Look right...

I'm getting much better but it's worth the mention. It is SO hard for the mind to be able to reorient itself to everything being opposite! I've been here before and to London plenty of times and in parts of Asia they drove on the left side of the road (although it hardly counts as the exception often was the rule there), but wow, I really really have to pay attention when crossing the street. Every time I think it's starting to come naturally, I end up in a bit of trouble.

Now a bit of housekeeping - sorry about the days I took off the blog without explanation. I hope it wasn't too much of an inconvenience. Luckily for you, I have tons to write about. (and if you are Rob who only reads this on Sunday's with a cup of coffee, it should be there ready for you JUST in time!)

Friday, July 29
So as I've mentioned before, I am a HUGE fan of public transportation. While I wouldn't say Sydney has the best (no subways, metro system, etc) they do have a pretty cool option- FERRIES!! Anne and Tom walked me down to the ferry stop where I rode into Circular Quay (that's pronounced "key," not "kway," which is how I said it until I was politely corrected.) ferries are SO cool! You get a beautiful view of the city and different bays from the water, you can feel the fresh air on your face if you choose to sit outside, and, they have free wifi on board!? That just blows my mind. I didn't use it (I'm trying not to be THAT glued to my devices), but I am thoroughly impressed.



These are the things you are NOT supposed to be on the ferry.

From Circular Quay (which is located just between the Harbour bridge and the opera house, I headed to "the rocks," which is the first settlement in Sydney and SO rich with history. I first found myself at a little street fair, and I'm not really sure whether it was a regular thing or not but I outraged around for a bit. I the found myself at the Sydney Visitors Center, which lead me to the Rocks Discovery Museum. Entrance was free so I headed on in. Interestingly enough, I was there just 20 minutes before the last July lecture in a series of Friday "talks on the rocks," so I wandered the museum and then sat in on the lecture. My biggest takeaway from the museum was what small crimes the original convicts who were sent to Australia were guilty of. Over and over there would be mentions of people who had originally been sent over because they forged a one or ten pound note, or stole a loaf of bread - things that might get you a court date and a small bail in the states, not banishment to a far off prison for a few years and then either a trip back or a trip over for your wife! My other takeaway is how brutally the aboriginals were treated. Little is even known about aboriginal history as so many were killed and so much was distorted by the settlers. The main ways in which historians can learn about aboriginal ways of life are based on paintings of them done by the settlers at the time, sadly. The lecture was also very interesting because the lecturer was a half aboriginal man who is very much a mix of both worlds. He is a botanist at the botanical gardens but also participates in many dance and song performances to keep his clans traditions alive. He spoke about how it is hard to lump all aboriginal history together as there are over 250 languages and even more dialects within Australia so very much is lost or abbreviated.

For lunch I went to a really fun historic pub in the rocks called The Hero of Waterloo. I sat at the bar and ordered. It was then that I learned how fun it is to be the one with the cool accent. It's really funny the contrast between here and Asia. While there it was so beyond clear that I was a foreigner, suddenly now I look completely natural in my environment. But the second I open my mouth I become extremely interesting to those around me. Where am I from? What brings me to Australia? For how long? Etc, etc. Being on my own, I am more approachable, so I am constantly asked for directions (a lost cause and they realize it before I can even get to the second word), fir the time (and thus begins the, "oh! You aren't from around!" thing). I'm sure it an get old, but I'm really enjoying it for the time being. Everyone wants to tell me where to go, what I should be doing, etc.



My pub, opened in 1842. "Rumor has it that there are secret tunnels that connect the pub to the harbor in order to shanghai unfortunate drinkers onto ships" c/o my guidebook.




I went on to the old observatory (which is no longer functional but has a museum attached). I learned about the importance to the harbor that the observatory originally has as it was the means by which all boats could tell the time. There was also a very interesting display on an aboriginal take on the stars and their link to the earths creation.

As I headed back in no hurry to the ferry, I stumbled upon a little museum called The Savvanah Place, which is a collection of four connected townhouses and an attached general store built in the 1840s and housed 150 families (not al at the same time) until the last resident moved out in 1990. It was very interesting the way the socioeconomic class of residents changed in the area over the years and how little was updated over the years (the residents who lived there in 1990 still had an outhouse!)



The museum is a conservation project so nothing leftover has been taken away. This means layers upon layers of paint and wallpaper.



The four old doors. Inside each room is differently decorated to match a different time when there were residents. Many of them from memory by tenants, children of tenants, or grandchildren of tenants.
I'm pretty sure it was a very random site to visit on a first day in Sydney, but interesting nonetheless.

That night we went to see HARRY POTTER! I had been so worried when i realized the movie would be coming out while I was on my adventure. That goodness for Australia!
I was very pleased with the last movie and felt it upheld the book as well as it could burin just devastated that its all over!

Saturday, July 30
Anne and I woke up at the crack of dawn to go to the big fruit and vegetable market. It was freezing but so fun to see the huge warehouse of fresh goods. We got enough for the feast we decided to cook for the evening (more on that in a sec).



It just went in and on.

We then hurried back into town for Paddy's (Anne and Tom's 17 year old son) rugby game. Now I know very little about sports, and very little about American Football, but compared to how much I know about Rugby, I'm a football expert. The Paddy's team took a beating, but they fought valiantly (according to me, so remember the source).



I just love the rugby uniforms (this is a picture of the opposing team though), they looks so collegiate I think.

That night I put my Thai cooking classes to use at our dinner party! I made both the Tom Yum soup and the Pad Thai that we learned at our Bangkok cooking classes, and they turned out well! Score! I cant wait to do more when I get back to the states! Anne had a few lovely friends over and we ate, drank and were merry late int the night.

Sunday, July 31
Anne and I met her friend Kathy at a wonderful brunch spot overlooking Bondi beach (one of Sydney's most famous and beautiful beaches). We have been so lucky with weather and today was not exception.



The view from our balcony at brunch. It is the middle of winter here. Paradise.

I then went for a wonderful run along the two bays that surround the point that Anne and Tom live at.



I love how dramatic all the little boats are. The "gate" encloses a small nay that is called a pool in this instance.



My feet in the sand. Running on the sand may be good for you, buti find I very hard!



I guess I'll just hop on over to London then...

When I had been at The Rocks on Friday, everyone kept mentioning the Aroma Festival that was to take place today. A festival for coffee, chocolate, and teas from around the world. Well that just sounded fantastic! So Anne and I headed over to check it out. It was a zoo, but totally worth it!



Me sipping a divine white hot chocolate! I was THIS close to buying a big package to bring home and then I remembered customs. Unmarked white powder, looks a lot like...




Along side the aroma festival was the weekly rocks handicraft market. It sold beautiful clothing, woodwork, and artwork. Markets are really becoming quite a theme for me on this trip, and I must say, I'm loving it!

These evening Anne, her sister Mary (a native Aussie who now lives in Italy) and I, went for drinks at a tapas bar that their younger brother, Bill (an architect), designed. We had a fabulous time sipping wine and dining on the most delicious dishes - a trout that was sliced and tasted like smoked salmon, am amazing grilled cheese I'd never heard of, and a quesadilla made from a spicy cheese.



Me and Anne at drinks at wine library.

Sydney may not be as foreign and exotic as the places we went I. Southeast Asia, but it certainly is grand!

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