Running in Sydney Park

This morning I went on a 4 mile run in Sydney Park. It's currently 68 degrees here, and I'm feeling good!

Yves' apartment is the white building on the left just below the trees. CBD is in the background.

Sydney, a Kindred Spirit

 I stayed up past 9pm, so Yves and I went to a local bar called The Hive Bar. I got a 4 Pines Heffeweizen, which is brewed in Manly.

Pittsburgh is awesome because it's where I'm from; it's home. Sydney is awesome because it's like a kindred spirit.

Sydney pics!

"Spotties" -even a nickname for a "Spotted" cookie

And yes, that nickname is longer than the regular name.

Chilling with a caramel latte at Sydney Harbour

Today I was out and about and really enjoying walking around on my own with nowhere to go (except a lunch date), no time to be anyplace, and no phone (that is turning out to be fantastic). It was great. I:

• Walked to King Street in Newtown to see the different shops
• Took the train to the CBD and a ferry to Darling Harbour to meet my friend Jared (Westminster) for lunch
• Walked to the Queen Victoria Building (sorry), which is a five-story, upscale mall
• Caught a train at St. James Station and went back to Circular Quay (the stop at Sydney Harbour)
• Chilled at the Harbour with a caramel latte and cookie and was just grateful for an awesome life full of countless, abundant, and amazing blessings
• Took the train back to the apartment but explored by walking in a new direction and went back to King Street... I bought a hat. It's ugly and I don't like it, but also I like it and I want it. It will grow on me. 

That's a cool thing about Sydney, everyone just wears whatever they want, which is very "me." There are so many different styles and feels here. As far as I can tell, there is no predominant style (except for "Tom" shoes, everyone has them) -- you can just be yourself and it's cool. People have intentional, trendy (I guess) mullets, people have partway shaved heads, young people are growing mustaches, some people don't wear shoes...

This place is very diverse and full of tourists, and it's common to hear other languages more often than English, and I take notice when I hear an Australian accent because it's not that usual as I travel around. ...Unless the Aussies are quieter than the tourists... Except in Manly where there are Australian supermodels who are bartenders and servers. I mentioned this to Jared, Manly is where he lives, and he agreed, laughing that they must bring in outside talent. At the Bavarian Bier Cafe on Saturday I even laughed to myself wishing Emmi was there to see the unreal hotness of the servers there. Super. Freakin'. Models.

The other thing I've noticed is that there aren't many people around, or any people around, who enforce safety. I think there are just fewer rules about that kind of stuff? At Shelly Beach people were out sitting on these rocks above the water and it was perfectly ok. Along the Coastal Walk people climbed outside the fence and stood on the rock cliffs, and no one was there to keep people from doing that; I actually think it is permitted. Very different from how things are in the US.

Finally, and importantly, ice cream is available everywhere. Ice cream is to Sydney what dive bars and pizza joints are to Dormont.

Well, I'll put up another beach picture so we're ending on a high note, and I can keep your interest to come back and visit ... I promise I'll talk about more exciting things than hats next time ;)

Love you!

Obama thinks Vegemite is "horrible," and I do too

Australians love this paste called Vegemite; they smear it on their bread, and it is one of the grossest things I've ever tasted. It tastes terrible. Look at it -- it's disgusting!

President Obama visited Australia last week, tried Vegemite, and declared it "horrible." HAHA You can read about it here.

Coastal Walk

AMAZING!

I saw some of the most incredible beaches and landscapes, and the beauty just kept on coming with each turn around the cliffs and up and down the pathway. We took a bus to Coogee Beach and began the trail there. Nearly 4 miles, several beaches, and probably 2 or so hours later, we hit the last beach, which is apparently world-famous, Bondi Beach. So beautiful! Oh my gosh, this place is amazing! The sand is soft (except at Shelly Beach, guess why), and the water is that pretty clearish blue-green color. WOW.

In the top right corner you can see the white picket fence that lines the trail.

There were a lot of people on the walkway yesterday because there was an outdoor art show called Culture by the Sea. There were sculptures along the path, which was pretty cool. I didn't stop to look at any -- I was too interested on the natural art everywhere else! I saw some of the exhibits while walking by, and they were cool. It started raining during the last mile, but it felt good.

Yves and I got to Bondi Beach and went down through the sand to the water. The only people out were surfers.

I have a lot of pictures, and for some I'm trying to channel my inner Maureen. Just wanted to share a few here!

This one was Maur-inspired.

My First Cockroach

I won't say much here except that it was a few inches from my head. No need to freak out about the details!

Cockatoo Island

Yesterday, Yves and I took the train to the CBD, walked through Hyde Park, and went to Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral. They were already using the new translation, one week early, so that was a first! The church was really beautiful but they didn't allow people to take pictures. It has a similar feel as St. Bernard and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Shadyside.

From the Cathedral we walked through the CBD down to the harbour, and we caught a ferry to Cockatoo Island. Back in the 1800s it used to be a prison, then it became a school (makes you wonder about the classroom and campus aesthetics), then a prison again, and then a shipyard. The prisoners made a shipyard on the island and also provided a lot of the sand stone for building up the city of Sydney, and they did the labor in their shackles. We walked the Convict's Trail, and I was thinking about the Irish who walked the same pathways years ago as I was walking now. An Australian Government National Heritage web site says this about Cockatoo Island: "Cockatoo Island is significant as a site that includes the only remaining dry dock in Australia built using convict labour, as well as buildings and fabric related to the administration, incarceration and working conditions of convicts."

The Island had an art show going during this month and December, so we got to see a lot of street, contemporary, and modern art, I guess you would say. It was neat how they used the space, but I wasn't into the art. Also, there was a skateboarding event for kids, so it was really interesting to see all the different ways Cockatoo Island was drawing visitors: History - Convict's Trail and Maritime Trail (WWII), Arts - art show, Outdoors activities - camping, barbecuing, skateboarding, kayaking, picnicking, and more.

We spent about an hour walking around and then took the ferry back to the harbour. It was another gorgeous afternoon!

Click here if you want to read more about Cockatoo Island.