i heart australia

Bus to Hunter Valley

I'm off! The pick up point for the bus to the Hunter Valley is at the luxurioius Four Seasons Hotel which is right near Circular Quay and the Marriott. I have to say the bus is quite comfortable and nicely climate controlled. I would hope so for $60.

On my way to the bus I stopped at the Alpa Cafe which is right next to the Marriott and got myself another bacon, egg and cheese on a roll. I have to say they are really delicious and it's nice that they also put a good amount of bacon on it. It's a great deal at $4.20 (US$3.40). All the other breakfast food they sell, such as yoghurts with fruit, look equally as yummy.

I also took a look at their lunch listings and sandwiches run about $3.50 (US$2.80) plus a bit additional for extras. I am sure they make good sandwiches and thois would be a nice place to pick up a bag lunch to eat on the grass at Circular Quay.

Wow, we just went over the Harbour Bridge, great views of Sydney and the Opera. The bus today only has 4 people on it, maybe that's a good sign that Hunter Valley won't be too crowded.

Well now what do I do for the next few hours?

The big news here in Australia is about a bunch of kids (19-29) that received a free vacation to Bali plus $10,000. In return for the trip and money they simply had to strap million of dollars of cocaine to their body and bring it back to Australia. Well, unfortunately the Australian government and Indonesian police knew all about this and they were arrested at the airport in Indonesia.

What were they thinking?

Now everyone is all upset because the penalty for drug trafficing in Indonesia is death by firing squad or life in jail. Considering they were caught red handed, I would say that whether they receive the death penalty or the firing squad, their life is over.

It's particularry disturbing to se the 19 year olds meeting with their parents in Indonesia. Nevermind that they have ruined their own life but think of the grief they brought upon their parents. One parent when interviewed said his daughter was strapped for cash and "wasn't the brightest girl". I'd say!

There is also a second case of a girl who was found with marajuana (how do you spell that?) When leaving Indonesia and also faces life in prison. The so called "beauty student" says that someone planted the pot on her which was enough to get over 4000 people high. Because she cooperated with the Indonesian authorities they have only recommended life in prison, but not death. I guess that is a good thing but I would rather die then spend my life in a jail in Indonesia.

Enough with that!

OK, I have to do some research on the bus this morning. There are about 15 wineries to see along the way today including famous names such as Lindemans and Rosemount.

Wine is wine, but where is lunch today?

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Friday

It's a beautiful day today. Perfectly sunny and clear. The weather report promises temperatures of 25 degres celcius which I think is about 75 degrees farenheit.

I am going to the Hunter Valley wine region today so the sun is welcomed!

To get to the Hunter Valley I am catching a Wine Country Express bus which is a 2.5 hour trip to Cessnock and the Visitor Information center. From there you can take a "Rover" bus which circles around to a select group of wineries.

Total cost for this is $60 for the trip to Cessnock and another $30 to use the Rover bus.

It should be a nice day and I am hoping to get a good lunch and a few sips of wine.

I just hope I don't fall asleep anywhere...

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A Long, Long Walk

(This is a delayed post from Thursday evening)

It is 6pm and I am in my room have a glass of Shiraz, crackers and cheese. I need a break before dinner.

Today I had a good long walk and got some impressions of the parts od Sydney outside the city center.

Starting at my hotel I headed to the east and "The Domain" which is a huge park on the south side of the Botanic Gardens. I ony passed through the west side of The Domaine then headed down to Hyde Park. At the point when I got to Hyde Park, the clouds broke and the sun started shining (finally!). I stopped for a photo opportunity at the Archibald Fountain which commemorates the alliance of Australia and France in WW1.

After photographing the fountain I walked up the path under the awning of trees to the Anzac War Memorial which commemorates the lives of Australians who died for their country.

From the Anzac Memorial I headed diagonally out of the park and to Oxford Street. Oxford Street in Darlinghurst is no great tourist attraction. Oxford is a gritty side of the city which includes shops, cafes, fast food joints and bars. It kind of funny how you pass from the glittering towers of central Sydney to the gritty streets of Darlinghurst.

Once I hit Taylor Square, I veered north along Forbes Street to check out "Dov" a potential cafe for lunch. After wandering around Darlinghurst I ended up back at Dov for lunch.

After a very filling lunch I walked to Darlinghurst Road and realized that there was another side to this area. Darlinghurst Road in the area of Liverpool Street is actually quite different and a bit more interesting than Oxford Street. Once again on this part of Darlinghurst Road you will find a number of cafes and restaurants which are more casual and less expensive than those in downtown Sydney.

Continuing along Darlinghurst Road, heading north, you approach the Kings Cross area and this is where the walk goes downhill again. If you like sex shops and prostitutes, this is you place. I perferred to keep moving through this seedy part of town.

So far this walk has gone from glittering to historic to gritty to casual to seedy and if you continue further along Darlinghurst Road to the point where it become Macleay Street you will actuall see this path become upscale.

Where Darlinghurst Road become Macleay Street and runs into Potts Point, the scene begins to resemble an area which strongly resembles Kensington in London.

Once reaching the end of the road in Potts Point another road reverses direction and heads south into Woolloomooloo. I didn't think there was anything of specific interest here except for the large "W" hotel which sits on the wharf. From Woolloomooloo I climbed about 100 steps and went from urban to botanic gardens.

I am not really one to linger over plant species but the Botanic Gardens are very well signed and beautifully manicured. I passed through the gardend and exited at the Queen Elizabeth gate which is right at the Opera House.

This is the first time I have been up close to the Opera and I found it to be bigger than life. I t was a good time to be there because the sun was setting and I got a lot of good pictures of the sails with the golden glow of the sunset illuminating them.

After my tour around the Opera, I headed back to my hotel for a well needed rest.

Thursdays pedeometer reading...

Distance - 10.53 miles

Steps - 23,829

Calories Burned - 960

Only 960 calories burned? That seems like a gyp.

To end the evening on Thursday I fell asleep in the big chair in my room and never had dinner, unless you consider the yoghurt and cookies I ate at 10pm when I woke up.

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Dov

Today was my day to explore Darlinghurst which is the gritty suburb to the east of downtown Sydney.

Today as I wandered through Darlinghurst I checked out a few places along the way - Balkan on Oxford Street (too meaty, too Balkan), Sel et Poivre on Victoria Street (lunch menu was too simple) and bills on Liverpool Street (nothing on lunch menu thrilled me).

I settled with Dov because it was on a quiet street, seemed unpretentious and was recommended in the "Sydney Eats" book.

The atmosphere at Dov is plain and simple. The walls are beige stone with cement floors and simple cafe tables. No tablecloths here! If I didn't hear people with Australian accents in the background I would swear I was in some small cafe on a street corner in San Francisco's Noe Valley or Castro district.

The lunch menu has selections ranging from $8-15 (US$7.20-12) and include creative concoctions including soups, salads and turkish sandwiches. For dinner the main courses range anywhere from $17-24 (US$13.60-19.20). There are daily blackboard specials for both lunch and dinner.

On my visit some of the blackboard specials listed for dinner were, Fettucine with smoked chicken, peas, spinach and parmesean in chicken jus @ $17 and a second offering of blue eyed cod with zucchini fritters and buerre blanc broth for $24.

For my lunch today, I start with a pumpkin and celeriac soup (it's Fall here!). The soup is served in a huge bowl with bread and butter on the side. It is very tasty but could be a bit thicker. Somehow I think it could have been topped with a dollup of thick cream or creme fraiche and some pine nuts. Regardless the flavour is very fresh and homemade. $8.50 (US$6.80)

For my main course I am having what is called "chicken salad". It is said that the chicken salad is somewhat of a neighborhood institution at Dov. This is a huge dish! Imagine chunks of poached chicken atop a mound of coursely mashed potatoes atop a bed of greens topped with a creamy dressing and a gerkin relish. It's very filling and I didn't finish the entire dish. It's a meal in a mound, protein, starch and greens. $13.50 (US$10.80)

As the waitress comes back she asks, "coffee?" I exclaim, "I'm stuffed! What do you have for dessert? Hummingbird cake, lemon tart, flourless chocolate cake, etc... I get the hummingbird cake which is a banana and pineapple cake and a pot of Earl Grey tea. These pots of Earl Grey tea are keeping me alive in the afternoon.

The hummingbird cake is very nice and painfully sweet. It's topped with cream cheese icing and served with a dollup of clotted cream on the side. $6.20 (US$4.60)

Total bill including a bottle of mineral water and pot of tea $35.20 (US$28.15)

Am I getting fatter? If I die in Sydney, tell them to check my arteries.

For food, service and atmosphere I give Dov a 3 out of 5. Dov has good, fresh and interesting "Modern Australian" food, a decent environment and the service is friendly and casual. This is also a nice choice if you are wandering on gritty Oxford Street and need a quiet break.

For the aggressive fly that has been tormenting me the entire time I was here - I hope you get squashed and die a quick death.

Dov, 252 Forbes Street (a few minutes off Taylor Sq), Sydney

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It's Thursday Already!

It seems like the week is moving fast and I am still trying to figure out what to do. I think I got most of my shopping out of the way but still want to pick up one or two things. Besides for some gourmet food items that I bought yesterday, I only bought e woven shirts which were on sale at Meyer for US$25 each. They really aren't great quality but if I have them altered they will be fine.

What's up with the weather?

I fully expected from the forecast that the weather was going to be sunny and nice. On my arrival day it was perfect. Yesterday it was rainy in the morning and cloudy in the afternoon. It was cold just a bit warm and sticky.

Today looks like another "mostly cloudy" day with clearing tomorrow. I hope it nice tomorrow because I want to go to Hunter Valley wineries. I still have to figure out how to get there. If I had nerve I'd drive but I fear the left side of the road driving here. I also fear doing wine tastings and driving. For all I know if I have a few sips and drive I might get the death penalty.

Well, I still have a few things I want to do such as exploring Kings Cross and Darlinghurst, the Taronga Zoo...

OK, I just had a sudden bout with hunger and ran downstairs to little cafe next to my hotel. It's called the "Alpha Gourmet Cafe" and for $4.20 (US$3.35) I got a nice bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on a roll. It's delicious and I thought the price was good. It's gotta be the best deal in Sydney. They might even have a good lunch. The cafe is located at 38 Pitt Street next to the Marriott. If you are in the area of the Rocks, Circular Quay or the Opera, prices can be real expensive. This might be a good option for a cheap breakfast of a simple lunch.

Nothing like breakie in bed!

Did you ever notice how Australian's shorten common words and add "ie" to the end? Some examples I have seen are "Tazzie" (Tasmanian) and "mossie" (mosquito). I'll look for others...

Anyway back to sightseeing. Some sun has poked through since I started this post, I hope it's a trend. In addition to the sights listed above I also still want to ride the ferry in the harbour, go to the top of Sydney Tower and a walk around the city center. I also want to go back to Darling Harbour and King Street Wharf.

Yesterday I stopped into the Queen Victoria Building which is labeled as the world's most beautiful shopping center. Built in 1898 it has to be the worlds first mall. Shopping here can take you back in time with it's huge central glass dome, stained glass windows, patterned floor tiles and victorian style store fronts. I was particullary interested in the two huge clocks that hang over the center. The QVB has about 200 shops and cafes. I really didn't think all the shops were too interesting but the QVB is still worth checking out.

The Queen Victoria Building is located at the corner of George and Market Street.

Sydney has a number of Victorian style shopping arcades which add character to this modern city with an excess of cold shopping centers. One that I stopped in was the Strand Arcade built in 1892, hmmm maybe this was the worlds first shopping mall since it was built before the Queen Victoria Building. The owners must have been damn mad when the competion opened I wonder if they had a "one day sale" to steal customers from the competition. The Strand Arcade is a glass and iron beauty which also recalls shopping during the Victorian era.

In the Strand Arcade you won't find many chain stores but individual shops with "shopkeepers" selling everything from native Australian products to jewelry. One shop of note is "The Nut Shop". No, this isn't a place where people like me go to buy clothes, it's a little candy shop selling all sorts of sweets, nuts and treats. Here you can pick up a little treat packaged in bags or by the kilo (I don't understand metrics). I bought a small bag of something called "bullets" in dark chocolate. Bullets are black licorice covered in either dark or milk chocolate. I picked up a small 100g bag for $2 (US$1.60). I have to say that they are delicious and the quality of the chocolate is good. I have to go back to get some treats for the plane ride home.

The Nut Shop and the Strand Arcade is located off the Pitt Street Mall connecting Pitt Street with George Street near King Street.

In other wanderings...

Yesterday after lunch at Darling Harbour I walk to Chinatown to see if there was anything interesting. FYI, there was nothing interesting to report.

On the way back I did find an ancestor of an old American icon, Woolworths! Yes, a distint relative of our American Woolworth's stiL operates in Australia. The shop has a combination of grocery, clothing, knick-knacks and health and beauty care. It's sort of like a Super Target, but not as big.

Well the sun has gone back behind the clouds and it still looks gloomy outside. I think I will head over to Oxford Street today and check out Darlinghurst. Maybe I'll get a good lunch while I am over there.

Oh, tonight may be Malaysian food again, there is another place at the King Street Wharf that I wanted to try...

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Pedometer Readings

I haven't been posting pedometer reading so here is my last 3 days...

Tuesday, April 19

Steps - 29,666

Miles - 13.10

Calories Burned - 1182

Wednesday, April 20

Steps - 17,675

Miles - 7.81

Calories Burned - 684

Considering what I am eating I think I should walk faster...

Blogging from Australia with Blackberry and Cingular Wireless.

Belgian Beer Cafe

(From Wednesday evening, I forgot to post this last night)

I've been wandering all day and returned to the Marriott after 6pm. After a brief rest in the easy chair (I was careful not to lie down) I decided to set out for dinner.

It's already past 9pm so being too adventurous isn't an option. On my flight from Melbourne my flight atendant recommended the Belgian Beer Cafe because he also stays at the Marriott and often comes here for mussels. Well, that's all nice and everything but I don't do shellfish. Regardless the cafe has about 12 different styles of mussels all for aroubd $20 (US$16). That seems like a good deal.

The atmosphere at the cafe is what I would call "Belgian beer hall". Dark wooden floors, dark wood tables and chairs and waitresses slinging trays filled with mugs of Belgian beer. The crowd tonight seems to be "the boys" from the local offices mixed with businessmen and a conventioneer or two. It's not a quiet place and the acostics are terrible. Nonetheless the cafe or "beer hall" is a fun place to eat and drink with friends. If I closed my eyes I could be in Belgium.

So, tonight instead of mussels, I will have the Flemish Beef Stew which is cooked in beer. This is served with a side of potatoes. I also order a side salad because I think I need something green.

The salad comes first and is a pretty big salad made with field greens and a light dressing. The salad also has red peppers, cukes, carrot, nicoise olives and red onion. $6.50 (US$5.20)

After my salad I get a nice sized bowl of the Flemish stew. It is delicious with chunks of tender meat in a rich thick sauce. Actually it's just like I make at home (really). $21.50 (US$16.70)

In addition to the nice list of Belgian food, the menu also includes the largest list of Belgian beer I have ever seen. Such a small country, so many brands!

I think I will skip dessert tonight since they are not inspiring and seem to be priced on the high side.

The Belgian Beer Cafe gets a solid 3 (out of 5) for food. For service, atmosphere and price/value they also get a 3. The food here is good and service is a bit impersonal, but dude, it's a beer hall!!!

Total bill (including 1 beer) - $35.50 (US$28.40)

Belgian Beer Cafe, 135 Harrington Street, The Rocks (near the Shangri-la Hotel), Sydney

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Grocery Shopping

It seems that I can't go away without doing a bit of grocery shopping. In my wanderings today I made a number of stops at some food specialty shops and then on the way back to my hotel I stopped at Coles, the local supermarket.

I love being able to buy a unique food items while out of the country. When you get home and use these items it's a greay reminder of your vacation.

In addition to my stop at Coles, I also went to the foodhall at David Jones. The food at David Jones department store is a bit more refined than at Coles but it's a good place to find some good Australian made food. They also have a good selectionof imported English and European goods. Oddly enough it's always fun to see the American "gourmet" selections. At David Jones along with all the fancy piccalilli and exotic chutneys was jars Of Vlasic Sweet Relish at $6 (US$5.80) and Best Foods Mayonaise, also at around $6. I remember that next time I use these two gourmet ingredients to make a tuna sandwich.

So here is my Australian grocery list...

-T2 Earl Grey Tea (remember I had this in Melbourne? I found this on 50% off clearance. $5.25 (US$4.20)

-Maggie Beers Red Wine Vinegar $8.50 (US$6.50)

-Country Cuisine Cumquat Marmalade $8.50 (US$6.80)

-Tasmanian Meadow Honey $10.95 (US$8.75)

-Truffle Honey $12.50 (US$10.25)

-Cockatoo Ridge Shiraz $11.79 (US$9.50)

-Aqua Queen Spring Water $1.68 (US$1.35)

-Skim Milk $1.24 (US$1)

-Scotch Finger Biscuits $2.87 (US$2.30)

-Tasty Jacks Sweet and Sour Potato Chips $1.06 (US$ .80)

-Strawberry Yoghurt $2.03 (US$1.60)

-3 packets Thai Curry Paste $1.01 ea. (US$ .80)

-Cadbury Boost Candy Bar $1.44 (US$1.15)

-Small packet of cheddar cheese and crackers $2.03 (US$1.60)

-Thai Green Curry Paste $3.56 (US$2.80)

All that for US$63.

Snacks, souvenirs, drinks and treats, not bad.

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Chinta Ria... Temple of Love

Temple of Love? You have to love that name for a restaurant, don't you?

It's raining outside and I got a late start this morning because I didn't see any sense to go out and walk in the wetness. This morning I wandered up Pitt Street to check out the stores and also made a stop at David Jones to see if there was any good gourmet pprducts in their famous food halls. I guess my opjective is to look for some good Southeast Asian ingridients ( my new love), Australian honey, jams for my Mommy (she always gets a jam from everywhere I go) and maybe some good Australian wine vinegar (I love a good wine vinegar).

Before I hit Meyer, which is having a one day sale today, I made a dash (in the rain) over to Darling Harbour to have a Malaysian lunch.

Chinta Rias, Temple of Love is my choice today and one of my target restaurants for this trip. Chinta Ria is located at the Cockle Bay Wharf right at the entrance to Darling Harbour. The building is a round pavillion with lots of windows and lots of light.

At the entrance you are greeted by a huge statue of Buddah and inscense burning which lightly perfumes the air. The building is a bit zen, combining concrete, wood and glass with seating at benchs, tables and counters. Hanging from the ceiling are huge fabric banners in the colors of orange, red, gold and yellows. Very colorful and tasteful.

Don't get the impression that the "temple" is a serene and quiet place of meditation. The noise level of the music, people yakking and woks clanking can be a bit loud. That's ok because I consider this a social restaurant, not a romantic dining place.

For my starter I selected Lohbak which is minced chicken breast blended with 5 spice seasoning wrapped in a bean curd skin and steamed. The flavour of this is somewhat mild but tasty. I think I would have liked it better if it was served with a spicy dipping sauce. $8.60 (US$7.60)

My main course is Chinta Ria's specialty, Red Temple Chicken. This is a chicken roulade smothered with a spiced red sauce of chilli, lemon grass, coconut, garlic and tomatoes. The serving size of this is very generous and could be enough for 2! The flavor is very subtle and lightly spiced. You can't quite make out any particular favour, but all flavours seem to meld equally. It was delicious but could have has a bit more spice, just a bit. $23.50 (US$18.60)

After that feast I guess I have to have a real Malaysian dessert. My waiter suggests the Malaysian "Sago" pudding which is a type of tapioca. This is an odd dessert and should not be attempted by people who don't like gelatious things. Basically the center of the dish is moulded tapioca (which is flavourless) surrounded by sweet coconut milk and dark palm sugar syrup. The flavour is all about the liquids and as you eat it the beads of tapioca kind Of swirl around in you mouth. It was actually delicious. $7.50 (US$6)

I am finishing all this off with a cup of Earl Grey tea for a hit of energy. The tea they use here is just Twinings, it's ok but nothing great. $3.50 (US$2.80)

The prices at Chinta Ria are reasonable condisering the huge quantities that are served. Two people could easily have an economical meal by getting 2 or 3 starters, one big main course and then wine and dessert if desired.

Of course, I am a hog and had it all and ate every bit.

Starters here run $6-9, noodle and rice dishes run around $15, main courses $21-26.

My total bill including a glass od savingnon blanc is $52.40 (US$42). Ok that's high for lunch but I ate a huge meal including wine and dessert. Without all the extras, it could have easily been $33 (US$26.50).

For food I give Chinta Ria a 3++ out of 5. Don't get me wrong on that rating, it could be a 4 but was delicious, not exquisite. For service they do get a 4 as the staff is friendly and accomodating. For atmosphere, regardless of the noise they also get a 4. for price/value they get another 4 because portions are huge. Considering all the above, I would give them a 4 overall. It's a nice place and takes pride in their food and service.

Chinta Ria... Temple of Love, Cockle Bay Wharf at Darling Harbour, Sydney

Is this blog starting to sound like "I heart malaysia"?

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Sailors Thai

This is a delayed post from Tuesday, April 19

Sailors Thai is located in Sydneys "The Rocks" district which is somwhat like "olde Sydney" with brick buildings and quiet streets.

This restaurant is written up in every major book and in many places on the net. That doesn't mean it will be good, it could just be some fancy marketing.

The first impression is not what I expected. The dining room is a long narrow room with one very long communal table up the middle. Note to self - don't come here at night when it's really busy. Instead of sitting inside, I sit outside on the back patio which offers no view or atmosphere, just a cool breeze and a bit of extra light.

I am here for a late lunch and greeted with a short menu which has pricing that I wouldn't call cheap. Dishes range from $18-26 (US$14-20). There are no starters or tid-bits on the menu.

I start out unimpressed so I order one of the least expensive menu items, Pad Thai. If you are unfamiliar with Pad Thai, it's stir fried noodles with egg, bean sprouts, dried prawns and flavourings. It tastes good but nothing to remember. For all I know I could close my eyes and be in the food court at the Garden State Plaza in New Jersey. Unimpressed.

As I have my lunch the staff inside sits down to their lunch. It looks like a feast compared to mine.

As I sit here I realize I am in the Sailors Thai "canteen" and there is a better full a la carte restaurant downstairs. I bet there is a difference, but if it's anymore expensive it's off my list.

Not that I am cheap or anything, I will pay more for a great meal (last night at Blue Chillies) but I think there is a limit to the price you pay for Asian stir fry.

For food I only give Sailors Thai (canteen) a 2, and barely that. I don't know what other dishes are like but if they can't make a fabulous Pad Thai, then how good is everything else? For service they get a n/a, I wasn't impressed and was treated typically for a Asian restaurant. For atmosphere in the canteen, another dull 2. I don't believe in communal tables

Total check - $16.50 (US$13.20)

Sailors Thai, 106 George Street, The Rocks, Sydney

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