photos: fort denison

For years, Glen and I have been talking about going to visit Fort Denison.  I even put it on my "30 Things to Do Before 30" list -- and can finally cross it out.  We very nearly didn't go -- when I learned that, despite it being distinctly closer to the city than Manly (which my MyMulti travelpass would easily get me to for $44/week "free"), it actually costs $20 to visit (on account, evidently, of it being accessible only via tourist boats instead of Sydney transport boats -- unless, of course, you'd like to shell out a couple hundred for a water taxi), I very nearly backed out of our trip entirely.  But because we'd been talking about it so long, we went anyway.  And looked for five minutes (no, really, five minutes) and caught the ferry back.  Gosh, why can I never remember the Latin for "I came, I saw, I conquered"?  All I've got in my head is "cogito ergo sum," but I know that's not right ... and I'm pretty sure it's not "cum tacent clament" either, though that's not a bad blog ... usually ...

On with the photos!

quicko: no national anthem at the rugby

I went to a rugby game and it suddenly hit me:  they didn't start with the national anthem.  I really don't recall it being played at the cricket or AFL game either, though possibly I arrived late and missed it?  American baseball games certainly always start with The Star Spangled Banner, but it is a bit more loved than Advance Australia Fair.

quicko: things americans are funny about

There's a handful of things that have cropped over the years that I always thought everyone was edgy about, but it turns out the Australians I've been around haven't been remotely phased by.  For instance:

--mail.  If it's not yours, you can't possibly open it.  Mail is like legal documents -- it's illegal to go messing with it if it isn't yours.  (Hence, I refuse to throw out junk mail addressed to my flatmate.)

--going into grocery stores with items previously purchased from the same establishment.  Freaks Americans out -- they'll think we stole it and we'll get in trouble if we can't find the receipt wadded up in the bottom of our bags.  Hence, one also always keeps one's receipts wadded up in the bottoms of our bags.  You never know, you know.

quicko: further australian patriotism-ish-ness

Also according to Garry (and presumably lots of other sources like atlases, I'm hoping), there are six Australian (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia and South Australia) states and two territories (the Australian Capital Territory (i.e., Canberra for all practical purposes) and the Northern Territory).  The Australian flag, however, differs from the American in that each star does not represent a particular state.  Rather, there are five stars that together form the Southern Cross constellation and one star, called the Federation star or Commonwealth star (it's a vestige of English history, and Garry still sounds a bit bitter about it, so I didn't press for too many details there).  The Federation star has seven points and these seven points stand for the six states plus "other stuff" (i.e., the two territories and Norfolk Island, etc.).  So, while there are six stars on the flag, they do not actually correlate to the six states.

Finally, in true journalistic form, Garry suggests that, if you don't believe him, you check out wikipedia.

quicko: the pledge

As far as I know, Australians don't have a pledge of allegiance.  Or if they do, I don't think the kids recite it at school every day.

quicko: our ______

The highest compliment for an Australian, I've heard, is to be referred to as "our _______."  As in, "our Nic" (i.e., Nicole Kidman).