After a flying stop over at Katherine to have the car serviced and the suspension adjusted we have arrived in Darwin. It’s really strange to be in such a large city again – and you really notice the fact that the city has been completely rebuilt allowing for considered town planning to take place.
We have just fluked it to be here for Territory day / guy faulks night, which also coincided with the regular Thursday night markets at Mindil Beach. Enjoyed a beautiful sunset and had a terrific time exploring the markets lit by lanterns. Then we sat on Mindil Beach (along with thousands of Northern Territorian’s – and quite a few; Victorians, Queenslanders, New South Walesmen, and West Australian’s ) to join in the celebrations of Territory day. As we sat eating wonderful food and fruit smoothies purchased from the markets, we were treated to a brilliant pyrotechnics display set to music provided by the local radio station (similar to Brisbane’s skyfire). A fantastic evening!
It has been amazing to be here for Guy faulks – as I think that NT is the only Australian state in which residents can still buy fireworks that can be set off up until 11pm on the evening of the 1st July. Retail outlets can only sell fireworks on this day – and sales prior are illegal. Literally all of Darwin’s sky was alight with fireworks – the drive home from the city that night was accompanied by the bangs and fizzes of exploding fireworks all around. I am told that Darwin hospital is staffed to treat the expected 300 firework related injuries, and that they have flown in medical expertise to assist. Glad we got to experience it – and that Ethan did also. I remember guy faulks night being celebrated in Victoria in my childhood, with a huge neighbourhood bonfire, roasting potatoes and marshmellows, sparklers as well as purchased fire works that the “grown ups” would carefully set off. We heard on the radio the next day that there were numerous fires (eg: washing lines set alight by the neighbours fireworks, and sheds and garages succumbing to the raining sparks), not to mention one 'under the weather' territorian who was firing rockets into passing traffic and who made the mistake of firing at a police car and so was subsequently incarcerated!
Darwin has a terrific busy and cosmopolitan Wharf precinct that has restaurants, café’s, museum, and galleries – a far cry from the outback settings we have been used to of late.
The lads were interested to visit the Australian Aviation Heritage Centre and were excited to check out the WWII Spitfire, and the gigantic B52 Bomber on display. There were a host of aircraft on to look at up close, both civil and military, along with a really interesting display regarding the bombing of Darwin, where more that 115 tonnes of bombs were dropped ( more than at Pearl Harbour just 10 weeks prior to the Darwin bombings)!
Of course no visit to Darwin would be complete without a visit to the Deck chair cinema – a wonderful open-air cinema situated on the Darwin Harbour. So – whilst eating pizza and watching another glorious sunset prior to the movie starting we settled in for a fun evening watching Nanny McPhee and the big bang. I am obviously quite a messy pizza eater as a resident possum couldn't contain itself and came and sat on my foot to catch the desiduous pizza……….
Love to all, we are missing everyone and love it when you have time to make a comment on the blog.
Cheers
