Ken suggests a pint in a traditional local pub, ‘The Trades House’, which we admire for its turned wood, stained glass, and colourful Victorian decor, only to find that it is a clever make-over of an old Bank!

Walking for a mile in the heat (yes, in the heat for the first time since leaving Australia), we reach place 3.  Modern! Lifeless!  But there is roast beef and Yorkshire pudding (yesterday’s!) on the menu. So-so.

I take-off on foot to Dundee’s ‘Discovery Point’, centred on Antarctic exploration, and the sea. It’s exciting to see Captain Robert Scott’s 1901 preserved Antarctic research vessel RRS Discovery moored in a dock. Right next to the old three-master, an architecturally impressive new V &A Museum of Design (that, from certain angles, also resembles a boat) is under construction. I imagine the locals are hoping that it will become a magnet for visitors just as Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum breathed life back into what were old railway yards in Bilbao.

CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTO ALBUM

https://goo.gl/photos/zLA41YSrWkdYycXL6

Sailing into the Orkneys in the early morning and stepping out on to a wet balcony, I feel the cold wind and rain lash across my face. I can sense the remoteness. The whistling of the wind has such an eerie feel and I have the notion that Agatha Christie has been here before me.

Disembarking at the dock in Kirkwall later in the morning, the lashing rain and wind returns but when the sun does peep through in the afternoon it creates such a gentle quality of light.

As sightseers, we find our way to the main street and the wonderful 11th century St Magnus Cathedral. Across the way, there’s the ruins of the 17th century Renaissance-style Earl’s Palace built by Patrick, Earl of Orkney, the illegitimate cousin of King James VI. The whole area is welcoming and provides many photo opportunities.

Sydney friends, Sue and Graeme Crabbe had been to the Orkneys for a few days over Easter. They were all for my venturing south of the islands to a little bistro on the cliffs on the southern tip of South Ronaldsay. That we do, and so easily, after we engage local taxi driver Gail outside the Cathedral. And what a great local tour guide to boot, all for £40 per hour.

We bet that the weather will be better on the way home, so we don’t spend too much time at the Churchill Barriers or the Italian Chapel, and continue our drive through pasture lands in the rain. Beautifully situated along twists and turns of country lanes, we find Skerries Bistro, a few metres from the cliff, and in good time to get a window table with the whole panorama of sea and Scotland before us.

The scallops were just delicious, crisp on the outside from the hot pan, and moist and flavoursome. Even the orange roe, so sweet, that I don’t usually like was delicious. Eat your hearts out friends, while I eat the ‘partan’s tae’, the delicious claw of an Orkney crab – just a wee part of my local seafood platter that followed. Looking at Pam’s organic salmon fish cake, I was wishing that I’d had more room.

Coming back to the ship in the sunshine, we stop at the Italian Chapel, a beautiful Roman Catholic chapel on the edge of Scapa Flow. The chapel consisting of two Nissen huts was built by WWII Italian prisoners of war captured in North Africa and put to work on the Churchill Barriers. It is the most visited tourist attraction in all of the Orkneys.

I don’t believe that all four of us fronted up for Afternoon Tea with hot scones and little sandwiches when we got back to the ship. Mea cupla!

‘MIDSOMER MURDERS’ IN THE SHETLANDS

‘Miss Marple’ hasn’t been seen tucking-in to a bowl of mussels and eating chips in a pub, but her double was there with a sparkle in her eye just across from me at lunch at the Scalloway Hotel in the Shetlands today.

And ‘Doc Martin’ hasn’t been seen holidaying in the Shetlands, but, seemingly, it was he walking past the window of our pub on a grey drizzly seashore.

I half expected ‘Vera’ to rock-up in her battered old 4WD and get out in her tatty old rain coat and hat and come into the pub in Scalloway looking for a murderer.

But it was only we four, Pam and Ken, Jim and I, fantasising about nothing as we sat there with a beer hoping that something exciting might occur as we waited for the freshly caught lobster to be brought to the table. The lobster was indeed fresh, and the meat in the claws particularly, so sweet.

Showers and drizzle never make for a nice day out, and even less so in this wind-swept island of bleak old Victorian stone houses on the North Sea. Back to the boat for a read, but as usual, the reading soon gives way to more sleeping.

CLICK HERE to see Photo Album

Rain and fog as we drive around three of the eighteen Faroe Islands, but the experience couldn’t have been more bright with our local guide and driver, Birnir Hauksson illuminating the whole proceedings. One of the beautiful little villages on the west-side of Vágar is Bøur. It has a magnificent view over the sea and salmon farms to the rocky islet Tindholmur with its many peaks. The village has charming old wooden houses and a traditional church from 1865. 

I’m getting this posted before I race for my Stematil and to to batten down the hatches. The Captain has just interrupted our civilised afternoon tea (cucumber sandwiches and hot scones) to make an announcement. “We’re leaving port right now, and sailing at full speed to reach the the Shetlands before the onslaught of an approaching really bad weather depression for the area. Expect stormy seas, high waves, and gale force winds overnight, and hang on to railings in staircases”.

FAROE ISLANDS Photo Album

13 days Cruise from Reykjavik to London Tower Bridge - August 2017

lick on each of these Photo Albums to view pics for the ports of call in this Silversea Iceland to London Cruise.

Reykjavik and Golden Circle Tour – Photo Album

Iceland Cruise – Reykjavik – Ísafjörður – Photo Album

To Lake Mývatn from Husavik – Northern Iceland – Photo Album

Ken and Pam, Jim and Michael at Gullfoss a unique waterfall located in the canyon of the Hvítá river in southwest Iceland.

Our itinerary

 

friends, one for every year of life came together to celebrate my birthday. Getting on in years ain’t so bad after all.

Too many people to mention, but today, Sam, Jonathan and Kane with all the guys at Apollo truly turned on ‘Apollo’s Feast’ for all 75 of us.

More photos and comments will come in a day or two (if you’re not totally over my being 75 by then!)
 

The 'advance' work force at Apollo with the 'Gerhard' creation

CLICK HERE to see Photo Album

Friend Gerhard went all out to transform Apollo for the 75th without detracting from the simplicity of the restaurant. Olive trees, lemons, pomegranates, artichokes and other vegetables formed the main display, with bay and rosemary wreaths made for the walls. Thanks Gerhard for a great ‘installation’. (And thank you to Robyn for ‘pruning’ her lemon trees and bringing the laden branches.)

Great having my immediate family from Queensland come down for the celebration.
eldest brother, Tony and Ruth
Sister Anne and Trev, and
younger brother, Mark and Jenny

 
ST IGNATIUS FEAST DAY CELEBRATIONS AT ST CANICE’S

 
 

Students from three of Sydney’s Jesuit Colleges came to St Canice’s this weekend to join in the parish Feast Day celebrations and to share of their recent ‘immersion’ experiences at our sister parish in East Timor, at the Jesuit Railaco Mission. Fr Tom Renshaw celebrated all three Masses. After the 10.30am Mass, parishioners gathered in the forecourt for morning tea.

Thanks to your collective generosity, we’ll be sending more than $10,000 to Fr Bong in Railaco to support the humanitarian works of our sister parish.

Click here to see Photos from the Masses on the special weekend, and of parishioners enjoying morning tea in the forecourt after the 10.30 am Mass.

 

n the last week of June, I travelled to Timor-Leste to visit the Jesuit Railaco Mission.

I’ve written an extensive ‘report’ on his trip, going beyond sharing what’s going on with the Children’s Feeding Program, Mobile Medical Clinic, and Secondary School. My aim of this ‘report’ is to share more of the ‘back-story’ about conditions and life ‘on the front lines’ in Timor. I learned a lot from first-hand experiences in meeting many Jesuits and speaking to other volunteers.

The Vision of the Jesuits up there is to see a Timor-Leste Church and Nation that is grounded in faith and justice of the gospel, and where the humanisation of life especially youth, women and children is included. The works of the Jesuits and volunteers allow marginalised families to grow in community, opportunity, and hope.

Click here to read my story, ‘The First Letter of Michael to the Caniceians’. (Written with St Canice parishioners as the primary audience.)

Cover - 'First Letter of Michael to the Caniceians'.

 

 

 
 

A spot of sunshine for Ken, Pam, Edmundo and Michael in front of the Krujë castle, near Tirana in Albania and the centre of Skanderbeg's rebellion against the Ottoman Empire.

 
 

T

he links to all the albums from our recent trip are grouped in this one blog. This interim measure gives easy access to the photos and storylines for all 15 Google Albums. The stories are by and large personal experiences or items of interest learned through local conversations. Some other references are taken from reliable sources to provide historical context and sense of place.

To view, simply click on name of each destination listed below. Pam and Ken and Edmundo did not accompany me on the Italian long weekend in the Romagna Region.

If your time is limited, I suggest that you choose 1. Berat and Apolonia, Albania, 2. Sarajevo, Bosnia Day 1, and 3. Ravenna, Italy to give you the flavour of what we experienced.

Enjoy!

Michael, Pam, Ken, Edmundo.

 

Our little group outside the clock tower and 19th century Ethem Bey Mosque in Tirana

 

Easter Weekend in Lucerne

Tirana – Finally Albania

Kruja and Durres, Albania

Berat and Apolonia, Albania

Lake Ohrid, Macedonia

St Naum Monastery, Ohrid

Sarajevo, Bosnia – Day 1 Walking Tour

Sarajevo, Bosnia – Day 2

On the road from Sarajevo to Mostar

Herzegovina Experiences

Medjugorje, Herzegovinia

Farewell Balkans – Hello London

San Marino and San Leo

Ravenna

The Abbey of Pomposa

 

Above Sarajevo with our guide Dino and driver Amer

 

SPECTACULAR MOSAICS COVER WALLS AND CEILING IN ST VITALE BASILICA IN RAVENNA, ITALY .  .  .  .  In a lunette on the left wall are two scenes from the life of Abraham. On the left, his wife Sarah waits in the doorway as Abraham brings a calf to the three mysterious guests (seen by Christians as foreshadowing the Trinity), who sit at a table in the centre. On the right is his near-sacrifice of his son Isaac in obedience to God's will.  At the very top left is the Prophet Jeremiah while the right shows a beardless Moses ascending Mt. Sinai.  The presbytery vault is richly decorated with mosaics in green, blue and gold, with vine tendrils and small animals. Each of the four sections of the vault has a standing angel in a white robe, who together support a central medallion of the Lamb of God against the backdrop of a starry sky. (Captured with my iPhone 6S)

Humanitarian good works in East Timor

 

his humanitarian endeavor is a sustainable program that provides medical and nutritional care to impoverished people in remote mountainous areas of East Timor, who could otherwise not access other services.

 

Food for Kids . . .

Today, in Railaco East Timor, a small team of women, already mothers themselves, grow, buy and prepare nutritious food, before setting out in a 4WD, bumping over pot-holed roads in the mountains, to serve a nutritious meal to thirty grateful pre-school kids in three remote communities.

These poor kids have nothing and they rely on this meal for sustenance three times a week. A boiled egg and a glass of milk is only part of the nutritional meal they receive.

How the children eat on other days is something to think about.

 

 

Medicines for Mums . . .

Also in East Timor, Fr Bong, a Filipino doctor and Jesuit priest, runs mobile medical clinics in eleven remote communities serving poor people who live in the mountains outside the reach of local government services. They walk for miles to see the doctor. Two trained local assistants accompany ‘Bong’ in his battered old 4WD to receive the patients, and dispense medications.

 

 

Making a difference through quality Education . . .

There are more than three hundred students enrolled in the Railaco Secondary School in 2017. Twenty of the sixty-seven students who graduated in 2016 obtained entry to the National University of East Timor in 2017!

This academic achievement talks to the sustainability of the education programs that assist the poorest of the poor to do something not only for their own and their families futures, but for the nation in this still struggling, emerging neighbour country.

 

 

 

Who is behind all this?

At the heart of all this is the Jesuit Mission in Railaco. These ‘men and women of the Mission’ live the ideal that we hear of ever more frequently these days in the exhortations of Pope Francis.

“. . . it is unfathomable that there are so many hungry children, that there are so many children without an education, so many poor persons. Poverty today is a cry.” (Pope Francis)

 

Daily, unselfishly, these trusted men and women in Railaco carry out humanitarian works caring for the poorest of the poor, on our behalf.

 

I’ll deposit whatever amount you wish to send me into the Jesuit Mission Overseas Development Aid Fund ABN 47 915 006 050, and arrange for a tax-deductible receipt to be sent to you.

Bank: NAB Potts Point   BSB 082 048   Account # 85 902 6967 Name: L M Musgrave

 

 
 

N

ude Live at the Art Gallery of New South Wales is anything but ‘still life’.
 

I ponder what the first patrons of the Art Gallery of NSW when it opened in 1874 would have thought of 'Nude Live'

Still setting-up on Day 1 of Sydney Festival; no nudity - till I get inside the Art Gallery!

ancers twist, entangle and plunge; in the nude; unselfconscious, trusting and brave, emulating the extraordinary art and sculptures in the exhibition of ‘Nude: art from the Tate Collection’. 

The choreography for the hour-long ‘performance’ displays the creative talent of Sydney Dance Company’s Rafael Bonacela. The choice of music further deepens my involvement in the whole experience.

I was fortunate to be invited to the opening performance this evening – a wonderful collaboration between the Sydney Dance Company, the Art Gallery of NSW, and Sydney Festival. 

The initial voyeurism (inevitable), and the novel of nudity very quickly gives way to an appreciation of the dance. The closeness and audience involvement with the dancers in the informality of a gallery setting completes a spectacular triumvirate of exhilarating connectedness.

I know those of my friends who’d wish I had more of the ‘inside’ shots to illustrate this event more in the flesh, but you have to be content. I can’t go around photographing a person’s bottom or ‘dangly bits’, even in this day and age.

Members of the Sydney Dance Company at the Art Gallery of NSW

Enjoying a libation and 'party pies' with old friends after the show

This one minute video is but a teaser to the real ‘Nude Live’ experience.

NUDE LIVE – Trailer (Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney Festival & Sydney Dance Company) from Pedro Greig on Vimeo.

 

hree ‘drop-in’ events this on New Year’s Eve, all with marvellous views of Sydney’s now world-famous Fireworks extravaganza.

My first stop of the evening is just after nightfall. Thanks to Brad, I have an excellent vantage point. Australian Navy ships dock in Woolloomooloo Bay right below me and then there’s sweeping views over to the Sydney CBD, Bridge and Sydney Opera House.

With a glass of chilled white in my hand, I’m ready and waiting for the first NYE fireworks like all the other kiddies who’ll then go home to bed, sensibly.

Up above Jeff and Brad's old apartment in Victoria Street with excellent views over the bridge and opera house for the kiddies fireworks

The 9pm Kiddies Fireworks

 
 
riends Joy and Wrix live only two doors down the street. This drop-in affords me the added opportunity to meet Joy’s brother Michael and children visiting from New Zealand.

Wine in hand, my eye goes straight to the gyoza in Joy’s beautiful spread. Michael’s been busy making Japanese gyoza, and after tasting my first, I was wishing that I was staying for the yet-to-be-served home-made Malaysian chicken curry.

Joy and Wrix - first year in their new home for New Year's Eve fireworks

 
 
he final stop was at Pat and Vic’s (a friend of 52 years!) apartment in Ikon, also with commanding views for the midnight fireworks views of bridge and Opera House. 

You might imagine how ‘twixt and between I was at times this evening. Between Joy and brother Michael’s Malaysian catering – and Dr Pat’s mother’s Vietnamese cooking, I was spoiled for choice.

Hosts Pat and Vic with Sandy and Hyunju - I've been friends with Sandy and Vic from Queensland for 50+ years)

Brian and Alex, with Hyunju and Michael on the 'stairway to paradise' (at Vic and Pat's)

could easily forego fireworks but . . . it might be something to do with distance away from the action, and my camera not being good enough to capture the ‘perfect’ shot. I blame the graininess on iPhone, but gee how I use the camera on that handy little device to capture ‘moments’ all the time.
 
 

New Year’s Day Mass brings the chance to meet-up with Joy’s family from New Zealand again, and also with my nephew Bill and Mindy, and my soon to be seven grand nephew, Jude. See how they grow!

ill and Mindy hosted me to the delicious bacon and egg toasties at Pickled, but that doesn’t mean I got away scot-free. I think I ‘engaged’ the little boy not only by arranging for him to get a cold iced chocolate, but also promising to get him his first camera and show him how to use it. Silly uncle.

Joy's family with my nephew Bill and friend Shenagh as 'book-ends' to the happy group

Amazing what an iced chocolate can do to get a smile for the old uncle

 
 
 

 
 

busy month at home in Sydney entertaining and being entertained.

Click on the first photo and a Lightbox opens to a Slideshow and also allows you to use the arrows at the side to scroll through and to read the captions.

 
 
ndrew knows how to throw a party and make good use of his garden. But how he manages to prepare the meal and seat all his guests has become something of a legend.

Threatening skies didn’t deter him from setting-up the lunch table in the garden, and those of us outside had sufficient pre-luncheon bubbles not to worry about the few sprinkles.

Andrew, Christopher and

 
 
ay and Robyn entertained on the back terrace overlooking the harbour with Robyn’s home-made hot savouries to accompany delicious chilled Mumm.
 
 
 
couple of days before Christmas I had the chance to catch up with Hyunju and Dave, sitting at an outside table at Apollo.
 

 
 

opolo in Rushcutter’s Bay is a traditional Italian Restaurant that’s going from strength to strength. My guests, Pam and Ken, Paul and Shenagh all agree.

Paul, Pam, Michael, Shenagh and Ken enjoy a Christmas Eve celebration - at Popolo

 
 
fter a lovely meal, we walked up the street to St Canice’s for an early Midnight Mass at 10pm. Gerhard had done an amazing job transforming the church into a Christmas wonderland. The major installation was an old lichen-encrusted crabapple from the Blue Mountains with candles hanging from its branches – surrounded by red poinsettia.
 

 
 
horts and a cool shirt were the order of the day for very casual Christmas Day lunch at the home of Wei and Ron with traditional roast turkey and glazed ham. Home by 6.30pm. Asleep by 6.35pm! A good day.

Dr Pat in his special Christmas tie with Michael and 'Matilda' the King George Spaniel

 
 
oast Pork was on the menu at my place on Boxing Day. I was standing for six hours straight preparing the vegetables and learning how to do the pork – thanks to Anne’s telephone instructions, it was excellent – flesh moist and crackling crisp!
 
 
y nephew Bill and Mindy enjoyed a night out with me at Cho Cho San – the babysitter was at home looking after Jude.

 
 

he Baptism of cousin Julie’s grand-daughter Olivia
 
 
t’s good to catch-up with friends visiting from Brisbane, Jude and Sophie.
 

 
 

am visiting the Gold Coast ‘spreading the love’ to mark the 50th wedding anniversary of my sister Anne and Trevor.

My younger sister Anne and Trevor celebrating their Golden Wedding Anniversary

 
 

We drove up to Brisbane from the Gold Coast to the home of big brother,Tony and Ruth. Younger brother Mark and Jenny joined us in a very relaxed family pre-Christmas get-together. And so, the four Musgrave siblings were together. Jenny brought along my favourite curried egg sandwiches.

4 Musgrave Siblings and Spouse - at Tony and Ruth's

 
 
Another pre-Christmas lunch, this time at Nobby Beach to share a plate of prawns with my nephew Mark, Chrissy and the girls.

Enjoying lunch al fresco on my sister Anne Schramm 's pool terrace on the Gold Coast. Nephew Mark Schramm and family came down from Brisbane to join us.

 
 
My visit also coincides with the 75th birthday of friend of 50 years, Alan, who came to dinner to share a few glasses of bubbly, and bowls of freshly-peeled prawns.

Prawns for dinner to celebrate the 75th birthday of friend of 50 years, Alan G

I’m not doing anything overtly festive this year but that doesn’t prevent me in the lead up to the ‘main event’ on Christmas Day from setting the scene to mark the festive season.

Gerhard was in yesterday with pots of poinsettia and herbs to give the balcony a touch of Christmas colour (and fresh basil for those summer tomatoes that I’m looking forward to).

Then over the bridge in an Uber to cousin Julie and Dennis’ to join friends for a pre-Christmas meal of Sydney rock oysters, and swordfish from the barbecue. Reminds me that I should go back to swordfish again and got search for my old mango and cucumber salsa recipe as the garnish.

A plaintive plea from 100-year-old Aunt Beth (via a one-finger, one-line email) telling of her craving for some easy to handle stone fruit had me busy pressing the new-season nectarines, plums and apricots at Harris Farm wondering which of the wide choice might be the sweeter, and ready-to-eat. My friend the Chookman, Ian, kindly walked around some little chicken sandwiches to compete the mini-Christmas lunch in Beth’s room.

A plaintive plea from 100-year-old Aunt Beth (via a one-finger, one-line email) telling of her craving for some easy to handle stone fruit had me busy pressing the new-season nectarines, plums and apricots at Harris Farm wondering which of the wide choice might be the sweeter, and ready-to-eat. My friend the Chookman, Ian, kindly walked around some little chicken sandwiches to compete the mini-Christmas lunch in Beth’s room.

The final Christmas touch for my apartment has always has been to retrieve the Lladro ‘Flight into Egypt’ porcelain from its box (that I’d bought years ago in New York with my late good friend, Joe Walsh), and set it up in pride of place, until Epiphany.

Merry Christmas!

usan and I worked together at Amex 65 Broadway in New York in 1975. That’s how far we go back!

The seven years since we all were all together at a Susan and Bill’s previous home on Miami Beach seems more like seven days. Tonight we share a meal, much laughter (and minimal Hillary/Trump differences of opinion) in their new home in Miami Shores – with the four Westies members of the family – Cupcake, Winston, Annabel and Muffin.

Edmundo, Tom, Susan, Peggy, Micky, Bill, Michael

efore coming to North Carolina this weekend, the only thought I had was for a chance to perhaps see some late Fall foliage. I wasn’t disappointed.

The crisp, clean, green of this place is an environment that I embrace – very much like those cold, blue sky days up in Connecticut in the years that I was living here in the US. (And so unlike the piercing cold of air conditioning inside buildings in Miami where I have to carry a coat.) I had a chance to see many beautiful homes set in the woods and on the lake as we drove around visiting artists in the home studios on the annual ‘Open Studio Tour’.

Friend Shaun at Duke University Chapel

The ‘southern drawl’ of so many you come across in the stores and restaurants gives North Carolina a special sense of place here within the US. I love it. At the same time, there’s many foreigners studying here or working in the faculties of the three main universities.

pproaching midnight on US Election night. All I want to do is go to bed and wake up and find this terrible dream is over. Stock market futures are already down 600 points.

The two Michaels experiencing somatic psychological stress as counting comes down to the line

y host Edmundo has had me ‘on the run’ here in Miami since I landed from Chile on Friday morning.

Finally I get to see Edmundo's extensive renovation of his new Coral Gables apartment

Welcome parties on ‘pre-election’ weekend could have been rather dangerous affairs. But I find that most of the guests, Republican or Democrat, have already cast their votes for . . . . . Hillary. “The devil you know” seems to have been the underlying sentiment.

Politics was verboten at the luncheon gathering at the Key Biscayne home of Tere Benach on Sunday, but Aperol Spritz cocktails loosened tongues. Thankfully, respectful and restrained conversation let me understand different points of view while thoroughly enjoying the ‘Arroz con Pollo’ (a delicious Cuban chicken and rice dish) that Tere had made especially in my honour.

Hostess Tere specially prepared Cuban Chicken and Rice with plantains in my honour

At a gathering of old friends at Edmundo’s home from our time at Lake Como , the case of Taittinger didn’t quite make it to the end of the evening, but a quick dash to the cellar to find more bubbly saved the night.

Edmundo, Mark, Jorge, Michael and Michael I

David, Anna and Regina more than kept up with the thirsty guests

dmundo has a new toy – little 2016 Chinese Red Fiat 500 Abarth. Out driving, he loves engaging the ‘Sports’ control button that makes such a terrible noise. Meanwhile I’m admiring the streets of ‘Mediterranean Revival’ Coral Gables with their shaded canopies of mature oaks, and the masses of bougainvillea and pink Bauhinia trees.

Edmundo's noisy little 2016 Chinese Red Fiat 500 Abarth