I was really looking forward to today as I was catching up with a friend who I haven't seen in a few weeks & we decided to try out Page 27 Cafe...I had read good things about it here in the very entertaining blog Not quite Nigella and wanted to give it a go. I wasnt disappointed. It is down a side alley off Todd Mall and it has an almost atrium feel to it as you lose yourself down the laneway filled with pot plants .... and I loved the quirky almost Melbournian atmosphere of the cafe, the mismatching retro tables and chairs and the coffee was G.O.O.D! and the food, well I didnt eat today but let me tell you I am STILL thinking about the Eggs Benedict I sauntered past when I went to order our second cup...or maybe I will have to try the mountainous plate of fresh tomato and basil bruschetta I spied on my way back....decisions decisions. I decided at that point that I will make it my quest to try out all the cafes in town and rank them in order of a) coffee that puts hair on your chest & b) atmosphere. Call it a coffee bean challenge lol
I love how the businesses here embrace community endeavours...& lets just call this next one an action shot.....I was trying to sneakily take a shot of the laneway and got caught. Probably close to how I was seeing out of my eyes before my coffee lol
My friend & I were discussing the wonderful essence of Alice Springs, both being relatively new here...having moved at the start of the year. Both of us work in Community Services of sorts, but in different capacities. We have both noticed an overwhelming majority of women in this community and we came to the conclusion that this is the crux of the liberal and tolerant feel of this place, the almost hippy vibe it gives off must be also due to the high proportion of bleeding hearts in the town at any given time. It seems every second person you meet is a Social Worker or Community Worker. We chatted about the intervention and social and cultural issues and how we now feel about them after being here for a wee bit and our eyes not bulging quite as much. A little grittier you might say.
I will not go into detail just yet about the prevalence of social issues here, however I will say that perception is reality. My reaction when we rolled into town and stumbled through drunks to get into the airconditioned plaza and get our bearings was of shock....yet I have lived and worked in the Territory for nearly two decades on and off. My kids on the other hand commented that it was lovely how so many people were sitting under trees Meditating. And I remember thinking Who am I to ruin their eyes? In my capacity of a support worker in the community I have since come to understand that there was a funeral on that day for a much loved & respected person in the indigenous community which accounts for the numbers and also possibly the innebriation. I will say though, that we did not experience and still have not experienced any negative behaviours directed to us. And we feel safe. A little sad sometimes, but safe. Alice is a place where you really get to practise what you preach and my friend and I agree that teaching our children tolerance and embracing diversity is the only real way forward.
Culturally Alice is a rich tapestry, and it is quite amazing to see such diversity in such a comparatively small community. The tolerance and acceptance of cultural differences here is on the whole humbling and inspiring This and the transient nature of the Territory in general gives it a fresh vibrant feel. The work is here in abundance and you could literally walk into any job you imagine....and this is even more true in any Human Service/Community positions. The potential for career development is huge, and employers are open to providing training opportunities. With a transient town comes a buyers market when it comes to jobs. With so many jobs Alice boasts a kind of humble affluence. People here aren't flashy, yet many of us openly admit to acheiving our best earning potential here. And there is no shame in openly admitting that you fell on your bum and largely came here under duress. They will laugh it off in good nature....because that is the nature of the beast. They also know the powerful forces at play here which will see many of us never leave....I will be interested to see who of my friends and colleagues are still here when our 'time is up'.
Alice still has that Frontier feel to it, a bit like an old spaghetti western, and you can really sense that bubbling excitement of travellers who are here to explore its delights. And while I think that the gifts of nature in this region are stunning, the true riches of this community are its people....to sum them up I would say open, friendly & welcoming.
And there it is. The essence of Alice as understood so far by me. Told you that coffee was G.O.O.D lol.
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