November 28 - At the Beach

Over the years, Lyle and I have been able to enjoy many holiday times together. Because we both love the ocean, many of these trips have involved times spent along rocky coastlines or on sandy beaches. I have been especially fortunate to have Lyle by my side because for the most part I wouldn’t have been able to explore some of these alone.  I am hesitant to walk by myself on even a flat sandy beach if it is unfamiliar to me. 

Sandy beaches are in a constant state of flux. Rocks that might be invisible, covered by sand on one day, might be uncovered hazards at the next tide. Sharp shells, jelly fish and other stinging sea creatures might be washed up as obstacles for someone who is unable to see them.  Generally speaking I don’t like to use my white cane on the beach.  The round tip of my cane tends to stick in the loose sand.

Of all the beaches we have walked along, I think that Australia has some of the best. Of course you will tell me that I am just a little biased, but I challenge you to come here and experience them yourself.

Beaches around Sydney are popular stops for many tourists. Bondi and Manly are the best known, probably because they are easily accessible from the city. However I like the beaches further away from the city. There are three pictures with this post to show what I mean.

The first photo was taken at MacMasters Beach on the Central Coast area. On the right hand side of the photo there is a rock pool and the second photo shows me standing in this pool. The third picture was taken at Soldiers Beach. There is a long stretch of sand with me standing in the distance. 

MacMasters Beach

Rock Pool at MacMasters Beach

Soldiers Beach

At the end of November it is spring in Australia.  The lifesavers have their red and yellow flags posted for safe swimming.  While city beaches may be crowded, you can usually find beaches away from the city where you can enjoy solitude.  If you do come to Australia, I hope that you will have time to visit one of these idyllic spots.

November 21 - At the Movies

After the events in Paris last week, it seems odd to be writing about something as trivial as going to the movies...but I think that we all need to follow the example set by the French people. The lives lost and changed by the callous murder of innocent victims has global significance. France has shown us how we should respond. We will not be cowed by fear. We will be resilient. We will determine to go on with our normal lives, and so today I am taking you to the movies. 

Going to, or “seeing” a movie, is not a usual choice for me. If I am to enjoy a movie, there must be sufficient dialogue for me to follow the plot. From the title, this is sometimes hard to predict. Often I will rely on friends to tell me which movies they think I might enjoy. Of course, not all tastes are the same but enjoyment of a movie can vary for sighted folk as well as for those who can’t actually see the screen.

That being said, this past week we have “three” movies. The first, Bridge of Spies, was great. It was a little difficult to follow the action at the very beginning but then the cleverly written dialogue of the script took over. Also, I enjoy movies with Tom Hanks. He has a clearly recognizable voice. Distinctive voices are also important in helping me to follow what is going on.

The second movie we saw was Spectre. This was an action film with lots of loud explosions, shooting and throbbing background music which I suspect was meant to be suspenseful. I saw a James Bond movie many years ago and I’m not sure what made me think that I could possibly enjoy this one. I didn’t. There was a loose plot but it was extraordinarily difficult to follow. For the most part action films without much dialogue aren’t the best form of entertainment for someone who is blind or partially sighted. 

The final movie, titled The Dressmaker, was set in rural Australia. Of course this made the film a good choice for me.  The dialogue was good, the acting was excellent, and the plot had an interesting twist.  Nevertheless, there were some sections of silence and I’m glad that Lyle was sitting beside me to explain what was happening on the screen. 

So, that is my commentary of a week at the movies. I must add that being inside an air conditioned theatre was a good place to be today.  The temperature outside reached a high of 41 degrees Celsius!