Tuesday February 28, 2023
The only lecture we attended today was the Geographer – Christine Drake who gave two lectures in one. The first was discussing the pros and cons as to whether Australia was a country or the smallest continent. With only 23.5 million people and an area smaller than Europe but not by much, is it a continent? While the aboriginals have been living here since time immemorial, it is only a couple of hundred years since the Portuguese, the Dutch and finally the English claimed the territory and at some point made a penal colony. The second part was about Darwin and the Northern Territory, which is mainly owned by the Larrakia aboriginals and there are really only two principal cities – Darwin, at about 150,000 (about 1/2 the population of the Northern Territories), and Alice Springs, which is 900 miles inland.. It is often considered that it really belongs to South East (SE) Asia from a geographical standpoint as much of the trade is with SE Asia and it is closer to the capitals of 5 SE Asia countries that it is to the Australian Capital of Canberra. It is the only place in Australia to have been bombed by Japan during WW2 as it was the only city within range. However it is the gateway to the enormous Kakadu National Park as well as the Lichfield National Park and on to Alice Springs and the Giant Monolith.
We signed up for another Lunch and Learn event hosted by the chief Sommelier, Panneer Subramani and the Verandah chef YhoYo Sukresno. This time it was wines of the Americas focusing on USA, Canada and the Southern Hemisphere – Argentina, Uruguay and Chile. As always a terrific event and we learned a lot although after 8 glasses of wine (about a full bottle) each, the memory of what each one is, tends to get a bit “fuzzy”!! We started off with the always great warm cheese creme brûlée Amuse Bouche accompanied by a Uruguayan white – Albaniño, Bodega Garzón, Garzón, Uruguay. Next a Gin and Tonic Cured Smoked Salmon accompanied by two Chardonnay. The first Norman Hordie, Niagara Peninsula, Canada (near Toronto) and the second Catenary Alta, from Mendoza region in Argentina. Both were very enjoyable. We then moved onto the meat dish and an excellent steak with “Cafe de Paris” butter (butter with herbs), truffle fries and mixed vegetables. This was accompanied by a not very enjoyable red Zinfandel, Seghesio, from Sonoma County, California (excess tannin), and a slightly better Caballo Loco Number sixteen, Valparaiso, Curicó, Chile. Neither of these Reds would we consider ordering off a menu. The cheese course was accompanied by a Tannat, from the same vineyard as the first wine – Bodega Corazón, Garzón, Uruguay and an Estate Malbec, Colomé, Salta, Argentina. The first, had substantial tannin, to be expected and the second, was quite enjoyable. Finally the NY Cheesecake with a Riesling, Eroica, Columbia County, Washington State, USA which I thought was enjoyable but Anne did not agree. So all in all a really enjoyable lunch and learn. The Head Sommelier told us that there would be another one during the trip around Australia to go over Australian wines and one before getting to South Africa that would discuss South African Wines. A great way to learn about the different wines, while enjoying a nice lunch.
After lunch a “siesta” was in order, although Anne found enough energy to go to the gym. The evening show was the Cunard Singers and Dancers – Now called “The Royal Court Theater Company” after the name of the theatre and even though we had seen the show “Rhythm of the Night”, it is very high energy and we saw it again, particularly as we had met yesterday some of the cast and the Director.
We are now about half way through the voyage having been on the ship for about 2 months and 2 months to go. March will be circumnavigating Australia before heading to South Africa and beyond. Thus we went through Immigration / Customs on Board with the Australian authorities today and will not visit them again until we leave Fremantle / Perth at the end of March. Overnight we moved the clocks forward by 1/2 hour to be on Darwin time.
Roger & Anne Travels 