Post Easter we have planned to catch up with some old friends and seldom seen relations on the paternal line. We have combined this project with a sybaritic sojourn on the South NSW Coast.
This morning we set out for the Airport via Uber, but we had scarcely joined Citilink when a neon sign warned of closed lanes due to a collision, and within a few metres traffic came to a gridlock. Praise be to Google Drive that advised escape by the nearby next exit, and we continued our journey under instructions through a web of northern suburbia. Google then advised rejoining Citilink at Bell St, and we arrived at the airport with only 2 minutes lost from original ETA.
Our first stop was Canberra, where we picked up a hire car and proceeded to Parliament House, where we were greeted by a friend on Senator Payne’s staff and his wife , and took a light lunch in the Parliamentary Staff Café. We only realised the full extent of the benefit of entry by sponsor when we saw the queues at the main entrance going only to public areas, whereas our friend had conducted us through all Members’ corridors with peeks into currently unoccupied Members and Ministers offices, and the extensive portraiture and other art not usually accessible.
View at the entrance
Ming we know, but his portrait is placed in the pre-war order; on his left is Earle Page using the conceit of an academic hood.
I was surprised by the portrait of Julia Gillard, the most recent, a photographic like crispness , head only.
View of a garden from one of the Senate corridors
View of a garden from one of the Senate corridors
We continued our journey with a two hour drive to Bateman’s Bay, where we adjourned to the appropriately named Esplanade Hotel, with an excellent spacious room and delightful water view.
Two late afternoon snaps from our balcony on arrival: I am looking forward to the same scene in morning’s light:
Bateman’s Bay is not noted for gastronomic highlife. After judicious consideration we settled for dinner at the Soldiers Club to which our hotel assigned us temporary membership, free coke and keno concession (pass). The food was of course cheap efficient and cheerful, though I ventured 6 local (Clyde River) oysters which on arrival at the table I thought by size had been harvested when too young to be taken from their mother.
The Club had a small but impressive display of memorabilia of local heroes, including an avenue of honour on the way into the restaurant, and one set of Albert Jacka, and
Alan Stretton, who it claimed has been the only General officer to rise from the ranks.
General Stretton’s uniform is on the right, Albert Jacka’s medals are on the far left.
Ah, Bateman's Bay: when we were there a few years ago, I failed to pay for a room with a view. Your post(especially the reference to an "excellent spacious room") confirms that that was indeed a mistake. Next time - if and when - it will be a room with a view. But it sounds as though it might still be dinner at the Soldiers' Club.
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