Blue Suede Style

A Perfect Case of Cane And Able

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

As I walked through the Bourke Street Mall recently, I could hear an Elvis song above all the myriad sounds of the beautiful city I live in. I knew immediately it was a street performer, but I couldn’t actually see the singer.

As I walked up the street, I saw this man on a street corner. At first I could just see his head and shoulders - it helps when you’re well over six feet tall, because you get a clear view most of the time. The closer I got, the more poignant the scene became.

The street performer was seriously vision-impaired, hence the dark glasses, the white cane and the prominent sign. I stood and watched him for a few seconds as people hurried past. So many people, so many things on their minds, and yet this man stood, seemingly oblivious to the pace of the city, delivering the ballads that probably held great significance in his own life.


There was nothing to announce that he was open to donations, but I saw that he had an upturned Akubra hat (a quintessential symbol of Australia) above his amplifier. So I dropped a two-dollar coin into his hat and he actually broke off in mid-delivery to say "Thank you".

I then asked him if he would mind me taking some photographs and he grinned and said, "Go ahead. I’m sorry I’m not the most photogenic subject".

It was much later that I thought of an appropriate reply. I should have just said "Ah, but you’re a profile in courage."


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Ute Tube

When Bush Comes To Shove

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

You call 'em pickups, we call 'em utes. In that wonderful Aussie way, we shorten our favourite words, so a "utility vehicle" is a ute. This afternoon, in the heart of Melbourne's CBD, the bush came to town in more ways than one. Ya gotta understand, mate, the ute is an absolute Australian icon.

And when the utes from the bush town of "Deni" (Deniliquin) come down in full-throated convoy to the city, we all stand and applaud. It was the big rev-up to the 2007 Deniliquin World record Ute Muster to be held from 28-29 September. I thought I'd wander down with my camera and spend ten minutes there at lunchtime. Yeah, right. I was there for an hour. Time flies when you're having fun.

The stunning mural on this ute caught my eye because it evoked such a typical Outback scene - a single drover returning home at sundown. It's only just struck me that the mural would have been hand-painted and I should have asked more questions about the artist and whether it depicts a real scene. Up the top of the shot you'll see the "tarp" (tarpaulin) that is always stretched taut to protect the load.

And here is another set of Aussie icons. This is an Akubra hat (above), a true-blue Australian product that is wide-brimmed as protection against the hot sun. Speaking of sun, this was a difficult shot because of the bright early-afternoon sun almost directly overhead. And because I never "set up" a shot, I had to work my way round to get the best angle and combat the shadow. The large tags on the left are cattle tags, while the smaller ones on the right are sheep tags.

Watch this space for more great photographs ....

Called To The Bar

Sobering Experience In Alaska’s Pubs

Up Alaska way, they speak pretty good Strine. They know what a billy is. They know all about jumbucks. The word "billabong" doesn't faze 'em. They can tell you why a swagman is called a swagman. And, most important of all, they'll sing `Waltzing Matilda' as lustily as anyone sporting an Akubra and wearing a Drizabone.

Mind you, it wasn't always that way. Things were pretty quiet when we walked into the Fogcutter (what a great name for an Alaskan pub) late on a May evening. We'd already spent a bit of time familiarising ourselves with the other pub in Haines and things were pretty low-key. The barmaid noticed we were having a little trouble with the local coinage and came round to held us.

"Off the cruise ship?" she asked. Yep, we owned up. But how did she know?

To read the rest of the story, go to The Anglo-Indian Portal as it would be too long to post here.