News for Family and Friends

Journal of Overseas Trip 31 March to 10 May 2008

(Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the photographs; then use the back button to return)

Leaving Home - Monday 31 March

We walked to Grant Street Railway Station in light rain, caught the train to Perth and then a taxi to Perth International Airport, the driver telling us "jokes" all the way, for example, a Queensland genetic scientist crossed a sheep with a kangaroo and the result was a woolly jumper. Checked in and got through customs. Departure delayed 40 minutes as engineers were checking the aeroplane for possible lightening damage.

Auckland - Tuesday 1 April

The plane landed a little late but this was not a problem for us. We took the shuttle bus to the city. The day was impacted by rain (heavy at times) and misinformation. Our first port of call was the ferry terminal where we saw a packed ferry arriving. We took a ride on the free city circuit bus but it was hard to see the sights as the bus was packed. Then we went to the main railway station which looked like John imagined New York Central Railway Station would look like.

We went to the Tourist Information Centre to enquire where second hand book shops would be located. Received a one word answer "Pernell". When asked if he meant the street or the suburb we received no response. Later the same person was to be seen spitting into the gutter in the street. We then walked up hill and down dale and nearly got lost, visited Albert Park and took photographs. We had lunch in Pernell Road (overpriced by Australian standards given the quality of the food). Two or three locals said they did not know of any second hand book shops in Pernell.

After walking back to the CBD we found a second hand book store but they did not have any copies of John's great uncle Vere Harvey-Brain's book My Seychelles Years which was published while he was living on Waiheke Island (off Auckland).

We went to the Central City Library and found that George Graham Goss's (Ruth's step grandfather) brief military details were not there despite the fact that we had been told in an email that they were. Then we caught the shuttle back to the airport.

To us, after a short visit, Auckland was a city congested with traffic but with lots of wonderful old buildings.

The departure of our plane to Los Angeles was delayed as part of the cargo had been loaded incorrectly.

Te Ahi Kā - The enduring fires. Details

Statue in Albert Park of Sir George Grey - WA explorer. Biographical Details

Los Angeles - Tuesday 1 April

It was a long flight (11 hours) to LA. LA airport was relatively efficient. We took a taxi to our hotel on Venice beach (Venice Beach Suites & Hotel). Although we were tired we went for a stroll along the boardwalk, several kilometres of stalls were selling clothing, tattoos, luggage, paintings, decorative items, etc. Lots and lots of people including one poor fellow laying on a skateboard: he only had one complete limb, an arm, which he used to move the skateboard. Went back to the hotel for a shower and fell asleep. We re-emerged too late for an evening meal, to find the street almost empty - a big contrast. A person dressed like a security guard (he wasn't really one) lead us halfway to a Subway one of the four eateries still open. After a meal we went back to the hotel, watched a seemingly never ending News segment on TV, the crime news was the first up, and then we went to sleep again.

Forgot to mention the taxi driver said he has fourteen children; and that his dog competes in dog surfboard riding championships (including in Australia)!

Our hotel on Venice Beach, LA

The Venice Beach Boardwalk in April

Los Angeles - Wednesday 2 April

We had fun on the buses. LA has more than one bus company. Each one issues their own all day ticket which is recognised by the other lines but only for one ride and one is supposed to surrender your all day ticket!! If paying by cash you put your money in a "fare box" which does not give change, but paying too much is not a problem.

San Diego Freeway from the Getty Center

So off we went to the Getty Center using two buses, each from a different line. On the way we passed the University of California, Los Angeles. The UCLA campus covers a large amount of land (419 acres or 1.7 km²). After getting off at the Getty Center we jumped on the driverless cable tram for the climb up to the Centre. An amazing collection of artwork including Van Gogh's "Irises", owned at one time by Western Australia's Bond Corporation. We have a poster of this on display at home.

Artwork at the Getty Center

Water and floral display at The Getty Center

After a full day at the Centre we took two buses to Santa Monica Pier. There is lots of high rise next to the beach. But this is a wide beach so the tall buildings do not have the same impact as the Gold Coast in Australia. We had dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurant based on theme of the Forrest Gump movie. Forrest Gump, in the film had run from his home town to the end of the Santa Monica pier and then stopped and ran back again. We went to back to the hotel after having to wait for the bus in the rain. Rain and snow had been forecast but we do not experience any snow.

Santa Monica Pier

Santa Monica Beach

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Restaurant

Los Angeles & Seattle - Thursday 3 April

Back to Subway again, this time for breakfast. We walked across the road for coffee at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Finished packing and checked out of our hotel. Walked to the nearby taxi rank and took a taxi cab to the airport. Quiet taxi driver - no jokes! We flew to Seattle, and the flight was on time. We met John's cousin Elizabeth Heldele at the baggage claim - she recognised us from the photo we had sent her by email. Claimed our baggage from the carrousel only to discover John's TSA approved padlock had been removed and the contents gone through by the Transport and Security Administration (TSA). Zips on case left partially undone, wrapping paper on presents (books) removed etc.). The padlock was a TSA approved lock and it should have been replaced by them, but it wasn't. Everything in the case had been jumbled up and at first it was thought that some items were missing altogether.

Prior to landing the passenger sitting next to us pointed out many of the local landmarks including Mount Rainier. On the way to Elizabeth's we saw the mountain again, but we didn't see it after that due to the weather, a pity we did not photograph it with snow on it and a beautiful blue sky.

At Elizabeth's we met her husband Brad and their daughter Kaitlin (a nursing assistant training to be a nurse or to be more precise, a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)). They were living in their recently built two story house in suburban Renton. After the evening meal, Brad took us on a night tour of Seattle. We drove around to Alki Point where we could look across Puget Sound and see Seattle. Alki Point was where the first European settlement was located and was the birth place of Seattle. However after six months most of the settlers moved across the water.

Note: The navigator George Vancouver named both Puget's Sound (now Puget Sound) in Washington, USA and King George The Third Sound (now King George Sound) in our home state of Western Australia.

Elizabeth & Brad's Home in Seattle

Seattle - Friday 4 April

Many of the street trees in Seattle are Cherry trees and these were in full blossom making glorious streetscapes.

Bradley and Elizabeth headed off to work; their son Daniel (who arrived after we went to bed) took us into the city past the Space Needle and out to the Pikes Place Market. The market stalls were selling a variety of goods such as tulips and other flowers, vegetables, photographs, art works, salmon, crabs, and other sea food. One stall is renowned for throwing the fish selected by the customer up to the till for payment and wrapping.

Also visited the very first Starbucks Café, which has been retained in its original layout to show how the early Starbucks cafes were laid out. We purchased a coffee for each us which didn't taste too bad considering it was Starbucks. Then Daniel took us to Ruth Ittner's unit (Ruth is the daughter of May Rosinah Amelia Webster) where we spent the afternoon. We looked at many family photographs, some of them going back to the time the Websters (John's maternal grandmother, "Brainey" was a Webster) were at Ashleigh in Epping Forrest. Also Ruth presented us with a DVD entitled Back to Life: The Iron Goat Trail, a fascinating description of the establishment of a walk trail featuring Ruth who was instrumental in the project. Ruth Ittner then drove us to Ivar's Acres of Clams, a restaurant on the waterfront for dinner. Ruth Ittner, Harriett Ittner, Bruce and Pam Ittner, Kaitlin, Elizabeth and Brad Heldele, and the two of us had a wonderful meal. Most of us started with chowder as the first course.

During the meal several large car/passenger ferries docked and departed; also the fire boat went out and returned.

Pike's Market - Pig money box

Pike's Market - Fish stall

Pike's Market - Fish stall

Starbucks Seattle

At Ivar's Restaurant

Seattle & San Jose - Saturday 5 April

After breakfast we (Elizabeth & Brad, Ruth & John) went for a brief walk. John was quite out of breath by the time we were three quarters of the way up a steep hill - somewhat disappointing to him, but partly due to him still recovering from being ill earlier in the year. Back at Brad & Elizabeth's other family members joined us (namely, Elizabeth & Brad & Kaitlin & Victoria, the dog, Ruth & John) during the day. These were Laura Hill (Elizabeth & Brad's daughter); Bruce and Pamela Ittner; Harriett Ittner; Linda Toews (a granddaughter of Sidney Mallett Webster) and daughter Karen; Sarah (a daughter of Elizabeth and Brad) and Ed Bactad and their young son Trey; and Ruth Ittner. Linda and Karen had travelled across the border from Vancouver, Canada. It was a wonderful gathering and we felt both welcome and a sense of belonging. Apart from Harriet, we had not met any of them before.

We had purchased a copy of the popular Australian children's book Possum Magic by Mem Fox for young Trey. This was may not a have been a wise idea as it appears that possums are not held in high regard in Seattle.

Elizabeth, Brad and Victoria	Taken from steep hill in Renton
Elizabeth, Laura and Linda	Group photo at Elizabeth and Brad's place

We left Seattle with mixed feelings, sad to be leaving new found friends but looking forward to being with our son David. The plane left on time and we were met at the San Francisco airport by David and Nicole. David drove us to his home in a hire a car as his Mercedes SLK230 Kompressor only takes one passenger. We gave him a bottle of Kiwi Fruit liquor with specks of gold in it (purchased duty free at Auckland Airport) and the bottle of complementary wine from the Venice Beach hotel.

After some snacks we went to bed.

San Jose, David's Place

San Jose CA - Sunday 6 April

We went to brunch (without Nicole) at Pedro's Restaurant & Cantina in Santa Clara. This was most enjoyable. One of the people on an adjoining table was a having her fiftieth birthday and a group of musicians in traditional Mexican dress (Mariachi) sang to her.

Then we visited some shops in the Great Mall of the Bay Area and purchased some necessary and not so necessary items to keep us going.

We went to a boutique brewery, the Los Gatos Brewing Company for the evening meal - good beer and good food.

San Jose CA - Monday 7 April

We walked along David's Street to the City Hall. Passed the Mexican Consulate general on the way, outside of which was a long queue of people.

At City Hall we did a tour of the building. There were magnificent views from the top floor and David's house could be seen. Numerous historical items and photographs were on display. A feature was a large statue of Christopher Columbus.

We travelled on the DASH (DownTown Area Shuttle). It took time to get used the terms Downtown, Midtown and Uptown although the latter is not used in San Jose. Looked at the world's largest Monopoly Board. Walked the 2.6 mile length of Guadalupe River Park and Gardens including the historic orchard and rose garden. It was after dark by the time we returned home.

Squirrel in Green Park, San Jose

John with dice for Monopoly Game

View of San Jose from the Council buildings

San Jose CA - Tuesday 8 April

We travelled on the DASH again, this time to the railway station. Bought a ticket for the Caltrain (10 rides - 2 people can use the ticket). We then went into San Francisco; we spent an hour trying to find location to buy a three day Muni Passport (for travel on public transport) before succeeding. Queued up for the cable car at the turntable and travelled to the pier on the Cable car. Lots of steep ascents and descents which meant the driver had to work hard at gripping and releasing the cable. At the pier observed ferries coming and going. Had some awful fish and chips, gave some of them to the seagulls - something we would not do at home and shouldn't have done here either. We then travelled back on the cable car to the Cable Car museum. Very interesting, not a true museum as it actually powers the cable cars! We then took a ride on a trolley bus towards Ocean Beach. Interesting houses. Then returned to United Nations Plaza where protestors were gathering to oppose Chinese rule in Burma & Tibet, looked around some shops in the Westfield and then had dinner in the food hall, caught the Caltrain back to San Jose and walked to David's as we were too late for the shuttle.

San Francisco Cable Car

Wheelhouse for Cable Car

Floral tribute in protest for Tibet and Burma

San Jose CA - Wednesday 9 April

We left earlier today and caught the DASH to the Caltrain, then 3 Muni buses to get to the Golden Gate Bridge. Saw some people waiting for the Olympic Torch relay on the way there. On our arrival at the bridge there was a heavy police presence and protestors coming off the bridge expressing their views against the Chinese presence in Burma. After waiting for them to come off the bridge, we walked across the bridge and back, cool breeze, reasonable visibility. Sunny day. Caught the Muni and ended up at a big shopping centre out of San Francisco (Stonestown). Had a late lunch and returned to the city on the tram/light rail to the Civic Centre. Wandered around the Civic Centre and visited the Library and viewed a photographic exhibition. Glanced through the doors of City Hall. Saw a bride in her regalia but wearing tennis shoes. We bought an apple for each of us from a fresh produce open air market. Returned to the Caltrain by bus. Caught the Caltrain to Mountain View where David picked us up and took us to Google for the evening meal. After the meal toured around some of the extensive Google campus, free cafeterias, free laundry, free facilities of various kinds for stuff, some areas prohibited to visitors! We then went home with David.

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

Pioneer Monument at Civic Center by Frank Happersberger, 1894

San Jose CA - Thursday 10 April

First the DASH then we caught the Caltrain to San Francisco. Bought a ruler for computer printing, then had lunch. We caught a bus to the Coit Tower on the top of Telegraph Hill. Fantastic views - took lots of photographs. Caught a bus out to the Golden Gate bridge and transferred to the Presido shuttle. We went around twice. These two activities occupied most of the day after a latish start. Used two buses to get back to the City and walked through a down and out area, looked for alternative places to eat but ended up back at the food hall in the Westfield Cente. Took a late Caltrain back to San Jose and walked back to David's place.

One of the features of the Westfield Center is the curved escalators.

View from the steps of Coit Tower

Tennis courts on top of building - photographed from Coit Tower

San Jose CA - Friday 11 April

Walked from David's to San Jose, saw the Rome Catholic Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph. It is an impressive building. While we were there workmen were redoing some of the gold paint. Then caught the DASH to the Caltrain and the Caltrain to Mountain View where David picked us up and took us to Google for lunch. We took some exterior photographs (photography inside restricted). Bought some Google merchandise and David drove us back to the railway station and we wondered up and down one of the nearby streets - mostly eating places. Then back to San Jose on the Caltrain. Dinner with David and Nicole at Johnny Rockets and then on to the Dive Bar where David was a friend of the bar tender (Dani).

San Jose:Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph

Newspapers, San Jose

David at Google

San Jose - Saturday 12th April

Brunch at a Pancake restaurant (IHOP) and returned to David's house and organised ourselves to go to San Francisco. Took the scenic Route to S.F. and then drove to Lombard Street to drive down the well known paved section that snakes its way down the side of a steep hillside. Then we went through a long process to find a car park which ended up a long way from where we wanted to go. Walked and walked and then stopped to have drinks before boarding our evening cruise to Alcatraz with David & Nicole as well as ourselves. Alcatraz started as a Military defence base for San Francisco Bay but was never required to be used. Later it was a military prison and then a civilian prison. Whilst it was obviously a tough prison to serve out your time, myths abound.

The lights of San Francisco looked great on the return journey. We then had dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe sitting next to one of BB King's guitars. We were then faced with the long walk back to the car park and the drive back to San Jose ensured a late night.

View of Coit Tower from Lombard Street, San Francisco	David & Nicole at Alcatraz
Alcatraz - Old Guard Quarters	Alcatraz - Flank Defence Howitzer

San Jose - Sunday 13th April

We had a bagel breakfast in San Jose and then wandered back to spend time with David and Nicole. We all went to lunch a Mexican outdoor restaurant (Día de Pesca sí Food Taquería). Returned to David's and gathered our laundry and went to Google to do it. Whilst there was a strong demand for machines and dryers we were not delayed. Whilst the clothes were drying we took a quick trip to Stanford University. Students were having fun on a hot day in the fountain; we had a quick look at the Hoover museum and went up the tower for views over the extensive campus. Back to get our washing and then to David's where Nicole had been preparing a meal for us. We drank the complimentary wine from Venice Beach and then an almost early night so as to be up in time for the flight to Las Vegas.

Stanford University fountain - from Hoover Tower

Stanford University - Hoover Tower