This country, officially named the Commonwealth of Australia, have made the queen's birthday a federal holiday despite being independent and despite many Englanders not even celebrating it! Perhaps most Aussies are just glad to get a day off of work and do not pay too much mind (the three-day weekend coincides with our visit quite well, as our host family is able to spend more time with us as they have chosen to do!). Throughout our time here, we have picked up on a rather interesting, closer, if not cosier, relationship between Australians and the Brits. Casual comments about the Brits being stuffy at one point and overindulgent at another (no offense intended) compound the relationship between these two countries into something I do not have a good grasp on yet.
And Australians' view of Americans is another story. We have common ground in that we both have some interesting vein of British rule in our history, but while Australians see their accented English as "more correct" than our mangled version, I'm sure some Americans wouldn't hesitate to take a position that we are a more legitimate country because we have been one for longer. Not to mention Australia's continued struggle to get over the embarrassment of its convict history, which is really just starting to be talked about delicately. So we all have our share of English issues and rebels, who doesn't?
Anyways, that is just a piece of my commentary that stitches together snippets of dinner table and car ride conversations as well as things overheard through the media as well. The conversations with real people of the country you visit are often something much harder to get if you do not stay with a family. So in addition to all the wonderful hospitality and comfort of staying with Janet and Chris, there is this additional benefit as well.
A few other things I have noticed the last couple days:
- For a polite version of "Well, that's just weird," where a Minnesotan might say "That's interesting," the more common Australian version is "Well, that's different." I may have heard my Iowan relatives pull that one out time and again too though.
- Everybody walking around this city is so dressed-up all the time! I was expecting laid-back Aussie-ness, especially after Julia told me in Lismore where she studied, a lot of people walk around shoeless. Perhaps its because it is an international business city, or perhaps because it is winter, but there is too much black and too much fanciness for my taste. I just want to wear my bright summer colors... and stick out like the foreigner I am...
- Advice Chris tried to hammer hard into us included giving ourselves time to figure ourselves out/party/have fun before going into grad school if that happens to be the plan down the road.
- I am still amazed by adorable houses with red-orange roofs that just dot the rolling, forested hills.
Today felt lazy on both ends, but it was fabulous to be able to fit in everything we intended to sight-see and also catch up on our rest and family time. Janet and Chris provided us with some Australian brekkie - bacon for Julia and my first ever poached eggs.
Julia and I planned on researching the altered bus schedule for its weekend routine, but Chris generously decided to drive us to downtown and actually ended up spending the whole day with us! It was fun to learn more about him as well, especially talking about international travel. A chill man in his sixties full of quips who speaks in slang and loves to text is not necessarily what you would expect to fit the serious businessman type, but he is able to take his love and smarts for bioengineering all around the world, saying "I figure if I have a work project somewhere, I have to go there!" And with his company, it seems it can work both ways so he can try and establish business connections for destinations he would find interesting to travel to. What a life.
Driving to the harbor we learned we were on our way to "Neutral Bay," apparently named because the British got here first and allowed this portion of the bay for the Russians and the French, etc. First we got out and went down to the dock to see the boats, even though we couldn't spot the yacht Chris sometimes borrows from his friend.
Next, we took a spin to another viewing area further down the harbor to park the car, take a walk by the Harbor Bridge, and get ourselves some of the typical, iconic shots of the Sydney Opera House. Thank goodness for sun (for now)!
We also happened to be by the opera house around noontime, and apparently it is a routine that every day at noon there is a midday gun fired. But today was special: a 21-gun salute for the Queen's birthday! What a funny situation.
Next on our list was the Powerhouse Museum, which Chris accompanied us to as well. This was Sydney's museum dedicated to science, design, and innovation, but the featured exhibit was ABBA World! Australians seem to still have a particular affinity for this 70s Swedish pop troupe, and the whole scenario today is made funnier by the fact that Julia is our resident swede in Australia. Three-tiered ruffled pants, platform shoes that take the wearer to frightening heights, and stations to rock out (or pop out?) with the musicians' holograms were not exactly what I anticipated to fall under science and design, but I guess they were innovation!
Moving through the more obviously sciencey portions of the museum, it was fun to find ourselves surrounded by airplanes and trains, "flying boats" and Mars rovers, and the latest creations by the cyber world and ecological science field. There was also an exhibit dedicated to today's award-winning technological innovation designed for humanity and our planet - there's hope yet!
Another event that happened to line up perfectly with our visit to Sydney was the Jazz and Blues Festival that culminated today. Accordingly, we were hoping to be able to choose from multiple stages of live music to relax in Darling Harbor, and while that was still possible, the weather made it increasingly less desirable. The rain held off long enough for us to grab some Danish ice cream and a seat at this open-air perfectly positioned bar to listen to smooth jazz and photographically document some of the passersby.
We had passed the Queen Victoria Building on our own several times and knew it was a landmark on the map, but we just thought it was special for its incredible Victorian architecture on the outside (which I stupidly did not get a photo of...) - never thought to go in it! Inside was actually a mostly high-end shopping center also outfitted with cafes and specialty stores. The one Julia and I were most drawn to was a photography shop with some spectacular prints of Sydney that we simply could not capture ourselves, so we both went home with a couple of souvenirs to add to our collections.
After investigating the QVB for a few, we returned to Darling Harbor to join Chris in taking care of his craving for a hot dog, but when we popped outside again, the weather had turned on us! However, it took a long enough break so we could wander through the Chinese Garden of Friendship without getting too wet.
This little scenic spot is surprisingly almost as calm and peaceful as the many gardens I explored in China itself, despite its location in the middle of downtown Sydney. This was Julia's first Chinese garden experience, and Chris's as well despite living here for so many years. I got to play a half-knowledgeable tour guide, figuring out some of the characters inscribed on intricately designed China-red corridors as we wove around the Daoist paradise in harmony with the surrounding urban-scape. Still, it felt a little strange to see the skyscrapers poking above the Chinese-style towers, especially when you couldn't hear the sounds of the city beyond the walls.
So the clouds held off just long enough for us to make it through the entirety of the garden, but they were not so kind as we were contemplating staying at the Harbor for some jazz or heading home. If it weren't raining... Glad there were still a few hardcore fans, but we decided to call it a day.
Surprisingly it was only about 5pm when we made it back home despite all the territory we had covered and the weather issues we had endured. But it felt great to sit by the fire Chris lit, edit my photos, play with Prince, sip some Australian Semillon Savignon Blanc called "Rolling," and set the table for another fabulous meal. Tonight, Janet and Ally put together the first tomato soup I have fallen in love with, coq au vin (chicken cooked in wine) with Chris' twist of Rosé wine instead of a traditional red wine, peas, and mashed potatoes, accompanied by a Shiraz called "Climbing" (evidently the next step up from "Rolling"...). Mmmm, the process of cooking. Not like I would have an easy time convincing myself to spend this much time preparing my food by myself, but perhaps with friends sometime I will make it happen...
This was a feast fit for the queen herself! Okay, maybe that is a stretch. But I'm sure anyone who tried this food would be pleased. So though I suspect most of you are probably lukewarm to celebrating it, happy Queen's Birthday, everyone!
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