Greetings!
I've been here in OZ since 11 November 2007 -- who would have thought that I'd make two trips here in the same year? WOW, how cool is that?
This has been a work trip so not much time to blog -- but I've had a wonderful time and such a different experience this time. I have indeed fallen in love with Australia ... and I intend, through my travel company http://www.freedomtours-llc.com, to bring a group here to experience both Sydney and Melbourne in January 2009.
I am planning on being back before that perhaps again in conjunction with the Allergy & Gluten-Free Show -- http://www.allergyglutenshow.com.au/ which will next be held in 2008 in Brisbane in May, New Zealand in late June and then back in Sydney in November 2008.
Leaving later today for the US -- so Fly Girl is signing off for now -- but it's been a great trip and I'll see you soon ...
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Big Fish ... and Small Monotremes
Well, even though I am now back in Chicago and caught up on sleep and time zo
nes -- I have fond memories of the land down under and will share them with you in the next few weeks as I finish posting to this blog. I hope everyone reading this has enjoyed it as much as I have loved writing it -- when you write for a living -- writing for pure pleasure is a real treat!
One of the things I learned in my travels around Australia is that they like BIG things -- fish, trees, buildings -- everything is really big here. And, while there are some really small things -- big is the word for a lot of the aquatic life that you'll find around the country. I spent an evening with David, his daughter A
riane, her boyfriend Tim and David's son, Julian in the Sydney Aquarium. We went at night to avoid the crowds and although some of the "residents" were asleep -- we got to see some amazing things, including a couple of pretty playful platypi (is that the plural of platypus?) Here's the link to Wikipedia for more info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platypus.
They are nocturnal and monotremes -- they lay eggs instead of birthing live animals. They are also really a lot smaller than you think. In a land where everything is BIG -- small is adorable! Here's a link to a great picture of the platypus -- he was too fast for me and all I have is a great big blur streaking across the water: http://encarta.msn.com/media_461534650/Platypus.html
There was a lot to see at the Aquarium from white eels to huge saltwater crocs and even an exhibit showing embryos developing in eggs. We tooks lots of pictures, though they're not perfect because we forgot David's camera and had to shoot most of this with the camera in my phone but hopefully you'll still enjoy seeing some of what I saw ... here's a few of the more unusual creatures we saw ... fom top to bottom: lion fish, banner fish, seahorse, blue starfish and fish of the Great Barrier Reef ...
nes -- I have fond memories of the land down under and will share them with you in the next few weeks as I finish posting to this blog. I hope everyone reading this has enjoyed it as much as I have loved writing it -- when you write for a living -- writing for pure pleasure is a real treat!One of the things I learned in my travels around Australia is that they like BIG things -- fish, trees, buildings -- everything is really big here. And, while there are some really small things -- big is the word for a lot of the aquatic life that you'll find around the country. I spent an evening with David, his daughter A
riane, her boyfriend Tim and David's son, Julian in the Sydney Aquarium. We went at night to avoid the crowds and although some of the "residents" were asleep -- we got to see some amazing things, including a couple of pretty playful platypi (is that the plural of platypus?) Here's the link to Wikipedia for more infohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platypus.
They are nocturnal and monotremes -- they lay eggs instead of birthing live animals. They are also really a lot smaller than you think. In a land where everything is BIG -- small is adorable! Here's a link to a great picture of the platypus -- he was too fast for me and all I have is a great big blur streaking across the water: http://encarta.msn.com/media_461534650/Platypus.html
There was a lot to see at the Aquarium from white eels to huge saltwater crocs and even an exhibit showing embryos developing in eggs. We tooks lots of pictures, though they're not perfect because we forgot David's camera and had to shoot most of this with the camera in my phone but hopefully you'll still enjoy seeing some of what I saw ... here's a few of the more unusual creatures we saw ... fom top to bottom: lion fish, banner fish, seahorse, blue starfish and fish of the Great Barrier Reef ...
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Taking Pictures ...
The trouble with taking pictures while you're traveling is that you end up spending your time behind the lens of a camera and sometimes miss the excitement that's happening right in front of you.
I found this especially true when I went to the Australian Open in Melbourne. I was so busy trying to get the perfect shot of Roger Federer that I almost missed some of the best tennis in the Southern Hemisphere ...!
Digital cameras make it even easier to be out of the moment and into the picture and those of you who know me, know what a realist I am! I want to be right there in the moment, enjoying it for real not looking at it one second after it happened and getting caught up in the instantaneousness of the technology.
Nevertheless, I did manage to shoot some superb photos during my last 3 weeks in Australia, which I will share with you over the coming days as I begin the process of completing this blog.
Yes, I am home in Chicago -- arrived here on the evening of Sunday, January 28th -- 5 weeks after leaving. I've now been home about 2 weeks and am still trying to get back on Chicago/US time. At least now I am waking up in the late morning instead of mid-afternoon like I was the first week I was back. They say it takes 1 day for every time zone change before you get back to normal -- well, I've got about 3 or 4 days to go before I'm actually back here the 17 days needed to transition from Australian time to US Central time.
I crammed so much in the last two and a half weeks of my visit that I didn't have time to blog and I want you to enjoy the whole trip with me and so here we go ... it's rollback time ... to the Sydney Aquarium first, and then on to Canberra, Melbourne and back to Sydney and then home to Chicago. There's lots of photos to see so there will be less to read, so sit back, relax and welcome to my world down under ...
I found this especially true when I went to the Australian Open in Melbourne. I was so busy trying to get the perfect shot of Roger Federer that I almost missed some of the best tennis in the Southern Hemisphere ...!
Digital cameras make it even easier to be out of the moment and into the picture and those of you who know me, know what a realist I am! I want to be right there in the moment, enjoying it for real not looking at it one second after it happened and getting caught up in the instantaneousness of the technology.
Nevertheless, I did manage to shoot some superb photos during my last 3 weeks in Australia, which I will share with you over the coming days as I begin the process of completing this blog.
Yes, I am home in Chicago -- arrived here on the evening of Sunday, January 28th -- 5 weeks after leaving. I've now been home about 2 weeks and am still trying to get back on Chicago/US time. At least now I am waking up in the late morning instead of mid-afternoon like I was the first week I was back. They say it takes 1 day for every time zone change before you get back to normal -- well, I've got about 3 or 4 days to go before I'm actually back here the 17 days needed to transition from Australian time to US Central time.
I crammed so much in the last two and a half weeks of my visit that I didn't have time to blog and I want you to enjoy the whole trip with me and so here we go ... it's rollback time ... to the Sydney Aquarium first, and then on to Canberra, Melbourne and back to Sydney and then home to Chicago. There's lots of photos to see so there will be less to read, so sit back, relax and welcome to my world down under ...
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Happy Australia Day!
I'm off to Sydney Harbor for a day of celebration! Today is the official celebration of the founding of Australia -- a lot like our July 4th Celebration. There's happenings all over Australia today -- but the place to be is Sydney Harbor and I'm headed there shortly.
In the meantime, you can take a look at some of the events and sights I'll be enjoying today at:
http://www.australiaday.com.au/default.aspx.
Would love to tell you more about my weekend in Melbourne and seeing Roger Federer (affectionately known as Fed Ex) play ... but all you tennis fans will have to wait for all the news ... as I'm off to see Tall Ships ... sailing ... takes me away ...!!!
In the meantime, you can take a look at some of the events and sights I'll be enjoying today at:
http://www.australiaday.com.au/default.aspx.
Would love to tell you more about my weekend in Melbourne and seeing Roger Federer (affectionately known as Fed Ex) play ... but all you tennis fans will have to wait for all the news ... as I'm off to see Tall Ships ... sailing ... takes me away ...!!!
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Home and Away ...
I am days behind filling you in on all that I've been doing but wanted to take a moment just to let you know where I've been when I haven't been working. This is going to be short and sweet because I know you feel neglected and I'll fill in the gaps later on because I have lots to tell and lots of pictures ... but here's where I've been since I last wrote ...
The Sydney Aquarium, Paddy's Markets & Market City, seen Arthur & The Invisibles -- have you? -- spent two days in the Australian Capital city of Canberra and while there saw Parliament House (old & new), The War Memorial, the Egyptian Artifacts from the Louvre exhibit at the National Gallery, Questacon at the National Museum of Science, the National Zoo, The Australian Mint -- yes I minted my own $1 AU coin.
Back in Sydney, I did the ultimate -- saw a perfomance at The Sydney Opera House ... WOW! ...
... and in between all that managed to finish some research, write a few client proposals, develop survey questions for a research project, test the on-line survey program, write and send a few press releases, read almost all of my materials for class, do homework for class, attend a few meetings and classes in Chicago via webcam, do a couple of calls with my coach and a lot of calls to friends and clients, keep up with e-mails and book a weekend trip to Melbourne to play in that marvelous city and spend two days at The Australian Open!
Whew!!!!! As you can see I've been busy... so stay tuned for a full recap coming up!
The Sydney Aquarium, Paddy's Markets & Market City, seen Arthur & The Invisibles -- have you? -- spent two days in the Australian Capital city of Canberra and while there saw Parliament House (old & new), The War Memorial, the Egyptian Artifacts from the Louvre exhibit at the National Gallery, Questacon at the National Museum of Science, the National Zoo, The Australian Mint -- yes I minted my own $1 AU coin.
Back in Sydney, I did the ultimate -- saw a perfomance at The Sydney Opera House ... WOW! ...
... and in between all that managed to finish some research, write a few client proposals, develop survey questions for a research project, test the on-line survey program, write and send a few press releases, read almost all of my materials for class, do homework for class, attend a few meetings and classes in Chicago via webcam, do a couple of calls with my coach and a lot of calls to friends and clients, keep up with e-mails and book a weekend trip to Melbourne to play in that marvelous city and spend two days at The Australian Open!
Whew!!!!! As you can see I've been busy... so stay tuned for a full recap coming up!
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Wild World ...
Gotten a little behind here as I've been hard at work these last few days. Yes, even though I am on vacation, I have client projects going on, which require me to spend 3 or 4 days each week actually working, plus I am also taking a class which I am attending via webcam -- which is pretty cool. Here I am in sunny, breezy Sydney sitting around in shorts and t-shirts while my classmates are huddled up around the candles, with scarves, hats and sweaters on braving the cold winds of Chicago.
Now lest you think I prefer the weather here -- make no mistake -- I like the cold. I've just been incredibly lucky since I've been here -- it's been somewhat cool and breezy during the days and even cooler and breezier at night. I have yet to experience the potentially scalding 100+ degree (F) summer day that can happen even in Sydney, and which surely happens inland.
Now in spite of the fact that I am working, I do manage to play a bit. Mostly on Sundays and Mondays -- because I am a day ahead. I get to play on Monday because all of you folks in the US are still having Sunday when I'm having Monday -- and I am also giving up part of my Saturday because it's still Friday in the States. So much for being in the future now!
Anyway, I did take some time this past weekend to trek into Sydney again -- this time I went back to Darling Harbour so that I could play at the recently opened Sydney Wildlife World http://www.sydneywildlifeworld.com.au/?sydney=/home?reload
Yes, I did take pictures and you'll see them in a moment ... patience friends. I have to tell you about getting to Wildlife World.
OK -- so how many of you have been to one of the Disney theme parks/resorts -- Disneyland, Disney World, Euro Disney, Disney Tokyo or Disney Hong Kong?
Great! OK -- so you know one of the ways that you can ride around these incredible places is on the monorail. Remember they also had one of these at the 1964-65 World's Fair in NYC, you know the one in held at Flushing Meadows, which is now the site of the US Tennis Association and each September hosts the US Open?
By the way you tennis buffs -- are you ready for the opening matches of the Australian Open, the first of the Big 4 Tennis Grand Slam? It starts in just 5 days. Details are at: http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/index.html.
Anyway, Sydney has it's own monorail that runs through the south end of the major tourism areas of downtown Sydney. It's pretty cool, if a bit pricey -- $4.50 AUD -- roughly $3.50 USD. I mean, I could have walked or taken a city bus for a lot less -- but when I got off at the Town Hall station -- yeah, I'm in the QVB again, and like a good tourist, I followed the signs to the monorail and then next thing you know, I'm in Disney heaven! Thanks, Walt!
So I rode the monorail -- it was crowded -- mostly tourists -- and HOT! Fortunately, I only had two stops to go and boom -- there I was on the Pyrmont Bridge overlooking Darling Harbour and Cockle Bay -- doesn't that name just tickle the cockles of your heart? And there, just a few feet below me lay the Sydney Aquarium and Sydney Wildlife World. Just think -- only a few moments away from ... the 10 deadliest insects, snakes and animals in the world -- oh yeah -- they had some friendlies, too.
Well, I'm definitely not in the same OZ that Dorothy was -- there were no lions and tigers and bears in this wild woods. Nope -- spiders, snakes and other creepy crawlies -- yes,
and plenty of them --I skipped a lot of this part of the exhibit.
They fool you when you first come in -- the first exhibit is butterflies -- beautiful, gorgeous and plentiful -- every color you can think of and more -- my favorite was this bright cobalt blue one -- I tried to get a good picture of him but he wouldn't standstill. I had a serious conversation with him about posing -- but he was just too flighty for me. Nevertheless, he did land for a brief instant -- can you find him amidst the leaves?
After leaving the butterflies, I entered the kingdom of the creepy crawlies -- spiders, beetles and other assorted things that crawl. As I said, I skedaddled through here pretty quickly -- especially after I saw one spider with a small dog in its mouth. Well, not exactly a dog, but it was definitely bigger and furrier than the spider and the spider won. That does not bode well for small furry creatures.
Once out of the spiders and friends ... I entered the world of the reptiles. Of the
12 deadliest snakes in the world -- 10 of them are in Australia. Thank you very much. No one quite knows why the most deadliest of many species are here in Australia but when it comes to deadliest spiders and snakes and other assorted wild creatures that kill -- almost all are here in Australia.
Could it be that the separation of this island continent from the rest of the world made it especially vulnerable and so nature's creatures are ultra-protective of their habitat? They really can give this up, as the Australian government has taken over that role and is real
ly doing a fine job of protecting them.
Nevertheless, I did see the two most deadly snakes in the world -- the Inland Taipan and the Eastern Brown -- there you have it -- #1 and #2 in the world. Step right up!
I also saw lots of other reptiles including some giant lizards and a little thing called a Thorny Devil, who really wanted to ham it up for the camera.
Lots of skinks -- I tired hard to get the blue-tongued skink to stick its tongue out for me and pose but I never could catch it out.
Never did see the Frilled Neck Lizard -- guess he was on vacation -- but here's a stately guy who took my breath away! Hey big boy -- what are you doing tonight?
From the reptiles -- I headed into the world of flight! Now let me tell you -- Australia has some of the most colorful birds -- also a lot with big mouths -- they wake me up every morning around 5:30 -- but most of the birds that were here w
ere really adorable rainbow lorikeets and king parrots.
They are a pretty noisy lot but they are so beautiful to watch and really cute particularly when they gather round their feeding dish grabbing a snack between shifts. Take a look. David and I are going down the coast next week and there's a place where the lorikeets actually just come up and land on you if you stand still -- I can't wait! Wish my brother James were here -- these are just the kind of birds he likes!
After the birds -- it was time for a little snooze -- so I headed off to the nocturnal animals. The Bandicoots were asleep, the Sugar Glider was gliding too fast for me to see and the Greater Bilby had ears so big that it almost falls over when it walks cause it's so top-heavy!
This was a tough place to take photos and I made a galant effort but I'll spare you the result.
Onto the animals of the Rainforest -- the most notable of which is the Cassowary -- a huge bird that looks a bit like an emu -- but is very colorful. This bird has a huge horn on the top of its head, which it uses to cut through the undergrowth as it hunts for food. It is also considered one of the most dangerous birds in the world because of its huge, raptor-like feet with razor-sharp claws. Although the one I saw was just hanging out -- after taking a close look at both the horn and the feet -- it's not something I want to meet in a dark alley anywhere. Check it out.
Finally, after all the spiders, snakes, lizards, night crawlers/fliers, I had finally re
ached the cute furry things -- wallabies and koalas. Are they as cute in real life as they are on film? Yes, they are -- even cuter.
I went in the late afternoon so the wallabies were pretty lazy and they actually like watching us -- I think they think we are their TV -- 'cause they all sit around staring out watching the picture change with each new crowd of spectators.
It was feeding time in Wallaby World and so they were also busy munching on their carrots and broccoli and other assorted veggies -- bet they get
enough fiber everyday. I had one guy who was a real ham and kept posing for the camera.
Last but not least, the koalas are truly as adorable a creature as you'll ever want to see. The entire gang here was asleep in the gum trees -- eucalyptus to the rest of the world-- yes there are over 700 varieties -- almost all of them native to Australia and found only here. Here's what Wikipedia has to say about gums ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eucalyptus. In spite of the fact that every one was taking a snooze, I did manage to catch one guy just waking up and h
e was nice enough to pose for the girl with the camera for a few shots. Thank you very much!
As you can see in the top picture -- they use at least one of their long clawed feet to hold onto the trunk of the gum tree while they sleep and they curl their cute little face into their chest. They have incredible balance and they are all perfectly still when they sleep -- no bed hogs here!
It was truly a sight to see all these little guys just hanging out in the trees sleeping -- they had about a dozen or so of them here. I felt really fortunate that one of them woke up -- seemed like it was especially for
me -- since he didn't wake up when any of the other spectators were around. OK -- so let me have my fantasy!
After hanging with the koalas for a bit, I moved on to the end of the exhibit, which is actually the top of the building and it overlooks the butterfly sanctuary -- so you get to see all these colorful beauties from a completely different perspective -- top down! What an incredible sight!
I didn't get to see the echidna or wombat -- but I've yet to go to the Sydney Aquarium or any of the many zoos that are in this area of the country -- we're going to Canberra this weekend and I understand that their zoo has several species no one else has -- so no telling what wonders await me there!
While Sydney Wildlife World was not as grand as it is advertised -- I did get my first look at some of the amazing and unusual creatures that inhabit this island continent. The place is filled with the wonders of the universe -- many of them on four legs or more (some less) -- and almost all of them to be found nowhere else in the world. What a privelege to be able to move among them, if only for a short time. Oh, and I 'm glad you're venturing with me. Stay tuned!
Now lest you think I prefer the weather here -- make no mistake -- I like the cold. I've just been incredibly lucky since I've been here -- it's been somewhat cool and breezy during the days and even cooler and breezier at night. I have yet to experience the potentially scalding 100+ degree (F) summer day that can happen even in Sydney, and which surely happens inland.
Now in spite of the fact that I am working, I do manage to play a bit. Mostly on Sundays and Mondays -- because I am a day ahead. I get to play on Monday because all of you folks in the US are still having Sunday when I'm having Monday -- and I am also giving up part of my Saturday because it's still Friday in the States. So much for being in the future now!
Anyway, I did take some time this past weekend to trek into Sydney again -- this time I went back to Darling Harbour so that I could play at the recently opened Sydney Wildlife World http://www.sydneywildlifeworld.com.au/?sydney=/home?reload
Yes, I did take pictures and you'll see them in a moment ... patience friends. I have to tell you about getting to Wildlife World.
OK -- so how many of you have been to one of the Disney theme parks/resorts -- Disneyland, Disney World, Euro Disney, Disney Tokyo or Disney Hong Kong?
Great! OK -- so you know one of the ways that you can ride around these incredible places is on the monorail. Remember they also had one of these at the 1964-65 World's Fair in NYC, you know the one in held at Flushing Meadows, which is now the site of the US Tennis Association and each September hosts the US Open?
By the way you tennis buffs -- are you ready for the opening matches of the Australian Open, the first of the Big 4 Tennis Grand Slam? It starts in just 5 days. Details are at: http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/index.html.
Anyway, Sydney has it's own monorail that runs through the south end of the major tourism areas of downtown Sydney. It's pretty cool, if a bit pricey -- $4.50 AUD -- roughly $3.50 USD. I mean, I could have walked or taken a city bus for a lot less -- but when I got off at the Town Hall station -- yeah, I'm in the QVB again, and like a good tourist, I followed the signs to the monorail and then next thing you know, I'm in Disney heaven! Thanks, Walt!
So I rode the monorail -- it was crowded -- mostly tourists -- and HOT! Fortunately, I only had two stops to go and boom -- there I was on the Pyrmont Bridge overlooking Darling Harbour and Cockle Bay -- doesn't that name just tickle the cockles of your heart? And there, just a few feet below me lay the Sydney Aquarium and Sydney Wildlife World. Just think -- only a few moments away from ... the 10 deadliest insects, snakes and animals in the world -- oh yeah -- they had some friendlies, too.
Well, I'm definitely not in the same OZ that Dorothy was -- there were no lions and tigers and bears in this wild woods. Nope -- spiders, snakes and other creepy crawlies -- yes,
and plenty of them --I skipped a lot of this part of the exhibit.They fool you when you first come in -- the first exhibit is butterflies -- beautiful, gorgeous and plentiful -- every color you can think of and more -- my favorite was this bright cobalt blue one -- I tried to get a good picture of him but he wouldn't standstill. I had a serious conversation with him about posing -- but he was just too flighty for me. Nevertheless, he did land for a brief instant -- can you find him amidst the leaves?
After leaving the butterflies, I entered the kingdom of the creepy crawlies -- spiders, beetles and other assorted things that crawl. As I said, I skedaddled through here pretty quickly -- especially after I saw one spider with a small dog in its mouth. Well, not exactly a dog, but it was definitely bigger and furrier than the spider and the spider won. That does not bode well for small furry creatures.
Once out of the spiders and friends ... I entered the world of the reptiles. Of the
12 deadliest snakes in the world -- 10 of them are in Australia. Thank you very much. No one quite knows why the most deadliest of many species are here in Australia but when it comes to deadliest spiders and snakes and other assorted wild creatures that kill -- almost all are here in Australia.Could it be that the separation of this island continent from the rest of the world made it especially vulnerable and so nature's creatures are ultra-protective of their habitat? They really can give this up, as the Australian government has taken over that role and is real
ly doing a fine job of protecting them.Nevertheless, I did see the two most deadly snakes in the world -- the Inland Taipan and the Eastern Brown -- there you have it -- #1 and #2 in the world. Step right up!
I also saw lots of other reptiles including some giant lizards and a little thing called a Thorny Devil, who really wanted to ham it up for the camera.
Lots of skinks -- I tired hard to get the blue-tongued skink to stick its tongue out for me and pose but I never could catch it out.
Never did see the Frilled Neck Lizard -- guess he was on vacation -- but here's a stately guy who took my breath away! Hey big boy -- what are you doing tonight?
From the reptiles -- I headed into the world of flight! Now let me tell you -- Australia has some of the most colorful birds -- also a lot with big mouths -- they wake me up every morning around 5:30 -- but most of the birds that were here w
ere really adorable rainbow lorikeets and king parrots.They are a pretty noisy lot but they are so beautiful to watch and really cute particularly when they gather round their feeding dish grabbing a snack between shifts. Take a look. David and I are going down the coast next week and there's a place where the lorikeets actually just come up and land on you if you stand still -- I can't wait! Wish my brother James were here -- these are just the kind of birds he likes!
After the birds -- it was time for a little snooze -- so I headed off to the nocturnal animals. The Bandicoots were asleep, the Sugar Glider was gliding too fast for me to see and the Greater Bilby had ears so big that it almost falls over when it walks cause it's so top-heavy!
This was a tough place to take photos and I made a galant effort but I'll spare you the result.Onto the animals of the Rainforest -- the most notable of which is the Cassowary -- a huge bird that looks a bit like an emu -- but is very colorful. This bird has a huge horn on the top of its head, which it uses to cut through the undergrowth as it hunts for food. It is also considered one of the most dangerous birds in the world because of its huge, raptor-like feet with razor-sharp claws. Although the one I saw was just hanging out -- after taking a close look at both the horn and the feet -- it's not something I want to meet in a dark alley anywhere. Check it out.
Finally, after all the spiders, snakes, lizards, night crawlers/fliers, I had finally re
ached the cute furry things -- wallabies and koalas. Are they as cute in real life as they are on film? Yes, they are -- even cuter.I went in the late afternoon so the wallabies were pretty lazy and they actually like watching us -- I think they think we are their TV -- 'cause they all sit around staring out watching the picture change with each new crowd of spectators.
It was feeding time in Wallaby World and so they were also busy munching on their carrots and broccoli and other assorted veggies -- bet they get
enough fiber everyday. I had one guy who was a real ham and kept posing for the camera.Last but not least, the koalas are truly as adorable a creature as you'll ever want to see. The entire gang here was asleep in the gum trees -- eucalyptus to the rest of the world-- yes there are over 700 varieties -- almost all of them native to Australia and found only here. Here's what Wikipedia has to say about gums ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eucalyptus. In spite of the fact that every one was taking a snooze, I did manage to catch one guy just waking up and h
e was nice enough to pose for the girl with the camera for a few shots. Thank you very much!As you can see in the top picture -- they use at least one of their long clawed feet to hold onto the trunk of the gum tree while they sleep and they curl their cute little face into their chest. They have incredible balance and they are all perfectly still when they sleep -- no bed hogs here!
It was truly a sight to see all these little guys just hanging out in the trees sleeping -- they had about a dozen or so of them here. I felt really fortunate that one of them woke up -- seemed like it was especially for
me -- since he didn't wake up when any of the other spectators were around. OK -- so let me have my fantasy!After hanging with the koalas for a bit, I moved on to the end of the exhibit, which is actually the top of the building and it overlooks the butterfly sanctuary -- so you get to see all these colorful beauties from a completely different perspective -- top down! What an incredible sight!
I didn't get to see the echidna or wombat -- but I've yet to go to the Sydney Aquarium or any of the many zoos that are in this area of the country -- we're going to Canberra this weekend and I understand that their zoo has several species no one else has -- so no telling what wonders await me there!
While Sydney Wildlife World was not as grand as it is advertised -- I did get my first look at some of the amazing and unusual creatures that inhabit this island continent. The place is filled with the wonders of the universe -- many of them on four legs or more (some less) -- and almost all of them to be found nowhere else in the world. What a privelege to be able to move among them, if only for a short time. Oh, and I 'm glad you're venturing with me. Stay tuned!
Friday, January 5, 2007
A Shoe In ...
Well, I went to Sydney the other day in the hopes of exploring a bit more. I decided to get off at Town Hall again -- that's the QVB -- remember from the other day. This time instead of walking north toward the harbor, I decided to go east toward the park and sort of zig-zag this whole area. And what did I find, besides Santa Claus and his 8 tiny reindeer?
You guessed it -- Shoes! Shooz! Shoezzzzzzzzzz!
Now for those of you who know me, you have to know that I was in hog heaven -- or in this case having a shoe-in -- which is like having a sit-in on heels! I have never seen so many shoe stores in a 8 block square area as here. I actually found one store that had 5 stores on 5 floors -- all shoes ... do you know what that is like for a shoe-a-holic like me? Is there a 12-step program for this or does is just take 12 steps to get to the cash register?
I love Australian men -- cause they obviously like their women in high heels with pointy toes -- bad for the feet but just gorgeous to look at. I saw shoes in every color you can imagine, every heel height from spiky stillettos to squat "Miss Kitty" heels ... from fabric to patent leather and every material you can think of -- with platforms, without platforms -- open toes, square toes, round toes and round square toes, ties-up, pumps, slingbacks, criss-cross -- if you can imagine it -- it's here! Oh, and they also have a lot of normal shoes too ...
Yes, if you can believe I got out of these stores alive and without buying one pair -- well, I have a huge bridge in downtown Sydney I can sell you for just a few dollars! Actually, I did manage not to buy one single pair -- mainly because even the most inexpensive shoes in Sydney are about three times the cost of what I'd pay in the US. I haven't see any pair so spectacular -- yet -- that made me want to part with my hard-earned dollars ... but I have no doubt that before this adventure ends -- there will be at least one pair of Australian heels in my suitcase.
Speaking of shoes, when I checked in at O'Hare, I had the cutest ticket agent that took my luggage and helped me get situated. As we were weighing my luggage -- yes, I was under the limit with both suitcases -- he leaned over and said, "How many pairs of shoes?" I looked at him and burst out laughing and as we giggled together, he told me that it was always the shoes that ended up creating luggage problems for women travelers!
I told him I only had 7 pairs packed -- not including the ones I was wearing and my yoga shoes -- which I had in my carry-on to wear on the plane to keep my feet from swelling (Travel Tip #2) -- which really worked well! He laughed heartily and said he believed that could be a record for the least amount of women's shoes he'd ever encountered! I guess that means I get a gold star -- except I'm not a big fan of gold -- so a platinum star! Yes, I have worn every single pair since I've been here -- but it has been a real challenge! I believe no shoe should go unworn ... no matter how many blisters they cause!
But back to Sydney -- there's no escaping shoe stores in this city -- and you can travel from neighborhood to neighborhood just following shoe stores -- it's a great way to walk your way through the city -- you just have to remember to look up every once in a while so you can see the sights.
On this day -- I decided I would really get familiar with the area that surround the QVB all the way to Hyde Park and so I worked my way from George Street along Market Street to Pitt Street and the very long one block Pitt Street Mall -- yes that's where I found the 5 story building of shoe stores -- then up Pitt to King Street and over to Castlereagh and Elizabath Streets.
Strolling down Elizabeth Street back toward Market, I came upon the St James train station -- which has been there since 1926. It sits right on the edge of Hyde Park and directly below St James Church, for which it is named. Here's the Wikipedia link where you can see a picture of it as it is now, along with its history and construction pictures: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._James_railway_station,_Sydney. The entire area around it is known as St James and it is mildly reminiscient of the St James area of London, where I stayed when I worked on a project there.
Sydney, like Chicago, has a downtown loop known as the City Circle and the six major downtown train stations are on this circle -- besides St James and Town Hall are stops at Museum, Circular Quay, Wynyard and Central -- which is where you can catch every single train line that goes through downtown Sydney and then out into the north, south, east and west suburbs.
Central is like grand central station and hundreds of thousands of people go through this station everyday.
Hyde Park is quite lovely -- not nearly as big as its namesake in London -- but there's no doubt that the British were here, as it has that same beauty and grace that you see in the many parks of London. On a bustling Wednesday afternoon -- there were several hundred people taking advantage of Hyde Park and either reclining peacefully on the lawns or strolling through the greenery, soaking up the fresh clean air that follows a short drizzle of rain.
Speaking of rain -- it's been raining here in Sydney almost everyday since I arrived. That's unusual because they've been in a drought here for a number of years. Thankfully, as a result, it has stayed relatively cool during the day and even cooler in the evenings. Guess I brought a bit of the cold from Chicago with me, which must be why the Windy City is having such a warm winter these last few weeks.
I'm facinated by old buildings and even though Sydney is relatively young as a city -- there are some great examples of 19th Century British Colonial architecture everywhere. Many of the older buildings were constructed from sandstone, which is mined right here in Australia. Town Hall, for which the train station is named, is a great example of the quaint, yet imposing architecture that you'll find dotting the landscape throughout Sydney. Take a look for yourself at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Town_Hall.
Speaking of mining -- it's a big business here in Australia, and like most places around the world -- there's a lot of controversy about it. The country has had its own gold rush and is famous for its opal mines -- chances are, if you wear opals -- they've most likely come from Australia, as about 97% of the world's opals are mined here. I've seen so many unusual ones as I've wandered through the city looking in shop windows and I'm hoping to find something truly unique to bring home. Here's a bit of info about opals and mining in Australia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_Australia and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opal.
After a full half day of wandering around this area of Sydney and doing what I love to do best -- watching people, exploring the architecture and enjoying people as they live their 'life in Sydney' -- bet you thought I was going to say shopping -- ha! -- I fooled ya' -- I hopped on the train to get off my aching feet and headed home to St Andrews -- just a train ride and a shoe-in away!
You guessed it -- Shoes! Shooz! Shoezzzzzzzzzz!
Now for those of you who know me, you have to know that I was in hog heaven -- or in this case having a shoe-in -- which is like having a sit-in on heels! I have never seen so many shoe stores in a 8 block square area as here. I actually found one store that had 5 stores on 5 floors -- all shoes ... do you know what that is like for a shoe-a-holic like me? Is there a 12-step program for this or does is just take 12 steps to get to the cash register?
I love Australian men -- cause they obviously like their women in high heels with pointy toes -- bad for the feet but just gorgeous to look at. I saw shoes in every color you can imagine, every heel height from spiky stillettos to squat "Miss Kitty" heels ... from fabric to patent leather and every material you can think of -- with platforms, without platforms -- open toes, square toes, round toes and round square toes, ties-up, pumps, slingbacks, criss-cross -- if you can imagine it -- it's here! Oh, and they also have a lot of normal shoes too ...
Yes, if you can believe I got out of these stores alive and without buying one pair -- well, I have a huge bridge in downtown Sydney I can sell you for just a few dollars! Actually, I did manage not to buy one single pair -- mainly because even the most inexpensive shoes in Sydney are about three times the cost of what I'd pay in the US. I haven't see any pair so spectacular -- yet -- that made me want to part with my hard-earned dollars ... but I have no doubt that before this adventure ends -- there will be at least one pair of Australian heels in my suitcase.
Speaking of shoes, when I checked in at O'Hare, I had the cutest ticket agent that took my luggage and helped me get situated. As we were weighing my luggage -- yes, I was under the limit with both suitcases -- he leaned over and said, "How many pairs of shoes?" I looked at him and burst out laughing and as we giggled together, he told me that it was always the shoes that ended up creating luggage problems for women travelers!
I told him I only had 7 pairs packed -- not including the ones I was wearing and my yoga shoes -- which I had in my carry-on to wear on the plane to keep my feet from swelling (Travel Tip #2) -- which really worked well! He laughed heartily and said he believed that could be a record for the least amount of women's shoes he'd ever encountered! I guess that means I get a gold star -- except I'm not a big fan of gold -- so a platinum star! Yes, I have worn every single pair since I've been here -- but it has been a real challenge! I believe no shoe should go unworn ... no matter how many blisters they cause!
But back to Sydney -- there's no escaping shoe stores in this city -- and you can travel from neighborhood to neighborhood just following shoe stores -- it's a great way to walk your way through the city -- you just have to remember to look up every once in a while so you can see the sights.
On this day -- I decided I would really get familiar with the area that surround the QVB all the way to Hyde Park and so I worked my way from George Street along Market Street to Pitt Street and the very long one block Pitt Street Mall -- yes that's where I found the 5 story building of shoe stores -- then up Pitt to King Street and over to Castlereagh and Elizabath Streets.
Strolling down Elizabeth Street back toward Market, I came upon the St James train station -- which has been there since 1926. It sits right on the edge of Hyde Park and directly below St James Church, for which it is named. Here's the Wikipedia link where you can see a picture of it as it is now, along with its history and construction pictures: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._James_railway_station,_Sydney. The entire area around it is known as St James and it is mildly reminiscient of the St James area of London, where I stayed when I worked on a project there.
Sydney, like Chicago, has a downtown loop known as the City Circle and the six major downtown train stations are on this circle -- besides St James and Town Hall are stops at Museum, Circular Quay, Wynyard and Central -- which is where you can catch every single train line that goes through downtown Sydney and then out into the north, south, east and west suburbs.
Central is like grand central station and hundreds of thousands of people go through this station everyday.
Hyde Park is quite lovely -- not nearly as big as its namesake in London -- but there's no doubt that the British were here, as it has that same beauty and grace that you see in the many parks of London. On a bustling Wednesday afternoon -- there were several hundred people taking advantage of Hyde Park and either reclining peacefully on the lawns or strolling through the greenery, soaking up the fresh clean air that follows a short drizzle of rain.
Speaking of rain -- it's been raining here in Sydney almost everyday since I arrived. That's unusual because they've been in a drought here for a number of years. Thankfully, as a result, it has stayed relatively cool during the day and even cooler in the evenings. Guess I brought a bit of the cold from Chicago with me, which must be why the Windy City is having such a warm winter these last few weeks.
I'm facinated by old buildings and even though Sydney is relatively young as a city -- there are some great examples of 19th Century British Colonial architecture everywhere. Many of the older buildings were constructed from sandstone, which is mined right here in Australia. Town Hall, for which the train station is named, is a great example of the quaint, yet imposing architecture that you'll find dotting the landscape throughout Sydney. Take a look for yourself at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Town_Hall.
Speaking of mining -- it's a big business here in Australia, and like most places around the world -- there's a lot of controversy about it. The country has had its own gold rush and is famous for its opal mines -- chances are, if you wear opals -- they've most likely come from Australia, as about 97% of the world's opals are mined here. I've seen so many unusual ones as I've wandered through the city looking in shop windows and I'm hoping to find something truly unique to bring home. Here's a bit of info about opals and mining in Australia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_Australia and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opal.
After a full half day of wandering around this area of Sydney and doing what I love to do best -- watching people, exploring the architecture and enjoying people as they live their 'life in Sydney' -- bet you thought I was going to say shopping -- ha! -- I fooled ya' -- I hopped on the train to get off my aching feet and headed home to St Andrews -- just a train ride and a shoe-in away!
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Owz that ...???
Well, if we were down South (like Mississippi, Alabama or Louisiana in the US), it might be "How 'bout them dogs?" Yes, I watched a cricket match today on the telly. It only took David about 20 minutes to explain the basics of the game and it's sort of like baseball but not exactly -- there are two batters, no bases and fly balls are the easiest way to strike somebody out -- though there are hundreds of ways to get the guy out. Here's the basic explanation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cricket for those of you who have few days off or a burning desire to understand game strategy.
For any of you who might have read Bill Bryson's "In A Sunburned Country" -- you'll recall his hysterically funny commentary on pages 105 to 108 about listening to a cricket match on the radio as he drove between Canberra and Adelaide. Here's just a smidgen ...
Yes it's true -- they are as white at the end of the day as the beginning.
It's a bit more interesting to watch and now having watched a few 'innings' -- see I told you it was like baseball -- I'm beginning to get the hang of it a bit. Except it takes 10 outs to get the opposing team up to bat -- I know a few baseball teams who could do wonders with a 10 out option! It really is the national pass-time here, just like baseball, and as I have traveled around downtown Sydney, there are several park areas that have giant screens up and everybody comes out to watch cricket and have lunch or a break. See just like with baseball.
For the past several weeks -- maybe months given the length of each test -- the Australians have been playing the English -- the Poms -- and beating the daylights out of them for the most part. They've been playing for The Ashes which is supposedly the ashes of English cricket, and of course, the Australians have been winning this match for a long time now, though England did take The Ashes in 2005.
Here's my favorite source's take on the whole Ashes thing -- check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ashes and you'll learn everything you ever wanted to know about this rivalry that began as a joke and has now turned into serious competition between the two countries. For all the latest cricket news, which I know you can't wait to read, check out http://www.cricinfo.com/.
There's also a small crisis going on in Australian cricket as at then end of this year's final Ashes test -- three of the top cricket player are retiring -- ladies man and team bad boy Shane Warne, Justin Langer, who suffered a concussion from a ball in the head last year in his 100th test, and hearthrob Glenn McGrath.
Now let me tell you ladies -- they don't do a lot of running in cricket but these guys are in great shape and very easy on the eyes if you know what I mean! I can see where the crisis is -- they're going to lose about half of their female fans when these three are no longer on the field.
In truth -- none of the guys on these cricket teams are hard to look at ... they are all in great shape and I don't know about you -- but I like my men dressed all in white -- especially when they stay neat and clean, which is so entirely possible in cricket.
The other thing about cricket is the score -- imagine a baseball game with 362 runs -- yeah -- what a thought! But everytime someone gets a hit it's worth 4 runs and if it goes out of the field like our home run -- it's worth 6 runs! The only downside to this whole thing that I can see is that the team has 11 men and when they've all batted then their inning is over -- it doesn't just roll over to the first batter like it does in baseball.
Now, they've got all kinds of terminology that I don't understand -- but the crowd sure seems to appreciate what the announcers are saying because they are all hooting and hollering. For the novice and seasoned fan there is even a "Dictionary of Cricket" and for American's check out "The Devil's Dictionary of Cricket" for cricket terms with a little spice at at: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/crickgl.htm .
And Bill Bryson is so right when he talks about the game having meal breaks -- as one test goes on for three days -- and you can get awfully hungry in a three day period. In fact, I'm getting hungry just thinking about sitting through a 3-day test. Hmmmm ... time for some fish and chips -- cheerio, old chums!
For any of you who might have read Bill Bryson's "In A Sunburned Country" -- you'll recall his hysterically funny commentary on pages 105 to 108 about listening to a cricket match on the radio as he drove between Canberra and Adelaide. Here's just a smidgen ...
"After years of patient study (and with cricket there can be no other kind) I have decided that there is nothing wrong with the game that the introduction of golf carts wouldn't fix in a hurry. It is not true that the English invented cricket as a way of making all other human endeavors look interesting and lively; that was merely an unintended side effect. I don't want to denigrate a sport that is enjoyed by millions, some of them awake and facing the right way, but it is an odd game. It is the only sport that incorporates meal breaks. It is the only sport that shares its name with an insect. It is the only sport in which spectators burn as many calories as players -- more, if they are moderately restless. It is the only competitive activity of any type, other than perhaps baking, in which you can dress in white from head to toe and be as clean at the end of the day as you were at the beginning."
Yes it's true -- they are as white at the end of the day as the beginning.
It's a bit more interesting to watch and now having watched a few 'innings' -- see I told you it was like baseball -- I'm beginning to get the hang of it a bit. Except it takes 10 outs to get the opposing team up to bat -- I know a few baseball teams who could do wonders with a 10 out option! It really is the national pass-time here, just like baseball, and as I have traveled around downtown Sydney, there are several park areas that have giant screens up and everybody comes out to watch cricket and have lunch or a break. See just like with baseball.
For the past several weeks -- maybe months given the length of each test -- the Australians have been playing the English -- the Poms -- and beating the daylights out of them for the most part. They've been playing for The Ashes which is supposedly the ashes of English cricket, and of course, the Australians have been winning this match for a long time now, though England did take The Ashes in 2005.
Here's my favorite source's take on the whole Ashes thing -- check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ashes and you'll learn everything you ever wanted to know about this rivalry that began as a joke and has now turned into serious competition between the two countries. For all the latest cricket news, which I know you can't wait to read, check out http://www.cricinfo.com/.
There's also a small crisis going on in Australian cricket as at then end of this year's final Ashes test -- three of the top cricket player are retiring -- ladies man and team bad boy Shane Warne, Justin Langer, who suffered a concussion from a ball in the head last year in his 100th test, and hearthrob Glenn McGrath.
Now let me tell you ladies -- they don't do a lot of running in cricket but these guys are in great shape and very easy on the eyes if you know what I mean! I can see where the crisis is -- they're going to lose about half of their female fans when these three are no longer on the field.
In truth -- none of the guys on these cricket teams are hard to look at ... they are all in great shape and I don't know about you -- but I like my men dressed all in white -- especially when they stay neat and clean, which is so entirely possible in cricket.
The other thing about cricket is the score -- imagine a baseball game with 362 runs -- yeah -- what a thought! But everytime someone gets a hit it's worth 4 runs and if it goes out of the field like our home run -- it's worth 6 runs! The only downside to this whole thing that I can see is that the team has 11 men and when they've all batted then their inning is over -- it doesn't just roll over to the first batter like it does in baseball.
Now, they've got all kinds of terminology that I don't understand -- but the crowd sure seems to appreciate what the announcers are saying because they are all hooting and hollering. For the novice and seasoned fan there is even a "Dictionary of Cricket" and for American's check out "The Devil's Dictionary of Cricket" for cricket terms with a little spice at at: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/crickgl.htm .
And Bill Bryson is so right when he talks about the game having meal breaks -- as one test goes on for three days -- and you can get awfully hungry in a three day period. In fact, I'm getting hungry just thinking about sitting through a 3-day test. Hmmmm ... time for some fish and chips -- cheerio, old chums!
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Back to Work ... Food for Thought ...
Well, I wish I could tell you that today, January 2nd I went off on a wild adventure somewhere in Sydney but alas -- I was working most of this day. While you were all still celebrating New Year's Day, I was sleeping. When I finally woke this morning I realized that it was time to go back to the real world -- well, as real as it can be when you're 9,000+ miles away from home.
Nevertheless, emails still come, bills still need paying, there's work to do on clients' projects, writing press releases and thinking out media strategies -- it all still goes on no matter where in the world you are these days -- technology has made real life inescapable.
Now, you're asleep and I'm about to end my work day -- it's already 7:25 pm Tuesday evening here -- I've plenty more to do -- mostly reading and preparing for tomorrow. My hope is to work in the morning tomorrow, while you all are still awake, and then in the early afternoon, go back into Sydney again and play some more so I can tell you about some of the fun places that you'll find downtown.
This weekend we're probably going to take a trip either to the Blue Mountains or Canberra, the Australian capital that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright's colleagues Walter Burley Griffin and his wife, Marion Mahoney. Even though the final design was not built to Griffin and Mahoney's original plans -- as they were long out of the picture by the time the city was actually built -- Bill Bryson in his book, "In a Sunburned Country" says that it loosely has the look and feel of the Griffin/Mahoney design though not quite the continuity and vision that they had. It will be interesting to see how it turned out.
David's son, Julian, who turned 16 on Christmas Eve, has joined us for the next few weeks. Like most teenagers, he's a bit quiet though very polite and I can tell he's very smart. He likes to play games on the computer and he's quite good at it. He's interested in playing the piano and violin.
For Julian's birthday/Christmas present, I brought two CDs by American violinist and bluegrass fiddler -- Mark O'Connor. Many of you may remember Mark from the movie, "Music of the Heart" with Meryl Streep -- he was the fiddler who wore the hat. I was lucky enough to meet him at the University of Southeastern Louisiana Arts & Humanities Festival a number of years ago -- he's so down to earth -- I was already a big fan before I met him and an even bigger one after!
We're going to have dinner here soon -- David has turned out to be a pretty good cook -- nothing fancy, mind you ... but good basic stuff. Agriculture is a big part of the economy here --so there's plenty of Australian beef and lamb, loads of fresh veggies and fruits and wonderful homemade breads.
The hardest thing is not eating all the yummy sweets they have here -- bakeries and chocolate shops are everywhere. There were three chocolatiers in the QVB when I was there the other day -- I couldn't resist and did sneak a few -- but who can resist hand rolled truffles dipped in fresh cocoa powder???? Not me -- and you couldn't either.
Now, let's talk lamb for a minute -- I know not everybody likes lamb -- but I love it! I remember on my first trip to Chicago when I was 8 years old I ate my way across the town on lamb chops -- from the Empire Room at the Palmer House to the Walnut Room at Fields -- it was always lamb chops, except on the days I ate the chicken pot pie at Fields. Even as an adult, and still a visitor to Chicago, it was lamb chops from Cite to Everest and every restaurant in between for all those years. Yes, I love lamb.
Well, let me tell you, I'm in hog heaven here when it comes to lamb, because it is a staple of the Australian diet. Yes, indeed -- I have now had lamb at least 5 or 6 times since I've been here and I expect to eat a lot more before I leave. From chops, to roast to sausages -- you can have it anyway you like and then some ... hmmmmmm good!
Now most people think because Australia was founded by the British that the food here is well ... British! Not exactly -- besides the Brits are still getting a bad rap -- they've gotten very continental in the United Kingdom since so many international chefs decided it was easier to make a name for themselves in London rather than in Paris or Rome.
Anyway, there is a ton of good food here in Sydney because it is such an international city -- you can get just about any cuisine you can think of and then some. Oh, you can find some traditional British pub food and I saw "bangers and mash" on a few menus -- but if you can think of it -- it's here. Obviously, seafood of all kinds is plentiful, and for all you sushi lovers -- well, this is the place to be -- it is sushi heaven here and it is so fresh ... hmmmmm!
Lest you think that everyone here is chefs -- don't be carried away -- for those who can't cook to save their life - there is the usual assortment of American fast food. Mc Donald's, of course, is the winner -- they are everywhere -- followed closely by KFC and all its sister foods. Coke and Pepsi are here slugging it out as usual. Yes, they have Krispy Kreme and their own, Donut King, which looks a lot like Dunkin' Donuts.
They have Red Rooster and Hungry Jacks, which used to be a Burger King franchisee but is no longer -- though they do seemed to have borrowed some old BK graphics. Starbucks is here but lots of local places give them a run for their money -- Gloria Jean's is big here also for coffee. But this is a country where TEA is still the main hot beverage and coffee is yet to be the phenomenom that it is in the US.
Even without all the US fast food chains -- life here is a lot like in the US -- just a bit more civilized -- stores close by 6 pm except on Thursdays, most are not open on Sundays -- families still eat dinner together ... like we just did. David cooked tonight and didn't do too bad -- small steaks with "chips" read 'fries' -- and sauteed mushrooms and zucchini with fresh lettuce. Simple, but tasty and all the main food groups covered for the most part.
Well, enough about food for tonight -- I brought some of those hand-made truffles home the other night and we've yet to devour them -- so I'm going to sit with my glass of Australian red wine, my coffee and my truffles and watch Garfield 2 with Julian and David. Sounds terribly civilized, doesn't it?
Bon appetit, mes amis!
Nevertheless, emails still come, bills still need paying, there's work to do on clients' projects, writing press releases and thinking out media strategies -- it all still goes on no matter where in the world you are these days -- technology has made real life inescapable.
Now, you're asleep and I'm about to end my work day -- it's already 7:25 pm Tuesday evening here -- I've plenty more to do -- mostly reading and preparing for tomorrow. My hope is to work in the morning tomorrow, while you all are still awake, and then in the early afternoon, go back into Sydney again and play some more so I can tell you about some of the fun places that you'll find downtown.
This weekend we're probably going to take a trip either to the Blue Mountains or Canberra, the Australian capital that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright's colleagues Walter Burley Griffin and his wife, Marion Mahoney. Even though the final design was not built to Griffin and Mahoney's original plans -- as they were long out of the picture by the time the city was actually built -- Bill Bryson in his book, "In a Sunburned Country" says that it loosely has the look and feel of the Griffin/Mahoney design though not quite the continuity and vision that they had. It will be interesting to see how it turned out.
David's son, Julian, who turned 16 on Christmas Eve, has joined us for the next few weeks. Like most teenagers, he's a bit quiet though very polite and I can tell he's very smart. He likes to play games on the computer and he's quite good at it. He's interested in playing the piano and violin.
For Julian's birthday/Christmas present, I brought two CDs by American violinist and bluegrass fiddler -- Mark O'Connor. Many of you may remember Mark from the movie, "Music of the Heart" with Meryl Streep -- he was the fiddler who wore the hat. I was lucky enough to meet him at the University of Southeastern Louisiana Arts & Humanities Festival a number of years ago -- he's so down to earth -- I was already a big fan before I met him and an even bigger one after!
We're going to have dinner here soon -- David has turned out to be a pretty good cook -- nothing fancy, mind you ... but good basic stuff. Agriculture is a big part of the economy here --so there's plenty of Australian beef and lamb, loads of fresh veggies and fruits and wonderful homemade breads.
The hardest thing is not eating all the yummy sweets they have here -- bakeries and chocolate shops are everywhere. There were three chocolatiers in the QVB when I was there the other day -- I couldn't resist and did sneak a few -- but who can resist hand rolled truffles dipped in fresh cocoa powder???? Not me -- and you couldn't either.
Now, let's talk lamb for a minute -- I know not everybody likes lamb -- but I love it! I remember on my first trip to Chicago when I was 8 years old I ate my way across the town on lamb chops -- from the Empire Room at the Palmer House to the Walnut Room at Fields -- it was always lamb chops, except on the days I ate the chicken pot pie at Fields. Even as an adult, and still a visitor to Chicago, it was lamb chops from Cite to Everest and every restaurant in between for all those years. Yes, I love lamb.
Well, let me tell you, I'm in hog heaven here when it comes to lamb, because it is a staple of the Australian diet. Yes, indeed -- I have now had lamb at least 5 or 6 times since I've been here and I expect to eat a lot more before I leave. From chops, to roast to sausages -- you can have it anyway you like and then some ... hmmmmmm good!
Now most people think because Australia was founded by the British that the food here is well ... British! Not exactly -- besides the Brits are still getting a bad rap -- they've gotten very continental in the United Kingdom since so many international chefs decided it was easier to make a name for themselves in London rather than in Paris or Rome.
Anyway, there is a ton of good food here in Sydney because it is such an international city -- you can get just about any cuisine you can think of and then some. Oh, you can find some traditional British pub food and I saw "bangers and mash" on a few menus -- but if you can think of it -- it's here. Obviously, seafood of all kinds is plentiful, and for all you sushi lovers -- well, this is the place to be -- it is sushi heaven here and it is so fresh ... hmmmmm!
Lest you think that everyone here is chefs -- don't be carried away -- for those who can't cook to save their life - there is the usual assortment of American fast food. Mc Donald's, of course, is the winner -- they are everywhere -- followed closely by KFC and all its sister foods. Coke and Pepsi are here slugging it out as usual. Yes, they have Krispy Kreme and their own, Donut King, which looks a lot like Dunkin' Donuts.
They have Red Rooster and Hungry Jacks, which used to be a Burger King franchisee but is no longer -- though they do seemed to have borrowed some old BK graphics. Starbucks is here but lots of local places give them a run for their money -- Gloria Jean's is big here also for coffee. But this is a country where TEA is still the main hot beverage and coffee is yet to be the phenomenom that it is in the US.
Even without all the US fast food chains -- life here is a lot like in the US -- just a bit more civilized -- stores close by 6 pm except on Thursdays, most are not open on Sundays -- families still eat dinner together ... like we just did. David cooked tonight and didn't do too bad -- small steaks with "chips" read 'fries' -- and sauteed mushrooms and zucchini with fresh lettuce. Simple, but tasty and all the main food groups covered for the most part.
Well, enough about food for tonight -- I brought some of those hand-made truffles home the other night and we've yet to devour them -- so I'm going to sit with my glass of Australian red wine, my coffee and my truffles and watch Garfield 2 with Julian and David. Sounds terribly civilized, doesn't it?
Bon appetit, mes amis!
Monday, January 1, 2007
Happy New Year!
Well, it's New Year's Day in the rest of the world now -- our first day here is almost done -- it's 7:20 pm and I've been blogging all day to get caught up and make sure you all have pictures and links so that those of you who want to visit Australia vicariously through me can! I sure hope you're enjoying reading this because I am sure enjoying sharing it with you. It's been a while since I've done this kind of editorial writing but I think I can still paint a pretty good picture. Keep posting comments -- I'm enjoying hearing from you all this way.
Earlier today I took time to call friends around the US to wish them Happy New Year -- some folks I got to talk to, others I left messages for and still others I couldn't reach -- but I want you all to know that I'm thinking about you way over here, down under and yes, I'm in the future ... now!
This year I've decided, I'm not doing resolutions anymore -- just intentions. So here's my Top 5 Intentions for 2007 --
- Do Things I Love More -- Travel, Write, Dance ...
- Love More -- Myself and Others
- Be More Abundant
- Be More Generous
- Let Go More
The nice thing about intentions is you don't have to do a lot of hard work to make them happen -- just set them, focus on them -- let go and let the Universe do the work. Resolutions are too hard -- they take too much work and they're too easy to forget about.
Here's to you in 2007 -- may it be your best year ever!
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