There was a long weekend in Australia-(A good time to do bugger all) The Queen's Birthday has national status.
It is quite interesting to consider the parallels and huge differences in the way the US and AU have related to Britain since the 1700's. Why was the US so determined to break from England (I know the textbooks in junior high taught it was a matter of worship, taxes, speedy trial, oppression and cruelty . .) when AU has followed the Monarchy so closely? Were we so different? You would have thought that since modern Australia began with Penal Colonies its populace would have risen against the English. The US had its share of prisoners, sometimes under the guise of indentured servants. Then why do Australians have morning tea, high tea, crumpets, meat pies, sausage rolls, beans on toast and celebrate the Queen's Birthday? Did we take such different paths simply because of one tea party in Boston? I am sure historians have a clear explanation for the radically opposite directions both took, but it does make me ponder.
Because of the national holiday we had Monday off work and so the South Australian Teacher's Exchange League (SATEL) hosted (thanks Cecilia and Alan) a houseboat trip up the Murray River.
The Riverlands is a short trip from Stirling (but Candice, Heather and I added on some extra time when taking a few washboarded remote incorrect roads).
It was a lazy weekend m de
ean ri n
g
up the river birdwatching, soaking in sun, reading, sketching, analyzing some pros and cons of the AU school systems, eating and overeating.
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| sunrise |
The sunrises lasted just a blink, but each sunset lingered for what seemed like hours. Can anyone explain that phenomena?
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| The water was still, silent and dark. |
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| The dusk and dawn light were spectacular. |
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| The pelicans forever entertaining |
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| The docking created some challenges |
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| We even had the excitement of having to get towed back to the marina- the Misty Dawn was not called Old Reliable for a reason. |
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| The bush telly |
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| evening walks and firewood gathering with amber fluid, throw downs, tallies, but not a schooie since room had to be left for plonk and turps |
Not quite a trip to the back of beyond but it was a nice weekend with friends and new landscapes.
Glossary:
lazy: bugger all
camp fire: bush telly
beer: amber fluid
small bottle of beer: throw down
can of beer: tinny
schooner of beer: schooie
wine: Plonk
strong alcohol: turps, also short for turpentine
back of beyond: out in the country; rural
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