5.3.11 – Dining in style

Sydney from Darling Harbour

Sydney 2000

5.3.11 – Dining in style

There are certain differences between Hadley Homestead and the City of Sydney, such as skyscraping glass-fronted blocks, surrounded by pretty old Victorian buildings, like daisies round the base of a Scots Pine.  Or the monorail train, snaking above your head as it swerves between buildings, over bridges and into pipe-shaped stations.  Or the way the houses and flats punctuate the trees up and down the steep slopes. 

Sydney is built around an immense sea loch, shaped a bit like a Christmas tree – a wide trunk with big branches off it all the way down in the form of deep bays.  Our boat was a three storey white and navy blue vessel, called Sydney 2000.  We were ushered up to the top deck, where white table cloths, gleaming silver cutlery and polished glasses awaited us.  Our cordon-blue three course dinner (mine was wonton soup, salmon and cointreau strawberries and cream) was served faultlessly as we slowly cruised the harbour, which really means the whole sea loch.  Houses flowing from the top of the hills to the waterside were interrupted by areas of parkland, green palm trees amid green grassy slopes and little golden beaches.  To buy these houses, you really need to be a banker.  We skirted little islands and delved into the deep bays, glided under Sydney Harbour Bridge, waved to the Opera House.  And everywhere, yachts were leaning into the wind – tiny ones scattering the sea like confetti, tall grey-sailed ones that came so close they seemed to scrape the side of our ship, plump ones with brilliant coloured spinnakers, looking like bosomy Victorian matrons gliding over the dance floor.  It was a meal to remember in every way.

On the train, George and Moira described some of the weather you can get here.  We knew about the 40 degree temperatures, bush fires and tropical rain.  But the idea of hailstones the size of lemons, which can knock you out, break your windows and roof tiles, and write off your car, was a new and somewhat scary one.  Apparently one of the best months to experience this is March.  Hmmm.