24-31 May 2020 Getting Back Out a Little More

We could finally take a little drive into Sydney's central business district without feeling like we were cheating fate!  As things have opened up more, there are more people about, but everyone seems to be cautious and trying to keep their distance.  Then we walked by one of the large pedestrian malls and that wasn't quite as true.  Such strange times when even a little head cold makes one worry it's something more serious.  We loved walking back around the Circular Quay area and seeing the iconic sights that we encountered on our first visit: the  Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge often called the Coathanger, and the Sydney Tower.  Now we feel like we are really back in Australia!

We left our self-imposed quarantine this week and returned to the office.  Not that we ever see too many people, but it was nice not to just be in the living room, kitchen, or bedroom office.  Don and I still do most of our work on computers and with ZOOM meetings.  I had three on Thursday alone.  Don checks email almost hourly in addition to his normal workload as he often has many issues to deal with quickly.  I keep plodding along trying to meet the needs of our ESL missionaries.  I was asked to help one missionary with more intensive one-on-one tutoring which of course we are doing by ZOOM.  I am enjoying how this mission allows me to continue learning and do what I enjoy at the same time.  I  really don't know much about teaching ESL, but with online resources and some intuition, I think I can just keep muddling along.

We were interested to see the Sydney Fish Market since we'd heard it was open.  We were expecting something like Seattle's beloved Pike Street Market but there were no flying fish here.  A number of fish markets in one building with abundant choices of seafood with just a couple of takeaway restaurants and very limited seating.  But the pelicans knew where to get something and were so tame we walked right by them. I'm certain the lobster here would out rank those in the tank at our local Red Lobster.   

Wanting to see Paddy's Market, a well-known market area in the Haymarket area, we drove there and began walking all around Sydney.  First, we found the market was still closed and will open again next week.  So we will go back on another day.  But we enjoyed our time in the city anyway.  Walking past an entrance to the China Town area, we headed toward Hyde Park.  We were a bit caught off-guard to find Sydney's German Lutheran church (Kirche).  We felt right at home!

 The ANZAC memorial was impressive with beautiful cascading fountains and reflecting pools.  On to Hyde Park and another Statue of James Cook.

St. Mary's Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Sydney and the Roman Catholic Church in Sydney.  It is an example of 19th century Gothic construction.  We hope to see inside when it is opened again to the public.

Hyde Park was the first public land set aside in Australia for parkland. Yes, it was named after the other Hyde Park in London.  Beautiful grounds, gardens and walkways with various fountains were still beautiful to see even as winter is settling in here in the southern hemisphere.  Such a beautiful day with the temperature near 70, I could have winter like this forever. 

This is a statue of Major General Lachlan Macquarie who was an early governor of Australia.  We have him to thank for having to drive on the left side of the road.  Many places here are named in his honor such as streets, parks, islands, rivers, and even a university.  I'm not so certain everyone likes his "Father of Australia" designation especially those of aboriginal descent whose ancestors were met with hostile actions if they didn't conform to his wishes.

We continued our walk past the Hyde Park Barracks where originally Governor Macquarie had built to house convict men and boys hoping to improve their behavior if lodging was provided for them.  Now a museum which, yes, should open again soon we hope.  

Another statue in the park of William Bede Dalley.  He was an early politician and barrister ("Don, they put up memorials to attorneys here!") and the first Australian to serve on the Privy Council of the United Kingdom.

Known as The Mint, this was at first part of the early hospital.  It was called "Rum Hospital" because Governor Macquarie is said to have paid for it with 45,000 gallons of rum!  Later, it became the location of the first mint branch located outside of England.  Now it is the headquarters of the Sydney Living Museums.

Near the Mint is the Sydney Hospital dating to 1788.  It has been at this location since 1811. Many additions and upgrades through the years, but it is still in use and now specializes in ophthalmology and hand surgery.  It is also a teaching hospital.  A copy of Il Porcellino is outside the hospital.  Like the original found in Florence, if a coin is dropped in the donation box and you then rub the pig's snout, you will receive good fortune.

Along the complex of historic buildings is Parliament House.  This is the oldest public building in Sydney and unique since it once part of the first hospital.

Next door to Parliament House is the New South Wales State Library.  We thought this banner was a good reminder of who tells the history and whose point of view is often forgotten.  This week is also known as "Reconciliation Week" here in Australia.   Not far from the banner is a statue of Matthew Flinders, an early explorer that circumnavigated and mapped the coastline of Australia.  Behind him is a statue of his cat, Trim, which sailed with him on his voyages and even stayed with him when Flinders was imprisoned by the French.

 The front of the New South Wales State Museum and fountain at the entrance of the Royal Botanic Gardens.

This is a statue of Arthur Phillip, the first governor of Australia.  He established the first penal colony which later became the city of Sydney.

 Some of the Royal Botanic Gardens and a view of Farm Cove.

The Government House which is the vice-regal residence of the Governor of New South Wales.  Basically, the Queen's representative, not to be confused with the Premier of NSW who oversees the governing of New South Wales who is appointed by the viceregal!

17 May 2020 Paying the price . . . a bit!

Missionary work during the Covid19 pandemic is proving to be quite an adventure for us.  This week we found out we had very limited contact with a person infected with the virus.  The direction we have received from health officials is that we do NOT have to quarantine. In fact, they will not test us unless we begin to feel ill.  So we thought we were free and clear; we would just keep to ourselves and watch for any possible symptoms which is in line with the directive we received.  But we have heard that a few employees who may be starting to come back to work in the office are a bit unsure about us being in the building regardless of our own office's isolation.  So to help alleviate any fears, we have chosen to self-quarantine and work from home.  We are hoping that all will feel at ease with our decision and it will help put their minds to rest.  For the next nine days (we've already done 5) Don will work at his little office we set up in the extra bedroom and I will take the large desk in the living room.  This doesn't mean we can't go out or shop.  We will just stay away from the office for the time being.

However, one of our young missionaries has now contracted pneumonia.  So our prayers are for his recovery. A missionary couple in quarantine received word that his father had passed away.  They cannot leave the country and will have to watch the funeral as it is ZOOMed to them. Our hearts are with the mission president and his sweet wife as they care and watch out for everyone during this difficult time. 

Multiply these circumstances millions of times the world over and we have a better picture of how difficult this is for everyone. Part of my missionary work is to review some humanitarian projects that relate to helping in countries where there is an ever-growing need for adequate medical services and supplies, hygiene care with improved washing and sanitation, and increased food supplies.  It is an understatement to say this is unlike anything we've ever experienced.  In some ways, I wish we could visit with our parents as they lived through times thought to have been "unlike anyone had ever experienced" also. So, we gamely go on. 

From Friday, the New South Wales government lifted some restrictions regarding how many people could gather in homes, in restaurants and pubs, and allowed many stores to reopen.  There are still self-distancing guidelines being scrutinized carefully.  Our Saturday outing was to Botany Bay where James Cook first landed in 1770.  And now the history lesson for the week . . . 

Botany Bay is located outside of Sydney and is now officially part of the Kamay Botany Bay National Park.  I believe Kamay is the aboriginal name for the bay.  This is where Cook and his ship, Endeavour, first anchored while on their first of three voyages of exploration to the lands now called Australia and New Zealand but were then just thought of as a possibility and referred to as the "undiscovered southern land."

 This monument to James Cook was erected on the 100th anniversary of his landing.  This is actually known as the James Cook Landing Place.  Other monuments to him are found in Hyde Park in Sydney also.  In the park are wonderful plaques outlining what happened here and the conflict that many European explorers fostered due to their lack of knowledge of indigenous people and their customs. Cook and his men did not wait to be invited onto indigenous land and even shot at the two aboriginal men waving them off having misconstrued their waves as welcoming gestures. Even when lances were thrown at them, Cook had several shots fired at them.

Here, Cook and his party stayed eight days presumably to find fresh water for the next part of their journey.  While there, the ship's botanist gathered specimens of flora and fauna.

 This is the monument to Joseph Banks the naturalist and botanist on the Endeavour.  Along with his assistant, Daniel Solander and others, he collected numerous specimens of flora in addition to animals and birds. The picture of the stone has a plaque that says this is James Cook's Landing Place.

Here is the stream where the crew first found water and restocked their supplies with the early indigenous people watching.  There are a number of signs explaining the significance and effect of the Cook landing on the indigenous people.  This monument (above) was erected by Swedish Australians to honor Daniel Solander who was the first Swede to step foot in Australia.   

Another monument in the park  - This one remembers a crew member who died and was buried near here on the 2nd of May 1770 just three days after they arrived.  There are also burials of Aboriginal Australians in the park.

Since this is the 250th anniversary year of the landing, three pieces of public art have been installed to remind everyone of the story from both the Aboriginal Australians and European viewpoints of the Endeavour's arrival at this place.  We figured we must be some of the few tourists that have even seen these as they have only recently been installed as part of the anniversary activities that were to take place on April 29.  Yet, due to the virus, the remembrance was cancelled, the irony of which is not lost on those wanting reconciliation due to the tremendous decimation of their indigenous peoples.

The artwork on the left is entitled "Eyes of the Land and the Sea" and the other is just "The Whales."  The third sculpture is of two canoes with fishing spears and nets inside.  The flag pole in the park also has three flags: The Australian flag, the flag of New South Wales, and the Aboriginal Australian flag.  The aboriginal flag  has black to represent the aboriginal people of Australia, the yellow circle represents the sun as the giver and protector of life and the red represents red ochre or the red land that is so important to the aboriginal spiritual connection to the land.  Each one hard to see from this picture.

"One thing aboriginal people can never forget is the landing of Lt. Cook and his men at this place in 1770.  The story of this landing has been told through generations and it marks the beginning of dispossession for aboriginal people."

Not unlike our own Columbus Day, remembrances have many viewpoints not just of the event itself, but of the consequences of such.

 As we walked further out on the headland, we saw scuba divers in the bay.  The sandstone cliffs eroded by water and time and the barnacles reminded us of a land that has existed since time immemorial.  It was a great day to be out exploring and learning about the two viewpoints of Australia's beginnings.