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The next day (Saturday) the temperature dropped once again and we even experienced some rain. We had our day planned with a trip to Bondi Beach to meet Glens parents for lunch. Yes food again. All we have done here in Sydney is eat. Any weight we may have lost in India and Thailand we have put back on as the Sydney experience has been very social indeed. Portuguese, Spanish, Indian banquets, Seafood and Pizza's galore have been on the menu since we arrived. We have wandered if anyone here, like their Asian neighbours eats at home as we havent seen a supermarket and all of the pubs serve food. A great place to go because of the lack of supermarket domination and because its the freshest place for food is the fish market. Overlooking a small bay, this market boasts stalls and shops selling seafood and fish where you can buy it, get it cooked there and eat it there or take it home for a bbq. Its not strictly a fish market either but stalls also selling cheese, fruit & veg, and wine and its bustling with tourists and locals. Its so fresh that some of the seafood is still alive, like the mudcrabs for example. These must be fairly popular as there is even a restaurant in Sydney called Harry's Singapore Chilli Mudcrabs
Anyway back to Bondi. Not the best day to go the beach but our purpose was to go to a place called Icebergs for lunch which overlooks this famous beach. The view here is amazing and the menu small and simple. Even though the weather didnt bring along the sunshine, the surfers were out in force and you can see them clearly from the balcony here. We met up with Glens parents Warren and Kay and had a lovely afternoon with them before heading home to Petersham.
Many of the suburbs here remind me a little of saloon towns but only structurally. Petersham has a large Poruguese influence and the nearby Marriksville, a former Greek suburb has grown a huge Vietnamese population. The Spanish quarter is in the city but is becoming smaller yet the Chinese area next door to it is growing rapidly. Even though Sydney has its mixed suburbs it mainly remains a mix between British and American culture. It is the most active of nations with sporting and fitness activities going on all over the city, especially swimming with its many outdoor swimming pools. If physical exercise isnt for you then watching sports is a close second from Rugby Union and Football to the American Superbowl. It doesn't have quite the same pub culture that Britain does but its similar. A lot of the pubs here have small gambling areas where you can play slot or card machines or place a bet on one of the many sports showing that day within the pub and watch it on one of the tv's there. The people here are friendly and chatty and one man we bumped into in 2 consecutive pubs referred to us as his "pohmy mates". (In Australia, us Brits are thought of as the Pohms - Prisoners of Her Majesty)
I can see the attraction of Sydney. Its many restaurants and fresh food, its great outdoors and beautiful weather, its laid back attitude and friendly people all contribute.
A lot of ex-pats who do take the plunge and come here for a year or two live the dream. A pad right in the city or an apartment in Bondi especially are extremely popular. Locals cannot afford to live in Bondi. Ex-pats and backpackers come here mostly and it does hold a "posey" feel to it but it boasts some of Sydneys most popular nightlife. Living in this unaffordable area though is not a reality for a long term settler unless you have money or are prepared to house share with a bunch of other people. There is a downsize to Sydney for me though and that is its many cockroaches. Once the sun goes down they're out in force although i am sure James and Glen would say I was exaggerating.
Tonight (Saturday) it is the Charity Shield in Rugby League so the boys are off to the local RSL club (Australia's British Legion). They are meeting with an old colleague of James's who like many people in Oz right now are participating in Feb Fast - a no drinking month to detox. They also have "Dry July" and "Octsober". November becomes "Mouvember" which has nothing to do with detoxing or drinking but men grow a moustache for that month to raise money for charity.
A hair raising idea!
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