Sydney, The Rocks

The Rocks area of Sydney, down by the harbor, is where it all began. This is where the convicts were first put to work to build their own housing. Small alleyways, some original buildings. I separated from the walking tour, and did my own art tour. I went to the Craft Center of NSW, over 100 years old, now housed in a World Heritage site, an old coroners court building, on George St, above the quay. I brought out my spindle to spin and met Gwen, who had done all the restoration weaving for theGovernment House.

I then went to the Contemporary Art Museum, which was mostly closed. I wandered here and there, into every Aboriginal Gallery I found. I took off across the Domain ( kind of like Central Park) and went to the State Library. It is a beautiful building. I went to a portrait show there, super paintings by contemporary Australian artists.Had lunch at the cafe there. I sat inside, as the breeze was pretty cool. I watched people eating outside, sharing their food with the Galahs....rather like we share with the seagulls- whether we want to or not! I then trucked on too the Gallery of New South Wales to see their world famous collection of Australian art to find that they had just closed that section for renovation! I did see a smaller show of some of the best works from Arnhem Land. Extraordinary barks in Xray style. I walked all the way back to thehotel (A very long walk)! Wandered through the Victoria Building, full of very chi-chi shops. Fashion in the big cities of Australia: very high heels; skirts a bit shorter; los & lots of leggings, with tight butt cupping tunics. Dogs- small, remarkably small. Many more small terriers than labs.

We arose at 3:45 am to fly to Christchurch, New Zealand!

Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef

Cairns (pronounced Cans) is a pretty city that knows that it is ALL ABOUT THE REEF and sugar cane. Cairns is the main tourist destination for visits to the Great Barrier Reef. There is a beautiful esplanade along the waterfront, with lovely viewing platforms to view the birds. I saw a spoonbill crane? stork? Actually, I saw a group of them. The public pool, at the end of the esplanade, was the scene for morning aerobics.

Across from our hotel was a church with some of the most amazing historical stained glass I have ever seen!

But the reef, you ask, "What about the reef?" the day we went to the reef was pretty rough, very windy. It too 2 dramamine hours to get to the Diving Platform on the reef. Actually, it took us 3 hours. The boat stops midway, at Green Island, for a less immersive experience. The boat broke down and we were at the dock for an hour while scuba divers fixed the broken hydraulic line.

It was also on the cool side. Remember, we were there in Winter.

The water was so choppy and the number of people on the water was so high, that I saw no fish and very little coral the one time I snorkeled. Good news: I could see through my prescription lens mask and I did not suffer any panic, nor did I snort any water. It was just unpleasant. The water was reasonably warm, but I kept getting blown farther from the boat and the resting places than was comfortable. So I went back on deck, had lunch and took the semi submersible boat ride.

I saw much more coral from the boat. It all looked rather blue, like the photos, because of how the water filters the light.

Those who scuba dived saw the true colors...but not me.

The most fish I saw, outside of Sydney Aquarium, was when these people illegally fed the fish from the diving platform.