MELBOURNE vs SYDNEY

A question came in via the Email Machine:

Hi Sean,

A Guy referenced you as a source on Oz / Melbourne. I can't find your blogging on either. Were you born there? Did you choose to retire elsewhere due to how cut off Oz is?

We are planning to immigrate if Victoria will have us. We chose Melb as It is has a European flavor, good climate and liberal cosmopolitan attitude as well as being one of the most livable cities. I appreciate your help. So I'm all ears...

Sincerely,

J___



My Reply:


Sydney versus Melbourne? I lived in both cities for many years. They are both terrific cities, for several different reasons.


Sydney's got the Harbour Bridge:


Yes it really DOES look like that at night.


Me? If I was fabulously rich, I'd live in Sydney. I'm not, so I would probably choose Melbourne, I like it's style. On the other hand, if I was fabulously rich, I could live in BOTH. As far as I'm concerned they BOTH have European flavor, good climate and as you say, a "liberal" cosmopolitan attitude - although be advised: Down Under, the Liberal Party is synomynous with the Conservative Party in Canada, or the < gasp! > Republican Party here in the Good Old U. S. of A. Sydney is like a big North American metropolis (a lot cleaner though) and Melbourne is somehow more civilized, sophisticated in it's own way.



Melbourne has a LOT going for it:



The Great Australian Pub Culture is celebrated to its highest form in Melbourne.


Chloe, seen at the Young and Jackson Hotel, Flinders Street, Melbourne.




Australian Rules Football is a product of Victoria.















The Mighty 'Pies.











Sydney on the other hand has the amazing harbour, and some of the greatest scenery in the world, especially the North shore.




Here is the link to my posts on Melbourne:

THE ORIGINS OF STORMBRINGER


The follow-on story, about the bird infestation in the place I was born:

PENGUINS



















Funniest thing happened to me about the last six months I was in the Army; I was babysitting the fresh meat just coming out of jump school, coming into our program. This one new guy, he was Australian. I had to say something, so I asked him where he came from?

"Australia, Sergeant."

"Yeah, like no sh*t Sherlock, I meant what part?"

"Sydney, Sergeant?"

"No sh*t? What part?"

By about now he's looking me in the eye. "Uh, Bondi, Sergeant."

"NO SH*T???"

I had to reveal myself then - I used to live in Bondi, went to Bondi Elementary, learned how to surf & swim on Bondi Beach and damn near drowned in the process; I know that place like the back of my hand.



Bondi Beach

You see and do a lot in the course of a military career but that moment floored me. Turned out he'd done a hitch in the Australian Army, in their airborne battalion, then he came over to give Uncle Sam's Lean Mean Green Machine a go. Good on ya, kiddo.

ETERNAL VIGILENCE DOWN UNDER

. . . paid off this time, thankfully:



Australian police thwarted a suicide terrorist plot in which extremists with ties to an Al Qaeda-linked Somali Islamist group planned to conduct an armed assault on a military base and open fire with automatic weapons until they were shot dead themselves.

Some 400 officers from state and national security services took part in 19 raids on properties in Melbourne, Australia's second largest city, before dawn Tuesday, arresting four men and detaining several others for questioning.

"Details of the planning indicated the alleged offenders were prepared to inflict a sustained attack on military personnel until they themselves were killed," police said.

Australia Foils Terrorist Plot to Attack Army Base

AUSTRALIAN AIRLINE ANNOUNCEMENTS

I have spent some time in the Antipodes. The humor is dry as the Outback and served up with a smile like schooners in a Sydney pub. Here are some real examples of 'Down Under' airline in-flight announcements that have been heard or reported. Enjoy! - S.L.


On an Air NZ Flight with a very 'senior' flight attendant crew, the Pilot said, “Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants.”

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On landing the hostess said, “Please be sure to take all your belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it’s something we’d like to have”

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“There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways to leave the aircraft.”

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As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Auckland, a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: “Whoa, Big Fella . . . WHOA!”

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After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in Adelaide, a flight attendant on a Qantas flight announced, “Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as sh*t everything has shifted.”

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From a Qantas employee: “Welcome aboard Qantas Flight X to Y to operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don't know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public un-supervised.”

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“Weather at our destination is 32 degrees with some broken clouds, but we'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than Qantas Airlines.”

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“Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments.”

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Heard on Qantas Airlines just after a very hard landing in Hobart: the flight attendant came on the intercom and said, “That was quite a bump and I know what you are all thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight attendant's fault . . . it was the asphalt!”

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Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: “We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal.”

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An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, smile, and give them a ”Thanks for flying Qantas.” He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had got off except for an old lady walking with a cane. She said, ”Sonny, mind if I ask you a question?”

“Why no Ma'am,” said the pilot. “What is it?”

The little old lady said, “Did we land or were we shot down?”

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After a real crusher of a landing in Sydney, the Flight Attendant came on with, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Captain Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. Once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we'll open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal.”

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Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: “We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of Qantas.”

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A plane was taking off from Mascot Airport. After reaching a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom: “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number XYZ, non-stop from Sydney to Auckland. The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax . . . ARGHHH ! ! ! OH, MY GOD ! ! !” Silence followed. After a few minutes, the captain came back on the intercom and said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry if I scared you earlier, but, while I was talking, the flight attendant brought me a cup of coffee and spilled the hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!”

A passenger in Economy said, 'That's nothing. He should see the back of mine!'

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