Exploring Sydney
Before I even had a chance for breakfast, emails and messages cought my attention. Sorted. Off I went to find the metro station, the train to central and from there closer to the quay. If you just have one day, the easiest way to get around and see the best what is on offer is by Hop-on/Hop-off, I assume. The Red Line, I liked the best. Some interesting explainations, definitely interesting sites and a bit of (colonial) history. First Nations were mentioned four times, two in relation to a park, which used to be a sacred place for them before it was harshly colonised, and two times with a museum and a galery, where pieces are on display. I got off a bit before the round was completed, walked the quays and had some (work)lunch at the waterside. Not far from the restaurant, two aboriginals showed their arts and music. When they went for a break, I got in a fine conversation with the older one. He explained their art pieces a bit more, told me, they are from up north, not from one of the tribes from the Sydney area. They had several kangaroo skins with them. He showed me, which one was from the mountains, which from the planes and which from the dessert and how different tribes adapted to those regions and climates, how it influenced their lifestyle and arts. And I learned about the 165 from the Torres Strait Islands, speaking languages which belong to 5 different languages groups. They aren’t aboriginals, but another first nation, that is even mentioned less than the aboriginals. So much to learn!
From the quays, it only was a short stroll to the Sydney Museum. It covers the archeology of this exact spot, en then mainly the first govermenthouse. In a (digital) playing area you got the chance to do a bit archeology yourself. In between all the materials and stories belonging to the govermenthouse, the findings refering to the first nation are sparsely explained. They have a video which combines both views of the history of the last roughly 300 years.
I catched the last round of the Blue Line, along Bondi beach. And this was exactly the main attraction of this tour. In relation to water levels and tides, the surprised sounding comment was, that aboriginal oral stories covered very detailed the development in the last 70000 years, as confirmed with nowerdays science. Other stories, songlines, are still doubted. (Why?)
Walking some parks, I found my way back to Central Station, the metro to Tempe.
