Kakadu, continued

Hi all,

This post is going to have to be a quick one, as this computer shuts down internet service in 20 minutes. I left you on my Yellow Water cruise in the middle of Kakadu last time, didn't I? Let's see if I can at least get you to shore!

I was talking about all the birds that we saw on this trip. Bird lovers would have gone crazy. In fact, there were a few people on board who had their bird books with them, and binoculars with which to see all the birds better. Some of the birds we saw we have in the US, like egrets, but many of the others we don't, so it was cool to see new species that I would never have seen if I hadn't been here. The boat driver and guide told us all sorts of cool stories about the birds, as well as the other flora and fauna (plants and animals) we saw. One of my favorite birds we saw was the sea eagle, which looks rather like our bald eagle. In Aboriginal beliefs, when someone dies, this bird comes and gets the soul of that person and takes them off into the sky, to another world after this one. We also heard about the darter bird, whose beak is so long, sharp, and pointy, that the bird spears their fish with their beak. Another beautiful bird we saw was the Jabiru, the bird the town is named after. It's a special kind of stork, the only true stork found in Australia. We acually saw one sitting in its nest with its young. It really is a beautiful and majestic bird, especially when you get to see it fly. Other interesting birds included the azure kingfisher, a brilliantly colored little bird that eats fish, and lots of different kinds of ducks, none looking like the kinds we have! As we headed down the billabong and out onto the river, we spotted a HUGE croc, and our guide pulled the boat up beside it- really, really close, like within 6 feet of it! We could see every detail of its scaly skin, long tail, sharp teeth, big eyes. I have never been that close to a croc in my life, and was I ever glad to be in a boat! He was about 10-12 feet long. We saw others along the way from a distance, including a baby, sitting on the bank with his little mouth wide open...and all those sharp teeth showing!

Anyway, the river and billabong cruise was a lot of fun, and very educational. Our guide knew tons of stuff, and any questions people asked him about the plants and animals, he was able to answer; any animal or plant we asked him to identify, he knew what it was and even more. He was pretty amazing,and made the cruise really great.

After the cruise, Sasha and I headed to Marradjin Culture center to learn more about the aboriginal people who live in this area. Remember, while all aborigines have Dreamtime, the different tribes live differently, depending on their area of the country, habitat, and own dreaming stories. The people of this area are called the Bininj. They believe their creation ancestors came through the land in the Dreamtime, creating all the features of the land around them, and then gave the laws and ceremonies that form their culture, and which they follow. They also believe that some of the ancestors turned into rock ar, which is in hundreds of areas at Kakadu. Their culture has certain rules about whether men or women do certain tasks, and other rules about how people are connected to each other, the animals, and the land around them. I would like to explain more to you about this, but it is really complicated, and would take too long to explain here. Maybe I can draw you a chart when I get home! Anyway, in the park, there are important or sacred places that are called djang, or dreaming sites, because they are related to the journey of some of the creation ancestores. That's where we were headed next, and will be what I tell you about next time I write. Gotta go for now...I only have 3 minutes!