Across the Ditch

Lots to report...prepare to read...

Sydney Opera House

Last week, I had the opportunity to travel to Sydney, Australia for the annual conference of the Interpretation Australia Association. For those of you who are wondering, interpretation is what I do for a living. Although the fundamentals are similar (helping people grasp meaning) this is not referring to translating language. In this context, we can use Freeman Tilden's definition: "Interpretation is an educational activity which aims to reveal meanings and relationships through the use of original objects, by firsthand experience, and by illustrative media." Interpretation can be an exhibit in a visitor centre or museum, a wayside exhibit in a park or a tour led by a ranger or guide. When you start looking for interpretation, you suddenly see it everywhere.

Museum Station. Note the same logoform as that used on London's Underground.

Anyhow, enough about my work. I know you really just want to hear more about Sydney! It's one of the world's great cities, and I thoroughly enjoyed exploring it. I knew Sydney was big, but honestly was not aware just how big (typical clueless American) until I entered the subway station and saw the rail network map. That's when I realised the scale of the place--it's huge! It reminded me of New York City in many ways. There are diverse neighborhoods, some of which have distinct ethnic flavours, like Chinatown and the Spanish Quarter.

Sydney's Chinatown

It was strangely enjoyable to be in a city with some real age on it, made even more noticeable by the fact that they use so much stone and brick in their architecture. This is not so common in Wellington, due to our affinity for earthquakes.

The Rocks Historic District

The Rocks historic district reminds me very much of the French Quarter in New Orleans, or perhaps the Landing in St. Louis. They offer ghost tours of the old quarter, complete with candle lanterns to carry as you walk the dark alleys in search of convict history. Meanwhile, huge masses of flying foxes (that's bats to you Americans--with 3 foot wingspans, no less!) fly overhead. It seems they roost over in the nearby Botanic Gardens by day, and come out in swarms at dusk to take over the night sky. It's fantastic.

St Mary's Cathedral as seen from Hyde Park

A lot of the Victorian-era buildings have been adapted into modern uses such as shopping facilities. I was gobsmacked when roaming the catacombs of the Strand and the Queen Victoria Building's arcades. Sydney knows how to do shopping...even I was in the mood to behave like a capitalist. I told Stacey that I wanted to come back there with her and about $3,000 and do some serious shopping! Modern contemporary architecture is not neglected, whether it be the famous Opera House or the Sydney Tower. The Opera House of course is Sydney's most famous and recognisable landmark, a status completely deserved. It's pretty amazing to see in person.

Sydney is a harbour city, with a seagoing culture and ships of all kinds adding to the atmosphere of the place. Ferries are a routine form of transportation for locals, just like a bus or train, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Some of them are old and rickety looking, while others are slick and fast catamarans (called "River Cats"). In Darling Harbour, the Maritime Museum displays a replica of the Endeavor alongside decommissioned submarines and modern naval vessels. Boats are everywhere, and the harbour is dotted with dozens of sailboats of all shapes and sizes, mixed in among the various larger ferries and massive cargo tankers.

Replica of Endeavor, on display at the Maritime Museum

The Harbour Bridge spans the waterway and is almost always looming, an imposing and beautiful structure. Visitors can take "Bridge Walk" tour where you climb to the top of the bridge walking along the upper edge! I did not have time to do it on this trip, unfortunately. Both the experience and the price are not for the timid, but I am told it's a must-do. Hopefully I'll have an opportunity to try to hit it next time.

Jacaranda trees in bloom on the waterfront (these trees are their version of the Dogwood)



Sydney Harbour Bridge

No travel to Australia from New Zealand would be complete without a comparison of weather! Of course, all my Australian mates at work were espousing how warm it was going to be in Sydney. I packed somewhat light, but am ever cautious. I also knew that even in warm climes, boat rides can be cold! This was wise, since it seemed that our NZ delegation brought our cold and wet weather along with us. The temps were in the high-teens (should have been in mid-upper 20's, I think) and it rained quite a bit the first few days. Wind combined with the rain and cool weather to make it feel like a Wellington day! It didn't matter, I was having too much fun exploring. And, on my last day there it was a perfect, perfect day. Blue skies and sun. Awesome.

Mmmm...Krispy Kreme donuts. I had to have one, even though I know better.

I was curious to see the differences between Australia and New Zealand in terms of culture. Admittedly, using Sydney as a measure is hardly representative of the whole country. It's such an international city that is has a global mix. I did find notice "Americanisation" of things like spelling was a bit more common. And, Sydney-siders like American-style donuts (something not so popular in New Zealand). Perhaps the strongest testament to this was the presence of Krispy Kremes. I literally stopped in my tracks when I saw the sign! I proceeded to go in and order a plain glazed donut and a coffee, and babbled to the checkout girl about how "I lived in Atlanta where Krispy Kremes originated, and we used to look for the hot donuts now sign to be on." She just stared at me and said "uh-huh" with her eyes. I decided to shut up, suspecting she would call security if I uttered one more word.

Manly Beach. Too bad I did not bring my togs, it was actually warm enough to swim!

That last day was a Saturday, and it was my 'free day' to do something fun. I hopped on a ferry named the Freshwater and took a ride out to Manly Beach, at the North Head entrance to the harbour. I proceeded to have breakfast on the beach and then did a really nice walk around the peninsula. Geographically, this was an important defense point for the city during World War II. The remains of gun turrets and military installations can still be found along the track (trail). As the track climbs through the bush, the view occasionally opens up to reveal sheer cliff walls and ocean waves crashing beneath. Always on the lookout for Australia's signature wildlife, I knew that this area did not have any wild kangaroos or wombats. But I was lucky enough to hear and see a flock of laughing kookaburras. Their call was instantly recognisable. A good end to a great trip.

View of the rocky shoreline from North Head peninsula

Next week, I'll be posting about a backlog of old news including Halloween, a trip to Tongariro National Park, and some updates on our personal lives (which are going fine). As a teaser, here's a photo of Stacey in her Halloween costume. I'll let you ponder what her inspiration was. Hehe.