According to Wikipedia, the first usage of the word “selfie” to describe a photograph of oneself taken by oneself was in 2002 on an Australian internet forum. Not surprisingly, it was a photo from a drunken 21st birthday party.
Robert Cornelius’ 1839 selfie. I assume he was drinking at a party when he took this.
However, the selfie has been around as long as the camera itself. In 1839, Robert Cornelius took both the first selfie as well as one of the first photographs of a person.
Our trusty Panasonic Lumix camera has been a trooper on our travels over the last few years. It’s predecessor, a Canon Powershot, met an untimely death in 2012 in the waves of the Pacific Ocean in Troncones, Mexico. All of our cameras have captured many a selfie: Eugene Saturday Market in 2006; Wrigley Field in 2010; Washington DC in 2011…
But these selfies aren’t just the perfect final shots we share on Facebook. There’s a lot of effort, planning and multiple takes to get that perfect shot. With our dignity set aside in the name of transparency and science (Science? Sure, why not…), I present “The Anatomy of a Selfie.”
Day two of our Osaka adventure was consumed by the majestic Osaka Castle (大阪城). We were lucky enough to visit on the weekend the castle honored the 400th anniversary of the Siege of Osaka, filling the park with several bonus events.
Sengan-yagura Turret (left) and Tamon-yagura Turret (right) once protected Osaka Castle’s Otemon Gate, but now welcomes visitors
Osaka Castle Park was just a short walk from our apartment, located in the middle of the government-building-heavy Chuo Ward. The surrounding area is typical modern Japan, but the park is a sprawling green compound—nearly half a millennium of history in the heart of today’s Osaka. We entered through Otemon Gate on the west side of the complex, Sengan-yagura and Tamon-yagura turrets looming as a reminder of the area’s more violent shogunate past.
The Shudokan (Martial Arts Training Hall) hosting a Judo class
Upon entering the compound, you get a sense of what life may have been like in those days gone by. Even today, the Shudokan (martial arts training hall) is brimming with life, hosting judo, kendo and naginata classes.
A statue of Toyotomi Hideyoshi outside Hokoku-jinja Shrine
Nearby, a large statue honors Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the mastermind of the castle’s construction and Japan’s second “great unifier” responsible for ending a century of war in Japan’s feudal period.
The first view of Osaka Castle, peering through Sakuramon Gate
Not long after, we had our first glimpse at the architectural masterpiece itself. Sakuramon Gate frames the castle and marks the entrance to the main part of the castle grounds.
Osaka Castle’s samurai serve a different purpose today
The grounds were lively with the festival remembering the 1614-15 Siege of Osaka, which resulted in the destruction of the original castle. Modern interpretations of traditional music filled the air. People in period costume wandered the park, snapping pictures with willing tourists.
A group demonstrated Hōzōin-ryū, a martial art form utilizing spears
A Hōzōin-ryū demonstration (see video below) captivated the crowd. Hōzōin-ryū is a form of martial arts that specializes in sōjutsu or spear-fighting. The men wielded the yari (spear) with the respect demanded by history, showing off the different maneuvers like a choreographed dance.
Ame-mura (Clockwise from top-left): Artistic street lamps; Statue of Liberty replica; What Japanese people think America is; Mexican-style poutine and pizza at Canadian-owned Slices Pizza
We took a break from the castle to find lunch. We headed back for the entertainment side of town and landed in Amerikamura. Known by the locals as “Ame-mura,” the area of American Village is Osaka’s take on western culture. While it has a reputation as a foreigner hangout, there aren’t actually many foreigners in the area. It felt very similar to Tokyo’s Harajuku district as far as the types of shops and fashion, but decorated with a tired caricature of the good ol’ USA.
We tracked down a Canadian-owned pizza joint called Slices and had a veggie pizza, some tasty fried potato strings and a nacho-style poutine. Refueled, we headed back to Osaka Castle for the rest of the festivities.
The city as seen from Osaka Castle Park
We re-entered the park from the southeast side, which leads into Forest Park and the Plum Grove. A climb up a Fuji-steep set of stairs led back into the main part of the park. The sun was beginning to break through the clouds, casting a yellow glow on the city and the castle.
The castle as the sun began to break through the clouds
The park closes around sunset, bringing an end to our time at both the castle and Osaka in general. The next morning we’d be on the express train to Kyoto.
Last week, a school event gave us a nice long five-day weekend. We took advantage of the time to visit the metropolis of Osaka and Kyoto in Japan’s central Kansai region. This will be the first of a series of posts since we packed a LOT of activities into those five days. Plus, a new feature… read to the end to find out more!
Riding the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka
We were excited about our first real Shinkansen (bullet train) trip, which covered the 500 km trip from Tokyo to Osaka in about 2 1/2 hours. Technically, the train to Narita Airport in Chiba is a Shinkansen, but it doesn’t really reach the speeds that the Nozomi trains do.
The Shinkansen culture is an experience in itself. There is a definite sense of velocity, especially once you get out of the Tokyo metropolitan area and are speeding along the southern edge of Honshu. The train feels like a much more comfortable airplane. The seats recline to a healthy 45 degrees, but with ample legroom, you don’t feel cramped by the seat in front of you. Spacious airplane-style restrooms are located in between the cars and train staff bring a cart through offering snacks and drinks.
Everyone had their bento boxes open before we were out of Tokyo-proper
Many of the riders brought their own bento (boxed lunch) with them, which could be readily purchased at the train station. 1,000 yen (a little under $9 USD) will get you a large bento and a tall-boy can of Japanese beer. We had our American bento—a couple peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with potato chips.
Our home sweet home away from home
We would have two days to see what Osaka had to offer. We dropped our bags at the apartment we found on Airbnb. If you haven’t tried it yet, Airbnb is a great way to find low-cost places to stay all over the world (I feel like they should pay me for that statement…). The apartment was comfortable and centrally located between three main train lines, making it easy to navigate the city.
While the PB&J was a nice train treat, it was time for a proper lunch. We headed down to the Japan we’ve all seen on television—Dōtonbori. At night, the popular tourist district lights up with neon and video (more on that later), but it’s pretty impressive during the day too.
Okonomiyaki overload! Clockwise from top-left: Western-style, the bar at Kyo-Chabana, tomato, and the famous Osaka-style.
Osaka is famous for its okonomiyaki. Okonomiyaki is basically a savory pancake. Each region of Japan does it a little differently, but Osaka-style is the most common in Japan. The batter is made from grated yam, flour, eggs and cabbage, then it’s topped/mixed with a variety of ingredients. Walking through Dōtonbori, there was no shortage of places offering up this Japanese soul food. We ended up lunching at Takohachi, more famous for its fried octopus balls (takoyaki), and dining at Kyo-Chabana after the line at the famous Mizuno didn’t move for 15 minutes.
Oregon’s own Rogue’s Pumpkin Patch Ale and Shonan Orange IPA from Kumazawa Brewing in Kanagawa
After lunch, we walked over to the National Bunraku Theater and bought tickets for an act of that evening’s show. We had a couple hours before the show started and hunted down a cool craft beer bar called Yellow Ape. I’d learned about it when I reached out to Newport, Oregon’s Rogue Ales to see where we could buy their Pumpkin Patch Ale in Tokyo. I’d expected a form message in reply at best, but instead I received a quick personal message and was put in touch with Phred, their distributor in Tokyo. Phred not only offered up some Tokyo locations, but told me the dates the beer would be on tap and suggested Yellow Ape while we were in Osaka. Rogue was already pretty cool in my book, but I was really impressed with the personal and super-helpful service.
It turned out Yellow Ape was close to our apartment. We stopped in before the bunraku performance and enjoyed a pint of the Pumpkin Patch Ale and an excellent Shonan Orange IPA from Kanagawa’s Kumazawa Brewing.
One of the ningyō dolls used in the show; the Tayū (narrators) and the shamisen players before the act; A photo of a photo of a scene in the show (photography was prohibited during the performance)
Showtime! Bunraku is a type of puppet theater that was founded in 17th century Osaka. The performance itself begins at 11 a.m. and ends around 9 p.m. It consists of several acts and you can buy tickets for individual acts (about two hours) or the whole day. We opted for the single-act tickets.
The puppets (ningyō) are amazing up-close, standing between three and four feet tall. The heads of the puppets are divided into different classifications based on things like personality and social class and are used in multiple shows, so you can easily tell the heroes from the villains.
During the performance, the puppets are expertly animated by the puppeteers (Ningyōtsukai) and two assistants. While the assistants are dressed in black from head to toe (including a hood), the main Ningyōtsukai becomes part of the performance. The Ningyōtsukai is responsible for constructing their own puppet for the show, making the connection between puppeteer and puppet very personal.
For me, the highlight was the narrators (Tayū) and shamisen musicians, who sit side-by-side at the side of the stage. A different pair is revealed for each act from behind a rotating wall. The information provided at the performance says “The narrator and the shamisen player, in their twin positions, seem to be trying to top the other in artistry… but in fact they are in perfect unison: neither leads and neither follows.” It was a perfect description as each stood out in their artistry, but in a way that fit together. The shamisen is a three-stringed guitar and has that traditional Japanese music sound. The Tayū stretch and strain their voices as they fill the roles of all of the characters as well as that of the narrator.
While the performance was in Japanese (an English “gist” was provided in print and a more in-depth “gist” could be rented in recorded form), the artistry of the whole thing outweighed the story, which was quite violent and soap-opera-esque. By the end of the story, several characters were killed off and more than one revealed themselves to be disguised as someone else.
The gateway to Dōtonbori
After the show, we headed back into Dōtonbori. By now, the neon signs illuminated the night and the crowds packed in tight for the quintessential Osaka photographs. Dōtonbori itself is just a collection of restaurants, shops and clubs, but the environment is energetic and highly entertaining.
Signage hanging above the restaurants in Dōtonbori
In addition to the ornate and playful static signs mounted above most of the restaurants, several were also animatronic, willing you with their subtle wiggling toward their offer of goods and services. We took a few laps around the area, had the aforementioned okonomiyaki fix and headed back to our apartment to rest up. Our Kansai adventure had only just begun!
Cascadian Abroad :45
I’m trying something new with this trip. Pictures are great, but so much of the experience is, well, experiential. I thought it’d be great to share some moving images to provide a better feel for some of our adventures. Since our video camera is also our point-and-shoot camera and I’m a terrible videographer, I’m going to condense the essence of the trip into a 45-second video. Quick and easy to watch, plus a lower risk of motion sickness from my shaky hand! Here’s the first one… enjoy!
“He who does not climb Mt.Fuji is a fool, but he who climbs Mt.Fuji twice is also a fool.” —Japanese proverb
One of the items on our Japan short-list was climbing Mt. Fuji. More than 200,000 people reach the summit of Fuji every year and numerous tour companies offer trips up the iconic mountain, which leads you to think “how hard could it be?”
The answer: One of the most physically demanding experiences of my life! And one of the most rewarding!
Early in the climb, full of energy despite the rain
We had a couple warm-up hikes during the summer, reaching the 1,200-foot peak of Hiwada, Takasasu and Monomi and Mitsumine’s 3,600-foot summit in July. But they certainly didn’t prepare us for the physical overnight grind of Fuji’s 12,388 foot (3,776 meter) ascent.
We started out from Fuji’s 5th Station, around 7,500 feet (2,305 meters) above sea level, at 11:30 a.m. The 5th Station is the most common starting point for the ascent with regular bus service, parking, restaurants, lodging and gift shops. Smartly, we took advantage of our tour company’s rain suit rental. The weather was temperamental at the beginning with strong winds and rain.
The rain gave way and the natural beauty of Fuji took over
Fortunately, the weather broke quickly and we were able to shed some of our layers before too long. The lower part of the climb is mostly packed dirt and rock trails with a reasonable incline. We saw several families with kids early on, likely making a short day hike.
About an hour in, we reached the 6th Station and stopped for a short break to take in the view. Our trail guide, Midori, gave bits of information about the mountain along the way. Fuji is still an active volcano that last erupted in the 1700s. During the Edo Period (1603-1868), an entire religion (Fujiko) was built around worshipping the mountain. Due to it’s cultural importance, UNESCO named it a World Heritage Cultural Site in 2013 instead of adding it to the Natural Site list.
Looking down at the trail switchbacks as we approached the 8th Station
Beyond the 6th Station, the trail becomes a series of switchbacks with rest stations at regular intervals. The views of the cities below, as well as the view of the part of the mountain you’ve already conquered, give you the sense of being on top of the world. However, Fuji still has a lot of surprises in store.
The drastic slope of Mt. Fuji. This is what you’re up against.
Beyond the 7th Station, the climb starts to get pretty technical in some places. Fortunately the rain had stopped, so the rocks were dry and traction was good. A side benefit of the rain was that the ash-covered paths had dried firm, making the non-rocky parts of the path fairly easy for walking.
The terrain starts to get more technical as you move closer to the top
Our goal for the first day was the Tomoi Hut at the 8th Station (11,154 feet/3,400 meters). Our good fortune ran out about 20 minutes before we reached the hut as the skies opened up and rain poured down. By the time we reached the hut, we were soaked from head to toe. While the rain gear did its job, our backpacks were soaked through (including the plastic-wrapped change of clothes) and our shoes and socks collected the rain like a dish sponge.
Drenched to the bone, we reached the hut around 5 p.m. As we entered, a man blew the water off us with a leaf blower. Then, three or four people with hand towels wiped off the excess rainwater. We had to remove our wettest items on a tarp in the dining area and received a patdown to make sure we were dry before being allowed into the sleeping area.
Sharing a bed with our new French friends, like Charlie’s family in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
So… the sleeping area. It’s basically a large wooden platform with six sleeping bags in a space made for about five people. They’re set up bunk-style, so there’s another platform below us with another six climbers. We were paired up with a group of tourists from France. Fortunately, they were pretty cool and didn’t snore.
Dinner with our international assortment of friends
After a short rest, we were called for dinner. We sat at a long table and had udon noodles with rice, relish (tsukemono) and green tea. It was a perfect meal to warm up the insides. We ate with the rest of our hiking group: Our bunk mates from France, a woman from Brazil and a couple from Baltimore who were visiting her brother, a Navy man stationed in Yokosuka.
After dinner, we were encouraged to get as much sleep as we could. We’d have a 1 a.m. wake-up call to start our ascent to the summit. I’m not much for sleeping in strange places and, making the mistake of getting in the bunk first, I was between everyone and the window. I’d guess I got about an hour of sleep tops and had to do a bit of meditating to get past the claustrophobia that set in more than once.
The view from our hut window around 1 a.m… a never-ending string of headlamps joining us for the climb to the summit
Our guides woke us up a little after 1 a.m. and I peeked out the hut window. Little white lights dotted the night sky for as far as I could see. We wouldn’t be alone in our trek to the top. While the last 1,000 feet from the 8th Station to the summit is only about 30 minutes worth of climbing, it actually takes about two hours because there are so many people. The rain never let up during the night, so there was a lot of stopping and waiting with nothing to do but get wet.
The summit of Mt. Fuji! We made it!
Around 4:15 a.m., we finally made it to the top. It was cold and rainy, but exciting to be at the summit. A large crowd waited for their turn to get into the snack shed where a small paper cup of 500 yen coffee waited for us. We tried our best to warm up for about 15 minutes. Our guide offered a tour around the crater, but there were no takers on this morning. The hut had packed up breakfast to go, which consisted of rice and a piece of fish. We gave the fish to our hiking buddies from Baltimore and carb-loaded on the rice.
Beginning the descent down Mt. Fuji
So, here’s the thing you don’t really think about when you say “Let’s climb Mt. Fuji!” There’s only one way down and it involves another four hours of climbing. “It’s all downhill,” you tell yourself. But the ash on the descent path is thick and filled with round rocks that are perfect for tripping over. I only fell once on the way down and used my ninja-like agility to get back up quickly.
The reason you try to reach the summit around 5 a.m. is to view the sunrise. With the rain and fog set in so thick, we didn’t expect to see anything. But, a little after 5 a.m., something happened. The rain stopped. A hint of orange started to fight its way through the gray clouds. Finally, the clouds succumbed to the sun… magical!
Watching the sunrise from above the clouds
From this elevation, you’re actually above the clouds. The sun rises at eye-level and it is magnificent. With nothing between you and the sun but a horizon of clouds, it’s as close to Heaven-on-Earth as you may ever find.
A full rainbow stretched out across the sky on our descent down Fuji
Not long after the sunrise, we came around a corner to find another side benefit of that horrible rain. A full rainbow curved across the sky, settling into the ground just feet from us. However, our pot of gold was still a few hours away.
At the beginning and at the end… I think we look a lot better than we felt at the end of the climb!
A little after 9 a.m., we reached the 5th Station. The grueling terrain on the way back still aching in our legs, we were sure glad to be at the finish line. 22 hours, 9,600 feet of elevation traversed and one experience of a lifetime!
Tips for next time
I don’t know if we’ll be the fools who climb Fuji twice, but if anyone out there is thinking about it, here’s a couple lessons learned:
Take the tour. Definitely spring for the tour company (we used Willer Express and would recommend them again) and take them up on their entire rental package. The rain gear was money well spent, but a headlamp and waterproof backpack with cover would have been a great addition. They also handle the hut reservations and dinner/breakfast. Plus, most companies (ours included) take you to an onsen afterwards. There’s nothing better than a soak in the tub after that hike!
Prepare for the rain and cold. I had a base layer, cotton shirt, DriFit pullover, fleece jacket and rain jacket and my teeth were still chattering at the summit. Bring lots of layers as the temperature difference between the 5th Station and the summit is pretty extreme. Make sure to have waterproof boots and waterproof gloves as well. My gloves were soaked and freezing. My two layers of socks were the only thing that kept my toes from freezing off.
Stash a full set of dry clothes at the 5th Station. There are coin lockers at the 5th Station. I wish I’d stashed a complete set of dry clothes, including shoes, in one of those lockers. While the onsen was great, it was awful having to put wet clothes on afterward.
Check the calendar. The climbing season for Mt. Fuji is pretty short. If you’re planning to climb Fuji, make sure to schedule your trip between early July and mid-September. Trails and huts are closed the rest of the year.
The final leg of our Australian adventure landed us in the middle of Sydney’s rainiest August in over a century.
August in Sydney is typically mild, but August 2014 had 10 days with more than 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain
The first day was mostly lost to the rain and wind, but after a 3 a.m. wake-up call for our flight out of Melbourne, the day of rest was welcome. We watched storm coverage on the news, napped and dodged the drops to get over to the nearby food court. Luckily, the weather broke long enough over the next couple days that we were able to get out and see Sydney’s central business district (CBD).
The Sydney Opera House, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s most distinctive buildings
Rain or no rain, we didn’t come all the way to Sydney to NOT see the Sydney Opera House. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, it’s easily one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The architecture is breathtaking from up close as are the details you can’t see in pictures.
We took a tour of the Opera House, which I’d highly recommend for visitors to Sydney. The story of the Opera House and how it came to be is fascinating. More than 230 design proposals were submitted for the building, but the chosen design by Danish architect Jørn Utzon was pulled from the pile of previously-rejected designs. The plans were roughly sketched and, even after construction began, nobody was quite sure how the sails of the Opera House would be constructed. The final product was $95 million over budget and 10 years behind schedule.
With all the deserved fame from the architecture, it’s easy to forget this is a functional performance venue. There are six different theaters and studios hosting both musical and theatrical performances multiple times a day. Construction improvements are actively underway at the 40-year-old venue to better meld the Opera House’s multiple masters of performance and tourism.
The Government House is the official residence of both the Governor of New South Wales and the Queen of Australia, who also happens to be the Queen of England
The Sydney Royal Botanical Gardens are a short walk from the harbor. The Government House offers a grand entrance to the gardens. Since 1996, the house has been open for public tours on weekends, but since we were there in the middle of the week, we missed out on the formal tour. It also serves as the official home of the Governor of New South Wales and, when visiting, Queen Elizabeth herself.
Part of the giant Royal Botanic Gardens, located east of the Opera House
The gardens themselves cover nearly 75 acres. Paths criss-cross every which way and lead to different local flora and fauna. The park wraps around Farm Cove, a small bay off Sydney Harbor and the landing spot for Queen Elizabeth’s first visit to Australia in 1954, the first time a reigning monarch had come to the continent.
The “I wish” statue, a rainbow lorikeet and Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair in Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens
Fresh flowers were placed in the hands of the “I Wish” statue, mounted in 1946 at the site of the first Wishing Tree. A rainbow lorikeet failed greatly at its attempts to blend in to the background. I hovered over Mrs. Macquarie’s rain-soaked chair, a bench carved into the sandstone by convicts in 1810 for Governor Macquarie’s wife Elizabeth who enjoyed watching the ships sailing into the harbor.
The view of the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbor Bridge over Farm Cove during an extended rain storm
The rain found us again while we walked the gardens and we spent a good 20 minutes under a large tree waiting out the storm. But with a view of the Opera House and the Sydney Harbor Bridge over Farm Cove, it wasn’t much of a hardship.
Part of the old Sydney Hospital, established in 1788, was originally built in 1811
While Australia’s largest city is a major and modern metropolis, its colonial history dates back to 1788. Buildings, like the Sydney Hospital are more than two centuries old and clash with the glass and steel backdrop of downtown Sydney.
The site of Sydney’s first European settlement, The Rocks
Some of Sydney’s first European settlement has been preserved on the harbor’s south shore in an area known as The Rocks. While it’s mostly a tourist destination now, it has the degenerate past of many a port town. Still, buildings dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries stand today. Five cannons are mounted at the ready under the Sydney Harbor Bridge at the Dawes Point Battery. The defense post was built shortly after the settlement of the area to protect the area from incoming fleets, including an American ship in 1798 and Russian fleets in 1850 during the Crimean War.
A view of Darling Harbor and some blue sky!
On our last day in Sydney, we wandered more of the CBD. We crossed the bridge at Darling Harbor, an in-development entertainment district that also housed the residents of MTV’s The Real World: Sydney. I’m sure they’ve scrubbed thoroughly since the MTVers left town.
Queen Victoria watching over downtown Sydney
Sydney felt like a whirlwind, and probably still would have even had we not lost a day to the weather. There are several districts, each with their own unique personality and we only managed to sneak in part of one of those before our time was up.
Sydney Harbor from our airplane window
And, with that, our Australian adventure was over. 17 days, four amazing Australian cities, five flights and a lifetime of memories.
The second half of our Australian adventure kicked off in Melbourne, the capital of Victoria and regular ranked as one of the world’s most livable cities. While Cairns and Adelaidewere a more of a “doing” vacation, Melbourne was more about “seeing.”
The first thing we did in Melbourne was go shopping, but not because of the great shopping in The City. It was 33°C/91°F when we left Tokyo and it cooled to 23°C/73°F in Cairns, but Melbourne was in the middle of winter. We were greeted by nighttime temperatures nearing freezing. We knew it’d be cold, but when you leave the middle of a Japanese summer, it’s hard to imagine needing to bundle up.
Queen Victoria Market has served Melbourne since the 1800s.
Fortunately, the daytime weather was sunny and comfortable. We took advantage of the sun on our first full day to explore Queen Victoria Market. The public market covers a few city blocks and features row after row of goods, food, produce and cafes.
Vegetables at Queen Victoria Market
The market was like heaven with its copious varieties of fruits and vegetables, cheeses and olives and sweet desserts. We bought fresh-baked bread, local cheese, marinated olives and eggplant, fresh vegetables and a bottle of Hungarian (?!) wine which we dined on for a couple days.
The famous “American Doughnuts” truck serving up hot, fresh jam doughnuts
The longest line of the day (and if we’ve learned anything from Japan, it’s if you see a long line, get in it!) was for “American Doughnuts.” This van has been serving up hot, fresh jam doughnuts since 1950 and it was worth the wait. As for “American,” I guess it’s like an American jelly doughnut, but a little less sweet. Super tasty!
The modern architecture of Melbourne
The next day, we did a loop around the city center. The juxtaposition between old and new is always interesting to me. Despite its status as Australia’s second-largest city, Melbourne is still a city on the rise. Half-built skyscrapers can be found all over the city. The buildings that have been completed recently are architecturally and visually striking. One of those half-finished buildings looks like a hastily-stacked pile of books in a library basement. Others blend colors or other visual elements to create illusions that trick the eye at a distance.
St Paul’s Cathedral in downtown Melbourne
But Melbourne is a city originally established in the early 1800s, so alongside those modern marvels sit glorious architecture more than 150 years old. St. Paul’s Cathedral rises from the heart of downtown at the intersection of Swanston and Flinders streets, just a couple blocks from the ultra-modern Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) building.
The City Circle Tram surrounds the heart of downtown Melbourne making it easy to get around town
The simple and convenient transit system is part of the reason Melbourne gets those high livability grades. The free City Circle Tram runs around the outside of the downtown area, stopping at all of the tourist locations, including the Victoria Harbor waterfront.
Tranquil Victoria Harbor anchors a new shopping district
The Docklands area around Victoria Harbor is known for shopping and Etihad Stadium, home to five of Melbourne’s Australian Football League teams. While we poked around some of the shops (and stopped into Costco for kicks), the panoramic views of downtown beyond the harbor were the main attraction.
A mural painted on the stairs of Southern Cross Station
Art and culture are as much a part of the city’s landscape as the architecture. A giant mural painted on the stairs of Southern Cross Station. The “Cow Up a Tree” statue in the Docklands. And these guys…
These guys were filming a man in a gorilla suit chasing a man in a banana suit all over town
On multiple occasions, we saw a man in a gorilla suit chasing a man in a banana suit. Through Queen Victoria Market. Around Federation Square. They were being filmed, so it was a little less odd, but still…
Indigenous art, human forms made from string, hair and other materials, at NGV Australia
Speaking of Federation Square, it’s home to ACMI, which highlights Australian film and television as well as the impact of the moving image on popular culture. It also houses the Ian Potter Centre: National Gallery of Victoria. We didn’t spring for the paid exhibitions, but the free exhibits were more than enough. A decent-sized collection of Indigenous art is available on the main floor.
A snippet of the “If I Was White” exhibition at the NGV Australia
One of the more impressive exhibits was the “If I Was White” collection. The work is meant to highlight the ongoing struggle of Australia’s indigenous (or Aboriginal) population since they were displaced by early European settlers. While their fate is not unlike the plight of Native Americans in the U.S., it’s seemed more apparent during our Australian travels and you can tell Australians might struggle with it more than Americans do. It’s certainly more than a blog post can cover.
Utilizing Melbourne’s great bike share system
On our last day in Melbourne, we wanted to take the train to the beach in St. Kilda for the craft market, but the investment in the train card for a single day didn’t make a lot of sense. The downtown tourism kiosk suggested we rent bikes from the bike share for the day and ride to St. Kilda. The system works pretty well. You’re charged a flat fee and then an additional fee every 30 minutes, but if you dock your bike in one of the many bike parks, the time is reset.
Rod Laver Arena, home to tennis’ first major of the season, the Australian Open
The ride was great, but we didn’t make it all the way to the beach. We started to head south out of downtown. I really wanted to see Rod Laver Arena, home to the Australian Open, one of professional tennis’ four major championships. While centre court wasn’t accessible, we could see some of the practice courts, laid out in the famous blue hard court.
The Shrine of Remembrance was originally built as a memorial to Victorians who served in World War I, but is now a memorial for all Australian war veterans.
We got a little lost, but thanks to the great Western invention of the street grid (sorry, Japan!), we quickly found our way again. After ditching our bikes for good, we headed back toward downtown past the magnificent Shrine of Rememberance and Australia’s version of the Eternal Flame.
Cupcakes from the Sunday Market. We only wanted four, but six were just two dollars more!
Our Melbourne adventure was coming to an end, but not before we stumbled on a Sunday Market with a booth selling artisan cupcakes. I’m not ashamed to admit that these were purchased (and possibly consumed) before a proper lunch was eaten.
The miles and miles of running/bike paths, public markets, great restaurants and shopping without the overwhelming “city feeling” were reminiscent of Portland. The sightseeing in Melbourne was great, but I can see how a person would really enjoy living there.
Adelaide was one of my favorite overall stops on our Australian holiday, mostly because we got to spend a couple days with our friends who live there. The side-benefit of having local tour guides not withstanding, it was great to see them and their hospitality was really and truly appreciated. There’s no way we would have seen the things we did if it weren’t for them.
Cappuccino—the national beverage of Australia? Maybe…
For example, we learned that you can get a good cappuccino anywhere. Literally, anywhere. Convenience stores, gas stations… they all have full-on espresso machines like you’d find in your favorite coffee haunt. I’m not sure I’d ever had a proper cappuccino in the States, but it’s my new favorite beverage.
Koalas hanging out in a tree at Cleland Wildlife Park
We were treated to a day at Cleland Wildlife Park, which was an amazing experience. The park aims to create a sustainable, natural environment for its resident animals with very few enclosures. As you wind through the park, you’re able to interact directly with kangaroos and wallabies, who eat park-provided pellets right out of your hand. While we were too early to hold a koala (!!!), we did get to pet Arthur the Koala and pose for a picture with him.
Viktoria had the kangaroos eating out of her hand
We watched in awe as baby kangaroos and wallabies tucked into their mothers’ pouches. A group of school children were visiting the park as well, raising my stress level if not that of the animals. They giggled with joy at the baby kangaroo who had unwisely left its mother’s pouch. As the kids chased after it, the baby roo did some fancy maneuvering, hopping in a large circle until it had shaken its pursuers and dove safely back into mom’s pouch.
The baby roo is poking its little head out of its mama’s pouch
South Australia is home to 18 different wine regions. It was only prudent that we do some serious research to see if South Australian wine could compare to Oregon varietals. As it was later in the day, we only had time for one of the regions, the Barossa Valley. The Barossa is famous for its Shiraz. While we’d call it “Shirah” in the U.S., the Aussies prefer to keep the “Z” (or “Zed” in true Aussie form) and pronounce it “Sherazz.”
The view of the vineyards at Grant Burge in the Barossa Valley
We stopped at two vineyards before the sun set on the Barossa. Grant Burge’s winemaker was recently named the 2014 Barossa Valley Winemaker of the Year. They were generous with their samples, but our favorite was definitely the 10-year Aged Tawny Port. It might be worth another trip to Australia just for one more taste of Tawny. We also visited the beautiful Château Tanunda Estate. Our hosts sneakily bought us a bottle of their Nightwatch Sparkling Shiraz, which now awaits a special occasion in our refrigerator.
Central Market has been serving Adelaide since 1869
On our last morning in town, we had breakfast at a cafe in Central Market, a public market full of local produce, bread, meat and treats. We gasped in horror at local specialties like kangaroo chorizo and croc sausage, sampled a funny little tree fruit called mangosteen and grabbed a couple deep-fried Russian piroshkis for the road.
We really can’t thank our wonderful friends enough for taking a couple days out of their lives to lug us around Adelaide. It was a trip we’ll remember for a lifetime.
The second leg of our Australian adventure took us to the capital of South Australia, Adelaide. Lesser known that its capital city brethren Sydney and Melbourne, we probably wouldn’t have included Adelaide on our itinerary had we not been visiting friends. In the end, we were glad we did.
Adelaide has a much different feel than Cairns, obviously, but also from the other cities we visited. While New South Wales (Sydney), Tasmania and Western Australia were established as British convict settlements, South Australia was intentionally developed as a British colony. As a result, there’s a much more colonial feeling to the city and its architecture than Sydney or Melbourne.
Construction began on the majestic St. Francis Xavier’s Cathedral near Victoria Square in 1851, although the tower was only added in the 1990s
Adelaide has earned the nickname “City of Churches” thanks in part to the many religious refugees who helped found the city. Beautifully ornate churches pepper the city, creating an interesting architectural landscape. Scots Church Adelaide, for example, was founded by Scottish immigrants in 1850 and frames the north end of the central business district leading into the architecturally-diverse campus of the University of Adelaide.
The Adelaide Cricket Oval overlooking the River Torrens in North Adelaide
In contrast, the modern remodeling of the Adelaide Cricket Oval in the parklands near North Adelaide, stands out as a modern marvel. The stadium built on the 140-year-old cricket grounds overlooks a great public space on the opposite side of the River Torrens. Black swans floated gracefully on the water as the setting sun reflected upon the river.
The Kensington Hotel is now home to a neighborhood pub
The tug between old and new Adelaide is apparent around every turn. Homes built in the late 1800s and early 1900s still stand, although with modern amenities and structures added on over the years. The 170-year-old Kensington Hotel is now home to a neighborhood public house. One of Adelaide’s great old churches traded theology for tumbling and now hosts kids trampoline classes. The historic Adelaide Railway Station now doubles as both the terminus for the Metro line and home to Adelaide Casino.
Check back soon for the second part of our Adelaide visit, including koalas, kangaroos and wine country.
Cairns is a charming coastal town, but it’s not exactly a tourist hotspot on its own. The real draw for Cairns is that it is the gateway for the Great Barrier Reef.
We scheduled two separate trips to the reef; one departing Cairns for the outer reef and another from Port Douglas (about 40 miles north of Cairns) bound for the Low Isles.
The ride to the reef was a bumpy one. A good number of riders ended up seasick on the back deck.
The first trip from Cairns went out about 27 nautical miles to the Flynn, Pellowe and Thetford reefs. The weather was rainy and windy, resulting in some pretty choppy water. As we boarded the boat, we were encouraged to purchase seasickness medicine from the bar. Everyone chuckled with the certainty that WE would not be susceptible, but with the added information that all but six of the prior day’s 40 or so passengers got seasick, most popped the pills. Regardless, about half the passengers spent a good portion of the trip on the back deck filling those little white paper bags.
The water was crystal clear at the outer reef. We could see the fish swimming under the boat.
All the misery of the ride would be forgotten as soon as we reached the outer reef. As the guides on board said, nothing cures seasickness like getting in the water. The beauty that lay just beneath the water’s surface would cure most ailments.
Getting my snorkel on!
Floating on the surface of the Coral Sea, the underwater paradise opened up below us. It was like a real-life Finding Nemo with a world of fish in every shape, size and color. More than 600 species of coral provided an underwater maze to explore. The coral gets its rainbow of colors from the algae that makes a home within it. “Bleaching” or whitening of the coral occurs when the coral gets stressed and expels the algae. These are real, living organisms.
The Great Barrier Reef colored the surface of the water, offering a subtle glimpse of the magic below.
We spent about 40 minutes at each of the three sites, guided along the way by the marine biologists who doubled as tour guides on board the boat. Along the way, we were followed by a humphead wrasse who befriended the boat seven years prior and follows it between the different reefs. In exchange for food, the fish poses for pictures with divers and snorkelers.
We departed Port Douglas on a sailboat headed for the Low Isles
A couple days later, we headed north to Port Douglas for a sailboat trip out to Low Island, one of the two islands that make up the Low Isles. It was a much slower, smoother trip just a few miles offshore. Low Island has an active lighthouse and the former keeper cottages are now used as research facilities by the University of Queensland.
A view of Low Island from the boat anchored offshore
Snorkeling around Low Island offered a completely different experience. The marine biologists were amazed at how low the tide was, likely a result of the supermoon that occurred the same day. As a result, much of the coral was above water level. As we snorkeled around the edges of the island, we often found ourselves crawling along the sea floor more than floating above it. We were literally on top of the coral in some places and ended up with a front-row seat for one of nature’s most amazing creations.
We had several visitors around the sailboat, including a shark and a sea turtle
As we headed back to shore, we were visited by the island’s natives. A black tip reef shark circled the boat several times and a green sea turtle floated lazily by before taking off on a fast swim toward the island.
On the first trip, there was an underwater photographer who captured some of what we were seeing and while it would have been great to have an underwater camera, there’s something to be said for being able to focus on the beauty and not on capturing the perfect picture.
The two trips were so unique that it’s hard to pick a favorite. If you ever have the opportunity to visit the reef, I’d highly recommend doing something similar or maybe even adding in an introductory scuba dive. The coral and marine life were so unique in each location, I can’t imagine it would ever get old.
When we’re out adventuring, we often find ourselves asking the question “Are we old people?” It’s usually to do with the company we keep, but I don’t see it as a bad thing. “Old people” are usually past the “have to” part of their lives and in the “get to” part that’s so much better. Although, we do enjoy early dinners and I like to complain about the noisy kids on my lawn, even though I don’t have a lawn anymore.
We had a free day in our Cairns schedule and decided to book a half-day tour of the city. Of the 16 or so folks on the tour bus, we were by far the youngest and two of three identified by the driver as “those of you who use Facebook.” Nonetheless, we made some new friends and had an amazing day.
Our driver/guide, Eric, has lived in Cairns for nearly 30 years and was a wealth of information about the city’s history. He filled the time between stops with stories and visuals of local legends, such as the draw for big-game fishing in the 1970s that brought the likes of Lee Marvin and John Wayne to the then-sleepy port town. One of the visuals was a preserved cane toad in a jar that was brought in to clear out the beetles that were eating the sugar cane, but instead just multiplied and took over the town. Fans of The Simpsons will remember this story from the “Bart vs. Australia” episode.
We started our tour by winding our way through the streets of downtown Cairns. The city has a long and interesting history. It was founded during the Australian gold rush in the late 1800s, but was nearly abandoned 20 years later after the gold dried up. It wasn’t until Japanese developers started buying up land in the 1980s that present-day Cairns began to take shape.
A portion of one of the stained glass windows at St. Monica’s Cathedral
The great thing about these tours is that you get to see things that you’d never discover on your own. About 15 minutes into the tour, we pulled into St. Monica’s Cathedral, the Catholic church in Cairns. From the outside, it’s a fairly plain building, but inside is one of the world’s largest themed stained glass displays. The work took nearly seven years to complete and is a modern take on creationism of Australia’s northeast coast. The colors were magnificent in the midday sun.
Delicious scones with jam and cream and a “cuppa” at Cafe 88
After winding through a bit more of the downtown area, including the newly refurbished hospital and the local cemetery (remember, this is an “old people” tour and apparently old people enjoy these things), we stopped at Café 88. If we’re being honest, this stop was one of the reasons we booked this particular tour. We were treated to tea, coffee and authentic scones with jam and cream. In ‘Merica, we’d call these scones “biscuits,” but whatever… they were awesome! We sat with a couple from Western Australia and another from Adelaide.
Tour guide Eric showing us some of the native fruits at Cairns Botanic Gardens
Full on scones, we headed to the Cairns Botanic Gardens to walk it off. Tour guide Eric takes his job seriously and had clearly boned up on his garden knowledge, walking us through the planted side of the garden and explaining what we were looking at along the way.
Clockwise from top-left: The tattoo plant grows up a host tree; a giant, GIANT spider makes a temporary home in the trees; The “chainsaw” tree; a brush turkey
The Botanic Gardens are a mix of both regional and international plants with a little local wildlife mixed in. Early on, we saw a brush turkey’s giant nest and later on saw said brush turkey trying to liberate a tourist’s lunch. We learned the local names for plants, like the tattoo plant, which plastered itself against a nearby tree, or the rain tree whose resident bugs have a knack for expelling drops of water on unsuspecting onlookers.
A view of Cairns looking east from a hillside
The next stop was purely for photos as we headed to the edge of a hill overlooking Cairns. From here, we could see modern day Cairns as well as the trails formerly used by the cane sugar farmers and the dried riverbed that ran through prehistoric Cairns.
Looking down Barron Gorge from the bridge over the dam. The sand bank on the left was washed in from the overflow caused by Cyclone Nargis in 2008.
Back aboard the bus, we headed for Barron Gorge. The Kuranda railroad line runs alongside the gorge and was built entirely by hand in the early 1900s. The BYOS (bring your own shovel) operation was a major source of jobs during the era. The workers also discovered a way to lug their beer kegs to the work sites from Cairns, taking turns rolling the kegs up the previously completed tracks.
Photo from the State Library of Queensland shows workers taking their beer keg up the hill while building the Kuranda railroad
We finished our day in Palm Cove, one of the picturesque northern beaches, before making the hour-long trip back into Cairns.
Picturesque, and aptly named, Palm Cove
This would have been an ideal tour for our first day in town as we saw several sights that we wished we could have gone back to see, including the gondolas riding over the treetops into the tablelands. Regardless, I’m glad to have had the opportunity to get a taste of the real Cairns.
