Australians really love diminutives; they call breakfast "brekkie" and biscuits "bikkies." This is sort of understandable, because cookies are often rather cute, especially before they swiftly meet their doom in my stomach. Even breakfast, you can sort of understand that kids might find it easier to say brekkie, and thus it becomes an accepted term. They even call themselves "Aussies" more often than "Australians." Football becomes footy, and yes, we love Australian Rules Football. It is a graceful and agile game, and likening it to rugby is as clever as likening a car crash to kite-flying. Forewarning: those who try will be forced to eat an entire burnt bikkie that we suddenly have a surfeit of. Our housemate has recently taken to experimenting in the kitchen.
More to the point, Australian even have diminutives for things that kids wouldn't normally say, and that you just wouldn't consider cute. Consider for a moment a mason. Like, a stone and brick mason. Now, these are people who do hard physical labor, people who work outdoors and with their hands, these are rugged people. This is not a cute job. Regardless, Aussies have determined that calling these workers "brickies" is completely appropriate.
And you thought Japan was obsessed with cute...
But wait! There's more: what you and I–what we–as completely sane speakers of a form of English, call "cheddar cheese" is (in this wacky upside-down country) called Tasty cheese. Can you believe it? It's on restaurant menus and everything: tomato, avocado, and tasty cheese on focaccia. Why? Why?! Maybe it's the lack of a North Star, they just can't get themselves straight.
So, what's going on with us? Well, not a whole lot since the last post, except that we went to the Royal Botanical Gardens and I (separately from the gardens) got a library card--AWESOME! For the first time in my life, I'm in reasonable walking distance to a city library. The Waterloo branch has an incredible Russian collection of books, CDs, books on tape, and DVDs, and suddenly, I'm considering learning Russian.
The Royal Botanical Gardens is beautiful and, of course, free...I might be getting spoiled in this city, what with its free museums and parks and gardens. You might already know that I am an avid tree photographer, and there are trees here that are outstanding. They look like part-time models. As in, when they're on the street, depending on the street, they would definitely be in the top three most beautiful trees on the street. Depending on the street.
This one looks like folded fabric, a stage curtain. Some of these trees form cradles with their roots that hold rainwater.
I don't know what kind of tree this is, but they are so bare and clean, they form exquisite shadows.
Craig took this one; I think it's just a gorgeous picture. Again, Sydney abounds with natural beauty...it's overwhelming.
We're really looking forward to going to the Botanical Gardens in the spring when everything's in bloom. It's a great place because they invite you to walk on the grass, hug the trees, and picnic there. It overlooks the harbor and is some of the best real estate in Sydney. But rather than building condos, they've just made this beautiful oasis of simple quiet green in the most citified bustling part of town. It's really lovely. Can't wait to take you there--come visit us soon!
Oh, and take a look at our Picasa page sometime...Craig got some great photos of Sydney University's graffiti tunnel, which explains the title of this post.
Nija, you make me laugh. I love when people write exactly the way they talk, and that's what you do. Its like I can hear you from all the way across the world. Yay!
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