The Herman Family

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Australia, Day 4 (Wildlife Refuge & Blue Mountains)

Today was rainy, but we didn't let that stop us from having fun. We started the day with a trip to the Wildlife Refuge. Thankfully, it didn't start raining until after that. We were able to see the native Australian animals. We were also able to pet the koalas and kangaroos. There are 47 different types of Kangaroos, ranging in size and color. We learned a great deal bout them from our tour guide. We also got to see the Tasmanian Devil and one of my new favorites, the Wombat. Wombats are like great big ground hogs, but they have pouches like a kangaroo and koala.

After visiting the Animal Refuge, we drove to the Blue Mountains. It began to rain and was very foggy in the mountains. We stopped at a couple look-outs, but had a hard time seeing the landmarks in the fog. The eucalyptus trees are breath-taking! The fog blew away just long enough for us to see the waterfall.

At the top of the mountain we walked around another botanical garden. It contained a pine tree which was thought to be extinct.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Australia, Day 3 (Cultural Tour)

Today, we had a cultural tour of Sydney, which included a tour of the Sydney Opera House, Botanical Gardens, a drive around Sydney, and a walking tour through The Rocks (the old historical part of town). Our tour guide was excellent! She was knowledgeable and really had pride for her country. She looked and sounded a lot like Mrs. Crawly from Downton Abbey. The morning started off overcast with sprinkles, but was sunny and beautiful by the afternoon. The local people keep apologizing for the weather, which is so funny. It is 70 degrees with a slight breeze, which beats snow and negative temperatures.

Sydney Opera House

Fun facts about the Opera House - There are 6 separate theaters. They each serve different purposes. The second largest is for the Opera and Ballet and the largest is for the orchestra and special singers. They also hold plays and various other events. All of the shell like roof structures could actually fit together to make half a sphere. The roof is decorated with white porcelain tiles. For copyright purposes I couldn't take pictures inside the theaters, but they are beautifully decorated with Australian wood and the acoustics are amazing.

Some people from Thrivent elected to climb the bridge instead of going on the tour.

The lobby

Suicide Rocks/Cliffs

The rock cliffs and views across the harbor entrance from Sydney are breathtaking. This spot actually gets its name because it is a popular suicide spot. As you walk up the path to the cliff there are signs with suicide hotlines. There's also a phone to use if you 'feel like there's no hope'. The sound of the waves hitting the rocks sounded like music.

The original Sydney Lighthouse

We drove by Bondi Beach. This is a popular surfing beach.

Before walking through the Botanical Gardens, we got some good views of the Opera House and Bridge. The fort-like thing in the middle of the water is actually an old jail. As you know, the first people to live in Australia, apart from the Aborigines, were convicts and jailers from England. Most of the convicts that were sent to Australia were convicts of minor crimes, such as a stealing food for their starving families. However, there were occasionally repeat offenders, or those who committed more serious crimes. The worst offenders were sent to the jail in the middle of the water and starved to death. If an inmate tried to swim away from the jail, they ran the risk of being eaten by a shark. Most convicts worked hard and thrived with the second chance they had been given in life. Life was not easy, but they were able to build a life from nothing.

Botanical Gardens

As we walked through the gardens our tour guide told us about plants that were used by the Aborigines. We ate lunch in a small restaurant inside the gardens. The oldest bridge in Australia is also located in the gardens.