August.September 2013 A nature lesson – and how to paddle - in the Donau-Auen wetlands From the President Change of plan, Barbara Mertin, our guide, announced as we gathered around a trailer stacked with life vests. Instead of walking through the forest on a nature tour for an hour and then spending two hours in the rubber dinghies, we would spend the whole time on the water. Barbara explained that the mosquitoes were very active in the shade of the forest, but not in the open or on the water. It was a good decision and the three hours passed very quickly and mostly mosquito free. Now close your eyes and identify these bird sounds sunlight where the mossies were few. Our education continued as Barbara told us to close our eyes and listen while she used her array of instruments to imitate bird and frog calls. We were asked to name them. The kids came out on top....”it’s a tree frog.” Thirty five of us managed to fit into the three large dinghies, each with a guide and, after some hasty instructions, we got the rhythm and off we went. We paddled into the wetlands and stopped at a large gravel bank which was surrounded by fallen trees brought down in the recent floods, but still in the open Page 1 We heard about the beavers which could be seen at night and the kids managed to salvage sticks from the water that had been stripped clean of all bark by the beavers. We learned how the threatened Little Ringed Plover used the gravel banks to breed, and were sent searching for one and its set of eggs which had been placed on the gravel by the guides. The Australian Connection (OzCon) –August.September 2013 We’ve got rhythm And there was time for a swim. Those who can vouch that the water was very cold include Ambassador David Stuart, his friend Rick Christie, of Sydney, and yours truly. It was nice to have David and Ana and their friends Rick and Vicki join us. Our chief guide, Barbara, was indeed a live wire who made our day just that much better. Keen as anyone can be about her job and very knowledgeable about her subject, she was full of information. But there is another thing about Barbara: she loves Australia. “In January this year I travelled to Australia visiting park ranger friends in Western Australia, the Top End, Red Center and just 1.5 days in Sydney before heading onwards to NZ. Australia is a wonderful country, but sooo big that one lifetime isn't enough to see it all,“ she wrote. ‘David is certainly the coolest ambassador I've ever met and I have met a few’ An interesting and enjoyable day!: Glenn Barry Barbara McCoy, mother of Danny and Benji, wrote: “It was not easy to be at Schwedenplatz before 9 am during school holidays but we made it! Even had time for coffee-to-go and Kipferl before boarding our brand new travel bus. A short drive to Orth an der Donau and our ranger, Barbara, was waiting to meet us. In her relaxed and friendly way she explained that the trip had been re-planned from walking then rafting, to only rafting. A few days later Barbara wrote to me: “Looking forward to you and any of your friends/fellows in Danube Floodplain NP again in the future because this way I get the impression Australia comes to visit me instead of me travelling several thousand kilometres to Oz, plus fun is guaranteed with you guys.” Barbara with Danny and Benji Our thanks also go to the other two guides, Philipp and Gabi. Having spent just two minutes in the forest next to the carpark, I could not have agreed with her more. Was that fun, or what? It was certainly different from anything we have done before and so I invited some of our group to write their comments. Mosquitoes. Large numbers of mosquitoes. But in the open and on the water it was fine. So equipped with hats, sunscreen and paddles we boarded our three vessels. Nearly everyone in each boat was wearing a hat; these can only be rafts full of Australians! Barbara has the experience and personality to make a national park visit a lot of fun. As we paddled she explained everything tirelessly, from the background of the “Danube carp” in the restaurant (which are actually raised in a fishery and only spend a day or two Jacquie Punzengruber wrote: “It was a great day: water was cold, mud was smooth, "Alle meine Entchen" was rendered into bird song and the guides were patient and informative. We had just enough exercise to work up an appetite and deserve the indulgence of delicious food in a perfect setting.” Page 2 The Australian Connection (OzCon) –August.September 2013 “waiting” in the Danube tanks next to the restaurant), to beavers (of which there must be a lot in the Auen, but they are active at night), to the many different bird types and plant species which can be seen here. the corresponding animals. On our way back we stopped to see what we could find in a puddle near the river. We found a tiny black frog the size of our thumb nail, a green frog, some aquatic insects and a mud minnow. And then, we headed back to the dinghies for a race back (unofficial) for a great lunch. Thanks for a great day!” Yesterday was brilliant: John Fenton. Benji and Oskar A short stop on a gravel bank to get out and swim, dive in the mud (quite popular among the younger visitors), or listen to bird calls, before heading back to our final destination, the Uferhaus. This well-known fish restaurant has a lovely location in a very green setting directly next to the Danube. People I spoke to were very satisfied with the food, and with the exception of the bus driver (a bit grouchy that the group was not back on the bus at 15:00) everyone boarded the bus well-fed, relaxed and happy after a lovely outing in perfect weather conditions. Thanks OzCon for planning this great day-trip.” Ethan: come on in, the mud is fine Leisa Burrell wrote: The highlight of the trip for me was simply being out in nature on such a perfect day. Vienna is a green city, but being out where you can actually hear the sounds of nature without the sound of cars in the background, was a particular treat for me. All you could hear was the sound of the paddles as they hit the water (not always in time, but we tried our best) and people laughing and chatting. The rangers - a really friendly, knowledgeable and fun lot - tested our trivia knowledge, primarily to the ecology of the park, pointing out various beaver and non-beaver related sites along the way. This, folks, is a beaver tooth Visiting Canadian boys Ethan, Andrew and Oliver got together to put down their description of the day. “This morning, we got into the dinghy and paddled down the river. It was a very nice day. We got away from the current of the Danube into one of the slower branches. We were given a tour (info about certain species and plants) of the area. We arrived at the gravel beach, the destination, and we were happy to learn that we could swim. The water was cold (even for us Canadians) and we had fun rolling in a SUPER deep mud pit like hippos and then running into the cold water and rinsing off. Afterwards, we went for a walk on the beach and we listened to animal calls (or noises) and they told about Page 3 What sticks in my mind were the “beaver slides”, like mini slippery dips used by the beavers to access the water, as well as the very visible signs of where they’d been having a bit of a nibble on some trees that were now stranded in the middle of the river; though that may have been a combination of beaver intervention and the recent floods. The rangers had organised a number of activities to test our knowledge of the animal life in the park, involving a range of bird and frog calls that we had to guess. Naturally it was the kids who put the oldies to shame by guessing/knowing some of the trickier sounds I think that a fun time was had by all, oldies and kids alike. The kids seemed to have a great time rolling around in the mud on the banks of the river, while the adults (me, at least) looked on enviously, wanting to join in on the fun, but deciding against it for a range of The Australian Connection (OzCon) –August.September 2013 Fond farewell to OzCon people who are moving on David, Ana, Liz and Jacquie reasons, one being the still chilly temperatures of the water. But that didn’t stop the braver among us from going for a swim. It was a beautiful day for the canoe trip, perfected with a delicious late lunch served outside next to the river. Brian, Ewa and Matilda Iselin will depart Vienna at the end of August after just under two years. Brian writes: “Having been posted to Vienna from Brussels for the Swedish Foreign Ministry, the family now moves onto plenty of new challenges in sunny (presently 39 degrees) Tehran. Some of our fond memories from the time in Austria include the lunch at Steiereck in Stadtpark (11th best restaurant in the world this year), wine-tasting in the Wachau, the beautiful Woerthersee in full sunshine, Sunday brunches at Himmel in Grinzing, and the first outing after Matilda's birth to the OzCon Friday Lunch. Riverside Uferhaus fish restaurant Coming OzCon Events Lunch Out There will not be a Lunch Out in August. September to be advised Bar Night A return to the 1516 Brewing Company is planned for Friday 23 August. A reservation has been made for upstairs, although it is hoped we can sit outside if the weather is fine and if space can be found. The 1516 Brewing Company is about 50m past Flanagans in Schwarzenbergstrasse. Our sincerest thanks to Brett and his unswerving dedication to OzCon, including getting out the regular and always interesting newsletter.” OzCon also says farewell to Lyndy and Greg Smart, who are leaving early this month, and Malcolm Boardman and Laurice Oates, who depart in September. **************************************** Because they had no reservations at a busy restaurant, my elderly neighbor and his wife were told there would be a 45-minute wait for a table. 'Young man, we're both 90 years old, ' the husband said. 'We may not have 45 minutes.' They were seated immediately. A venue and date for a bar night in September will be advised later. Page 4 The Australian Connection (OzCon) –August.September 2013 Way to go with Car2Go By Brett Bayly You see them everywhere. I counted four parked in our street a couple of weeks ago. They are Car2Go Smart cars and there are about 600 of them in Vienna. It’s a car rental revolution and it’s ideal for anyone who does not have a car but wants to get somewhere in a hurry, pick up something or a child from school, do some shopping and not have to use public transport. But do you know how it works? you have the possibility to fuel up the car with the fuel card located inside. If the level before filling is less than 25%, you get credited 20 minutes free-drive as a thank you for refuelling to 100%. PARKING: Nothing is easier. With a length of only 2.69 meters, parking is effortless. You can park at any time on any public parking space, even in all short term parking zones in Vienna because the fees are already paid to the city of Vienna. For intermediate stops (you will remain logged on Car2Go), the first 2 hours are on Car2Go. There is further processing if you leave the car longer or you can terminate the lease as normal in a short-term parking zone. In both cases, the meter inside the Car2Go has to be set. Ben and Sonia bring a touch of Vienna to Canberra OzConners baritone Ben Connor and soprano Sonia Anfiloff are bringing a touch of Vienna to Canberra while holidaying there. They were scheduled to give a concert with a strong Viennese flavour at the residence of the Austrian Ambassador. The Canberra Times reported on 25 July that the concert was scheduled for 31 July. The report said they would be joined by Christina Wilson and Alan Hicks, their former teachers at the Australian National University School of Music, in an evening of arias and duets. All the details are on the website www.car2go.com But here is a summary. JOIN: You get a members card, go out in the street and find the nearest Car2Go (there is an App that gives all locations), hop in using the card, -- the keys are inside drive off. When finished, park the car anywhere and walk away. As the website says, it is fun, saves money and helps the environment. How simple is that? Sonia leads Australia Day singing in January “Anfiloff and Connor's visit is mainly to see family and BILLING is by the minute, by the hour or by the day and you only pay when you use it. There are no monthly fees or rental subscription packages. A price structure is displayed on the inside of the front window. Per minute 31 cents Per hour €14.90 Per day €69 Break in travel per minute 19 cents FUELLING: If you do not want to fuel the car, you don’t have to. It is fuelled by a service team. However, Page 5 friends and Conner will return to Vienna on August 4. Anfiloff is staying on to compete in a number of singing competitions: the Centenary Aria, part of the National Eisteddfod in Canberra, the Orange Eisteddfod and the McDonald's Operatic Aria in which she has already reached the quarter-finals, to be held on July 27,” the paper reported. “Anfiloff sang for the Australian Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, at a concert hosted by Australia's The Australian Connection (OzCon) –August.September 2013 Ambassador in Vienna, David Stuart, earlier this year. Just before her trip home she gave a performance of Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder, which includes two songs that Wagner called ''studies'' for his great Tristan und Isolde. The language of the poems is described as "rarefied and intense" and the music "wistful and pathos-laden". "When I get back to Vienna I'll be doing Verdi's Don Carlos in a singalong opera at the Theater Leo," she says. "It's a bit like a cabaret opera." For Connor, the past year has been exciting, filled with performances as part of the youth ensemble at the Theater an der Wien, one of the three top Viennese opera companies. He is halfway through his two-year contract there and recently sang the role of Marcello in a shortened production of Puccini's La Boheme. He returns to Vienna to understudy the baritone Nathan Gunn in the premiere of A Harlot's Progress, a new opera by Iain Bell, described as a prequel to Stravinsky's opera, The Rake's Progress. The noted German soprano Diana Damrau will sing the role of Moll Hackabout. The Theater an der Wien has an illustrious history, presenting the premieres of many famous works, including Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio, Lehar's The Merry Widow and that essence of Viennese opera, Die Fledermaus. Recently it has also become noted for productions of contemporary works such as Jake Heggie's opera, Dead Man Walking. Remembering Connor's versatility ranging from his winning performance in the 2010 National Aria and in The Street's production of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, also in 2010, he should thrive in a theatre that celebrates opera in all its diversity, the paper said. Big turnout for a hot night at Flanagans It was a hot night and so, expecting about a dozen to turn up for bar night, we early arrivals cancelled our room inside Flanagans and grabbed a couple of tables outside. A short time later one head count gave 26 arrivals and for a while it was standing room only until other tables were scrounged. There were visitors holidaying in Vienna and our regulars. Lyndy, Bryony and Gabrielle It was sadly the last bar night for Greg and Lyndy Smart who are moving to Nairobi early this month. Greg and Lyndy have been regular OzCon goers and we will miss them. Malcolm Boardman and Laurice Oates were also there. They will be leaving us and returning to Australia in September. It was good to see Meredith and George Park back from their latest travels, this time to London. Greg, Damien, a visitor from Bucharest, Malcolm and Terry Gabrielle, who booked Flanagans for us, managed to join us for a short while, leaving young Eliot at home. Page 6 The Australian Connection (OzCon) –August.September 2013 There were the usual topics as the moon rose above us: booze, golf, holidays, joys of Vienna in summer, bike riding and politics. The news had just reached us of Rudd’s controversial plan to prevent all boat people from ever entering Australia, even if they were found to be genuine refugees while in camps in Papua New Guinea for which the Australian tax payer will foot the bill. The speculation is that it is a potential vote winner so watch out for an election date. A sailin’ I did go in Holland Colin Higgins was invited to go sailing in Holland with an old friend. He writes: On 19 June I took up a kind offer of an old friend from Perth to come sailing in Holland on his newly acquired 13m Dutch Sailing Barge known as a Lemsteraak in Friesland. Peaceful sailing before the rain Hank is of course Dutch and is recapturing his culture after 20 years in Australia and sharing it with his son, Mats. We have raced all sorts of yachts together in Perth over that time and our kids have raced even more seriously together too. Liz Liz and Ann Laurice, Meredith, George, Julia and Michael My hosts Hank and his son Mats The boat has been totally spoodled and widgetted with every traditional and modern feature. It was a fantastic insight into life around the IJsselmeer (formerly the Zuiderzee) and we were able to tie the boat up in the middle of the old villages of Hinderloopen, Lemmer, Sloten and Wolkum and saunter into one of the many lovely restaurants for dinner in the evenings. Visitors Colin and Kay Mitchell, teachers in Doha holidaying in Vienna, with Rob and Mark Page 7 It was a short trip this time but I hope to join them again - perhaps next year for a longer cruise. It was also typically rainy and this posed the technical question, does the Dutch rain actually soak into your skin? It definitely felt like it! It was overall a fantastic few days The Australian Connection (OzCon) –August.September 2013 and a privileged peek into this historic part of Holland. I even made it back in time for our Wachau fireworks! drinking from. Another marvel, just to mention a few, is the nautilus shell silver and gold sailing ship. The Lemsteraak is a traditional Frisian flat-bottomed sailing ship with no central keel. It is predominantly built in the Netherlands. Although the Palace Castle and its collections are clearly the highlight of a visit to Dresden, there is much more to see in the historical district. Perhaps the two most important architectural masterpieces are the Zwinger, a pleasure palace for royalty built in the early part of the 18th century, and the Frauenkirche, one of the city’s most well known symbols, with its magnificent high dome. The Zwinger was rebuilt in the 1950s and Treasures and Baroque splendour in Dresden By George Park If you enjoy gazing at incredible precious objects decorated with gold, silver, crystal, amber, diamonds and other jewels, then a visit to the amazing treasure rooms at the Palace Castle (Residenz Schloss) in Dresden’s old city is not to be missed. The Palace Castle and the rest of historic Dresden were destroyed in February 1945, when the entire city was firebombed. However, most of the buildings dating to the Baroque period have since been restored, including the Residenz Schloss. About 1000 precious objects are displayed in the New Green Vault (Neues Grünes Gewölbe) opened in 2004. Another 3000 items are on display in the Historical Green Vault (Historisches Grünes Gewölbe) which was reopened in 2006. This historical treasure chamber includes eight lavish rooms which have been rebuilt as they were designed and constructed in the first part of the 18th century by Augustus the Strong (1670-1733), the Elector of Saxony and King of Poland. Augustus the Strong was an avid collector of precious objects and wanted to put the many items that he had inherited and purchased on display in a manner to enhance the grandeur of his court. Once completed, the eight rooms were opened to select members of the public who wished to view the King’s collection. It is somewhat of a miracle that the collection has survived intact despite war and political upheavals over several centuries. During the 2nd World War, the collection was again removed and stored in a safe place, taken to Russia by the Red Army after the war, and subsequently returned to East Germany in the late 1950s. It is impossible to adequately describe in writing the treasures on display. They are all dazzling, required untold hours to create and are of course immensely valuable. The 41 carat green diamond, the largest in the world, has not been officially valued. One unverified estimate puts it at over US$200 million. The ‘Golden Coffee Set’ made from a wood core with gold, silver-gilt, enamel, ivory and precious stones is too luxurious to consider Page 8 The Zwinger pleasure palace 1960s and today houses five museums: sculpture; porcelain (including Meissen and East Asian treasures); a gallery of paintings by the old masters; a collection of ceremonial weapons; and a collection of old scientific instruments and timepieces. The church, which was left as a pile of rubble by the East German government to serve as a war memorial, was rebuilt starting in the mid 1990s and consecrated again in 2005. With the church’s inspiring dome once more in place, Dresden’s magnificent skyline of Baroque buildings one again looks as it did in the 18th century. The Frauenkirche In addition to the old city of Dresden, visitors should also consider a visit to the picture perfect village of Meissen, with its world famous porcelain factory. One can take a tour of the Meissen factory to learn about porcelain manufacture and also visit the Meissen porcelain museum. The village of Meissen is about 27 km from Dresden so is an easy day excursion. Should one think of buying any Meissen porcelain pieces, make sure you have plenty of money in the bank. The prices are astounding. The Australian Connection (OzCon) –August.September 2013 Getting to Dresden by road or rail is quite easy. We drove from Vienna in a little over five hours, with the shortest route taking us directly through the center of Prague. Dresden is located only about 50 km from the Czech border. If you do drive, make sure you have a vignette for the Czech autobahn. One other suggestion: tickets for entry into the Historical Green Vault are sold separately from the rest of the palace museum. To limit the number of visitors, they are sold on a timed basis and can sell out quickly. However, the tickets can also be purchased in advance online, which is what we did to ensure that we got to see the treasures in the Green Vault at the time of our choosing. Tip for a day’s outing from Vienna The path down if you choose to walk By Brett Bayly If you are ever looking for a place to spend a day outside Vienna, especially during hot weather, take a drive down to Rax. Great views on a clear day This month’s OzCon flashback The Ottohaus restaurant It’s one of the closest mountains to Vienna and takes less than 90 minutes to drive to the cable car which will have you on top in 12 minutes for an easy walk with great views. It’s a 30-minute walk to the Ottohaus restaurant where you can catch a refreshing breeze while you have lunch. It is my favourite place to take visitors who don’t have time to head west into the mountains. I have been there three times already this year. The restaurant is at 1644 m and near a cliff with views to the valley below. You can hike to higher peaks. Rax is reached by driving down the A2 for 55 km, then turning off for Semmering on the S6. Turn off at Gloggnitz and follow the signs. You can check opening hours and cable car times (every half hour) at: www.raxalpe.com Rax can also be reached by train and bus. Page 9 Bar night at Flanagans, October 2011 I had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalogue: 'No good in a bed, but fine against a wall.' - Eleanor Roosevelt The Australian Connection (OzCon) –August.September 2013 Reliving a visit to China 40 years ago – a summer essay Some time back I was contacted by a former neighbour in Canberra whom I had not heard from since I first came to Vienna in the mid 80s. He is now head of an Australian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and he recalled that I had travelled to China with Gough Whitlam many years ago. They were looking for articles for a magazine called Australia China Connections to mark the 40th anniversary of the visit. So I wrote a light piece and it was published in the June/July issue. And so, for some summer reading I have reproduced the article here. They gave it the appropriate heading: A serious visit to China with a party atmosphere. - Brett row in the theatre which Australian politics was about to become. I wrote for my Adelaide newspaper The Advertiser at the time that Mr Whitlam, who was then Leader of the Australian Opposition, told the Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai in July 1971: “If my party wins the elections you will be able to see the first visit by an Australian Prime to the Chinese People’s Republic and its sole capital, Peking.” Premier Zhou replied: “We will welcome it. All things develop from small beginnings.” As our chartered Qantas plane touched down in Beijing on Wednesday, October 31, 1973, we were greeted by a tumultuous reception by thousands of people, including 7000 school children, chanting words of welcome and waving Chinese and Australian flags and colorful flowers. Mr Whitlam with Premier Zhou Enlai at his side and wife Margaret and Australia’s first Ambassador to the People’s Republic, Stephen Fitzgerald, closely behind applauded and smiled broadly at the spectacle. I was very young when I found myself on a plane with Gough Whitlam flying to that great mysterious land called China. Having just turned 29, perhaps I was too young to appreciate the history-making events I was about to witness. After all, I had been a political journalist in Canberra only 12 months during which time I had seen Australia politics turned on its head with the election of the first Labor Government in Australia in 23 years. Within weeks of arriving in Canberra I had seen conservative Prime Minister Billy McMahon swept from power, ending the longest unbroken run in government in Australian history. In his place as Australia’s 21st Prime Minister stood a towering man by the name of Edward Gough Whitlam who, within weeks of his election set out to change the face of Australia, including the ordering of negotiations to establish full relations with the People's Republic of China. And so what did I know? To me this was just one big adventure at the start of 11 years of being in the front Page 10 We of the media were following some distance behind and I remember thinking this was all very unreal. This enthusiastic rent-a-crowd probably had never heard of Australia let alone the fact that the country had a new imposing figure called Gough Whitlam as its prime minister. But here he was at a time when leaders of Western countries dared not set foot on Chinese soil. The drive into the city was also welcoming with people lining the boulevard as we drove past the Forbidden City. Several days later Prime Minister Whitlam had completed his only media conference in Beijing and was on his way to an unscheduled lunch of Peking duck with Premier Zhou Enlai. Eleven hours of detailed discussions with the Chinese Premier and a 90-minute chat with Chairman Mao Zedong had given Mr Whitlam a feeling of elation which he had not felt for years, not even on December 2 the previous year when his party came to power after 23 years in the political wilderness. I wrote at the time: “His five-day visit to Peking had been triumphant. His reception by the Chinese The Australian Connection (OzCon) –August.September 2013 Government had exceeded his expectations. As he left the Minzu Hotel where he had met the international Press corps for the mile walk to the Great Hall of the People, a red and white banner hanging from the top of the 10-storey building fluttered above him. It read: “Warm welcome to Distinguished Guests from Australia.” As Mr Whitlam kept his Chinese friends almost at a running pace along the broad footpath, he smiled again as he noticed other banners stretched across the boulevard which read in both Chinese and English “Warm send off to Australian Prime Minister Whitlam.” Mr Whitlam said at his press conference: “A generation of lost contact has successfully been brought to an end. The lost generation is now buried.” The visit was not without its funnier moments. The Australian media contingent travelling with Mr Whitlam had just arrived and was settling in at the Minzu Hotel. It was a big adventure being in the capital of “Red China”, even for the old hands at the political reporting game. We were in a mysterious country largely ignored by the West and certainly by successive conservative governments in Australia. Army band excel itself in playing Mr Whitlam’s choice of a national anthem “Advance Australia Fair”, twice at the airport and twice at official banquets. Its playing of “Click go the Shears,” “The Road to Gundagai,” “Botany Bay” and “Waltzing Matilda” brought cheers from the feasting masses and toasts from Mr Whitlam. In June 1976, another Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, visited the People’s Republic of China in what was billed as a promotion of relations that made the policy forged by Gough Whitlam a bipartisan one. I travelled with Mr Fraser, but that is another story. And only recently did another Labor Prime Minister travel to China and attract praise from her friends and critics alike. At a time when praise was rare for Julia Gillard, with an election looming in September, it was being heaped upon her from all sides for signing an agreement providing for annual meetings between Australian and Chinese leaders. Chinese President Xi Jinping predicted a "new level" in economic and strategic ties, words that would have made Gough Whitlam smile broadly when he reflected that ‘the lost generation‘ he had set out to bury all those years ago had indeed stayed buried. But our hosts had been briefed about the ways of the Australian media, including the tendency to enjoy drinking beer. And so when we checked into our rooms we noticed containers much like washing tubs at the top of the stairs leading to our rooms. They were filled with beer. Although the weather outside, being early November, was cold the old hotel was over heated and the beer was too warm to drink. What were we to do without offending our hosts? Some of us gathered in one of our rooms and, in somewhat raised voices, heaped praise on our hosts and gave first impressions of this a great land of China. Then one of us said something like, “But it is a pity the beer is too warm to drink.” We waited and some time later ventured out to the top of the stairs – and there was the beer all packed in ice and cooling rapidly. What a great country! I also remember the party atmosphere that prevailed on our short visit, both informal and formal. The informality took place with gusto when we celebrated Margaret Whitlam’s birthday in a restaurant that had been emptied of all Chinese officials. It was a private party also celebrating Gough’s meeting with the great Chairman. It was Tom Burns, who was the Labor Party National President at the time, who led the singing while standing on a chair. The Maotai was abundant and the “Ganbeis” frequent. The more formal tone saw the People’s Liberation Page 11 Vienna scene: the Alte Donau Austrian bits and pieces >Austria is now officially the hottest place in Europe, with temperatures on Sunday above other typical hotspots. According to the Austrian weather service (ZAMG), a top-temperature of 39.2 degrees was reached last weekend, making the Alpine republic far hotter than Ibiza (32 degrees), Rhodos (33) and Beke (34). The highest temperature of 39.2 degrees was recorded both in Waidhofen an der Ybbs in Lower Austria and Bad Goisern in Upper Austria.This was closely followed by temperatures in Villach and Salzburg of 38.7 and 38.6 degrees.Vienna city centre experienced a scorching 38.4 degrees. Austrian Times 29 July >Siemens is to start building a "smart city” in The Australian Connection (OzCon) –August.September 2013 Vienna which will be one of the largest urban development projects in Europe. Together they are supposed to explore ways of optimizing resources by integrating interactive communication systems, power grids and building systems. The 38.6 million Euro budget project is due to be located in Aspern, the capital’s north-eastern district and spread over an airfield of almost 600 acres. Austrian Times 24 July >Increasing numbers of cafes, restaurants and bars now charge for tap water in the Austrian capital of Vienna. Whilst many customers heavily criticize the move, the gastronomy owners defend the move saying it is necessary to cover costs. Andrea Winkler from Cafe Mozart in Vienna where a glass of tap water costs €2.50 said: "Of course water also costs us money.” Other wellknown cafes such as Cafe Cafe Landtmann also have started charging €2.50 for tap water. In the Griechenbeisl customers pay €3.10 for a glass of tap water. Austrian Times 19 July >Customers shopping at petrol stations Austria are having to pay almost twice as much as in supermarkets, a recent report shows. Statistics published by the Chamber of Labour (AK) reveal that the price of purchasing food, drinks and general items from the petrol pump stores works as 48 per cent more expensive than an average supermarket. Austrian Times 15 July >Hotels are more expensive in Innsbruck than in any other part of Austria according to a new study by the online booking portal hotel.info. The study also found that in general across the country hotel prices have risen on the previous year by around 4.32%. In Innsbruck on average visitors pay €91.69 per night for a room, an increase over the year of 4.53%. In contrast Graz offers the best possibilities for staying overnight. The average price is €80.25 per night. In second place for the most expensive is Vienna. Austrian Times, 9 July ************************************ Aussie News Briefs 28 July - THE first year of privatised ferries has resulted in cancellations, collisions and soaring prices, despite an O'Farrell government promise that ferry services would improve. Ferry cancellations rose 25 per cent and by 50 per cent when bad weather was excluded after Harbour City Ferries took over a year ago, government figures show. The Manly route, which carries 40 per cent of all ferry passengers, has been the worst hit by falling performance. Adding to frustration for Manly commuters, passengers on this route face a 39 per cent price rise from September, with weekly tickets costing an extra $884 a year. (Sydney Morning Herald) 26 July - THE UN refugee agency has issued a scathing assessment of Labor's PNG solution, Page 12 warning asylum-seekers face physical and psychological harm and may never be accepted by the local community. In a statement today, the UNHCR said it had reviewed the measures announced by Kevin Rudd last week and believed there were “significant shortcomings' with the plan to send all future boatpeople to Papua New Guinea. “These include a lack of national capacity and expertise in processing, and poor physical conditions within open-ended, mandatory and arbitrary detention settings,” the agency said. “This can be harmful to the physical and psychosocial wellbeing of transferees, particularly families and children.” It said it was troubled by the absence of appropriate protection guarantees for asylum-seekers transferred under the arrangement, and that permanent settlement of refugees in PNG presented major problems. (Australian) 26 July - THE world's richest banker, Goldman Sachs chief executive Lloyd Blankfein, thinks Australia's fretting about its economic circumstances is a bit of a laugh. "I've been coming here for a long, long time and during the last two decades of growth, growth, growth, people are always distraught, overwrought, wringing their hands about how horrible things are and to my observation, they don't look that bad," Mr Blankfein told businesspeople in Sydney on Friday. One questioner asked how Mr Blankfein saw Australia, given it was "in a phase where our economy is slowing" and "there's a malaise between business and government". "No, it's awful - you've now sunk to a level that we're trying to get up to. So, my heart goes out to you," Mr Blankfein replied. (AAP) 23 July - SYDNEY has been named the 10th most expensive city in the world for expatriates, thanks to rising house prices and the high Australian dollar. The result marks Australia's debut in the top 10 of Mercer's annual Cost of Living survey. Angola capital Luanda topped the list with monthly accommodation rental costs there triple that of Sydney's. According to the survey, the cost of a movie ticket in Sydney was $19.62, compared to $5.91 in Johannesburg, and the cost of a fastfood hamburger meal in Sydney was $9.24, almost triple what you would pay in Hong Kong. The survey covers 214 cities across five continents measuring the cost of more than 200 items including housing, transport, food and entertainment and is designed to help multinational companies and governments determine allowances for employees working overseas. (AAP) 20 July - NO asylum seeker who comes by boat will ever be resettled in Australia under Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's dramatic and ''hardline'' new refugee laws. They will instead be sent to Papua New Guinea for processing and, if found to be refugees, will be resettled there. In the strongest line a modern Labor prime minister has taken against asylum seekers, Mr Rudd said: ''As of today, asylum seekers who come here The Australian Connection (OzCon) –August.September 2013 by boat without a visa will never be settled in Australia''. (Canberra Times) 16 July - THE cost of a visit to the doctor and a prescription medicine has smashed through the $100 mark as the value of the Medicare rebate erodes and prescription costs rise. Patients who use a non bulkbilling doctor are now paying around $71 up front before later receiving a Medicare rebate of $36.30. They then face a $36.10 charge for each subsidised prescription medicine they need. The rising costs are the reason a recent National Health Performance Authority report found up to one in eight people did not see or delayed seeing a doctor when they were ill. (Advertiser) 15 July – SPECULATION continues about when Mr Rudd will call an election. So far, he has given no concrete clues about when the election will be, only indicating that it will change from the September 14 date. According to a Fairfax-Nielsen poll, Mr Rudd has single-handedly wiped out the Coalition's two-party preferred lead to be dead-level at 50-50. (National Times) 13 July – TELSTRA agreed more than a decade ago to store huge volumes of electronic communications it carried between Asia and the US for potential surveillance by US intelligence agencies, in a secret agreement with the FBI and the US Department of Justice. On Friday, Telstra was refusing to say whether it had similar data retention agreements with other nations' intelligence agencies, including those in Australia. Australia's other major telco, Optus, declined to say whether it stored data for potential surveillance by US, or Australian, authorities. (Sydney Morning Herald) 9 July - KEVIN Rudd has catapulted Labor back into a potential election-winning position with surprise swings toward Labor suggesting the resurrected PM could not only hold ground for Labor but increase the party's vote on the 2010 election result. The first internal Labor polling since Mr Rudd took back the leadership two weeks ago shows Labor ahead of the Coalition in bellwether seats in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. (Daily Telegraph) severe weather warnings have been largely withdrawn, leaving Tasmanians to just enjoy the winter wonderland at their back door. The road to the top of Mt Wellington in Hobart was closed yesterday, deterring all but the most dedicated who were able to hike to the summit, but graders were hard at work in the Central Highlands keeping roads passable. Great Lake Hotel licensee Kaylee Hattinger said there was about 15cm of snow on the ground yesterday, with some drifts more than 40cm deep. (Mercury) 6 July - INDONESIA has delivered a rebuke to Tony Abbott's turn-back-the-boats policy, signing a communique warning against unilateral action. The communique, signed by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, reinforces both countries' emphasis on regional solutions to people smuggling. ''They stressed the importance of avoiding unilateral actions which might jeopardise such a comprehensive regional approach and which might cause operational or other difficulties to any party,'' the communique said. (Canberra Times) Events The GRAFENEGG FESTIVAL runs through to 8 September. The Australian Youth Orchestra will appear on 10 August. What makes this festival special to us is that the composer in residence this year is Australian Brett Dean. Here are all the details 16 Aug at 7:30 pm - Opening concert 17 Aug at 4:30 pm - Prelude 17 Aug at 7:30 pm - Evening Concert 18 Aug at 11:00 am - Matinee "Ink Still Wet" Final Concert 23 Aug at 7:30 pm - Evening Concert 30 Aug at 7:15 pm - Evening Concert 31 Aug at 4:30 pm - Prelude 31 Aug at 7:15 pm - Evening Concert - World Premiere of Brett Dean's trumpet concerto "Dramatis Personae” 6 Sep at 7:00 pm - Evening Concert https://www.grafenegg.com/press/biographies/bio_ Composerinresidence https://www.grafenegg.com/news/grafeneggfestival /e_brettdean The Australian Youth Orchestra https://www.grafenegg.com/programme/16402 https://www.grafenegg.com/tickets/Shoppingcart/St ep1.aspx?eventID=1328&fr=False 7 July - SNOWFALLS are expected to continue across the state today and into tomorrow, although Page 13 The Australian Connection (OzCon) –August.September 2013 Classifieds Moving house. Items for sale 1. Teutonia 'Cosmo' pram (2011), good condition, black, washable, adjustable seat positions to fully flat, wheel lock, adjustable handlebar. Also includes separate Teutonia Made-for-You Baby Carry Basket in excellent condition, 2011 (for Teutonia Cosmo pram), plush red, wind cover (weight: 5kg), as well as a water bottle holder, black mosquito net, and red Teutonia Parasol. New: 769,90 +169 €. Price: €275 2. McLaren Quest Sport Stroller, Black, holds up to 25kg, multiple seat positions, one-handed fold, weight: 6kg, new €270.00 Price €100.00 3. Rectangular playpen, very good condition. White wood, (2012), including mattress. New ca €220 . Price: €75 4. Baby-kit for Stokke High chair, new/never used: Beige plastic restrainer + new white and beige striped cushion. Price: €25. 5. Stokke high chair white and red cushion with cat pattern, second hand. Price: €10 6. Chicco Steril Natural Electric Steriliser, good condition. Automatic, 15 minute process, up to 7 x 150ml baby bottle Price: €10.00 7. Dodie Manual Breast Pump, good condition, easy to use and clean, adjustable funnel, soft breast pads, adjustable suction control. New €43. Price: €5.00 8. Haucke 'Jump' Baby Bouncer, striped, weight 2kg, washable, from 6mths to 9kg. As New. New ca €25.00 Price: €5.00 Please contact Ewa Nilsson. Email: [email protected] mobile phone: 0699-17064162 For Sale Sky HO Satellite TV receiver and box for receiving British TV. 2 year-old 250GB hard disc for recording Comes with box, remote and wiring. Available late August Price €25 Phone +43 650 4721145 Page 14 The Australian Connection (OzCon) –August.September 2013 Unless otherwise specified, all telephone numbers are in Vienna. Australian Connection (OzCon) Website: www.ozcon.at Email: [email protected] Australian Embassy Mattiellistrasse 2-4, 1040 Vienna Tel: 506740 www.austria.embassy.gov.au (official) President: Brett Bayly Mobile: 06991 264 5813 Other Associations Austrian-Australian Society (OAG) Gabriele Weichart, General Secretary Tel: 681 107 53661 [email protected] All inquiries about membership should be directed to : Vice President and membership coordinator: Gabrielle Costigan Mobile: 0664 61 22522 [email protected] Treasurer: Rob Reed Mobile: 06764870036 [email protected] Board member: Colin Higgins Mobile: +43 664 612 2138 [email protected] Board member: Pam Morris Mobile 0664 7310 6008 [email protected] Board member: Mark Webster Mobile 06991 4403 587 [email protected] Board member: Rana Janssen [email protected] Bank Account Details: OZCON Account Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederosterreich – Wien BLZ 32000 Kontonummer (Account Number): 12.097.176 IBAN AT90 32000 00012097176 BIC RLNWATWW Annual Family Membership Fee: €20 www.australian-embassy.at (unofficial. news) [email protected] www.australia-austria.at Useful Websites: www.vienna4u.at www.australiawine.com.au www.wien.info/en/music-stage-shows/opera-operet ta/open-air-opera www.awavienna.com/publications/living-in-vienna. html www.language-learning-advisor.com/learning-germ an.html www.aussiehouseswap.com.au www.wien.gv.at www.nucolorvue.com.au www.australien-lifestyle.de www.australien-info.de www.virtualvienna.net www.ninemsn.com.au www.kids-days.com/Wien/index_wien.html www.expat-consulting.com www.homesick.com.au www.viennababiesclub.com www.abc.net.au/vod/news/ www.australianaonline.com.au www.news.com.au www.expatriates.com www.australia.gov.au www.amadeus.net/home/dialing_codes/en/top.htm www.austrain.vc www.vienna-expats.at www.aussiehouseswap.com.au www.exfin.com Austrian media in English: Austrian Times, daily English news www.austriantimes.at The monthly Vienna Review www.viennareview.net Ether magazine, monthly www.ethermagazine.at Worldwide media guide www.mondotimes.com Page 15 The Australian Connection (OzCon) –August.September 2013
© Copyright 2024