April 30 Darwin

We return to Australia, which we loved when we visited in 2005.  And this is the first place that we've been to before since we left the Caribbean.

Before we left Komodo the ship was besieged by kids who were begging for money.  Passengers would throw money and the kids would dive for it.  Cruise Director Ray came over the PA and said "Knock It Off" in nicer terms. 

 Our cruise to Darwin was on very placid waters.  Lake Timor Sea.

 One of the sunsets as seen from the Terrace Cafe at the back of the ship.

 We arrived at Darwin shortly before 11am.  No bands or dancing girls, just a sign.

 We took the shuttle bus to the Smith Street Pedestrian Mall.  It has changed a lot since we visited in 2005.

 The Anglican Church

 Government House, the official residence of the Northern Territory Administrator constructed in 1871.

 A monument to the Overseas Telegraph arriving in Australia in 1872. 

 The Darwin Cenotaph, recognizing all of the Darwin men who have served and died in various wars.  The last wars on the list were Afghanistan and Iraq.

 Darwin was attacked by the Japanese during WW2 more than 60 times. They've made benches resembling antiaircraft batteries as part of their Esplanade, where the real batteries were located.

 We were here just before the "wet" and it looks like it's a big deal.  This sign in one of the shopping malls.

 A neat looking bird that I can't identify.

Darwin struck me as a city very proud of its history, even though it's young and has been destroyed twice.  First by the Japanese in the war, then by Cyclone Tracy, the Christmas Cyclone of 1974.  Virtually all of the markers say that "X used to be here but was destroyed by ...."