All Systems Glow

This Is Literally A Bright Prospect

All photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I guess this series of three photographs says it all when it comes to the versatility of the Pentax K100 I'm testing at the moment, which has the compact 18-125 lens.

I took these shots on Thursday evening, when I just happened to be driving down a street at sunset. I quickly parked in the first spot I found and just thought I would make use of the trees and their foliage to fringe the pictures.

The first frame shows the entire streetscape and the golden glow down across the bitumen, illuminating the central white line on the road surface.

For the second shot, I opted for a much tighter composition. I was lucky, because the sun was just sinking into a low cloudbank. Even the overhead wires do not detract from the quality of the shot - I guess in a way they prove that the picture is shot spontaneously and is not contrived in any way.

In a way, my favourite is the third shot, the vertical composition. I was just lucky to have a tall tree on the right of the street and I only had to walk about 20 metres to use it to my advantage and give the shot some perspective, with the three or four low trees on the left.

This enabled me to get lots of sky into the frame, which in turn shows you the great quality of light here in Melbourne. The sky spans every colour, from gold at the bottom of the frame to azure up the top. And the interesting thing is that the light cloud up the top of the frame actually has a pink tinge to it.

Just a lucky series of shots, I reckon. What do you think? Let me know .....

And if you have (or have seen) some memorable sunrise or sunset pictures, tell me about them.

Low And Behold

Looks Like Trouble At The Branch Office

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Some things were never meant to mix, right? So what do you do when high trucks are expected to share a street with low branches? No, this is not a trick photograph. These two signs are literally placed a few metres apart on Dandenong Road, Melbourne. But the interesting thing is, they are roughly at an angle of ninety degrees from one another. Like a cartoon character, I had to do a double-take when I realised the incongruity of the signage. After I'd parked the car and got my camera out, I realised it wasn't a simple shot to take. In order to get both signs in the frame, I had to take the shot from the middle of the pedestrian crossing. Because it's a very quick-changing light, I just about had time to shoot this frame - while I walked!

Jurassic Bark

In Melbourne, Spring Is In The Air

Photos copyright: DAVID McMAHON

The fruit trees around Melbourne have been like a cloudburst of colour for the past month, as the city emerges from winter. The cherry blossoms have come and gone like temporary pink froth. Now, just before the roses produce the first burst of early spring colour and perfume, the peach and quince trees are blooming. I stopped to photograph this tree, with its new green leaves and the white flowers, like snowy pom-poms. I took the first shot and then I noticed how the strong afternoon light was playing across the gnarled grey bark. I simply had to shoot the second frame. This time I made the tree bark the main point of focus, instead of the flowers. I'm sure you'll agree the second frame is a much better photograph, not just because of the variation in colour and texture, but because there is more of the brilliant blue sky as well.

River Deep, Mountain Haiku

A Real Window Of Opportunity

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

What's the best way to test the versatility of a camera? I reckon it's when you use the camera in bad light, so as to assess every aspect of its functionality. As regular visitors to this blog would know, I do enjoy photographing in low-light conditions (see the posts titled `Dude, Where's My Carp?' and `The King And I' and you'll see what I mean).

So here are a couple of shots, taken from right across the Yarra river, that establish the credentials of the Pentax K100. The 18-125 lens is very compact and literally morphs from a stub into a bayonet. I took both these shots before sunrise, in steady rain - and through a window! I should point out here that, like all my work displayed on this blog or published in print on three continents, I do not manipulate or Photoshop any of the photographs. So read on ...

The first picture, the skyline shot, is really unusual because it's taken from a high-rise building, which gives the photograph a rather unique perspective. In other words, I'm shooting parallel, not upwards. To shoot through the window, I disabled the flash (easy to do on any digital camera, even pre-SLR models) so that I would not get unwanted reflection or distortion.

I did not shoot and review the picture and re-shoot until I was satisfied. I fired off just one frame. Then I unfurled the lens to its full extent - and shot the second picture. Again, just one frame. Pretty good result, because the lens takes you all the way into the clock tower of Flinders Street station. And the key factor to bear in mind is that I was deliberately testing in a combination of poor conditions - pre-sunrise, in rainy conditions and through a window, remember?

As the clock shows so clearly, it was only 6.35 am - and if you look to the right and slightly below the clcok, you can even see the tram stop, which for the benefit of non-Melburnians looks like an illuminated, golden figure 1.

Stand by for more results of this test pattern ....

Must Be Noah's Arch

Or Else, It's A Steep Learning Curve

Photos copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Both these pictures were taken this afternoon, on the pedestrian footbridge across the Yarra that connects the CBD to Southbank. Both were taken with the Pentax K100. The first shot, looking north across the river, shows part of the city's distinctive skyline. The second, looking south, shows the top of the Eureka building. The pictures are proof, too, of Melbourne's quirky weather. I must point out that the second shot was taken about 90 seconds after the first. Yet the first image shows a patchy, mainly grey sky while the second, with the point of focus literally only a few degrees away, shows a brilliant blue sky unsullied by even a trace of cloud.

Towers Mahal

A sound and delight show

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Both these photographs were taken with a Pentax K 100, an impressive digital SLR that I am reviewing at the moment. The shots are both of the pre-dawn Melbourne skyline, from a rather unusual angle. Most people traditionally prefer to shoot the skyline with the river in the foreground, but I honestly reckon this viewpoint, just beyond the rapidly developing Southbank precinct, shows how Melbourne is evolving. For those of you unfamiliar with our landmarks, the tall spire is Eureka Towers, the highest structure in the southern hemisphere.

Red-hot chilli poppers

GDP - that's growth domestic product

Does anyone know what this plant is? I spotted it in Bali, where it seems to grow fairly profusely. The blooms caught my eye because I like photographing quirky stuff - but I guess regular visitors to this blog would already be aware of that.

With the blossoms' vivid colour and the way they grow in clusters, they reminded me of Chinese firecrackers, even to the way they seem to be strung together.

The edge of each mature blossom is tinged with yellow which then begins to sprout miniature plumes, almost like a crab's pincers.

As you can see in the picture, one set of blossoms is more mature than the other. The plumes have formed on the blossoms on the left-hand side, while the other one, on the right, has only a couple that have sprouted on the bottom.

If any of you horticultural folk could help, that would be great. Or we could start by a canny process of elimination. Here goes. It's not a rose, it's not a crysanthemum, it's not a dahlia, it's not an azelea ....

Dancing Queen

This money has a hollow ring to it

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This Balinese figure of a dancer caught my attention in a shop in Ubud. Apart from the poise and grace of the figure, the body itself seemed a trifle unusual as well. It was only when I looked closer that I realised it was constructed of what seemed to be rings with hollow centres. When I asked the shop owner, he explained the figure was actually fashioned from ancient coins with the centres punched out of them.

Umbilical Corda

Vegemite Vindaloo: The North Point feedback

`Sursum Corda' is the motto of my alma mater, St Joseph's College, North Point, Darjeeling. It is Latin for ``lift up your hearts'' and the Himalayan boarding school created special bonds among students of every background and religion; bonds that exist today, two decades or more after we graduated from one of the more extraordinary educational institutions in the world.

The umbilical cord (or umbilical Corda, as the case may be) that still connects is with what we fondly refer to as ``the school on the hill'' still exists, as you'll see from these emails received from alumnus all round the world.


``Just to let you know that I picked up a copy of 'Vegemite Vindaloo' from India Book House when I passed through Calcutta a few days ago.
I haven't started on it yet but on first glance and reading a little here and there, it's definitely given me the impression of being catchy and an easy read for anybody. I'm really looking forward to going through it and shall give you later impressions....later.
My brother who lives in Hong Kong, and who attended the NP reunion in Chiangmai last year, was with me when I purchased the book so, this gave me another opportunity to gloat about famous people I had the privilege of attending the same school with.
Anyway, we are all so proud of your book. Keep 'em coming.......''
Ashok Sadhwani

``Ashok, kindly mail me your copy of this book when you get back stateside! Or buy an extra copy and let me know what it cost. It is evidently unavailable here, and we want to boost David's royalties don't we? :-) Congrats David. One of these days we'll make it to the southern hemisphere.''
Farhad Anklesaria

``Well done. I read about your book while browsing on a domestic Indian flight. I think it was Swagat, the Indian Airlines inflight magazine. Is this your first novel? Keep them rolling out.
So you can rest assured that they read about you 33,000 ft above sea level! And David, your photographs are good on the blog site. It takes an artist to drink in nature's colours that we often forget to notice in fruits and vegetables. Keep banging the keyboard, wordsmith.''
Jugu Abraham

``It gives me great pride to tell some of my pals and colleagues that this author and I were in the same school.''
Siddhartha Bhattacharjee

``I guess i will have to go to DC to the Library of Congress & swipe their copy! Great to see the responses of our NP brethren. We are all very proud of you, me lad!''
Nowshir and Avi Bilimoria

``Rich & Famous? Congratulations! Fr. Tucker's classes paid off. Been a while, keep in touch,
and all the best in life.''
Ashok Malhotra

``You should be putting the acknowledgement to the school magazine that gave u the foundation to the story writing that you do so well now. Please keep a newsletter going thru the net if possible. That way we all can share in your exploits and more.''
Prashant Mohapatra

``I was at a party today and bragging to all my friends about the great author who has written this fantastic book, who was my junior in school. Keep it up. Sursum Corda!''
Rajesh Poddar

``Congratulations, David, and thanks, Ashok, for the news about the book. I am looking forward to reading the novel.''
Soumitra Ghosh

``I've just finished reading your book and I must say "it was fantastic!" It is so relevant to the
Anglo-Indian community of Kolkata. Who better can understand the sentiments of this book than us Kolkatans.
Do let me know when you write the next one. I would like to read it. An autographed copy would be welcome. This time not because you are from NP but because I loved your writing. I've come across the word 'dame' after more than 3 decades. I'm passing this book on to Cyrus Madan who also wants to read it.
I would however like to make a few observations that I have. They are facts as I know them. You may have had your reasons to make the subtle changes while writing
the book or I could be wrong.
The serai (earthen pot) is actually the SURAHI. You have probably spelt is as the Anglo Indians pronounce it.
The red chillis are taken in a clenched fist which is then swirled around the head and then the chillis thrown in the kitchen fire. If there is smoke with chilli fumes the evil spirits are thought to have been driven away. If not this has to be repeated. This is a very North Indian superstition which is followed in Rajasthan, UP and a bit in Bihar.
Rajesh Poddar

Looking For Dawn Corleone

The land of the rising stun

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This photograph was taken at dawn on Sanur Beach, Bali, Indonesia. The tide was out and the shallows were great pools of reflection that mirrored the clouds, the rising sun and the many subtleties of light. The clouds were particularly interesting, for it seemed as though there were several types on the horizon (maybe someone would care to identify them for me in a comment here), with one particular string of cloud arcing across the path of the sun. I took a couple of shots before I moved three or four metres back on the warm sand of the beach. There, the foliage overhead, with assorted palm fronds and some branches I could not identify, fringed the frame to make it a bit different from a stock-standard sunrise picture.

Trunk And Disorderly

They're taking us to tusk

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This picture was taken at the Elephant Safari Park in Bali, Indonesia. I guess you'd call it the equivalent of a give-way sign. I'm assuming that ``hati-hati'' is the Indonesian translation for ``caution'' or ``Oi, dopey, look for elephants before you cross the road here''. Curiously enough, ``haathi'' is the Hindi word for elephant.

Beyond A Chateau Of Doubt

The power of the tower

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

The Chateau Frontenac is without a doubt the single most outstanding symbol of Quebec City. Standing over both the Upper Town and the Lower Town and dominating the skyline like a silent sentinel, it is an amazing piece of architecture to photograph - in any light, in any weather and at any time of day. The first picture, a rather unusual angle if I may say so, was taken so that I could include the statue of Samuel Champlain, founder of the city, in the same frame. It was a challenging equation. The second frame was one of several shot in the courtyard of the Chateau. To view more of my images of the Chateau, visit Toronto-based Margaret Deefholts' e-zine, Encounter, at http://www.margaretdeefholts.com/encounter/davidmcmahonphotos-july06.html

Watch the cliff, Richard

Boast cards from the edge

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This shot was taken at the Bunda Cliffs on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. This arresting sight is, quite literally, the edge of Australia. I hiked for about a kilometre to take it, because I wanted to get the long sweep of the sheer cliffs in the right perspective.

It's in these waters that the Southern Right whales come up from Antarctica to calve - an amazing, hypnotic sight if you are privileged to see them up close. Their stately presence is a nice comment on human awareness, because coastal South Australia, of course, is where you can still see the remains of some of the old whaling stations.

Here's a bit of trivia - the Bunda Cliffs and the whales get a mention in my first novel, `Vegemite Vindaloo'.

Sunset boulevard

Ray, a drop of golden sun

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Appearances can be deceptive. The golden-amber orb of the sun in this frame suggests that the picture was taken at the end of a long, scorching summer day, but it was actually taken on a freezing cold winter evening. I was standing above the sloping paddocks of Narre Warren, in southeast Melbourne, with my camera at the ready, as the sun sank.

For a few seconds, the bank of cloud took on an azure hue, then the sun descended into the narrow sliver of clear sky between the horizon and the cloud base. It seemd to cast a horizontal sea of molten gold as far as the eye could see.

Then, just as dramatically, it was gone, leaving just a few streaks of slender pink raking across the sky. I guess I could stand there every evening and the view would be entirely different.

Crate Expectations

The fruits of their labour

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This picture was shot at a market in Montreal, where the tubs and crates of strawberries, blueberries, red and green grapes, cranberries, apricots, raisins and a continuing array of fruit just seemed to go on forever. It was a fruit cocktail just waiting to happen.

The Cherry Springer Show

It's Blooming Obvious

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

With two months of winter behind us in chilly Melbourne, the past couple of weeks have brought not just thick ice on the cars overnight and lingering, brittle frost on the lawns, but also vivid reminders that spring is only four weeks away. All round the city you can see brilliant pink blooms on the cherry trees, like explosions of fairy floss.

The first of these two pictures was taken just around the corner from where I live, yet the second shot, taken on my own nature strip, shows two plane trees that are completely bare against the winter sky. The plane trees will start sprouting shortly, not with blossoms, just with the beautiful maple-shaped leaves that are broader than the span of an adult hand.

Meanwhile, I'm looking for an orchardist called Tom, who specialises in cherry trees. You want to know why? Because that would be a classic example of the Tom and Cherry Show.

Not Just A One-Knight Stand

Oi, King Arfur, Where's Yer Camel Lot?

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I guess you could say this was a clear case of a great knight out. If you're looking for a knight in shining armour, then Quebec City is the place to be.

I spotted this figure along a shopfront near the famous mural, which is a five-storey, 3D painting on the side of a building near Notre Dame. The mural depicts several people who made their mark on the history of the province, including Jacques Cartier, Louis Jolliet, Samuel de Champlain and Lord Dufferin.

Because the spot is so popular with tourists, it is hard to get a clear, unimpeded photograph of the mural, but I did succeed in getting a couple. It is an intriguing place, even for those who have no idea of the area's rich history.

Reminds me of the little-known story about how the noble Sir Lancelot was opposed to shoddy commerce in the days of Camelot. Someone proposed that King Arthur raise revenue by introducing a kissing booth, manned by the best-looking blokes from the Round Table. But Sir Lancelot veteoed the concept, saying: ``No one would pay for a one-knight stand.''

`Vegemite Vindaloo' - more feedback

``I drool with unabashed envy at your literary accomplishments.''
Peter Moss, MBE,
Hong Kong-based author of `The Singing Tree’

``My word, you are getting good PR. How are sales going?''
Mike Bruce, Mexico

``I am reading your book very thoroughly and finding it interesting. Billy Cooper, Mrs. Ghosh, Ismail and other characters are coming alive in my mind.''
Satyapriya Sarker, New Delhi

``You are definitely one of earth's gifted and talented!''
Jayne Herbert, Perth, Western Australia (a kindergarten classmate)

``David McMahon’s Fr. Dennis Taylor could easily be Kim’s Tibetan lama (Teshoo) .''
Ed Haliburn, Essex, UK

``I parted company with a friend a couple of weeks ago. Actually, several friends. Harry and Kelvin whom I met only briefly, Frank and Wally, a knockabout double act that also didn't tarry long, and there was Steve and Hilary and their sons Clive and Azam with whom I developed a long-lasting relationship. The sense of loss was almost tangible.

``The reason we went our separate ways was that I finally, reluctantly, closed the back cover of the book `Vegemite Vindaloo’ by David McMahon, but not before I returned to page one to speed-read the first chapter. I just had to make sure that I had correctly assimilated precisely how and where and with whom I had started this memorable journey . . .''

Internet review by Terry Fletcher,
webmaster, The Anglo-Indian Portal
To read the full review, just click on this link Anglo-Indian Portal

That's One Small Stop For Man

One Giant Leap For Mankind

The astronaut and the Melbourne tram. Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Er, Houston, we have a problem - heavy traffic. Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

You never know where you'll bump into the reclusive Neil Armstrong. But I didn't expect to see him near the tram stop at the corner of Dandenong Road and Derby Road, in the Melbourne suburb of Caulfield South.

You could say it gave me quite a buzz - if you'll pardon the expression.

Speaking of which, there's no Buzz Aldrin or Michael Collins, just the Apollo XI commander, the first man on the moon. I've got some questions for him.

I'm keen to ask him about the kerfuffle last year, when he found out his long-time barber had actually done the unthinkable and sold locks of his hair.

The second question I want to ask him relates to the fact that, as mission commander of Apollo XI, he had to fill out a Customs declaration form on his return. According to some reports - and you can view the Customs manifest on the internet - Armstrong wrote, in laconic fashion, ``Cape Canaveral'' for the journey's departure point and ``Moon'' as his destination. Maybe, instead of filling out the Customs manifest, he felt the urge to moon them instead.

All these and so many more questions for the iconic astronaut.

But it turns out that it's not the real Armstrong, just a lifesize fibreglass figure of the NASA astronaut, in full flight suit and reflective helmet. And it's for sale, for a mere $1500.

I drove past there again this week, to see if the figure was still for sale, but it had been bought. I just hope the person who purchased it has displayed it properly.

As we all know, every astronaut needs a bit of space.

`Vegemite Vindaloo' - the view from Perth

Jean Anderson's viewpoint might perhaps be one of empathy on many levels. She grew up in Calcutta and is a distinguished alumnus of St Thomas's School, one of the places described at length in the novel. Jean's father was also vice-principal at the same school. Jean now lives in Western Australia, so she can also see the tale from a migrant's point of view. She claims never to have heard the language used by Frank Walker and Wally Bennett in the Jindaroo Creek chapters!

It took me a little while to get started on your book, but once into it I couldn't put it down until the last page. It's been a totally engaging experience reading it, and I congratulate you on your magnificent work.

You've created a marvellously insightful panorama across the two cultures in a way that will surely resonate with migrants of all persuasions - but especially the Anglo-Indians; and the family story threading it all together kept me captivated. I have been carried along with the triple journey motif (in bullock cart, train, jet etc, etc) and your characterisations of the people who pop up along the way (Biplab, for instance -- brilliant -- and the Aussie mates in the outback!).

You have a Dickensian touch in the story of Ismail and Zarina (and Sailen Nath Benerji) - it brings alive the utter pathos that oozes out of the Kolkata kerbstones, and yet you manage to wring some hope and goodness out of all the grime and crime. And then you provide a nice counterpoint with the comedy at Jindaroo Creek.

Your treatment of the social dilemma faced by Steve and Hilary will raise some interesting discussion points for your readers (another dab of Dickens!). Is their adoption story based on some real experiences you've witnessed?

Well, my boy, you're right up there with the best of the post-colonial writers. To sum up : it's a bloody good read!! (See how you've influenced my use of the vernacular...)

Congratulations!!!

Jean Anderson, Perth, Western Australia

Dude, Where's My Carp?

This is the dawning of the age of Aquariums

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Melbourne is an amazing city to photograph - at any time of the day. The nuances of light and texture are never the same.

These pictures were taken at dawn on a winter morning when the temperature was about five degrees.

The first of the three frames shows the Aquarium, a fairly recent addition to the city, where it is possible to swim with sharks. Probably the highest-profile celebrity to take on that challenge was Formula One driver Ralf Schumacher, before the Melbourne Grand Prix about three years ago.

The second and third pictures were also taken from a little further along the bridge. The second shot is taken while looking across the Yarra from the Aquarium, as the early-morning light formed a shimmering expanse of silver across the river, contrasting with the gray slab of cloud above.

The last of the pictures shows the Aquarium, with part of the skyline in the background, including the famous blue tower called the Rialto, where the viewing deck provides a stunning vista across the city and suburbs.

And while on the subject of Aquariums, why didn't Hollywood think of the simplest title for the film `Finding Nemo', about the adventures of a clownfish - they could have just called it `A Fish Called Wander'.

Somethin' Fishy Goin' On

Caught - hook, line and sinker

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

The photograph above was taken at Bala, a picturesque little town in Muskoka, northern Ontario. It was mid-afternoon and the weather was perfect. The light was good, the water was blue, the waterfalls were a cascade of frothy white foam. And the bold red sign, with the clear warning, was just another contrast to a serene scene.

But there is another reason I took the photograph. It seems not everyone heeds the warning sign.

Have a look at the picture below, which is a closer crop of the same image.

How do you rate as a hawk-eyed detective? Did you notice the recalcitrant fisherman in the first image?

Hope he caught something - apart from a cold!

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

`Vegemite Vindaloo' - a third email critique

I have finished `Vegemite Vindaloo' and I loved it! I'm not just saying this, because I feel obligated to or something, but I really enjoyed it!

There are books that I buy for my friends and the one I usually buy is by Alexander McCall Smith, "2 and a Half Pillars of Wisdom". It's a really fun book. Well, I think `Vegemite Vindaloo' will also start featuring on my gifting list now ... it's wonderfully warm and funny and sad and I really liked the end!

Steve Cooper sounded a bit too good to be true, but fortunately I have met some really nice people like him, so I do believe those sort of people exist! What I loved the most was the character sketches ... each of them was so full of life. There were so many characters, like the corrupt Customs officer or the small-time crook, who you could just have named and described the events around them, but by drawing them out in such detail they just added a whole new dimension to the story...I absolutely loved it!

The little bits about Air Force life were very accurate as well!

I plan to gift my aunt a copy ... she lives in Melbourne. I think she migrated there about 25 years ago (not sure, but around that much) and I think she'd really enjoy it!

Well, thank you for a really enjoyable read ... I've passed it on to my boyfriend, because he felt terribly neglected while I was reading it so he's decided to see what was so gripping!

Reem Khokar, New Delhi
PR and Marketing Co-ordinator, Rough Guides

Good Things Come In Freeze

Just A Couple Of Blocks Away

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

These pictures were taken in a shop called `Christmas Tyme', on Main Street East, in Huntsville, Ontario. I'd never seen anything like the ``Brrr blocks'' in the top picture. As you can see in the second shot, there is nothing like a bit of humour at Yuletide. One of the little signs says: ``Dear Santa, leave presents, take brother''. Another says: ``Dear Santa, define good'' and a third, with the benefit of hindsight, declares: ``Dear Santa, I can Explain''.

Vegemite Vindaloo - an email critique

This email is from a former Calcuttan, Jillian Brand,
who has lived in Switzerland for more than 30 years:

What can I say! Brilliant! Absolutely bloody brilliant! I have enjoyed every single word, every minute of reading `Vegemite Vindaloo', and I was so sorry I finished it today. Give yourself a BIG pat on the back and keep writing!

You totally transported me back to Calcutta – took me back to my youth. I felt cocooned in warm memories made so alive again by your writing. It was amazing how this book made me feel – yes, feel. I could see, smell almost, what you had put into words.

The New Market, where one old coolie would wait for my Mum – he knew when she would be coming and at what time, and he would be waiting. She never took any other coolie – and the patience that man had! The wetness of the Flower Market and the crushed stems everywhere. The Meat Market, where I would hold my breath and run through as quickly as I could, because of the awful smell! Needed to get to the other side, because that was where Mum bought her spices and rice!

What touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes, was your reference to the CEL Fete! This was the Fete of the year. Your Mum and mine, Ivy Bird, Mrs Makin, all bustling around St. Nicholas’s Stall. It was always a beautiful day and I used to love planning what to wear weeks in advance and always, always had a good time. Wonderful memories.

I could go on and on, but then you might think I was writing a book too! I really just wanted you to know how very, very proud I am of you. Well done, and please continue writing – because you are a talented writer and have one BIG fan – me!

Your book shows, in particular, how much you love the city of your birth – Calcutta. It’s not just the places you have mentioned, but your talent lies in opening the box! Creating a picture! Making your readers part of the story. I read quite a lot, but no book has touched me and lingered, as much as your Vegemite Vindaloo. Maybe as it was written about Calcutta, the city I too loved, this obviously plays a large part, but there was something more, and I think it lies in your story telling.

You have awakened, through your writing, a place inside me that I haven’t visited for a very long time. As we reach adulthood, Life takes over and with all its trials and tribulations; one very often forgets the warm, peaceful place inside ourselves that is our Retreat, and this place you have given back to me. Thank you. Don’t mean to sound soppy – but it’s exactly how I feel.

I felt totally involved with the characters right up to the end of the book, and when I realised there were only 4 more pages to go, I thought “oh, no – there has to be a sequel, a continuation, another book carrying on the story of Azam. What happened to him, his family in India, ? This can’t be the end”. To begin with, I was quite upset that the book ended as it did!

Then, as you so rightly hoped, I did go back to the beginning of the book, and realised who the football hero was! All was then clear! You achieved what you wanted – something unique. Still didn’t stop me from being disappointed that I had finished the book!

One of the cutest touches you put in was Phillip! “Yeah, men”, “… now I’m on my turd”! Oh, how I laughed! I could just imagine the accent as well! The other of course – perfect – was “soo-soo”!!!!!! And thanks too for the whole of “nini baba nini, makhan roti chini …!! I knew these two lines, but not the rest, now I can sing the full rhyme to my grandson. He’s been short changed till now!

I think every A.I. home should have a copy of your book in pride of place. When I visit India next January, I’ll get some more copies for my friends and I am sure they will enjoy it as much as I have. I’m not parting with my copy.

Jillian Brand, Switzerland

`Vegemite Vindaloo' - a friend's viewpoint

This email is from a childhood friend of mine. She's given me a bit of a kicking, as you'll see. But she's bought seven copies of the book and that's what counts.

Finished the book within 36 hours. My Parsi friend Perri says she hunted for it in Mumbai and couldn't get a copy so I bought it here in Crossword. See, I'm spreading the word according to McMahon.

Now for my review. Remember NOT to pay any attention to "critics" - they're the ones who never wrote a book in theier lives for fear of criticism. As a friend, I found the book unashamedly nostalgic. Imagine weaving into the tale the "smell of ALOA" on Kydd Street. It's the same by the way, went down there the other day.

I liked the portrayal of Ismail and family --- very nicely done. I liked the way you introduce them into Cal and their meeting up with the Coopers and all their troubles and tribulations. The details were great and the situations realistic and beautifully protrayed. I liked "fatty Ayah".

Steve Cooper has so much going for him and you make him "fizzle" out in Oz and he becomes a capitalist pilot! I mean here is this guy, who if I had known him, or rather if he existed, I would have given up all intentions of staying single and married him, but then in the way of all men he just fizzles out.

His attachment to Azam and the way he deals with it is beautiful. His time in Oz is, I don't know, unremarkable. I somehow had hoped that he would join the two mad guys in Jindaroo Creek, but you're the story teller and I'm the critic! The old man Wally Bennett is an interesting character. He would fit in beautifully into a "cameo role" when the book becomes a movie.

Hated the beginning. It's all right till the two men met but the rest of the bit about football had me turning pages. The end ties up nicely with the beginning but the footy details did not appeal. Also the Hindi-filmi style in which Steve Cooper gets a job with Quantas --- too maach man!

Now can anyone get more critical than this?

Dr Ishika Ghose, Calcutta

One Good Churn Deserves Another

Milking it for all it's worth

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

It was a vivid splash of colour on a rainy, grey afternoon in the little town of Gravenhurst, in Muskoka, Canada. I drove in, found a parking spot and got myself organised, with plenty of time to spare, as I was booked on a cruise on the RMS (Royal Mail Ship) Segwun. The cruise is one of the top tourist atttractions in Canada, so I ensured I had plenty of time up my sleeve. I walked down the street, within sight of the wharf where the historic Segwun and her sister vessel, the Wenonah, were berthed. I spent about half an hour shooting film and digital photographs - despite the persistent rain, low cloud and bad light. (Hey, isn't that the real challenge when you're shooting outdoors?) Then I walked up to this antique shop, drawn to the bright array of milk churns lined up on an old wagon. I guess it just goes to show that if you're willing to brave the elements, there's always an unusual shot just around the corner.

Sittin' On The Dock Of The Day

Witnessing the real Delta force

Port Carling, Canada. Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

On reflection, I was rather pleased with this photograph, taken on the main dock of the Delta Sherwood in Port Carling, Canada. I'd been shooting a dramatic sunrise over the lake when the light started to change and I swung my lens to the right, to capture the splendid colours of the silver birch, yellow birch, spruce and pine reflected in the still water around the boathouse. By the way, look to the left of the frame and you'll see a diving platform. It looked inviting, but the level of the mercury made me think twice about swimming to it.

There Is Nothing Like A Dome

Seeking your station in life

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This is the famous dome of Flinders Street station, the hub of Melbourne's train system. I shot this picture on a freezing morning, with the dome and a set of traffic lights silhouetted against an icy-blue sky.

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This was shot inside the station, under the huge cupola. This graceful arch, across the main entrance, spans the famous clocks showing the times of the trains on the various lines that serve this amazing city.

Photo copyright; DAVID McMAHON

And this picture was shot from just outside the station. These clocks are literally a part of the city's heritage, because in the days before mobile phones, people simply used to arrange to meet ``under the clocks''. I guess you could say that was a case of time standing still.

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

And this shot was taken inside the station, showing the recently refurbished roof and the graceful lines, reminiscent of the colonial era, of the station's interior. I have showed this picture to a lot of my friends who commute regularly through Flinders Street station and most of them said they had never looked up to take notice of the amazing roof.

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

And finally, this shot was taken on the south bank of the Yarra, just to give you an idea of the station's size, stretching an entire city block. Its distinctive glow in the dark is a comfortingly familiar sight to Melburnians, as is the reflection in the chilly waters of the Yarra, the other great landmark of the city.

No Malice In Wonderland

Finding the appropriate formula

Narain Karthikeyan in Melbourne. Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

The Indian flag: not part of his racing helmet. Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

It's been a strange 18 months for Narain Karthikeyan, the first Indian driver on the Formula circuit. He made his F1 debut for the Jordan team at the Melbourne Grand Prix in March last year, but is now a test driver after the shuffle in ownership and team branding.

He even ran into controversy over his design for a racing helmet, featuring the Indian tricolour and the chakra on the top of the helmet. No, he was told by the Indian authorities, he could not display the national flag in such a manner, even if his motives were purely patriotic.

Just before his historic Melbourne debut, I asked him where his obsession with cars really began. Like most Indian lads, did he lean how to drive on an Ambassador, the Indian-made clone of the English mid-1950s Morris Oxford?

He chuckles. ``Yes,’’ he says. But he’s keeping his cards close to his chest. He doesn’t give much away. It’s as if he’s enjoying the cat-and-mouse character of this interrogation.

Was it his father’s car? Affirmative, he says. And, like most Indian petrolheads, did he learn how to use the unforgiving clutch and awkward gear lever long before he reached the legal driving age? Correct, he concedes. He doesn’t give much away, this bloke.

Somewhere in the world, there’s a poker school waiting for Narain Karthikeyan.

Then he cracks. The pressure’s too much for him. ``I might have been about nine or ten years old at the time,’’ he volunteers, his eyes shining.

His father’s car? Yes. Did he get caught? Yes. Often? Yes. Did any of the consequences dissuade him from his love of driving? Er, no.

There’s a couple of other people in the room now, so we’re carrying on this conversation across them. Did he have a teacher who despaired at his obsession with cars? Of course, he admits, laughing.

The teacher told him that driving cars, in essence, would get him nowhere. The teacher wanted him to study, go to university, get a real job.

And does he ever bump into the teacher? Now he’s so animated, the words are rushing out.

After he was given the break of a lifetime, when Jordan signed him to their Formula One team, he caught up with his former teacher. Both former pupil and former teacher obviously enjoyed the irony of how wrong the advice was and how endless prospects now loomed on Karthikeyan’ horizon.

I have one final question for him. Did he bear any ill feelings against his old teacher? No, is the quick answer. Not at all.

There’s no malice in wonderland.

If you'd like to read my interview-based feature with Narain Karthikeyan, just click on this link titled RACE AGAINST TIME? featured on the Anglo-Indian Portal.

Bar, Bar, I'm The Black Sheep

(We'll drink to that - NOW!)

For a bloke who doesn't drink, I seem to spend a lot of my time in pubs. But did I ever tell you about the time I was in the Yukon, in Canada?

There I was, in the Gateway Lounge, one of two pubs in the stunning town of Haines Junction, on the Alaska Highway. And I had to get out my sketch pad while everyone else got acquainted with Canadian grog. Sketch pad? Yup. Because I'm a Darjeeling boy, accustomed to the sight of majestic mountains. And there, through the windows of the pub, were snowy mountains as far as the eye could see.

I have to admit, the hardest part of the sketch was doing the Budweiser sign backwards. I had barely finished the sketch when a big (and I mean B I G) bloke called Rich ambled over to become my best friend. After we'd had a bit of a yarn, he offered to introduce me to squaw wrestling.

I have this mental picture of being forced to fight him for a woman and I look for a dark corner of the Lounge. But Rich pulls one of his mates into the spotlight. ``Here, we'll show you what squaw wrestling is all about.'' He and his mate lie flat on their backs, their heads pointing in opposite directions.

On the count of three, they both raise their right legs as each contestant tries to pin the other down. No contest. Rich has his mate pinned in a couple of seconds. His mate is a woman called Deb.

We get the distinct impression she is very disappointed with her form.

It is my turn. The hopes and fears of our great nation rest on my shoulders. We line up and I formulate the perfect plan. I'll go for his hamstring. One, two, three. I swing up and even before I can swivel, Rich has me pinned. Time elapsed: about half a second. Deb looks a bit happier now.

I'm sorry I don't have any sketches of the squaw wrestling, but the best excuse I can think of is that I lost my pencils. But that would have been the perfect cue for a Shakespearean twist. You know: ``2B or not 2B - that is the question''.

If you'd like to read my teetotaller's guide to Alaskan pubs, just click on this link Anglo-Indian Portal

Lock, Stock and Barrel

(A couple of trigger-happy competitors)

Olympians Russell Mark and Lt Col Raj Rathore. Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Lt. Col Raj Rathore at Lilydale. Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

These two distinguished Olympians would have to be the Odd Couple of international shooting. Like the incomparable Felix Unger and Oscar Madison, each is the complete antithesis of the other. Russell Mark is a knockabout Aussie, while India's Lt Col Rajyavardhan Rathore (``Chilly'' to his mates, because he's so cool under pressure) is a straitlaced, serious sort of bloke.

Between them, they boast three Olympic medals. The Aussie won a gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, then a silver at the Sydney Olympics. The Indian army officer, on the other hand, won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Games, the first Indian to win an individual silver medal.

But does Rathore, with his parade-ground grooming, know about the Aussie Salute? No, he confesses. Got him.

Then I give him the simple explanation that the Aussie Salute is simply the act of using one hand to brush the flies away from your face on a hot day.

So, who's the big shot now?

If you'd like to read my full-length feature article on Russell Mark and Raj Rathore, with pictures taken at the Lilydale Gun Club in Melbourne, just click on this link Anglo-Indian Portal

Like A Bridge Over Dappled Water

(Apologies to Messrs Simon and Garfunkel)

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This was taken at The Spit, on our way back from Sea World on the Gold Coast. I had actually stopped to take some other pictures, when I walked back to the car and noticed the scene in front of me.

The clouds had rolled in, the light had started to fade dramatically. The water was rippling gently and the reflection of the lights on the bridge were casting shadows of liquid gold below, as the pelicans swam past in a serene squadron. Just a nice meld of colours and a picture that simply had to be taken.

And my learned friend and colleague Andrew Rennie, a former Queensland resident, had this nugget of information to add:

``Your picture of the Southport Bridge reminded me of a story I heard when I was visiting the area. One February in the late 1960s, during a particularly torrid storm season and a king-tide period, the Southport Bridge actually went under.

``It was particularly traumatic for the canal-front residents, many of whom had not long finished building their homes. Many houses also went under and insurance companies would not cover the loss.

``If you've ever been around the canals, you will see now that most of the homes are at least two-storey. Regulations dictate that they must be. The only single-level dwellings are those that survived the weather.

``The way property prices are rising on the Coast, it won't be long before these little bastions of a bygone era go the way of the Southport Bridge and get swallowed up too.

``The pelican pictures also brought to mind a story that had Gold Coasters at odds for some weeks back in 2004. A popular Labrador seafood store's ritual of feeding flocks of pelicans was popular with both tourists and locals, but some residents complained the birds' pooing was contaminating the Broadwater and wanted the practise banned.

``The saga dominated the `Gold Coast Bulletin' for days, until finally the Environment Minister Dean Wells, bowing to public pressure, declared the case closed. Normality returned, and the pelicans continue to have a daily feed, much to the delight of the thousands of tourists who flock there each week.''

To Infinity And Beyond

Maths? No, it's a sign of the times

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

We were in Queensland on holiday when I saw this great street sign on the Gold Coast.

So where was the sign pointing to? A mathematicians' conference? Some sort of lateral thinkers' club? A beach with never-ending sand, wonderful crashing surf and magical sunshine that lasted around the clock?

Or was it some sort of museum devoted to the `Toy Story' and `Toy Story 2' movies, so well known for the character of Buzz Lightyear and his catchphrase, ``To infinity and beyond''?

Alas, it was all rather prosaic. The sign pointed to a nightclub.

Still, I had to take the photograph, simply because it was so unusual. So I drove off at 7am on a warm April morning, parked down a side street and found my way to the sign. I had to walk a few metres down a narrow median strip, with cars on either side of me, to take this shot with my film camera.

It's a perfect Gold Coast reminder. Clear blue sky, not tainted by a single cloud. Towering high-rise condos. And the mandatory palm tree, slap-bang in the middle of the frame.

And to all the drivers who thought I was completely mad for venturing onto the slender median strip, my humble apologies. I'm just a crazy southerner from chilly Melbourne.

Doesn't that explain it all?

This Is No Jumbo Jest

(Seeing eye-to-eye with a bull elephant)

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

The photograph above was taken at the Elephant Safari Park in Bali, Indonesia, in January 2000. No long lens. No telephoto gizmos.

I should also point out that it is not a cropped frame. Nor has the image been digitally enhanced in any way.

Just me, a camera and an elephant.

Techinically, not a great picture, but hey, when was the last time you got so close to an elephant? This was the third or fourth in a series of shots and he was just starting to spark up and show an interest in the mechanical noises that the camera was making.

And me? I was just trying not to breathe too loud, just to ensure I didn't do anything to annoy the old fella.

By this time, he was looking pretty much straight at me and it's a little bit disconcerting when an animal fixes its beady little eyes on you. I'm no mahout, and I wasn't game to try his patience.

Time to get outta there? Eye, eye, sir.

Not A Plain Old Nullarbor

(This really is a land of sweeping planes)



Australia's Nullarbor Plain gets its name not from an explorer called Mr Nullarbor, it gets its name from the combination of two Latin words ``nullius'' and ``arbor'' meaning ``no trees''.
And they're not kidding. There really are no trees.

There are no tree surgeons on the Nullarbor. In fact, there's not much on the Nullarbor. Nothing apart from stunning desert flowers could possibly grow in such an arid expanse.

If you're driving across the Nullarbor, you need to pay attention to the signs that tell you where the next service station is, because it's not the sort of place you'd want to run out of fuel. No, not even in the month of April, when you could blame it on the undeniable fact that it's April Fuels Day.

It is a vast, treeless plain that can be as daunting as it is starkly beautiful.

You wouldn't want to lose your bearings anywhere on the Nullarbor, simply because there are no significant geographical features.

I once took a series of pictures encompassing the full 360 degrees from where I stood near a white four wheel drive. The first photograph in the series showed the open right-hand passenger door of the 4WD, just for a point of reference. The earth was red and flat. The scrub was a combination of brown and dark green and no more than ankle high. The sky was cloudless, spanning every shade of blue conceivable, like a giant paint palette.

Every picture in the series looked the same. If the negatives themselves hadn't been in a numbered sequence, I would never have known what the correct order was. There are no geographical clues. The last picture in the sequence has the white 4WD in it once more.

That's why I've used two easily distinguishable pictures with this post. The one above, taken by me in September 1999, shows a signpost for the Nullarbor Plain.

And what about the second picture, which I took during the same trip? Ah, that must be the Nullarbor Plane.

All Roads Lead To Chrome

(The winner of the Easter bonnet contest)

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

At Movieworld on the Gold Coast, in the sunny Australian state of Queensland, you can’t miss this sight. In the main square, where the daily parades command the attention of young and old alike, is this vintage DeSoto taxi.

Its sweeping lines and bold design hark back to a long-forgotten era in automotive design. The bonnet itself is high and imperious, almost like the upturned keel of a racing yacht.

As I reached for my camera, I faced a slight dilemma. It was early on an April afternoon and the light was harsh. I needed to find an angle that would capture the car’s majesty, while emphasising the sheer length of that amazing bonnet.

It’s one thing training your lens on a mass-produced Ford Falcon or a Holden Commodore; it’s quite another when you are confronted with a car with this sort of engineering pedigree.

There’s a great yarn from the DeSoto archives that I must narrate here, simply because it says so much about maverick thinkers and the willingness, in the heyday of the automobile industry, to encourage people to think outside the square.

If ideas are the lifeblood of any company, then the story of this publicity stunt by US carmaker DeSoto will always stand out. In 1933, racing driver Harry Hartz drove a DeSoto across the United States … in reverse!

While I could not locate medical records to support my theory that Hartz must have had a terrible crick in his neck at the end of his project, the DeSoto people were not just content to stop and congratulate themselves over the publicity.

Engineers studied the data from Hartz’s amazing drive and soon confirmed that the car’s fuel efficiency was greater when driven backwards. This led to a complete re-evaluation of car design, in the quest for greater speed, better styling … and of course, a greater share of the market.

Which just proves the commercial value of, um, reverse psychology.

Edifice Complex

(Where in the world is this building?)

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This photograph was taken just before sunrise in one of the world's most beautiful cities. But can you identify the building and do you know (or can you guess) which city this is?

Prague, perhaps, with its stunning architecture and striking skyline? Or is it Paris, where every street corner leads you to beautiful buildings and immaculate gardens? Or Istanbul, maybe, judging by the amazing minarets?

None of the above. The photograph was taken on Flinders Street, in Melbourne. The building is the State Theatre, now called the Forum. It was built as one of a series of so-called ``million-dollar theatres'' an ambitious project announced in 1921 by Union Theatres. According to historical records kept by the architect, Charles Bohringer, staff worked day and night and the drawings for the theatre were completed in the unimaginable time of one month.

The theatre's Wurlitzer organ was the real showpiece of the splendid building. The newspaper `The Argus' reported (a trifle breathlessly) that the organ cost the princely sum of twenty-five thousand pounds sterling - a king's ransom at the time. Its arrival at the Melbourne docks was nothing short of a sensation and it was transported from the wharf to the building site in no fewer than 27 trucks, each of which was emblazoned with a large notice (welcome to the age of advanced marketing strategy) saying it contained components of the Wurlitzer organ for the State Theatre.

There was an interesting footnote to this event. Because all the trucks had to travel in a convoy from the docks to Flinders Street, all other city traffic (such as it was at the time) was reduced to chaos until each truck had been unloaded and driven away from the precinct. In high dudgeon, the City Council proceeded to slap the maximum fine on the State Theatre management - for traffic obstruction!