Tuesday, February 22, 2011

SYDNEY!

Sunday, February 20, 2011 – SYDNEY, Australia

I have to say that an arrival by sea in to Sydney should be on everyone’s bucket list. It is absolutely beautiful as you enter the long channel and see the morning lights go off as you approach the city, seeing the Opera House and Sydney Bridge ahead. We were up at 6 to enjoy the sail-in.

We worked for a few hours and then explored Darling Harbor. Enjoyed the Marine Maritime Museum with the boat that Kay Cottie sailed around the world in 1988, the kayak used by a man who traveled from Amsterdam to Sydney!, and various exhibits on the first passengers ships and exhibits on child immigrants from Britain to Australia. Some were 11 years old! How sad would that be and the children have written diaries telling how excited they were to be going off in a ship. They were provided clothing and meals and teddy bears.

1) In 1913, aged four, Frederick Snow (1909-1994) is forcibly removed from his home by the Church of England Waifs and Strays Society. In 1925, at age 15, he is given the choice of emigrating to Canada or Australia. Staying in England is not an option. He chooses Canada because his friend is going there also. He will never see his family again.

2) Helen Tatchell (1927- ) is one of seven children being raised by a struggling single mother in Glasgow. The family lives in a one-bedroom house and you are forced to ide whenever the rent man calls. In 1939, you are 11 and your mother decides to send you and your older brother to the Fairbridge Farm School in Western Australia.

3) Laurie Humphreys (1933- ) is placed in an orphanage after his mother dies during childbirth. His home narrowly misses being bombed during WWII. In 1947, at age 14, he is chosen to emigrate to Australia with the Christian Brothers. He has never heard of Australia before.

Sydney was founded on January 26, 1788 when the eleven ships of the first Fleet, bearing 1400 people – convicts, soldiers, and a handful of other settlers – arrived from England to establish a remote new colony. The first free settlers arrived in 1793 and convict transportation to New South Wales ceased in 1840. There are over 4.2 million people in the city today; it is the state capital of New South Wales; the Sydney harbor is the largest natural harbor in the world.

The replica ship of Captain James Cook’s HM Bark Endeavour will undertake an historic circumnavigation of Australia in April 2011. It will follow trace Cook’s original voyage 240 years ago, when he became the first to chart the east coast in 1770. It will return to Sydney in May 2012. www.endeavourvoyages.com.au

The Opera House had three concerts at 5PM (jazz, opera highlights and a classical concert) and the Lyric Theatre had a new musical, “Doctor Zhivago” – missed all of them as we were off exploring. It was an uncomfortably hot day but we had sunshine and some nice conversations with people we met.

Walked to Star City casino and in and out of a few stores (prices have jumped incredible high due to the terrible exchange rate of the dollar), past the Queen Victoria Building (ornate and full of shops but closed) and back to the ship for dinner out on the back deck. It was a beautiful night with a full moon, we had a great dinner with the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House surrounding us – wow. A moment to remember.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is the widest long-span bridge in the world, is the highest steel arch bridge and it also called the “coat hanger”. The road, two sets of tram and railway tracks were completed in 1931.

“It doesn’t work to leap a twenty-foot chasm in two ten-foot jumps…” – American proverb
Monday, February 21, 2011 – Sydney, Australia

Cloudy and damp as we woke up early to go work via the internet. The Customs House had a nice atmosphere and newspapers from all over the world. And it was air-conditioned! But Skype did not work so we still had to use the phone card. The McDonald’s next door does a booming business; there are long lines and it does not matter the time of day or night (free WIFI).

Back to the ship to return the computers – love being docked so close by in Circular Quay!! Walked up George Street to find the #555 free bus that goes around the central business district every 10 minutes. Hopped on and off…we passed the Central Station and remembered our arrival from Perth (3 nights on the “Indian-Pacific” cross-country train).

Then off at Hyde Park and St. Mary’s Cathedral, down Macquarie Street to New South Wales Parliament to see if our friend the Chief Clerk was in, back to the Sofitel Wentworth to see if our friend the Head Concierge was in, continued downhill to Circular Quay and back to the ship. Passengers were slow to embark as everyone seemed to love Sydney. What is not to love, (except for perhaps the very high prices since our dollar is not worth much?)! It is summertime, being surrounded by water is relaxing, life seems to go at a slower pace, transportation via ferry, car, taxi, bus, foot, train is easily available 24/7…

We had the most fantastic sail-way party! They had a brass band on the upper back deck. We enjoyed complimentary wine, sodas, appetizers and the ship’s horn was tooted frequently. A tugboat led us out of the channel spraying water above and to the sides of their boat (which is only done in special circumstances), the Duyfken, a Dutch replica ship from 1640, sailed with full sails blowing in the breeze ahead of us and helicopters circled above as we sailed slowly up the Tasman Sea. Wonderful afternoon party!! www.duyfken.com

Paul Martell, comedian and singer, entertained us. Onboard for three nights are the President and CEO of Holland America Cruise Line, Stein Kruse and his wife, Linda, and Gerald Bernhoft, Director Mariner Society, and Sally Andrews, VP of Public Relations.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011 – at sea off the coast of Australia – 2nd terrible earthquake in Christchurch

Breakfast and lunch with friends and handling some issues; nap out on deck; computer assistance. Heard the terrible news of the 6.2 earthquake in Christchurch, NZ, where we were on February 11. Have sent off emails to hear some news from our friends. We get two TV stations and as long as we have satellite reception, we get the news as soon as it is reported.

Formal night with a welcome cocktail from Stein Kruse and picture with he and his wife and John Bowles, Broadway and West End singer/actor; great show.

Falling in to the groove of being onboard now. Friends stop you along the hallway to chat; crew stop you to talk and laugh. Longer cruises turn in to a “community-at-sea”, like a retirement village at sea! Your needs are well attended to and you are seeing new sights with each port of call. What could be better…