As we had such a good trip through China Town on New Years Eve we decided to visit again recently. We parked in the Exhibition Centre again with ease and followed our noses to the top of the Paddy's Market building. We hadn't visited here before so mooched around and happened across an Asian food court for lunch. I always have such a problem choosing in the food courts here. They are huge and there tend to be around 15 different food options of varying origins. This one was purely Asian which was fab and we had a good walk around taking in the fare available. We were in the minority of white people amongst the many families in the heaving seating. Unfortunately one vendor tried to catch my eye and point to the one and only chicken nuggets and chips options in the whole place and indicated towards our children. I know that lots of children won't eat a diverse palate but I have tried hard to get Finn & Isla to try lots of things and enjoy variety. So anyway, we averted our eyes and settled on some Penang beef from the Thai place and sizzling prawns and special fried rice from a Chinese place. Yum, yum, yum! It was all super lovely, fresh and fragrant. We all tucked in while enjoying some freshly squeezed orange juice.
Isla loved using the Chinese spoon and bowl!
Finn tucking into a prawn cracker.
We finished lunch and walked through the city over to Hyde Park so the children could run off some steam. We intended to go to the Australian Museum for a relaxing afternoon but there was quite a queue to get in. I really want to go as the added bonus is that they have an exhibit of the National Wildlife Photographer of the year. Another day.
So while running around the park it was an ideal time to take a few cute shots of Finn & Isla in their super sweet new converse sneakers! They were sent some Christmas money from Aunty Mary, Uncle Steve, George and my Grandad back in the UK and I thought some new funky shoes would be a good purchase. Isla typically made a beeline for the tiny pink ones and Finn the stars!
Demonstrating the cuteness of the shoes....
And just cuteness full stop.
Climbing trees in Hyde Park while listening to a busker. Both Finn & Isla put a dollar in his guitar case.
Isla is doing a Garfield smile here which is why she looks a little like she is gurning! There's the rural colloquial English coming out. A little like dimpsey hey Mum?! Andy didn't believe that term for around 7 years.....oh the power of Google.
So, anyway, back to the point. Thankyou Steve, Mary, George & Grampy! xxxx
A good day out, although we got caught out by the rain in the city in the afternoon and had to catch the monorail back to our car.
We have just had a fantastic, busy, social weekend just gone by and have come away thoroughly exhausted. We spent a cracking, sunny day at Long Reef beach on Saturday with some friends and their 3 boys. We set up camp with a parasol and tent to offer some much needed shade and then concentrated on the job in hand. Playing in the sea! Long reef is fab as there is a lagoon and river mouth opening into the sea which affords copious amounts of shallow and therefore very warm water to mess about it in. We were in the water all day and I tried my hand at body boarding. Great fun and the water was surprisingly warm but lets just say I need to put in a few more hours practice!
On Sunday we had my family visiting from the Central Coast (waves....Hi Caroline & Hilary!) and had a lovely lunch and dip in the pool. Good company, food and some bubbly! Thankfully the rain held off long enough for us to have a splash in the pool and relax in the sun! It's great to be able to spend some time with family as they know where we have come from and vice versa. It's comforting when being all this way away.
I had a lovely surprise yesterday when my brother (in everything apart from blood) visited at short notice again from Perth. We only just saw them recently when they stayed for Christmas and will see them in Feb when we go over and holiday with them in Perth. So it's been great to see so much of them. M is over here for a job interview and has made the cut so is staying for the rest of the week. Hoorah! I went into the city to meet him last night and we had such a good time. Food, drinks, Lindt ice-cream at the cafe and finished off with Lychee bubble tea (really good - no milk and with Lychee jelly). Good times.
Bill Bryson said - "Canberra - there's nothing to it". Apparently the most boring City in the World. Andy has Monday off next week and so we have decided to go away at short notice this weekend and head down to Canberra. Now I visited Canberra in 2001 and recall it was pretty quiet but I also remember that it was quite striking in it's organised structure and architecture and also it has lots of museums. Now at the age I am I can really appreciate a good museum! So, we have booked a Secret Hotel on lastminute in the CBD and plan to do the parks, museums and coffee shops. Finn loves a good stay in a hotel and is excited and keeps asking how many more sleeps. I'm beginning to think 4 sleeps in notice for a 3 year old may be a little too many! Ha ha. Job one when we check in is get a ice bucket and fill it! Finn's favourite occupation in a hotel! Should be good. Hope to get the SLR out a bit while we are away so hope to have a few decent pics for the blog on our return!
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