Magical History Tour: Downtown Sydney

On the second day, we took the train into downtown Sydney to see the sights and play tourists for the day. Shabd and dad spotted an expansive woven wall. To the credit of the artist, we all hurried over to touch the seemingly soft patterns against the building, only to be surprised by the rock hard reality of the artwork. It was cement! The strands of fabric had been plastered over! Who knew a grey wall could be so intriguing...


It seemed as if the Ibis birds were Sydney's equivalent to pigeons in New York City. Fluttering around the squares and streets in the masses, their dumpster-diving ways keep them in the race for dirtiest birds on the block...



We saw so many interesting trees both inside and out of Sydney's city limits. This was one of many along the sidewalks between the streets and parks in the inner city, but it especially caught our eyes with it's incredible root system and stature. In the humid climate, many species of trees thrive to provide not only much-needed oxygen for a large urban landscape, but also a plethora of beautiful backdrops for a breathtaking visual experience.


The first stone of St. Mary's Cathedral was laid in the early 1800s. The architectural design, like that of most European/European-influenced structures of this period, is intricate and extremely detailed, providing history, beauty and a simple lesson in the often-forgotten building methods of our ancestors (replaced by build it cheap and make a profit...) - build it strong and build it steady; build it right the first time, and it will last...


As you may remember, Giorgos and I caught Theo Nick peeking through the barred peep-hole of the mountain monastery door in Velventos, Greece. At the time it was just a little joke picture for the family to laugh at. However, it has become my little tradition with Nick. Now I've got pictures of 'Nick in jail' in Australia and Greece. I wouldn't say he enjoys being held captive for my photo shoots, but he is a great sport about it all and his children LOVE the pictures. Anything they can do to put their pops behind bars for a day, I guess, as the family pranks are a staple of the Agoratsios way.


In an otherwise fun-filled day, the sobering truths of the Aboriginal history in Australia serve as a much-needed reminder to Aussie's that life has been harsher on many, and to keep perspective on how mistakes of the past must become lessons for the future. A huge program has been pushed not only to give reparations to those hurt, enslaved and massacred in the colonization of the Australian continent, but also to educate those who do not fully understand the history of suffering of the Aboriginal people.

Our European and American ancestors have made similar mistakes in search of new land and natural resources, exploiting and killing both Native Americans and slaves alike (we can't honestly call them mistakes, but I have no other excuse for this terrifying treatment of one human towards another). The one major difference between these two examples of terror is that of population. Australia has a meager population of roughly 27 million people. For such a large amount of land on this continent, it is even more painful to think about how the Europeans had to go out of their way to attack and enslave the Aboriginal people. This strikes me somewhere deep down in my heart - it pushes violently with a dull pain deep inside my mind - the choice to attack and nearly decimate a culture as beautiful as the Aboriginal one with so much space in the surrounding areas to avoid such confrontation...


My intent here is not to distract from your enjoyment of our family adventures and the blog, rather to underline the sad realization that no matter how beautiful a landscape or a population as a whole, there is always a history when you dig deeper. The exhibit of Aboriginal peoples and culture serves as a tool to educate and remind Australian's and tourists alike that we can strive for a better world. The artwork and cultural history on display is incredibly beautiful and original. It was a pleasure to take the positive out of this educational experience, enjoying every bit and piece of the Aboriginal history offered at Sydney's 'Australian Museum'.

Cockatoodle-Doo

On day two, we had quite a bit of down time around the house/neighborhood which we spent relaxing with the family.

Our family compound is in the photo below - Uncle Nick and Aunt Vicki live in the center house with our cousins Theo and Tina. As neighbors have moved on over the years they've bought the house to the left, where cousin Con and his wife Nicki live, and to the right where cousin Irene, her husband Cameron, and the little rugrats, David and Luke, live. Everyone comes in and out of the houses, shares an interconnected backyard, and has dinner together at least 3 times a week. Even in Australia the family ties that unite a Greek family hold strong.


In Nick and Vicki's back yard are all sorts of wonderful plants and animals. They grow their own herbs, tomatoes and cucumbers; they have chickens (and the accompanying all-natural fresh eggs), classic alarm clock-sounding roosters, rabbits and even a dog!



We saw a Cockatoo hanging out in front of the house chattering away with her friends around the neighborhood. They call the cockatoo their "white crow" - we still can't get over what crazy animals they just have wild around here!



(Papa Cameron with little Lukey)


Luke and David climbing all over each other...they are wild little guys!


Shabd tried 'Vegimite' for the first time (a spread Aussie's put on bread, sandwiches, etc...)



Now that I've left behind college parties and the 'creative student's penny-pinching pad designs', it is a really strange feeling to see Christmas lights up in the summer time. But then again, the toilets here in Australia flush 'backwards' and the roads and highways are driven in opposite fashion than what we are used to in the US, so it's not such a surprise. As Cam explained to me, the neighbors across the street have added a few pieces to their glowing arsenal of Christmas lights each year.


Thirty-five degrees Celsius, meet Santa Claus.

Let's Throw Another Shrimp...Err...Lamb...On The Barby

In fitting fashion, we began our Agoratsios family adventure in Australia the same way we left our Agoratsiou family adventure in Greece - with a barbecue! (Oh, and don't worry, that isn't a typo, Agouratsou is just spelled in about twelve different ways...)

So we had finally arrived home to the three-house Agoratsio family compound after 30 + hours of travel, again immediately spoiled with food, drink, and family pouring out of the cracks. Theo Nick and the boys brought out a whole lamb, stuck it on the spit, and hooked it up to the bbq/smoker all while Thea Vicki (Nick's wife) and the ladies prepared the tables heaps of other food for the party.






Before the food was ready, we played with the kids (and the adults) for what seemed like hours...Soccer and penalty shootouts, bubbles, tag, and their favorite: chair races!! Damn these little munchkins are cute!





We spent time over the meal to get to know our family better. Cousins, aunts, uncles...everyone... The fun-loving and playful nature of Nick and the boys is great entertainment.





The similarities (both physically and in every other minuscule aspect of their being) between my father and his newly reintroduced brother Tim are uncanny. Such great families to call our relatives and such great fun still to be had in the coming week of Agoratsio adventures...


Getting to know everyone on a more personal level has, thus far, been quite a treat. I keep telling myself how lucky I am to have these opportunities - to travel to Greece one week after my 25th birthday; to travel to Australia for Christmas - the destinations one dreams of seeing in his or her lifetime. Travel perks aside (and even with all of this writing on the blog) I can't put into words how fortunate we are to have such incredible relatives both in Greece and in Australia.







A wild rainstorm ripped through the Sydney suburbs during our party. It was actually kind of cool to see the weather change so drastically in a five minute period and to hear the heavy thunderous blasts of rain drops slamming into the corrugated metal roofing over head. Along with the parallels I noticed between Sydney's afternoon thunderstorms with those in Boulder, Colorado (where I attended CU-Boulder for college; where summer storms happen like clockwork at 3pm), the rain gave us all a chance to slow down and really get to talk with each other on a deeper level. In fitting fashion, we laughed loudly like the sound of the water on metal; we cried under the pouring rain from the skies.


Here is a view into my most personal gut feelings and reactions: this situation with so many new family members (and the accompanying warmth and love and kindness) is a world I never thought I would be a part of; I never thought my sister or my mother, or most importantly my father would be a part of. Until this year, the Agoratsios and my father's childhood/long lost family had been a distant memory of his, and nothing more than a reticent bedtime story to my sister and I. But from the minute he received the first phone call this spring, it has been a dream - a literal life-long-impossible-unimaginable (other than in my dreams) dream - come true.

Breakfast With Iron, Man

Dad always said olives were high in Iron...





Though it felt like it was late in the afternoon (due to our jet lag, time difference, and grey and rainy skies), it was still only 9 am when we arrived back to the house. Aunt Vicki (Nick’s wife) began to prepare breakfast for everyone as we sat around the table telling stories over coffee and tea. We were exhausted; we were refreshed and energized to get to know the rest of our long-lost family. Maybe the 9:30 am shots of Tsippouro (home made grape liquor) that uncle Nick poured for us had something to do with it? Yeah, probably…




Irene and Cameron’s sons David and Luke (5 and 3 years old) ran around the kitchen, dining room, and table getting us to play games with them as we all caught up from the years lost. As we had arrived amidst the Christmas craziness, they even had awesome new super-hero costumes to show us. Apparently they think I look like Iron Man, because they demanded that I put on the Iron Man costume and fake fight the bad guys with them!

G'day, Mate! Welcome To Sydney

Just like his birthday surprise on the airplane, dad had no idea the treat he was in for upon landing. He knew Irene (uncle Nick’s daughter) and her husband Cameron may be there to welcome us, but he was shocked to see more than the half of the Australian Agoratsiou family in the waiting area. The biggest surprise of all was to see his brother Tsimos (Tim), who wasn’t able to join us in Greece this summer. He wanted to be there waiting to greet him after 50 years apart.


In what was another heart-wrenching moment, dad and his brother embraced immediately, breaking down crying with happiness after so many years had passed. Their priceless expressions and loving smiles warmed us all up, allowing mom, Shabd and me to feel some of our father’s rarely exhibited emotions.


It takes something special to evoke his inner colors, but when this happens it is truly a beautiful experience. From Greece to Australia, my father has really let loose and lived in the moment, something we’ve all thoroughly enjoyed.