sid-nee

Of wandering around only half conscious...

Three hours to kill until noon check in, when I can take a much needed nap. I sit in the lounge intending to do internet or read, but instead fall asleep all over my computer. I got myself a real chai latte from a cafe and had a walk around the neighborhood. Scoping out the food places (numerable), the people (white and asian, no black), and the neighborhood (meh). Happily returned to my hostel and took a much needed, horizontal nap.

At two-ish I forced myself awake to go do more touring. First I had a veggie burger at Hungry Jacks, which is really just Burger King in disguise. I mean, logo and everything. I was happy to be inside because Sydney is really windy and Wimbledon was playing.

Then I unintentionally took a religious tour of central Sydney. First was St. Andrews Cathedral, a gorgeous Victorian/Gothic stone building with stain-glass windows and copper (green) spires. There was nothing really notable about it other than it was large and pretty and had a nice courtyard with huge flowering eucalyptus trees. I'm just going to go ahead and assume all of the trees here are some kind of eucalyptus. On the other side of the courtyard is City Hall, but that was under construction. Across the street was the Queen Victoria Shopping Center, or something to that effect, with a great statue of HRH looking totally like the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland, and a fountain statue of her pet dog. When you walked by the dog, he greeted you and requested you make a coin donation to his wishing fountain. The dog statue spoke English. I am not making this up.

Next to Victoria's shopping arcade were two little theaters with brilliant gold art-deco interiors. I took some pictures, then walked on to the Great Synagogue. It reminded me of Bnei Jeshrun in NY-- all stone, round petaled stain-glass, squished up against the buildings on either side of it. The Great Synagogue also had a pretty wrought iron fence around it, which seemed little superfluous.

I walked through Hyde Park, which is a truly charming park in the center of the city. It's about the size of two square blocks and has manicured lawns and a few garden areas. What makes this park really lovely are the stately fig trees lining the perimeter and foot paths. These fig trees are the kinds whose smooth trunks and branches twist and braid around each other. The branches grow really tall and long and provide a lush leafy canopy. In the center of the park there is a stunning fountain with bronze statues of Apollo and that other character slaying the Minotaur (I am the worst teacher) and let's pretend it was Athena sitting with a deer.

Off to St. Mary's Cathedral! A gorgeous Victorian/Gothic stone building with stained-glass windows and copper spires! Apparently they have the oldest continuing choir in Australia, but they weren't there today, boo. Next door was an old prison barracks converted into a museum, but it was closing and I nearly got locked inside.

A block away sits St. James' Church, which was my favorite worshiping spot. From the outside, it appeared to be another Victorian/Gothic stone building with stained-glass windows and copper spires, but inside it was small and personal. The ceiling was low, the walls were flat, there were no gargantuan pillars holding the roof up. The architect of St. James' apparently was a convict. The altar wall was made of hammered gold and it was awesome to look at. I guess I lingered too long in the pews because I was invited to take part in their prayer service.

As I was walking back to YHA, I passed the Great Synagogue again, but this time it was open for Kabbalat Shabbat. I took a peek inside and was a little disappointed at its Easter egg interior. Pretty, but not . . . religious?

At 5:30 I decided to call it a day. I'm going to try to make some phone calls, eat dinner, and then sleep like a log.