Daniel took off last Friday, but I extended my stay a few days for personal business. I moved into a hostel, caught up with some old friends from Sydney Uni, did some touristy stuff, and generally took some time off to relax.
Final day in town – first stop: Sydney Fish Market! Fish tastes so much better when it’s pulled straight out of the water and onto your plate.
I had planned to just walk back to the hostel afterwards, but then I noticed a sign with directions to the mall where I did all my shopping while studying abroad here. I didn’t realize I was so close! So I swung by the University of Sydney and my old college (dorm) St. Paul’s. I even made a donation to Paul’s – something I haven’t done for Rice. The administration at Rice did a lot of stuff that made me mad, whereas I’ve got nothing but good memories from Paul’s.
I remember one particularly large food fight after we won the rowing competition. The warden posted a notice afterwards informing us that the damages would be deducted from the Student Fund. “12 plates – $120. 14 glasses – $70. 2 chairs – $300. 3 paintings cleaned – $500.” The list went on for a little while, and then someone had written in at the bottom, “Schooling Jimmy Franklin in the head with a potato – priceless.”
For my last night in town, I caught up with some friends from past workshops and headed up to Kings Cross. Kings Cross is the main backpackers’ strip in Sydney, as well as the red light district. We ate at a Chinese restaurant right at the top of the hill with a glorious view of the city.
The area is kind of artsy, as indicated by the poetry emblazoned across the ground.
There are really red lights in the red light district! Cool. The second photo is the water tank from a bar where you can watch an underwater strip show. But this was Monday night, so there wasn’t anything happening.
We did find a great British candy shop. I got myself a Sherbet Sucker. If you’ve read Roald Dahl’s autobiography Boy, you’ll know that if you’re particularly talented you can make the sherbet fizz out your nose and make it look like you’re throwing a fit. I was not particularly talented.
A good night, overall.
I also want to mention how much I love that fact that while in the US stereotyping is castigated and swept under the rug, Australians go out of their way to take a certain measure of joy in it. Toohey’s Extra Cold is currently running a brilliant ad campaign, as everyone knows that the bloody Poms (“Property Of her Majesty”) drink their beer warm.
This billboard would so never fly in America.
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ur cute