Located within, though not part of, the Grace Hotel, Vapiano was an easy option for me as I was staying at the hotel.
This is an excellent Italian restaurant following a concept with which I was not familiar, outside a reasonably upmarket food court I had eaten at in Beijing. Continue reading “Vapiano – King Street: “Worked For Me””
If I were to pick a single hotel in Sydney as a favourite (taking cost into account) the Grace Hotel would be it. Continue reading ““Great Location” – Grace Hotel”
It’s funny that in a city with countless options for lovely cafes one (or is it just me?) seems to gravitate to old familiar places.
For me Dymocks Café is one of those old familiar places to which I seem to return time and time again. This pleasant and unpretentious café is located in the city centre’s largest bookstore (Dymocks) which, in itself, is a major draw card for me. Continue reading “Dymocks Cafe: “A Hidden Treasure””
Wandering around Sydney or indeed any city or town in Australia the evident dearth of bookshops must surely make visitors wonder if Australians can read.
Well, in the main, we can, but reading is not the major pastime it is in the cooler climes of Europe. Australians are more at home on the beach or at a footie match than sitting by the fire or tucked up in bed with a book. Continue reading “Oh, behave! – Abbey’s Bookshop”
I do try to eke out the unusual when I visit somewhere but I must say that I did not expect to come across a Victorian filigree, cast iron, pissoir in Sydney. For those unfamiliar with the French term ‘pissoir’ it translates to a men’s urinal – though I do feel that when you translate it you somewhat vulgarise the artistic nature of the object. Continue reading “Sydney’s Last Victorian Pissoir”
Despite a faux pas (Australians have a different term for this but as I don’t seek to offend the ears of my Gentle Reader I won’t record it here) I can highly recommend this quaint and cosy tea rooms/ café in The Rocks. Continue reading “The Tea Cosy: “Hope they forget about you!””
The rusty old bicycle, cable-tied to a lamp post, at the lower end of George Street on the approach to the markets from Circular Quay belies the fact that The Rocks Markets is Australia’s preeminent tourist market and a Sydney Institution. Continue reading “Souvenirs at The Rocks”
In the mid 19th century Australia’s only link with the rest of the world was via by sea and consequentially around 1,000 ships with crews totalling some 20,000 were passing through Sydney’s port each year. In the main, seafarers were not well paid or cared for and many came to rely on charities and community welfare groups, often after the little they had had been lost in the pubs and brothels of The Rocks. Continue reading “Sailor’s Home”
Totally overshadowed by Circular Quay, the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, it is little wonder that most visitors scarcely notice Cadman’s Cottage and those that do pay it scant regard, being intoxicated by its world famous neighbouring sights. Continue reading “Cadman’s Cottage”
In the days of Empire Britain acquired, and used, Australia as a dumping ground for its undesirable and unwanted citizenry. By the late 18th century Britain’s prison system had reached its breaking point and Australia, at the other end of the world, provided the perfect solution to overcrowding in British gaols. Continue reading “Big Dig Archaeology Education Centre”
The Rambling Wombat 