Between the flags...

Yesterday I visited the Museum of Sydney. It is located at the site of the original governors house in downtown Sydney although the building is no longer there. The permanent collection is a pretty interesting account of the history of Sydney, its capture from the aboriginals (I'm beginning to wonder why we in the states don't pay as much attention on our history to the native americans, or maybe we do and I just don't notice), it's landmarks, it's notable people, it's deep rooted rivalry with Melbourne (when choosing a capital both cities were adamant about proximity to the capital of Australia, which is why Canberra, between them, was chosen).
Anyway, that was all nice and everything, and then I visited one of the temporary exhibits that just blew my mind- did you have any idea that during World War I the Australians had internment (they actually called them concentration) camps holding captive Australian-Germans? Yes, I mean WWI, BEFORE Hitler!



A piece of propaganda from the era.
This is all surprising to me on a few levels.
1) I always thought of the Australians as a peaceful people. Willing to lend a hand to the US or GB when in need, but never going to battle on their own or anything.
2) WWI is the most confusing war. I think I blame it for all wars after. It makes no sense to me, like less than whatever this war we are currently in makes, and that's saying something. So why on earth did Australia get so paranoid during WWI that they decided to corral all the German men (7000), even ones who had completely assimilated, with Australian born wives and children and businesses (it's not unlike the Japanese internment in the states during the next war - except that they weren't directly at war with that country and those who were didn't have anything like this -at least that I know of. Not that ANY of this makes up for it.) I may need to invest in a good history book about this war.
3) Conditions weren't nearly as rough as the camps we hear about from WWII. Though the men were put to grueling work, they put on plays (shakespeare style, all men) they built sporting arenas and made up leagues, I mean it SORTA sounded like involuntary summer camp, except instead of being forced to send one letter home a week, only two were allowed and had to be written in english and less than 150 words. Probably the cruelest thing about the whole ordeal was that many were stripped of their careers or even deported from the country when they were released, which in many cases was over a year after the war ended. I've possibly gone on too long about this, but I was SO fascinated.

I'm learning I really enjoy going to museums on my own. It's very freeing in the sense that I don't have to worry about what I should be adding about, or if I'm spending enough or too much time in one place. I find I can really figure out what I find interesting and go at my own pace in a nice way. I really might try to do it more often.

So they say it was raining and dreary until the day I got here but I don't believe it. Though it's the dead of winter I've been so happy and apparently lucky with the weather and so, I declared today, Bondi day! I really wanted a chill day outside so I went to Bondi beach and spent some time reading. As I got out of the car, Tom warned me when swimming to stay "between the flags" to avoid the rip tide. It may be warm enough for me to sit on the sand, but I assured him, there was nothing that was going to get me in that water (I have been spoiled by the temperatures in Halong bay and will accept nothing less). Apparently, "between the flags" is the Bondi tagline and is written everywhere.



Paradise reflected in my iPad...

I had read that a "not to miss" walk is the Bondi to Bronte walk, which connects two beaches. It was a stunning walk. Sadly, I got a bit confused and didn't make it all the way to Bronte (there is a small beach between and the trail looked like it ended...) I guess it's an excuse to do it again!



Struck me as very Australian to have a lifeguard surfboard.



The rocky cliff between beaches.



Bondi Icebergs pool on the beach. I think this is so beyond cool.



Bondi from above.

Tonight Anne and I went to Bengarra Dance Theatre's Belong at the Sydney Opera House. Bengarra is "Australia's premier indigenous performing arts company." I was pretty blown away. The dancers performed two different pieces. The first, titled ABOUT, plays with the different winds. The best way I can describe the way of dancing would be to compare it to some Cirque du Soleil that i have seen. It includes very fluid movements that almost seem super human. It is beautiful no matter what but somehow when the whole troupe is out there pulsing as one it becomes pretty magical. The second piece, ID, was choreographed by Bengarra's artistic director, Stephen Page. This one was a half literal and half avante garde analysis of aboriginal identity. For example, in one whole section the dancers had painted on their bodies what fraction aboriginal they are. From the lecture I went to a few days ago I learned what a struggle it is for one who is primarily white to identify with his or her aboriginal bloodlines - the only way to keep the culture. It was truly a treat to get to see something so uniquely Australian in such a uniquely Australian venue.

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