Today was moving day; we are now staying at Victor and Mila’s (G
alya’s sister and her husband). Most of today was packing up our things and heading over to their place. We had a nice lunch with Mila and Kostya and then did a little more shopping (seems we can’t buy enough of this place). Later Victor joined us for a nice dinner that included more Russian food that we hadn't tried yet.Wednesday
Today we had a free day so we went to Manly beach. The weather was fantastic. Imagine going to the beach on what would basically be the 2nd of November in Seattle!!! It feels like early Seattle summer here-in the mid 70s during the day but cooling off in the evening. Not bad for fall. We saw online that the weather in Seattle is not even remotely spring-like. In any event, pardon the tangent, we took the train in to Sydney then hopped on the Manly Ferry. It is a 30 minute ferry ride from downtown Sydney. It is amazingly picturesque, as you sail past the Harbor Bridge, the Opera house and South & North Head. We got prime seats on the outdoor deck right at the front of the boat. It was a really enjoyable trip.
We arrived at the Manly Wharf and there was no one to be seen on the beach on the wharf side so we decided to follow the herd and make the 5 minute walk to the beach on the ocean side. This was an excellent choice. The beach was beautiful. There is a path along the beach lined with huge Norfolk Pines and then about 50 yards of pristine white sand beach and finally the ocean. There is blue ocean as far as the eye can see, all the way to the horizon. There were a few surfers and swimmers in the water. We however, chose to stick to the beach. We put our feet in the water but that was enough-it was a little cold, not by Seattle standards, but too cold for comfortable swimming.After relaxing on the beach for a couple of ho
urs we went to the area where the shops are and grabbed some lunch and did a little shopping. Then we walked back to the wharf to wait for our ferry. When we got back we went to dinner with Victor and Mila and their son Michael and his girlfriend Sanja. They took us to a Northern Chinese Restaurant. It was food similar to what you would find in Harbin. We really enjoyed it. It was also nice to meet Sanja and Michael.Thursday
Today Victor and Mila took us on a day trip up to Canberra. Canberra is the capital of Australia. It is located about a 2 ½ hour
drive from Sydney. Much like Washington D.C., it is located in its own territory which is called Australian Capital Territory (ACT). We went up in the Telstra Tower which is a very functional TV, radio and cellular tower. It is on top of a mountain and has a panoramic view of the city. Then it was off to the New Parliament building. It was just opened in 1988. It is where all of the government “happens”. It is artfully decorated with natural elements from all over the country. The tour was very educational, we learned a great deal about the Australian government. Then we went and wandered around the old Parliament House which they have turned into a museum. After touring the Parliament buildings we wandered around the town a little bit and had dinner at a great Italian restaurant. By then it was getting a little late and it was time to head back to Sydney.Friday
Today has been a very mellow day. Paul, Andy’s cousin, and his new wife Odona arrived in town this morning for the big party tomorrow night. We are planning to
meet up with them early this evening. Therefore there really wasn’t enough time to do any sightseeing today. Instead, we had a leisurely morning and read our books in the backyard in a desperate attempt to get as much sun as possible before we go home. Later this evening we headed over to Kostya and Galya’s for dinner, and Andy finally got to meet up again with Paul. This was also our first time meeting his new wife (the latest Mrs. Z). It was another typical dinner like the rest down here, lots of food and drink, and catching up on past times. Before we came down Andy’s dad said that all we would do is eat and drink for a couple of weeks, and although we’ve managed to squeeze in some sightseeing and such, he has been right on the money (and we’ve loved every minute of it).Well, tomorrow is Paul and Odona’s post-wedding party. This was our excuse to come down to Australia in the first place. It seems somewhat fitting that it will be our last hurrah in Australia. Then we will be on our way back to Seattle. This unfortunately may be our last post from Down Under. We are finding it very difficult to believe that our trip is drawing to a close.
To all the Sydney family, thank you so much for the hospitality. We have enjoyed our stay with all of you immensely, and are looking forward to our next visit already. We will definitely try to make it back sooner than 24 years from now, and please let us return the favor in Seattle as soon as you can visit.
Please be sure to check the blog at least one more time. When we get home we plan to do a final wrap up. Cheers mates and farewell!
