June 8, 9, 10 Sydney

June 8,
Our first down day in a long time. Did laundry, dealt with the brochures and maps we've accumulated over the months. Watched a footy game on tv. Sydney Swans beat the Adelaide Crows.

June 9,
Thursday we turn the motorhome in. We plan to take our luggage to the hotel, then take the motorhome to the depot and take the train back to the hotel. So today we drove out to find the hotel and check put the parking. It took a while, the hotel is on the south side of town near the airport, but we did find it and the parking is practically nonexistent. We might be able to pull up on the sidewalk, unload the luggage and move on. The clerk helped us figure out public transportation back to the hotel.

Then we were off to the Assyrian Sporting and Culture Club to meet with Johnson's relatives. We found the club and then found the relatives. We met his brother, brother-in- law, sister-in-law, 3 nieces and one nephew. We got there about 12:30, had wine and appetizers; tabbouleh, hummus, yogurt and cucumbers, and crispy bread - all really good. For dinner we had grilled fish with tomato sauce and oregano and salad or fries. And there was cake for dessert. All the while there was lots of talking and getting to know each other. It was an extremely enjoyable afternoon. We left the club around 5!

June 10,
We started out the day doing some packing. We seem to have accumulated quite a bit.
After lunch we went into town. We decided to get off the train early and walk across the Sydney Bridge. It was a busy path. We had good views of the harbor from there.
We went to the State Library to see what exhibits were on and there were several. One was photos of Afghanistan made with a camera phone, giving them a spontaneous quality. Another was treasures of the collection; an early edition of Chaucer's tales, a book of hours, Flinders map of Australia. In another, Aborigines were given a large sheet of paper and wrote down their feelings about being an Aborigine in Australia, then their pictures were taken with the paper. It was a powerful exhibit, most people asked for understanding and respect for their culture, some were angry, some were funny.
Then we went back to Circular Quay and found a restaurant that served pizza. At last, pizza with no hint of pineapple. Really good crust, lots of mushrooms and pecorino.
We had come to town to see the Vivid Festival, with light and sound displays all around the waterfront. One of the venues was the front of the building we were eating in, so when we walked out, there was a massive design on the front of the building. And someone from the crowd was on a platform dancing and making the design move. It was impossible to describe, but so clever. There were designs on the Sydney Opera House, the Museum of Contemporary Art and other buildings. We took a ferry to Darling Harbor where there was a light and water show, Aquatique. It was a great festival, people moving around the waterfront, eating at the cafes, enjoying everything. There are pictures of it online - Google vividsydney images and look for movies on YouTube. It was amazing.
On the walk from the train to the campground, we saw a possum walking on a fence. At first we thought it was a cat.

Pictures - Samson on the bridge, Opera House from the bridge, New South Wales State Library, Library Reading Room, Library Stained Glass Window, Vivid Festival Customs House, Customs House, Sydney Bridge with Opera House in distance, Luna Park, Passenger Terminal, Possum