Mandelieu conference playtime near Cannes, Sth France.

And a little wine tasting to wash the dusty travel day away.







Limbering up with aides Scot from Australia and Gerry from the Caribbean






Nel at marina lunch
Peter Barwick also after lunch
IBM one day break out workshop.
Boule (petanque?) anyone?
Pictures from the ancient walled city outside Nice

Home in St Legier

Lily pond;
Peace Rose;
wishing well;
rose wall;
BBQ balcony; view to lake;
Lounge room;
Welcome to EMOH RUO!

Bling hits Lodéve, France

Rear of the Lara Bling Temple, Lodève, 1 hour north west of Montpellier in France.

Home of RIGPA outside of Tibet

Jane in front of a Stupa , which is full of saffron. Unfortunately it has shifted since construction and saffron can be seen to be leaking. So, inside this wonderful piece of Carerra marble is half the worlds supply of would-be-curries and orange robes.
Beautiful.

Barbara in her 'tearoom' afront her shrine.

Peter stands near his shrine

These cabins are the premium end of accomodation at Lara Bling. Individual huts with 2 occupants . They are sponsored by generous supporters, who when they wish to attend events at the Temple, resume possession and so the longer term occupants resort to tents within the compound.

Peter, Jane and Nel then Nel, Barbara and Peter Caldwell at the Lara Bling Temple. Peter and Barbara are there on a 3 year retreat.

These are picts taken in April, I've only just been able to retrieve the discs. (Long way around via Switz/ Dubai/Bangkok/Australia/Switz. So these are out of synch with the timeline of this blog set.

Brancusi, colourful rooms at the Pompidou Centre and rude Swiss clocks

Verrry rude Cuckoo clocks they have here.

The Pompidou Centre. High church to modern art.

Renzo Piano' early work before he got to Sydney

A few tips on adding colour to your room maybe? Breathtaking.

Well, what should one, can one say about Brancusi? Hmmm?

l to r: Fish, Room layout, Birds in space lined up for takeoff.

Swan Lake. Ooh... aaah...

Did you know that only the Royalty are allowed to eat Swans?
Let's see, ring neck of swan briskly, pluck, wash and pat dry, stuff with chestnets (shelled), add liberal amounts of salt and pepper, butter, garlic and leeks. Stuff mixture so formed into Swan cavity.
For that special added touch, place 6 baby quails inside cavity, stuff each quail with pheasant eggs.

Bake in a slow over for 5 hours , baste regularly in-between rounds of croquet.

A 1963 Chauteau Pape du Neuf should do well to accompany.

Rü & Ivan leave, Peter arrives from London.

Left: Peter at our fav beer o'clock lakeside.


left: Qui Qui loves asparagus. Likes his wine too.






Left: Mario Vera my boss and Rölf discuss a lingering point of lunch.


Below left : Ivan Jennings my office mate checks out his leaving pressie Baume-Mercier Desk clock. Peter looks on.

Left: Peter Barwick , incoming from London replaces Rü von der Emden who has been with Nestle as Brand and Packaging Manager for over 35 years and is retiring. Bow ties and all. Me with a glass under my belt next to Rü.

horatioonacolumn: Peking to Paris Vintage cars for vicarious living

Peking to Paris Vintage cars for vicarious living

My pal, founder and CEO of the Brewery, Paul Stead has sent me this magnificent shot of a car he and buddy intend to drive in the historic Centenary Peking to Paris re-enactment.

Imagine the trials and tribulations the original drivers must have had - mind you even these modern day road warriors will face. Visit the site, a link is provided: http://www.pekingparis.com/

Over 130 cars are currently listed with a real who's who list of vintage brands, makes and models. This will be a trip worth following. Paul and co driver Hugh Brofgan will drive their 1936 V8 Ford Pilot in slot 63. Watch out!

Drinky poos at lakeside, Gruyere ansd Swiss chalets

We nearly took this on as a house. Enough to drive you to drink.

Gstaad and the last snow flakes.

We think that Mont Blanc in the background. At least we got to see some snow and make a snow ball. No Penny didn't throw it at me.

Penns just checking the nutritional value.

Gstaad really got my goat

Gstaad is a playground for the genteel set in winter. So natch I arrive after the snows nearly all gone. At lewast the local animals are friendly and not above butting in.

A good Fedora finishes the man

After a few chilly weeks in Switzerland , Jane bought me a lovely fedora in Lodeve ( France) Saturday markets. Locally crafted and delightfully warm. This hat has proved a turning point in my head wear, being as I have been a cap enthusiast, but given the turning of the tide of opinions of this particular affectation a proper hat it now is. Funnily having baulked at buying an Akubra and numerous failed attempts to acquire one, I have chosen this Fedora. Then afterwards as I walked down the street I caught a reflection of my self, and my immediate reaction?
" There's Dad!"
So as we age one does just get more like the oldies.

Chalet Avalon

Well the girls just gonna LOVE this. Enough room even for the olds to stay in.

Kat & Pen get higher

This is where James Bond flew a across some skiiers in one of Roger Moores oldies.

Swiss cheese smells best when warm

I love the smell of Gruyere in the mornings.

Here's a pic of Katrina at Evian. 1 May 07

Over the hill and the views not bad.

I made it. The gout's playing up but I made it!

Who'da thought the years stack up so fast.?

I was in a electronics shop today with the boys. Over a thousand feet of retail spac devoted to electrical enterrtainment. Wow. We bought two games to go on the PSP'sat A$70 each and the boys are wrapt. Again. First it was Nintendo gameboys. Then its Gameboy advance, then Playstation now te ula n portable anywhere anytime finger thumb excercise to inane noises. Why don't the English write for PSP?

Lets form a lobby group : Literature in Electro-MultiMedia To Save the Youth of the World -LIEMMTSTYOTW. A Classics Comics for the digiterleria.

Any takers?