Happy New Year from Sydney (2007)

HAPPY NEW YEAR
Oh my…., I cannot believe, another year slip passed while Chee, myself and friends camped out at Mrs. Macquaries Point to watch the famous 9pm and 12midnight New Year Eve fireworks on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It’s the bridge’s 75th birthday! Knowing it’s going to be a huge celebration with lots of people, we were down at Mrs. Macquaries Point just before lunch. To our surprise and according to a few families in the queue, the queue started almost 9 in the morning. Unlike previous years, we were not allowed and checked for BYO alcohol or drinks. Why? Of course for retail motives, over 10 stores, selling consumable liquids and solids were setup in the area just to rip you off. After the check points, we walked a further 5 minutes to the point. Well, well, well, the place in packed full. Fortunately, we found a pretty good spot with a superb view of both the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge next to it. Bingo! The spot we found was really good; lots of people came behind us for photos of the view. After marking our territory with picnic sheets and beach towels, we quickly settle down for some BYO lunch we brought along. Nothing fancy, just bread, tuna, chocolates and water. Started chatting, playing cards, resting, snoring………sky glazing, weather worrying….! The weather? Not good at all, windy, cold and overcast with passing dark clouds, just short of bucketing. Thank God! Summer in Sydney? Not really, everyone was in their jumper or winter clothing.

Till the first set of fireworks at 9pm, Ray and I went around and saw a couple of interesting characters and things. A really tall man (2.2m) I guess, photographers with their ultra long lens cameras, sleeping human cocoons, groups of Taiwanese, pommy (British) & etc. We saw so many people by the rock for the best view, so near to the water that a push will send them into the sea right beside them. Horrendous but true, the queue at the mobile toilets were extreme, have to queue over 45 minutes to relief ourselves. Often being a last minute reliever, I went down to the bushes and met lots of other fellow last minute relievers, both man and women. J At 9, the first bang of fireworks went off nicely with a good amount of firing over 10 minutes. Beautiful! We were hoping the 12 midnight will be way better then this. For the next 3 hours, most of us were already tired from the waiting in the day and we slept for over an hour before waking up to the roars of people, singing, dancing, yelling, calling, etc. One thing I noticed, just before the 12 midnight fireworks, the entire place was lighted with the displays of thousands of still and video digital cameras in everyone hands, pointing at the bridge. It’s like doing Christmas carol with candles in our hands. Amazing! The 12 midnight fireworks was only ok, slightly better then the 9, everyone was expecting a better display, especially from the bridge, since it’s the bridge birthday. Well, disappointing, at least for Chee and me! After all the hassle and firings, we headed home on free buses, thanks to the Sydney Buses.

Floriade 2006, Canberra

Spring finally arrived and its time for Floriade (Tulip festival) in Canberra again. This year, my colleagues and partners, Tara & Ray, Simon & Eunhee, Ricardo & Anna, came along, to this amazing display of million tulips and other beautiful flowers at the Commonwealth Park.

Friday afternoon, Tara, Ray, Chee and I hit the road to avoid the traffic into Canberra from Sydney (but also to dodge the lab cleaning session) Hehehe! Simon, Eunhee, Ricardo & Anna joined us on Saturday afternoon. 3hrs from Sydney (Ray drove), we arriving at our $59 a night accommodation (Motel Formula 1) at 4:30pm. With rumbling tummies, we checked-in and droved to Manuka for a scrumptious, but expensive dinner in a Singapore / Malaysia restaurant. Nevertheless, we loved the dishes ordered. After dinner, we went to Dickson for beer in O’Neill’s, an Irish pub, some smooth custard ice-cream desserts at Rubees and back at O’Neill’s for more beers and oil saturated chips. By 10pm, we were chock filled with beer and chips, but sober enough to drive back to the motel for an early night, ready for the next big day out to Floriade.



Saturday 8:30am, beautiful day (clear blue sky), we were up and at McDonalds (Dickson) having our breaky and coffee, before going flower crazy at the Floriade. Ray, with his new digital SLR camera, was clicking uncontrollably at any flower he saw, attempting to capture stunning images of tulips at the festival. Well, guess Ray and I somehow got into the photography gizmo and snapped over 200 shots. The battery in my old digital camera went flat after just over an hour. Tulips/flowers? Very lovely, adore the spread of vibrant colors and varieties of tulips on display. Beautiful, Schön, Beau, Bello, Hermoso!


We did the flowers thingy from 9am to 11pm, before catching a boat tour around Lake Burley on a 60 years old boat, ($5pp). Captain Steve, showed us the Australia Treasury where Mr. Costello does his yearly budgeting, the National Library of Australia, the National Carillon, Captain Cook Memorial Jet, which was suppose to be spraying, but did not, due to strong winds, and finally the Commonwealth Place with flying flags from many countries. We drop off there for a stroll and more pictures. By 1pm, we were back at Floriade for a final peek at the flora fashion, before meeting with the rest (Simon’s group) for Chinese BBQ lunch in Dickson at 2pm. Remember, many restaurants in Canberra, close at 2:30pm and reopen at 5pm for dinner. Not in Sydney!


After lunch, Simon’s group went to the Floriade and Parliament House while we went to the National Museum of Australia for some Australian history. Australian icons include, Holden Commodore, cricket, ruby, swimming, AFL, NRL, Post, bush fires, aborigines, and Australian jargons e.g. Drop Bear and Whoop whoop. We managed to see as much as possible before we were butt out at 5:30pm. We made our way back to the motel for some rest before meeting Simon & group at 7:30pm for dinner at Dickson. Yes! Dickson again, well there are only a few places in Canberra with food. We had pizza (Italian restaurant), the Tandoori chicken, vegetarian, satay chicken pizzas and two salads were superb and cheap.


Post dinner entertainments were beers in O’Neill’s before going to the Canberra Space Dome & Observatory at 9:30pm for some astronomical discovery. Disappointing, we saw nothing besides stars and more tiny stars, not even a glimpse of a planet or aliens.


Sunday 8am, cloudy with light showers, Simon & group decided to sleep in while we went for bird watching with Captain Steve on his boat. Chee and Tara took turn to play the boat captain and operated the boat, that was quite amusing. Despite the rain, we managed to spot some birds – several with necks like a snake, ducks and a gorgeous green/brown lizard. It was fun. After that, we went to the old Parliament house. Pretty interesting, we looked at 60s and 70s furniture while broadening our knowledge of the old Australian political cultures. Hilarious but true, they seem to love their red, orange and green furniture then! There is also a nook with judge’s wig and gown – for visitors to take pictures and pretend to be “the judge” in parliament/court. Mischievously, Ray and I imitated Bart Simpson in the episode; he visited Australia and was kicked in the butt for an offense he committed. That is the punishment, the rest of the world thinks you are getting if you commit a crime in Australia!!!


Later, we went back to Manuka for sandwich / burger lunch, before heading back to Sydney. Very true, the only places to eat in Canberra are Manuka and Dickson! On our way back, we noticed many fallen trees, smoking forest and petrol stations and restaurants closed due to power failure. Shortly we found, there have been wild gales over 117km/hr and hot weather (34oC) and multiple forest fires in NSW over the weekend. Totally unlike the weather in Canberra (20oC day, 12oC night). No worries, we made it back into Sydney safely. Till next time….

Maribel back in Sydney & Mexico Independence Day

16th Sep, Maribel,my very good friend/colleague, finally touched down in Sydney at 5:07am, flying from Frankfurt to Singapore (12hrs) and Singapore to Sydney (7hrs), after spending 3 months at University of Bayreuth, Germany as an exchange student, between CAMD and Prof. Axel Müller’s group, MC II. I was at the airport to welcome her, and she always being a very nice and helpful girl, was trying to help this 77-year-old lady (Germany) who was alone and lost. Anyway, for details, Maribel agreed to post a blog about the entire event. She stayed on at the airport and helped this old lady until 3pm before coming back to CAMD. What a kind soul! At 4pm, I drove her to Uyen’s place, where she will be putting up for the next few days.

Today is also the Independence Day of Mexico, so we decided to do double celebrations; Maribel coming back to Sydney and Mexico Independence Day. All right! Of course, we decided on a Mexican restaurant. We were in Azteca’s Mexican restaurant along Avoca Street, Randwick, Sydney. Food was authentic Mexican and very delicious, especially the nachos, top with different sauces. Lip-smacking good! I ordered Cochinita Pibil, baked marinated pork in banana leaves, while the rest of the crazy gang (Ricardo, Anna, Simon, Eunhee and Maribel) ordered different dishes and we shared. I must say the company of frivolous friends over good food, chatting, singing, dancing and laughing uncontrollably, was absolutely hilarious but priceless. The owner of the restaurant Mr Jose Cruz, with his huge Mexican hat (Sombrero de Charro) and guitar, came and started singing Mexican songs to all the guests in the restaurant, clueless to me, except La Bamba. However, Ricardo, Anna, and Maribel, fellow Mexicans were singing on top of their voices and got the entire restaurant to sing along too! It was great fun!


Well, good things always comes to an end, only after we had our pictures taken with Mexican hats on our heads, kindly provide by the restaurant.