how many were rushing to their aid. A siren of an emergency vehicle passing by outside underlined this thought. The sound of the rain lulled me back to sleep only to wake up later during another period of heavy rainfall. I got up and looked outside. The rain fell in long sheets, highlighted by the streetlights. Big puddles of water on the road threw wave of water to the gutter as cars rushed by, their headlights showing the heavy rain falling. I felt cold and went back to bed falling asleep again, unaware of the extent of the damage caused by the heavy rain until the next day.

Today is the Hindu festival of Sri Ram Navami (राम नवमी), celebrating the birth of Lord Rama to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya of Ayodhya. Ram is the 7th incarnation of the Dashavatara of Vishnu. The festival falls on the ninth day of the “shukla paksha”, or bright phase of the moon, in the lunar month of Chaitra (April-May). The first day of Chaitra, or “Ugadi”, also marks the beginning of the Indian year.

Rama is one of the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu, and one of the two most popular, along with Krishna. Consequently, Ram Navami is widely celebrated, though not on the scale of festivals like Diwali or Dussehra. According to legend, Rama was born at noon. Rama is the epitome of perfection, the “uttama purusha”, fulfilling all his duties towards both family and subjects.

Rama was the first of the four sons of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya. When it was time for Rama to be made crown-prince, his stepmother, Kaikeyi, got Dasharatha to send him to the forest for 14 years. His wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana also accompanied him. In the forest, Sita was kidnapped by Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. Rama, together with Hanuman and the monkey army, built a bridge to Lanka, killed Ravana, and brought Sita back.  It is believed that listening to the story of Rama cleanses the soul. Meditating on the noble Rama and chanting his name is believed to ease the pains of life and lead one to moksha, or liberation. It is also common practice to chant the name of Rama while rocking babies to sleep. 

Though Ram Navami is a major festival for Vaishnavites, it is widely celebrated by worshippers of Shiva, too. It is considered auspicious to undertake a fast on the day in the name of Rama. The more devout fast for nine days, from Ugadi to Ram Navami. The objective of the fast is not to ask for special favours of the deity but to seek perfection as a human being. Devotees perform elaborate “pujas” (devotions) and chant the name of Rama.

Temples of Rama have special services and bhajan sessions through the day.  One significant and popular element of the celebration is the Ramayana parayana, a discourse on the Ramayana, by a “pundit” or a professional story-teller. It usually lasts nine days, beginning on Ugadi and ending on Ram Navami. A skilled story-teller who can liven up the event by weaving in contemporary events attracts massive crowds.

Since Rama is also one of the most sung-about deities in Indian classical music and literature, week-long (and sometimes, month-long) musical programmes are organised.  Sacred places associated with Rama, like Ayodhya, Ujjain and Rameshwaram, draw tens of thousands of devotees. In Rameshwaram, thousands take a ritual bath in the sea before worshipping at the Ramanathaswamy temple.  Many places in North India host fairs in connection with the festival, culminating in spectacular fireworks on Ram Navami.

MOVIE MONDAY - SOLOMON KANE

“If a man is not rising upwards to be an angel, depend upon it, he is sinking downwards to be a devil.” - Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Yesterday afternoon we watched a strange film. It is one of these relatively lately-spawned movies derived from obscure comic books, that have had or still have a cult following. It was Michael J. Bassett’s 2009 film “Solomon Kane”. Solomon Kane, the titular hero, is gaunt and dressed in black, with a gloomy demeanour wearing his trademark slouch hat. He carries a versatile sixteenth century arsenal, usually bladed weapons, often a rapier, and at least two old fashioned pistols. Kane wanders the world to vanquish all the evil he encounters in an attempt to regain his lost soul. The character was the creation of author Robert E. Howard, and the first story was published in 1928. Howard is more famous for creating the character Conan the Barbarian.

The movie starred James Purefoy in the title role, Max von Sydow as his father, Rachel Hurd-Wood as Meredith, the slight romantic interest (more so, the damsel in distress). Pete Postlethwaite as Meredith’s father, and a host of other actors hardly recognisable under tons of make-up, latex, prostheses and other monster-making devices. Michael J. Bassett also wrote the script and if the film starts with a spoken introduction by the director/writer, I tend to groan…

The film is very definitely made for fans and cult followers, and is of marginal interest to the casual film-goer. It comes with a warning of graphic violence, which is indeed well-placed. If slashing people’s heads off and curtailing of other bodily parts with rapiers is your thing this is the film for you, otherwise if you are fainthearted, stay well away! There was too much blood and gore and violence for our taste, but that is given with the gothic/heroic type of genre that this film represents. On reflection there were quite a lot of axes in the film as well, and they got a lot of use…

There is some very good cinematography in the film, especially in the quieter moments. The music tends to be generic, but at least it is not intrusive. The performances are generally OK, with some very good cameo roles (Max von Sydow is such an example), and poor Pete Postlethwaite, a very good character actor, gives his all in one of his last film roles before his death in 2011. Rachel Hurd-Wood does a good job in looking fragile and delicately beautiful, just the thing for a damsel in distress. James Purefoy looks stern and suitably heroic when called upon to do so, doing as much he could with the (mostly) nonsensical script.

The film could have actually worked really well if the basics of the plot were retained, but the supernatural elements were eliminated. However, that would not be Solomon Kane and thousands of fans would have been disappointed. If you are a fan, no doubt you have seen this film and probably enjoyed it. If you have a good stomach for graphic violence and like supernatural themes, then you will enjoy the film. If you are a bit lily-livered, stay well away. Definitely a dick flick this Movie Monday…

ART SUNDAY - BUCOLIC RUBENS

“I roamed the countryside searching for answers to things I did not understand.” - Leonardo da Vinci

We had a wonderful Sunday today. The heating was on as it was quite cold outside, and we had a nice late breakfast with classical music and warm toast that made the house cosy. As the sun peeped out of the clouds now and then, we decided to venture out despite the weather report predicting showers and a cool day with a maximum temperature of 18˚C expected. We dressed appropriately and after some vacillation ended up going to Yarra Bend Park. This is the largest area of unspoilt native bushland left in inner Melbourne. It comprises 260 hectares of park only 4 km from the city centre with a large river flowing through it is something that few large cities can boast. This is about a kilometer from our house so it is handy to visit.

Fortunately the weather held for some time and we were able to walk along the river for a couple of hours, taking pictures, looking at the bushland, observing the many boats and canoes in the river and taking lots of beautiful photos. One of the highlights was having a look at the bat colony, which numbers about 12,000. They were all concentrated in a relatively small area of the park, hanging like furry/leathery fruits from the topmost branches of the gum trees. At about noon as we were going back to our car the showers started and thankfully we didn’t get wet, but also enjoyed the outing.

As the day was rather bucolic, here is a painting in a similar vein. It is Peter Paul Rubens’ (1577 – 1640) “Milkmaids with Cattle in a Landscape” c.1618.

Rubens was a Flemish painter and diplomat, who was educated in languages but nevertheless is most remembered as an accomplished baroque master. After apprenticeships in Antwerp, he was admitted to the painters’ guild in 1598. He went to Italy in 1600 and until 1608 worked for the duke of Mantua, who in 1603 sent him to Spain to present paintings and other gifts to Philip III, the first of many diplomatic missions he would perform for various courts over three decades. The enormous fame he would achieve made him welcome at royal courts, and sovereigns often discussed affairs of state while they sat for portraits.

Returning to the Spanish Netherlands (now Belgium) in 1608, he was appointed court painter to the Spanish Habsburg regents, and over the next decade produced numerous altarpieces. He was a devout Catholic and became the Counter-Reformation’s chief artistic proponent in northern Europe. In 1620 he was contracted to design 39 ceiling paintings for the Jesuit church, to be completed by his assistants, including the young Anthony Van Dyck. In France he painted 21 large canvases for Marie de Médicis and a tapestry cycle for Louis XIII; for Britain his Allegory of Peace and War (1629 – 30) commemorated the success of his own diplomatic efforts to end hostilities between Britain and Spain, and he decorated the royal Banqueting House for Charles I; in Spain he did more than 60 oil sketches for Philip IV’s hunting lodge.

Both kings (Charles and Philip) knighted him. His output was quite enormous, but he had a large studio full of apprentices and assistants who aided him in his work. Rubens was the greatest exponent of Baroque painting’s dynamism, vitality, and sensual exuberance. His profound stylistic influence extended over three centuries. His paintings often depicted religious and mythical heroes in realistic and exuberant poses, but he is equally respected for his landscapes and portraits. He is considered one of the greats in Western art history.

A RESTFUL SATURDAY

“My guitar is not a thing. It is an extension of myself. It is who I am.” - Joan Jett

The day today was thankfully rather more relaxed than yesterday. A late breakfast (at 7:30 am, as usually I am in at work by 7:00 am) and then a leisurely walk in the garden. The day started out fine, although windy, ahead of a change in the afternoon that brought rain. It’s still raining now and probably will for the rest of the night. How pleasant it is to listen to it gently falling outside, while in a warm, dry room…

We went and visited some friends in the morning and then did our shopping in Sydney Rd, Coburg. The street was busy with people were milling around the place, in and out of shops, in cafés and malls. This is multicultural Melbourne at its most vibrant with Turkish, Vietnamese, Greek and Lebanese shops, Chinese and Yugoslavian restaurants, Middle Eastern, Indian and Pakistani people talking their language as they walk in the street, many wearing their traditional clothes. We bought fruits and vegetables at the market, cheeses and bread and then finished by going to the library where we borrowed some books and CDs.

As it was still early when we got home, after putting away the shopping we went out again, this time to the Fairfield Boathouse by the Yarra River. This is very close to home and it is a beautiful restful place with extensive parklands all along the shores of the river and many venues for all sorts of entertainment and sport. Once again many people had the same idea, but nevertheless we enjoyed the walk and took some delightful photographs.

This evening was lovely as always and as I heard a some Spanish music on the way home, here is a wonderful Fandango by the group Mojacar Flamenco, featuring dancers Lauren Santiago, Misuda Cohen, Micaela Castellanos, with musicians Stephen Dick, Johnny Sandoval, Paulo Gustavo, playing Stephen Dick’s music.

LUNCH IN BRISBANE

“No one can understand the truth until he drinks of coffee’s frothy goodness.” - Sheik Abd-al-Qadir Gilani

I was in Brisbane for the day, for work, my day starting at 4:00 am to catch a 6:00 am flight. It was a day of non-stop meetings, which left me little time to even think, but at least it was a day of achievement as many things got done and some projects finalised. My flight back to Melbourne this evening was greatly delayed and that meant I didn’t get home until close to midnight. That makes for a very long working day. At least, the weekend is up ahead and this will be a useful time to recharge the batteries and not even think of doing any work…

Lunch today was on the run, provided by the café on the campus, which is a franchised outlet of Merlo Coffee. They do make good coffees, but also have a variety of foods, many of which are healthful and wholesome. Their blurb states: “BarMerlo stores are Italian-style espresso bars. Merlo Coffee Private blend is served – exclusive to BarMerlo espresso bars – delivered fresh-roasted daily, directly from the Merlo Coffee Torrefazione. We also have a range of freshly prepared food items, delivered daily from the team of chefs at Merlo Kitchen.”

“Torrefazione” is an Italian word for “coffee roasting house”. At the five Merlo Torrefazioni one can buy everything one needs to make the perfect coffee at home, from the beans to machines! Coffee is  roasted daily, and custom ground to the customer’s requirements to help make the best coffee at home. They also run “Coffee Appreciation sessions”, which are quite popular and will initiate the novice to the art and science of making perfect coffee in the Italian style!

We had delicious cheese and fruit platters for lunch, with several different kinds of imported and local cheeses, including leidsekaas, brie, cheddar, tasty and chèvre. There were grapes, strawberries, melon, pineapple, passionfruit and watermelon. Accompanying this feast were gourmet crackers and lavosh, breadsticks and grissini. Needless to say there was also great, freshly made coffee. The working lunch was well received.

WORLD HEALTH DAY 2011

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book.” - Irish Proverb

It is World Health Day today, with a special emphasis on antimicrobial resistance, which unfortunately is becoming a major problem world-wide. The World Health Organisation (WHO) is warning that antibiotic and antimicrobial drug resistance is being fuelled by widespread misuse of drugs and as a result, hundreds of thousands of people die of severe infections with multiply resistant microorganisms. As antimicrobial drug use is increasing and new drugs flood the market, illicit use and indiscriminate use of new drugs is making them useless, as the microorganisms they are meant to battle develop resistance and cause fatal infections, against which no drug is effective.

The slogan “Combat Drug Resistance” is the WHO’s call for urgent and well-organised action by governments, health professionals, industry, the community and patients in an effort to slow down the spread of drug resistance, limit its impact today and preserve medical advances for future generations. We have been spoilt these past few decades, having a wealth of miracle drugs that could cure effectively killer diseases of the past such as pneumonia, meningitis, peritonitis, tuberculosis, malaria, amoebiasis, syphilis, gonorrhoea etc.

Drug resistance of microorganisms is a natural phenomenon, through which bacteria and parasites acquire resistance to the drugs meant to kill them. It is a simple natural selection process whereby resistant mutant organisms survive because of the widespread use of drugs, which favours their survival while the susceptible organisms die. With each new generation, the microorganism carrying the resistant gene becomes ever more widespread until the drug is completely ineffective. Inappropriate use of infection-fighting drugs (underuse, overuse or misuse) causes resistant strains to emerge faster.

In 2010, nearly half a million of new cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis were diagnosed and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis has been reported in 69 countries to date. The malaria parasite is acquiring resistance to even the latest generation of medicines, and resistant strains causing gonorrhea and shigellosis are limiting treatment options, with increasing numbers of people getting serious complications or dying of the consequences of widespread infection. Serious infections acquired in hospitals can become fatal because they are so difficult to treat and drug-resistant strains of microorganism are spread from one geographical location to another in today’s highly mobile and globalised world.

The WHO is advocating the following policies:
•    developing and implementing a comprehensive, financed national plan
•    strengthening surveillance and laboratory capacity
•    ensuring uninterrupted access to essential medicines of assured quality
•    regulating and promoting rational use of medicines
•    enhancing infection prevention and control
•    fostering innovation and research and development for new tools.

While governments and health organisations, are the first line of defence, hospitals and doctors must work within guidelines in order to put up a strong second line of defence. However, even the ultimate consumer, the patient, has an important role to play in this war against drug-resistant microbes. How often is it that a patient with a trivial infection, a virally-induced cold for example, demands from his doctor antibiotics? In such cases antibiotics are useless, but often the doctor bows down to the strong patient pressure and prescribes antibiotics. This is an example of indiscriminate use of antibiotics that promotes resistance of microbes that may reside in the patient’s body in very small numbers.

We are lucky to live in an age where we can be assured of timely, life-saving medical and surgical interventions that so often are life-saving. We are risking these advantages of modern medicine by misusing the very life-savers that can preserve us. Like the boy who cried “wolf” too often in jest, we too can lose all if a real wolf finally appears and threatens us and our life.

HAIKU FOR MORNING

“Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it.” - Henry David Thoreau

I have so much on at work now that there seems to be a slew of deadlines hiding under every bit of paper on my desk, ready to attack me in case I miss them. I had several appointments today, and the rest of the day was spent completing a couple of urgent documents that need be submitted by the end of the week. Several people had to contribute and because everyone else at work is also so busy, it is difficult sometimes to get them to deliver the goods. I am usually good at juggling tasks and mostly get people to cooperate, with even the recalcitrant ones managing to give me what I need by the eleventh hour. It’s sometimes stressful, but it’s good stress and I seem to thrive on it…

The morning today was crisp, dark and the sunrise was beautiful and gold. Unusually, the train was almost full this morning and they were all a talkative lot. Laughter, repartee, guffaws, animated conversations, giggles, iPods going at full blast, audible even through the headphones. And all this on the 6:30 am to the City! I walked up the stairs, eschewing the busy escalators and at the cafés by the entrance to the station I inhaled the inviting aroma of freshly roasted and ground coffee being brewed. A cup of strong, black, bitter coffee reminded me of the past…

Not dwelling on memories, I walked on to cross the road, mindful now of the empty, still cold streets and wondering whatever happened to the train crowd. The paperwork littering my desk a daunting sight, but a saving buzz from the phone ensured my day would start well. The voice at the other end warm, loving and reassuring.

Another day has started.

Haiku for Morning

Look! The East’s on fire
Darkness is quickly dispelled:
I start to think of work.

A crowded train; packed
Escalators, hubbub, din –
Cold streets are empty.

Fragrance of coffee
Warm cup; steam in the cold air.
Bitter taste, absence.

Words, numbers, papers:
My desk chaotic. Your call
Orders my morning.

A full day ahead,
The diary’s crammed, I talk on,
Loth to lose your voice.

A sunny morning,
Cool air and leaves that yellow:
Work as clouds gather.

AN APRIL BIRTHDAY

“The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.” - Lucille Ball

If it is your birthday today, you are in good company! Here is a list of some famous people also born on this day:

Thomas Hobbes, British political philosopher (1588);
Elihu Yale, founder of the University (1649);
Catherine I, empress of Russia (1684);
Jean Honoré Fragonard, French artist (1732);
Ludwig (Louis) Spohr, composer (1784);
Jules Dupré, landscape painter (1811);
Linus Yale, lock inventor (1821);
Joseph Lister (Baron Lister of Lyme Regis), father of antisepsis (1827);
Víteslav Hálek, Czech poet (1835);
Algernon Charles Swinburne, poet (1837);
Albert Roussel, composer (1869);
Mistinguett (Jeanne Marie Bourgeois), French singer (1875;
Spencer Tracy, US actor (1900);
Bette (Ruth Elizabeth) Davis, US actress (1908);
Herbert von Karajan, conductor (1908);
Gregory Peck, US actor (1916);
Arthur Hailey, Canadian author (1920);
Ivar Giaevar, Nobel laureate (1973) physicist (1929);
Nigel Hawthorne, actor (1929);
Jane Asher, actress (1946);
Judith Resnick, US astronaut victim of Challenger (1949);
Agnetha Faltskög, ABBA singer (1950).

The blue violet, Viola odorata, is today’s birthday flower.  It symbolises love and faithfulness.  The plant in Greek mythology supposedly sprang from drops of blood shed by Ajax, one of the valiant Greek warriors of the Trojan War.  The ancient Greeks called the violet, ion, after Io, one of the loves of Zeus. Hera, Zeus’s wife, became very jealous when she discovered this affair and Zeus turned Io into a heifer so that she could escape Hera’s wrath.  Io fed on violets when she had been turned into a heifer.  Astrologically, the violet is under the dominion of Venus and the sign of Aries.

ARIES THE RAM (March 21st - April 20th) is your sign, which is ruled by Mars. It is a cardinal, positive, masculine, fire sign.  Polar or opposite sign is Libra. Fixed Star: Hamal. The Arian is Adventurous, Choleric, Competitive, Daring, Direct, Energetic, Enthusiastic, Eager, Forceful, Generous, Hasty, Honest, Impatient, Leading, Optimistic, Pioneering, Warm.

The Arian may be summarised with the verb: “I am”.  They are pioneers and trendsetters, go-getters and daredevils who know what they want and are sure of their abilities.  An Arian quote: “I want what I want and I want it when I want it!”

The Sun in Aries represents new beginnings. The Arian is full of enthusiasm and creative energy and is ready to apply this energy to initiate new enterprises. Never intimidated by failure, they are always ready to overcome obstacles and seek new challenges. These people have a strong desire to lead the way for others, finish first, and prove themselves more through actions and deeds than through words. They rarely give up things they have started and it is not unusual to find Arians amongst the explorers and adventurers.

The Arians are energetic and restless, generally excelling in sports and games.  They will rarely put up with situations that irritate them either in work or personal life.  As they are often uncompromising, their partners will need to yield.  When provoked the Arian can be violent, aggressive and argumentative. However, the anger is soon dissipated and grievances do not last long.  In love, the Arian can be possessive, jealous and faithful, often idealistic.

Leadership and challenge are what the Arian excels in and under a well-placed birth chart, these people will direct their energy to useful enterprises in which their courage and good sense will prevail with beneficial and fruitful results. Creativity is often neglected as the Arian is too busy and too active with other interests.  Dull routine is not for these people and in their career they engage in trendsetting activities, explore new areas, and develop original ideas.  The Arians abhor people getting in their way and they can be ruthless in achieving their aims.

The birthstone for April is the diamond.  The name of the gem is derived from the Greek adamas, meaning “unconquerable”, referring to the extreme hardness of this gemstone. The pure clear fire of the diamond is unmatched by any other stone.  Very expensive diamonds may also be coloured yellow, pink or blue. It is identical to graphite in composition, but is crystalline, thus formed under extremes of pressure and heat.  South Africa is the world’s most famed producer of beautiful diamonds, often of a large size.

Happy Birthday!

MOVIE MONDAY - NANNY McPHEE

“If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older.” - Tom Stoppard

As we were babysitting for a little while at the weekend, we watched a kids’ movie, which certainly pleased our young charge, but also left the grownups quite amused. It was a sequel, the 2010 Susanna White movie “Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang”. The first film in the series was the 2005 “Nanny McPhee" directed by Kirk Jones. In both cases, the talented Emma Thompson not only stars in the film, but also has written the screenplay, based on characters in the Christianna Brand books, where Nurse Matilda is the equivalent Nanny. The films have as their foundation a governess who uses magic to rein in the behaviour of the naughty children in her charge. Along the way she teaches them valuable life lessons and with each lesson learnt, her hideous face becomes a little more beautiful. This of course is not a new plot, as one may remember the Mary Poppins series of children’s books by P.L. Travers. Once again a magical nanny comes into a troubled household, not wanted but needed, to put it right and leave just when she is no longer needed, but wanted.

This particular episode is set in England at the time of WWII, in the countryside. Nanny McPhee appears to help out a farmhouse family where the father is at war. The mother (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is under pressure to sell the farm to her nasty brother-in-law (Rhys Ifans), a ne’er-do-well who will not rest till he gets his way in order to repay his gambling debts. Meanwhile the children’s snooty, upper crust, spoilt London cousins come to stay in order to avoid the bombings in London.

 Nanny McPhee deals with all problems calmly and teaches the children five important lessons.

The cinematography is beautiful and the special effects engaging. One of the highlights of the film is the synchronised swimming piglets (look out Esther Williams!), while quite amusing is Nanny McPhee’s pet blackbird with the eating problem. The music is light-hearted and suited to he action, the children play well, while an added bonus are supporting role parts by Maggie Smith, Ewan McGregor and Ralph Fiennes.

The film has some sensitive themes that are dealt with light-heartedly, yet not dismissively nor off-handedly. Particularly poignant is the warm, loving relationship of the children with their absent father, while the cousins’ relationship with their divorcing parents provides a contrasting counterfoil. The confrontation between Cousin Cyril (Eros Vlahos) and his soldier father (Ralph Fiennes) in the War Office in London is particularly touching. The final scene containing a link between the first film and the sequel is very plaintive as it gets the viewer to reflect on childhood versus old age, with the indomitable, ever-capable and magical Nanny as the link.

This is a very entertaining film which I recommend for children of all ages, and if possible try to watch the first film before the sequel. Both are very good and will appeal to very young children as well as older ones. There are enough adult references to keep the movie appealing enough for grown-ups and both movies are excellent family fare. Well done, Ms Thompson!

ROCOCO & CANALETTO

“Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go.” - Truman Capote

Rococo, which is also referred to as “Late Baroque” is an 18th century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up symmetry in their works. Their style became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful. Rococo rooms were designed as total works of art with elegant and ornate furniture, small sculptures, ornamental mirrors, and tapestry complementing architecture, reliefs, and wall paintings. It was largely supplanted by the more severe and simple Neoclassic style.

In 1835 the Dictionary of the French Academy stated that the word Rococo “usually covers the kind of ornament, style and design associated with Louis XV’s reign and the beginning of that of Louis XVI”. It includes all types of art produced around the middle of the 18th century in France. The word Rococo is seen as a combination of the French rocaille, meaning stone, and coquilles, meaning shells, due to reliance on these objects as motifs of decoration.

Italian Rococo was mainly inspired by French Rococo, as France was the founding nation of Rococo. The styles of the Italian Rococo were very similar to those of France. The style in Italy was usually lighter and more feminine than Italian Baroque art, and became the more popular art form of the settecento. The leading artistic centres during the Rococo in Italy were Venice, Genoa and Rome. Most Italian Rococo artists came from Venice, such as Canaletto, Tiepolo, Guardi, Piazzetta and Bellotto, but also from Rome and Genoa, such as Piranesi and Pannini. Artists such as Castiglione and Magnasco brought the vogue of Rococo art to Naples, and Neapolitan Rococo was mainly based on landscapes and naturalistic themes. Canaletto and Tiepolo were possibly one of the greatest rococo painters of all time, and they painted many frescos and cityscapes (particularly Canaletto).

Giovanni Antonio Canal (1697 – 1768), known as Canaletto, was born in Venice, the son of a theatrical scene painter. He was very influential, famed for his precisely depicted and evocative views of the city (“vedute”). He found that providing formulaic paintings for tourists was very lucrative. These, still highly skilled works, were produced by him often in collaboration with an organised workshop. They usually record the lavish Venetian public ceremonies, as in “Regatta on the Grand Canal”.

Canaletto was favoured by English collectors. He visited England repeatedly between 1746-56, painting works like “Eton College”. His most important assistant was his nephew Bellotto, who became an accomplished artist. Canaletto often made meticulous preparatory drawings. He may have used a camera obscura for topographical accuracy in creating some of his designs, but he always remained concerned with satisfying compositional design, not simply slavishly recording views.

Here is Canaletto’s “The Bucintoro at the Molo on Ascension Day” painted circa 1732. It is an oil on canvas painting, part of the Royal Collection, UK. It is typical of his Venetian “vedute” and a perfect souvenir for a young gentleman after completing his “grand tour” that had included famous Venice. One can imagine it afterwards hanging in pride of place in some dark grey but noble house, reminding the nobleman of his wild oats sowing in sunny Italy…