ANZAC Day

One of the new holidays that we have observed while in Australia was the recent ANZAC Day. On the 25th of April in 1915, the Australian and New Zealand Armed Corps (ANZACs) headed for the Gallipoli Peninsula to clear the way to the Black Sea for the Allied navy. Instead of a quick push it turned into 8 months of trench warfare and eventually the troops had to be evacuated from the beach after thousands of lives had been lost. The day is remembered for the loss of life along with commemorating the first time Australia and New Zealand participated in an international armed conflict.

ANZAC day starts with lots of dawn memorial services all over the country and world including a huge gathering on the beach in Gallipoli (televised live here). After the parades and memorials, it is time for the FOOTY! One of the biggest and most-watched games of the year is the ANZAC Day Footy played on the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The Essendon Bombers faced off against the Collingwood Magpies this year, which we were only able to watch on TV because tickets sell out so far in advance.

We decided that rather than spend the holiday home alone, we would invite some of our friends from the Telstra project over to our house for a barbecue and to watch footy. Ironically we spent this Australian holiday with a house full of Americans! We'd stocked up on meat from the Queen Victoria market and had plenty of drinks from the Grog Raffle last month, and everyone brought over great sides and desserts to share. The weather was fantastic and we had an enjoyable time catching up with friends during the mid-week break.

ps - Collingwood won in the final minutes after a very close match. Good game!

Dim Sims

These past couple of weeks we have been laying low - working hard during the weeks and completely relaxing on the weekends - so we haven't had a whole lot to blog about. The highlight of this past weekend was the discovery of the world-famous dim sims at the South Melbourne Market. One of Kristi's collegues mentioned the dim sims and was surprised that we hadn't tried them yet (considering how often we frequent that market), so we thought we had better give it a go.

Are dim sims a popular Asian item in the States? We couldn't recall ever hearing about them before and wondered if they are more of an Australian thing because they are all over here, but then again they aren't the type of thing we would specifically seek out either. They are similar to an egg roll in that they have a fried wonton shell with stuffing (seasoned ground pork - no veg or anything else added), but they are shaped more like they were molded in a muffin tin and then the shell is pinched together at the top. They are served with hot chili sauce and soy sauce, which were good but left your mouth with a nice burning sensation long after the dim sim was gone. They were a yummy treat, but probably not something we'll make a habit of eating every time we go to the market!

Grilling in the Dark

We are now a proper Aussie family - we have our barbeque grill up and running! Last weekend we figured out where to trade in our empty fuel bottle for a full one, and we have been grilling meat and veg almost every night since. Unfortunately, the balcony does not have a light so Josh spends his evenings grilling with a Petzl on his head. Ironically, he received a great snake-eye hat last year for his birthday that would have been perfect for this purpose (it was a baseball cap with two LED snake-eyes on the rim) - what were we thinking when we left that in Denver???

Easter in Sydney, The Finale

The plan for Sunday was to spend it fully in downtown Sydney, starting and ending at the Opera House with time for other exploring inbetween. Our legs weren't extremely happy with the hills that Sydney had to offer especially after all the walking, stairs, hills and inclines of the two previous days, but we convinced them it would be worth it and off we went. First stop was Mrs. Macquarie's Chair which offered a fantastic view of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Next up was another stop for 'Wild Bird Bingo' as the Ibis were all over around the waterfront. They don't seem too wild, but they're also not something we see in Denver so they get a mention.

We had arranged to see "A Night in Buenos Aires" that night in the Concert Hall, but wanted to see more and scheduled a tour of the Opera House for that morning. It was a great way to learn the history of the project, the future plans, as well as see many of the different theatres all under the 'sails'. From far away or up close, the Opera House is definately an amazing sight and is featured in all sorts of our pictures from the weekend. When we'd seen all that the tour had to offer, it was off to the Royal Botanic Gardens to seek out a group of Flying Foxes (aka Fruit Bats or Vampire Bats) that we'd read about in one of the guide books. Josh was sidetracked on the way though and stopped to check out more cockatoos. These guys were also completely focused on eating but they got acorns instead of pine cones and were even willing to take them out of a person's hand! Finally the chittering of a huge flock of birds caught our attention and we had to go see what was making all the racket. Turns out it was actually the Flying Foxes and boy were they noisy and active for it being mid-day! Many many trees were completely full of the huge animals and they were very busy talking to each other, getting into arguments over who was going to hang under which branch, and taking little flying breaks to get away from the commotion.

Not sure what else could measure up to the fruit bats, we went back to the Art Gallery of New South Wales so that Kristi could give a tour of the highlights - definately some nice pieces there and a great location near the bay, botanic gardens, and parks. A loop back to the hotel to freshen up and then onwards back to The Rocks, the area just underneath the Harbour Bridge on the south end that show remnants of early settlement. Sunday the area hosted an arts market and we were keen to see what was on offer. First though, our legs needed a wakeup so we walked to the top of the Pylon Lookout (free entry from a coupon we received after climbing the bridge) and got yet another view of the Opera House and the bay. Surprisingly it hadn't gone anywhere but we'd keep checking just in case ;-) After the lookout it was seriously time for food so with a quick walk through the arts stalls we found a kebab and live music for entertainment. The sun came out and our chicken kebab accompanied by guitars and piano was an excellent midday break. The Rocks also hosts the Sydney Museum of Contemporary Art, which offered free entry so we had to take a peek. Perhaps it is our old age, or traditional Luther education or something else but we really had a hard time with the contemporary art. We'll work on it, but can't say it is our favorite for now.

The afternoon had flown by and it was time for the first part of the tango show before we knew it. We ended up taking a cab from the hotel to the Opera House and even then it was quite a walk as there didn't seem to be any parking or drop off area near the venue. The tango for the evening was split into two parts - one being a competition to crown Australia's National Champion Tango couple in both Salon and Stage tango, the other an actual show featuring a band and dancers that had traveled to Sydney to accompany and judge the competition. It seemed that most folks were there to see the show portion but definately quite a few just loved the tango and were going to see as much as possible. The first session was purely for the competition and lasted from 5-7pm, the second included the finals and the show and started at 8pm. We arrived a bit after 5, and were pleased that they still let us in as the Opera House is known for being a stickler to starting times and interruptions (the former being 'always on time' and the latter being 'never'). We watched enough to get the hang of it and then had to dash off before the finish to make our dinner reservation at Doyle's located in The Rocks which is just across the water from the Opera House. Sadly, 'just across the water' doesn't mean it is a short walk and again our legs were talking to us about how not in shape we were. Dinner was very good, with a whole grilled snapper and salad to split. Passionfruit Creme Brulee was a major departure from our standard 'anything chocolate' desert but was really amazing. Josh had another cappuccino and then it was time to head back for the main show. The best part of dinner (besides the desert) was the view of the Opera House and bridge, both seemed within reach of our table along the pier.

We had great seats for the show and though we didn't always know what the judges were looking for we really enjoyed watching. The show from the "professionals" was really breathtaking. As good as the Australian Champions were, these guys were head and shoulders above. Everything was fluid and crisp and you really felt the emotions of the dance. Some of the musical numbers got a bit long, but everyone was really into the final number when they danced to "THE" tango. A light drizzle greeted us at the end of the show, along with quite a long walk to find a taxi cab, but we once more found our way back to the hotel and got ready for our final day of adventures in Sydney - a trip to Manly with Nicole!

The picture here is of us at the edge of the North Headlands leading in to Sydney Harbour on our last day in the city. The weather was spectacular and we really enjoyed the sun after all the rain and clouds. The ferry to Manly was very pleasant with more views of the Opera House and bridge to go along with all the boats on the water. Along with walking up to the headlands (where we saw some HUGE spiders and a blue-tongued lizard) we explored Manly Beach for a bit and just generally relaxed. After some pub-grub (fantastic wedges!) and a couple of beverages it was time to get back on the ferry, return to our hotel, and head for the airport. Flights back went smoothly and before we knew it we were back in Melbourne and getting ready for Kristi's first full week of work. Thanks for you patience - we had a lot of stories to share from such a short trip!

Easter in Sydney, Part 2

Having five days in Sydney allowed us enough time to explore the town while also having time to get out of town and see some of the surrounding area. For Saturday we planned to catch an early train out to Katoomba to see the Three Sisters, one of the more famous rock formations of the Blue Mountains. With the late evening with Nicole, we ended up sleeping through our wake-up call and ended up on a train an hour after our planned departure. We were able to grab a quick bite to eat in the train station and then away we went. The weather forecast was not very pleasant for the day, with scattered showers and clouds the entire day. Not having traveled by train much it was a nice way to see the countryside without the hassle of having to drive or follow a map. We arrived in Katoomba on schedule and started the day by walking through town to Echo Point check out the rock formations. We picked up some pre-made sandwiches and crisps for lunch, packed them in our camera bag, and were off to explore the trails around the Three Sisters.

The views from the lookout were amazing, but we wanted more adventure and decided to take a hike down to the bottom of the valley, around past some waterfalls and then back to the top. The way down was called The Giant Steps and they definately lived up to their name. Almost straight down the side of the cliffs with not much room to maneuver. Many fewer people were taking the hike than were on top at the lookout but it still seemed pretty busy when you are trying hard to not slip and end up a lot farther down than you wanted! Eventually we made it to the bottom and began our hike through the forest. Generally it was a very pleasant hike - not much uphill, not much downhill. After the Bridge Climb and town-exploring on Friday, followed by the Giant Steps already that morning, our legs really needed the break. Apparently we're not in as good of shape as we might hope! The solitude of the old gum trees on the valley floor was only disturbed by some horrendously loud and obnoxious kids that refused to stop screaming at each other - it put a damper on things but luckily we went one way and they went the other. A nice reminder that it isn't always the American Tourists causing all the problems.

We stopped for lunch in Leura Forest - an old rest depot on an abandoned rail line that once ran in the area. The rain had given us a break and so we ate and relaxed under the trees, preparing ourselves for the hike back up to the top of the hill. A few folks came walking past and gave us some hope that it would be a more scenic and less intimidating climb going up a different way instead of back up the Giant Steps. We pried ourselves off the picnic table and continued down the trail towards some waterfalls and Fern Bower (apparently the name of the path to the top, but we never saw any other story or details for background). We stopped a couple times on the way up to take pictures of the pleasant waterfalls - the amount of water in New South Wales was really astounding as compared to Victoria. Gardens were green, the Blue Mountains were lush and there was even water in all the falls - an amazing feat given the drought. With more than a little sweat we found ourselves at the top and after taking some celebratory pictures it was back on the trail to the original lookout - hoping to catch a glimpse of the Three Sisters with some sunshine instead of clouds. Folks may remember our trip to the Healsville Sanctuary in January where we saw all sorts of birds in enclosures and aviaries. While on our hike we actually saw a wild Lyrebird! Several signs had said that they were in the area, however we didn't really expect to see one. Josh tried to take its picture many many times but only a few could focus on the very quick and well camoflaged bird. This began our day of 'Wild Bird Bingo,' inspired by Kronk on The Emperor's New Groove. We made it back to the lookout just in time for the sun to illuminate the rocks beautifully and, you might not have expected it, but we took a couple pictures ;-)

Our 'Bingo' continued once we left the lookout in search of supper and a place to wait out more showers. The Sulfur Cockatoo's were out and having dinner as well on top of a pine tree along the main street. The cockatoo moms sure could have taken some lessons from our parents as all the birds were chewing with their mouths open and making all sorts of a mess along the sidewalk and street. Not to mention the noise of five or six birds all chomping on pine cones in the same tree at the same time! Not much farther along the road and our gamepiece continued to fill as we saw a Cookaburra on an old TV antennae on someones roof. He seemed comfortable but the rain was back and so we were on our way again. There is a technical term for how much it rained that day, however due to the broad demographic of this blog's readership I'm not at libery to share. Perhaps in the future when some of you come visit I can explain better - or for those of you that have explored the U.K., I would imagine you've got a pretty good idea. Once the rain decided to slow a bit we headed on and explored some of the shops in Katoomba - mainly used bookstores and antiques but some outdoor outfitters and hardware shops as well. For dinner we found a small local Italian place (Papadinos) and enjoyed lasagna, a wonderful Minstrone soup to start, and some garlic bread to munch inbetween. The place was packed and the food was excellent, just what we needed after a long day walking and soaking. We timed dinner perfectly and finished with 15 minutes to spare before the next train back to Sydney arrived. The train was yet again a soothing way to travel and we were able to sleep a bit on the way back to the hotel. A great day exploring but glad to be at the hotel and not in a tent in the wet!

Easter in Sydney, Part 1

Since we have SO many pictures and stories to tell from Sydney we'll be breaking this up across a couple of posts (although you can check out the pictures on flickr). Don't worry, we'll get it all out there it just takes a while now that both of us are gainfully employed. :-) Pull up a chair, sit back and enjoy the updates.

We'd planned for a month or so to head up to Sydney for the long Easter weekend. A great tip from one of Josh's managers helped us snag some cheap tickets up there (she suggested that he fly out a day earlier than planned and then work from the Sydney office the day before the holiday) and Starwood really came through for us with a deal on a hotel in Darling Harbour, which left us with a happy budget for the trip. We left on Wednesday night after work, taking the bus from downtown Melbourne out to Avalon Airport, which was way on the outskirts of town (the bus ride takes 50 minutes!) No dramas with the bus or our flight and soon enough we had landed in Sydney and found a shuttle to the hotel - it all seemed pretty easy.

Josh went off to work on Thursday in the Sydney office, located in North Sydney - first time across the famous Harbour Bridge and it seemed pretty normal fitting in with the rest of the business folks commuting that morning. Not even any trouble finding the office or desk, which is a good sign. Being the Thursday before Easter, the office had ordered Hot Cross Buns for each floor and that helped the time go by quickly. Kristi came to the office for lunch and we enjoyed some sandwiches from a local shop (thanks to colleague Danielle for the suggestion), while also enjoying the view from the office kitchen (on the 19th floor) as well as the top floor (23rd floor). Both were great and the sun even came out a bit for us. Josh went back to work and Kristi went out to check out Sydney on her own. She was able to get around to the Art Gallery of New South Wales along with exploring Hyde Park and downtown. The afternoon flew by and before we knew it the time had come to find some food and explore the city! Kristi had scouted out the walking mall and some shops for the evening, and we found the street performers to be almost up to par with Melbourne. We had to get ready for our adventures of Friday so dinner was Thai take-away and a relaxing evening at the hotel.

Did I mention adventures happening on Friday? You got it!! We had signed up for the Bridge Climb - the only way to get to the top of the Harbour Bridge legally! We took it easy on Thursday because it is quite a bit of climbing stairs, stairs, and more stairs, with a few ladders thrown in for good measure. You had to meet certain criteria, including passing a breathalyzer test! We ended up on the first climb of the day leaving at 6:15am, and with all the clothes and gear we had to put on we didn't actually get onto the bridge until closer to 7am. It started to sprinkle as we went along so luckily we had our rain ponchos to put on. We did make it up to the top and got our pictures done just before the skies opened and it really started to come down. It rained for our entire descent and it was surprisingly not slick at all. Turns out they'll climb in any weather except for lightning and our tour at least partially proved it. Of course, when your major activity for the day gets done by 9:30am, what else can you do with the day?! On Good Friday, not much, as many stores were closed or had limited hours. Have no fear, we recharged with some SERIOUS pancakes. (Sorry Shannon, you've got a higher bar to compare against now!) And headed out to explore as much as we could.
We ended up following our original plan and taking the bus to Bondi Beach. We'd planned to sit and enjoy the day there relaxing and recovering from our stairs endeavor of the morning. Instead we found gale-force winds and scattered showers as opposed to sun. We came prepared with our rain coats though and still did a walk from Bondi to Bronte Beach along the shoreline. Some great rocks and views won out against the weather to make it a nicely memorable experience. As with any beach trip we're on, we found a place for some fish-n-chips (though tempura battered which was a nice change) along the main drag of Bondi. Back on the bus and to downtown for a walk through Hyde Park, an enjoyable Cappuccino to stay warm in the damp weather, and then it was time to meet up with a friend for the evening.

We met our friend Nicole through the Villagio cycle group - she is Tara's cousin and we met her during the Trivia Night of January. She didn't know that when she offered to show us around Sydney that we'd be taking her up on it! For Friday night, we ended up in Newtown near Nicole's flat. The area is well known for Thai food and we had some great stuff.

Finishing off the night we ended up hanging out with Nicole at her flat while the rain came down and chatted until WAY too early in the morning. We did learn about new ways to help out with the environment and society with some offers from Oxfam Australia. They've combined two great things - helping farmers and selling wine. The wine is donated to Oxfam at a discounted rate, they then can sell it somewhat cheaply and give the profits to farmers being affected by the drought. Seems like a great idea and we’re looking forward to checking it out in the future.

Saturday was going to be another big day of exploring so it was off to bed and an early train in the morning heading out to Katoomba and the Blue Mountains.

Happy Easter

We hope everyone had a nice Easter weekend! Good Friday and the Monday after Easter are national holidays here in Australia, so we took advantage of the long weekend and headed up to explore Sydney. We have many photos and stories to share, but we are still working on getting caught up around the house and at work so keep an eye out in the next couple of days for the next BIG post.

Footy

We met up with a few Accenture folks on Sunday to go to an Australian rules football game, more commonly referred to as Footy. The game was downtown at the Telstra Dome and featured the Geelong Cats vs the Western Bulldogs. It seems that almost everyone in the state of Victoria is very passionate about footy (the streets and trams are crammed on game days with decorated fans) and it is easy to find rivalries as almost all towns and suburbs have their own teams. Unfortunately Port Melbourne does not have its own team for us to support, so at this time we are still undecided as to which team we will provide our loyalty. The different teams also have clubs that people can become members of to further support their colors.

Footy is an interesting sport that seems to share some similarities with soccer, rugy, basketball, and even volleyball in a small part. It's quite hard to understand just watching it, but fortunately we had an Australian along who was able to explain the rules and answer most of our questions. This particular game was good for the first half, but after that the Bulldogs had it in the bag.

We, of course, were also in it for the food and drink. Traditional footy fare includes hot meat pies and beers. As we had not yet tried a meat pie, we were quite excited to see what all the fuss was about...it was basically a ground beef and mutton pot pie, what more can you say? Not too bad, but we decided we won't be feasting on pies too often during our stay!

Check out flickr for more photos from the game.

Go Team!