Bangarra's Blak at the Sydney Opera House!

Ahh! I've literally just come back from the Sydney Opera House with Margaret!! She took me to see the Bangarra Dance Company doing a performance called Blak! It was soo great! Bangarra tells stories of Indigenous Australia through dance. It was spectacular.

I mean, that's it.
The design and lighting was simple and absolutely gorgeous. The concepts were rich and very well thought through. Although sometimes I felt it was hard to actually decipher what was going on (I didn't have a program, you have to pay for them!) but nevertheless it was wonderful, dynamic and the music was breathtaking.
I can't say anything else, because words can't describe such a spectacular performance.
I have never seen anything like it before!
So now I've seen it all, done it all! Finished seeing Sydney on a beautiful note. Seen the Botanical Gardens to the Harbour Bridge to getting lost in the city to the heads and the beaches to the aquarium and now a performance at the bloom-en Sydney opera house!
I am definitely one lucky bug.

Darling Harbour and the Aquarium

Well, today I got up early! 8 am! WooT! Much too early for holidays. But this was all preparation for going into Darling Harbour. It was really cute and quiet waters. Not at all what I was expecting when it's called a 'harbour'! But it was still pretty! (We were supposed to get 20-30 mm of rain today, but didn't get a drop!)

Also, the National Maritime Museum is based in Darling Harbour so as I was walking over the bridge, I got a sneak peak at the replica of Captain Cook's Endeavour!

I also visited the aquarium today, which I had been planning on a free day if I had time. It was okay. I think the one is Melbourne's better, but it was still cool. They had platypus's swimming around as the first exhibit, but I couldn't get a good photo. I liked the underwater tunnels the best I think.

(I think after visiting the aquarium, I know how my fellow Calgarians feel now in the floods...) The only thing about this aquarium is that I felt ripped off, it cost me $38 to get a single entry...that's something I think is a little too expensive. And then, they took photos in the beginning and I thought- okay, if I get a photo then that's okay, but then to get the photos in the end, they cost an extra $35!! Ridiculous! So I thought' no way, no thanks. I have better things to spend that money on- like chocolate or dinner or presents or accomodation or something, but not over $70 for a aquarium. No thanks.
After the aquarium, I then visited a little ye olde shopping strip called the Strand. It was pretty cute, but filled with expensive shops. But I bought presents there anyways. Then I visited a new mall that was really close, and I literally walked in, said 'wow', and walked back out.
Then I got the bus at around 1 pm, and got back to Lane Cove 1:15-1:20ish, ate lunch at a wee sushi bar. Spicy Ramen, green tea and for dessert, green tea ice cream. Not the best green tea ice cream, but it was pretty darn yummy still!
So I stayed there not doing much all the way until 2:30 and then came home. Quite a successfully touristy day, I believe!

PS. Harrison, when I called, I knew it was your birthday, I sent mum and dad a facebook message to wish you a happy birthday but obviously you didn't get it...so happy birthday lil' bro!

Coastal Sydney

Today Laurie and Margaret took me to see the open ocean! First of all, we stopped off at The Gap which gave us spectacular views of the coast and of the Heads and of Sydney! I thought this picture below was worth taking. People apparently come up to these high cliffs and commit suicide here. It's an absolutely gorgeous place, and they have these signs everywhere..which I find quite sad. But if it works, it's definitely worth it.

 But as you can see, amazing views! We then moved on into the little town of Watson's Bay, where we ate lunch at the pub! (Very yummy soup!) There were also nice views of the harbour, and there were loads of ferries coming in to town. I even saw a pelican! Apparently whose beak can hold more than it's stomach! Pretty sweet random fact!

From Watson's Bay, we then visited Bondi Beach! Vast and gorgeous beach with huge waves! I even saw real life surfers!! And even there were a few people swimming in just bathing suits- and I saw one girl in a wetsuit! I thought, wow, brave! It was pretty chilly and really windy along the beach, but it was so pretty- totally worth the visit! We then have coffee and cake in the local cafe "The Bucket List" which was actually really good! Then when we went back to the car: the curbside where we had parked was quite high, and Laurie (a fantastic parallel parker) had parked quite close to the curb so it was a little hard to get in and out of the car! So he pulled out a little more, and Margaret and I climbed in...then Margaret couldn't close her door but it was stuck on the curbside!! It was really funny, seeing her trying the lift the door to get it unstuck! :P That was a fantastic wrap-up to our visit to Bondi Beach!

After Bondi, we visited Tamarama. A little place were Dad used to have a flat, and it's beach was absolutely gorgeous. A lot more rocky and narrower than Bondi, but I'd have to say, even more gorgeous. But I wouldn't go swimming there- it looked quite dangerous!

On the way home, we then visited Waverly Cemetery. It's located on the high cliffs on Bronte, beautiful place. It was opened in 1877 I believe, and it's known for it's intact Victorian and Edwardian monuments. It was absolutely gorgeous. They were very large monuments, and there were hundreds of them, and it came with a fantastic view of the ocean. We saw graves from 1914 all the way to 2006. I'm sure there were graves older than that, but that was good enough for me. Absolutely stunning and very very nice.

2 Days at Home and in the Kitchen

The day before yesterday, I didn't do much or go anywhere. It was a stay at home kind of day! Which I thoroughly enjoyed!!

Yesterday was also that kind of a day although I was doing a little more! I baked a whole shwack of brownies and most of them are gone already!!

I also cooked some corn fritters for dinner which ended up being a big hit! WOO!!

Yesterday was also interval-ed with SEACHANGE!

Today is a day filled with boring stuff! I'm going to the library to get the justice person to sign all my stuff to be able to go and get a medicare card, then I'm sorting out my bank stuff and the highlight is going to the post office to get stamps and send off some postcards! hah and of course coming home to watch more Seachange!

Blue Mountains

I saw a BUSH TURKEY this morning!!!!!! Straight out of my window into the creek just beyond the back garden!! It looked just like a turkey!! haha


Today, Laurie and Margaret took me into the Blue Mountains!! It was absolutely fantastic! We went to a place called Katoomba and had coffee before we did any adventures. After our rejuvenation, our path took us to a lookout point.

Which ended up giving us a fabulous view of Gordon Falls

 and the Blue Mountains. I now believe why they call it the Blue Mountains, they actually are blue!
We then stopped at the visitors centre to admire The Three Sisters and the view of the Blue Mountains, absolutely beautiful.

We then went to a place a little father called Scenic World in the Blue Mountains. A tourist attraction. They have fantastic views of the 3 sisters and the whole of the valley.

 This place is known for the Scenic Railway which is the steepest passenger train in the world at a 52 degree incline!! It was quite scary going down I have to say!! The whole time I was thinking, "Oh my gosh, it's going to throw me out..I'm going to die!!" But I didn't die, the view of fantastic even if the ride was very iffy!

 It's also known for the Scenic Skyway, which takes you between the two cliffs on either side of Jamison Valley. It's the highest cable car in Australia- 270 metres!

The Cableway was closed which is Australia's biggest cable car and goes into the Jamison Valley just like the Railway. Then the Walkway in the valley which you can get to via the Cableway or the Railway, and it's the longest elevated boardwalk in Australia. It's walks total 2.4 km. So we rode on the Railway first which was frightening. Then we walked which was really cool, reading all about how that steep railway was put in place to mine coal! We saw some photos of the old rail car which is so freaky, and I'm sure I would have died in there!

Then we rode the Skyway which was pretty neat and the views were magnificent. By the end of it all, we were absolutely starving! So we drove around and around, 2 different towns, to try and find a place that was open!! I was so surprised that everything was shut! But it's not because it was Sunday- it's because they all shut at 4 and open again at 6!! WHO KNEW!??  I think it's absolutely ridiculous and absurd to close between those two times! That's my meal time! But apparently, it's normal here. I have to say though, the places that ARE open get ALOT of business during those 2 hours!

Overall, another MAGNIFICENT DAY!

Extrodinary day of reelllaaxxatioonnn!!

This morning I slept in, until about 9:52 am. Woot!

We walked into the little village in Lane Cove and had breakfast in a really cute cafe. Where we ate, and wrote, and Margaret read the paper. It was so nice, I have to say! And when I had to go pee, the lights in the toilets were off..and I couldn't find a switch anywhere..so that was rather awkward. Peeing in absolute pitch darkness! But oh well, I managed :P

Then we visited to library and got movies out which included: The Queen, The Man from Snowy River (I didn't finish it at Nanu's), 27 Dresses (Margaret hasn't seen it, and I think it's quite a good chic-flick), Inkheart (which is better in book format), and Northanger Abbey, and there is another one, but I've forgotten what it is...

So then we went to the fruit market and bought lots of fruit, and then we saw chocolate and couldn't resist- so we bought some of that as well :)

Came home, and had a cup of tea along with some Operation Ninja trailers- the ones I made for our martial art studio ;) Then brought down some oranges and the chocolate and watched The Queen! Super cool and really interesting!!

So tomorrow- Laurie and Margaret are taking me to the Blue Mountains!

A day of wonder, wander and lostness!

So I'll start from the very beginning!
I woke up.
Then I skyped my daddy for a little while. At around 11 am, I walked into the little shopping lanes in Lane Cove to post my letters. Then I caught the bus into the city. I almost got lost finding the Virgin shop again and they told me that I did have the simple plan even though the guy who sold it to me yesterday told me I had the cap plan...so that was weird. So no yelling required after all. So I decided I was going to walk around to see that little park Margaret had showed me yesterday. I found that quite easily, so I wandered around there which was absolutely gorgeous. This place is called Hyde Park. In this park, there's the Anzac Memorial which I had a good look at which was actually really really interesting!

Quite enjoyable. Then, I wandered around the other end of the park towards a large fountain to which led me to St. Mary's Cathedral.

 When I went inside, I was a little worried I wasn't supposed to be there because the organ was playing and everything, so I left quietly after looking around a little bit. Very beautiful church.

I then decided that I should head towards the Royal Botanical Gardens. I pulled out my map and walked around to try and find myself, and I stopped while I decided to head one way...then a lady came up to me and asked if I needed help. So I said 'yes please! I'm trying to find the Botanical Gardens.' She pointed me in the opposite direction in which I had decided to go and told me very precise straight-forward directions which led me there no problem!
Once I arrived in the Botanical Gardens, my walk slowed considerably as my feet were beginning to ache.

The plants and trees were incredible and I went all the way to the tip of the Gardens to a place called Ms MacQuaries Point and it had spectacular views of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge!

I then walked back to the Garden Cafe for a muffin and mocha for lunch. It is quite a considerable distance the whole way I walked!!

 The picture below: The tree on the left actually gave off a blueish hue and looks fuzzy!!

So after my break, I continued along the waterfront and went up the steps to the Sydney Opera House, which is absolutely stunning close up, which gave me also a fantastic view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

I then walked along the waterfront between the Opera House and Circular Quay which is the ferry/bus and train terminal.

 Where I saw people singing, and some aboriginal music and dance, the classic artists and the cute overpriced tourist shops. I walked along the front to The Rocks and went up to the visitors centre. Along the way there was a little market which was cute and there was a stand there that sold chocolate...but I stopped myself.

So I didn't actually go to the visitors centre- it's just a checkpoint really before a cute little shop that I buy my postcards at. So I bought more postcards and I then saw the time: 3:20. And so I thought I should be starting to head home.
So I returned back to the Circular Quay and stopped in at a information desk to ask about how I catch a bus that goes to Lane Cove. This guy told me to go up to MacQuaries Place just up the road and there are buses stopped along there. So I went okay, and I trudged up there only to find that none of those buses had the number I want. I asked a lady if she could help and she didn't know. Then my phone came in handy and I called Laurie and Margaret for help. Margaret told me to take the train to Town Hall, and then you'll find the QVB and the buses will be right along there. So I did as I was told and returned to Circular Quay and bought a 3.50 one way train ticket. It was fun and totally embarrassing using those ticket slot things because they come out and I thought once you entered that was it, so the guard there had to yell at me "TAKE YOUR TICKET!' so I had to go back and get it. He pointed me to Platform 1 where I waited 10 minutes for the train. The train was easy and getting off was easy too. Town Hall led me to an underground shopping centre..so I followed the signs to the bus stations and then all of a sudden the signs stopped!! So I thought, okay, I need to see the sky now so I can try and find my way, so I took the stairs and I ended up being right at the QVB so that was good! I saw a ton of buses stopped on one side of the street and so I walked up and down there looking for a sign that said C because that's the one I needed and I could see the letter E standing there, so I thought C couldn't be far away. So I wandered the street and I couldn't find any other letter so I stopped to ask a person at a street stand. She had no idea and it was now getting late, it was around 4:50 pm now and getting dark. So I walked back down the street and I found 2 security guards standing about, so I decided okay I'm going to ask them. Good decision! They were very nice and kind, and one of them had the perfect app on his phone to tell you where the bus stops are located! So it was very very nice and easy and he gave me the perfect directions and I found station A and B and D. NO WAY, I though. C must be around here somewhere! And sure enough, I walked back a little and I found C. I waited 15 minutes for the bus and it was easy getting on.
One thing I've noticed which is really different from Calgary is the people that line up for buses. They don't just stand in crowds like Canadians do, they line up straight alongside the street. No one is standing behind the other, they are all next to each other in a straight line. I thought this very funny. But I couldn't take a picture because I was on the bus. SO I then arrived at my stop at 5:30, and arrived at home at 5:45. Spoke to Laurie and Margaret about my day and they marked out the maps so I won't get lost so much. I showed them my photos and we had a delicious dinner. Talking about movies- and it's great Margaret and I both love period dramas!! Like EMMA!! WOOT!
Honestly though, my feet are really tired and sore. So is my butt and hips. My left knee (the one that's weak) is aching too. I walked too hard. :(

So on the agenda for tomorrow, is a relaxing day. I'm going out for breakfast with Margaret to write in a cafe while she reads the paper. Then in the afternoon, we might go to a market because it's saturday.  So nice and relaxing!!

So here is a picture of a tree I saw in the Botanical Gardens, and I thought 'Oh, how cute it actually has birds in them." But when I showed Laurie and Margaret at home, they told me they were actually bats! So I've seen BATS!