I think the Aussies and Americans are a lot alike. I don't really know any Australians (only Steve Irwin and Paul Hogan--ha, ha), but it seems like you share that same wild frontier spirit that Americans have. I'm sure you've got your liberals down under just like we've got them here, but you don't seem to be as socialistic (is that a word) as Europe.
No Pavlova on the desert menu. OK - that's a mistake! Gotta have pav.
What kind of dish is that? What does it taste like? Sounds like a Russian word. Maybe you can send an e-mail to Outback and tell them to get the pav on the menu.
Yeah, there's a lot of similarities between Aussies and Americans, and at least some of that comes from a somewhat similar history - both countries had a big frontier that had to be settled by tough men and women. Actually, to Australia's advantage (in my opinion, at least) after gold was found here in the 1850s, a lot of men who'd been in the Californian gold rush came here, and had a pretty decent influence on our developing history. This year is the 150th Anniversary of the Eureka Stockade - the closest thing to a civil war in Australia's history - when the miners on the gold fields stood up for their rights. The basic issue was no taxation without representation - and a fairly significant number of the men who stood their ground that day were from America.
As for pavlova. It's a type of meringue desert, covered with cream and slice fruit. It's either Australian or New Zealand - both countries claim it, and nobody has really been able to sort it out. What is known is that it was made in honour of the Russian Ballerina, Anna Pavlova during a tour of Australia and New Zealand, and was named after her. It's become the ultimate Aussie desert. It is genuinely nice, though it crumbles easily.
