I’ve had these photos in my camera with a view to writing this post since…oh about Christmas time??  That’s just nuts… FINALLY, as it’s been about that long since I was working full time I’m starting to get on top of all the fiddly little jobs that mean I’ve actually got some time/headspace to get on with this!

I am excusing myself from going walking this morning because it’s [ahem] p*ssing with rain outside today. Of course I could get on my treadmill instead… but need I tell you how long since I got on that??  I didn’t think so… I’m sure when you’ve cruised with me through the photos of my daily (Ed. cough, cough… daily?  Define daily!) walking route you’ll understand why walking in the real world is infinitely more interesting than getting on the treadmill…

So, below is the Google Maps overview… and as with most images around here, if you click on them you can embiggen them… (yay for technology…) so click on this and you’ll see what part of the coastal walk between the Spit Bridge and Manly looks like from a Google Satellite (or low flying plane…).  I’ve marked in red the areas where these pics were taken, and if you look
closely you’ll see a light coloured line hugging the coast, which is,
of course the path I take. (Nicely paved… no bushwhacking required!!).  I
actually have no idea how far it is but if I walk at a brisk pace from
one end to the other and back it usually takes me between an hour and
15 and an hour and 30 to complete…

Image number one is taken at the beginning of the later end of the
North Harbour section of the walk and is looking at boats moored in
what I presumed is the North Harbour Marina, but upon consulting the
Oracle it appears to be Davis Marina, clearly a private enterprise.

This is a common sight, the path is always quite busy, morning and
evening with other people walking either themselves, their kids or
their pets (generally dogs) along the foreshore. Lots of regulars and
always lots of visitors too. Though not generally at 7am when I’m off
down there…

Given that this stretch of water is harbour there are few waves, it’s
stunning for swimming in and there are often lots of mums and kids out
and about in the shallows. This isn’t to say of course that it’s a
millpond, there’s enough movement to throw up a plume like this in
places.

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The internet is, as we all know, a marvelous thing.  As we also may well be aware, a fairly large corner of the internet these days is taken up by facebook on which, I probably make more of my presence felt than I do on my very own blog. (For shame).

In any case, facebook reintroduced me to an old Kiwi friend from my cubicle days who now lives with her new husband, in Az, USA and recently she messaged me querying whether I was up for meeting her brotherinlaw and if so would I play host to some degree! As it happend, within minutes of agreeing I had a query from Hoff (the b-i-l in question) and within a week he was here in Oz and we were making plans to meet!!

This is the programme we worked out.  It was an awesome time!  If you want me to do the same for you let me know!!! I’m always up for showing off or recommending sights in this amazing city!!!

Day One.

We met at lunchtime at Circular Quay where I was fresh off the boat, and on Saturday the initial plan was to take a ferry out to Watsons Bay for fish and chips at Doyles but the weather was a bit grey and not nearly gorgeous enough to show off the harbour in her best light so we opted instead for laksa at Malay Chinese. Not a bad choice to introduce someone to laksa for the first time at the best laksa restaurant in Sydney!!

We then walked from there to Darling Harbour, past the Queen Victoria Building and down to the Powerhouse Museum which was housing an exhibition of Star Wars paraphenalia.  It was crowded, due to it being the weekend AND school holidays and perhaps we could have had a bit more of an interesting look around the Australia Museum, but it was a reasonable way to pass an afternoon nonetheless… Once we were done we took a restorative coffee on the way back towards the Rocks where we were planning on having dinner, and watched the world and its dog go past.  Had a game of spot the tourist adding points for guessing WHERE they were from…

Newly fortified we went up to the Rocks for dinner at Caminettos , chosen because the food is pretty good and reasonably priced.  It was also a lovely precursor to what was going to be an evening of Italian Opera at the Sydney Opera House where we attended the double billed opera Cav and Pag (“Cavalleria Rusticana & Pagliacci“). Which, given that Hoff was and Opera virgin was actually a pretty good choice for a first time.  I loved it!  We had seats in the circle where the surtitles were at eye height so there was no neck craning to check the translations and try to see what was going on and the music was fabulous, even for me, whose bent runs more to light opera than the real thing…  I felt pretty blessed to have been invited and I think Hoff was happy to have the company of someone whose musical tastes are flexible and who gets so engrossed that they don’t notice when their escort has nodded off in places…  Then of course I was back on the ferry and up to the Beaches for home.

Day Two.

We met up at much the same time on Sunday only to find the Watsons Bay ferry was jammed full, so we started with a coffee at Rossini’s on Circular Quay to kill time before the next one. At  $4 for a teacup sized coffee it was was overpriced, no doubt due to its prime location and maybe I’d not have begrudged such a price if the coffee was good… but sadly no… I hope their food is better!!!  Haven’t tried… anyone? 

We bolted the coffee down when it was clear that Sydney Ferries had added an extra service to Watsons to accommodate the large crowds clearly in need of Fish and Chips and so we got over there for lunch and a New.  The fish and chips are still great, though under pressure of the large crowds I think the chips were being rushed through a bit… got a bit soggier than I remember… and the portions were smaller than last time, which, however, actually is good, because I never manage to eat it all!!!  Then we walked along the beach to settle the food in and caught the ferry back to Circular Quay.

We were taking advantage of Sydney Transports Daytripper passes which give you unlimited metropolitan travel on the Trains, Ferries and Buses and so we caught the train to Central Station and then a Bus to Bronte Beach.  I have to give kudos to the STA at this point as unlimited travel for a day at $17 is totally worth it, particularly when my fare from Manly and back is $12.60 on its own you very quickly get more than you’d pay for in normal terms. I was also really impressed with their 131500 info line where you can get a real person to tell you where to go… I know… brilliant.

We got to Bronte where we walked the gentle coast walk from there to Bondi (45min from Bronte to the Icebergs), which on a stunning day, such as it was, couldn’t have been better.  We finished off at the ‘bergs for a beer at this Bondi icon’s club room where we met up with 2 other of the Hoff’s acquaintances and then, at their recommendation walked along Bondi Beach to North Bondi Italian Food where I was completely spoiled with a gorgeous dinner where we started with Salmon Carpaccio (yes, I actually ate raw fish, and it wasn’t smoked.. AND it was yummy) and finished with a perfect Lamb Cacciatore (I think), in which the meat was absolutely divine!  Can’t please a Kiwi girl better than with beautifully cooked lamb!!!

The day was amazing, and the company great!  But seriously, get yourself down here, I’d love to do the same with you… 

“We’ve a table booked at the Ocean Room. Dinner at 7, is that ok? Not too early?” (Are you kidding? Dinner at the Ocean Room? I could make it work ANY time…)
“I’ll meet you there, parking’s arranged, they’ve got your licence plate registered at the gate”
“Really? That’s really thoughtful of you, thanks!” (I’m a bit grateful it’s parking… in the carpark that’s always full, down at the Rocks. Lucky me!)
Of course an occasion like this demands best bib and tucker so I had prepared my hair earlier in the morning and gone the full blow dry with style rather than manic wave the hairdryer in the general direction of the head. You’ve got to make an impression on these occasions, don’t you think???
I went home after work and got decked out 100% sharper than the usual ‘jeans and shirt’ garb, and made my way into town.
Bit of a marathon. Traffic.
Snarl.
However, got there in time, was handed a bubbly beverage at the door and mingled a little with the bods at the bar.
Gorgeous venue. Ocean Room is down on the Sydney Waterfront. Directly across the water from this big old white building that looks a lot like the Sydney Opera House… (oh, wait a minute… ).
The chair pulled out for me, the napkin laid gently in my lap, the ambience cool genteel. The company congenial *smile*.
Dinner, chicken breast slivers on a bed of rocket doused in a beautiful vinagrette served with mustard fruits (I still haven’t worked those out).
The main a t-bone on a bed of garlic mash and spinach beautifully cooked steak. Diviiiiine dahling, divine!
Dessert a cornucopia of mint, chocolate, icecream and brownie arranged in what can only be described as an artwwork. I so wish it could have been politic to take photos. The food looked too good to eat.
He stands, raises his glass, and speaks. I’m transfixed, my heart a little fluttery…
“Ladies and Gentlemen, we’ve gathered together today to honour the extraordinary… (the edges of my vision go blurry and his voice fades into the background as some signal a thought is trying to get a foothold in the forefront of my mind…)
Sh*t, there it is…
I get up from the table in a hurry and say…
“Oh crap, I’m supposed to be taking photos of this”

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