Day 56: Darwin

Took a touring break today and didn't do much of anything.  Walked down to the waterfront and had brunch in a nice restaurant overlooking the harbor.  Walked around a bit -- and then just hung out and read.  Unbearably hot in the sun -- but actually nice in the shade (and fortunately there was a good breeze today).

Tomorrow I'm off early to Kakadu National Park -- in hindsight, I should have spent 1 or 2 nights out there -- it's going to be a long day in the bus.

Random information about Australia:

• Australia's six states represent the six British colonies that joined together to create the Commonwealth of Australia (in 1901).  In forming the Commonwealth, the states approved a Constitution that gave the Commonwealth government the right to pass laws on certain subjects, and allowed the states to retain all other law-making rights.  States therefore have a constitutional right to convent a state parliament and pass certain laws.
• 6 states:  New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia
• Any land within Australia's national border that is not claimed by one of the states is called a Territory.  Territories do not have the right to convene their own government or pass laws as the states do.  The federal government makes the laws for the territories.
• But -- there are self-governing territories (Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory, Norfolk Island).  In these 3 cases, the Commonwealth passed a law allowing each territory to convene a parliament and make their own laws in a similar manner to the states.  Unlike the states, whose powers are defined through the Constitution, the powers of these territories are defined in Australian Government law -- which means that the government can alter or revoke these powers at will.
• 10 Territories:  Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory (like Washington DC), Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Australian Antarctic Territory, Coral Sea Islands, Jervis Bay Territory, Heard Island and McDonald Islands
• At some point -- I'll blog about Governors (appointed by the Queen), Premiers (like US Governors), etc.

Weather:  mostly sunny, clouds in the distance, big thunderstorm in the evening, 77 - 93F, 82% humidity
Miles Walked:  4.6

Book/s Read:  All Mortal Flesh by Julia Spencer-Fleming.  5th book in the Rev. Clare Fergusson / Russ Van Alstyne series.  I've decided to read the series straight through (well I started a little off by reading the last one (#8) first).

Pic Notes:

• 1:  Parliament Building
• 2:  palm tree roots (looks like a bunch of worms to me)
• 3:  old town hall that was destroyed in the Cyclone in 1974
• 4:  lagoon netted off for safe swimming 
• 9:  northern version of the Masked Lapwing
• 10:  big ship coming into the harbor