Darwin

AHHH!!!!  Civilisation! 

The thriving metropolis that is Northern Territory's capital welcomed us with a beautiful sunset over the ocean.  This is something that we Victorians are not accustomed to. In fact, to see the sun is something of a rarity during the months of May through to September some years.  

Our first night here was spent at one of the tremendous restaurants along the esplanade.  Sarah and I enjoyed a taste of Northern Territory barramundi and Ebony made use of the kids menu.  A drink as the sun set followed by a great meal was just what we needed.  It was our first night eating out since leaving home and we enjoyed not having to do dishes.  

The following morning we stocked up on supplies before taking a refreshing dip in one of the resort's three pools.  The mercury hit 34 degrees, so it was great to get in and have a swim.  Ebony certainly enjoyed herself.  

That evening we drove to the very famous Mindil Beach to check out the even more famous market there.  The Mindil Beach Markets are held every Thursday and Sunday in the evening during the dry season.  They are jam packed with a variety of crafts and souvenirs that attract literally thousands of people.  As you walk along you are treated to different forms of street entertainment; from guitars to fire dancers.  In my opinion, however, the most incredible and enjoyable aspect of these markets is the variety of food available to visitors.  Hundreds of different cultural delicacies are cooked and presented on site by stall holders and because of the sheer multitude of stalls, prices are very reasonable.  When travelling I have always enjoyed sampling different delicacies, so I was in heaven! I can't seem to decide on an absolute favourite, but the Oyster Bar's "Summer Sensation" (oyster, king prawn and smoked salmon grilled in garlic butter...OMG!) would have to be close to the top of the list.  I am certainly glad that we skipped lunch that day.  I may or may nor have skipped breakfast the next morning too.  

Our great friends, the Willisons, arrived around lunchtime the following day and it was great to see them again.  We have known these guys since we were teenagers, so it doesn't take much for the laughs and banter to begin.  Pretty soon we found ourselves at the pool with kids laughing, screaming and having a great time.  Following that "happy hour" was upon us, which continued into the evening.  

The next day we travelled to the city together to visit Crocosaurus Cove.  It is here where one can purchase a ticket to the "Cage of Death"; a transparent perspex container in which one swims and the operators plunge said container into a saltwater crocodile enclosure.  Sounds like fun, right? There were a few budding tourists who had the experience while we were there, but being the dry season the crocs just weren't that active.  Still, the thought of the only thing separating you and a 5.5m, 700kg saltwater crocodile being a 20mm bit of perspex is......scary to say the least.  

While at the Cove we got to hold a baby crocodile, which the kids just loved doing and also got to feed some young ones.  The young ones actually jump out of the water to grab a piece of meat that is suspended on a string at the end of a pole that you have to hold.  This is why they call it "Fishing for Crocs".  

One other attraction at the Cove was a fish feeding presentation where, funnily enough, they feed a variety of fish.  During this presentation the hostess gave Ebony the opportunity to feed an Archer Fish. So aptly named is this fish as it shoots streams of water at a variety of bugs and insects in order to make them drop to the surface of the water where they can be consumed.  Unfortunately, while Ebony was holding the morsel of food for the Archer Fish she sat directly in the firing line and was sprayed with water.  The resulting chaos is depicted below.  

The next day we were keen to check out some of the unfortunate aspects of Darwin's history; the Bombing and Tracy.  

The first stop was at the Darwin Military Museum where they have a tremendous interactive display of what occurred here during the second World War.  Unbeknown to us, there were a total of 64 raids on the Northern Territory alone and more than 100 in Northern Australia over a 20 month campaign by the Japanese.  I had only really thought that there was the single event on 19th February, 1942.  Emotions were stirred as we read about the brave men and women from both sides who fought and defended.   While I enjoy reading and learning about history I always find the controversy and atrocities surrounding war difficult to process.  The museum has an excellent collection of military memorabilia including weapons, uniforms and even vehicles.  

After a quick stop at a nearby park to give the kids a runaround we headed for the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.  Entry here is free, which is certainly something that you don't see very often these days.  Both the museum and the art gallery are extremely well maintained and the exhibit on Cyclone Tracy was informative.  There was also exhibitions on the evolution of different plants and animals that inhabit the sea as well as taxidermist prepared local flora and fauna.  This place is well worth a look and I wish we had more time to spend there.  

            An aerial photo of Darwin after Cyclone Tracy had hit.  

That evening we convinced our friends to visit the Mindil Beach Market and we were more than happy to go too.  It was a good thing that we skipped lunch that day...

The final day in Darwin was spent stocking up on supplies for the next two weeks and a nice, refreshing dip in the pool.  We have really enjoyed Darwin, but Sarah and I are looking forward to getting back to nature and completing some bushwalks again.  The sound of Australia's largest and heritage listed national park is calling.  Onward to Kakadu!