Bridge Theatricals
December 25 saw the arrival of SB, my most excellent friend of - gasp - 25 years, who is our first official international visitor, an accomplishment he has expressed some satisfaction in achieving. Although Sydney over the Christmas/New Year's holiday period sometimes gives the impression of a deserted metropolis in one of those post-apocalypse movies, in truth there is quite a lot to do, and we were doing every bit of it would could. SB's arrival with a minor cold kept us from staying up late every night, but we indulged most other pursuits quite fully: dining out, sunbaking at Bondi and bodysurfing nearly daily. One of our first major excursions was to climb the Harbour Bridge, an endeavor I had not looked forward to as I have no particular head for heights. It proved, however, to be great fun, not terribly taxing, and didn't involve a whiff of vertigo, just splendid views all around, including, fortuitously, the hotel where we were booked to have our NYE dinner, the Palisade, an old public house in Miller's Point with a three-quarters view of the Bridge (albeit technically on the "wrong" side). Nevertheless, I would book a table there every year if it were feasible to do so, as the view was incomparable even just from the second floor (3rd floor in the U.S.), let alone the roof, and the food was delicious, well-prepared and presented by a highly amiable staff. The fireworks, as the television-viewing world must know by now, are quite a show, although this year there was no "theme" - just as well if you ask me, if only because we would have had to read right-to-left to figure it out if there had been. SB left this morning, which leaves me, in these next two weeks, more time to 'blog - although that's not to say I'll necessarily take full advantage - while I wait to start my new job in Parramatta on the 19th. Meanwhile, summer in Sydney is finally in full swing, the December doldrums having passed, and there are more beaches than Bondi to explore more fully than I've managed so far. I ought to end up with a tan that lasts through 'til next spring.