Broken Hill

Photos:
Mundi Mundi at sunset
Sturt Desert Pea
Pro Hart Gallery (2)

Had a fabulous first day in Broken Hill.

Started off with a walking tour around town.

Then we drove to the top of the Mullock Heap that dominates Broken Hill. There is a scenic lookout and cafe with 360 degree views. Also lots of old mine machinery and a memorial site.

We then visited the Pro Hart Gallery. I loved this, and I was surprised to find that his art was much more diverse than I realised. And it is all very nicely set out in his special gallery. Ray liked the painted Roles Royce out the front.

In the afternoon we drove out to the Living Desert and rock sculptures - a great place. The sculptures were great, but the views were spectacular. I had my first sighting of the Sturt Desert Pea growing wild in the desert. It is more beautiful in reality than I imagined it could be.

We then drove to the historic town of Silverton famous for its silver mine (lots of Mad Max memorabilia). We drove onto the Mundi Mundi Lookout - a magnificent vista at sunset. With 360 degree desert views. The photo doesn't do it justice. It's no wonder people thought the world was the shape of a dinner plate.

Cape York and Beyond the Black Stump 2011

WE'RE OFF AGAIN

The weather is very cold in Melbourne and it's a good time to head north to warmer weather.

Our first port of call is Rochester where we have caught up with Ray's sister Lindy.

Ray and his brother had been up to Rochester earlier in the year to help with cleaning up after the recent floods. Graham and Lindy had quite extensive damage and we were interested to see how they were faring. Many of the locals are still not out of the woods yet. Lots of water damage, and now mildew is becoming an issue. The red tape of getting things fixed is still a problem for lots of people. Many properties around Kerang are still under water and it seems they will never recover. The Murray Valley Highway still has flood damage and we had to make a detour.

After a nice afternoon with Lindy and tea at the local pub, we proceeded the next day onto Wentworth, one of our old Murray River stops. It was good to see that there was not too much flood damage here, considering it is the meeting of the two rivers (the Murray and the Darling).

It was very cold and windy so we have continued north to Broken Hill.

A long flat drive but there are already some wild flowers out along the way, lots of purple and yellow.

** The above photo is Sunset from Broken Hill.

WE'RE HOME

We’re going Home
We bused it back to Caracus from Marakay in the early hours of the morning, thanks to the IBAF. Then we flew back to Buenos Aries where we spent two, days revisiting our favourite spots, waiting for our flight home.

We had a great flight home after being upgraded to Business Class.
Because of wind problems, instead of flying across the continent to Australia, we flew south down the east coast of Argentina then across the Antarctic, around the south of New Zealand and north to Sydney. It was daylight for the whole trip.

On crossing the Antarctic, the pilot announced that we should open our windows for a perfect view of the pack ice and icebergs of the Antarctic below. It was a stunning view as the sun, low in the sky, shone across the continent picking out every crevice. A fantastic unexpected experience.

WE’RE HOME

The Tournament and the Shooting

WE'VE WON THE SILVER MEDAL

IV Campeonato Mundial de Beisbol Femenino

The first day of the tournament.
Having done our homework to find the stadium and the up to date itinerary, we arrived at the Casanova Stadium with a picnic lunch and tea so that we could watch all three games of the first day. This way we would get to see each of the teams in our draw play before our team faced them. Only to find the stadium swimming with officials, armed guards and TV coverage being set up but no teams anywhere in site. After a few words with some non English speaking but helpful people we found that the first two games had been moved to a stadium across town (a 45 min. $45 taxi ride away) because apparently the grounds were not ready and they were setting up for the opening ceremony. Only the Venezuelan game would be played at the ground that night. Ray chucked a hissy fit (universal language was used) after all our preparations and we had to turn around and work out how to get to the new venue. The change had only been arranged that day. It was in the papers – all Spanish of course. Even the girls didn’t know about it until they were in the bus and on the way to the ground. They began to realise it was taking a lot longer to get there than yesterday’s practice had.

We got ourselves on a bus, driving along the highway to the new ground, when a military escort of armoured vehicles and military police on motor bikes came along side and moved all the traffic over to allow a military convoy to go through. We noticed included in the escort was a white bus with all the windows blacked out and a big sign ‘Beisbol Feminino’ on the side. Could this be our daughters?
Sure enough when we eventually arrived at the ground (too late to see the first game) there were the white buses of both teams and the remains of the military escort milling around. The girls had already been whisked into the stadium under armed guard.

Up in the stands there was a huge crowd and dozens of armed police and military guards standing around in groups armed to the teeth with guns and automatic rifles.
Surely, I said to Ray, with so many guns some one is sure to get shot. It only takes one accident or wrong decision to make a tragic accident.

The crowd was huge and noisy and so chaotic, it was hard to concentrate on the game. Unfortunately for Australia they lost to Canada in a very hard fought game with the winning runs earned in one innings which they could not get back. We always knew Canada would be a hard team to beat but it was never the less disappointing to lose the first game of the tournament.

We cannot account for the huge crowd (rent-a-crowd I think). There are only 8 Australian parents here and maybe 10 or so Canadians. Who were all these people? And the racket they were making was unbelievable. They didn’t seem to be cheering for any particular team just lots of noise and chaos. By the end of the game our nerves were frazzled.

We were then expected to go back across town to Casanova Stadium for the opening ceremony and the Venezuelan/Holland game in the evening.
We didn’t make it. By the time we got back into the city the opening ceremony was over and we decided to watch the game on TV instead. The great thing about this tournament is that every game is televised real time. They love their baseball. The girls had been whisked away with their armoured escort (and told not to open the windows of the bus) to get to the ceremony on time.

Clare said it was the best of any opening ceremony she has been to, with dancing and entertainment and fireworks. I am sorry we missed it. Total disorganisation on the part of the Venezuelan organizers. We were totally fed up and exhausted. It had also been one of the hottest most humid days of our stay so far.

Day two of the tournament.
Held at the infamous Casanova Stadium.
We played Holland at 3pm and won 3-16. A good win, but they are one of the accepted weaker teams. Fortunately not as loud and chaotic as the first day but very security conscious. Starting to settle in for a good tournament.

Day three of the tournament - The Shooting
A very eventful day.
Australia due to play Venezuela in an evening game to start at 6 or 7 pm (Venezuelan time schedule).
We arrived at the field early to watch the last part of the game between Holland and Hong Kong only to find that the game hadn’t even yet started so we settled in to watch the game. The other Australian parents arrived and then the Australian team arrived and we were all sitting in the stands (a lovely balmy night) watching the game evolve. Hong Kong had been ahead by 9 runs, then Holland came back, evening the score and started to take the lead. At the start of the fourth innings Hong Kong on the field and Holland batting – the Hong Kong shortstop fell to the ground. There was no play in progress and as she was on the ground for no apparent reason, the coaches came onto the ground to assist her.

The girl was carried off on a stretcher and everyone started to sit up and take notice. We could hear an ambulance siren circling the stadium. The Hong Kong team vacated their dug out, followed by the Dutch team a few moments later.

News filtered up to the stands that it was suspected that the Hong Kong shortstop had been shot in the leg. No one had heard any shots but there was a lot of noise in the stands which could have blocked it out.
The Australian coach was horrified, along with everyone else, and he had the girls leave the stands where they were immediately ushered into the VIP rooms below the stadium. The parents were also asked to accompany the team and we were all kept in a lock down situation along with the Venezuelan team and most of the umpires and officials for about an hour or so, until it was established by way of a hospital report that in fact it was a 9mm high powered gunshot wound (entered at the knee and lodged near the ankle but fortunately, miraculously no serious damage).

After about an hour our girls were ushered into their armoured bus and under military escort were taken back to their hotel. We waited in the lock down for another hour for our drivers to arrive (they had trouble being allowed inside the area because of all the extra security). Their names had to be passed along to security so they could come into the area to pick us up and we all went home with the continuation of the tournament under a cloud.

There is talk of everyone going home. I am definitely not going anywhere until I know my daughter is safely on an aeroplane home. No one knows yet what instigated the incident. The stadium is in a very highly guarded military area. There have been armed police and military personal walking around in groups with guns and automatic rifles slung over their shoulders all week and yet something like this can happen right under their noses. Even while we were sitting in the stands watching the game there were at least ten or more armed guards in the stands with us. They look very official and intimidating but obviously not very observant, diligent or effective.

We are waiting now to hear what will become of the tournament. The girls are safe and sound in their hotel rooms and so are we.

Needless to say, we did not play the Venezuelan game.

Saturday – A day of meetings
All games are on hold until a decision can be made about the future of the tournament. IBAF and coaching staff are waiting for reports on the incident before they proceed. The Venezuelans swear that it was just a stray bullet and no malicious intent. The girls have been asked if they wish to play on. They are all spooked, but on a secret vote, most of them believe that, as long as there is no danger and with promised better security, they have worked too hard to go home now and they want to play.

Word is that the Venezuelan President has put his name to the tournament and if it were to be disbanded he would be humiliated and the Venezuelans don’t want this to happen. Heads would probably roll. They have promised to step up security, if that is possible. The new arrangements promised will be: armed guards set up on road blocks in a 2km radius of the stadium, armed guards in 200 metre radius of the field, armed guards in and around the stadium (which they already have anyway), guards on the field watching the crowds and a military helicopter circling the ground throughout the game. This is definitely a military state. The manpower is huge.

Sunday - Traveling to Marakay
After a day of discussions between team coaches, IBAF and then the Venezuelan organizers, they have decided that they would all feel a lot safer if the tournament was moved to Marakay (the city 2 hours away where the B section has been playing their first round). So, after much rearrangement, hotels have been found to house all the teams (that’s 5 teams of 25 each, umpires and officials plus the IBAF and organizers on top of the 5 teams already there with all their officials. On top of that the security people will have to be accommodated. It is no wonder that by the time the parents arrived (courtesy of the IBAF) there did not appear to be any rooms left in the city. We were in Marakay, but for about 5 hours we thought we might be all bunking in together. Eventually the hotel where the IBAF and a few of the teams were staying, who had no room for us, found us a room in a hotel not far from the main field. A couple of the parents were not happy but after a lot of talking and supporting, they decided to make the most of things, in a hotel that is much inferior to the palatial one they we happily staying in Caracus and we have formed a happy little support group, all staying together in the one hotel and going back and forwards to the games together – safety in numbers. There is a restaurant in the hotel, so at least we don’t have to go out for meals.

After one day of meetings and one day of relocating we are now 2 days behind schedule. Fortunately Tuesday was a designated rest day for everyone and the missed games will be rescheduled for then.

Our third game of the 1st round was now Chinese Taipie, which we won (4-1). A good win because they are a considered a strong team. We had to make our way to yet another military site , the Escuala de Aviacion. We took a taxi.

Our taxi fares are now starting to mount up but we are sharing 4 to a taxi. The other parents are quite nervous about their personal safety. Eventually Ray said we’re walking to the ground (a 20-30 minute walk) if for no other reason than that we need the exercise and it is what we have been doing for the past four months (getting out with the locals). Although we didn’t encourage them, the other parents one by one eventually decided to join us.

Tuesday, our 4th game, we play Venezuela at the main stadium, Jose Perez.
All the Venezuelan games are played at the 7pm time slot so the locals can attend.
We have never been in such a riotous atmosphere. The stands are full to over flowing, people are being turned away and security is at a premium.
We lost (7-1). Very disappointing, the Venezuelan team is a surprise package for us. This puts us in third position at the end of round 1. Not a good start.

I thought my head would split from the noise in the stadium. At one point a very loud band started up with drums and cymbols and brass instruments. We’re getting a bit crazy with it all, as soon as that band stopped another one started up on the other side of the stadium. The crowd is constantly blowing horns and making a huge noise. It never stops. I don’t know how the girls could concentrate because they kept up the noise all throughout the game. The Mexican wave is alive and well in Venezuela.

Wednesday Round 2 begins
We play Japan, a very strong team, they came in 2nd in their first round.
We won (10-9). We can’t believe our luck, after such a slow start. Non of the girls have been hitting well. We thought we might get a peaceful game but Venezuela were playing in the next game (2 hours later) and the crowd started to assemble during our game. By the time the game ended it was difficult to get out of the stadium, it was so crowded.

It was starting to get dark so four of the parents took a taxi home and the rest of us walked. We got home before their taxi arrived which ment they had been left standing on the street waiting. A sure target for danger – tomorrow we all walk.

Thursday Australia v Cuba
We need to win this game to get into the next round as our chances of beating USA are slim and we need to win at least 2 out of 3 games. Beating Cuba (1-6) gives us a reprieve and now the USA game will decide our standing only.

We have spent a nice quiet afternoon in the hotel and will meet the other parents for dinner tonight. We meet in the foyer to share computers and WiFi in our free time and have eaten all our meals together. We are a happy little group.

With the huge out of control crowds, we do not want to be the first team to beat Venezuela who has so far been undefeated. We also don’t want to be there if USA does. We fear for our safety and don’t think we would get out of the stadium alive.
Thank goodness it was Japan who eventually knocked them off the pedestal.

We beat USA by the 10 run rule (19-6).
We are the only team to have won all three games in this round.
This puts us into the top position for the finals medal games.
On a count back of points Japan gets first position.

Japan (1) plays USA (4)
Australia (2) plays Venezuela (3)

Clare opened the first finals game with the ceremonial first catch with the officials today.

We won our game with Venezuela (12-2). A very convincing win. The girls are really starting to fire now. This puts them into the grand final game and in definite medal contention. We waited in the stands until the crowd had dispersed before leaving.

The Grand Final is between Australia and Japan.
Our confidence is up with the knowledge that we won the last time we played them. Unfortunately Japan came out batting strongly in the first innings. Our pitcher couldn’t seem to throw a strike and the coach left it too long to change her over. The runs were made and we spent the rest of the game trying to catch up. We used five pitchers throughout the game, too many to feel confident. The rest of the game was really tight but we ended up losing (3-13). Although a bad loss, we have a good result.
We have won the silver medal.
The best result ever for Australia in a World Cup tournament.

The Closing Ceremony
Total chaos.
The crowds were unbelievable and totally out of control.
As soon as the game was finished the crowds of officials and TV personnel started to swarm onto the ground. There were so many people surrounding the podium that from our premium front position it was impossible to see anything of the medal presentation. The commentator asked the crowd three times to leave the arena and no one seemed to take any notice, so they went ahead anyway. We would have seen more watching it on TV.
The presentation of medals was followed by a huge fireworks display.
No expense spared.

Venezuela

Having decided to return a few days early, to attend Virginia's 50th birthday celebrations, we had changed our flights and were looking forward to going home. Not 24 hours after all the new arrangements were in place, we get a call from Clare that she has been selected for the Australian team and will be travelling to Venezuela in three weeks time to compete in the biannual World Cup Baseball Tournament. What to do? We have never missed one of her tournaments yet, so why stop now. Back to our very good friends at Qantas and Martin the local tourist agent.

It had been getting a bit cool in Buenos Aries so we thought it might be nice to go to Venezuela a bit early and soak up some of their Caribbean sunshine. Be careful what you wish for. It is very hot and humid here.

On arrival to our hotel in Caracas, we were immediately warned not to go out walking at night and to be careful on the streets. Security at the hotel is a premium with iron bars on all doors and windows and electric fencing around the top of the building.

Even the police cannot be trusted. During our stay a couple of tourists in our hotel were accosted by the police and asked for their passports. When they produced them, they then had to pay to get them back. Apparently a common occurrence.

The Venezuelan women have their own particular shape. A walk along the very busy main plaza shows 99% of the women here have very large thighs, huge bums and big boobs which they love to flash. The dress of the day is tight jeans and tight fitting low cut t-shirt tops that show every bulge and they are proud of it. They are very beautiful and well dressed but big girls.

The poverty here is obvious. There are lots of homeless people sleeping in the streets including women and children.

Caracas is the only city in Venezuela that has a metro but it works beautifully and is very cheap. Once we found it, we were using it all the time.

There is always a noise factor living in the city but the noise that seemed to affect me the most here was the numerous ice cream vendors. They push a little cart along with a series of bells attached to the top and they tinkle them nonstop. The noise is very high pitched and goes right through you. I must be getting tired because it was driving me mad. I would cheerfully have shoved it somewhere unpleasant given half a chance.

Rubbish in the streets is horrific. There are no bins and people just throw their bags of rubbish on the street corner for collection. It is collected every couple of days but not before the homeless and stray dogs have pulled it to bits and strewn rubbish all over which of course doesn’t get picked up. Added to this problem, I am told, is that after the rubbish has been collected it is dumped anywhere in the countryside because they don’t have official rubbish dumps.


THE LOST STADIUM - Jose A. Casanova Estadium
We found it at last, hidden deep within the Caracas military barracks.
(Venezuela's answer to the nuclear war??)
During our first week in Caracas, before the tournament started, we spent three days looking for the stadium. When we asked anyone, they had never heard of it and when we googled it we came to a dead end. Finally we went to the Minister for Tourism (Mintour - a bunch of true public servants). They knew of the tournament (considering they were handling the tourism for it) but had no idea where the stadium was. After spending an hour trying to find out for us, they said they would endeavour to find more information and we should come back on Thursday.
We spent the next two days finding our way around the metro and getting used to the city. On Thursday we went back for the promised answer. The information we got was "ring this number - they have some information, but not much" and of course they only speak Espanol. This from the department who are responsible for tourism for the tournament (they have huge posters advertising the tournament all over the airport and metro stations). On our way out of the government building complex, on a whim, we decided to pop into one of the other Tourism Departments (Intour). The people there were a little more helpful but only because another customer at the service counter overheard the conversation and said that if it was in Feurte Tiuna (which we had already established) they knew where that was but not the stadium. So with their instructions, all in Spanish and lots of hand waving, we spent the next day getting to Feurte Tiuna (a military base in the outskirts of the city - and a very nice area). We took the metro, arrived at the correct stop and started walking in the given direction. After about 6 km in the hot sun we found the Feurte Tiuna sign and a very long military parade area. We came to a hotel near a beautiful lake with huge turtles, fish and lots of ducks and birds - time for a rest and lunch. We asked at the hotel and they pointed us in the direction of the closest baseball field which turned out to be a softball field (I must say, this field would be a great disappointment if the tournament were to be held there). There were some men there about to start a game. We asked them, and they had no idea. We were starting to get very tired and frustrated by this time. By chance I overheard one of the men, speaking in Spanish, say ‘if it's a baseball tournament it will be at the Casanova Stadium’. Hearing the word "Casanova" I spun on him for more information. With a lot of difficulty they gave us more directions. After about another 2 km along the military parade area (which is huge) we saw the lights of the stadium in the distance. When we eventually got there we were wrapped - it was a very impressive stadium, in immaculate condition. We walked around it and sat and had a coffee in one of the small cafes attached to the stadium and just wallowed in our good fortune at finding it at last.

FEURTE TIUNA
This military area is so different to the rest of Caracas that you would think yourself in a different country – none of the poverty is obvious and all the roads and buildings are in good condition. It is a place to educate the military services – air force, navy, army, military police and special forces – and there has obviously been a lot of money put into developing the area. A full military parade on the parade ground would be a magnificently huge display of military might and power. Puts you in mind of war time Russia.

Colonia Uruguay

Could have spent a lot longer in this lovely little town. Unfortunately we had already prepaid our tickets back to Buenos Aires. There is a beautiful historic area on the tip of the peninsula with Portuguese background. It was lovely to walk around the area and sit in the old plazas. We took a long walk (6km) along the beach to the old bullring further around the bay. Watching the sun set over the marina was very beautiful and theraputic.

We stayed in one of the nicest hotels so far. It was a lovely renovated building with old world character and very good facilities. They put on a BBQ dinner for guests, it was a great way to meet people. We thought Australians eat a lot of meat. It was a lovely meal.

We wondered why our Spanish seemed to have taken a dive. They speak Portuguese here.

Montevideo Uruguay

Took the 3 hour ferry across Rio de la Plata to Uruguay for a few days. Bused it to Montevideo. Nice city with an old port area, some lovely plazas and lots of nice beaches. We were there for Ray`s 61st birthday. Unfortunately he had the scare of his life (a great present). To explain: we had gone to the 24th floor for a panoramic view of Montevidio, which by the way was a fabulous 360 degree view. As we stepped into the lift to go up and it became obvious by the 2nd floor that the glass lift was on the outside of the building. Bad enough for a person with a fear of heights. But, to make matters worse, on the trip down, the lift stopped at the 22nd floor. We rang the emergency bell but no answer. After about 5-10 minutes of shear hell waiting, continual ringing of the emergency buzzer and no answer, we decided that the red stop button had to be flicked. Making that decision was a nightmare (would we start free falling?). Fortunately the lift continued on it`s way and we got off at the bottom with absolutely no one aware of our dilemma. We thought at the very least there would be emergency paramedics and police emergency abseilers at the ready. The lift didn`t even have an emergency phone in it.

Happy Birthday Ray. Where are the baños?