Broome......again!

Playing with the neighbours radio flyer!

 We are finding it difficult to leave Broome and with the Shinju Matsuri festival (the festival of the pearl) on this week, it was great to get involved in some community events.  We started this week with Fathers Day, which is why this blog is dedicated to our lovely Daddy and husband!!

Last week we were driving home from Cape Leveque on the Saturday and I made a worried comment that it must be Father's Day soon.  My lovely husband told me that it was the following weekend as he knew that I wouldn't be able to organise anything special by the next morning.  So the next morning I noticed that the family next door were celebrating something and the father had a home made crown and a superman symbol pinned to his top.  Of course- Fathers Day!!  So our fathers Day was postponed for a day and Daddy was given a home made card by Flynn and a bag to put his fishing gear in.  We had pancakes for breakfast and made a big deal out of Daddy!

Pancakes for Fathers Day

Dinosaur footprints

 The disappointing thing for my wonderful husband is that I not only forgot Fathers Day, but I forgot our wedding anniversary (well I remembered and then forgot on the day).  As per usual Nick spoilt me and I had a facial at the Cable Beach Resort (which was really posh) and was given a special boab tree necklace.  Maybe I have got into the swing of Broome time!!

While here we visited the dinosaur footprints, but unfortunately most of them were under water as the neighbours read the tide chart wrong.  Our neighbours are from New York and are travelling with two little boys the same ages as ours, so the boys had a great few days playing with each other and checking out some new toys.  We all drove down onto the beach for a sunset dinner.  The boys nuded up and had a great time running around (there wasn't much dinner eaten).  The sun set, the camels went by, and the two little ones who are toilet training left a few surprises in the dark.  Hence, dinner finished abruptly!!

Dinner on Cable Beach

Sammy the dragon- Flynn not sure!

We went to the opening of the festival at the courthouse markets on Saturday and saw the highlight of the festival- Sammy the Chinese dragon.  The opening begun with a welcome by an aboriginal elder, some performances by school kids and then the dragon was woken by the oldest Chinese citizen of Broome.  The blindfold came off Sammy, the crackers and drums started and the dragon sprung to life.....and Flynn nearly started crying!  The dragon danced around the market for ages with a whole heap of kids banging drums and cymbals.

We headed down to the family fun day at Cable Beach.  There was a sand castle competition which was fun, except all Flynn knows of sand castles is that you jump on them.  Sorry to the family with the whale...we weren't quite quick enough.  Luckily the damage wasn't too bad and we found out later that everyone was a winner!  Flynn joined in the tug of war, and so did mum!!  Flynn had his face painted, played the big Chinese drum and had a turn of wearing a small, kids sized dragon head.

The last few nights have been a full moon, so the staircase to the moon has been out.  This is where the rising moon reflects on the mud flats at low tide and it looks like a ladder going up to the moon.  It is very pretty, particularly since the moon has been a deep red colour these past few nights.  There is a party atmosphere during the staircase to the moon, and on the first night we watched it from a hotel where they have a live band.  As the moon rises they have a didgeridoo player.  Flynn loved hearing the didgeridoo play animal sounds.  He raced around, danced to the band and terrorised the crickets for a few hours.

Flynn on the tug of war

On our last night in Broome we went to the night markets at the beach.  As part of the festival there was a 'festival of lights' held on the sand, once the tide had gone out.  It was really fantastic.  Local musicians wrote the music and lyrics, which were stories about the local area and school children from the Broome primary schools were the chorus.  It was really beautiful with big paper boats, fish and birds lit up, dancing to the music.  It ended with some fire twirling.

Boabs all along the road to Fitzroy Crossing

 We have finally left Broome after a month here and in Cape Leveque.  We swan everyday and thought the community at Broome was interesting and friendly.  While we were in Broome, Aidan has started walking and there is no doubt that Nick and I are about to get a whole lot busier with chasing two energetic boys around!

We are on the road to Darwin today.  First stop is Fitzroy Crossing.  We took our time to travel the 400kms, stopping to check out a huge boab tree at a rest stop.  We are looking forward to seeing some fantastic country on our way to Darwin.