Rottnest - West Australia's dream island

                                     

SE coast of Western Australia

Rottnest Island/Wadjemup Full-Day Trip from Perth The sandy beaches and wildlife reserves of Rottnest Island lie just off the coast of Perth. On this 7 hour tour, ride the ferry to Rottnest and take in all the highlights of the car-free island. The guided bus tour drops visitors off en route to landmarks like Lighthouse, Henrietta Rocks and Cathedral Rocks. Then take a train up to Oliver Hill WW2 site.  

Rottnest Island Grand Tour, Lunch and Historical Train Ride Feel Rottnest Island via a half-day guided tour by coach. Get a comprehensive look at its attractions with a historic train ride. Highlights including Kingstown Barracks, Henrietta Rocks, Parker Point and Oliver Hill Battery. A light box lunch is included.

Experience in all the highlights of Rottnest Island in AC comfort on this Rottnest Island Bayseeker Bus Tour. A perfect 2 hour trip for those with only half a day, hop off the ferry in Thomson Bay and jump on the bus. Then enjoy a guided commentary, taking in the old WW2 barracks, seals at Cathedral Rocks, shipwrecks, seasonal pink salt lakes and Wadjemup Lighthouse.

Rottnest Island Historical Train and Tunnel Tour After the sandy beaches and beautiful bays, find out more about the island’s military history on a full-day tour. Savour sensational coastal views on a 40-minute cruise from Hillary’s Boat Harbour. Then ride the train up Oliver Hill and venture into war time tunnels, used in WW2 and still armed with huge 9.2” diameter guns. Then head back to the jetty to catch the return ferry.

Wadjemup Museum is the essential point of the island experience to explore and grasp the local culture and history. See antique artefacts, incredible sculptures and explore the Old Mill and Old Hay Store building. Wadjemup was commandeered by the Dept of Defence as an WW1 internment camp for enemy aliens. The Memorial Stone remnant is a unique relic created by the internees to signify their period of confinement on the island and photos taken by of the internees 

Mother and baby quokka

Spotting native Quokkas Rottnest has the world’s largest quokka population. They are related to kangaroos and wallabies, and to see them in the heat of summer is fun. But it’s quite another to witness them in the cooler months when little joey quokkas take their first hops into the world as protective mothers supervise. At the light house they live at the base of the Hill, offering the perfect respite in clusters of tea trees, home to quokkas. Take in this iconic wildlife moment before climbing up to the highest point of the island. Quokkas are nocturnal creatures; they're much more active at dusk, night or early morning.

Rottnest Island Luxe Seafood Cruise Experience this sea-to-plate 4 hour cruise of the Island. Head out in search of western rock lobster with the crew. The lobster catch will be served for lunch in a 7-course feast that includes fresh local seafood delicacies eg Shark Bay tiger prawns, blue swimmer crab cakes and seared West Australian scallops. Margaret River's Howard Park wines plus local bottled beers accompany the decadent menu.

Wadjemup Museum is the essential point of the island experience to exp-lore and grasp the local culture and history. See antique artefacts, incredible sculptures and explore the Old Mill and Old Hay Store building. Wadjemup was commandeered by the Dept of Defence as an WW1 internment camp for enemy aliens. The Memorial Stone remnant is a unique relic created by the internees to signify their period of confinement on the island and photos taken by of the internees

Segway tourists relaxing and viewing the ocean

Rottnest Coastal Explorer Tour Experience the best of Rottnest Island with a 2-hour tour! The great tour guide will go on a thrilling Rottnest Segway Adventure Tours use self-balancing, two-wheeled transporters that allow relaxed riders to glide smoothly on trails. Discover the unique diversity of the island, from the occasional pink hue of the interior salt lakes to the stunning coastal bays in the north. Start from the base in the Settlement, the 2 hour tour will showcase the island like never before: via the stunning salt lakes and bushland, plus breathtaking northern coastal bays and beaches. It goes inland to colourful salt lakes and woodlands blooming with samphire plant. Then go along the sparkling coast to a range of historic land marks, including the popular, historic Bathurst Lighthouse and North Thomson Colonial Settlement with breathtaking views. Glide along spectacular Thomson Bay, filled with boats and bathers, to the iconic Rottnest pub and The Basin, picturesque swimming spots. 

Discover the unique diversity of the island, from the occasional pink hue of the interior salt lakes to the stunning coastal bays in the north.  Start from the base in the Settlement, the 2 hour tour will showcase the island like never before: via the stunning salt lakes and bushland, plus breathtaking northern coastal bays and beaches. It goes inland to colourful salt lakes and woodlands blooming with samphire. Then go along the sparkling coast to a range of historic land marks, including the popular, historic Bathurst Lighthouse and North Thomson Colonial Settlement with breathtaking views. Glide along spectacular Thomson Bay, filled with boats and bathers, to the iconic Rottnest pub and The Basin is a very picturesque swimming spots. And although the Segway take the physical effort out of hiking and bicycling, refreshments are offered in Geordie Bay. 

Bathurst Lighthouse

with breaktaking views

To stay on the island overnight, find Samphire Rottnest Hotel which has 80 spacious rooms that were designed to maximise the natural surroundings. Enjoy the simple, modern outdoors from the comforts of the room, marvel at the island from a private balcony or deck, and focus on expansive views across the bay. Then venture outside and roam across native landscaping. The room with 4 bunk beds offers the fairest price.

Samphire Hotel balcony

overlooking the ocean

Located at one of the southern-most tips of the island, Little Salmon Bay is one of the more popular bays on Rottnest. Its naturally-sheltered location makes for calm, clear waters, perfect for families looking for a relaxing swimming experience. It’s an excellent spot for snorkelling and exploring under the waves where the water never gets too deep, so it’s perfect for families.—and be on the lookout for glimpses of starfish and crayfish. Follow the Little Salmon Bay snorkel trail to discover more about the island's sea life. 

Chocolate lovers: visit Malta

I loved holidaying in Malta but now I know there was much more to learn.

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Malta Chocolate Factory

Built by the Knights of St John in the mid-C16th on the centrally located Mediterranean island of Malta, Valletta quickly became a very important and cosmopolitan harbour city, and a perfect place through which foreign culinary practices and new exciting ingredients would have been able to enter the island. And, through the influence and strong links that the multi-national Knights enjoyed with overseas regions, some ingredients were able to come into Malta relatively earlier when compared to other parts of Europe. One example of this was chocolate. Malta was among the pioneering countries to have introduced the drinking of chocolate in Europe. Originating in Mexico, cocoa beans were introduced into Malta by the Spanish knights.

Born in Valletta Francesco Buonamico was a medical doctor, but as was usual for clever men, he was also a specialist botanist, antiquarian, linguist, scientist, poet, writer and theologian, a post-Renaissance genius. Buonamico was best known for his travelogues, written over a decade that he spent visiting 70 cities across Europe. While studying in France in the mid-1600s, Francesco Buonamico wrote the Trattato della Cioccolata, claiming that the island could boast of having been a forerunner in the coffee and chocolate drinking crazes that swept Europe in the C17th.  Buonamico wrote extensively and is best known for his travelogue, written in a decade that he spent visiting 70 cities all over Europe.

It was while studying in France, aged 19, that he wrote what was seen as one of the earliest treatises on chocolate. In his 8-page manuscript, Buonamic claimed that South American Indians resorted to chocolate drinking because they had no wine; so chocolate was clearly a drink then. The treatise provided a drinking chocolate recipe that included orange peel, spices, nuts and aniseed. In Malta, cocoa beans were used as the main ingredient for cold drinks and even ice creams. By late 1700s, Maltese chocolate wrapping paper started to be printed, indicating that by then chocolate was being consumed also as a solid. We also know that in Malta, cocoa beans were used as the principal ingredient for the preparation of a cold drink, granita, sorbet and icecream. 

But despite its limited market, it continued to attract the attention of scientists interested in discussing its nutritional benefits. It was still recognised as a precious treat, one that was given to dignitaries visiting Malta.  Grand Master Pinto gave chocolate as a reward to a group of men who infiltrated a network of organised smuggling from the Order’s bakery. Grand Master de Rohan had a personal chocolatier who worked at the palace, while a number of Inquisitors of Malta are also known to have treated their high-ranking guests with this luxury. In 1798 the Inquisitor’s Palace listed copper chocolate pots and other specialised equipment, just to meet the Inquisitor’s cravings!

Maltesers are a British confectionery product made by Mars Inc, first sold in UK in 1937. Originally described as energy balls and aimed at women, Maltesers consisted of a spheroid malted milk centre surrounded by milk chocolate. Their first logo was The chocolates with the less fattening centre. Ads claimed Maltesers malted milk centre was 1/7 as fattening as ordinary chocolate centres, leading marketers to value it for weight loss. In a later poll, they were the most popular sweet in the UK. They have since been sold in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, U.S and Middle East. In Australia, Mars signed up with MacRobertson's in 1954 which bloggers will remember if they were at school in the mid 1950s. Only in Jan 2017 did Maltesers officially became available in U.S. In fact the factory in Ontario, Canada produces 80% of its Maltesers for the U.S market.

Chocolate coconut balls

Credit: I love Maltese food

 

Due to its expensive market value and exotic nature, chocolate was primarily consumed by the nobility, but despite its limited market, it continued to attract the attention of scientists interested in discussing its nutritional benefits, if any existed. It was still recognised as a precious treat, one that was offered to dignitaries visiting Malta. Grand Master Pinto presented chocolate as a reward to a group of men who infiltrated a network of organised smuggling from the Order’s bakery. Grand Master de Rohan had a personal chocolatier who worked at the palace, while a number of Inquisitors of Malta are also known to have treated their high-ranking guests with this luxury. In 1798 the Inquisitor’s Palace listed copper chocolate pots and other specialised equipment, just for the Inquisitor’s cravings!

Few Maltese salt pans/salini remain today. This chocolate bar comes from the timeless, age-old craft of salt farmers, who have harvested salt traditionally for 400+ years. Hand harvested sea salt from the Salt Pans is lightly sprinkled over Dark Chocolate. Its delicate texture and gentle saltiness bring out the complexities of the dark chocolate blend.

Taste traditional Gbejniet cheese in Gozo; delicious, round white cheese made from sheep’s or goat’s milk, dried in ventilated boxes and later spiced in wine vinegar & topped with crushed pepper. Taking inspiration from the obsession with cheese, embraced goats’ milk to create an alternative to milk chocolate. Peppered cheese chocolate is grassy, creamy, fresh and slightly sour.

tasting tables and drinking area

Malta Chocolate Factory

At the Malta Chocolate Factory, look through the kitchen viewing window into the factory to see artisanal chocolates being handmade. Adults then sit tasting wine, beer, cocktail and chocolate pairings.

Each important Maltese holiday has a special chocolate item that families always buy or make. Before Lent, the Maltese celebrate Carnival with prinjolata, a traditional cake made of sponge, almonds, cherries, pistachios & chocolate. Feast of St Joseph is connected to fried choux pastry balls, filled with sweet ricotta and topped with chocolate. Christmas Eve is celebrated with hot, spiced cocoa drink with chestnuts, orange rind, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

For exotic, savoury tastes, see the Authentic Maltese Chocolate Collection, 6 unique chocolate bars made with local flavours. Combining Maltese ingredients the endemic Bidni olives and Sea Salt. The cultivar known as Bidni is endemic to Malta but, until a few years ago, it was rare and virtually unknown. Taste the strong, peppery, melt in this true artisan/handmade product. 

Few Maltese salt pans/salini remain today. This chocolate bar comes from the timeless, age-old craft of salt farmers, who have harvested salt traditionally for 400+ years. Hand harvested sea salt from the Salt Pans is lightly sprinkled over Dark Chocolate. Its delicate texture and gentle saltiness bring out the complexities of the dark chocolate blend.

Malta artisan wine pairing

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Malta Gift Service

great Victorian food market - Leadenhall

If locals and tourists had to select the four most famous markets of London, they would probably be Leadenhall, Billingsgate, Smithfield & Spitalfields. In particular, people know the market at Smithfield, within central London, which is still the country's largest meat market.

In the east of the City is my favourite, Leadenhall Market, a fresh food market that is fully covered. There has always been a market place on the site, but the details are sketchy. It was not until 1309 that the Manor of Leadenhall was first listed as belonging to Sir Hugh Neville. We have to assume that the name was chosen because the manor house was roofed with lead.

                                   

Leadenhall Market, interior

Photo credit: David K Hardman Photography

By 1321, the area around Leadenhall manor was a known meeting place for poulterers. They were joined in 1397 by cheese-mongers. Then for some reason the freehold was handed to the City of London in 1411. The site grew in importance as a granary, and a chapel was built to service those coming to the market. The records show that the market continued to be used for the sale of fish, meat, poultry and corn.

Leadenhall's chequered career fell in something of a heap in the later 17th century - it seems inevitable that the Great Fire of London destroyed parts of the site in 1666.

But in the end, the fire didn't ruin the market's perfect location and in recent centuries, Leadenhall St continued to be an important thoroughfare. It has been the home of Lloyd's of London, the London Metal Exchange and East India House, headquarters of the East India Company. Leadenhall Market is in Gracechurch St, just near the corner of Leadenhall St, and the Bank of England is very close.

I am not sure what the original market looked like, but in 1881 the old building was bulldozed and rebuilt by architect Sir Horace Jones (1819-87). It is not an accident that Jones had also been the architect of Smithfield Markets (in 1868) and Billingsgate (in 1877) – his reputation was rock solid.

As you'd expect from an important, late Victorian structure in a mercantile heart of London, the latest version of the building was elaborate. Its wrought-iron, repetitively arched structure had a roof of long glass skylights. But of course it would be - by then, even the magnificent ferneries and palm houses being built in mid Victorian stately homes and public gardens were confections of wrought iron and glass! Galleria Vitorio II in Milan was slightly more classical and slightly less Victorian, but the dates (1865-77) were similar.

Solo Craft Fair, in the Leadenhall Market

alongside Pizza Express 

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In Leadenhall the market was restored in 1991 - the ornate roof structure was coloured in maroon and cream, and the open spaces were given beautiful cobbled stonework. Leadenhall Market still sells its traditional fare: game, poultry, fish and meat, but now they have added cheese shops, wine shops and restaurants. 

Other bloggers have been particularly impressed with the historical tavern. The Lamb Tavern, situated at the heart of Leadenhall Market, was first built in 1309 by the same Sir Hugh Neville. The tavern's site however has much grander origins than the C14th market situated beneath it. Clearly the Lamb Tavern has been a place for slaking thirsts near the market for a very very long time. I have only been to one party in the market tavern, but it was memorable !

Lamb Tavern,

Real Weddings

The local authority, the City of London Corporation, owns and runs Smithfield Market and Leadenhall Market. But it is interesting, and unexpected, that the City of London Corporation also has formal responsibilities beyond the City's boundaries. It owns Old Spitalfields Market and Billingsgate Fish Market, both of which are within the neighbouring London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

For gorgeous photos of the architecture, see Instagram.

Feodor Ruckert Faberge silver, cloisonné enamel

Ruckert, coloured tea service, 1887-96, Alamy

Early medieval Russian silver often included calm niello work and ornamental lines with black enamel. But under Tsar Peter the Great (1682-1725), who west­ernised the Russ­ian Empire, local silversm­iths began explor­ing modern forms. The Imperial family and weal­thy cl­asses dined from fash­ionable, solid-silver Baroque, Rococo, then Neoclassic-style gob­lets, plat­ters, caviar dishes and bas­kets. Showy gilt-silver cigar­ette cas­es, cigar cas­es and tankards sat on shelves. Silver mirrors, per­fume bott­l­es, powder boxes and jewel­l­ery caskets went onto ladies dressers.

Cloisonné: an enamelling technique made from soldering de­licate metal strips bent to the outline of a des­ign, and filling the result­ing cellular compartments with vitreous enam­el paste. The ob­j­ect then was fired, ground smooth & polished. The strips were made from gold, brass or silver. Eventually bright co­lourful clois­onné-enamel florals were popular. Many ob­jects featured bolder champlevé-enamel des­ig­ns, the recesses fil­led with vitreous enamel before firing.

The Late Imperial Era saw prolific prod­uction. Friedrich Ruckert (1840-1917) was born in South Germ­any. At 14 he emigrated to Russia to work for a princely family, now re­named Feodor Ruckert. He spent most of his life in his bel­oved Moscow, where he had his art work­sh­ops. Eventually he had 14 craftsmen working for him, having full control over the creat­ive and prod­uct­ion proc­esses.

Ruckert, by Alamy 

                                                                              

Rückert was the most talented craftsman of enamelled silver objects in Imperial Russia. In Moscow, the cen­t­re of Russ­ian silver prod­uc­tion, he became an enamel master in 1886, working with every enamelling tech­n­ique (cloisonné, champlevé, en plein, guilloche and plique-à-jour).

Fol­lowing the Russian Revival style in the arts, Ruckert started producing traditional Russian des­igns, incorpor­ating foliage in de­l­icately shaded hues. Gradually his exper­im­ents with a more mod­ern colour palette and more intricate design el­ements develop­ed into a recognis­ab­le original style, while still tradit­ionally Slavic.

Rückert collaborated with some of the most resp­ected firms of his time. In 1886 he opened his own, new work­shop in Mos­cow and in 1887 he signed a cont­ract with Fab­ergé. In fact for 30 years Ruckert was the main supp­lier of clois­onné enamel for Fab­er­gé. Still, Ruck­ert supplied ot­h­­er important Rus­s­ian retailers eg Bolin.

Unlike other Europeans, Imperial Russians drank their tea at home and not in public tearooms. So the samovar was placed in the cent­re of the dining table and the accompanying tea sets had to be at­tractive. The tea sets included caddies, tea glass holders, sugar-cube boxes and cr­eam jugs. And to save the expense of sugar, some tea sets included a jam basket.

Rückert’s silver-gilt and cloisonné enamel tea service, Moscow, 1899-1908 a teapot, tea caddy and cr­eamer  with tiers of lobed teardrop panels with varicoloured stylised flowers and foliage (35,000 - 45,000 GBP Sotheby’s)

See Ruck­ert’s solid silver and cloisonné enamel salt, decorated with foliate enamels on gilded matted ground, set with cab­o­ch­­on emeralds. Moscow, 1908-17.

Enameled sugar bowl

Invaluable

Craftsmen in Moscow, especially those supervised by master Feodor Rück­ert, became known for their work in the pan-Slavic or neo-Russian style, referring back to C17th motifs of folk art. See, for example, silver-gilt and enamel kovshs-wine ladles retailed by Faber­gé, which inc­or­­porated enamel reproductions by Russ­ian artists.

The opulent lifestyle of Russia’s upper classes ended with the political upheavals of the early C20th. Heaps of pre­cious silver pieces seized from silversmiths, jewellers, weal­thy merch­ants, aristocrats and the Russian Imperial Family were melt­ed. Some were sold internationally for cash, or smug­gled out by westerners. Of­­ten on con­vent­­ional shapes, Rückert and his silver­sm­iths created an explos­ion of col­our, attained through the historic use of cl­oisonné enamel in which tiny metal lines were soldered to the surface then filled with glass powders in various colours and fired to a high gl­oss fin­ish. The result was a sp­ectacular ev­ocation of the C17th or­ig­inals. But far from mere copies, Rück­erts designs employed natural­is­t­ic or abst­r­act motifs in a modern adaptation of an earlier era.

Until 1908, Rückert’s work drew on Russian historical design preced­ents especially C17th Russian ornament. But after 1908 his work re­f­lected the influence of the emerging Neo-Russian style, which combin­ed Art Nouveau with Russian vernacular forms. Promoted by Stroganov Institute Design School, this Russian visual voc­­abulary spread across the decorative arts. He often com­bin­ed min­iatures based on Russian history th­emes with new arab­esque motifs.

Rückert’s designs were rooted in the C19th fas­­cination with national identity and culminating in the 1913 anniversary celeb­rat­ions of the Romanov Dyn­asty. But when WWI started in 1914, the Rückert family was being persecuted as a Foreign Enemy. Although the family st­rongly split from Germany and wrote to Nicholas II pl­eading for protection, they were treated as prison­ers of war and exiled. From 1915 any mention of Rüc­k­ert’s workshop in the Mos­cow Dir­­­­ec­t­­ory of Trade ended. Rückert died in Moscow in 1917.

 silver and cloisonné enamel bowl with bear heads handles, Moscow, 1908-17. 

Invaluable

Modern Russia
The 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union and then the rise of a weal­thy oligarchy inspired growing national­ism, an interest in art his­tory and a new generation of col­l­ectors. Fortunately Rückert’s timeless, Neo-Russian style withstood the chaos of the Russian Revol­ution and his works remained popular in the mod­ern mark­et. A record was established Nov 2018: an enamelled kovsh, £490,000.

Kovsh by Rückert, 1899–1908,

Khalili Collection of Enamels of the World

And see the parcel-gilt silver and cloisonné enamel bowl (above), cast with handles shaped as bear heads Moscow. It sold for $43,750.

Museum for Human Rights, Winnipeg

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights/CMHR in Winnipeg Manitoba was orig­inally conceived by media entrep­reneur Israel Asper, who estab­l­ish­ed a foundation in 2003 to create the museum, and was created via the efforts of members of the Asper family along with many oth­ers. Friends of the CMHR was formed as a registered charity in 2002, a public and private sector partner­ship.

Museum with central city in the background

 

Designed by U.S architect Antoine Pred­ock, the museum was only Canada's 5th national museum, and the first nat­ional mus­­eum to be built outside the National Capital Region. Known for his skill in interpreting regional identity through buildings, Predock created forms that were appropriate to landscapes and to human experience. His designs showed how human beings could interact spiritually with a building, technology, the natural environment and each other. In this unconventional structure of curving lines and bold geometry, the surfaces were irregular and the walls sloped at unusual angles.

glowing, criss-crossing ramps to the galleries

USA Today

Visitors savour the beauty of the architect­ure, esp­ecially the backlit alabaster ramps in the Hall of Hope, pools of water in the Garden of Contemplation and the Asper Tower of Hope, a 100-metre glass spire with views over the city skyline. There is also a coffeeshop with great city views and since the Museum is a pl­ace to learn, the coffeeshop is a peaceful, fine place to reflect on human rights.

The cent­ral concept of the mu­seum was to promote human rights aw­are­ness through innovative teach­ing initiat­ives. Prominent among these was the crea­t­ion of a nat­ion­al stud­ent travel programme that would bring 20,000+ students each year to the museum.

Building started in 2009 and the op­en­­ing cerem­on­ies took place in Sept 2014 for the gall­er­ies in this im­p­ort­ant cultural in­stit­ution. Its goal was to enhance the public's underst­and­ing of hu­man rights, to encourage refl­ect­ion and dialogue. It examined hu­man rights world­wide, focusing on human rights in a Ca­n­adian context.

Opened to the public in 2014, the Museum dominates the city skyline and is a special building architecturally outside and in. Spanning seven floors, the museum is brilliantly curated. There are 11 gall­eries spread across the museum, showing an array of human rights issues: What are Human Rights; Indigenous persp­ect­ives; Canadian Journeys; Protect­ing Rig­hts in Canada; Examining the Holocaust; Turning Points for Human­ity; Breaking the Silence; Actions Count, Rights Today; Inspiring Change; Expressions. 

Indigenous perspectives

CMHR

Winnipeg was a significant choice for the museum's location. This city played a role in important historical events eg the Winn­ipeg General Strike of 1919, that affected Canada’s civil rights move­ment, advan­cement of Indig­en­ous Peoples, women, French speakers and workers. It was home to one of Canada's most diverse commun­it­ies, linking Francophones, First Nations, Métis and immigrant societies.

The Indigenous Perspectives gallery included a commissioned work by Ojibwa artist Rebecca Belmore, a handmade ceramic blanket from a series exam­in­ing the ongoing trauma of Indigenous Peop­les. Canadian Journeys featured res­id­ential schools exhibits, forced rel­oc­­ation of the Inuit, internment of Japanese Can­ad­ians in WW2, Ch­inese head tax, Underground Railroad, Komagata Maru and the Winnipeg General Strike. Examining The Holo­caust also explored other genoc­ides eg Ukrainian Famine 1932-3, Armenian Genocide, Rwandan Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing in Bosnia.

The museum was plagued by controversy from 2 dir­ections. In 2008-12, archaeologists Sid Kroker and David McLeod excav­ated the mus­eum’s building site and recovered c400,000 ancient Ind­ig­en­ous arte­facts. Therefore the site may’ve been an inapp­rop­riate location for the Canad­ian Museum for Hu­man Rights, especially if it was loc­ated right on an Indigenous burial ground.

The second controversy was the sep­ar­ate galleries allotted to the Holocaust and the persecution of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. From 2010, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Canadians for Genocide Educ­ation and German-Canadian Congress stated that it was improper to give special status to two gross violations of hum­an rights over others eg Ukrainians’ internment in camps across Canada (1914-20).

I Helen see two other problems. This Museum is a member of the Can­adian Heritage Portfolio and reports to Parlia­ment through its Min­ister. How would anyone know if a Canadian Her­itage Minister had pressured the mus­eum to cast Can­ada’s human rig­hts record positive­ly. And there is rarely un­an­imity on what de­stroys human rights. I would gaol any father who raped his daugh­t­er, if he wouldn’t allow an abortion. Oth­ers would gaol me for kil­l­ing a foetus.

Alongside the permanent galleries, see the temporary exh­ib­itions. The exhibit Climate Justice highlighted the connections between hum­an rights and climate change, making youth activism stand out. In 2019, youth worldwide went on school strikes, taking over city streets and loudly denouncing inaction on climate change. They fil­led the streets and pro­tested with signs expressing anger and fear about THEIR future, not their parents’. Greta Thunberg (15) went on a school strike in 2018, igniting a gl­obal move­ment. 500,000 people protested in Montreal with her in Sep 2019 and there were more strikes in 150 different cities that day.

There were and are so many people around the world who, for too much of history, have been denied basic human rights, stripped of and persecuted because of their culture, religion and identity. It is absolutely necessary to bring these stories from around the world stories to light. Ultimately, as the museum’s web­site states, the museum strives “to build under­standing, promote respect, and encourage reflection.”

maps

kubikmaltbie

 

The exhibits explore human rights issues such as Indigenous rights, disability rights, gay rights, and stories of war and gen­ocide that people continue to face. And while it is often a moving and emot­ional experience, there ARE many stories of triumph, courage and the human ability to survive. Witness the power of hope and triumph in the face of the greatest chall­en­ges to human rights.

Thank you to Canadian Encyclopaedia.

Huguenot silver: Paul de Lamarie 1730s

The first London coffee house was opened in 1652 by Pasqua Roseé, a member the English Levant Co. that traded with Turkey. In Smyrna-Izmir, he found a taste for the dark stim­ulant drink. With time, each British coffee house  developed its own partic­ul­ar clientele, literary, political, financial and shipping-related. From the coffee house came the Gentle­man’s Clubs and City instit­utions eg the in­sur­ance mar­ket Lloyds of London. King Charles II tried to close these meeting places down in 1675, but failed. In time, coffee was being consumed at home from silver and por­celain pots. It was usually served black and from long spouted ves­sels. There was also a fashion for taking it in the Turkish manner, with large quant­it­ies of sugar syrup used in the preparation. The short spout meant viscous liquid could flow freely.

de Lamerie

Sugar caster, 1732

Christie's

At a similar time in France, The Edict of Nantes (1598) had granted the Protestant Huguenots the right to practise their religion without persecution in Catholic France. But when these Protestants were finally exiled by King Louis XIV in 1685, they had to find safe homes in other countries. Superb Huguenot gold­­smiths set up business in London where aris­tocratic British patrons flock­ed to them.

Pierre Har­ache arrived in 1681 and Simon Pantin worked in Lon­don from 1682. After the 1685 ex­puls­ion, David Willaume & Daniel Garn­ier got papers in 1687, Augustine Courtauld arrived in 1688. John Chartier was in Lon­don by 1688 but didn’t ob­­tain denis­at­ion papers until 1697. Phillip Rollos was in the 1690 den­is­ation list. Louis Mett­ay­er was ap­prent­ic­ed in 1693; Pierre Platel arrived with William III in 1688, but ap­­peared with Louis Cuny in 1697 papers. Jacob & Samuel Margas were apprent­ic­ed 1699, Isaac Liger 1700 & Simon Pantin 1701; then the Arch­ambo and Tan­qu­er­ay families. I researched these beautiful men during a 3 years thesis, and will never forget them.

In their adopted country, the Huguenots rallied around to protect their silver industry. And they showed a sustained pre­ference for marry­ing and app­rent­ic­ing their child­ren into other French fam­il­ies. John Chartier married into the Garnier goldsmith family and his daughter married the goldsmith Peze’ Pilleau; Louis Mettayer’s sis­ter married David Wil­laume and his daught­er married Piere Har­ache; David Tanqueray was Willaume’s ap­pren­tice and later his son-in-law; Simon Pantin was apprent­iced to Piere Harache; Aug­ustine Court­auld was ap­prenticed to Simon Pantin; Edward Feline to Cour­­t­auld; John Le Sage to Louis Cuny; Louis Mett­ayer and Dav­id Tan­qu­er­ay were brothers in law of the engraver Simon Gribelin.

Royal appointments amongst silver artists, both locals and immig­r­ants, were vital. Englishmen George Garth­orne was roy­al Goldsmith to William III and Queen Anne; and Thomas Farren was a Subordinate Goldsmith to the King George I, 1723-42. From the Hug­uenot com­mun­ity, Phillip Rollos I was Subordinate Goldsmith to William III and to Queen Anne; his son Philip Rollos II succeeded as Sub­ord­in­ate Gold­­smith to Queen Anne; and John Le Sage became Sub­ord­inate Gold­smith to the King George.

de Lamerie's cup and cover, 1735
classical Huguenot lines and limited added decoration.

V&A Museum

So who was Paul de Lamerie (1688–1751)? He migrated to London as a small child with his par­ents as refugees. Paul de Lamerie was ap­pren­ticed to Pierre Platel in 1703, becoming free of his master in 1711 and quite young when he became goldsmith to the King from 1716. Paul’s success lay in his classical creativity eg wine cool­er, but also in his ability as a business­man 1730s-50s. A de Lam­erie silver gilt sugar caster, decor­ated with the royal coat of arms, is now at the Wor­shipful Co. of Gold­smiths.

Huguenot silver artists created severely sym­met­ri­c­al Queen Anne or­n­­ament in class­ical taste. It was said that it was not until de Lamerie in­troduced the double scroll handle in 1723 that the gen­eral effect was made much less formal and pond­er­ous. The broken scroll truly did have a softening effect, but it is not true that de Lamerie introduced this element in 1723. A series of cups by Rollos came out in the 1712-15 period, all displaying flam­boyant double harp hand­les cast with bead­ing and foliage, a style repeated by Samuel Marg­is in 1721. Pantin (1713) and Rain­aud (1715) both ut­il­ised more stol­id double harp shaped handles, while de Lamerie favoured the softer double scroll handle in 1720.

Elaborate cast mouldings revealed how de Lamerie, like other gold­smiths, was moving away from the simpler decoration favoured by the earlier Huguenot generation. They moved to the much more ornate Ro­coco style that be­came popular in London during the 1730s and 40s.

de Lamerie’s works have been valued above other Huguenot or English silver artists for a very long time, but I was keen to see the re­s­ults of  a de Lamerie auction. In July 2013 Christ­ie’s London presented a Rococo coffee pot 1738. The silver coffee-pot was creat­ed in the George II era, richly decor­at­ed with char­act­eristic Rococo motifs - bold scroll work, flowers and shells. (27 cm high). The cof­fee pot was commissioned by London-based trader, successful mer­ch­ant and Huguenot, Sir John Lequesne (1687-1741). Lequesne and his wife Mary Knight married in 1738, the very date of the coffee pot. So now the question is: who was Lequesne?

de Lamerie's coffee pot, 1738

curvy rococo lines and rich decorations
auctioned at Christie’s in London in 2013

sold for £3.5 million–£4.5 million.

As a child, Lequesne mov­ed to Britain as a refugee with his brot­her, flee­ing Rouen like many of his fellow Protestants. The Le­ques­ne brothers pros­pered, trading with the West Indies. John became an Alderman of the City, a dir­ect­or of the Bank of Eng­land and was knighted by King George II in 1737. A successful mar­riage, with a HUGE dowry, and an equally successful career enabled him thrive.

The new French Rococo style, the beautifully engraved Lequesne arms and owner­ship by a succ­ess­ful merchant perfectly embodied the vibrant C18th trade in London.

Indian Pacific tourist train across Australia

The first Indian Pacific, a great transcontinental rail adventure, first left Sydney for Perth in 1970. Thous­ands of well-wishers gat­h­ered a few days later to welcome its safe arrival in Perth, cap­it­al of Western Aust­ralia. It was the first time one train had been ab­le to complete the 4,352 ks journey from ocean to ocean, using a common rail gauge.

Few train journeys are as epic as the Indian Pacific. From Sydney on the east coast across the entire continent to Perth in the west, it pass­es through landscapes as varied as the spectacul­ar Blue Mountains and end­less flat deserts. Expect comfortable cabins, excellent food and fascinating day trips.  The train's programme below is by Alissa Jenkins

Gold Twin Cabin with private facilities

Day 1: Sydney to outback New South Wales/NSW. Board at Sydney's Central Station and settle into the cabin, to spend the afternoon taking in the scenery as it transforms from skyscrapers and traffic lights to the forested valleys and sandstone cliffs of the stunning Blue Mountains. Listen to the audio commentary option.

The journey's west bound service to Perth includes an off-train ex­cursion in the majestic Blue Mountains, with visits to the majestic Three Sisters at Echo Point and spectacular Jamison Valley. As the evening sun sets behind mountain ranges, enter the more arid regions of NSW, characterised by hardy Australian mulga tree and vast plains. After dinner in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant, meet fellow guests in the Outback Explorer Lounge for a welcome drink. 

Queen Adelaide Restaurant, 

Indian Pacific

Outback Explorer Lounge

enjoy new friends, great drinks and great views

Aussie Trains

Day 2: The morning begins in Broken Hill, formerly a booming mining town which inspired artists for ages with its distinct­ive desert landscape. On a 1-hour walking tour, explore the city's icon­ic Living Desert Sculptures then visit the Pro Hart Gallery to learn all about a most celebrated Australian artist whose works capture the outback. 

After an onboard lunch, the afternoon journey continues into the green and golden fields of South Australia's food bowl. Choose bet­ween off-train excursions: 1] spend the afternoon and ev­ening in picturesque Bar­ossa Valley or McL­aren Vale wine reg­ion, the char­m­ing heritage town of Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills or 2] a priv­ate guided tour of the South Australian Museum. Then all guests re­join the train in Adelaide to begin the trip across the continent.

the flat and treeless Nullarbor Plains

S.M.H

 

On the eastbound service, including a morning stop in Adelaide, ex­cursion options include an Adelaide city coach tour, a pro­gressive breakfast at the famous Adelaide Central Markets, a guided tour of Adelaide Oval or a city and river precinct walking tour. Enjoy the in-cabin music channels and the journey audio commentary.

Day 3: Greet sunrise at the striking, raw beauty of the Nullarbor Plain. Taking its name from the Latin for No Trees, this vast outback pl­ain has stunned generations of Australians and vis­itors alike. A endless expanse of rusty earth and har­dy outback sh­rubs, the Nullarbor covers 200,000 square ks of South Australia and Western Australia and is considered a bucket list experience.

 Off-train dinner at Rawlinna, W.A 

Journey Beyond Rail

Entering Western Australia in the afternoon, cross­ Australia's most famous plain with a special dinner in the rem­ote outpost of Rawlin­na. Here guests are invited to disembark and partake in a tradit­ional long-table dinner under the bright stars of the outback sky.

Surrounded by nothing but vast sheep stations, this is one alfresco dining experience to remember. The Indian Pacific east­bound service (Perth->Sydney) offers an additional excursion in the wild west gold rush town of Kalgoorlie.

Day 4: The morning scenery transforms as the train cont­in­ues via the picturesque Avon Valley, a patchwork of rolling hills and wind­ing streams. After passing fertile farmland, the journey ends as Per­th's outer city limits appear. The P.M choice is to take an optional upgrade tour to explore Perth, admiring magnificent city views fr­om Kings Park, travel along the Swan River and pict­uresque fore­sh­ore park­lands, Subiaco’s trendy boutiques and res­t­aur­ants, and Clare­mont with its upmarket shopping and famous Mil­l­ion­aire's Row. Enjoy the WACA Cricket Ground, Town Hall, Perth Mint, Parliament House, Crown Casino and Barracks Arch. 

Thank you Alissa Jenkins.

**

The review here is mine. I am something of a problem traveller to staff since I don’t eat meat, but the food alternatives were delicious. And the alcohol serv­ice was very good with quality wines which we shared with a lot of great new peo­ple on the trip! Even better, while travelling away from home, vis­itors could focus on local foods and wines from the very regions the train was passing through.

The cabins were clean and fresh, but too small for spouse and I who found it a bit tight to move around together. So leave your excess stuff elsewhere. Thankfully the onboard staff were fantastic, really mak­ing every eff­ort to be friendly and helpful in what must have been demanding work.

I loved visiting places that I have never visited before. Broken Hill is Australia’s oldest mining town, important for its silver, lead and zinc. The rich history is well recorded at museums and memorials, a true representation of the Australian outback, with red, rocky terrain and desert. And the art scene is booming, both modern and indigenous.

Sydney to Perth took 4 days which might have been a bit long for some people, but the most exciting part was to carefully watch the changing landsc­ape of this vast country passing by the window. Sur­prisingly for me (because I love forests and open oceans), I actually loved the memorable changing unique scenery ac­r­oss the Nullarbor.

The off-train experiences were amazing, espec­ially under the stars at sheep station Rawlinna, with fires, food and wonderful live mus­ic. On board there was a resident singer who also provided lots of entertainment.

Shakshuka for luscious Sunday brunch

Shakshuka probably came from Africa’s Maghreb, the regions of North Africa along the Mediterranean Sea. Plus note that the word meaning shaken comes from the Tunisian dialect. An alternative history is that shakshuka came from Yemen or Ottoman Emp­ire in the C16th when Hernan Cortés brought tomatoes to the area as part of the Columbian exchange. This makes sense since the use of tomatoes and peppers didn’t happen there until the mid-C16th. 

Shakshuka placed on the table 

Tala Soubra

Shakshuka has long been a staple of Tunisian, Libyan, Alg­er­ian and Moroccan cuisines, later adopted by Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria as national dishes. The dish incorporates a wide variety of spices, beyond what is mentioned below, due to whichever spices the various Mediterranean nations favoured.

Can shakshuka be recorded as an ultimate brunch item? Indeed.. it is colourful, healthy, quite cheap and takes only 30 mins to prepare and cook. Here is the delicious recipe from Tala’s Website, but I've made it slightly more savoury.

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1 red capsicum, diced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 large tomatoes, cut into 8 each
4 large very red tomatoes, chopped
4 eggs
feta cheese
chopped parsley
1 teaspoon paprika
salt
black pepper, grated

METHOD See the photos 
Step 1: Place a cast iron skillet on the medium stove and add the olive oil. Then add the onions, salt and black pepper and cook until lightly translucent (c3 minutes). Add the capsicum and pap­rika, and cook for 1 minute. Add the chopped tomat­oes and 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and stir for 1 minute.

Step 2: Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste to the grated tomatoes and mix. Add the tomato mixture to the base and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes while stirring occasionally. Taste check to see if you would like to add more salt and pepper.

Step 3: After 20 mins, make a small well with a spatula in the tom­ato sauce. Crack the eggs into the well, cover the sk­illet and cook eggs cook to your desired consistency. Sprinkle plenty of feta cheese on top and chopped parsley. Finally serve the sh­akshuka out of the skillet with challah bread (or French baguette, sourdough bread, bagels) to mop up the sauce, last important component. 

Give everyone warm challah slices,

with luscious interiors and melted butter (if requested)

The shakshuka in Yotam Ottolenghi's Plenty uses a ton of peppers, cut into big, chunky strips. The finished dish almost resembles an Italian peperonata, with a sweetness to match. Michael Solomonov's version, from his book Zahav, uses half as many bell peppers. David Lebovitz  takes a different tack: no bell peppers at all, only hot chiles to spice the tomatoes (see Serious Eats).

I prefer shakshuka late on a Sunday morning brunch with the family, but don’t let your grandmother watch you eat with messy fingers and dripping bread. In Melbourne try the following restaurants: Cumulus Inc in the City, Buba Local Shuk, St Kilda or Nogga Café, Balaclava. In Sydney try Shuk in Bondi North, Grandma’s At McEvoy at Alexandria or Kepos Street Kitchen in Redfern

Kate Cranston, Charles Mackintosh Glasgow

Ladderback chairs designed in 1903 by architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868–1928) for  Glasgow Willow Tea-rooms came on the London market in 2014, and put me in mind of Glasgow businesswoman Kate Cranston (1849–1934).

Kate Cranston c1900

Dressed like young Queen Victoria 

National Portrait Gallery. 

I like the description of Kate Cranston in Famous Scots. Born in the Victorian age when women were expected to be limited to the family home, Kate Cranston was fortunate to grow up in an entrepreneurial Glasgow family. Her father was a tea merchant and owned the Cranston's Hotel and Dining Rooms, her brother was a tea merchant and bought three small tearooms, and a cousin managed a hotel.

Tearooms became a feature of Glasgow in the second half of the C19th but Kate Cranston was to take the concept to new heights with high standards and innovative design. Initially tearooms had been estab­lished to encourage temperance in a society where alcohol abuse was wide spread. But by the last decades of Queen Victoria’s reign, tearooms were becoming valuable places for socialising and were frequented by men, and women if they were in company.

In 1878, Kate followed in her brother's footsteps and opened her own tearoom for the first time. Soon she was operating four Glasgow est­ab­­lishments very successfully - Argyle St, Buchanan St, Ingram St and Sauchiehall St. Precision and innovation! She provided some rooms exclusively for women; there were luncheon rooms where men and women could dine together; and there were smoking rooms and billiards rooms provided exclusively for men.

Glasgow held an International Exhibition in 1888  that would prove to be incredibly inspirational to the city’s architectural and artistic development. An enormous domed building was erected in Kelvingrove Park, surrounded by beautiful smaller structures of eastern design influence.

One of Kate's great achievements was to encourage the artistic talents of the Glasgow School designers. Early in Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s career (in 1896) the very experienced tearoom owner asked the young artist to design the wall murals of the new Buchanan St tearooms. The tearooms had been designed and built by one architect, with interiors and furn­ish­ings being designed by another. Mackintosh only had to design the Art Nouveau friezes. 

Cranston must have liked what she saw. In 1898 Mackintosh’s next commission was to design the furniture and interiors for the existing Argyle St tearooms. Then in 1900 Miss Cranston commiss­ioned him to redesign an entire room in her Ingram St tearooms. The Willow Tearoom in Sauchiehall St was the most famous of the Cranston-Macktinosh collaborations.

Willow Tearooms.

iconic chair design,  by Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Web Gallery Art

Kate Cranston understood that good design was a vital component in her success. And an ongoing component! Mackintosh returned to Ingram St a number of times, and in 1911 created the Chinese Room in a room that had been looking a bit tatty. The elegant Victorian and Edwardian ladies, who drank tea sitting on the unique high-backed Mackintosh furniture, certainly loved her tearooms. Mackintosh continued to work for Kate Cranston until 1917, designing the layout of the building and creating the furniture and décor for 21 happy years.

Mackintosh designed an art nouveau frieze 

at the top of the tearoom wall

dezeen 

Mackintosh also designed the exterior

for the Willow Tea Rooms

Alamy  

Kate had an astute business sense but was eccentric. She dressed in old fashioned Victorian crinolines, long after they were out of fashion. In 1892 she married John Cochrane, a director of the Grahamston Foundry and Engine Works. After a very happy marriage, she naturally became very depressed when he died in 1917. There were no children. She immediately sold off her tearooms and wore black for the rest of her life. And when Kate died in 1934 at a good age, she bequeathed in her will two thirds of her estate to Glasgow’s shoeless families. Alas Charles Rennie Mackintosh had already died of cancer back in 1928, only 59 years old. 

Charles Rennie Mackintosh, c1893.

History Today

Many thanks to mackintoshatthewillow 

Titanic memorabilia

Noted businessman John Jacob Astor (1864-1912), who made his for­t­une in the fur trade, was 47 when the Titanic sank in April 1912. Acc­or­d­ing to survivor accounts, Astor didn’t believe the ship was in any kind of immed­iate danger. He helped his young wife Mad­eleine (1893-1940) board Lifeboat#4 and was last seen smoking and talk­ing with another passenger. Tragically 1,500+ victims drown­ed. 

John Jacob Astor

14-carat gold Waltham pocket watch

BBC

 

Astor was not only the richest passenger on the Titanic, but was one of the richest in the world, with a net worth of c$87 million. His body was recovered from the Atlantic Ocean 7 days later, with his valuable 14-carat gold Waltham pocket watch engraved with his initials. After its recovery, the watch was passed from Astor's son Vincent to the son of his father's ex­ec­utive secretary William Dob­byn. Recently this gold watch was sold at auction by Henry Ald­ridge & Son in Devizes UK for a record £1.175 mill, the highest am­ount ever paid for Titanic memorab­il­ia. 

bandmaster Wallace Hart­ley's violin & case

L.A Times

A violin was also part of Titanic memorabilia. The auct­ion house announced they’d authenticated the inst­rum­ent from an engraving: For Wallace on the occasion of our engagement from Ma­ria. And in the catalogue: As the Tit­anic sank, bandmaster Wallace Hart­ley (1878–1912) and his or­ch­es­tra stay­ed on deck and playing Near­­er My God to Thee. Played by Hart­ley in the ship’s fin­al mom­ents, he placed his violin in a leather case and famous­ly stayed aboard as the ship sank in the icy Northern waters.

Hartley's body and violin case were found by a ship that respond­ed to the disaster. The violin was also sold by Henry Aldridge & Son in the UK and fetched £360,000. The rotten instrument, totally unplay­ab­le, was sold for c3 times more than the suggested. The violin was given to Hartley's fiancé, Maria Robinson. It passed through some other hands before being rediscovered in 2006. The auctioneer said the price was $1.45 mill. But when the auction­eer's fee was added, the price paid by the buyer was $1.6 mill.

A rare menu from the Titanic’s first-class restaurant showed what the most well-to-do passengers ate for dinner on April 11, 1912; it sold for £84,0000 ($103,00) at Henry Aldridge & Son auction house. The dinner menu, which off­ered oysters, beef and mal­lard duck was sold, was decorated with a red White Star Line bur­­gee but the orig­inal gilt lettering is no longer visible. Clear­ly the menu had been subjected to the icy North Atlantic waters, having been re­c­overed in the clothes of one of those drowned. The menu was found in a ph­oto alb­um of  late Canadian amateur historian Len Stephenson.

One night's dinner menu

from the Titanic’s first-class restaurant

BBC

Memorabilia reflected 1] only the importance of the artefacts them­selves and their rarity and 2] they also show the enduring fas­cin­at­ion with the Titanic story. After its recovery, the gold watch was passed from Astor’s son Vincent to the son of his father’s ex­ec­ut­ive secretary William Dobbyn. 112 years later, people were still talking about the ship, passengers and cr­ew. So while the Titanic was effectively a large ship that hit an ice­berg with a tragic loss of life, more importantly there were still at least 2,200 items of memorabilia to tell the stories now.

I agree. All items related to the sinking of the Tit­­­anic should indeed go to the victims’ children or grandchildren. But auct­ioning them off to strangers at any high price destroys potential col­lect­ions of Titanic mem­or­ab­ilia, and doesn’t preserve them. So families who no longer want to main­tain their grand­par­ents’ treas­ures should give them to an off­icial Tit­anic Museum, with a donor’s plaque.

Sited beside the Titanic Slip­ways, the pl­ace where Titanic was des­igned, built and launched, Tit­­anic Belf­ast Museum tells the story of Tit­anic of her de­sign, cons­t­ruct­ion, launch, voyage and catastrophe. The Belfast Museum contains many other orig­inal artef­acts, along with other fascinating items of cultural and historical interest. In the US, Tit­an­ic Mu­seums are located in Branson Missouri and in Pigeon Forge TN. Owned by John Joslyn, the two U.S museums hold a great coll­ection of arte­facts in many galleries.

Titanic Belfast Museum

cabin furniture

NBC News