More Cottesloe Art

Today was Perth quiet, but the highlight was a walk around the fantastic Cottesloe suburb, full of super wealthy houses, but none as amazing as this one, decorated by these wonderful, sculptures by a  contemporary Japanese Sculptor, sitting right in front of his house in the wealthiest street in Cottesloe.

The Lawyer's house...

The dedicated fitness freak...

Meditating on the sunset.......

.....the lone dog.

Bangarra Dance Company in Perth

Day five in Perth and I realise suddenly I should be in the air flying home to Wellington. Things to do there which I really want to do, and also a house to maintain. If I even come again to the West it will be a four day maximum trip, however so be it, I am here so make the most of it. 

Last night at the fabulous new State Theatre in Northbridge we went to see the first night of the Sydney based Aboriginal Dance Company, Bangarra, a troupe I have often seen before but this current   production is beyond words...superlative! We had marvellous back row stalls seats with great sight lines and the great dancers were rapturously recieved by a packed and very young audience. It augurs very well for their future, but then that was never in doubt. They are unique, supremely talented and marvellously directed by the amazing Page brothers, Stephen and David at the height of their powers. And more power to them they bring Aboriginal culture to the fore in such a palatable artistic way and yet tell the real story of the white man's invasion of their country. Last night's dance was in no way different to their mission, to tell the Aboriginal story, but it was told in a sympathetic way about the interaction between the white man Botanist Dawes, an early arrival in this new country, and his relationship with an Aboriginal woman, called Patyegarang, the eponymous title to the production. It was absolutely fabulous and made the trip West worthwhile if just for that. As it says in the program blurb 'A gift of Australian History in a remakable dance experience about First Contact'. 

Just fantastic.

Indside the State Theatre foyer

The new Cottesloe cat Mollie

Beach front at Cottesloe

Lunch at East Perth with dear Eckist friends E and J

Now on to cooking my Orange Cake and waiting for the Family Trip to the country tomorrow. I am now counting down..

Fremantle sun

After a lovely night with nephew and wife with their two kids I am having a recovery coffee in Fremantle at Il Cibo, a smart but ultra expensive cafe with average coffee. And of course NO service. It seems service was left behind in Wellington! The young workers here have no idea of being charming or giving a smile when they begrudgingly offer you their wares. I certainly would not return here.

A hungry Perth customer...

...having been served by their non existent serving staff.

Life in Perth is spoilt. Things are just too good here and it is reflected in the the crime rate and big fences surrounding the million dollar houses. It is not a place I would ever care to live.

Town Hall Fremantle

Quiet street with middle-aged busker beating out Beatles songs

Well the sun is shining and my warm winter fleecy jacket from Wellie is proving to be a little excessive, as I feared it may be. However it is good to be getting some vitamin D from the sun which it appears I have been lacking in supplying calcium to my teeth. Something Agnes alerted me to last night and which I am sure  to be true, so on to vitamin D supplements asap.

Life as you see in the Freo photos, is laid back and easy in the West, the weather being part of its reason and part of its problem. Who wants to work in weather like this! The old Town Hall clock tower is now ringing out the eleven o'clock chimes and the sun is high and hot in the blue sky, just softly dotted with wispy white clouds.  I am sure the surfies are out on their boards at Cottesloe Beach at this very moment. 

Now to buy some oranges for the almond cake offering this Saturday morning tea at the farewell to Nellie at the Wotherpoons.

Beautiful Cottesloe - en famille!

Waking up at 6 am thinking it time for a beachside stroll, I immediately returned to bed with a hot cuppa and toast and jam, just to make sure I was on holiday!

A quick look on FB made me realise I can also catch up with ECKist friends on Perth, a nice thing to look forward to! A quick phone message to E to try and catch up later in the week, but first the very important family lunch gathering organised by by mysister with great efforts the night before.

The two Perth families  arrive with their families in tow, and lots of happy catch-up conversation going on. An arrival like mine in Perth is a rare opportunity for them to get together, also a farewell to eldest great-niece  Nellie who is off to London next Sunday for her first trip alone overseas.

We all overeat but it is a success and it is also decided I spend Monday night at nephew Christi's to experience their home-life in Hamilton Hill, also to see the great changes made to his home in the last few years. So after goodbyes we settle back to a quiet night in front of the box which doesn't last that long and then off to bed, for a meeting on the Monday morning with Ages in Fremantle.

The Koenig-Tomlinson family

My great nephew Loui..

The Wotherspoons...

Virgin Flight to Perth

The morning dawned early as I woke at five a.m. ready for a seven thirty airport departure. Maisie is always so generous and drives me the twenty minute trajectory to Tullamarine. A quick brekkie with M and her mum, who is always the demanding personality. Sometimes I really wonder how Maisie keeps her cool as it seems to me to be a one way street in that house, what Mum wants, Mum gets. However it is the mother-child syndrome, we all live through it, and it's tougher for some than for others.

Last night a small Japanese dinner in Flemington was a nice tail-ender to a fully packed week. Old friend Di was in fine form and we exchanged a few anecdotes. She is now very happy with her Jack Russell housemate called Harold, also a Greek man called Ari. Harold looks to be an absolute delight in her photos. Di drove me home and together with Maisie and her Mum we even viewed a couple of ABC shows, Miss Marples and a more up-to-date one about a plane crash involving the British PM. I am happy not to be following television anymore. It creates situations we don't need to have. 

Bed and sleep and now halfway across OZ I forget how irritating other passengers can be when you are confined in a small space. I am lucky to have a spare seat next to me with a little girl quietly reading on the aisle. But in front of me there is a couple of lovers behaving like two year-olds. They are at least middle-aged and this must be their second honeymoon as I see they cannot get close enough to each other and are constantly whispering to each other sweet nothings and gazing excitedly out the porthole into the cloud strewn nebulous. I suppose I should be more tolerant but his seat never stops moving when he fidgets and shares his intimacies. Oh well, only two hours more after a less than memorable Virgin scrambled egg and sausage breakfast and a coffee which reminds me just how bad airplane coffee can be. That's Air fare for you!

Anyway I am slowly processing a hectic week's offerings at this enromous conference just terminated yesterday. When I return to Wellie I need to collate my notes, write a thousand odd words and fix a few relevant photos to send to Auckland as my peace offering to the BP Board for not attending their next meeting. I am very happy that I have another more pressing engagement in Wellington which I can't miss. Three days on a Marae.

But first a week in Perth with my sister and her family...will be a great rest after Melbourne!

More friends at the Conference...

Lesley with his best friend...

Melbourne being Aware!

Coffee with my 90yo friend Pina in Kew.

Final Day - Love Your Condom

This is the sole Kiwi presentation on the very large Clarendon Auditorium.I will see half here then another half  on aging around in Rooms  B and C. Just to see how professional this mob is. A welcome given in Maori by Jordan Harris to begin the event.

First speaker is Nick Laing, G.M. NZAF who in turn introduced Jason Myers his swan song with NZAF.

About fifty in audience including Charlie and me.

LYC social marketing context in NZ. 

1986 Homosexual Law reform

2103 Marriage Equality Law

At Angels Espresso opposite Marisa's who of course wasn't there for our rendezvous.

It is now time to write post cards to Wellington....

The day couldn't be more perfect weather-wise that is. My much vaunted R.V. with old friend Marisa did not eventuate which didn't surprise me in the least.

Her cleaning lady Margaret met me at the door informing me that M had an urgent visit to the vet with her much beloved Sootie, her life long doggie companion of many years. I wish them both the best although I fear that M may not be in such a good state given the condition of the apartment from the front door. It makes me very aware that living in my small but isolated town of Wellington is not a bad idea after all. Cities can be unforgiving. 

The small cafe Engel is opposite the Sofitel where I am now, with a less than exciting lunch. The food here in no way equals that in Wellington, even a simple foccacia sandwich. But then I knew that anyway. However Melbourne still gives out an inexorable charm, people seem happy and well fed, and the weather is benign. Two more meetings today and my official time here is over and I will be on Perth energy, another state of mind completely. I am missing the closing Ceremony, more speeches which I feel are predictable, although the passing over to the next host city, Durban, could be of great interest. I am sorry to miss that. Perhaps I will try to make it.

Well, I did make it, and happily sat next to NZ CEO Bruce to share the experience. The many speeches  were emotional and expected, with a couple from the Positive population easily the best and also the best received. The baton was passed on to the new AIS director and much was said about the worthof  the outgoing director. The new man is the first openly gay AIS  director, a statement which received an appreciative round of very warm applause. Finally after ninety minutes of speaking, Bob Geldof came on stage, wearing body mike, and proceeded to regale all with his personal philosophy and managed at the same time to alienate a few who walked out early, including Bruce and I who needed to leave on time but who agreed 'enuf was enuf'.

Such was the end of the 2104 International AIDS  conference. Will I be in Durban for the conference of 2106? I don't think so.

Caught up with Hobart mate W enjoying the conference....

Day Five and films galore.

My first night at M's and after lovely ciabatta toast with Manuka honey and a cup of tea I am on my way to the morning's sessions.

Arriving at a more subdued convention centre the buzz is somewhat gone. Perhaps it is that the Bill Clinton Show has come and gone, althought Bob Geldoff is still a big attraction but I think I will miss him too. I have next an interesting 90 minute session on aging with HIV, then, if I have time, I will catch an Indian movie on transgenders. Then a late lunch with G and back to my new Dutch friend's movie at 4.30 to end the day. 

Yes the pace is quite reduced and some people are already gone, done their presentation and are no longer interested or just burnt out. But the die-hards are here and still loving every dramatic step of the AIDS' journey. I must admit I am a little jaded and really feel my job is nearly done. Today's two events are virtually my last as tomorrow it is a big wind-down.

Out on the Square...

My PNG friends attracting a lot of attention....

The female condom is the answer where Africans refuse to use the male condom. Again it is the women in the forefront of HIV prevention in the developing countries. What I sincerely believe is that the future and necessary change lies with the undoubted and proven strength of the trans-gender population. These people  are OUT, as they have to be. They are discriminated against more than all others, they have nothing to lose and everything to gain, and their numbers are in the ascendant especially in countries like Thailand, India and the Pacific Islands.  And the are strong within themselves.The problem is that these are the countries with the most antiquated laws regarding sexual freedom of expression and this is where the changes must happen, beginning from the grass-roots but bringing the lawmakers on board to cement the changes.

This is essentially what Michael Kirby is preaching about, but he sees the political pressures are too much in evidence for the law to effect the change. However one must never give up as the changes will eventually happen, but hopefully before millions more in the third world countries die of no treatment brought about by ignorance and fundamental church thinking. The British Empire has much to answer for in its historic promoting of outdated Victorian Christian teachings regarding sex and its practice. 

The panel arriving

Chaired by Rob Moodie...

Dutch Peter Reiss, Amsterdam chief. Multi morbidity increasing in aging with hiv.

Denmark more are dying from smoking than hiv. So what's new?

Are these AIDS related conditions (ARC) accentuated, or accelerated by hiv?

Transition to Aged Care facilities...David Menadue hiv poz. since 1984

Wasting and drug co effects. Mobility problems.

Developed diabetes 1994,  dental problems, osteoarthritis, a burden of illness. 

Cosmetic aids available...but always diarrhoea!

Co-ordination of care.. David has six specialists at Alfred Hospital.

HIV literacy...mistakes can be made.

Stigma and discrimination...prejudice. Need to be addressed.

Nursing care towards end of life. More problems as funding is problematic.

Ignorance still there. Thankful for excellent HIV care in OZ.

Carol Nawina pan African women's coalition.

Also had TB and had HIV, KS, Herpes,  since 2002, husband sied in 2001, now she is 50 yo.

International HIV advocate. Over 1,000 CD4 count.

Older African women very hard to get information on HIV.

Pear shape changes, weight goes up, vaginal wall thins, infection more possible.

Stigma from churches. Health care workers.

Many HIV poz people hiding in their rooms in Africa.

Carol has good support around her.

Professor of Epidemiology in Colombia. Wafaa El-Sadhr.

Studies in Sub Saharan Africa half million subjects 50 yrs or older.

Cafe Creperie Choix on Collins where I had lunch with old friend Graeme...very nice indeed!

Just out of Chuppan Chupai (Hide and Seek), a wonderful Pakistani movie which won best documentary at the Queer Mumbai film fesitval in 2103. Treating the open yet closed world of transgenders and their associated problems in a country where they are struggling to make laws equal for all sexes. I exchanged cards with the fim makers and hope to get hold of a copy of their film which was sad but hopeful, for my friends in Wellington. It is clear the advanced position of the sexual fredom in our Western countries, expecially NZ with its recent marriage equality laws.

Back for penultimate move called 'In My Skin', a fifteen minute NY short doco of nine transgenders putting on a theatrical   production in downtown Manhattan, legendary Public Theatre, Joe's Pub, Asserting their equality and independence in that most free city, New York,  I could feel the sub-continent population of trans people became green with envy at their pride and healthy self esteem, although they too, the Americans, had been through discrimination and hatred at some level during their lives. No trans person ie ever free from others' judging them. Others who just don't have a level of understanding of the differences in mankind, and the fact that we are all created equal. It was an excellent vignette. 

And now for the Dutch movie I have been looking forward to.

A little later...'The Time thereafter' was a great success. Dutch, so of course serious and meaningful, but with a certain legerete which gave it such an easy palatable taste for everyone in the room, who I believe, as I certainly did, thoroughly enjoyed it. It was unpretentious but true, the director obviously having the full confidence of the five main characters who had become HIV positive at different times, in different ways, and they were a very heterogenous group. A woman photographer, talented and driven, with her loving husband; a young gay Finnish man living in Amsterdam with his partner, a pregnant young woman recently diagnosed with a husband also HIV positive, a bright, young, ambitious Mexican boy who wants to change the world, and finally but not least, a very long- term positive Dutch gay man who, because of meds related osteoarthritis condition had chosen to become a double leg amputee, but who was the most joyful and happy person in the documentary. It was their story and well written and extremely well photographed. A great ending for me to the major five days of the Convention.

Day Four....exhaustion sets in!

Wednesday and it feels like I've been her at least a week. The schedule is daunting and only the fit survive. Last night after the fantastic candlelight Memorial at Fed. Square I slept a worthy night to be ready for a new day of hectic activities, but it was finally reduced, thank goodness, to a film and an excellent performance by an American now living in Canada, who was a very classy Cellist. He told his story with intermittent renditions of Cello classics, it was quite amazing and he showed just what a great talent he has.

The film, a doco by a young Melbourne youth worker, was less than exciting, but interesting for me as I knew well one of the young protagonists. I didn't stay for the Q and A as he wasn't there.

Leaving quickly, but not before I did my photo/interview for the New York artist documenting long-term HIV survivors. I don't think she expected a story like mine but I was happy to give it. Who knows, one day I may see it in NYC.

Day Three

Starting the day with a Kew coffee and croissant. Needed that sleep last night after constantly watching AIDS programming on TV. I can see why you can overdose on this Conference.

Today is meeting Therese at 3pm at Brunetti's in Swanston St at 3  pm so hope she remembers and is on time.

Some of the photos on exhibition at the Convention Centre

Michael Kirby holding forth on a panel, he is everywhere.

More exceptional photography ...

Les Obsedes on the tram..

Collins St Cafe Pallet

City of lanes...

Found a delightful French Creperie called Choix in a lane of Collins St. As it is close to Southern Cross Station I aim to have lunch with Graeme there on Thursday, hopefully at 2pm when it won't be so crammed and I am free. Tomorrow may even catch up with the elusive Marisa for lunch somewhere, if  miracles do exist.

Finally contacted with G and M, and all OK for G at  2pm at Choix on Collins, but of course M not free till Friday at 12 at her place. I will be late there as she is always late anyway. Hopefully Maisie and Eithne are free on Friday night for a light meal. 

A few hours later and the undoubted top event of the convention, for many reasons, took place in the community friendly and iconic Melbourne's Federation Square.

It was the Candlelight Memorial, with an excellent selection of speakers, and impeccably hosted by the major talent of a young Maori trannie, Richard Tucker, who set the night afire with wit, lucidity and verve which kept the freezing night air at bay. I happily bumped into a very old Melbourne AIDS Council friend from thirty years ago and we stood shoulder to shouder during the wonderul and moving evening, which lasted only one hour but felt much longer because of the great content and variety of performers.

I am writing this from a Fast Food house on Swanston street as I don't want to forget the buzz of this wonderful evening.

Begun by the fabulous PNG rock reggae group from this afternoon, Patti Poi, the tone was set for a high energy night. Speakers from so many different areas - a Fijian transgender activist spoke stirringly from the PoV of inequity for trans people, an American AIDS activist for women and her African counterpart spoke marvellously about the hidden plight of women with HIV. The  Victorian  minister for health  even gave a believable speech. The two stars of the biggest Melbourne musical 'Wicked' sang a beautiful duet about needing each other which brought tears to many eyes. The world Unicef Rep from the US and the rep for Enuf also gave a great and emotional speech. Also an excellent and moving speech by a young positive Melbourne boy who spoke of the future need for more action, the fight is not over. The evening was an enormous emotional success and it was in front of the people who were affected by HIV AIDS not the ones in it for the business end who are of course the convention's participants. The evening was finished by a great young Aboriginal girl singer who sang her wonderful original song called 'Hope', who is doubtless another major talent.

All in all, a night not to be missed and which made my trip to Melbourne absolutely worthwhile. WOW!

View of the Candlelight crowd at Fed Sq.

The great Maori M.C. Richard Tucker.

Day two

Last night's emotional opening ceremony for the AIDS Convention was long and exhausting, leaving many tearful but everyone wanting to get home. So much so that I had to cut Dan Sultan's  obviously heartfelt performance singing at the tail end of the evening.

Three standout speeches remain with me, all very different but with resounding impact on all who listened. The young Indonesian girl of about twenty who had HIV for five years spoke of the impossiblility to get health education in her  enormous Muslim country. She stood on stage in her national dress along with twently or so others in their respective costumes, representing the sample of how AIDS affects every nation on earth. The next speech by Mr Sidibe from UNAIDS was long but filled with essential rhetoric about the state of AIDS today and where we must go by 2030, to zero infection rate. Then Michael Kirby gave the keynote Jonathan Mann Memorial Speech, citing the grim irony of this plane crash and the fact that Mann himself perished 14 years ago along with his wife in a plane crash in Canada on his way to an AIDS conference. But this time it was a premeditated attack.The audience received all speeches with emotion and much applause when vows were made to eliminate the virus by 2030.  It was a long, three hours experience, but necessary given the extraordinary circumstances  surrounding the event.

Now on to today's talks and workshops, sessions and films. My neighbour at the  opening  ceremony was  a Dutch filmmaker who has his documentary showing on Thursday, one which I had already marked down to see. I will certainly not miss that one. Perhaps I will meet up with him again one day in Amsterdam.

Coffee at Kew Post office Cafe, for old times sake..

Terrible news gracing the daily rag.

One concerned delegate from Africa...

P.N.G is well represented...

....even with Condoms!

Home after another full day and luckily I was able to meet up with  Michael Kirby to deliver the invitation to come to NZ next year. Let's hope he may find it possible to come. His speech again was excellent in the panel on the criminalisation of HIV. Tonight also he was the major speaker in theABC's Q and A with Tony Jones, held at the Melbourne Town Hall. All the questions were again addressed but this time to an appreciative national audience. An excellent program and well received by a big crowd in attendance.

 More tomorrow after a good sleep I hope.