Feld Notes

To serious matters, our first full day back at home is on Australia Day / Invasion Day. After a fantastic time away travelling, as always I’m keen to reflect on just how fortunate I am to live in this country (specifically the Dharawal Nation here in NSW) and to be able to afford such things. I may not be fully English in heritage but I still benefit from the mainstream ‘whiteness’ that endures in Australia.

Indigenous Australian peoples have long suffered and continue to fight for their acknowledgement and sovereignty across the nation; people like me need to understand how their current good fortune relies on the hard work and misfortune of others.

Yosemite National Park is absolutely sublime. Apart from idiotic tourists around every corner doing ludicrous and even dangerous things, it was unimaginably peaceful. It also surprised me how little bird noise there was, unlike what we’re used to in Australia. Everything was completely still.

I’m glad that @NTKF and I left this to the very last full day of our trip here. We’ve seen some amazing places, however the built environment can never match nature.

Alcatraz Attendant

(As we waited in line for our audio guides…)

Attendant: Two Australians?

Natasha: Yes, how did you know?

Attendant: You’re wearing a Kathmandu jacket.

🤯

———

Ohio Man

(Walking into the lift together…)

Ohio Man: What a lovely evening we’re having!

Martin: Yes, the weather’s been fairly mild, hasn’t it?

Ohio Man: (wide-eyed) Oh! Across the pond… or Down Under?

Martin: (with a smirk) We’re from Australia.

Ohio Man: Oh then welcome to you! Although I say that, I must clarify that I’m not from California; I’m from Ohio myself.

😂

Martin: Hello, how are you?

Shopkeeper: Hi there, I’m good! Tell you what, I’m visiting where you’re from very soon! My daughter’s living there right now.

Martin: …and where’s that?

Shopkeeper: The UK!

Martin: No, Australia…

(Two minutes later, looking at tea towels)

Shopkeeper: Now I know that you’re affiliated with the UK because you know what tea towels are!

FIN

Along with @NTKF, it was great finally to visit Apple Park, 1 Infinite Loop and the famous Apple Garage, feat. the lovely @Burk and @alcedine for coffee at the park’s visitor centre.  ❤️

Attendant: Have you heard of Brokenwood Mysteries?

Martin: No, I haven’t. What’s that?

Attendant: You haven’t?! Brokenwood Mysteries is a great show. It’s from her country! (pointing at Natasha)

Martin: (wondering which country he must be from instead but deciding to let that go) Which country is that then?

Attendant: Australia… oh wait, my mistake! It’s a Canadian show.

Martin: No worries! Yes, we’re from Australia and I haven’t heard of that show. Is it a true crime one?

Attendant: No, it’s a whodunnit. Wait, no… it is definitely Australian! (She starts to check YouTube.) See them, in the picture! Do you know them? It’s an Australian show.

Martin: (checking on Wikipedia) It’s from New Zealand.

Attendant: Oh yes, that’s right.

FIN

Today, @NTKF and I wrapped up our tour of Los Angeles, starting and ending the day with visits to Griffith Observatory. Los Angeles is a complicated place and certainly isn’t my favourite destination but this particular spot upon the mountaintop made it all worth it.

The views there are spectacular—day and night—and we relished the opportunity to use the publicly accessible 12-inch telescope. Not to mention, the Samuel Oshin Planetarium displayed a fantastic show called Center of the Universe and the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater showed a short documentary on the history of the observatory, hosted by Nimoy himself. Hilariously, he introduces the theatre in the video and watches himself on the screen, turning to give the camera a cheesy smile.

Also, the scientific exhibits wouldn’t be complete without a cool demo of a Tesla Coil.

Visit this special place!