2023 Alaska, Asia, Australia, Arabian Peninsula Trip
Day 83/105 - Sydney, Australia, Day 4, Pancakes, Chinatown, Australia Museum, Cantina OK!
Nothing specific on the agenda today meant we could sleep in and not rush this morning. We did just that. We got up late, showered, lounged around a bit, and then headed out in search of a late breakfast.
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| Queen Victoria Building |
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| Darling Harbor |
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| The round building is The Exchange in Darling Harbor - it is wrapped in swirling wood |
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| Interesting art as we walked under The Exchange's overhang |
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| The wood wrapping sweeps out to form this canopy, complete with shade umbrellas |
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| Oh, to be young again... |
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| We found what we have been searching for - Pancakes on the Rocks |
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| Brekkie (Aussie for breakfast) really hit the spot today - we walked away stuffed |
We wandered south a block and saw this.
Market City is an indoor market with hundreds of shops. Everything from phone accessories to racy undergarments to hats to fresh fruit and veggies to socks to fresh fish and meat to sweaters and UGGs to jewelry. If you've ever been to the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, this is a lot like that without the high-end gold and such, and on a smaller scale. Still, there was aisle after aisle of interesting things to see. I'd show you some of the really fun underwear and slinky outfits, but those shops had strict "no photo" policies.
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| We did see these two wandering around spreading Christmas cheer |
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| HO HO HO from Santa and an elf (and us) |
We continued our wandering.
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| Interesting Kewpie-like cutouts were hanging over the alleyway |
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| We made our way to Chinatown - this is the south entry |
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| Sharp-eyed readers may notice that we picked up new hats at the market |
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| The north entry to Chinatown |
We continued north and east for a few blocks.
We reached the south end of Hyde Park and the Anzac Memorial. Anzac stands for Australia and New Zealand Army Corps and is generally used to reference anyone who has served in the armed services for either country. This memorial serves to honor all those who served in the Australian or New Zealand armed services and gave their life for their country.
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| This is inside the structure |
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| An eternal flame |
There is also a museum of artifacts below the memorial. It contains remembrances as well as first-hand accounts from soldiers.
We continued north in Hyde Park.
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| A statue of Captian Cook |
It might just be me, but when I look at that statue, all I can see is Jon Lovitz on Saturday Night Live as Master Thespian, "I was acting..."
Our next stop was the Australian Museum.
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| They had a special exhibition on Ramses the Great (Ramses II) for a fee - we've been in Ramses I's tomb in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, so we skipped that |
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| This was the first thing we saw and we thought it was hilarious |
The museum was a pleasant surprise, especially after yesterday's museum disappointments. It offered nice collections of animals, nature, minerals, history, and more. We enjoyed it.
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| We got a kick out of this huge gold nugget partially encased in quartz - I'm wearing a ring with veins of gold trapped within quartz that we got in Alaska |
We continued north in Hyde Park, eventually reaching St. Mary's Cathedral. Built between 1868 and 1928, this gothic-style Catholic cathedral was constructed from locally sourced sandstone.
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| A wedding was happening so access was limited |
At the park's north end, we saw the Archibald Memorial Fountain.
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| Earlier, we saw the Queen Victoria Building - well, here she is |
It was approaching 4 p.m. and we decided to find someplace for cocktails. Searching Google Maps, we settled on a place called Cantina OK! over on Clarence Street, right behind our hotel.
We wandered a bit. Google Maps said it should be right here, but we didn't see anything. No signs. No building. Nothing. Until we saw this down an alley.
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| The guys inside waved us in - this was it |
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| It turns out that this is one of several speakeasy-type bars with no signage that are located in back alleys - you need to know where it is to find it |
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| An old-school ice shaver for making frozen drinks |
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| The margaritas were really good, but pricey at $AU24 (About $16 US) for a smaller drink |
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| No seats and standing room for perhaps eight customers |
The staff was terrific and we enjoyed our time there and the margaritas. We returned to the hotel for a bit before heading out to find something light for dinner. That breakfast really stuck with us.
We popped in a couple of places and like most we've been in, they were unreasonably loud. Everyone is nearly screaming to be heard over the others who are screaming for the same reason. It seems to be an Aussie thing and everyone does it.
We wound up at a place called The Barracks. It was quieter, but as it filled up, the noise ratcheted up like all the other places. That is until 6 p.m. when it got deathly quiet. This particular establishment plays "The Ode" every day at 6 p.m. and everyone in the place stands quietly. We had no idea what was happening.
The Ode of Remembrance is a poem that is commonly recited at Anzac Day services to commemorate wartime sacrifice. The Ode comes from For the Fallen, a poem by English poet and writer Laurence Binyon. The poem was first published in The Times on 21 September 1914. It was later published in the Winnowing Fan - Poems of the Great War.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
Of course, as soon as it was over, the din returned in spades. We discovered that there was additional seating downstairs and went down for some peace and quiet. We both had four chicken wings which was perfect. We stopped by Coles, a local grocery store, to pick up some pop (or soda for the non-Michiganders) for the room. We also got these as we've been told that no visit to Australia is complete without them.
I've got to say, they are pretty darn good. Friday is in the books. Tomorrow, the heat is supposed to arrive for one day. Saturday's high is expected to be 40°C or 104°F. Yikes! Friends and next-door neighbors from our world cruise, Rob & Deb, will be cruising through Sydney tomorrow on Celebrity. We were going to meet them and take a ferry to Manley Beach. With temps like that, we've revised plans to meet and go grab a bite somewhere with air conditions. You've got to roll with things as they come. Day #4 is done and another success.
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