Our usual Saturday Lyrical Jazz Beginners open dance class teacher at Sydney Dance Company was suppose to be back from a 2 week break today.
When I arrived at reception the schedule listed a substitute teacher ( same substitute teacher as last Saturday's class).
I was a little disappointed and sent a text message to my acquaintance advising how it was going to be an easy class again this week and that I'll have to go for a swim afterwards.
I was so wrong about this week's class. What a workout! It was not just a workout but the routine included quite a bit of floorwork. Even the substitute teacher admitted it was getting to the type of routine in an intermediate class.
The music for the choreography was (I believe) "Faded" by Alan Walker. Again a haunting piece of music.
The substitute teacher was very good at explaining the steps and advising us not to watch anyone in front of you or in the mirror. It was all about "feeling the music" Think about what you had to think about - coffee, parking etc he gave as examples and to become a bit vaunable. (Oops spelling)
I tried very hard to feel the music but I still could not - I danced as if Nick was in the class - everytime the lyrics of the song "Where are you now?" repeated - I would think Where were Nick and Barry now?
My passion for dancing is slowly returning. I know I still have a way to go but I am remembering routines better now.
At the end of the class I thanked the teacher and made a comment to him that I thought he was going to take it easy on us today.
I had to retext my acquaintance to advise that the dance class was actually a hard core one but I was still going for a swim.
After class I went to Balmoral Beach again for a swim and to relax my aching muscles in the saltwater. The water temperature was perfect - so perfect that I didn't want to get out!
I wish I had photos or videos of my dance class but videoing of any dance routines are prohibited at Sydney Dance Company.
Tired but relaxed, I think I will sleep very well tonight.
Saturday 30 April 2016
Sunday 24 April 2016
Monday 25th April 3016 - ANZAC DAY " Lest We Forget"
This year is the first year the Anzac Day Parade has marched down an alternative routine down Elizabeth Street due to the closure of George Street and the construction of the light rail system.
I am fortunate to never have had to live through a war and I hope in my lifetime I will never have to.
My closest association with war were stories about my parents living through a civil war whilst they were living in Hong Kong and one of my former physics teachers also mention how his deafness was due to his time serving during a war. I never asked him which war.
Nothing brings together the pride of a nation like Anzac Day celebrations - the dawn service; the parade represented by so many countries allied together fighting so many wars, past and present servicemen and women, school cadets, marching bands, vetrans, decendants of the armed forces, emergency services, Legacy and volunteers just to name a few; followed by drinks at the local pubs with mates or lunch and the friendly game of two up.
We should never forget the sacrifices made for our country's freedom. We do live in the lucky country. I hope that future generations will continue to remember and honor our past and present servicemen and and women.
"Lest We Forget."
I am fortunate to never have had to live through a war and I hope in my lifetime I will never have to.
My closest association with war were stories about my parents living through a civil war whilst they were living in Hong Kong and one of my former physics teachers also mention how his deafness was due to his time serving during a war. I never asked him which war.
Nothing brings together the pride of a nation like Anzac Day celebrations - the dawn service; the parade represented by so many countries allied together fighting so many wars, past and present servicemen and women, school cadets, marching bands, vetrans, decendants of the armed forces, emergency services, Legacy and volunteers just to name a few; followed by drinks at the local pubs with mates or lunch and the friendly game of two up.
We should never forget the sacrifices made for our country's freedom. We do live in the lucky country. I hope that future generations will continue to remember and honor our past and present servicemen and and women.
"Lest We Forget."
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| One of the many overflowing pubs around Sydney after the Anzac Day Parade |
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| Army |
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| Veterans |
Saturday 23 April 2016
Saturday 23rd April 2016 - Lyrical Jazz class # 4
The forecast for today was showers therefore I cancelled my plans to go to Biennale site # 3 Carriageworks today for another day.
Today I went to my 4th Lyrical Jazz class.
I wouldn't say I didn't enjoy it nor would I say that I did enjoy it. It was as if I was going to the gym - it was just a workout for me.
I'm unsure why I couldn't feel the music I was dancing to. Maybe it was the song choice - maybe it was because we had a substitute teacher who had a different choreographic style - maybe I just wasn't in the mood to dance today.
I was consciously counting the steps - I managed to remember the chorerography but I felt that I didn't put any feeling into the dance routine as I did it. It was a much easier routine then usual with no floor work.
Our warm up exercises were very similar but our across the floor work was very different. Instead of diagonal across the floor work it was forward across the floor work and I was able to do this without much difficulty as there was less spinning (which I opt out of at the beginning of each class due to my balance problem.) I quite liked doing this across the floor work as these were the exercises I used to do at Jazz classes however I was terrible at not looking down at my feet and keeping my arms out straight and not moving them.
After class it started raining as I left and poured by the time I reached the Harbour Bridge. Everyone was running for cover. I was soaked and sort shelter under the nearest tree as there was nowhere else around to seek refuge.
It stopped raining and I continued my journey home but it took me hours to arrive home as there were no trains or bus replacement service between Circular Quay and Town Hall. I had to change trains at Central Station. At Town Hall Sation the bus did not arrive therefore I was waiting for a very long time for the bus to arrive to get me home.
I hope next Saturday's Lyrical Jazz class will be better.
Today I went to my 4th Lyrical Jazz class.
I wouldn't say I didn't enjoy it nor would I say that I did enjoy it. It was as if I was going to the gym - it was just a workout for me.
I'm unsure why I couldn't feel the music I was dancing to. Maybe it was the song choice - maybe it was because we had a substitute teacher who had a different choreographic style - maybe I just wasn't in the mood to dance today.
I was consciously counting the steps - I managed to remember the chorerography but I felt that I didn't put any feeling into the dance routine as I did it. It was a much easier routine then usual with no floor work.
Our warm up exercises were very similar but our across the floor work was very different. Instead of diagonal across the floor work it was forward across the floor work and I was able to do this without much difficulty as there was less spinning (which I opt out of at the beginning of each class due to my balance problem.) I quite liked doing this across the floor work as these were the exercises I used to do at Jazz classes however I was terrible at not looking down at my feet and keeping my arms out straight and not moving them.
After class it started raining as I left and poured by the time I reached the Harbour Bridge. Everyone was running for cover. I was soaked and sort shelter under the nearest tree as there was nowhere else around to seek refuge.
It stopped raining and I continued my journey home but it took me hours to arrive home as there were no trains or bus replacement service between Circular Quay and Town Hall. I had to change trains at Central Station. At Town Hall Sation the bus did not arrive therefore I was waiting for a very long time for the bus to arrive to get me home.
I hope next Saturday's Lyrical Jazz class will be better.
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| A very wet Sydney Harbour from under the tree I sort refuge |
Thursday 21 April 2016
Saturday 19th March, 2016 - Lyrical Jazz Class " Live to Dance - Dance to Live"
This is probably one of the most difficult blog posts I've had to write because it's 1 of a few very personal ones.
It's been years since I last went to a formal lyrical jazz or even a ballet class. For years I just attended less technical and more fun fitness dance classes such as Hip Hop, Zumba, Latin Funk or Cardio Dance.
I can't remember which came first formal ballet classes or other dance genre classes. I remember it was a fun alternative way to keep fit. My classmates and I were crazy attending 2 or even 3 open dance classes back to back at Sydney Dance Company - sometimes of different dance genres . We were young, had heaps of energy and possibly had a bit of a "crush" on one particular Latin Funk Hip Hop dance instructor therefore we would follow him from class to class.
I remember trying almost every open dance genre class possible - Ballet, Lyrical Jazz, Jazz at all different levels, Tap, Hip Hop, Funk, Latin , Latin Funk even Power Yoga, Zumba, and Cardio Dance - except for Contemporary, Theatre Jazz and Locking/Popping, both at Sydney Dance Company and overseas at Harbour Dance Centre. I also hated partner work and did everything to avoid it during any open dance classes I attended.
As I became more mature my favourite open dance class became Lyrical Jazz because it was very technical yet was not as rigid as Ballet in terms of technique and choreography. I found I was able to express myself through lyrical jazz - the way the choreography flowed - the way I felt the music and moved with it. After a stressful week at work it was always something I looked forward and relaxed to AND there was no partner work!
It was probably during the time that I was attending Latin, Funk and Hip Hop open classes with my fellow dance classmates at Sydney Dance Company that I met Nick. Although he may not have been the best dance student in each of the classes he attended, he was extremely passionate about dancing and became quite good at it. He, like me attended quite a few different open dance genre classes - Jazz , Contemporary, possibly Funk and Ballet and of course Lyrical Jazz also became a favourite open dance class of his.
As time went on we became acquainted a little. Then he disappeared and I didn't see him in any of the open dance classes we regularly attended. It must have been months before he returned to classes but there was something physically different about him. I remember approaching him to say "Hi" and noticed his hair was grey and very short and spiky. Not knowing any differently I remember making a comment to him "Nice Haircut!" It was then that he revealed to me that it was not a new haircut but that he had been away because he had Leukaemia. I was in shock and didn't know what to say to him. I can't even remember if I apologised to him. Oops.
I can't remember exactly what year it was but I remember it was the best Lyrical Jazz class year I had. That year our Lyrical Jazz class along with many other open dance classes participated in the Sydney Dance Company's Open Class End of Year Performance.
Nick looked like he was back to his old self - fit and healthy - in remission. I remember taking heaps of photos ( as I do with everything) of the class running through our routine during our final dress rehearsal. I asked one of the other Hip Hop dance instructors to take a group photo of our lyrical jazz class. We were all smiles - ready to perform - stage makeup on and wearing all black.
It was my first dance class group performance in front of a large live audience yet I did not feel nervous. I just walk onto the performance area with the rest of my lyrical jazz classmates, took my place, posed and waited for the music to start. Once the music started I felt as if I was on autopilot. I did not have to blank out the audience I was performing in front of. I did not forget the routine - there was no conscious counting of steps, I just felt the music with my body and danced - I danced as if there was no one else around me - I danced with passion. A few minutes later the routine was all over. We bow/curtsy, the audience claps and we exit off the performance area. I don't seem to remember what happened after our class performance. I just remember sneaking into watch other classes perform whenever possible.
I remember sometime after the performance my lyrical dance teacher approaching me and making a comment "You did well" which I was a little shocked about. I just danced as if I was in a class.
The following year was not such a great year. I didn't plan to perform again at the end of that year however changed my mind at the last minute but I was far from ready. I had missed too many rehearsals of the dance routine chosen. That same year Nick's health began to deteriorate and I remember he did not make it to that year's end of year performance. I remember my lyrical jazz teacher asking if any of us would like to send some well wishes to Nick as he was feeling a bit down and need some cheering up so a few of my fellow classmates and I did.
I remember a fellow classmate and I bumping into Nick who had come for a visit to the Sydney Dance Company dance studios one night . He did not look in good shape. We had a short chat and I pretended he didn't look as bad as he did. I remember his face was partially paralyzed. A side effect from his treatment that was temporary and would improve over time. This was the last time I saw him.
For quite a while after, I continued to attend open dance classes at Sydney Dance Company but it was never the same. There was a certain emptiness in the classes I felt - that something was missing. It was a strange feeling. I would often take a sneak peek at other open dance genre classes before and after the open dance class I attended especially Contemporary dance classes which Nick also liked to attend - there was a guy dancing and from the back it looked like Nick , only when he turned around did I realised that it was not actually him. The feeling that Nick was still attending open dance classes just not the same ones I was attending lingered for quite sometime after his passing.
I stopped attending open dances classes at Sydney Dance Company as I lost the passion to dance. Nick was not the only classmate I lost, a few years later a fellow Coffee Club ice skating classmate and friend of mine also passed away and I stopped attending Coffee Club ice skating classes as well.
I didn't stop dancing altogether, I just attended more informal and fun dance classes such as Zumba, Latin Funk Dance , Cardio Dance and Hip Hop classes although only overseas.
After a decade of absence , I decided to return not only to Coffee Club ice skating classes but also to open Lyrical Jazz Beginners dance classes at Sydney Dance Company.
This year is the year of the Monkey - my year. I realised that life is short and that I should play hard (a familiar Nike slogan I believe) therefore made a an entry in my electronic calender of "Saturday 19th March 2016 1 pm - 2.30 pm - My 1st Lyrical Jazz Beginners open dance class @ Sydney Dance Company - no expectations"
I found my first Lyrical Jazz Beginners class quite difficult as I had lost my flexibility. I will never dance as well as I did previously but I hope my passion for dance will eventually return.
My second Lyrical Jazz Beginners dance class became a little easier however the music chosen for the choreography "Gravity" by Sara Bareilles was a little haunting for me.
I will persevere.
It's been years since I last went to a formal lyrical jazz or even a ballet class. For years I just attended less technical and more fun fitness dance classes such as Hip Hop, Zumba, Latin Funk or Cardio Dance.
I can't remember which came first formal ballet classes or other dance genre classes. I remember it was a fun alternative way to keep fit. My classmates and I were crazy attending 2 or even 3 open dance classes back to back at Sydney Dance Company - sometimes of different dance genres . We were young, had heaps of energy and possibly had a bit of a "crush" on one particular Latin Funk Hip Hop dance instructor therefore we would follow him from class to class.
I remember trying almost every open dance genre class possible - Ballet, Lyrical Jazz, Jazz at all different levels, Tap, Hip Hop, Funk, Latin , Latin Funk even Power Yoga, Zumba, and Cardio Dance - except for Contemporary, Theatre Jazz and Locking/Popping, both at Sydney Dance Company and overseas at Harbour Dance Centre. I also hated partner work and did everything to avoid it during any open dance classes I attended.
As I became more mature my favourite open dance class became Lyrical Jazz because it was very technical yet was not as rigid as Ballet in terms of technique and choreography. I found I was able to express myself through lyrical jazz - the way the choreography flowed - the way I felt the music and moved with it. After a stressful week at work it was always something I looked forward and relaxed to AND there was no partner work!
It was probably during the time that I was attending Latin, Funk and Hip Hop open classes with my fellow dance classmates at Sydney Dance Company that I met Nick. Although he may not have been the best dance student in each of the classes he attended, he was extremely passionate about dancing and became quite good at it. He, like me attended quite a few different open dance genre classes - Jazz , Contemporary, possibly Funk and Ballet and of course Lyrical Jazz also became a favourite open dance class of his.
As time went on we became acquainted a little. Then he disappeared and I didn't see him in any of the open dance classes we regularly attended. It must have been months before he returned to classes but there was something physically different about him. I remember approaching him to say "Hi" and noticed his hair was grey and very short and spiky. Not knowing any differently I remember making a comment to him "Nice Haircut!" It was then that he revealed to me that it was not a new haircut but that he had been away because he had Leukaemia. I was in shock and didn't know what to say to him. I can't even remember if I apologised to him. Oops.
I can't remember exactly what year it was but I remember it was the best Lyrical Jazz class year I had. That year our Lyrical Jazz class along with many other open dance classes participated in the Sydney Dance Company's Open Class End of Year Performance.
Nick looked like he was back to his old self - fit and healthy - in remission. I remember taking heaps of photos ( as I do with everything) of the class running through our routine during our final dress rehearsal. I asked one of the other Hip Hop dance instructors to take a group photo of our lyrical jazz class. We were all smiles - ready to perform - stage makeup on and wearing all black.
It was my first dance class group performance in front of a large live audience yet I did not feel nervous. I just walk onto the performance area with the rest of my lyrical jazz classmates, took my place, posed and waited for the music to start. Once the music started I felt as if I was on autopilot. I did not have to blank out the audience I was performing in front of. I did not forget the routine - there was no conscious counting of steps, I just felt the music with my body and danced - I danced as if there was no one else around me - I danced with passion. A few minutes later the routine was all over. We bow/curtsy, the audience claps and we exit off the performance area. I don't seem to remember what happened after our class performance. I just remember sneaking into watch other classes perform whenever possible.
I remember sometime after the performance my lyrical dance teacher approaching me and making a comment "You did well" which I was a little shocked about. I just danced as if I was in a class.
The following year was not such a great year. I didn't plan to perform again at the end of that year however changed my mind at the last minute but I was far from ready. I had missed too many rehearsals of the dance routine chosen. That same year Nick's health began to deteriorate and I remember he did not make it to that year's end of year performance. I remember my lyrical jazz teacher asking if any of us would like to send some well wishes to Nick as he was feeling a bit down and need some cheering up so a few of my fellow classmates and I did.
I remember a fellow classmate and I bumping into Nick who had come for a visit to the Sydney Dance Company dance studios one night . He did not look in good shape. We had a short chat and I pretended he didn't look as bad as he did. I remember his face was partially paralyzed. A side effect from his treatment that was temporary and would improve over time. This was the last time I saw him.
For quite a while after, I continued to attend open dance classes at Sydney Dance Company but it was never the same. There was a certain emptiness in the classes I felt - that something was missing. It was a strange feeling. I would often take a sneak peek at other open dance genre classes before and after the open dance class I attended especially Contemporary dance classes which Nick also liked to attend - there was a guy dancing and from the back it looked like Nick , only when he turned around did I realised that it was not actually him. The feeling that Nick was still attending open dance classes just not the same ones I was attending lingered for quite sometime after his passing.
I stopped attending open dances classes at Sydney Dance Company as I lost the passion to dance. Nick was not the only classmate I lost, a few years later a fellow Coffee Club ice skating classmate and friend of mine also passed away and I stopped attending Coffee Club ice skating classes as well.
I didn't stop dancing altogether, I just attended more informal and fun dance classes such as Zumba, Latin Funk Dance , Cardio Dance and Hip Hop classes although only overseas.
After a decade of absence , I decided to return not only to Coffee Club ice skating classes but also to open Lyrical Jazz Beginners dance classes at Sydney Dance Company.
This year is the year of the Monkey - my year. I realised that life is short and that I should play hard (a familiar Nike slogan I believe) therefore made a an entry in my electronic calender of "Saturday 19th March 2016 1 pm - 2.30 pm - My 1st Lyrical Jazz Beginners open dance class @ Sydney Dance Company - no expectations"
I found my first Lyrical Jazz Beginners class quite difficult as I had lost my flexibility. I will never dance as well as I did previously but I hope my passion for dance will eventually return.
My second Lyrical Jazz Beginners dance class became a little easier however the music chosen for the choreography "Gravity" by Sara Bareilles was a little haunting for me.
I will persevere.
Tuesday 19 April 2016
Tuesday 29th March 2016 - The Sydney Royal Easter Show Olympic Park Homebush Bay
On the 30th March it was a wrap for this annual event. There were advantages and disadvantages of attending The Sydney Royal Show on it's second last day.
Advantages
- not too crowded - school holidays had not started yet
- being the 2nd last day there were a lot of bargains especially discounted Show Bags
Disadvantages
- I think it rained on and off for most of the day
- a lot of popular things had sold out( an entire Show Bag stand was sold out)
It seems to be the same activities and displays every year - The District Displays, the Woolworths Food Dome, The Lifestyle Pavilion, The Sheep, The Goats, The Cows, The Ducks, The Chickens , The Eggs, The Wool, The Food Farm, The Working Diary, The Farmyard Nursery, The Horses, The Alpacas, The Pigs, The Dogs, The Other Domestic Animals, The Rides, The Floral and Garden Displays/Competitions, The Arts and Crafts Displays/Competitions, The Cake Decorating and Sugar Art Displays/Competitions, The Photography Displays/Competitions, The Show Bags, The Rides and Other Amusements, The Scone and Cake Making Displays/Competitions, The Wood Chopping, The Sheep Shearing Demonstrations etc etc.........
There were plenty of places to eat and drink and quite a variety of food and drink options ranging from Pizza, Pies, Sausages , Hotdogs, Toasted Cheese Sandwiches, Lemonade, Water, Coffee, Tea etc to more gourmet options such as Fresh Oysters, Prawns, Salmon, Alcohol, Pastries.
I found most of my time was spent just traveling to and from the Olympic Park venue and walking around trying to see everything. I only purchased 1 pie for lunch at The Food Farm and 1 Show Bag(the Agricultural Show Bag) this year as everything was so expensive even after discounts.
People complained how expensive entry to The Easter Show was getting. A pre purchased Show Link ticket from Woolworths cost me over $40. Gone are the days when kids and parents were loaded with Show Bags to take home with them. Most families I observed had a maximum of 2 Show Bags per child. My workmate opted not to even attend the Easter Show this year with her kids.
I rated The Royal Easter Show a 6/10 not much was new and because I got ripped off with the Show Bag I purchased that day. Also for being crash tackled by Sprocket the non gender specific Crash Test Dummy who ran away and had to be called back (thanks for the blurry photo attached!). May not be attending next year's show.
Advantages
- not too crowded - school holidays had not started yet
- being the 2nd last day there were a lot of bargains especially discounted Show Bags
Disadvantages
- I think it rained on and off for most of the day
- a lot of popular things had sold out( an entire Show Bag stand was sold out)
It seems to be the same activities and displays every year - The District Displays, the Woolworths Food Dome, The Lifestyle Pavilion, The Sheep, The Goats, The Cows, The Ducks, The Chickens , The Eggs, The Wool, The Food Farm, The Working Diary, The Farmyard Nursery, The Horses, The Alpacas, The Pigs, The Dogs, The Other Domestic Animals, The Rides, The Floral and Garden Displays/Competitions, The Arts and Crafts Displays/Competitions, The Cake Decorating and Sugar Art Displays/Competitions, The Photography Displays/Competitions, The Show Bags, The Rides and Other Amusements, The Scone and Cake Making Displays/Competitions, The Wood Chopping, The Sheep Shearing Demonstrations etc etc.........
There were plenty of places to eat and drink and quite a variety of food and drink options ranging from Pizza, Pies, Sausages , Hotdogs, Toasted Cheese Sandwiches, Lemonade, Water, Coffee, Tea etc to more gourmet options such as Fresh Oysters, Prawns, Salmon, Alcohol, Pastries.
I found most of my time was spent just traveling to and from the Olympic Park venue and walking around trying to see everything. I only purchased 1 pie for lunch at The Food Farm and 1 Show Bag(the Agricultural Show Bag) this year as everything was so expensive even after discounts.
People complained how expensive entry to The Easter Show was getting. A pre purchased Show Link ticket from Woolworths cost me over $40. Gone are the days when kids and parents were loaded with Show Bags to take home with them. Most families I observed had a maximum of 2 Show Bags per child. My workmate opted not to even attend the Easter Show this year with her kids.
I rated The Royal Easter Show a 6/10 not much was new and because I got ripped off with the Show Bag I purchased that day. Also for being crash tackled by Sprocket the non gender specific Crash Test Dummy who ran away and had to be called back (thanks for the blurry photo attached!). May not be attending next year's show.
Saturday 16 April 2016
Saturday 16th April 2016 - Part 2 The Bear Bar
The first time I tried to take an acquaintance of mine to The Bear Bar it was closed.
The second time a tried to take another acquaintance of mine to The Bear Bar it was full and was hosting a trivia night so I couldn't get in.
Third time lucky and I decided to take my first acquaintance to The Bear Bar hoping it wouldn't be too noisy, crowded or full on Saturday night. It turned out to be a suitable place for what we needed to do.
The reviews online were pretty positive and I was intrigued by what was suppose to be a "Scandinavian" theme to the bar.
It's an underground bar - decending a set of stairs, the first thing you notice are stuffed teddy bears big and small (refer photos attached) . 2 small bears organised on a bench and 2 life sized bears organised around a dining table on chairs with a winter backdrop behind one bear and the words "Bear Garden" on the adjoining wall behind both of them.
I noticed a sign on the bears' dining table reading "Thursday Night Special Cupcakes $1 Each". Oh how sweet! A drink with a cupcake. At this stage the bar could have been mistaken for a kids eat and play hangout. Look more closely and you notice that there are quite a few shiny beer barrels beside the smaller bears on a bench display and the bears actually have bottles of wine scattered across them on the bench making them look like they have been drinking a little too much!
Look closer at the life sized bear display seated around the dining table and you notice the cupcake sign actually reads "Thursday Special Alcoholic Cupcakes $1 Each" - Not so sweet now a drink IN A cupcake not a drink AND A cupcake!
Walking through the entrance to the bar and dining areas, the first thing you notice is the backwall constantly screening snow scenes. Was this meant to make you feel you were having some apre ski in the middle of winter somewhere ? (destinations unknown). We have Winterfest events for that! There were plenty of log tables and chairs but where was the open log fire place? Even a fake one somewhere?
My acquaintance and I sat on the couch to have a drink and use the coffee table for the netbook to sit on - not my idea - I have to say it was the most uncomfortable couch I had ever sat on! So low and sunk I would have preferred to have sat at a high log table.
I looked at the menu and it had a lot of salmon and meat balls on it - remind you of something Swedish?
I didn't expect a bar to have free wifi or a power point I could actually use but my acquaintance did find a usuable power point for the night and commented on how good the wifi actually was!
We ordered a drink each. My acquaintance ordered a beer and later complained to me that it was a rather small beer for I think $9 - maybe it's just the typical English! A cider at the Shady Pines Saloon was of similar price and my acquaintance didn't complain about that. It was me who paid for it in the end because my acquaintance misplaced his wallet - hopefully not on the train!
I didn't actually want to drink that night so asked if there were any NON Alcoholic beverages available - (notice I put the word NON in capitals and there is a reason for that). I was advised that there was a fresh fruit mocktail which was not on the menu . It sounded nice so I asked how much it was ($8) and ordered it.
It took a very long time for my mocktail to arrived but when it arrived, it looked like a stawberry daiquiri only to be whisked away as soon as it arrived with an apology advising it was actually not my drink but someone elses and contained alcohol! A few minutes later my mocktail finally arrived and it was great - served in a moscow mule mug you could see the pieces of fresh fruit at the bottom, taste the ginger and it had plenty of ice cubes in it - tasted rather sweet - it could have passed as a kid's drink such as a green lemonade which my parents used to give us as kids which actually contained a very small amount of midori or lolly water as it is known but we didn't know any better then as kids.
My acquaintance rated The Bear Bar 6/10.
I rate it 7/10. It definitely is no Shady Pines Saloon which I forgot to rate as a 9/10 by the way.
The second time a tried to take another acquaintance of mine to The Bear Bar it was full and was hosting a trivia night so I couldn't get in.
Third time lucky and I decided to take my first acquaintance to The Bear Bar hoping it wouldn't be too noisy, crowded or full on Saturday night. It turned out to be a suitable place for what we needed to do.
The reviews online were pretty positive and I was intrigued by what was suppose to be a "Scandinavian" theme to the bar.
It's an underground bar - decending a set of stairs, the first thing you notice are stuffed teddy bears big and small (refer photos attached) . 2 small bears organised on a bench and 2 life sized bears organised around a dining table on chairs with a winter backdrop behind one bear and the words "Bear Garden" on the adjoining wall behind both of them.
I noticed a sign on the bears' dining table reading "Thursday Night Special Cupcakes $1 Each". Oh how sweet! A drink with a cupcake. At this stage the bar could have been mistaken for a kids eat and play hangout. Look more closely and you notice that there are quite a few shiny beer barrels beside the smaller bears on a bench display and the bears actually have bottles of wine scattered across them on the bench making them look like they have been drinking a little too much!
Look closer at the life sized bear display seated around the dining table and you notice the cupcake sign actually reads "Thursday Special Alcoholic Cupcakes $1 Each" - Not so sweet now a drink IN A cupcake not a drink AND A cupcake!
Walking through the entrance to the bar and dining areas, the first thing you notice is the backwall constantly screening snow scenes. Was this meant to make you feel you were having some apre ski in the middle of winter somewhere ? (destinations unknown). We have Winterfest events for that! There were plenty of log tables and chairs but where was the open log fire place? Even a fake one somewhere?
My acquaintance and I sat on the couch to have a drink and use the coffee table for the netbook to sit on - not my idea - I have to say it was the most uncomfortable couch I had ever sat on! So low and sunk I would have preferred to have sat at a high log table.
I looked at the menu and it had a lot of salmon and meat balls on it - remind you of something Swedish?
I didn't expect a bar to have free wifi or a power point I could actually use but my acquaintance did find a usuable power point for the night and commented on how good the wifi actually was!
We ordered a drink each. My acquaintance ordered a beer and later complained to me that it was a rather small beer for I think $9 - maybe it's just the typical English! A cider at the Shady Pines Saloon was of similar price and my acquaintance didn't complain about that. It was me who paid for it in the end because my acquaintance misplaced his wallet - hopefully not on the train!
I didn't actually want to drink that night so asked if there were any NON Alcoholic beverages available - (notice I put the word NON in capitals and there is a reason for that). I was advised that there was a fresh fruit mocktail which was not on the menu . It sounded nice so I asked how much it was ($8) and ordered it.
It took a very long time for my mocktail to arrived but when it arrived, it looked like a stawberry daiquiri only to be whisked away as soon as it arrived with an apology advising it was actually not my drink but someone elses and contained alcohol! A few minutes later my mocktail finally arrived and it was great - served in a moscow mule mug you could see the pieces of fresh fruit at the bottom, taste the ginger and it had plenty of ice cubes in it - tasted rather sweet - it could have passed as a kid's drink such as a green lemonade which my parents used to give us as kids which actually contained a very small amount of midori or lolly water as it is known but we didn't know any better then as kids.
My acquaintance rated The Bear Bar 6/10.
I rate it 7/10. It definitely is no Shady Pines Saloon which I forgot to rate as a 9/10 by the way.
Saturday 16th April 2016 - Part 1 Palm Beach Baths & Barrenjoey Lighthouse
Last weekend it was Janolan Caves, this weekend it is the beach - Palm Beach.
It was such a beautiful day today and I didn't want to waste it being indoors particularly when the forcast for tomorrow is rain.
I decided to skip my regular Saturday Lyrical Jazz class from 1 pm - 2.30 pm at Sydney Dance Company and hop on the L90 "tourist" bus from Wynyard Station to Palm Beach. The journey North of Sydney took approximately 1 hr and 45 minutes to arrive at its final destination dependent on traffic conditions.
Since I haven't been to Palm Beach for a while I was unsure what to expect when I arrived. Will there be "Home and Away" being filmed on location there? Will I see any wildlife?
I stayed on the bus and alighted at the very last stop at Palm Beach. My plan for the day was to take the ferry from Palm Beach Wharf to Ettalong Beach however I missed the stop.
I decided to walk along the beach and saw a bathing pool. I had my swimmers with me so decided to have a swim after taking a few photos. The water was cold however because I am used to swimming in outdoor pools in the snow, the cold water in the bathing pool was relatively pleasant once I started swimming in it. I lost track of time and must have been in the bathing pool for approximately 40 mins. No hot indoor showers here just cold outdoor showers. It didn't bother me as it was a very nice warm day.
Whilst I was swimming I kept looking at the lighthouse in the distance wondering how I could get up there.
After a quick Google on my phone I hopped back on the next L90 bus and got off at Governor Phillip Park. I then followed other groups of tourists on the long hike along the main road/ parking area, over the sand towards the Barrenjoey Headlands and National Park, then up a steep narrow pathway leading to hundreds of steps up to the Barrenjoey lighthouse (Smugglers Track grade 3 the steeper route option has 400 m steps but takes less time to get up to the lighthouse - think double blue diamond ski run in Whistler but skiing uphill - no ski lift to get up up to the top!).
I stopped to take quite a few photos of the beaches and coastlines below - the views were amazing! On the way I even saw a bush turkey twice - I'm sure it was the same one at the bottom that had made its way up to the top of Smugglers Track!
Because I took the easier but longer grade 2 track up to the lighthouse, I decided to do a complete circuit and return via the steeper grade 3 Smugglers Track route. Although easier and quicker downhill, I was still carrying a very heavy backpack containing a laptop and wet clothes from my swim previously. Some of the steps were very narrow hence having to stop on multiple occassions giving way to other hikers to pass.
Great full day trip - Many thanks to my work collegues who recommended it. Will have to return. Rating 9/10 Photos attached.
It was such a beautiful day today and I didn't want to waste it being indoors particularly when the forcast for tomorrow is rain.
I decided to skip my regular Saturday Lyrical Jazz class from 1 pm - 2.30 pm at Sydney Dance Company and hop on the L90 "tourist" bus from Wynyard Station to Palm Beach. The journey North of Sydney took approximately 1 hr and 45 minutes to arrive at its final destination dependent on traffic conditions.
Since I haven't been to Palm Beach for a while I was unsure what to expect when I arrived. Will there be "Home and Away" being filmed on location there? Will I see any wildlife?
I stayed on the bus and alighted at the very last stop at Palm Beach. My plan for the day was to take the ferry from Palm Beach Wharf to Ettalong Beach however I missed the stop.
I decided to walk along the beach and saw a bathing pool. I had my swimmers with me so decided to have a swim after taking a few photos. The water was cold however because I am used to swimming in outdoor pools in the snow, the cold water in the bathing pool was relatively pleasant once I started swimming in it. I lost track of time and must have been in the bathing pool for approximately 40 mins. No hot indoor showers here just cold outdoor showers. It didn't bother me as it was a very nice warm day.
Whilst I was swimming I kept looking at the lighthouse in the distance wondering how I could get up there.
After a quick Google on my phone I hopped back on the next L90 bus and got off at Governor Phillip Park. I then followed other groups of tourists on the long hike along the main road/ parking area, over the sand towards the Barrenjoey Headlands and National Park, then up a steep narrow pathway leading to hundreds of steps up to the Barrenjoey lighthouse (Smugglers Track grade 3 the steeper route option has 400 m steps but takes less time to get up to the lighthouse - think double blue diamond ski run in Whistler but skiing uphill - no ski lift to get up up to the top!).
I stopped to take quite a few photos of the beaches and coastlines below - the views were amazing! On the way I even saw a bush turkey twice - I'm sure it was the same one at the bottom that had made its way up to the top of Smugglers Track!
Because I took the easier but longer grade 2 track up to the lighthouse, I decided to do a complete circuit and return via the steeper grade 3 Smugglers Track route. Although easier and quicker downhill, I was still carrying a very heavy backpack containing a laptop and wet clothes from my swim previously. Some of the steps were very narrow hence having to stop on multiple occassions giving way to other hikers to pass.
Great full day trip - Many thanks to my work collegues who recommended it. Will have to return. Rating 9/10 Photos attached.
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| Barrenjoey Lighthouse |
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| Amazing views of the beach and coastline below from the Barrenjoey Lighthouse |
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| Grave of the first lighthouse keeper |
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| At the top of Smugglers Track grade 3 400m steps |
Thursday 14 April 2016
Monday 11th April 2016 - Tuesday 12th April 2016 - Blue Mountains and Janolan Caves
Where do you go when you have an annoying unco-operative sister and bickering family members?
After advising family members that I was going far away out of Sydney where I will be uncontactable (almost the truth - I don't believe there is any phone reception underground) I headed by train towards the Blue Mountains.
Because I arrived at Katoomba Station earlier then anticipated, I had time to book my day trip for the following day to Janolan Caves at The Trolley Bus Company store and stop off to purchase some chocolates from The Paragon ("the chocolates that made Katoomba famous" apparently)
Staying at the YHA in Katoomba overnight, I had the dorm room all to myself. It was a nice quiet dorm room with a view down to the court yard and the mountains in the background. The 5 share dorm room was named "Eagles Nest Lookout" very appropriate as this is the name of the Restaurant at the top of Thredbo Mountain which I visit and the starting point of backcountry snow shoeing tours.
After 2 long phone conversations with an acquaintance who is back in Sydney, I had a shower and wondered down to the hostel kitchen to prepare dinner. I prepared a big plate of spaghetti with a fresh tomato, onion, garlic, basil and parsley sauce topped with some gouda cheese. Whilst I was cooking this dish I overheard someone in the kitchen (also preparing a pasta dish) comment on how good my sauce smelt. It did smell good and just taking the time to sit down in the dining room to eat it ALONE and in peace was even better!
After dinner and washing up, I returned to my dorm room to send a "selfie" of my meal I had just prepared and eaten to my acquaintance then took some photos of the view at night and packed for the following day's trip to Janolan Caves. I spent quite a bit of time considering what to wear as it looked like it was going to be a cold and wet day out at Janolan Caves. My brain was buzzing with everything that night and I found it very difficult to fall asleep even with relaxing music. Midnight and I finally fell asleep.
Next morning I packed, had a shower, wondered down to the hostel kitchen to prepare a breakfast of toasted sourdough sliced mushrooms with melted gouda and ground pepper - eating breakfast in the dining room ALONE again, taking another selfie of what I made for breakfast and sending it to my acquaintance before washing up, checking out and storing my luggage in a locker for the day before waiting for the bus to pick me up to take me to Janolan Caves for the day.
I was very disappointed with the organisation of the booking staff at The Trolley Bus Company. I had to follow up with a phone call to them after inadequate information about pick up time was provided and their failure to respond to my email inquiry regarding this. The desciption of the bus and pick up time given was incorrect. Reception at the YHA were unhelpful with my inquiry as well. I waited outside the YHA to be picked up until it started to rain and the bus was late. Another YHA staff member spotted me waiting outside for over half an hour and drove me up to The Trolley Bus Company Shop when I explained what had happened. I am greatful for her assistance. She explained that it has only been in the past week that the company has been having problems with forgetting to pick up passengers and wasn't sure if it was a staffing issue or work load issue. Whatever the problem I was unimpressed. I was lucky as I still had time to meet the bus outside The Trolley Bus Company Shop in time for its departure however one staff member inside the shop was quite rude about me changing my pickup location advising me the bus was probably already outside the YHA and looking for me. This may have been the case but the bus was very late if it was there outside the YHA. The bus was actually late departing Katoomba which meant less time for me and fellow passengers to explore the surrounds of Janolan Caves before our guided prebooked cave tours. We only had time for 1 hike around the Blue Lake Circuit and 1 cave tour - of which I chose The Orient Cave as I was advised was the most popular ( I later found out that others on the tour were advised differently)
One this day tour I met a girl and found out she was also from Chatswood. We were the first to rush off and explore the Blue Lake circuit. I wanted to see a platypus which our very informative bus driver advised resided in the Blue Lake. I looked very hard for them but all my new acquaintance and I spotted on our entire hike around the Blue Lake circuit were 3 lazy ducks sitting in a tree (I didn't think ducks sat in trees) , a rather large fish of some type and a lizard. Very disappointed but the Lake was extremely blue well more like a blue green probably due to all the mineral deposits in the water and was very tempting to go for a swim in which is probably prohibited. We took so many photos along our hike and a few selfies too - so many we could have run out of battery life on our phones before we even started our cave tours! (photos attached)
My prebooked cave tour of The Orient Cave started at 1.30 pm and my new acquaintance's probooked cave tour of The Lucus Cave started at 2 pm. Each cave tour was about 1 - 1.5 hrs long therefore we did not have any time after our cave tours to explore another cave or go for another hike as we had to be back at the bus by 3.30 pm. I was fortunate to have about 15 - 20 minutes to grab a souvenir and a bite to eat and go to the washroom however most of the healthier food options were sold out by the time my cave tour ended and my acquaintance's cave tour actually finished late therefore leaving her no time to use the washroom, get a snack or buy a souvenir. A good thing the bus driver waited for all cave tours to finish before departing back to Katoomba.
The Orient Cave was spectacular. I cannot describe what I saw, one has to experience it for themselves. It was so difficult to select and photograph everything you saw within the cave. It was meant to be the easiest of all the caves with the minimal amount of steps however it was actually quite a steep tour and an intermediate level tour. You were very tempted to touch the formations within the cave which is prohibited. I loved every second of the cave tour.
Rating Katoomba YHA 8/10 - have stayed there before - one of the better YHAs . Can imagine myself in the middle of Winter staying there and getting cosy next to the fireplace in the dining room
Rating The Trolley Bus Company 6/10 - very disappointed with organisation and staff. Bus driver (Rebecca) to and from Janolan Caves excellent and very informative - she even stopped so we could take photos on our way back to Katoomba of Mrs Wallaby and 2 of her offspring close up and personal but not too personal we were warned as they are wildlife not domesticated animals.
Rating Janolan Caves and tour of The Orient Cave 9/10 - excellent cave guide and excellent surrounds.
I would like to revisit Janolan Caves again however next time I will stay a few days in Janolan Caves so I will have time to do more hikes and more cave tours. The River Cave and Plug Hole tours will be on my bucket list. This was just an introduction to Janolan Caves as I have not been there since primary school as excursions.
After advising family members that I was going far away out of Sydney where I will be uncontactable (almost the truth - I don't believe there is any phone reception underground) I headed by train towards the Blue Mountains.
Because I arrived at Katoomba Station earlier then anticipated, I had time to book my day trip for the following day to Janolan Caves at The Trolley Bus Company store and stop off to purchase some chocolates from The Paragon ("the chocolates that made Katoomba famous" apparently)
Staying at the YHA in Katoomba overnight, I had the dorm room all to myself. It was a nice quiet dorm room with a view down to the court yard and the mountains in the background. The 5 share dorm room was named "Eagles Nest Lookout" very appropriate as this is the name of the Restaurant at the top of Thredbo Mountain which I visit and the starting point of backcountry snow shoeing tours.
After 2 long phone conversations with an acquaintance who is back in Sydney, I had a shower and wondered down to the hostel kitchen to prepare dinner. I prepared a big plate of spaghetti with a fresh tomato, onion, garlic, basil and parsley sauce topped with some gouda cheese. Whilst I was cooking this dish I overheard someone in the kitchen (also preparing a pasta dish) comment on how good my sauce smelt. It did smell good and just taking the time to sit down in the dining room to eat it ALONE and in peace was even better!
After dinner and washing up, I returned to my dorm room to send a "selfie" of my meal I had just prepared and eaten to my acquaintance then took some photos of the view at night and packed for the following day's trip to Janolan Caves. I spent quite a bit of time considering what to wear as it looked like it was going to be a cold and wet day out at Janolan Caves. My brain was buzzing with everything that night and I found it very difficult to fall asleep even with relaxing music. Midnight and I finally fell asleep.
Next morning I packed, had a shower, wondered down to the hostel kitchen to prepare a breakfast of toasted sourdough sliced mushrooms with melted gouda and ground pepper - eating breakfast in the dining room ALONE again, taking another selfie of what I made for breakfast and sending it to my acquaintance before washing up, checking out and storing my luggage in a locker for the day before waiting for the bus to pick me up to take me to Janolan Caves for the day.
I was very disappointed with the organisation of the booking staff at The Trolley Bus Company. I had to follow up with a phone call to them after inadequate information about pick up time was provided and their failure to respond to my email inquiry regarding this. The desciption of the bus and pick up time given was incorrect. Reception at the YHA were unhelpful with my inquiry as well. I waited outside the YHA to be picked up until it started to rain and the bus was late. Another YHA staff member spotted me waiting outside for over half an hour and drove me up to The Trolley Bus Company Shop when I explained what had happened. I am greatful for her assistance. She explained that it has only been in the past week that the company has been having problems with forgetting to pick up passengers and wasn't sure if it was a staffing issue or work load issue. Whatever the problem I was unimpressed. I was lucky as I still had time to meet the bus outside The Trolley Bus Company Shop in time for its departure however one staff member inside the shop was quite rude about me changing my pickup location advising me the bus was probably already outside the YHA and looking for me. This may have been the case but the bus was very late if it was there outside the YHA. The bus was actually late departing Katoomba which meant less time for me and fellow passengers to explore the surrounds of Janolan Caves before our guided prebooked cave tours. We only had time for 1 hike around the Blue Lake Circuit and 1 cave tour - of which I chose The Orient Cave as I was advised was the most popular ( I later found out that others on the tour were advised differently)
One this day tour I met a girl and found out she was also from Chatswood. We were the first to rush off and explore the Blue Lake circuit. I wanted to see a platypus which our very informative bus driver advised resided in the Blue Lake. I looked very hard for them but all my new acquaintance and I spotted on our entire hike around the Blue Lake circuit were 3 lazy ducks sitting in a tree (I didn't think ducks sat in trees) , a rather large fish of some type and a lizard. Very disappointed but the Lake was extremely blue well more like a blue green probably due to all the mineral deposits in the water and was very tempting to go for a swim in which is probably prohibited. We took so many photos along our hike and a few selfies too - so many we could have run out of battery life on our phones before we even started our cave tours! (photos attached)
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| Inside Caves House |
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| Janolan Caves main driveway |
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| Outside The Nettle Cave |
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| The archway we walked under on the Blue Lake circuit back to The Grand Archway |
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| Wildlife spotting a lizard |
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| Blue Lake |
My prebooked cave tour of The Orient Cave started at 1.30 pm and my new acquaintance's probooked cave tour of The Lucus Cave started at 2 pm. Each cave tour was about 1 - 1.5 hrs long therefore we did not have any time after our cave tours to explore another cave or go for another hike as we had to be back at the bus by 3.30 pm. I was fortunate to have about 15 - 20 minutes to grab a souvenir and a bite to eat and go to the washroom however most of the healthier food options were sold out by the time my cave tour ended and my acquaintance's cave tour actually finished late therefore leaving her no time to use the washroom, get a snack or buy a souvenir. A good thing the bus driver waited for all cave tours to finish before departing back to Katoomba.
The Orient Cave was spectacular. I cannot describe what I saw, one has to experience it for themselves. It was so difficult to select and photograph everything you saw within the cave. It was meant to be the easiest of all the caves with the minimal amount of steps however it was actually quite a steep tour and an intermediate level tour. You were very tempted to touch the formations within the cave which is prohibited. I loved every second of the cave tour.
Rating Katoomba YHA 8/10 - have stayed there before - one of the better YHAs . Can imagine myself in the middle of Winter staying there and getting cosy next to the fireplace in the dining room
Rating The Trolley Bus Company 6/10 - very disappointed with organisation and staff. Bus driver (Rebecca) to and from Janolan Caves excellent and very informative - she even stopped so we could take photos on our way back to Katoomba of Mrs Wallaby and 2 of her offspring close up and personal but not too personal we were warned as they are wildlife not domesticated animals.
Rating Janolan Caves and tour of The Orient Cave 9/10 - excellent cave guide and excellent surrounds.
I would like to revisit Janolan Caves again however next time I will stay a few days in Janolan Caves so I will have time to do more hikes and more cave tours. The River Cave and Plug Hole tours will be on my bucket list. This was just an introduction to Janolan Caves as I have not been there since primary school as excursions.
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| Schedule of prebooked cave tours |
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| Mrs Wallaby |
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| Cave formations on display inside Caves House |
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| Chocolates from The Paragon |
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| Katoomba YHA |
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| Inside The Orient Cave |
Saturday 9 April 2016
Saturday 9th April 2016 - Beautiful Balmoral Beach
I spent the afternoon after my lyrical jazz class at Balmoral Beach. Summer
and swimming are not really my "thing" - I am a Winter girl but I did enjoy my afternoon walking along the beach and immersing my body in the salt water to relax my muscles after my lyrical dance class - a practice I used when I completed my first City 2 Sea race (14 km) at St Kilda Beach in Melbourne.
Most tourist would visit the more well known beaches such as Bondi Beach in the East or Manly Beach in the North. There are many smaller beaches around Sydney to visit which are just as accessible by public transport and just as interesting to visit. Balmoral Beach (approximately half an hour from the city) in the Northern suburbs of Sydney is one of them.
Due to its more sheltered nature, boating, fishing, swimming, snorking and kayaking are amongst favourite beach going activities there.
There is plenty of parking and multiple public transport buses will get you there. The beach is surround by a number of cafes and restaurants such as the famous Bathers Pavillion at one end of Balmoral Beach and The Boat Shed at the other end of Balmoral Beach. For nice fish and chips or burger such as the Balmoral burger (which I opted for as a snack on my way home) Bottom of The Ocean a takeaway place is a good option.
Watching the sunset from the circular boardwalk enclosing the Balmoral Baths was absolutely spectacular. A very romantic place - a must visit.
and swimming are not really my "thing" - I am a Winter girl but I did enjoy my afternoon walking along the beach and immersing my body in the salt water to relax my muscles after my lyrical dance class - a practice I used when I completed my first City 2 Sea race (14 km) at St Kilda Beach in Melbourne.
Most tourist would visit the more well known beaches such as Bondi Beach in the East or Manly Beach in the North. There are many smaller beaches around Sydney to visit which are just as accessible by public transport and just as interesting to visit. Balmoral Beach (approximately half an hour from the city) in the Northern suburbs of Sydney is one of them.
Due to its more sheltered nature, boating, fishing, swimming, snorking and kayaking are amongst favourite beach going activities there.
There is plenty of parking and multiple public transport buses will get you there. The beach is surround by a number of cafes and restaurants such as the famous Bathers Pavillion at one end of Balmoral Beach and The Boat Shed at the other end of Balmoral Beach. For nice fish and chips or burger such as the Balmoral burger (which I opted for as a snack on my way home) Bottom of The Ocean a takeaway place is a good option.
Watching the sunset from the circular boardwalk enclosing the Balmoral Baths was absolutely spectacular. A very romantic place - a must visit.
Wednesday 6 April 2016
Monday 3rd April 2016 - Part 1 Coffee Club Ice Skating Class
I used to go ice skating regularly at Macquarie Ice Rink for many years. I still recognise a few of the "older" ladies that are in the Monday Coffee Club today.
Quite a few years ago one of my Coffee Club classmates and friend passed away and soon after I stopped attending Coffee Club classes.
I never really went to any ice skating classes after that but continued to ice skate recreationally mainly overseas. I also organised groups of people I met whilst overseas to go ice skating with me.
This year I decided to go back to Macquarie Ice Skating Rink and start ice skating there again. My very first ice skating session soon after returning from my annual overseas trip to Canada was an endurance session - I managed to skate around the entire ice rink for the entire 2 hour session with only a brief break. My second ice skating session was my very first Monday Coffee Club class and I was so terrified to join the class. I gathered the courage to join in but it happened to be the most difficult class to commence in. Where was the stretching session off ice? and where was the warm up stroking? The class went straight into 3 turns and swizzles. None of the moves I had the confidence to perform. I kept telling the instructor that I couldn't do each move. The class became a little easier getting back to the basic moves like forward and backward crossovers however my toe pick caught the ice and I had a massive stack on the ice hitting my right knee quite hard. Not pleasant.
I missed the next 2 Monday Coffee Club sessions due to a trip down to Melbourne and the Easter public holiday long weekend.
I was determined to attend the next Monday Coffee Club session which I did. I was still not very confident but I kept telling myself to trust my blades. I needed to relax as I was told by the instructor that I was a bit stiff - wouldn't you be if your sole concentration was on trying to get the moves right?
I started listening to modern classical music and lyrical jazz music and also commiting myself to going to regular lyrical jazz classes to help.
I'm begining to enjoy my ice skating classes more and just started to do a basic spin. There are still a lot of moves I can't do and some are so ugly on ice I question why anyone would want to do them particularly when at least a third of the class can't do them and it makes you dizzy!
I started talking to 87 year old Bruce who told me he started figure skating at the age of 66. He is incredible for his age dispite his vision impairment. His off ice flexibilty is amazing and his on ice moves of jumps and spins are incredible. I remember watching him when I first started ice skating at Macquarie Ice Rink and thinking "WOW"! He is an inspiration to skaters. I asked him if he remember the time when there was a mini series being filmed where there was a fake hockey game being played and we Coffee Clubbers were asked to be extras in the crowd. He did indeed. I told him how we thought we were each suppose to get a Korean souvenir as a token of appreciation for our participation but it was suppose to be a lucky draw only. I still have my souvenir today.
My commitment to continue to attend Monday Coffee Club classes will be in memory of my classmate.
Quite a few years ago one of my Coffee Club classmates and friend passed away and soon after I stopped attending Coffee Club classes.
I never really went to any ice skating classes after that but continued to ice skate recreationally mainly overseas. I also organised groups of people I met whilst overseas to go ice skating with me.
This year I decided to go back to Macquarie Ice Skating Rink and start ice skating there again. My very first ice skating session soon after returning from my annual overseas trip to Canada was an endurance session - I managed to skate around the entire ice rink for the entire 2 hour session with only a brief break. My second ice skating session was my very first Monday Coffee Club class and I was so terrified to join the class. I gathered the courage to join in but it happened to be the most difficult class to commence in. Where was the stretching session off ice? and where was the warm up stroking? The class went straight into 3 turns and swizzles. None of the moves I had the confidence to perform. I kept telling the instructor that I couldn't do each move. The class became a little easier getting back to the basic moves like forward and backward crossovers however my toe pick caught the ice and I had a massive stack on the ice hitting my right knee quite hard. Not pleasant.
I missed the next 2 Monday Coffee Club sessions due to a trip down to Melbourne and the Easter public holiday long weekend.
I was determined to attend the next Monday Coffee Club session which I did. I was still not very confident but I kept telling myself to trust my blades. I needed to relax as I was told by the instructor that I was a bit stiff - wouldn't you be if your sole concentration was on trying to get the moves right?
I started listening to modern classical music and lyrical jazz music and also commiting myself to going to regular lyrical jazz classes to help.
I'm begining to enjoy my ice skating classes more and just started to do a basic spin. There are still a lot of moves I can't do and some are so ugly on ice I question why anyone would want to do them particularly when at least a third of the class can't do them and it makes you dizzy!
I started talking to 87 year old Bruce who told me he started figure skating at the age of 66. He is incredible for his age dispite his vision impairment. His off ice flexibilty is amazing and his on ice moves of jumps and spins are incredible. I remember watching him when I first started ice skating at Macquarie Ice Rink and thinking "WOW"! He is an inspiration to skaters. I asked him if he remember the time when there was a mini series being filmed where there was a fake hockey game being played and we Coffee Clubbers were asked to be extras in the crowd. He did indeed. I told him how we thought we were each suppose to get a Korean souvenir as a token of appreciation for our participation but it was suppose to be a lucky draw only. I still have my souvenir today.
My commitment to continue to attend Monday Coffee Club classes will be in memory of my classmate.
Monday 4 April 2016
Monday 3rd April 2016 - Part 2 The Shady Pines Saloon
I took an overseas acquaintance I met whilst overseas to The Shady Pines Saloon.
The first time I went there was a few years ago for a work collegues farewell. It took 3 iphones to find the place as it is hidden in a lane just off Oxford St with no signage.
My acquaintance and I didn't even know if it was open as it was 5.30 pm on a Monday afternoon and only a backup pub for drinks I was having that night. I decided to take my acquaintance only after I found out The Bear Bar was closed on Mondays.
My acquaintance was quite surprised at what he saw when he pushed open the doors to the saloon asking why he didn't know about this place and how I knew about it adding that he will have to bring his friends here.
We had a few ciders (and bowl of peanuts) over what I call in agreement a good "Talk to me don't text - texting is so antisocial and does not display emotions" conversation. It must have been a very long conversation as we lost track of time. After leaving the Shady Pines Saloon we went to have a snack at Gomez at World Square where I had a mini chicken burrito and he some sort of non alcoholic soft drink and quesadea (oops spelling was never my strong point!).
Sorry no photos or youtube videos accompanying this blog - it would be a spoiler for the location and what to expect at The Shady Pines Saloon.
The first time I went there was a few years ago for a work collegues farewell. It took 3 iphones to find the place as it is hidden in a lane just off Oxford St with no signage.
My acquaintance and I didn't even know if it was open as it was 5.30 pm on a Monday afternoon and only a backup pub for drinks I was having that night. I decided to take my acquaintance only after I found out The Bear Bar was closed on Mondays.
My acquaintance was quite surprised at what he saw when he pushed open the doors to the saloon asking why he didn't know about this place and how I knew about it adding that he will have to bring his friends here.
We had a few ciders (and bowl of peanuts) over what I call in agreement a good "Talk to me don't text - texting is so antisocial and does not display emotions" conversation. It must have been a very long conversation as we lost track of time. After leaving the Shady Pines Saloon we went to have a snack at Gomez at World Square where I had a mini chicken burrito and he some sort of non alcoholic soft drink and quesadea (oops spelling was never my strong point!).
Sorry no photos or youtube videos accompanying this blog - it would be a spoiler for the location and what to expect at The Shady Pines Saloon.
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