Postcard from Sydney

It looks better at night. 

Probably the only postcard I will write since I only have two days left!!! Unlike Melbourne where I made myself write, Sydney made me want to write. I engaged in online debates, I wrote a couple of blog posts I will get around to uploading eventually, and I also did some writing just for me that I didn't upload and will probably delete when I get back to China. 

Get back to China. There's an odd sentence. 

You know what else is odd? I think I count as a coffee drinker now. Tea is better, obviously and of course, but I've had a lot of coffee the past few days...weeks?

It's all a little bit wibbly wobbly. 

Melbourne was cool. Is cool. I like Melbourne, but if you asked me which city I'd visit again, even as I typed this predictable sentence I tried to reconsider, yeah. No. Sydney. Just, hands down, up, left, sideways... Anyway hands can go, Sydney. 

Here's how you know Sydney is better right off the bat. In Melbourne, everyone talks about the rivalry between the two. In Sydney, people talk about how the two cities used to fight way back when hence Canberra's existence, but they insist both cities are cool just different. "It's like trying to say if you like carrots or oranges better. Yeah, they are both orange, but you should compare the two." Or something like that. I forget the exact food metaphor some stranger offered me, but that was the gist of it.  

Strongest dog doesn't need to bark. 

Melbourne may have a bridge twice as long but it really is less than half pretty. 

There's a starting point. Buses are practical and trams are whimsy, but I get around by train and ferry in Sydney. Any time ferry is a legit way to get around, Istanbul comes to mind, the city gets an automatic +10 Cool Points. Getting from the airport to the city in Melbourne involved a twenty dollar bus ride. Sydney, still foolishly expensive, but you get to go by subway through really cool subway stations. 

Which, huh. No. I don't have a photo of. Uh... Here. 

Besides, I ate kangaroo in Sydney served with a pesto sauce topped with a yogurt sauce over rice and salad. Street food. Nine bucks. Sydney wins. 

Aside from the Sydney Opera House, which is lovely, and the Harbor Bridge, which I think I love more than Tokyo's Rainbow Bridge, (Shit. I am becoming dangerously close to a serious bridge fan. How will I bring boys to the yard then?) I've really just loved the city. It doesn't seem to have the same degree of street art as Melbourne does, but these also seem like the kind of people who do their doodles on paper or canvas. I think Sydney plays the, "I don't care if it's pretty, ya vandalist" card more frequently than Melbourne. 

Melbourne's art scene. 

Sydney's art scene. Mother Tucker lugged his CELLO to the corner. 

Or I suppose, Sydney could play this art-scene card. 

Just, you know. Normal bus advertising. 

I also got annoyed with all the "oh, I only shop at small-house grocery stores," "I never drink CHAIN coffee," "in Melbourne, we have Lane culture. We like to find the smallest, most hidden cafes." You pretentious wanker. The fact people said this crap out loud makes it a double DieHipsterScum offense. 

Nah, man. I didn't go anywhere cool or new for dessert last Thursday. I was too busy stuffing my face with mini cupcakes along with half of Sydney at the Aroma Fest today. Know why they are popular? 'Cause they are good. 

Side topic! So I came home and thought my host was home 'cause her light in the living room was on. Nope. Just left the light on. Okay. I've only seen this chick for maybe two hours total since...Thursday? One of those is because we talked for over an hour Friday night, she gave me a ride to a good Thai place the first night I was here, and I saw her a little yesterday morning. I pretty much have my own rather fancy apartment in Sydney, on the water, for less than the hostel was gonna cost me. 

I came home to this. Either she had a rather cool day or Pennywise was here. They all float, Timmy. 

Hey! She came home! She's alive! Well done, stranger lady who I am crashing with. 

More random stuff I love about Sydney. 

This art exhibit. 

Empty cages above and the bricks in the walkway below had the names of the native birds in Sydney. They have speakers that play different bird songs depending on the time of day as well. The point is to remind people about habitat destruction. It was supposed to be temporary but people liked it. 

It's a pub (an actual pub, not like that loud-ass bar in St. Kilda). Already, I liked it. It also has a trapdoor that dumps people into the cellar that has shackles and connects to a tunnel that leads to the docks. Cool! It's an impressment pub!!!

This statue was in Dublin for a long time and then, for some reason, they didn't want a symbol of British monarchy outside one of their government buildings. So they gave it to Australia. Lol. 

See this pizza? Yeah, I ordered a pizza just for me. It was eight bucks and cheaper than most other food options. It was PUMPKIN, pesto, feta cheese, basil, and pine nuts pizza. Bomb digity. Half for lunch, half for dinner. (Actually, it was pretty small so I could've easily eaten the whole thing but... Glutton.)

And then there is that area tucked between the super touristy entertainment area, Darling Harbor, and Circular Quay. I love The Rocks!!! ...even thought I don't really have many pics of it!!!

Actually, I've been using my stupid Real Camera so I have very few pics on my phone. Oh well. 

Today was Aroma Fest is the morning and then a trip out to Manly Bay in the afternoon. 

Thousands of people getting their fix.

I don't know how many blocks this was. It was grand!  Aside from coffee, there was tea, sweets, and foot trucks. Nice. 

Honey chai. Yes, please. 

Happy people who make and sell cupcakes are happy. 

"Appreciate!!!!"- said in my best Dalek voice. 

Good times. Next, instead of taking a harbor cruise to no where, which seems silly that they offer these, I caught a ferry to the seaside town of Manly, about thirty minutes away. 

This ain't no sissy wharf! 

I don't understand how the entire town doesn't just run with this joke of a name. "Let's go get some Manly pizza and then go to the Manly ballet." Boulder City never stopped making dam jokes. Maturity, how you elude me. 

If you walk along Manly beach (snicker), 

which is lovely

You hit Shelly Beach. From there, one can opt to take a trail into Sydney Harbor National Park. This is the part where I opt out of trying to describe pictures and just add pictures. 

Let's do this!

I'm gonna have to hike back, ya know...

This may or may not look cool to you, but it is neat to find a swamp this high up on a cliff basically. 

Swamp in the winter? Rather pleasant!

Old military buildings. 

Used to have antiaircraft weaponry 

The swamps are on top of that!!!

Not a terrible view of the city. 

Yep. I could live here. There is still sooooo much I haven't done. Leaving Melbourne I remember thinking, "aw. I didn't really spend much time in the Fitzroy Garden or Wueen Victoria's Market." Tonight on the way home I was thinking, "we have a day and a half. We need to see Bondi Beach and the Blue Mountains and Hunter Valley and... Crap!!! No time!!!"

I'm. I'm just gonna have to come back. 

Hopefully with a job earning Australian dollars. This country ain't cheap. 

This is my stop! Good night!

.....snicker. My hostess is working on the computer and has both the cutest voice and the best accent. She's rather well educated and classy, but my door is open and I just heard her mutter, "shoot. No. Oh bugger!" I snickered suuuuper quietly, I hope.