Day two sees a little cloud but a pleasant morning nonetheless. Wayne has commenced her assault on the shops with Rebecca and left me to sleep in, more of which later. This has also given me the opportunity to capture my fuller thoughts on day one in the Land of Plenty.
After a delicious and much welcomed breakfast Philip (with one 'l' I have now been informed, apologies Phil) took us down to the Sydney fish markets at Blackwattle Bay. On a sunny Sunday morning this place was bustling. Now those of you who know me are thinking 'here it comes, he's off on one about shopping' but no, this was a peaceful and easygoing affair, no-one's in a hurry and it's all very pleasant. The platters being dished up in little open eateries in the market look delicious. Think we might have to go back there soon and sample this for ourselves. We buy monkfish, prawns, sushimi and oysters before we head back, this time over the beautiful Anzac Bridge and home to a light lunch.
A few words about Philip and Jez's delightful house. Located in Petersham, a south-western suburb of Sydney, number 20 Terminus Road is a hundred and ten year old bungalow with a peculiar dual personality. The front half is pure turn-of-the-last-century Australian, and the decor and furnishings match it perfectly. The back half is far more modern and houses a beautiful airy kitchen leading onto a simple garden with a deck and a good-sized garage at the back. We will no doubt come on to it's contents ome time soon.......
Eyes starting to get heavy already, but I'm not going to give in, yet. Philip suggests we go on a bit of a pub crawl, when all I really want to do is crawl in to bed. Wayne, as you know, is not one for pubs but all the same we head off by very tidy suburban train from Petersham into Newtown and stop off at the Bank Hotel, a very presentable bar with a terrace garden where we enjoy our beers and chat about what Philip's up to with his new job. Philip is quite right in suggesting a couple of beers will, instead of just giving me the usual singular wind, will in fact today give me a second wind. He's not far wrong.
Friends gather and come and go in the lead up to a delightful fish supper. I try oysters for the first time and....well I love seafood but I'm not too sure about these little shell-dwellers. Nice subtle taste, but not too sure if the hype is justified.
But by now, the eyes are going..... and going...... and gone. I finally give up at quarter to nine and we head off to bed. I'm asleep before my head hits the pillow and don't wake till ten to six as Sydney itself wakes up with the first planes, trains and automobiles roar, glide and pootle past our window.
Enough for now, the first shopping foray will soon be over and I need to have a shower before they get back. Also want to email a few mates to let 'em know I'm still alive....
No comments:
Post a Comment