Bergerac and the Blues

After the big graduation night, Friday was spent very quietly until it was time to travel through the mizzle into the city for drinks and dinner before the Blues-Cats game at the stadium-named-after-a-different-sponsor-every-couple-of-years. Metro Trains' new customer service policy was evident at Flinders Street station, where the driver not only announced which platform we were approaching but advised that the train would be forming an Epping service travelling via Southern Cross and the city loop. Brilliant! It's only taken several decades for the transport authorities to work out that such announcements may actually be helpful for people wanting to continue their journey beyond Flinders Street to Southern Cross or loop stations. But I digress.

Next stop was the Exchange Hotel for a schooner, then on to Bergerac for a cheese omelette (sorry, Omelette au fromage). I've been to Bergerac several times and always ask for an omelette as there is basically nothing vegetarian on the menu. It is always absolutely delicious and served with a salad and a smile from the gorgeous waiters.

Off to the stadium to secure a spot in standing room just in time for the bounce. Geelong was looking a bit shaky at quarter time, so we changed sides, stopping by the Locker Room for refreshment on the way to a new spot on the Dockside wing. At half time things were not much improved in terms of the on-field performance from the Cats, so we retraced our steps to the Locker Room and settled into some nice comfy seats for the third quarter.

At three quarter time it was time to sample some real live action again. Due to some understandable confusion about which end of the ground was which, we found some seats in the Carlton cheer squad on level one behind the goals. By this time it was obvious that the mighty Cats were going to hold on for the win, but for some reason our unexpected infiltration into the posh seats, our cheering and Geelong regalia proved objectionable to some of our neighbours.

It was great to see Wojo being chaired off the ground to celebrate his 200th game; to sing the song; and then walk with the crowds through the construction site to Southern Cross for the train journey home. Being a Geelong supporter is finally worth the years of pain and disappointment, and we will continue to celebrate it for as long as we can.

Commun na Feinne

The Commun na Feinne hotel ("The Commo") in South Geelong is a popular stopover before, after (and sometimes during) Geelong home games. It has a comfortable bar with an open fire, friendly staff and lots of Geelong memorabilia and is within easy walking distance of the stadium. If you have enough time you can also enjoy a good value meal in the dining room. The vegetarian lasagne with chips, salad and bread was always a favourite, but I notice that along with joining Facebook, the Commo now has eggplant parmigiana on the menu, which can only be a good thing.

I'd always assumed the name to be Irish, but on undertaking some "research" (ie a Google search) I discovered that Commun na Feinne is actually from the Scots Gaelic. Commun na Feinne was the name of a 19th century Geelong society which flourished around South Geelong. Early versions of the Geelong Highland Gatherings were held in fields east of Bellerine Street where the hotel now stands.

Significant trees: Gingko biloba

When the Friday photo theme for this week ("trees") was announced it seemed a great opportunity to fit a visit to the Geelong Botanic Gardens into the pre-match schedule. The gardens have no fewer than 38 trees registered on the National Trust Significant Tree register.

My favourite is the magnificent Gingko biloba, which is the largest example of the species in Victoria. I find the iPhone Trust Trees app very helpful in discovering more about the significant trees in Victoria's parks and gardens.

The Geelong Visual Diary blog has some lovely sketches of the Gingko and the peace garden which surrounds it.

Only in Geelong

On the first day of June we drove to Geelong in the late afternoon, arriving in Clare Street after dark. After a quick check in to the apartment, we walked to Lingy's Edge bar on the waterfront. The Geelong premiership captain (also known as the mayor of Geelong) was not in attendance but we enjoyed a few drinks and 'tapas' (nachos, gyoza, stuffed mushrooms with beetroot relish and risotto balls with pumpkin sauce).

Next stop was Costa Hall at Deakin University, named after the former Geelong president and benefactor Frank Costa. We had front row seats for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performance of Mozart's Jupiter symphony and Holst's The Planets. In the scrum around the bar at half time we spotted a man wearing his Geelong member's scarf. Only in Geelong ...

MCC library fact sheets

One of the hidden treasures of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is the Melbourne Cricket Club library. For every match day at the MCG the staff and volunteers produce a fact sheet, full of fascinating historical and statistical information about the teams playing that day.

On Saturday night I dropped in as usual to pick up the sheet, but was stopped in my tracks by a lovely exhibit dedicated to Bob Davis. Earlier in the year a friend and I took a tour of The Crooked Staffe exhibition which gave a great insight into the collection of cricket books and artefacts of the MCC library and the MCC museum. If like me you're lucky enough to be an MCC member you can visit the library any time; otherwise I highly recommend you go on a tour.

Here is the link to the online version of the fact sheets. Make sure you check out the fact sheet for the Geelong v Hawthorn match of 11 June 2011, featuring the Bob Davis tribute.

Kardinia Park: the early years

My early experience of Kardinia Park was as a toddler. I faintly remember sitting in my pusher and being totally bored because I couldn't see anything except people's legs. When just a little older, but still not very interested in the games I couldn't see, I used to wander off and climb the pine trees at the river end of the ground, near where the Doug Wade stand is now.

As time moved on and I developed an interest in the game, my sisters and I would get to the ground early so we could sit on the seats around the boundary line. Those were the days of Polly Farmer, Billy Goggin, Paul Vinar (my favourite, for some reason), the wonderful Lord twins, Terry Callan and John Sharrock.

Sadly we moved to Melbourne and the trips to Geelong gradually became less frequent as family commitments took over. We saw Geelong through the dark days of the 70s and 80s mostly at Waverley and the MCG. On one memorable occasion in the 1970s we spent a weekend in Geelong and rejoiced in an unexpected victory over Collingwood at a packed Kardinia Park. We had to hitchhike home because of a train strike, but it hardly seemed to matter.

The later 1980s and early 1990s were the Gary Ablett years. What excitement Gary and Malcolm Blight brought to Geelong! We have rarely missed a game at Kardinia Park ever since.