Launceston

 

This week we are in Launceston the second largest city in Tasmania.

It's famed for the Cataract Gorge, with panoramic views, walking trails, sculpted gardens and a chairlift. The Queen Victoria Museum, in a 19th-century railway workshop, has exhibitions on Tasmanian history. Its sister Art Gallery lies across the river, by sprawling Royal Park. The vineyards of the Tamar Valley stretch northwest along the Tamar River.

The estimated resident population of Launceston, Tasmania is 71,889. This figure is based on the 2022 estimates from the City of Launceston. The population of Launceston has been steadily increasing since 2016. 

The traditional owners of the Launceston area in Tasmania are the Palawa people, specifically those belonging to the North Midlands Tribe. They are the original inhabitants of the region and have a long-standing connection to the land, including the Tamar River (kanamaluka) area. The broader Tasmanian Aboriginal people, also known as the Palawa, are acknowledged as the traditional owners of all of Tasmania (lutruwita).

The town was established by Lieutenant Colonel William Paterson in 1804. He initially set up a settlement at Outer Cove, later named George Town, before moving to York Town and then to the present-day site of Launceston. The settlement was initially called Patersonia before being renamed Launceston in honour of Governor King. 

 

Polar Bears

 

This week we are looking at the polar bear, the polar bear is a large bear native to the Arctic and nearby areas. It is closely related to the brown bear, and the two species can interbreed. The polar bear is the largest extant species of bear and land carnivore, with adult males weighing 300–800 kg.

They are a powerful symbol of the strength and endurance of the Arctic. The polar bear's Latin name, Ursus maritimus, means "sea bear." It's an apt name for this majestic species, which spends much of its life in, around, or on the ocean–predominantly on the sea ice. In the United States, Alaska is home to two polar bear subpopulations.

They are good swimmers and can sustain a pace of six miles per hour by paddling with their front paws and holding their hind legs flat like a rudder. They have a thick layer of body fat and a water-repellent coat that insulates them from the cold air and water.

These bears spend over 50% of their time hunting for food. A polar bear might catch only one or two out of 10 seals it hunts, depending on the time of year as well as other things. Their diet mainly consists of ringed and bearded seals because they need large amounts of fat to survive.

They rely heavily on sea ice for traveling, hunting, resting, mating and, in some areas, maternal dens. But because of ongoing and potential loss of their sea ice habitat resulting from climate change–the primary threat to polar bears Arctic-wide–polar bears were listed as a threatened species in the US under the Endangered Species Act in May 2008. As their sea ice habitat recedes earlier in the spring and forms later in the fall, polar bears are increasingly spending longer periods on land, where they are often attracted to areas where humans live.

 They can run as fast as 40 kilometres per hour—but only for short distances. Younger, leaner bears are the best runners and are able to cover two kilometres’ without stopping. Older and larger bears, on the other hand, quickly overheat. However, they can only swim up to 10 kilometres per hour.

They have 42 razor sharp teeth: With jagged back teeth and canines larger than grizzly teeth, that would be quite the bite. Their paws are 30 cm wide which is big which act as a natural snowshoe that helps the bear trek across treacherous ice and deep snow. They also have 3 eyelids: The third helps protect the bear's eyes from the elements and they have 4 inches of fat under their skin to keep it warm. Their skin is black, and their fur is transparent, and they have a blue tongue.

During autumn pregnant polar bears make dens in earth and snowbanks, where they'll stay through the winter and give birth to one to three cubs. In spring the mother emerges from her den followed by her cubs. During that time, she will protect them and teach them how to hunt. They have a gestation period of between 195 and 265 days. They can live 20 to 30 years, but only a small percentage live past 15 to 18 years.

The oldest known polar bear in the Arctic lived 32 years. The oldest known polar bear in a zoological park lived 45 years.

When it comes to predator’s adult polar bears have no natural predators except other polar bears. Cubs less than one year old sometimes are prey to wolves and other carnivores.

Newborn cubs may be cannibalized by malnourished mothers or adult male polar bears.

 

Ecuador Part Two

 

This week I am sharing a little more about Ecuador.

Encebollado is widely recognized as the national dish of Ecuador. It's a hearty fish stew, often made with tuna, and features a prominent onion flavour, along with cassava, tomatoes, and cilantro. While other dishes like ceviche and bolon de verde are also popular and sometimes cited as national dishes, encebollado is generally considered the most representative of Ecuadorian cuisine.

Their national animal is the Andean condor. It is also the national bird of several other South American countries, including Bolivia, Chile, and Colombia. The Andean condor is a large bird of prey and holds significance in Andean folklore and mythology. 

They have a national flower it is the Chuquiragua (Chuquiraga jussieui). It's also known as the "Flower of the Andes". While red roses are a popular and important flower cultivated in Ecuador, the Chuquiragua holds the official designation.

It’s not surprising that the national sport is Football (soccer). Amateur weekend games are played in parks, plazas, and vacant lots around the country. The national team has enjoyed success in regional competitions and in the World Cup.

Ecuador is known for its low cost of living, particularly when compared to countries like Australia or the US. A couple can live comfortably on less than $23,000 per year, enjoying things like nice apartments, frequent dining out, and even a house cleaning service. Housing costs are significantly lower, with rentals ranging from $300-$1300 per month depending on location and amenities. 

 

Some Sunday Questions

 

Came across these questions over here: https://lemonscottage.blogspot.com/

So decided to post them here with my answers.

What is something you should throw away, but just can't bring yourself to part with?

My collection of Trixie Beldon books got my first one when I was 9yrs old and just can’t part with them.

When you make yourself a sandwich, do you cut it on the diagonal, straight up the middle, or not at all?

Depends on the bread some I cut diagonal usually twice, so I have four small triangles other bread I cut into four small squares.

What song or sound brings back memories of childhood?

Can’t think of any one song, there are many different songs that when I hear them take me back to my childhood.

Who is the first person you call when you have good news?

For many years it would have been my mum, but the last couple of years it has been my sister Sue.

Have you ever set out on a walk in the rain?

Yep I have done way back when.

Week 26 of 2025

I slept for 8hrs and 54mins and I was awake for 36mins, and woke feeling good, although it took me a while to get moving when the alarm went off.

I have had a productive morning did two loads of washing, tossed the sheets into the dryer but hung the clothes on the clothes hoists and took them outside to dry.  Also put the work shirts in the dryer so they shouldn’t be too difficult to iron.

BGL:5.2

Steps:5,758=3.00klms

My watch says I slept for 5hrs and 3mins and I was awake for 8mins, maybe that’s why I don’t feel fully with it. I will have a shower after Tim leaves for work as I am going to the doctors and my hair feels yuck. I also am going to have my blood taken for my six-monthly blood work check.

After the blood was taken, we drove Sam to Tafe and then I went to the doctors for a new referral to see the neurologist that appointment is on the 14 July and is a telehealth appointment. He also said my eye has healed nicely after the fall.

Sue made my appointment with the optometrist that this Saturday at 11am.

Also went and picked up scripts from the chemist.

Tim rang to let me know he will not be home till around 10pm, he is doing emergency rail.

7,351=3.68klms

My watch says I slept for 7hrs and 43mins and I was awake for 7mins, I do feel ok at the moment as in awake and functioning.

No school for Sam today she has an 11am appointment with the hairdresser and Jess can’t see the point of sending her for only a couple of hours.

It is a cold day, and we have had rain around 11am. Around 2pm someone came and repaired the roof so hopefully no more leak.  

Sam haircut looks good.

BGL: 5.2

Steps: 4,688 which equals around 2.35klms

My watch says I slept for 8hrs and 20mins and I was awake for 48mins, I am feeling good this morning, have already vacuumed out and tidied the kitchen.

After Sam left for school, I decided to mop the bathroom and kitchen floors, while doing the bathroom my right knee felt like it started to dislocate but then it didn’t, and the knee has been very sore and unstable since.

When I go to meet Sam this afternoon, I am going to use the scooter as it feels like it may give way at any moment.

Just had plumbers arrive to look at the roof, I told them someone was here yesterday he said he would check it out anyway. I was waiting for him to come and tell me if all was good but nope, he just left.

BGL: 5.1

Steps:6,015= 3.11klms

My watch says I slept for 8hrs and 56mins and I was awake for 14mins, I had a shower and let the hot water run over my knee and it has helped with the pain and movement.

Sue and I went to Charlestown Square to meet up with Sandy and she had Denni with her and our niece Samantha was there and her eldest Hayley and our nephew Dawson was also there it was really great seeing everyone. Sue did her grocery shopping and then we left, by the time I got home I was barely able to move.

I put a heat pack on my right knee and sat and rested for a while after an hour or, so I was doing much better and able to walk and move without too much pain.

I still took the scooter up to meet Sam by Monday I am hoping I will be ok.

BGL: 5.2

Steps:5,111=2.56klms

My watch says I slept for 9hrs and 57mins and I was awake for 55mins, my knees yes both of them are painful this morning.

I did a load of washing and hung it up to dry and by the time I was done I was exhausted, and my back ached something shocking. I had to have a rest before doing anything else. I didn’t take the washing outside as it felt like it could rain, and it did end up raining around 1pm.

Thankfully it wasn’t raining when I went to meet Sam.

I am extremely tired this arvo and even though it’s only 6.30pm I am off to bed as I am falling asleep sitting here.

BGL:5.8

Steps: 4,506=2.30klm

My watch says I slept for 10hrs and 41mins and I didn’t wake at all during the night. I am feeling fine this morning and have already vacuumed once and cleaned the kitchen.

Sue took me to have my eyes checked and all is good with them.

It has been a cold day; Tim has been saying he is bored as the yard is too soggy to work on. After a while he found something to do but once he did that he was bored again.

Steps:5,129=2.62klm’s

 

 

 

 

 

Caturday

 

Hello everyone it is my time to feature on Caturday,, this is me Archie when I was a tiny kitten this  was taken just after my mum adopted me, wasn’t I oh so cute , I am sitting on mum’s lap.

Scared Band if Thebes

 

Today I am writing a post suggested by and for my transgender granddaughter Sam, who is mentioned often in my diary posts, she has learnt a bit about these soldiers, I think at school, abut I am not 100% sure about that.

Anyway, the subject is The Sacred Band of Thebes.

The Sacred Band of Thebes was an elite heavy infantry of select soldiers, allegedly consisting of 150 pairs of male couples which formed the elite force of the Theban army in the 4th century BC, ending Spartan domination. Its predominance began with its crucial role in the Battle of Leuctra in 371 BC.

They were formed under the leadership of Gorgidas but first ac

hieved fame under the general Pelopidas. They remained invincible from 378-338 BCE when the entire troop fell together at the Battle of Chaeronea.

The military unit is first mentioned in 324 BCE in a speech, but their full story wasn’t known to much later.

The Sacred Band were deployed early in the Boeotian War in 378 BCE under Gorgidas but became famous for their participation in the Battle of Leuctra in 371 BCE. They remained undefeated until the decisive battle of Chaeronea in 338 BCE when the Macedonians under Philip II and his son Alexander the Great crushed the combined forces of Thebes and Athens.

The Sacred Band fell together as a single unit and, according to Plutarch, were mourned by Philip II of Macedon himself as valiant warriors. They would later became legendary figures exemplifying courage and military strength.

The city of Thebes, where this band had been founded in 378 BCE was particularly unique in how it regarded the love, between men. A young Plato is thought to have said “the rule has been laid down straightforwardly that it is right to gratify (male) lovers, and no one, young or old, would say that it is wrong."

Of course, it was not uncommon for male-male encounters to be pursued by ancient Greek soldiers, demonstrated through the institutionalised practices of homoeroticism in Spartan militia and the cities of Crete.

The very act of homoeroticism was thoroughly incorporated into the educational systems of the Greek world. It was a means to lead a boy into adulthood, and by the Classical period, it extended into higher culture: “from the military to athletic games, from philosophy to historiography.”  

But why would Thebes want to specifically create an elite unit of bonded male lovers, if homoeroticism was already part-and-parcel of ancient Greece’s cultural fabric?

According to Plato’s philosophical thought, lover-soldiers would inspire the courage and bravery needed on the battlefield. Plato tells us that:

The last person a lover could bear to be seen by, when leaving his place in the battleline or abandoning his weapons, is his boyfriend; instead, he’d prefer to die many times. As for abandoning his boyfriend or failing to help him in danger – no one is such a coward that he could not be inspired into courage by love and made the equal of someone who’s naturally very brave. — The Symposium, 179a’

It is said that such was the powerful display of love that it brought the great king to tears. So, to mark the burial site, a marble lion was erected in honour of the fallen, acting as a “symbol of their courage.”

The Lion of Chaeronea is still standing. It's a funerary monument erected in honour of the Theban Sacred Band, who died in the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BC. The monument was rediscovered in 1818 and later restored, and it remains a prominent landmark near the battle site. 

This once-famous troop of heroes is often passed over in discussions of Greek history possibly because they were gay and the concept of a victorious unit of gay warriors is at odds with the prevalent homophobia of the present day.

As LGBTQ+ activism makes more progress in educating people, however, the Sacred Band of Thebes is again receiving the kind of recognition they deserve.