First few days in Sydney

It is the beginning of the end of my travels, but I’m not complaining. I have had an amazing time taking a vacation for a year. When I’m back to work it will no doubt feel like it flew by, but when I look back at all I have done it doesn’t seem like it now. Nicaragua seems so long ago.

I’m in Sydney, Australia now staying at Ali and Jason’s flat in the Glebe. It’s a great family energy here. Jim and Cynthia are visiting much to the joy of their grandkids, Gavin and Rhys. Christmas music has been playing, the tree was decorated this morning, and Mr.Jingles is making sure everyone behaves.

We have had a fun-filled few days and I was pleased that I didn’t catch jet lag and even slept on the flight out of SFO. Day 1 was off to the Tea Room set in a Presidio type area near Balmoral Beach. Ali, Cynthia, Ryhs and I had a delicious lunch and I had my first of what I imagine to be many, glasses of Australian wine. I went with the Eden Valley Riesling to compliment my Thai-flavoured Barramundi wrapped in banana leaf.

I had order envy of Cynthia’s cheese soufflé and salad which she paired with the more local Hunter Valley Semillon. I’m looking forward to trying a few more of these wines, as you don’t see Semillon as a single variatal very often.

Great views from the Gunners Barracks.

Before calling it an early night on Day 1, Jason cooked us shrimp on the barbie which we chased with some Clare Valley Reisling. Day 2 started early, after dropping Gavin at his last day of kindergarden, the rest of us visited Sydney’s Italian neighborhood, Haberfield. Coffees and pastries were consumed, meats, cheeses and breads were purchased. These snacks came in handy for Ali and my adventure to Cockatoo Island. The island, now a national park, was a shipbuilding facility (hello Mare Island) and a prison.

An Outpost art exhibit was free on the island including some Banksy works (not tagged walls from the UK, but still cool).

The last two were not Banksy, but I liked. Another cool part of this island is you can rent tents and camp out. I call the next photos Occupy Cockatoo.

It was a gorgeous sunny day and I quickly learned that the Aussie summer sun means business. Must wear sunscreen next time. Our sunburns appreciated the ice cold beers at the Royal Oak pub in Balmain.

More to come on Sydney adventures and a few posts to follow going back the last few months.

~ by lp on December 10, 2011.