I got sick early Sunday morning and had a hard time getting back to sleep after... Joe was a sweetie and let me sleep till about 11; but I was bummed that we missed church. We had made plans to walk through the botanical gardens Sunday afternoon and, since I was feeling better, we decided to still go. We stopped at a cafe for a late lunch and I got some plain penne with pesto on it that must not have been good because the rest of the day was filled with me feeling very very sick to my stomach.
Joe wanted to take the ferry over to our new apartment and then see what it was like walking into town so we hurried back to the Quay only to find that the ferry was slightly delayed due to a cruise ship exiting the harbour. People were falling all over themselves to get pictures... I didn't think it was really that big of a deal; but Joe got a picture so that we could show some perspective as to the size of the bridge...
We did end up walking through the botanical gardens - even though we saw some incredible things, the very best part was standing right next to the Opera House and being able to actually see the apartment that we will be moving into at the end of this month! Wow!!
I wanted to take a picture of almost every tree that we saw - and I did...
But I am only posting two of the photos here so that I don't bore you. They are just so incredibly enormous and the trunks/roots look like they were carved out by water instead of growing organically. So neat....
There were great expanses of green lawn filled with couples and families having picnics or napping or just generally relaxing. I was thinking to myself that I would have a hard time just sitting on the grass for a while - not doing anything; but then I turned around and saw the view and I decided that I could sit and look at this all day long....
We walked farther into the park and started hearing some crazy bird noise. We discovered that there were a ton of Cockatoos flying around in the tree tops - this one came down to check us out. he must have thought that we were ok because he then flew down to the grass in front of us and strutted his stuff!
I couldn't believe how big the birds were - I was expecting them to be about the size of Lorrikeets; but they were like small hawks! I thought that their size would have been intimidating to me; but I really didn't mind them... After I put my camera away, a family came along and stopped to check the bird out. He flew up onto the mom's arm just as sweet as can be - she put her arm up next the to little drinking fountain and he hopped off onto it. The son turned the water on and the Cockatoo got a couple nice drinks in before he flew away - it was like being at the zoo; but without cages or nets!
We followed the path up around the point called "Mrs. Macquaries Chair". There is some history behind this whole thing; but I don't even think that I understand it all that well yet - I'm sure that I will be able to explain it all later - but here's a picture of the marker for now. We cut back over into the heart of the park and decided to go to the cafe for a coffee.
On our way into the cafe I heard an interesting noise and looked up - there were trees and trees completely full of bats. Huge Bats! Enormous Bats! It was so cool... They have furry reddish heads and then the typical glossy black wings and I would say that they were the size of small red fox - actually, I think they might even be referred to as flying foxes but don't quote me on that one.
Joe wanted to take the ferry over to our new apartment and then see what it was like walking into town so we hurried back to the Quay only to find that the ferry was slightly delayed due to a cruise ship exiting the harbour. People were falling all over themselves to get pictures... I didn't think it was really that big of a deal; but Joe got a picture so that we could show some perspective as to the size of the bridge...
Anywho, we took the ferry and them walked the mile up to Military Rd. which is the main drag through the whole Neutral Bay, Cremorne, Mosman area. It was just one long steep hill... ugh. My tummy was quite unhappy with the exertion. It's not a bad walk really; but I think it would be really difficult with groceries and dry cleaning etc... We saw some bus stops along the way so I think I'll be able to make the trip a bit shorter on those days when I have a lot to carry. We wandered down Military into Cremorne and found a nice place to sit and have dinner. I got a beer which seemed to solve all of my stomach issues so then I got some mussels which were epically delicious! Good end to a very long but beautiful day!
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When you get settled in you should investigate ordering your groceries over the internet. Both Coles and Woolworths do this, just go to their websites. They will deliver them for a small charge.
Hope you are all better now... Sorry I have talk to you in a couple of days. I've been really busy do things around the house and haven't had much free time.. By the way, the garden looks so beautiful!
Love Ya
We had those sulpher-crested cockatoos on top of our old house here all the time-- they are soooo loud, it's insane. At the same house we had about 400 bats at night in the fig tree in the backyard-- orange nasty bat poop everywhere. I used to like birds, and I still do-- as long as they stay out of my yard... we're currently dealing with ravens and magpies :(
@ Anonymous - thanks much! I've heard of this service and it sounds rather lovely!
@ Geri - No worries lady, I know you are still out there :)
@ Florida Girl - I was sitting on the couch today and one landed (this was so random) on the flagpole on the building outside my window. It was so loud I could hear it through the windows. Oh - The ravens here are massive and terrifying!! I don't envy you one bit!
Funny how we twins got our kids to think so much about FOOD! Love all the FB recipies, etc. from Denise's girls...hasn't caught on much with Mary Clare yet...she likes to pick up dinner at Wegmans :) auntie dia
Sorry you were so sick to your stomach!!
I am terrified of bats, so your pics of the flying foxes FREAKED ME OUT!!!! At the Bronx Zoo, there is an indoor exhibit called Jungle World. There are several rooms you walk through that are set up like different rain forests. The visitors walk through on an elevated walkway, but the forest is all around you.... so the stuff that can kill you (jaguars, tapirs, etc) are far blow you, and you are kind of up in the trees with birds flying around. Anywho, the first time we went when Nick was a baby, we were walking through the last room when Joe said, "Oh look, bats." I look up and about three feet above me head was a flying fox hanging out on a branch. He lazily opened his disgusting veiny wings and beat them a few times as if to say, "Bugger off or I'll suck your blood." I don't think my feet hit the floor as I grabbed Nick and ran screaming out of Jungle World. I HATE BATS.
I love you, though :)
@ Aunt Dia - So so true! We do love to cook! Saw you tried to chat on FB, sorry, my computer was up and down and I couldn't get connected to the chat. I'll try to call you after the weekend - I love you!
@ Meaghan - Hi!! How goes construction? I had no idea that you were scared of anything chicky! Those bats were pretty pretty high above us; but there were about 20 trees full of them so what lacked in distance was made up for in quantity :)