Wednesday 26th June 2013 was an historic day in Australian politics.
Kevin Rudd, deposed when Prime Minister 3 years and 3 days earlier, was re-elected Prime Minister by the Labor Party thus ending Julia Gillard's time in the top job. Little did Ise-somo suspect, sitting in our lounge room watching the political drama unfold, that within 4 days, the new Prime Minister of Australia would have his arm around his shoulders.
It happened like this ... Saturday 29th June arrived - Ise was with his hosts Graham and Wendy Toulmin in Springwood in the Blue Mountains. It was a 'good old mountains day' - raining quite heavily, a low mist hanging in the valleys, a day to stay indoors reading a good book in front of a raging fire.
Wendy had been downtown at the supermarket and saw a white limousine with the number plate C1 pull up. Security personnel appeared out of nowhere and it was obvious that the new Prime Minister of Australia had chosen to make an impromptu visit to a seat belonging to the opposition.
When she returned home she found Ise and myself catching up on emails, reading and enjoying being inside in the warmth. 'Kevin Rudd is in town' she exclaimed. I immediately thought of the Mac Book that I was compiling as a souvenir for Ise to take home on the 12th July. To have a photo with the Prime Minister ... but no, there would be too many people etc etc it wouldn't happen. So I continued with the emails.
Half an hour later I thought "This is too good an opportunity. Maybe we should drive up and see if they are still there - although they have probably moved on by now.
"Come on Ise, let's see if the Prime Minister is still in town."
So off we went ... and drove the back way behind the shops then up Raymond Rd to the roundabout outside the Ori (the Oriental Hotel and Cafe).
A large crowd was gathered outside the Real Estate Agent and the arcade with the Pink Papaya Coffee Bar. "They're still here" I pointed with growing excitement.
"Hop out here and see if you can get near him while I find a parking spot."
So Ise hurriedly climbed out of the vehicle in the rain and holding out his arms to the approaching traffic to stop, crossed the road and joined the crowd around Kevin Rudd, Susan Templeman and the security guards.
Finding a park in front of the funeral parlour, I ran up the street trying to get the umbrella with the two broken spokes to go up properly and quickly joined Ise on the edge of the throng. Holding the camera over my head or pointing it through the crowd past a host of heads, I knew I was taking some very ordinary and out of focus photos.
While I was doing this, Ise made his way through the crowd until he was face to face with the Prime Minister of Australia.
"Could I get a photo with you?" He asked politely.
"Where are you from?" asked the Prime Minister.
"The Democratic Republic of the Congo" replied Ise.
"Bonjour" responded the Prime Minister, picking the right language to greet him in.
Impressive.
Then he put his arm around the shoulders of Bishop Muhindo Ise-somo and I lunged forward and reeled off 4 quick photos.
"Merci beaucoup." said the Bishop .
I could tell the photos were in focus and that was all I needed. We retired to the Pink Papaya to order a celebratory hot chocolate. (Ise has developed quite a taste for hot chocolates.)
What serendipity!
A photo with the Prime Minister to go on the front of the book.
"Now I have met everybody!" quipped Ise as we headed to the car sheltered under the broken umbrella.
Kevin Rudd, deposed when Prime Minister 3 years and 3 days earlier, was re-elected Prime Minister by the Labor Party thus ending Julia Gillard's time in the top job. Little did Ise-somo suspect, sitting in our lounge room watching the political drama unfold, that within 4 days, the new Prime Minister of Australia would have his arm around his shoulders.
It happened like this ... Saturday 29th June arrived - Ise was with his hosts Graham and Wendy Toulmin in Springwood in the Blue Mountains. It was a 'good old mountains day' - raining quite heavily, a low mist hanging in the valleys, a day to stay indoors reading a good book in front of a raging fire.
Wendy had been downtown at the supermarket and saw a white limousine with the number plate C1 pull up. Security personnel appeared out of nowhere and it was obvious that the new Prime Minister of Australia had chosen to make an impromptu visit to a seat belonging to the opposition.
When she returned home she found Ise and myself catching up on emails, reading and enjoying being inside in the warmth. 'Kevin Rudd is in town' she exclaimed. I immediately thought of the Mac Book that I was compiling as a souvenir for Ise to take home on the 12th July. To have a photo with the Prime Minister ... but no, there would be too many people etc etc it wouldn't happen. So I continued with the emails.
Half an hour later I thought "This is too good an opportunity. Maybe we should drive up and see if they are still there - although they have probably moved on by now.
"Come on Ise, let's see if the Prime Minister is still in town."
So off we went ... and drove the back way behind the shops then up Raymond Rd to the roundabout outside the Ori (the Oriental Hotel and Cafe).
A large crowd was gathered outside the Real Estate Agent and the arcade with the Pink Papaya Coffee Bar. "They're still here" I pointed with growing excitement.
"Hop out here and see if you can get near him while I find a parking spot."
So Ise hurriedly climbed out of the vehicle in the rain and holding out his arms to the approaching traffic to stop, crossed the road and joined the crowd around Kevin Rudd, Susan Templeman and the security guards.
Finding a park in front of the funeral parlour, I ran up the street trying to get the umbrella with the two broken spokes to go up properly and quickly joined Ise on the edge of the throng. Holding the camera over my head or pointing it through the crowd past a host of heads, I knew I was taking some very ordinary and out of focus photos.
While I was doing this, Ise made his way through the crowd until he was face to face with the Prime Minister of Australia.
"Could I get a photo with you?" He asked politely.
"Where are you from?" asked the Prime Minister.
"The Democratic Republic of the Congo" replied Ise.
"Bonjour" responded the Prime Minister, picking the right language to greet him in.
Impressive.
Then he put his arm around the shoulders of Bishop Muhindo Ise-somo and I lunged forward and reeled off 4 quick photos.
"Merci beaucoup." said the Bishop .
I could tell the photos were in focus and that was all I needed. We retired to the Pink Papaya to order a celebratory hot chocolate. (Ise has developed quite a taste for hot chocolates.)
What serendipity!
A photo with the Prime Minister to go on the front of the book.
"Now I have met everybody!" quipped Ise as we headed to the car sheltered under the broken umbrella.
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