Darwin, Australia

There is a take-away from every place we visit, and it’s not always the one we expect.  Darwin is a prime example.  Although it enjoys a long and beautiful beachfront, it is not otherwise a beautiful city.  But what it has going for it is the grit of its people.

We visited the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, where there is a section called “Unruly Days.” As recently as 1911, Darwin was a wild and wooly frontier town, often ignored by the rest of the country.  The locals were exploited by people “from away” who brought in low-wage jobs in volatile industries.  That led to a people’s rebellion that brought unemployment to three-quarters of Darwin’s population.

 In 1942, during WWII, Darwin was the target of 64 Japanese bombing raids that killed 243 people and caused significant damage to the city.

On Christmas Eve, 1974, Cyclone Tracy left Darwin in ruins.  Wind gusts were measured at 135mph before the measuring instruments failed.  The city was flattened; not a single building escaped.  The severity of the destruction left people with nowhere to go; more than 30,000 were evacuated, most with just the clothes they were wearing.

In every case, these tough-minded people rolled up their sleeves and got to work rebuilding their lives.  Each of these events underscored the importance of resilience and strong community bonds.

Our visit to that museum left us with a greater understanding and appreciation of the folks who call Darwin home.  Even in their darkest hours, they have found hope for brighter times ahead.

Chocolate!

 The chefs onboard Viking Sky like to wow us with their talents and never miss a chance to throw a party.  On Valentine’s Day, it was the pastry department’s time to shine.  To wit:

All this plus live music and dancing under the stars.  What’s not to 💕 ?

Happy Valentine’s Day from Thursday Island, Australia

It’s February 14th here, (only the 13th there in the US,) and this Sacred Barn Owl joins me in sending fond greetings from Thursday Island.  TI, as it is locally known, is one of the many small islands clustered off the northeastern point of Australia. Although its area is only 1.4 square miles, and its population under 3000, TI is the administrative center of the Torres Strait Islands.   Archeological evidence suggests that the area has been inhabited for thousands of years.

We have paid a brief call here to break up the journey between Cairns and Darwin.  Very much worth seeing are its turquoise waters and beautiful beaches (which are off-limits owing to the presence of sharks and aggressive salt-water crocodiles.)

The consolidated high school of the Torres Strait Islands is located here, and its students and faculty played island drums, sang, and performed native dances for us in their community hall.

Cairns (aka “Cans”) Australia

Today was a great day even if it was not the day we had expected.  Arriving early afternoon, we snagged two seats on the first coach headed for the Cairns Aquarium.  Wonderful, wonderful with its dazzling array of sea creatures.  We especially enjoyed the Great Barrier Reef exhibit.

While Vann’s photos will be far superior to mine, the visit was spectacular, but it turned out not to be the most memorable part of our day.

Returning from the shore excursion, we decided to take an Uber in search of a rain jacket for Vann.  The past couple of days have been soakers, with more in the forecast, so a waterproof jacket is a must.   

En route with our Uber, we discovered that our internet connection was lost, and we wondered how, if ever, we could connect with a ride back to the ship.  Our dear driver said he would swing back by in 45 minutes to deliver us back to the ship.

Vann found the perfect rain jacket in a matter of minutes, so we were out on the sidewalk well in advance of our driver’s return.  A young woman passing by overheard our conversation and offered us a ride, but we decided to wait for our original driver.  We wondered if maybe that had been as mistake, but we had faith that our original driver would return as promised.  And he did.  The entire episode left us convinced that Aussies are the best ever!

Great dinner onboard with charming folks at the nearby tables.  Happy, happy!

Big day tomorrow with a 7-hour excursion.  Stay tuned!

Australian City Names

Now that you know about Mooloolaba and can say its name correctly, it’s time to tackle other Australian  city names that, according to locals, are often mispronounced by those of us “from away.”

Tomorrow the Viking Sky will dock in Cairns but, as in Bah Hahbah (on the coast of Maine,) the “r” is silent; it’s “CANS.”

Ditto Melbourne, which is correctly pronounced “MEL-ben” or even “MEL-burn; it’s the “o” this time that goes missing. 

Adelaide drops its “d” to become “AA-uh-laid.”

Canberra is “CAN-bra.

Brisbane is “BRIZ-bn”

A laid-back and friendly sort, Australians usually do not correct visitors who mispronounce their city names or, if they do, it’s generally in a light-hearted way.  But they also appreciate our efforts to say the names as they do and see it as a sign of respect.  Cans it is!

Mooloolaba

This morning we arrived at the port of Mooloolaba.  Nothing to report yet, as we have not yet gone ashore.  I just wanted to say “moo-LOO-la-baa.”  More later from Australia’s Sunshine Coast…

Okay, so we’re back on ship after a full day in Mooloolaba, which is rather like Bar Harbor:  lots of shops and lots of nice houses on the water.  The Viking Sky anchored out, and we tendered in over very rough seas.  In town, we found all the requisite tourist attractions.

Our excursion was aboard the “Spray of the Coral Coast,” a lovingly restored sailing vessel built in 1908 and modeled after the boat used by Joshua Slocum to circumnavigate the globe.  Fully refitted in 2020, the ship is now listed as a heritage vessel.  Its young crew consider themselves to be the custodians of this vessel and use it to honor and preserve the indigenous culture of the region.  Several canapé offerings onboard featured locally sourced ingredients…things like bunya nuts, smoked barramundi, wattle seeds, and lemon myrtle shortbread.  The skipper even played for us on his didgeridoo.

Tomorrow is another sea day, which we welcome.  Whitsunday Islands the day after.

Two Days in Sydney, Australia

There’s an Italian saying that goes:  “Il buon giorno si vede dal mattino,” or, “A good day is seen from the morning.”  This sunrise as we approached Sydney Harbor was a clear indicator of the wonderful days that lay ahead.

Our cabin on the port side of the ship proved to be the ideal place to watch Sydney unfold before us.

Once docked, we had two full days to explore glorious Sydney under sunny skies.  First off was a 2.5-hour narrated cruise around the harbor, where we were wowed by the sleek and ultra-modern architecture of the high-rises that dominate the landscape.  We also noticed the miles of sidewalks that have been constructed at water’s edge…well-used by walkers, runners, and cyclists.

That afternoon, I went for retail therapy at the shop where Dwight and I had bought my opal pendant eleven years earlier.  The representative recognized the piece right away and was the same woman who had sold it to us in 2014.  I came away with a pair of stones that I’ll have made into earrings once I’m home.  

In the evening, we attended concert that Viking had arranged, baroque music by the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, played on vintage instruments by gifted and most energetic musicians.  (https://brandenburg.com.au/our-story/meet-the-orchestra/)

The following morning, we were on the 8:00 shuttle and headed for an hour long tour of the Sydney Opera House.  The million-plus tiles that cover its shells sparkled in the morning’s abundant sunshine.  Our guide said, “The sun never knew how beautiful its light was until it saw its reflection in those tiles!”

This photo is of the largest indoor venue, the Concert Hall, which seats 2,664.  I’d love to be in the audience one day!

Vann took this photo showing that the opera house’s interior is as dramatic as its shells.

That afternoon, we went on a culinary tour that took us to the suburb of Marrickville, a culturally diverse neighborhood with a wide range of eateries.  Our first stop was for a Vietnamese sandwich from a shop that typically has a line of customers spilling out onto the sidewalk.  Next up was what looked like a simple Italian coffee bar, but upstairs there was a complete Italian grocery store.  Started in 1956 by a young Neapolitan immigrant who arrived with little more than a 90-liter copper pan and a dream, Umberto Somma’s Paesanella is famous for its traditional cheeses, with hot ricotta as its specialty.  Clair was generous with samples.

Lamingtons are a traditional Australian sweet made of  cake coated with chocolate and rolled in coconut.  Sometimes there is a layer of cream or jam in the middle.  The tour took us to a bakery that has elevated the simple Lamington to a higher level with names like Fairy Bread, Yuzu Meringue, Halo Halo, and Wasabi.

Our final stops were at a micro-brewery followed by an ice cream shop.  By the end of the tour, we had spent four hours sampling the best and most authentic offerings of this up-and-coming little corner of Sydney.  (And we got back to the ship just in time for dinner!)

Rockin’ and Rollin’

Last night on the Tasman Sea.  Sydney tomorrow.  But tonight the patches may come out, as we are on the 8th deck, and swinging left and right.  Hoping for the best!  More later.

Onboard Astronomer

Joining our cruise in New Zealand was Dr Charles Lineweaver, a guest lecturer whose specialties include exoplanetology and cosmobiology.  (Can’t say I know what either of them is, but I’ll consult Dr Google.) Anyway, Vann and I were on our balcony last night and noticed a strange beam of light shooting across the sky.  He went up to the top deck to investigate and found Dr Lineweaver there with a group of stargazers getting a tour of the heavens on a clear night.  Since arriving in the Southern Hemisphere, we have been looking for the Southern Cross (aka Crux) and there it was!  One more thing checked off our list!

Today is the last of our sea days as we head for Australia, arriving in Sydney tomorrow for a 2-day stay.  We’re having a smooth ride across the Tasman Sea, which we understand is not always the case.

More from The Land Downunder!

Ship-Building Competition: The Viking Zephyr WON!!

Today was our boats’ final inspections and their sea trials.  As first-timers, we had no way of knowing what a big deal it would be, but the pool deck was cleared to make room for the many passengers who would come to observe the event.  Also present were the four judges:  the ship captain, the chief engineer, the general manager, and the safety officer.  There were eight boats in the competition.  The judges all made their rounds and asked questions about our construction, our propulsion system, and any other features we wanted to highlight.  Then it was time for the sea trials.  One by one, the boats were lowered into the pool, the precious cargo (a bottle of Aquavit) loaded, and then:  LAUNCH!

Not only did our Viking Zephyr travel the whole length of the pool, but the propeller was still turning when she was lifted out of the water at the end of the course!  No other boat even came close.  She was awarded the first place trophy, each of us received a gold medal, and we got to keep the bottle of Aquavit!

The crew of the Viking Zephyr…all smiles!