George and Sherii Explore Australia One Big Thing To The Next!

Monday 4 March 2013

Chinese New Year - Dragons, Snakes and Firecrackers

A bit late, but better late than never :-)

We joined what seemed like half of Cairns in the first ever Cairns Chinese New Year Festival! They blocked off a whole street that used to be called Cairns' Chinatown...strangely enough there arent any Chinese restaurants there anymore??

It was a stinking hot day with limited shade options so we didnt manage to stay for all the festivities that were organised for the day but what we saw was fun, if not a little chaotic. We left just before the sun set which was when the bulk of the crowd was expected! Yikes!

I think that it turned out a lot bigger and busier than the organisers had planned for, the seating and space was not adequate for the people that came. We couldnt get close enough to many of the stalls to see what they were selling/exhibiting and they ran out of water/drinks at several places! Just a little too cramped and crazy, but its the first year and Im sure they have learnt alot and will be excited about how big next year will be. Note to self, if we are here next year, bring a hat, chair and water...

We walked into town from our place, and were very hot and sticky by the time we got there, but our timing was perfect to see the main parade and stage show (I couldnt see the stage show, but George who is much taller than me could see some of it)

The only shade left was behind this plant...hahah...nah I was hiding :-)

The Dragon Parade....

After the parade we got a drink and tried to check out the market stalls, we only managed to get close to one and got our Chinese Horoscopes for the year of our birth; George being an Ox and me a cheeky Monkey! Our horoscopes predict "Travel" and "Power/Organisation"... So that sounds good! (we didnt know at this point that we were about to say yes to staying in Cairns till October- so I guess we will have to make do with small trips and organising finances!)
George and I decided after a few hours, that we had had enough standing in the sun not being able to see anything and headed home...
That night I watched the New Year Fireworks from our balcony with a glass of wine...great start to a new year!

Happy Year of the Snake everyone!

Saturday 2 March 2013

Off to the Zoo!

We have been very quiet on the blog lately...due to our computer packing it in and being sent away to Melbourne for warranty repairs...we have only just got it back!!! Nothing like 2 months to replace a motherboard!
Anywhoo...we are back on the net!

We are still working in Cairns and exploring the local area.

We got a voucher at xmas for a special tour at the Cairns Tropical Zoo which was great...I was hanging out to get up close to the lemurs and a boa constrictor!

So we got up early grabbed some breaky and headed to the zoo.

We got to have a wander around the park first as we got there a little early, which was good to get our bearings and find the cafe etc.

Hairy Nosed Wombat...they were sleeping most of the day...actually I think they sleep most of everyday :-)

A sleepy Red Panda or Fire Fox! He got up a bit later but having a nap hanging in the tree here. He was so cute like a big teddy bear...the keeper told us that he was nothing like a nice bear...more like a rabid wildcat when you tried to catch him!

at 9.30 we met up with our guide who took us straight to the LEMURS! King Juliaan! (turns out they are just like on the movie Madagasca-not the smartest animals around, but amazingly adorable, soft and so so gentle! Oh, the movie got one thing wrong..it should have been Queen Juliaan! They have a female hierachy -as it should be!)

their tails were so long and fluffy...I want one!! or 3....

This little lady wanted to hold Georges hand, even after he had given her a treat!

Next we moved onto the bird enclosure...mmm...Im not a huge bird fan...so George had the pleasure of holding the syrup for the parrots, lucky cause they went crazy and were all over him! There was this one parrot that was bossing everyone around and karate kicking the other birds...it was hillarious, like seeing someone with really big baggy pants kicking someone in the butt!-hahaha)

Two really big parrots!

Then off to feed to Cassowary...the guide says to me, just put your hand through the fence and she will eat from your hand....mmm....thats a bloody big bird with a whopping big beak...but you know Im brave...so I hold out my hand expecting it to peck my hand off...and she ever so delicately put her beak on the side and softly took the grape off me..I then upgraded to a kiwifruit..same thing...and she swallowed it whole! Just like a pelican.. we could see it going down her neck...wierd....

Then off to the Crocs and Gators!

The baby Alligators we so cute, the keeper was saying they are very smart and easy to train.

She had trained them to walk out of their enclosure over to the grassy area that we got to hang out with them at, and then afterwards they promptly headed back to their pen!

Out you come...

Sherii the croc wrangler...

Puker up...

Back home again...

We did some croc feeding ...

Feed us!.....

mmm...mouse, my favourite...George got a great jaw slam from his croc!

Then my favourite part!

We got to meet a massive Boa Constrictor! She was so lovely...I was dissapointed that I couldnt wear her like a scarf, but she was waaayy to heavy! This was also the part that George was dreading...