The British connection!

Went to newcastle fort this afternoon after I had lunch with edwina. This was set up by the British late 1800s.It's named after a guy named Colonel Scratchley.On this site there was the first coal mining in Newcastle as the famous explore John Shortland found a few sample of the coal at the foothill of the current site. Over the 130 years history the fort was never actually was used as fort but rather at the begining a misconcieved light house then a firing station to ships which tried to leave the harbour with out paying tax to the British.

When it was first set up all the guns came from England and they had to be sent back to england to be repaired because there was no gun factory of that sort in then colonies (Australia, was yet to be born)!All that fuss for shooting at escaping ships!Ha haa

Only time the guns have actually been used for purpose was during the second world war when Japanese I 21 tried to attack newcastle.Aparently the Japs fired 21 bombs but only 3 worked. This was later found that this was due the fact that the Japs submarine used bombs that were faulty and out of date ones bought from the British! What else could you expect?

What I found most amazing thought that Newcastle had a connection with Bengal since the inception of this town. When John Shortland found coal it led to establishment of coal mining in this town leading to it's first shipment to Bengal in 1799!wow.. I am sure that it was all needed to run the huge railway network that the British had set up in India to run the subcontinental part of the empire!

Anyway, I was amazed by this connection.At least one thing the British did, they connected the whole world for the sake of trading!!!haha

Palm Sunday!

Had to miss Palm sunday service.I miss Bangladesh a lot because this used to be a very special day for Christians in Bangladesh celebrate this day with such passion.With morning mass sining from door to door, whole night prayers, morning services, sharing crosses of palms etc.Really miss it!All of it!

So whole morning I waited for my old friend Caesar to come from Sydney.Pretty hot day!Anyway he came later in the afternoon with Hau.It was nice to see him after a long time.Last time I saw him it was at new year's eve perhaps in 2008 or something.We had really good time.We had gone and bought some goat meat from this halal shop, cooked it and then went out in the evening to harbour to see the fire works.On the way back to his place at campsy we met this guy on the train who looks like the vocal of Linkin Park! But really can't quite remember which new year's eve this was!strange...he's lost a bit of weight, got a new hair cut and wearing white pants.That' pretty unusual. I have never seen him without jeans.They even brought their dog, called Milu.That's pretty cool name for dog, eh?



In the evening I saw a news item from Thailand on ABC lateline.The followers of Thaksin or someone like that spilling their blood in front of some government office in Bangkok.Pretty grim for Thailand really.I have been to Thailand so many times and they are such amazing people and to see them doing that is kind eery.It must be something really serious!If I consider that act as a symbolic one it can be quite confusing as to what they want tell really.Do they mean there is going to be bloodshed?If so of whom?Well, it's just sad to see this!



In the evening went to Bar beach.It's nice to there specially at night times since it cools down and lovely breeze. Have a smoke!Really wonderful! I am surprised though how many others also do the same, just drive up there.Chill out in their cars or just have a gaze towards the beach or western skyline of the town!

Came back aroudn 11.30.Now I feel pretty Knackered.Going to sleep!

In Newcastle, still jetlagged

I have just got out of jet-lag.But my body still alarms me that it's late night when it is actually late afternoon here.So I drag myself out of the house and get down to the bar beach or the Swells. My most favourite coffee shop in the whole world!The view from the the shop is stunning and I can spend hours watching the world go by.People surfing mad, old women with thier dogs, young boys with skateboards and surf boards, young women with thier bare necked tan!

Then I come home as if I could live another day for another sunset by that beach. As if I could live another life for another day to be by that beach.What a joy of life..if only you never got bored of it!