So, my latest message to my sister on Facebook said:
“got the local beer… heard some aboriginal musicians, walked the botanical garden, caught a bit of a troupe performing Wind in the Willows (very fun), and went to a Hare Krishna restaurant for dinner! Then slept REAL hard for 8 hrs. Now awaiting convergence to arrive into the Sydney harbor… that sounds cool, eh… Dad’s boat sailing into Sydney’s port… hopefully I’ll catch a pic of them sailing by the Opera House or something!”
Circular Quay view of harbor
This exciting adventure started with a day of Apple store running about (my DVD drive was dead and needed replacing and I felt doing it here was easier than sending it to Apple back home… and it was definitely the way to do it!). But turned into an evening of walking around Sydney. I walked from my hotel across the street to Circular Quay, which is where numerous ferries port tourists to the zoo, and other fun adventures around the bay.
I managed to find two great vegetarian options for my meals (which can often be an adventure in itself), one totally by chance near the Apple Store I went to in Chatswood Mall north of Sydney. It was a little Buddhist center in the middle of a china town like area. The area was all butchers and meaty stuff, not much fun for a hungry vegetarian! The Buddhist center was a warm welcome and very filling & yummy meal of different tofu and eggplant dishes.
In the evening I made my way to a Govinda’s, this is a global chain of privately/locally run Hare Krishna resaurants which I recommend highly, for veggie heads or carnivors. I got a very filling meal at a good price. They offer a movie with the meal, but I arrived late for the one I wanted… pretty cool actually, you by your dinner and see a movie in their VERY comfortable looking recliner/mattress bed thingys. Sorry I missed it, it was Burn after Reading, which looked interesting. To get to the restaurant, as I mentioned, I walked across to Circular Quay, managed to get a shot of my dear artist friend’s art on my chest in Sydney, which a kindly soul standing by took (thanks!), and then walked along to listen for a few moments (as they were finishing up) of an aboriginal musician playing the Digereedo (?), very nice. 
Jen Rosen Art in Sydney
I walked along the harbor until I cut over to the Botanical gardens, where posted was a great welcome sign… I ran my hands along a good few trees, but no hugging today!
I managed to catch about ten minutes of a very well and enjoyably performed Wind in the Willows in the center of the gardens… too fun! Then journeyed on through trees and unusual plantage towards my destination for dinner. It seems I walked through a rough neighborhood, or at least one with awefully provocative women who I think may have been soliciting me… damn, aren’t I beautifully naive! Then on to the restaurant.
Wind in the Willows performance
View of Opera house from Botanical Gardens
My feet ached too much to walk back so I hopped on a bus at one point and made my way back to Old Sydney for a local draft of beer and my hotel where I crashed hard for the night after being up what would have been my entire night (it was 6am at home when I went to sleep here at 10pm)… whew, what a long day after a long day yesterday of travel. now I am loaded with coffee as I await Convergence to arrive so I can join the crew and prepare for a journey southward. Can’t wait to get on board! 
Old Sydney
