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Just checking to see what's
what....so many airlines and so many people!
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Now where would I like to visit
next....Christchurch New Zealand, Hong Kong or Port Moresby maybe!
This might be just the spot for me to plan my next adventure. I
never knew so many other places existed. I think someone has been
keeping a big secret from me....obviously this world is a huge place
and I never even knew!
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Thought I'd better do my patriotic
thing and stand with the flags! That's the Aussie flag right behind
me.
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| The Australian Flag came
into being after the the federation of the Australian States into
the Commonwealth of Australian on 1 January, 1901. The
Commonwealth Blue Ensign was selected a a result of a public
competition (over 30 000 designs were submitted); although selected
in 1901 and gazetted in 1903, it was not given Royal assent and
adopted as the definitive Australian flag until 1954 in the Flags
Act 1953 (Act No. 1 of 1954)! It is based on the Blue Ensign
of the United Kingdom, is twice as long as it is wide, and consists
of a dark blue field that can be notionally divided into four
quadrants. There is a different motif in each of the upper and lower
hoist quadrants and the remaining two quadrants of the fly share
another different constellation motif.
The present Australian flag can be
considered to consist of three main elements:
- The Union Jack in the
upper hoist quadrant or first quarter (also know as the Canton),
denoting Australia's historical links with Great Britain. The
Union Jack itself is composed of red and white intersecting and
overlayed vertical and diagonal crosses on a blue
background.
- The Southern Cross in the
second quarter (also known as the top or head) and fourth quarter.
Consists of five stars in a more or less kite-like pattern -
Alpha Crucis (7-point), Beta Crucis (7-point),
Gamma Crucis (7-point), Delta Crucis (7-point) and
the smaller Epsilon Crucis (5-point). The outer diameter of
each of the 4 major stars is 1/7 the width of the fly and the
inner diameter is 4/9 outer diameter; the diameter of Epsilon
Crucis is 1/12 the width of the fly and the inner diameter is
4/9 the outer diameter. The constellation of the Southern
Cross is a significant navigational feature of the southern
hemisphere, strongly places Australia geographically and has been
associated with the continent since its earliest days,
- The Commonwealth Star or
Star of Federation, central in the third quarter or lower
hoist, has seven points to denote the six states and the combined
territories of the Commonwealth. The seventh point was added in
1909. The outer diameter is 3/5 the width of the Union Jack (3/10
the width of the fly) and the inner diameter is 4/9 the outer
diameter.
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An Australian Aboriginal
"Didgeridoo" |
| The didgeridoo is one of the oldest musical
instruments with origins in Northern Australia tens of thousands of
years ago. It represents the Rainbow Serpent in ceremonies. Legend
has it that the Rainbow Serpent created riverbeds and landscapes by
sliding across the earth.
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This large ceramic frog
sits in the departure lounge of Sydney International airport. Tiny
little ceramic tiles cover the entire frog - quite amazing,
especially close up. I sure hope they don't do that to mice!
er...they don't do they???
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We stopped to eat at the Chinese
restaurant and then later Brooke shared one of he 'crispy cream'
donuts with me...it wasn't mouse food but it sure was good! Hope I
don't pop my buttons!
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As we ate we were able to sit and
watch the planes come and go. It's right on dusk here so not so easy
to see. That's me on the left...the distinguished handsome
mouse!
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That's a Qantas plane that's just
landed. Qantas is the main Australian airline.
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A replica of the Opera House inside
the airport. It was actually a brochure stand.
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| Now....what I'd really like to do next
is head back into Sydney to see the city at night. If I smile ever
so sweetly...maybe, just maybe they will take me!
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