Lynda Sez

Taronga Zoo memories

lynda — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:55:53 +0000

When my daughter does the bird show at Taronga Zoo (and I’m sure it’s also true for the other presenters), she becomes a celebrity to the school children watching. She always spends time answering their questions. It’s nice to think watching birds fly around can impress little people; I’d like to believe they will remember some of the commentary on habitat threats.

Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens

lynda — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 21:29:37 +0000

As I look out on more than two feet of snow, I remember a sunny day spent in Sydney’s lovely public gardens.

Because we need flowers in January in Owen Sound

lynda — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:34:21 +0000

Thinking about south sea islands

lynda — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 15:48:01 +0000

Australia redux: a couple of Taronga Zoo residents

lynda — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 01:02:30 +0000

Australia redux: the best part of my trip

lynda — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 00:33:36 +0000

Seeing my daughter and knowing how happy she is with her new life, and especially with her new husband, that was the best part of my trip to Australia.

Australia redux: zoo treat for me

lynda — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 19:05:44 +0000

I was privileged to spend the night at Taronga Zoo and met a large resident the next morning.

Australia redux: thinking of roses

lynda — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 01:10:51 +0000

As the wind howls outside, I think back to the warm days I spent just weeks ago. Here is a reminder of my stroll through Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens.

Australia 2012: Last day at sea

lynda — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 22:12:43 +0000

Another lovely day with calm waters greeted me for the last full day at sea on this cruise. There are still a few more Mac sessions and a cocktail party at which Lawrence Krauss will discuss the Higgs Boson, but otherwise it’s just a day for getting the last few lazy minutes on a deck chair and packing.

Australia 2012: South sea islands

lynda — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 08:23:22 +0000

Our last three stops before returning to Sydney were Lifou, Ile des pins and Noumea. My favorite was Ile des pins, but Lifou was very picturesque. Thee was a greeting dance by native residents and a market full of souvenirs. i was glad to find some purportedly free trade goods, cloth bags made by local women. I bought a coconut with a straw, drank the milk, then took it back to the vendor so he could open it with his machete and I ate the inside. On my way back to the tender to return to the ship, I was alarmed to see a coconut crab tied to a post, along with a sign offering pictures for a few francs. I gathered shells on the beach in Lifou and swam in the ocean in Ile des pins. Also on the latter island, I took a hike up toward a point called Pic n’Ga but didn’t quite make it to the top – it was very hot and the path was steep. In Noumea, I took a tour of a mangrove forest just as the tide was coming in to deliver schools of fish and to activate the small brightly coloured crabs. I have many, many pictures, but they will have to wait for a faster Internet connection.