Coogee Beach... So long, Australia

@ Coogee Beach this morning...

It's so hard to say goodbye, but I'm heading home...

The Blue Mountains

Today Yves and I took a 2hr 20min train ride to Katoomba to see the Blue Mountains. On the ride out, the scenery looked a lot like Pittsburgh in the summer -- green trees, hillsides, and neighborhoods. Once we got to The Three Sisters Echo Point, it was breathtaking.

It was a beautiful, warm day that was perfect for being outside and walking nature trails. One of the walkways led to narrow, uneven stone and metal steps that inspired an overwhelming child-like curiosity in me, so I had to explore. These steps take a hiker to the bottom of The Three Sisters. Fortunately, I saw a sign stating that it takes two hours to walk all the way down and back up -- heck no. I'm curious, but not that curious.

When Yves and I got back to the CBD, we walked to a bar called Sweeney's and had a beer. Then we headed through town and over to St. Mary's Cathedral for Mass. Then we took the train back to Yves' apartment, ordered pizza, and I began packing...

I realized that my friend, John Tierney, who played Irish football in Pittsburgh a few years ago (one of the best players I've ever seen), is living in Sydney too! We tried to connect, but with only a day left in my trip and me without a phone, it didn't happen tonight. That would have been cool. I also got a Facebook message from Jared saying he was at the beach if I was around... I think it would be easy to get used to life out here.

I feel blessed to have had such a beautiful day!

Taronga Zoo and Koalas

I started the day in the best way -- Skyping with my family just before they sat down for Thanksgiving Dinner. It was so great to see you all! I love you!

Today Yves and I went to the Taronga Zoo. We took the train to Sydney Harbour, and on our way to the ferry, I ran into Jared! Of all the people in Sydney, I ran into the other friend I have here! I was so happy to see him again. He's such a special person and it reminds me of all the wonderful friendships and experiences I had at Westminster. Good 'ol Westminnie.

Koalas

• At the zoo, the first exhibit I saw was the Koala Walkabout, where you can see a few koalas in the trees. I put a short video on YouTube if you'd like to see that cutie in the middle climb a tree.
• Later I got to "encounter" a koala, which means I was in an enclosed area with a few koalas and they were only an arms length, or less, away. I got to stand next to a sleeping mommy and her joey. So sweet! People are not allowed to touch or hold koalas in New South Wales because it's stressful for the animal. Darn, because I wanted to hug these little guys!

A mommy, her joey, and me.

Other cute marsupials
I pet a kangaroo! That exhibit, and many others, was totally open, and by that I mean that the animals were not actually behind glass or in a cage -- they were in the same area as people. The kangaroos just hop all around wherever they want, and as long as you stay on the path, you might get to befriend one. At least I think so... there were no zookeepers to tell me otherwise.

 
Other notables

• I saw a platypus! I saw my first one at the aquarium the other day, and I was lucky to see another one today because they are mainly nocturnal and hard to see and/or don't come out while people are there.
• The Harbour was visible from the pathways throughout much of the zoo, which made the walk extra beautiful.
• The zoo is so large that it took us five hours to see everything, and I'm glad we did.

Cronulla Beach and Happy Thanksgiving

 
Today Yves and I took two trains to Cronulla Beach. We had lunch and walked along the beach looking at all the different marine life, many alive between the rocks, living between the tides, and many dead, washed up on the shore. We saw a lot of those blue bottle jellies, technically zooids, some octopi, and other odd creatures.

 

Pollution becomes a habitat

Blue ringed octopi swim here, no known antidote (no worries, didn't see any)

Later in the afternoon I relaxed and read -- and helped prepare Thanksgiving dinner... although Yves did all the real work. We had lamb chops and potatoes and Leffe Blonde. It was yummy. Yves almost burned the apartment down while preparing dinner, but the little, sudden blaze only damaged the "sucking machine" (a.k.a. vent).

The mustache mystery was solved: All theses young Aussie men are doing it as part of Movember. Whew! They're growing mustaches to raise cancer awareness for men (just like at home). I'm happy they're doing that, which, then I had my "ah-ha!" moment, thinking so that's why Dan Bylsma was growing a mustache (at first I wondered if it was last man standing, or what?). I'm also glad it's not some new trend that will make its way to the States.

I finished my little hat project. I was a Kennedy to the fullest -- I was totally obsessed and goal-focused until it was achieved. I wanted to change the ribbon on the hat to something more my style, and I randomly brought to Sydney a bandanna I bought a few years ago (I tied it to my suitcase). So, I decided that I wanted to cover the original ribbon on the hat with this funky bandanna pattern. I tried krazy glue and then epoxy glue, but those didn't work. I thought I would wait until I got home so mom could sew it, but then I googled how to sew and took a few late night and early morning hours to sew a new band on the fedora. I'm really happy with the hat now! You can see it in the photo above.

After dinner we walked up to an Irish bar called Kelly's on King Street in Newtown. I had a Kilkenny. It's the first time I've tried that beer, and I can say, Mmm...

Happy Thanksgiving and lots of love! Slainte!

Sydney Aquarium: The Icing on My Vacation Cake

 I <3 the aquarium! Man, it was awesome. I was smiling and exclaiming ooos and ahhhs the entire time. I was practically skipping around the ramps to the underwater tunnels where visitors can view the tanks from below. There was a dugong (like the manatee) tank, a Sydney shark tank with native species, and the world's largest Great Barrier Reef tank. Plus a lot of other stuff. OMQ!, as Alanna would say.

Smart dugong! He brought up his feeding tray to the staff person.

First of all, I love marine life, especially sharks, and there were so many of them. Second, I saw a dugong bring up his feeding tray from the tank floor and give it to the aquarium staff. Whoa! Third, I saw so many incredible species and learned a lot about marine life in Australia.

Buzzing Around Town

It was another rainy day in Sydney, but nothing can get me down! I started the day by taking the train into the CBD and going to the Australian Museum of Natural History. Yes, minerals might not do it for me, but exhibits on Indigenous People and Aboriginals and the artwork and scientific discoveries of the Scott sisters did. On the way I actually  helped an Australian find his way through town to an appointment. Yes, I am getting around pretty well. After the museum I crossed the street and went to daily Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral. It was a very nice message for what will probably be my last Mass for this liturgical year: Share the Good News, stand up for the truth, and spread God's love. It felt great to be there -- I am so grateful for all my blessings and for how God is present to me through everything in my life.

I walked through town looking for a coffee shop where I could just hang out, stay dry, and read for a little, and I found a place called Vivo where I ordered a vanilla latte and brownie. Then I walked down to Darling Harbour and through Tumbalong Park, admiring the water features and green space. My friend Jared mentioned there was a little garden that direction, so I found the Chinese Garden of Friendship. On the way, I saw a sign for Paddy's Market, which of course I was curious about, but from a distance it looked like shops with produce and other goods, which has been confirmed by searching online. Was hoping it was something Irish!

 This little guy wiggles his tail around and hops about in such a cute, squiggly way.

It was nearly 4pm -- time to go to the aquarium! (I bought the ticket online for half price, the requirement being that you enter at a specific time.) The aquarium gets its own post on this blog because it was soooo awesome.

Now this is a beer menu!

After the aquarium, I walked to meet Yves in a part of town called The Rocks. We went to The Belgian Beer Cafe as a small gift of my appreciation for him inviting me to stay at his apartment during this vacation. I got real Belgian food, the Flemish Beef Stew Cooked in Beer, and my favorite beer, Leffe Blonde. Yves had his favorite, the mussels.

I am so happy to be here and loving every minute of it. I'm not thinking about anything else, besides, at times, my amazing family and friends and how much you would enjoy it too. No work, projects, activities, other stuff -- nothing. It's just the good life, and I walk around with a smile on my face all the time. I'm also very happy to be here on my own and taking that time for myself. I think God gave me the opportunity for this trip at a time in my life where I truly live in the moment and don't think too much about what's next or worry or anything. It's taken awhile to get to that point of freedom, trust, and existing in the present, but it's such a joy-filled place, and to have this trip at this time in my life is a gift. ... So thankful!

Sloshing Through Sydney

After my run in Sydney Park, I got ready for the day and took a train to Circular Quay (Sydney Harbour) and then a ferry to Manly. I walked the beach for a few hours and loved every second of it. The water was rough and people were not allowed to swim, but there were several surfers taking advantage of the bigger waves.

I chatted with two locals during my walk, and they looked like what the boys would envision about Australian outdoorsmen. Both were catching bait - sandworms - by dragging a net with dead fish back and forth over the wet sand. The worms smell the dead fish and come up to investigate. I was told they're very long worms that are hard to catch, and they make great bait.

The second man who was catching bait happened to be standing nearby when I discovered a clear gel with some bright blue color and what looked like threads of fabric. There were a few of them scattered in the sand at Bondi Beach too, which is why I was curious to find out exactly what they were. So I asked the man and he said it was a blue bottle jellyfish, which is actually three animals that exist together as one.

Eventually I walked off the beach and went to rinse the sand off of my feet. Why is this something to write home about, you wonder? Well, I put my foot under what looked like a spout, and I pressed the button. And, whooossshhh! I hear the water rush out of the shower head - above me. So, my legs and pant bottoms were wet because of the beach walk, and now my full front side was wet because I just stood in a rinse with all of my clothes on. I'm sure I gave some laughs to the people standing around, and I laughed too. No worries! I'm in Australia, loving life.

I took the bus back to Circular Quay (pronounced Key) and walked through the CBD to Darling Harbour. I love maps and finding my way around based on instinct and recognition! I was bustling through this city of nearly 5 million people like I was from Sydney. I really enjoy that.

On the Pyrmont Bridge. The ship is part of the Australian National Maritime Museum.

I ate a late lunch at Darling Harbour and then walked up to the Art Gallery of New South Wales (New South Wales is the Australian state that I'm in, which is also abbreviated NSW). I saw Australian art by the aboriginals, as well as by other artists, many of whom were born in England or Scotland and then moved to Australia.

I caught a train back to Erskineville, Yves' stop, and was craving a beer. I was soaking wet and had been wet all afternoon due to the mishap at the beach rinse and then the pouring rain in Sydney, so instead of popping into a bar for a quick drink, I bought a six pack of Matilda Bay BeezNeez, a honey wheat brewed in Australia. Sooo good.

Yves got home for work and made a delicious dinner of chicken, rice, and mango sauce, and then I worked on a little hat project, where I'm changing the ribbon... It's going to look awesome (in theory).

You know, I'm not sure if it's because of my Irish heritage or because I'm American, but I really don't care at all about the personal statues in the city, and I like history! Out of habit I read them, but then it's like Sir So-And-So, Captain Blah Blah Blah. All these British. However, I am very interested in the war memorials and feel reverence for the soldiers, especially of WWI and WWII, which are throughout the city.

Today I will find other adventures! I asked Yves if the Australian Museum was worth visiting, and he said, "It depends on what you find interesting. Do you like minerals?" ...Eh, we'll see. I do have a ticket for the aquarium this afternoon, and I'm totally pumped for that!

Love to all!