Friday, February 18, 2011

A farewell to Sydney

My last day in Sydney was spent with no specific agenda, other than not to have one. After breakhast and a workout (no, I'm not slacking), I put on my tennis shoes and ventured out on a couple-mile walk in the opposite direction from where I'd spent most of the week. In other words, away from Sydney harbor. It was a refreshing change of pace to see working classs people shuffling to business meetings, to see where they live in neighborhoods filled with condos and flats, some townhouses and Subway restaurants on just about every corner.  So many city dwellers walk, or use bikes or public transportation. Not that there isn't traffic here, but I think far more Sydney siders hoof it. The clicking sounds made by pedestrian signals is pretty helpful for those hard of hearing, or whose attention span rivals that of a gnat. I'm just sayin.

I wandered through Darlinghurst, a neighboring community near city center, and enjoyed everything from people watching to window shopping and yes, my first Aussie hamburger. I went with The Works in a restaurant called "the Healthy Burger."  Yes, friends, it was all about making some horribly unhealthy but delicious angus creation ever so slightly -- shall we say -- better for me.  I was told there were no preservatives, all natural ingredients, no artificial flavor enhancers and everything was made right there on site. With that kind of intro, tt might as well have been oatmeal and broccoli. I was good to go.

I reflected on something I'd heard the tour bus driver say the other day {"McDonand's doesn't know burgers; if you want an Aussie burger, you have to go to an Aussie pub and ask for "the works.") So I announced to Collie, the woman behind the counter, that I'd come from New York, had waited to experience my first Aussie burger, and I'd selected The Healthy Burger to make it happen, No pressure, Collie,.

The Works, you see, comes with tomato relish, lettuce, tomatoe, bacon, eggs (yes eggs), onion and some special dressing."  What they don't tell you when they serve it to you is how to eat it without looking like you're 95, have no teeth, and have no muscle control to hold your spoon with tapioca pudding. This stuff slips and slides, explodes and dribbles in ways I cannot desribed. One of the beets slipped out so I didn't quite get that in, but successfully downed the rest of The Works with my Pepsi Max. I recorded proof with dear Collie, and you can see her testament on my facebook acct,

With The Works behind me, it was on to the Australian Museum, to see dinasours, minerals and a host of insets and reptiles with enough venom to kill me by looking at me.  The blue ringed octopus, funnel web spider didn't look so tough stuffed and mounted in their unnatural display cases. But in truth, I didn't look at them long, as I found myself trembling like a 10-year old girl. No offense, 10-year old girls.

Tonight it's an official farewell to Sydney, as I have an early departure for the airport tomorrow..flying Quantas to Cairns, which just escaped a category 5 Typhoon recently. The Great Barrier Reef awaits, but not before I head out this evening to take a few photos of Sydney at night.  It's all good.

2 comments:

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  2. is the "the Healthy Burger." like the one we saw in new york?

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