Sept 7, Friday

Sept 7, Friday

My first order of business today was to book the two tours I had selected.  The hotel staff was very helpful.  The young lady who greeted me yesterday and helped me with my luggage was there again this morning, and she was training some staff (one for the hotel reception, one for guest services).  I was very patient and waited while she instructed her young charges.  AFTER ALL, I did work in the training area for more than half of my career and know the importance of “on-the-job training”.

It took a while to book everything (since she was training the young man and had to repeat instructions a few times) and one of the tours I wanted was not available, so alternatives were found for me.  I also wanted to leave some down time days between the excursions.   After that was all done, I booked myself of the noon shuttle to go downtown with a 4 pm return, giving me lots of time to explore Alice Springs.

“Between 1860 and 1862, explorer John McDouall Stuart led an expedition through the Centre to the north coast, navigating and mapping the country for white settlement. It was the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line completed in 1872 which made it viable for pastoralists to take up land leases in the Centre. In 1929 the railway line to Alice Springs was complete and travel became more frequent and reliable.”

“Camels (dromedaries) first arrived in Australia in 1840 from the Canary Islands; later imports came from Palestine and India with Afghan handlers. They were highly suited to the harsh Australian climate, were mainly used to carry bulk supplies to outback towns, and had the ability to travel long distances without water. An estimated 10,000 camels were imported between 1860 and 1907. With the introduction of the motor vehicles in the mid 1920s most camels were released into the wild and are now classified as feral.” 

This is a type of bird (looks like a parakeet) called a gallah.  There were always at least half a dozen at the entrance to the hotel.  This is (supposedly) a very common bird in Australia.

 The streets of Alice Spring.  This is the beginning of the Todd Street Mall

 and they have these beautiful shadow sails everywhere in this part of the country.  It is hot and you really do need to find shade.

 Store front on Todd Street Mall

 Didgeridoos !    Lots of them

I love this type of sign post.

 Since I haven't managed to get a photo of a dingo (they were always too quick) here is a postcard showing what they look like (part dog, part wolf, part fox)

 I spotted these columns when I took the shuttle bus when I first arrived and needed to come back to see what they were.

 They are actually crocheted blankets made by aboriginal women.

 And just beside the court building is the original town jail

 and a beautiful mural showing the history of policing in the Northern Territories

I spotted this beautiful modern church .... and realized .... NO MORE TEMPLES !    YEAH !

 Next I was tackling ANZAC Hill. (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps)  The map indicated I could take the “Lions Path" to climb it.    Why Lions? Because it was built by the Lions Club.

 The Lion's Path.... or part of it.  It was either a path or steps made with stones, and it was quite a lot higher than it looked from the bottom.

 But it was worth the climb.  Alice Springs:  looking down Bath street.  That's the MacDonnell Range in the background.

 
 At the top of ANZAC Hill is the memorial to fallen soldiers

Wills Street and beyond
 

 and more of the MacDonnell Range in the distance

The Todd River, that runs through Alice Springs is usually a dry river bed, but during the rainy season not only is there water in the river bed, but it can reach 10 feet high!  There is an annual boat race in the Todd River, but it is the only one that can get cancelled because there IS water in the river;  picture a bed race, but substitute with boats on wheels.

Despite the dry river bed, Alice Springs has a good supply of fresh water.  There is a large aquafer in this area.

I visited the residency, the house which was built for the "Government Resident" of Central Australia in 1926, before it bacame the Northern Territory.   Don't know what happened to my outside photo of the building, but it is very nondescript, just one floor cottage built of bricks but surrounded by a wide verandah around it, plus a breezeway seperating it from the kitchen area.   Queen Elizabeth II actually slept here during a royal visit in 1963.

I stopped off for lunch at a courtyard restaurant and ate an Aussie meal of homemade pie; meat pie that is.

I then made my way to the Coles grocery store to purchase a few supplies for the room and was back at the pickup point in time for my return trip to the hotel.

The pool at Lasseters Hotel.