Sydney week 4

Tuesday : Drizzling rain  or heavier most of the day.  I caught the bus to Central then walked through the main part of Surrey Hills. I had breakfast soon after I got to Surrey hills which meant that I was  bit too early for some of the quirky little design shops . Lots did not open till 11.  I caught a bus to Centennial Parklands and found the labyrinth and walked slowly around it. Waiting for the bus home was interesting. The bus didnot come and didnot come and the rain got heavier and heavier. I had my  good knee length jacket on, but my jeans below the knee were drenched when the bus finally came. It was almost full of completely dry people. I found it very difficult not to drip water onto people . Everyone was looking at me as if I had done something wrong. Who knows what I was meant to do.

Wednesday:  I met my cousins other daughter at Parramatta , we had breakfast and then wandered around looking at old buildings, the park with Old Government House in and more old buildings. It was a very pleasant morning. In the afternoon I met a friend for coffee who used to live in Canberra but now lives in a nearby suburb.

Thursday: I went by bus to Alexandria , another suburb that is being reinvented. I had breakfast at a large cafe in a sort of garden centre which also had a pig and some cooks.  I went to a design place which I think sells my 2 new kitchen stools, then to the White Rabbit in Chippendale.  It specialises in contemporary Chinese art and was fascinating. On the way home I walked down what is called the Goods Line. It is a smaller, non elevated, version of the High Line in NYC. It does go past the new Frank Gerry building that I wanted to see. It goes roughly from Central to the Powerhouse Museum along a disused old goods rail line with nice public spaces. I had dinner in the Balmain home, of my niece.

Friday:  bus to Coogee , walk to almost Bondi,  put on rain jacket after rolling up my trouser legs, walked smugly in teeming rain past many people huddled together in the rock overhangs, had a nice fish lunch overlooking the beach and the still teaming rain.

Saturday: Pottered in Glebe.

Sunday: Thought I better have another go at buying a few bits of clothing that fit me better than most of my stuff.  I wandered into David Jones, was idly looking at a shirt in the Sportscraft section, was approached by a lady who was really helpful, kept bringing me different sizes and colours of things, giving me honest opinions and I walked out with more than I had gone in for and  what was very good, didnot have to look anywhere else. I did go to a few more shops that I had been told about, had lunch and came home.