The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro

And now something a little more highbrow. This is a really well written book, and much slower in pace than many. This suits Stevens' (the butler main character) introspection on a life of service and the associated implications and questions that arise.

Some of the values that are self-evident to Stevens - that is, utter unflappability, 'dignity' (which has a couple of interesting definitions), and the subjugation of moral judgement to the responsibilities and duties of one's post or position - did give me pause, wondering if this fellow was for real. Naturally, he isn't: he's a character in a book. I don't doubt, however, that such values were at some place and time (and may even be so now) highly regarded, or even expected.

On reflection, the story seems to be a cautionary tale against blind devotion to 'duty', however defined. "Thud!", posted just before, also talks about 'some things you just have to do'. Stevens' has many things he feels he has to do. The difference between Vimes and Stevens is simply the source or pedigree of the obligations. Vimes is guided by a moral compass, where Stevens is guided by his responsibility to his employer. To be fair, while I do agree more with Vimes' guide, Stevens' job is to be a butler, not a police watch commander charged with preserving peace and law in a big city.

Criminy. I think I just came up with a bit of a thesis here. Sources of obligation in literature, and as always with these discussion, the social commentary contained therein.

In short, though, it was a pretty good book.

Thud! - Terry Pratchett

Full disclosure: I really like Pratchett, and the Discworld novels. I've read a bunch of them, and enjoyed every one, and have even laughed out loud while reading them on public transport.

Thud! is something like the 30th Discworld book, and the first one I've read that doesn't relate the state of the cosmos in Discworld - the Disc on the backs of 4 elephants standing on a huge turtle who is swimming through space.

Then again, the book is different from earlier Discworld books in that it is subtle in a slightly different way: it's almost like Pratchett's graduated from odd (though ingenious) parallels between the bizarre real world that readers inhabit and the bizarre magical world that the characters inhabit to parallels between big issues in the two worlds. Strangely absent is the word play of "In Sewer Ants" (Insurance) where the Discworld version is a delightfully apt characterisation of the industry, replaced by Sam Vimes' struggle to keep trolls and dwarves from reliving a centuries-old conflict that is based in... but I won't spoil the story by revealing what it is based in!

I particularly like Sam's priority of being home at 6pm to read to his son... regardless of which kings expect his presence at dinner.

It's a Pratchett Discworld book. Wonderful.

Master & Commander - Patrick O'Brian

Props to Nick for telling me about this book - I bought it on his recommendation in Canada during our trip there over Christmas.

It's the tale of Captain Jack Aubry and Stephen Maturin, in the first of 20 historical novels. That basically means that the stories are largely true to history, but in order to make things read a little better, the history's been tidied up a little.

Not knowing that much about Nelson's navy, I'll have to rely on my gut in assessing the 'faultless portrayal' claimed on the back cover - and my gut says that it's pretty much spot on.

This first book in the series sets up the characters at the point in Aubry's career when he receives his first commission as Master and Commander of a ship, and relates the ups (daring captures of enemy vessels) and downs (being captured by the enemy) of the life of an 18th century navy man. All in all, it was a good read, and I am looking forward to the next 19 books.

Pictures Posted!

Finally put up some photos from the trip to Canada on Web albums

There are also some on Flickr.

Also, but not from Canada, but Australia Day on Zooomr

Photos - Landing in Sydney

Normally, we end up landing in the dark when we get back to SYD, so it was a real treat to have pretty clear conditions (and light) coming in.

These haven't been digitally manipulated in any way, so they are still a bit flat with the early morning light.

The photos are here, on Flickr.

Like a rookie, sailing for the very last time

Beautiful day to be back on the water yesterday... if only my performance had done it justice. In the cadet race (the earlier, shorter race for younger and more neophyte participants) things went alright, with a top-three finish.

In the real race is where things went awry. For some odd reason, my bung (drain plug for draining water that gets into the hull) came out, with the obvious consequence of having an open hole in the hull. Those holes are definitely not one-way flow devices: halfway into the first lap of the race, I was wondering why the boat was handling so oddly, and when the waves started coming over the front instead of sort of splashing to the side, I headed for shore and safety.

Drained the boat, fastened the bung (and checked it three times) and rejoined the race. By now the wind had really picked up, and my ability in stronger winds is quite minimal... I rejoined in last place and stayed quite solidly there.

But it was a beautiful day nevertheless.

Picture in the SMH

Here is the picture that Simone sent in to the Sydney Morning Herald.

The boy (at left) really tried very hard to defeat his nemesis (the girl, at right), however she seemed to be much more practiced in both manoeuvring her bucket and playing to us tourists.

Setting the scene:

This picture was at the floating village near Siem Reap. I don't know that the village had a name other than "the floating village." The name is remarkably appropriate: if other villages followed the same nomenclature, there would be many "villages on land", perhaps a few "villages near trees"...

But I digress. There is a really big lake near Siem Reap - I think I remember the name, but I'm not going to embarass myself in front of the Internet by guessing wrong. For eminently practical reasons, every structure in the village floats, simply moored where the homeowner wishes. Every structure is thus situated: the mosque, the church, the store, the school and the separate basketball court (courtesy of the Japanese dev-aid folks), and of course, the tourist centre, from whose gently bobbing decks this photo was snapped.

The tourist centre is about the furthest structure out into the lake (it is a REALLY big lake - goes on past the horizon), and us tourists drive into the sort of shore-based gateway to the village, hire a boat (and driver, plus a young guide), which then putters out to the centre, as we gape amazedly at the village. Once at the tourist centre, one can continue to gape at the expanse of water, thrill to the crocodiles caged just below deck, be surprised by great big fish leaping out of their live wells (and thus consigning themselves to the warm part of the café), eat fresh coconut, and buy souvenirs.

Alternatively, one can seek a quiet corner of the complex, marvel at the whole experience and try to convince oneself that one is a traveller, rather than a tourist.

The kiddies pictured quickly put paid to that bit of self-delusion: one is not a traveller, one is not even a tourist. One is a mark, an ATM if you will, and all they have to do is figure out the code. In this case, it was showing off their alacrity paddling a round vessel with a single paddle, and insisting on remuneration in exchange for permission to take their photo. This approach is employed when the traditional technique of paddling up beside where the tourists are sitting in the shade snaffling up cool liquids and sweet treats, and then begging for scraps. (The girl was good at this: she scored an almost full coconut. The lad, on the other hand, was either not pitiable or not cute enough. I think he got a couple of nuts.)

Back down under!

Just got back from three weeks in the old country. Lotsa pictures, too. As there's time, (and as was promised with the Cambodia tour), they'll get posted up.

But, speaking of pictures: apparently one of my Cambodia pictures made it onto the front page of the Travel section in the January 13 edition of the Sydney Morning Herald.

Now, that's pretty cool.