Before I get started I better fill you in as to how we got here. Alana and I were told about this place called New Norcia which was founded by the Benedictine Monks in the early 1800's. I can imagine the Pope at the time saying to Fr Salvado "Hey Bro, have I got an opportunity of a lifetime for you to get in on the ground floor to save a whole lot of souls in this far flung place called Australia". Here's the link to it's history. Being a lapsed catholic and Alana having done her fair share of time in a christian cult, sorry I meant community church, we were both drawn to have a look. On a personal note I spent seven years in a boarding school in the mid sixties. I could see some parallels and the nature of most institutions is very much the same or at least they have a lot in common, anyway back to the Pub.
Yes that is a pub
This establishment started off its life as a hostel and guest house. Walking up the muddy circular driveway I can imagine the owners and builders of this place (the Monks) having a vision of those stately old European mansions, with columns spanning the two levels and solid wide steps leading to the Italian tiled patio chess- boarding it's way through to the statement-like front double doors. Once inside there was an enclosed reception office to the right, an informal sitting area to the left with a cavernous foyer in the middle. All leading up to a grand stair case. Jarrah everywhere!. Upstairs, laid out on one side of the corridor were all the bedrooms each with their own entrance to the outside shared balcony.
.
No!, you carry the suitcases.
The actual pub part of this old hostel was down the far right of the building, past the hallway, off the reception office. I was somewhat taken aback by the lack of pub-like paraphernalia and advertising slogans that you would normally see. Don't get me wrong, there were stools at the bar, the pouring taps were there, bottles of spirits lined up behind the bar, even the pool table and TV on the wall in the adjacent area. I just couldn't see any of the usual accessories, like runners along the top of the bar with Carlton Draught logos, no pub tab, no races on the TV, no clocks with Jim Beam written on its face, no tradie type "parma n pot" Tuesday night special scrawled on the black board, there was none of it.
However, I did see out of the corner of my eye, a picture hanging unobtrusively, abandoned like an orphaned child, on one of the walls. It had a religious theme to it but I don't think it was hung there with any sense of purpose, probably more the fact that it was hung there so no one would trip over it. Still, like I was saying, I didn't see an advertising poster with "five Cougars thanks" and the accompanying busty blond barmaid next to it.
However, I did see out of the corner of my eye, a picture hanging unobtrusively, abandoned like an orphaned child, on one of the walls. It had a religious theme to it but I don't think it was hung there with any sense of purpose, probably more the fact that it was hung there so no one would trip over it. Still, like I was saying, I didn't see an advertising poster with "five Cougars thanks" and the accompanying busty blond barmaid next to it.
pretty spartan huh!
it's easy to get a drink in here
anyone home?
Imagine!, a nice cold bevy on a sunny afternoon right here.
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