What's That Sound?

Its a Didgeridoo

 (or Didjeridu, which is the spelling formally recognized by the Australian government) A didgeridoo makes a low droning sound that is thought to have inspired its Western name

Didgeridoo definition

The didjeridu is an Australian Aboriginal musical instrument endemic to the northern parts of Australia. It is an unusual instrument because a special technique called 'circular breathing' is used to play the instrument. It may sound impossible, but in 'circular breathing' air is breathed in through the nose at the same time as air is being blown out of the mouth to play the didjeridu. This technique allows a skilled didjeridu player to maintain a continuous sound on the instrument for as long as the player wants.

The term didjeridu is onomatopoetic and not of indigenous origin. That is, didjeridu is a word of Western invention, first coined in the early part of the 20th century to describe the sounds made by the instrument. 

More Copying from other websites! This time:

http://www.mahalo.com/Didgeridoo

Another Australian Icon

 What is Vegemite?

Vegemite is considered as much a part of Australia's heritage as kangaroos and the Holden cars. It is actually an Australian obsession that has become a unique and loved symbol of the Australian nation.

A Vegemite sandwich to an Australian kid is the equivalent of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to an American kid - but the taste is QUITE different!

Vegemite is one of several yeast extract spreads sold in Australia. It is made from leftover brewers' yeast extract (a by-product of beer manufacture) and various vegetable and spice additives. It is very dark reddish-brown, almost black, in color, and one of the richest sources known of Vitamin B. It's thick like peanut butter, it's very salty, and it tastes like - well let's just say that it is an acquired taste!

Australian children are brought up on Vegemite from the time they're babies. It is said that Australians are known to travel all over the world with at least one small jar of Vegemite in their luggage, for fear that they will not be able to find it.

This informaiton was copied directly from: http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/VegemiteHistory.htm

Two things I found especially interesting:

• Vegemite was included in Australian WWII soldier and sailor rations
• Its made from a by-product of another Aussie obsession:BEER! There is quite a strong drinking culture in Australia... heavy drinking, not just social drinking. I found it interesting that they can kill two birds with one stone when making Beer and Sandwich Spread!

The Red-Eye Flight to Oz

The morning we were to leave Qingdao for our holiday in Oz dawned cloudy and coldish… and... a rarity in our coastal city... snowy!

Millie burst into our room that Sunday morning, and said, “Guys, you really need to look outside! It’s so beautiful!”

And it was. I was one of the most beautiful December events we’ve seen in Qingdao. Our naked little trees in the backyard were perfectly outlined in the heavy white stuff, which also dusted the row of small pines across the back of the yard.

 “Can't we just stay and play in the snow?” asked Eliza a little short-sightedly.

 “We NEVER get to play in the snow in China,” she added defensively (a good argument since we've never had measurable snow fall during our tenure in Qingdao.)

 The snow tapered off, only to start up again, more heavily shortly before we needed to leave for the airport. We began to get a little worried about our flight. Qingdao is not exactly prepared for snow, as we saw in the ways locals “shoveled” with brooms and they way they drove (which was exactly the same way they usually drive, but since it was wet, slick and frozen, resulted in fender benders and worse along the high way where they traveled at greater speeds!)

We shivered as we deposited our winter coats in the back seat of the van, and quickly whisked the kids in to the cold interior of the airport. Our flight was delayed. But... only a little delayed! We boarded the plane. We cleared customs in Hong Kong without incident. We made our connection and nine hours later stepped out into summer—blue skies, warm air, bright sun, and green leafy trees. It was 10:00 a.m. and we had a whole day waiting for us. 

In about 12 hours we left a snowy bleak midwinter, for bright southern hemisphere summer sunshine!

SYDNEY: Day One 
Sean and the girls overlooking Sydney Harbor with the Harbor bridge in the background 

Stinger Suits

It was jelly-fish season, on the GBR, so all snorkelers and divers were encouraged to wear stinger suits to prevent getting stung by the jellies. (Don't jellyfish and the Great Barrier Reef automatically make you think of Dory in Finding Nemo?) It also made me think of Seinfeld's great sketch about clothes. I must add that this much lycra is flattering on no one above the age of 9!)

I think eventually fashion won't even exist. It won't.
I think eventually 
we'll all be wearing the same thing.
'Cause anytime I see a movie or a TV show

where there's people from the future of another planet,
they're all wearing the same thing.
Somehow they decided,
"This is going to be our outfit. One-piece silver jumpsuit,
V-stripe, and boots. That's it."
We should come up for an outfit for earth.
An earth outfit. We should vote on it.
Candidates propose different outfits, no speeches.
They walk out, twirl, walk off.
We just sit in the audience and go,
"That was nice. I could wear that."
Jerry Seinfeld

Partying Like Its 2009

New Year's Eve

Fireworks Display over Victoria Harbor

Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

HONG KONG

(Don't think for a second that we won't post oodles of photos of Australia!!)

A Very Aussie Christmas

We've been in Sydney for just over three days, long enough to hear several, "No worries," "Yeah right" and be addressed as "luv, dear and mate." We've enjoyed touring Sydney's iconic opera house, and the views of the stunning Sydney harbor (including the Harbor Bridge, where we viewed other brave tourists scaling it!) We've taken the ferry to Manly and the Taronga Zoo, been wowwed by the beautiful Royal botanic garden and attended the Childrens Christmas mass at St. Mary's Cathedral on Christmas eve with thousands of other Sydney siders. We've experienced Australia's troubled past, rich texture of culture and their amazing array of fauna at the Australia Museum. We watched ripped surfers ride the waves @ Manly beach and dined alfresco on what else, but equally iconic Fish and Chips.

Today is Christmas Day and we're heading off to experience more of Australia's holiday traditions... the beach in December!!

A CAT Christmas

"Marry" Christmas!!

A Caterpillar Christmas @ the Joliet facility usually consisted of pizza and beers at Cemenos from 5:00 -8:00 the Wednesday night before the Christmas holiday began (with the department managers picking up the bill.)

At the Qingdao CRDC facility, however, the members of the employee engagement committee take their roles very seriously. They too ordered pizza, but in addition also ordered in a stuffed turkey from the Shangri La, which Sean was on hand to "carve" with a meat clever (the only knife available) and which was served up on flimsy paper plates sans silverware. The dark meat went immediately, while Sean and his remaining Western colleagues (who have yet to leave for home or holidays) savored thick slabs of white meat. 

After the meal, they started into games. Winners could chose a wrapped gift from under the tree (which was decorated only as high as they could reach... check out the photo above!) The first items to go were new bed pillows. Sean was the lucky recipient of a Shirley Temple DVD!