Koranas quarry

Koranas is the local name for limestone which is used for road base. This koranas quarry is out on the Raiven Road.

Dfor .......

I'm late posting today because we have a new baby in the house. I had forgotten how demanding they are!! She seems to have settled in very well........





......and just loves the beach. Her heritage is questionable and her final size and shape will be a surprise but she is adorable. The name is still under discussion. I'm pushing for Jessie but no decision has been made yet. Any ideas????

Sky Watch Friday - Lukluk go long hap

I said last week I should go for a walk in the opposite direction. So I did!!! And this is what I saw.

More Sky Watch Posts here

Assorted doorways & windows

As Jim Morrison said
"There are things known and things unknown
And in between are the Doors"

Treasure

This young boy was with the lady with the pipe (last Tuesday's post). He had a phonebook under his arm and spent the whole time fending off other children who also wanted it. He finally chased them away and was victorious with his new treasure.

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Our first hit of ash yesterday was a sign of things to come me thinks. The good thing was we have had quite good rain to wash it away last night. Hope it stays away for a bit longer.

Looks like coconut , smells like coconut must be ....fuel?

Most vehicles in PNG run on diesel fuel. "Only recently, imported diesel in the Pacific has become more expensive than the net value of exported coconut oil, suddenly making coconut oil a serious commodity option for internal use as biofuel."


This biofuel operation in Rabaul is making fuel, in a small shed, for its company vehicles .

This article and this one are quite interesting if you'd like to know more.

Sky Watch Friday - Knock! Knock!

Knock Knock

Who's there?

'Nudder.

'Nudder who?

'Nudder sunset from the front of my place.

I really must go for a walk in the opposite direction one day.

More Friday Sky Watch photos here

Happy 33rd Birthday

PNG celebrated the 33rd anniversary of its independence from Australia today.

In 1964 a House of assembly with 64 members was formed. Internal self-government came into effect in 1973, followed by full independence on 16 September 1975.


Black, red and yellow are traditional colors which are found in Papua New Guinean art and clothing. The yellow bird, a stylized bird of paradise, is culturally significant to Papua New Guineans and in full flight it represents freedom and the country's birth as an independent nation. The five stars symbolize the constellation the Southern Cross, representing the country's geographical position in the world and its link to Australia, which also incorporates the Southern Cross on its flag.

PNG Flag info from here

Light my fire

This lady was lighting her pipe with a stick from the fire, while waiting to sell her bilums and shell necklaces at the Japanese Barge Tunnel, on the Rabaul/Kokopo Road last week.

The pipe is made from a seed pod and a stick.

BBQ at the end of the world.

We often go over to where the photo of the sign was taken in yesterday's blog and have a BBQ. When the volcano is not ashing so much it is a surreal experience.

The area is lit by the glow and roar of the volcano and we sit and watch the fireworks. This time however we had only been there 5 minutes when it started raining.

A bit of wet stuff never deters us, so the party went on.

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PS Nathalie asked where I live in relation to yesterday's photos. If you go down to the bottom of this page and look at M & Mme Benaut's post, you will see the volcano in the background - about 17 km as the crow flies. This photo was taken in front of my place. Rabaul is behind and to the left of the ash cloud.

Ooops - they are no longer on the bottom !! Click on older posts at the bottom of the page and they will be at the top of the page that pops up.

Sky Watch - Ashen Skies

Rabaul is doing it tough at the moment. The ash is constant and the residents need all the support they can get - but the hospital at Nonga is shut, some schools have closed, and government services are dwindling. East New Britain can not function without Rabaul and I take my hat off to those people who manage to live in these conditions to keep things going. It is an amazing place to visit and on the weekend we took friends here for the day and had a magnificent dinner at the Rabaul Hotel that night. You need medals guys!!!!

We are watching from the other side of the bay and holding our breath and hoping that the damn things stops some time soon to give them a break and to spare us before the winds change!!!

But in the midst of this sobering scene there was a lighter moment. I don't think the guy who wrote this sign knew how funny it looks here in the middle of the devastation, but we all fell about laughing when we read it!!!!

I'm sure there are brighter skies at Sky Watch Friday here.

What light thru yonder window breaks

Not all the glass has been put in the church yet so there are views through to the outside.

Classy glass

Some of the stained glass features going up in the new Vunapope Cathedral.

I'm only guessing but some of it looks like it has been taken from the old church and reused. They are most attractive - I do like simple, clean glass features.

I will go back and get more photos of the shell structure - it was very difficult the other day to move around outside.

Cathedral - update

The new Catholic Cathedral at Vunapope is gathering momentum. Since my last post here, things have moved on and now the inside is happening. It is in the shape of a shell - quite imaginative. Will show you more this week.

A European artist has been here painting the altar panels.

A local artist was also hired to paint his interpretation.

Sky Watch Friday

This rather dramatic cloud hung around while we snorkelled one Sunday on Little Pigeon Island.

Couldn't decide whether I liked it in B&W or colour - so posted them both!!!

Check out Sky Watch Friday skies here.

Fishing for sympathy

These children were fishing on the beach last Sunday. The youngest one took one look at me with the camera and scuttled screaming up the beach to her mother, who promptly fell about laughing !!!!

M & Mme Benaut's Amazing Adventure

Have felt so left out with photos of M & Mme Benaut's travels all over everyone else's blog sites, here, here and here, I decide to borrow one of Dive's photos and join in on M & Mme B's Amazing Adventure!!!

I bet you didn't know that Rabaul was also on their itinerary - I think they will be surprised too!!!!