Tuesday, January 04, 2011

17 Nov 2010: The Evening at Darling Harbour

17 Nov 2010, Wed:

I was rather tired after a day out at the Australian Reptile Park and Port Stephens. At the same time, I was delighted to have seen dolphins swimming in the wild. Thank goodness for good luck.



On the way back to the Sydney city, I admired the vast lands from the windows of the coach. I was lucky that I also saw cows, horses and haystacks from the coach. I was also delighted to cross the Harbour Bridge on the coach. On the ride back to the city area, I had the privilege to catch a glimpse of the Sydney Opera House from Harbour Bridge, on the coach. That fondly made me recall my walk across the Harbour Bridge with my friend, RL, the day before.


The bus brought me to a part of Chinatown nearby Goulburn Street. I visited the hotel for a while and afterwhich, head for the scenic Darling Harbour. On my way, I passed by the Ferris Wheel which was known as "Sky View". This was a feature at the Darling Harbour area that was new to me. When I visited Sydney in 2008, Sky View was non-existent. I wondered who would be the ones who would enjoy hopping onboard the Ferris Wheel to be taken for a ride in a circular path?


Darling Harbour has an air of romance and artistic flair to it. I particularly like it during the morning hours and the evening times. Does the people who visit Darling Harbour make it what it is? Or is it Darling Harbour that makes its visitors enter a world with a slower pace of life and artistic flair.




I had a craving for seafood because I was in Sydney, where seafood is fresh as it can be. I ended up having dinner at Blue Fish Seafood Restaurant. I ordered its Fish and Chips. The choice could be understood if you learn that Blue Fish was voted Australia's Favourite Fish and Chips in the Lifestyle Food Channel's 'I Love Food' Awards'.

I like its lightly textured batter which was not oily. I also like the tenderly fresh fish and the good-tasting tartar sauce. As for the chips, I would prefer the chips from Sandbars Cafe, Port Stephens. Nevertheless, the Fish and Chips was as a whole good enough to satisfy. I also liked the ginger tea that I had ordered. This place played nice soft jazz-style music, and that added a gentle air of creativity to the ambience of the restaurant.


After the dinner, I decided I could do a bit of sketching. Yes, sketching when it was turning dark. Perhaps to some extent, the artistic ambience of the Darling Harbour also got me in touch with the human side of myself. I have a darker side as well that I am learning to tolerate and to seek to improve with each passing day. I had many questions on my mind. Could I learn to trust that the process of life would help me in the quest for the answers? Whatever questions or darker side I could have, sketching was therapeutic. I did my first night-time sketch in Sydney at the Darling Harbour only to realise that it was already 9.30 p.m. when I had completed the sketch. tt did not feel as if it was that late. It was just 6.30 p.m. Singapore time anyway.



People and moments that I am grateful for:
1) The weather was good throughout the day. Knowing that it had been raining the week before, I was grateful for the good weather.
2) I was grateful for a delicious dinner at Blue Fish.
3) I was treated to a beautiful view of Darling Harbour when I leisurely enjoyed dinner at Blue Fish. The folks at Blue Fish were generally hospitable.
4) I was grateful for the scenic views at Darling Harbour.

New things that I did:
1) I did my first night-time sketch in Sydney.
2) It was my first visit to Blue Fish Seafood Restaurant.

****
Blue Fish
http://www.bluefishsydney.com.au
Level 1, 287 Harbourside Promenade, Darling Harbour 
Sydney, Australia
Tel: +61 (02) 92110315
Email: info@bluefishsydney.com.au

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