November 30th

When friends knew that we were planning a trip to Australia, we were asked if we could met up with people and maybe deliver a few Christmas presents to them - which we duly obliged - also an opportunity for us to acquaint ourselves with old friends again.
Today was the day to meet up with a friend's son and a lady that used to work at a beauty salon here where we live.
Feeling somewhat refreshed after the hectic few days, we were up and out early to meet Nikki for breakfast near to the salon where she now works. Then it was on to meet a friend's son, who works around the corner, managing a well known Sydney bar. Amazing that they work so close to one another in this wonderful city.   
After the brief meetings we headed to the Museum of Australia, where we had lunch. The museum was established in 1827 and is at the forefront of scientific research, What an enormous site the museum is with 18 million exhibits.  We spoke to a couple of curators who were chipping away at a fossil, uncovering a vertebrae and spinal cord. Amazing to see these men and their work and to ponder how old the fossil was. 
                                                               

Royal Clock; QVB

Swarovski Christmas Tree

Gt. Australian Clock; QVB

View from the veranda at the Museum's Bistro

After lunch at the Museum we headed to the iconic Queen Victoria Building, QVB, a wonderful shopping mall. The QVB houses independent retailers alongside chain shops and is home to 2 iconic clocks which are each spectacular in their own right. Shoppers had a grand piano at their disposal to "hop on and off" whether for practice or to have a calming moment from all the Christmas shopping frenzy around them!  Another iconic sight must be the Swarovski Christmas Tree, which is so tall at 24 metres, it stands from the ground floor right up to the dome - 3 floors!  it was decorated with 82,000 Swarovski crystals and 65,000 twinkly lights and weighed over 6 tonnes.  Stunning.

We returned to the apartment by train and ferry, how we loved the ferries and passing the iconic Opera House and sailing underneath the Harbour Bridge.    A "pinch me moment" every time.

That evening we had a Go Get car to Watsons Bay and ate out at Doyle's, a seafood restaurant. The village where it stands is very pretty and from the restaurant you can see Sydney Harbour and it's bridge. After our meal we drove to Infantry Road, a great viewing point of Sydney and how different it all looked in the dark night. After the obligatory photo we returned home via Bondi. 

Yet another action packed day.