Saturday, July 6, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. on KPBS TV / Stream now with the PBS App
In Australia's Northern Territory, gorgeous sandy beaches, delicious food, and iconic animals come together to give visitors the quintessential Australian experience. Samantha receives a traditional Aboriginal welcome to the "top end" of Australia in an oceanfront ceremony that includes a song of friendship, a didgeridoo performance, and native dance. "Auntie Cindy" teaches her how to make damper bread in the campfire and proudly shares the fact that Aboriginal Australians are the oldest continuous civilization on earth.
Later, Sam visits a gallery dedicated to Aboriginal art and learns traditional weaving techniques from the artists there. She ends her day with a festive trip to the Mindil Beach Sunset Market where she samples exotic food, enjoys live music, cracks a whip, and applauds with the locals as the sun dips into Darwin Bay.
Next, it's off to the bush for Samantha as she encounters wallabies, takes an airboat ride into big crocodile territory, and ends the day indulging in the 5-star accommodations of the Finniss River Lodge. The adventure continues in Litchfield National Park where she marvels at termite mounds more than 20-feet tall and takes a bush walk through the rainforest to discover fruit bats, edible ants, and a magnificent waterfall-fed swimming spot that is too pretty to miss.
Back in Darwin, Samantha tours the Cenotaph War Memorial and relates the story of Darwin's strategic importance as the connection point for a telegraph line that connected Australia to the rest of the world, as well as the Japanese attack on Darwin Harbor during World War II. With its proximity to Southeast Asia, Darwin is home to a rich tapestry of food influences and Sam explores a local favorite at the restaurant ELLA where she samples the insanely delicious food of Chef Minoli De Silva.
Sam caps off her adventure with a trip to the Deck Chair Cinema where she takes in the ocean views and delightful atmosphere of Darwin before settling in to watch a film under the stars.
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