Ang Sydney, bow

In November 2008, we made a decision to spend the New Year in Sydney. I've experienced New Year in Auckland once - didn't like it; it was a far cry from the literally earth shaking New Year celebrations I've had my whole life in the Philippines. We settled for Sydney because of the fireworks - always an anticipated event in Australia and even tourists from all over the world flock to downunder just to experience it.

Unlike my past trips abroad, I didn't do any research at all prior to leaving. I was too caught up with work, tidying up loose ends before the Christmas shutdown. Plus, I couldn't be bothered to do anything that requires too much work when I am actually off work. Besides, Kiwis can go to Aussie anytime anyway, the RT fare is sometimes even cheaper than going to other parts of the country. All I know is that in Aussie, I am going to watch the fireworks, and that I absolutely have to go to Bondi Beach. This can't-be-bothered-to-research attitude is also why I got talked into going to the capital, Canberra. Should've taken a cue from the stunned faces of Kiwis who wondered what the heck we were going to do in Canberra - there was absolutely nothing exciting in that place, unless a visit to the Old and the New Parliament offices is your idea of fun. I spent my first night sleeping in a flea infested bed. On my second day we hiked more than an hour from our backpackers hotel to the parliament offices. For this effort, I got very tanned skin. Not good.

the Old Parliament, as seen from the top of the Old Parliament

We stayed in my flatmate's cousin's apartment - they were back in the Philippines spending their holidays, so we sort of took care of their place while they were away. The place was like two blocks away from the train station. Luckily, I've learned a thing or two from my recent trips to Japan and Korea, so it wasn't hard to figure out which platforms to go, and where to change trains, and the color-coding stuff which is based on the area you're going to. Besides, it's in English! And you can ask rail station officers anyway if you get confused or too lazy to figure out what train line you should get into.

the Opera House, above; up close view, below



Never ever go to Sydney without taking a photo with the Opera House in the background. I've got several obligatory Opera House photos on file now. Looking at it up close, the tiles weren't really distinctive or anything spectacular, it actually kinda reminded me of our old kitchen floor tiles. But I did appreciate the fact that it must have taken a fair amount of work in planning how to lay them down. Across the Opera House is the Royal Botanical Gardens. From here we did a walking tour of Sydney center, essentially because we were keen on buying a kind of fish that we have got heaps in Manila but can't get anywhere in Auckland - tilapia. So from the gardens, we passed by the Sydney Hospital, the Sydney Museum, St. Mary's Cathedral, Hyde Park and then all the way to Darling Harbour. By this time my feet were dead tired as I still haven't recovered from all the walking we did in Canberra. From here, we had to take a rail to the Sydney Fish Market. Alas, there was no tilapia in sight - we had to settle for the biggest and tastiest prawns I've had in a long time which we sauteed in garlic and butter and a bit of chili powder - yum!

Earlier on, we also visited the Queen Victoria Building - essentially a shopping center, but a real architectural beauty and heritage building, with the glass dome, stained glass windows, the tiled mosaic floors, mechanical clocks, the carved balustrades give off a feeling of shopping in a historical and carefully crafted mall. It's also got a huge as Christmas tree that almost touches the dome - pretty cool and best tree I've seen so far this year.