Photo Exhibition

Is that time again when my students get to show their talent on the annual Grade 6 Photography Exhibition. When I started this year I didn't know what to expect as the students were very different from last year.

During the first week of Term 2 we started to select the images that will make up the exhibition. 58 in total, one per student. It is an arduous process as I have to sit one on one with every student and sift through the 50 images that each of them took during the workshop. They select the one that they think is the best and then using Photoshop we get it ready for printing.

There is also a bit of writing to do as they must name their image and write a brief recount of their learning process.

Last Friday, after a week of hard work framing and cutting, I was able to hung them in the hall and see them as a collection. As a witness of their learning I am utterly impressed with the results and I am very proud of them and of myself for getting to the end of the program and still be whole.

Thanks to everyone who was involved and helped made this possible.

Please visit:

www.we-frame.blogspot.com to see some of the work.

I have not yet uploaded the images that make up our exhibition, but I will in the next few days.

Adios Merimbula

El viernes empacamos y emprendimos el camino de vuelta. Fue adios Merimbula. Despues de esto nos quedaba una parada mas en Eden.

On Friday we started the way back. Goodbye Merimbula. There was only one more stop in Eden.

Mini beach

I went for a small drive from the wharf and came to this small rocky beach quite hidden in the bushes. The tide was high so I took some shots before the water covered the rocks.

Maneje un poquito desde el muelle y llegue a esta pequena playita escondida entre la vegetacion. La marea estaba subiendo asique saque unas fotos antes de que el mar cubriera las rocas.

Fishing Series

Whilst the boys were fishing I walked around the wharf and payed attention to those things that make up the world of fishing. I started to look at details around the wharf and decided to group them into a fishing series that I will sometime put together. I really loved looking at these things from a different light.

Mientras ellos pescaban yo caminaba y empece a prestar atencion a todas esas cosas que constituyen el mundo de la pesca. Empece a buscar detalles alrededor del muelle y decidi agrupar esas fotos en una serie de pesca que algun dia tal vez junte y publique. Me encanta mirar a todas esas cositas desde un angulo diferente.

From Wharf to Wharf

At the Merimbula Wharf we delighted ourselves with a magnificent and luxurious lunch. The view is also beautiful, but the atmosphere of the restaurant is different from Tathra's. It is a bit on the pricey side and the standard of food is also a little classier as well as the service. The lunch was lovely, the view spectacular, but I still prefer Tathra's Wharf. Maybe I am not sophisticated enough for a waiter to tell me the specials from memory and to serve me the drink. The food was delightful and I could not finish it!

En el muelle de Merimula nos deleitamos con un almuerzo magnifico y lujoso. La vista tambien era hermosa, pero la atmosfera del restaurant es diferente a la de Tathra. Es un poquito mas caro y los standards de comida son un poco mas altos como tambien lo es el servicio. El almuerzo fue delicioso, la vista espectacular, pero yo prefiero el muelle de Tathra. Tal vez no soy lo suficientemente sofisticada para que el mozo me diga las ofertas de memoria y me llene el vaso de agua. La comida debo admitir era riquisima y grande, con decir que no pude terminrarla.

Around Merimbula

After settling in we drove and walked around town. Merimbula is nice, but too big. Even the Holiday Park was huge. For families with young children I suppose this is the place for a holiday since everything is contained inside it. We walked/skated around the lake and drove a little to get to know the surroundings. We had planned a full day ahead so we left the cabin ready for eveerything.

Despues de acomodarnos y tomar unos mates nos fuimos a caminar y manejar por los alrededores para conocer un poco el pueblo. Merimbula es lindo pero muy grande. Incluso el camping era enorme. Para familias con chicos pequenos, este es el lugar ideal para vacacionar. El camping tenia de todo. Nosotros caminamos/skated alrededor del lago y manejamos un poco. Salimos preparados para todo lo que habiamos planeado asique dejamos el camping listos para no volver hasta la noche.

At Merimbula

On Thursday morning we arrived in Merimbula and we stayed at Merimbula Beach Holiday Park. The cabins were really nice and had a nice deck to look at the sea. We were also a few steps from this beautiful view of the beach. The nice weather seemed to follow us wherever we went.

El jueves a la manana llegamos a Merimbula y paramos en Merimbula Beach Holiday Park. Las cabinas eran hermosas y tenian una terracita que daba al mar. Tambien estabamos a unos pasos de esta vista de la playa. El tiempo bueno nos seguia a todos lados.

The search for salmon

After seeing so much fish under the wharf it was decided that fishing was the thing to do next. We gathered the gear and came back to the wharf with bait to catch some fish. It got dark quickly, but just before the sunset we saw some dolphins flipping in and out of the water. I couldn't catch them on camera, but managed to photograph a funny seal that was being very cheeky around the wharf. The boys caught many slimy mackerel but they all went back in the water because they were too small. The search for salmon continues...

Despues de ver tantos peces bajo el muelle, decidimos que pescar era la mejor opcion. Fuimos a buscar las canas y volvimos al muelle con carnada listos para sacar muchos peces. Oscurecio muy pronto, pero sin viento ni frio estaba hermoso. Antes de que el sol se pusiera vimos unos delfines nadando cerca. No pude fotografiarlos, pero logre sacarle fotos a una foca graciosa que hacia piruetas alrededor del muelle. Los chicos pescaron muchos "slimy mackerel" pero los tiraron al agua de vuelta porque eran muy pequenos. La busqueda por el gran salmon continua.

Merendando en Tathra

After a nice stroll down the wharf and a little souvenir shopping, we stopped at this beautiful coffee/gift shop and had a nice coffee with a variety of cakes to share. The chocolate one was so yummy! I loved those iron chairs and tiled tables. The owner looked very grumpy but she wasn't and I think she spent quite a bit of time decorating our plates with cocoa fish and bubbles.

There really aren't many shops here to browse...we were curious as to how busy it gets in Summer, and everyone said "we are pretty busy". It is quite mysterious though as to how such an under developed beach town could cater for a lot of holiday makers. Can't really imagine it.

Despues de una linda caminata en el muelle y un poquito de souvenir shopping, paramos en este hermoso cafecito a merendar. La torta de chocolate era una delicia y las sillas de hierro me encantaron como asi tambien la mesa de ceramica. La duena parecia un poquito mala onda pero no lo era y creemos que se esforzo mucho decorando nuestros platos con pescaditos de cocoa y burbujas de chocolate. La verdad no hay muchos negocios en Tathra, creo que se puede contarlos con los dedos de las manos. Teniamos curiosidad de saber que tanto se llena en el verano y nos dijeron que mucho. Es todo un misterio, sin embargo, como hace semejante pequeno publito para proveer para multitudes de vacionantes.

A little black and white

There was an inexplicable atmosphere at this wharf, especially at lunch time. The sun bathed the tables with warmth and the textures looked and felt like an old movie. The food was nice, nothing extravagant, but deliciously dressed with stunning views.

Habia una atmosfera inexplicable en este muelle, especialmente al mediodia. El sol banaba las mesas con calor y las texturas lucian y se sentian como una pelicula vieja. La comida es rica, nada extravagante, pero deliciosamente adobada con vistas espectaculares.

Lunch at the Tathra Wharf

The best place ever to eat fish.

Walk in Tathra Beach

Tathra beach is naturally beautiful. I took a walk along the beach at 12 midday on Wednesday. The sun was so warm. The driftwood adds a touch of wilderness to the desolated beach.

La playa de Tathra es naturalmente hermosa. Hice una caminata al mediodia del Miercoles y el sol estaba tan calido que no parecia invierno. Las ramas naufragas le dan un toque de salvajismo a la playa desolada.

View from Beach Hut

This is the view from the beach hut where we were staying...just beautiful.

Esta es la vista desde la ventana de donde paramos en Tathra...hermosa.

Tathra in the Sapphire Coast

Finally having some internet connection allows me to post these images of Tathra, a small coastal village on the south coast of NSW. We departed from Picton with Luke's family on Tuesday. We followed them to the town of Bowral somewhere to the south of Picton. This town has character and the vibe is vibrant with shops and galleries. Lots of green and old fashion huge properties. The Milk Factory was the place where we had a goodbye coffee with the O'Neills. If you are ever in Bowral and you like Art you should have a coffee here. The cup is quite a small one but while it is being prepared you can wonder around the gallery and see the Art hanging from the walls.

Finlamente tengo internet y puedo postear estas fotos de Tathra, un pequeno pueblito en la costa sur de New South Wales. Nos fuimos de la casa de Luke el Martes. Los seguimos hasta el pueblo de Bowral un poco al sur este de Picton. Es un pueblito que tiene mucho caracter y la onda es vibrante con negocios y galerias. Hay mucho verde y propiedades viejas e inmensas. The Milk Factory fue el lugar donde tomamos el cafe de despedida con los O'Neills. Si alguna vez estas en Bowral y te gusta el arte tenes que tomar un cafecito ahi. La taza es bastante pequena, pero mientras te lo preparan podes explorar la galeria y ver las obras de arte colgando de las paredes.

From there it was a race against the clock to arrive at Tathra before dark. We didn't make it, but on the way enjoyed the most delicious home made pie in Robertson. We got to the little coastal town at night and we were hungry and tired. Lucky we found a Safeway in Bega and stopped to get some supplies cause everything was closed at 7!!!!! At night we didn't even see where the sea was...but the next morning when we looked at the window it was paradise. We had a view of the beach and the waves were crashing down with force...the sun was shinning and it wasn't even cold. We had breakfast in a bakery, drove to the wharf and around and saw the whole town. It is very small and cozy and has a beautiful beach. I walked around to take some photos of the place.

Desde aca fue una carrera contra el reloj para llegar a Tathra de dia. No lo logramos, pero en el camino disfrutamos unos pies caseros en Robertson. Llegamos a Tathra de noche y con hambre. En el camino paramos en un supermercado en el pueblo de Bega y compramos un par de cosas. Menos mal porque en Tathra todo cerro a las 7!!! A la noche no se veia ni de que lado estaba el mar, pero en la manana cuando miramos por la ventana era un paraiso. La vista desde la ventana daba a la playa y las olas rompian con todo. Estaba soleado y calido. Tomamos el desayuno en una panaderia, manejamos hasta el muelle y conocimos el pueblito entero. Es muy chiquito pero calido y con una playa hermosa. Camine un rato para sacar fotos del lugar.

Bushwalking

Today we had a busy and lovely day. In the morning Anton and I took Iris for a stroll around the shops in Picton, NSW and we had a lovely time looking at girly stuff. Being married and having one son is not often that I get to look at girly stuff with some feminine company. Iris is 6 and as we looked at stuff we got acquainted. After that went to a cafe and had a lovely drink and pastries. There is nothing better than having a cappuccino with a croissant, that is the best pastry in my opinion. In the afternoon we went for a bush-walk. In Australia there is some serious bush, long hills full of gum-trees and native foliage. The area we walked in today had been recently controlled burnt so there were some weird landscapes. We walked to a cave and got in...really dark. At the distance we could see a little hole of light opening on the other side. We went in but was so dark. It reminded me of the movie "The descent", an English movie. By the way if you haven't seen it I recommend it, it is really creepy but awesome. It's a movie that must be watched in complete darkness and silence to really experience the fear and claustrophobia.

Anyway the walk was great today and my arthritic hip coped well enough!

Hoy fue un dia lleno de actividades. Por la manana Anton y yo entretuvimos a Iris (la hija de Luke) yendo a caminar a los negocios de Picton y mirando cosas de mujeres, que yo al estar casada y tener un hijo varon, nunca puedo perder mucho tiempo mirando cosas asi sin que me apuren. Iris tiene 6 anos y mientras mirabamos cosas nos conocimos un poquito. Despues de eso fuimos a un cafe y tomamos un cafe con medialunas...que rico. No hay nada mejor que tomar un cafe con medialunas. Para mi es la mejor combinacion. Por la tarde fuimos a hacer una caminata por el bosque de eucaliptus hasta unas cuevas. En Australia hay muchos bosques de eucaliptus y a este que fuimos hoy habian hecho un incendio controlado y habia paisajes re raros. Al final llegamos a unas cuevas super oscuras que apenas se veia un agujerito por el otro lado. Me hizo acordar a la pelicula inglesa "El descenso". Si no la vieron mirenla que esta buenisima. Hay que mirarla con las luces apagadas para tener la experiencia de la claustrofobia y el terror.

Bueno la caminata estuvo genial y my artritis la tolero!

On the Road

Here we are on the road again. This time we are driving around in NSW. Currently at Picton in Luke's house. Luke O'Neill is an instrumental/ambient musician we met years ago in Melbourne and a great friend. Listening to him playing guitar is mesmerasing and if you close your eyes you can travel to all the places where his music has been inspired by. Our friend Luke is letting us stay with him for a couple of days whilst he's working with Ric setting up his website. I will publish his web-address when is up and running.
Picton is an old country town 80 km from Sydney. It is weird being here again. We spent 3 weeks in January 2 years ago. It's very quiet and very australian, even though we are South Americanning it by drinking "mate".