Errands and Empire
Thursday May 30, 2013
Mike took the day off today but just as most times that you plan to take off the world decides to close in on you. He was swamped with calls until about 10am but then pulled away and we headed out.
First we had to do errands. Doesn’t sound like much fun but I actually enjoyed seeing real Sydney living in action. Janie pulled a lamp off of the credenza and Mike was going to try to fix it. Of course, the lamp was old or the part was old or something, so the next thing you know it is Super Glue and packing tape to the rescue. Lamp done!
We both needed to stop by the pharmacy (same as a CVS or Walgreens but they call the entire store the pharmacy) for a few toiletry items. Earlier in the morning we planned to meet Jenny, Margy and Janie at a sushi restaurant that doesn’t have high chairs. So I put my wallet in Janie’s high chair at the house thinking that when we leave, as I grab my wallet, it will remind me/us to take Janie’s chair. Well, that didn’t happen. I walked right out of the house with no wallet. Thank goodness Mike was shopping with me so he paid for the stuff and back we went to the apartment to get my wallet and Janie’s chair.
Janie in her Chair – Some restaurants do not have booster seats or high chairs so this portable guy has really come in handy.
Next stop: Sushi Trains! I don’t know the name of this restaurant but it really doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you sit down and sushi comes rolling by you on a conveyor belt. You just grab the plate you want, eat it, then when you are finished they count the plates you ate and charge you accordingly. The blue plates are the best bargain!
I got to taste Ginger Beer! This was the pop top.
Off to find a camera repair place. Turns out the lens on Mike’s camera stopped working and we can’t have that. This was more of a research mission because he didn’t know if it was just jammed up or broken for good. Broken for good it turns out. Oh well, let’s shake off this bad news with a trip to the Sydney Eye!
The Eye from below.
Highest Post Box
Maritime Museum from the Eye.
Margy took a break from looking over the city to play with blocks.
Back to the streets after some beautiful views from up high. We just strolled along the CBD (Central Business District).
As M&J were walking and talking about plans to replace the broken camera lens we thought an afternoon beverage was in order. Mike found these two delightful places in alley ways! Literally they have outdoor seating in these quaint alleys. You get a bit of the hustle and bustle of the main street as well as an off-to-the-side place to relax.
At this alley cafe they piped in native bird sounds to really enhance the mood.
All sorts of different bird cages.
Ash Street Cellar
Love the globes.
Perfectly made Flat White!
Neat high back chair in the adjacent business.
After our afternoon of strolling and shopping it was time to get back home and get ready for Empire of the Sun. They are an Australian band that is rumored to put on quite the show AND they were playing at the Sydney Opera House! As we were getting ready for Adults Evening Out we had no idea that in a few hours we’d see a guy rise from behind the stage shooting fire extinguishers at his dance troop. The lead singer has quite the ego! He wears a silver mask and a big spikey silver head piece and is clearly the star of the show. Not even his music can trump his presence on the stage. The drummer, with his mohawk head piece, is the hardest working guy on stage (besides the dancers) and he didn’t even get a nod. And the guitarist just stood over to the side in his MC Hammer pants and played his heart out.
But we loved the show and were on our feet for the encore song “Alive”. Yep, we sang along with a smile on our face like everyone else.
One of the most fun things about where Mike lives is that it is so close to all of the cool things to do, especially the Opera House. We strolled through Circular Quay and looked at more Vivid Lights. Even though we’d seen the lights you can always find something new or that you’d missed before.
Everyone has seen the iconic photos of the outside of the Sydney Opera House but nothing compares to actually being inside. First of all the place is huge! Secondly, for as many angles and curves and lines as there are on the outside there are that many on the inside.
Looking up as we walked to the upper floors.
Cool texture of the inside walls.
Inside the upper lobby.
View from our seats.
Mike and I on the stairs.
Jenny and I on the stairs.
Outside looking up.
Outside looking up but a different view.
And third, the views of the harbour from the upper floors of the Opera House are amazing! Especially during Vivid!!
Sydney Harbour Bridge – those steps are actually outside of the glass.
My bro and his ladies!
Sister-in-laws!
M&J
Siblings in Sydney!
View from the Opera House backs towards Circular Quay.
Here are some pics of the Vivid Lights being displayed on the Opera House.
Vivid Lights on the Opera House
Vivid Lights on the Opera House
Vivid Lights on the Opera House
Vivid Lights on the Opera House
Plaque found outside the Opera House.
On the walk home Vivid Lights was in full swing. They had this neat interactive deal set up outside the Customs House. Anyone could get up on a portable stage and dance doing whatever moves they choose and their moves would dictate the speed of the light display showing on the Customs House. One woman got up and did very slow, fluid moves almost like a hula dance so her light show was slower and less hectic. Then a boy about 10 years old got up and shook all around fist pumping and jumping and shaking his head so his display was fast and wild. The crowd really got into it!
Lights on the Customs House.
Lights on the Customs House.
Lights on the Customs House.
Lights on the Customs House.
K. Dana Morris 