Category: Australia


Let It Be An Even Better Year

Filed under: Asian Holidays, Australia, Food Trip, Japan, Musings & Ramblings, Philippine Travels, Travel, travels, Travels Around USA — 2 Comments
December 12, 2022

This 2022 is a better year judging by how the pandemic woes have eased and how international borders have opened up. Soon after we returned from our Nile cruise early in 2020, we survived a lockdown which saw us cancelling as many as 3 international trips in 2020 and staying in for much of the time throughout 2020-21. Sad news from family and friends we haven’t, couldn’t visit reached us and all we could do was pray and try to stay healthy. My annual visits to my family in Sydney was put on hold until OZ borders opened up in February 2022. I wasted no time and secured a visa to visit Sydney last May 2022. Stayed a good 6 weeks and felt gratitude seeping in that our family is well and in good health.

Check out these blog links:

https://lifeisacelebration.blog/2022/06/07/sydney-fish-market-finds/

https://lifeisacelebration.blog/2022/06/10/my-vivid-sydney-2022/

https://lifeisacelebration.blog/2022/07/03/anna-bay-in-port-stephens/

La Familia. OZ Chapter.
It was winter that mid year in Sydney. Lovely to bond with family again, especially since there are just 2 of us sisters in the original branch of the family.

Soon after, it was time to visit a niece now based in Guam. Renewed my US visa to visit this territory in the Northern Pacific and spent a month, thinking there isn’t much to do in this tiny island. I was prepared to get bored and promised not to whinge. Well, I must have done whatever there is to do in Guam from hotel staycations, duty-free shopping, watching a musical, binging on movies in the nearby cinema, trying Chamorro meals, driving and touring around the island, swimming and other water adventures. There were a number of family friends to meet up so there’s aplenty to do and catch up on. Besides, there was a birthday to celebrate!

Check out these blog links:

https://lifeisacelebration.blog/2022/08/21/a-chamorro-sunday-in-guam/

https://lifeisacelebration.blog/2022/08/25/wednesdays-in-chamorro-village-guam-2022/

https://lifeisacelebration.blog/2022/08/27/checking-in-at-the-tsubaki/

https://lifeisacelebration.blog/2022/08/31/driving-around-guam/

https://lifeisacelebration.blog/2022/09/04/the-beach-scene-dusit-thani/

https://lifeisacelebration.blog/2022/09/06/bikini-sandbar-or-island/

A day excursion to Bikini Island
And a birthday to celebrate!

In between these visits, I made 2 domestic trips. One to holiday in Boracay with dear friends who are my extended family, and another to Cagayan de Oro in Southern Philippines to celebrate a friend’s retirement and birthday. My relationship with these extended families makes me feel so very thankful for their friendship and the bond that ties us forever. Their children are all my godchildren — from baptism to wedding — and our friendship counts decades with the younger members forging an equally strong bond among themselves. This relationship will last beyond our lifetimes!

https://lifeisacelebration.blog/2022/04/10/that-corner-of-paradise-boracay/

Beach is life.
Justice Meloy’s Retirement Party

And then there’s our Fukuoka trip this last month of the year. Not our first time to Kyushu Island in the southern part of Japan, but we were just too eager to travel again as a group. Who cared who was guiding us or where we were going? Destinations hardly mattered. There were just 3 major sights: a garden in autumn foliage, an active volcano and a gorge, and a canal cruise. And onsens and kaiseki in between. Enough. In the company of these travel buddies, we’re good. Fun as always. More fond memories. We are blessed.

Check out these blog links:

https://lifeisacelebration.blog/2022/12/02/japan-is-always-a-good-idea/

https://lifeisacelebration.blog/2022/12/04/gorges-volcanoes-porsches/

https://lifeisacelebration.blog/2022/12/05/a-canal-cruise-in-yanagawa/

https://lifeisacelebration.blog/2022/12/09/an-onsen-zen-state-of-mind/

https://lifeisacelebration.blog/2022/12/10/kaiseki-anyone/

Travel Buddies
Feeling grateful.
Wishing for an even better 2023.

Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year, everyone! May this Season bring us peace and joy in our minds and hearts.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

My Vivid Sydney 2022

Filed under: Australia, Travel, travels — 1 Comment
June 10, 2022

Finally, I found the chance to experience my Vivid Sydney after countless visits to Sydney. Running till June 18, this festival is truly a must-see. The Opera House looks majestic on any ordinary day, but its splendour is all the more amplified with all the lighting and well-curated designs. Viewed up close by the steps, or from across the harbour, one can only gasp appreciating its beauty.

The festival in the Circular Quay area is not limited to the Sydney Opera House. That iconic bridge looks real grand too, along with the buildings lining the quay. A real standout is the Customs House which has quite a story to tell.

The only drawback is the low temps. I’ve always experienced mild winters here but certainly NOT this time. The wind factor adds to the chill so you can imagine how briskly we walked from Darling Harbor through Barangaroo towards Circular Quay. All spots by the water edge so yeah, cold. Really cold. And windy. When the Hare Krishna band paraded through the crowds, dancing to a beat and with the slightest clothing, I can only sigh with awe over their high tolerance for the cold.

We managed to check out only a few, but the more significant displays of this Festival of Lights, music and creative ideas. But for those who are eager to cover the entire spectacle, have a good walk around 11 Sydney CBD locations: Circular Quay, Sydney CBD, The Rocks, Barangaroo, Darling Harbour, Darling Square, Darling Quarter, The Goods Line, Central Station, Luna Park and Taronga Zoo. Not sure if there’d be more fireworks after the grand festival opening on May 27, which I missed. But hey, this Sydney event shouldn’t be missed!

Tags: , , , , ,
Comment

Sydney Fish Market Finds

Filed under: Australia, Exotic Cuisine, Food Trip, Musings & Ramblings, Travel, travels — 3 Comments
June 7, 2022

This Fish Market smelt soooo good. I was adamant to put oysters on the bed of my tongue as soon as I landed in Sydney and those cravings just had to be satisfied. I didn’t expect there were so many oyster choices! Good thing our food guru friend’s instructions were simple enough. Get the smallest oysters. Have the Balmain Bugs cooked with Singapore Chili. Then throw in a piece of lobster, calamari, grilled salmon and octopus on skewers, and some sashimi and Kani salad to start with.

Frankly, I couldn’t tell rock oysters from Coffin Bay oysters (yeah, what a name for a bay that yields really good oysters). Nor whether they were sourced from Sydney or Merimbula. I can only tell the Pacific Oysters are the largest, yet nowhere as large as those served to us in San Francisco, California. Enjoyed these appetizers way too much, along with the freshest tuna, salmon, scallops and other fish sashimi. I could have stopped there and gone home real happy but those bugs are still a-cooking! And the salmon and octopus a-grilling!

Balmain Bugs in Singapore Chili
Grilled Salmon and Octopus with Lobster Mornay

Heaven landed in Nicholas Seafood Bar in Sydney Fish Market in Pyrmont. Next to our table is a band of athletic men feasting on scampi and bottles of wine. They were happy to down their alcoholic delights and the scampi was just an excuse to keep their stomach linings warm and not empty. In fact, they hardly touched them as they got busy with their spirits. Not so with us 3 Oriental ladies who feasted on all these lovely seafood finds like there’s no tomorrow.

An hour and a half passed and we were bursting at the seams. Even before we capped our lunch with a cup of our favourite brew, I was already planning on setting this gastronomic treat as a Sydney tradition. Unforgettable. Each morsel a culinary delight. All that for 3 ladies with discerning tastes. Please don’t judge us 🙄

Tags: , , , , , ,
Comment

Up In Mount Victoria, NSW

Filed under: Australia, Travel, travels — 2 Comments
November 8, 2018

Only 120 kilometres west of Sydney is the small township of Mount Victoria in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. Population about a thousand. Here is a more quiet, if not more elegant section of the Blue Mountains. Beautiful manors, historic buildings reused as elegant hotels and summer retreat houses dot the landscape. There are many heritage sites in the area but they compete with the wondrous panorama at an elevation of over 1,000 meters. The mountain was named after Queen Victoria but the settlement area was originally called One Tree Hill until the arrival of the railway station and establishment of the first Post Office in the 19th century.

These days, many locals go to Mount Victoria for serious bushwalking, rock climbing, bird watching or simply to visit this charming village without the tourist crowd. There was some festivity the day we visited as we passed what looked like flea markets and food fairs. But we drove past them and began our short hike. Cox’s Road and Cox’s Descent don’t seem to sound right but that’s what the markers say. 🙄

The photos speak for themselves. I may have ventured farther than I should have — “for my age” — but the views of the valley below can be mesmerizing. I dare not even dwell on the possibilities. A strong gust of wind, an accidental slip. Oh well.

Tags: , , , , ,
Comment

Of Stingrays, Seagulls and Pelicans

Filed under: Australia, Travel, travels — Leave a comment
November 7, 2018

We’re done feeding the wild rainbow lorikeets , and decided we’d have more animal adventures. Bendalong Bay is not far from our homebase in Lake Conjola, and we spent the morning there watching people let loose their dogs on the beach, viewing stingrays swim near the shore, young paddlers on boards, swatting fruit flies trying to land on our cereal bars. Sun’s up and the weather’s ideal for a lazy morn.

Only one thing went wrong. Stingray feeding happens late afternoon. But no worries, we found many swim up to shore while seagulls fly above the paddlers, ducks and the pelicans. Bendalong is only a half hour north of Ulladulla and actually borders Lake Conjola National Park. The beach is good for paddle boating, surfing, swimming, fishing, and errr…. stingray feeding. I am just not sure how I’d feel swimming with these stingrays. 😜 Have a look at this video on stingray feeding in Bendalong Beach.

http://youtu.be/53O3OuAh9d0

This is Australia. The wildlife is awesome, birdwatching, bush walking and water activities the norm. Where else do you meet kangaroos in parks while you’re out intending to go kayaking or fishing? Where else can you paddle on boards while weaving through pelicans and stingrays swimming near the shore? How else can you enjoy a weekend without going outdoors? Life here is more meaningful for the outdoorsy types. Camping is always an option and bush walking is a regular activity. That is, after one does the laundry 🙄 My nephews are serious bikers and rock climbing is always a favourite sport. The girls love to shop but won’t mind weekend trips to the lake and parks. Fishing will have to wait though.

We made trips to Bendalong Bay for the stingrays and another day to Newcastle for the pelicans. Of course you’d find the seagulls almost everywhere like when we visited Kiama and Wollongong. I am amazed that all these animal and bird encounters are so freely enjoyed here in Australia. What a blessing for these Aussies!

The Pelican Feeding in Newcastle was quite a show. The feeders/carers are professionals and loved an audience and they got a pretty good sized crowd the time we visited. Weekends are never a bore. Or for that matter, neither are weekdays. The feeding show is timed daily at 4pm at the most popular tourist attraction in the Central Coast — The Entrance Waterfront. This feeding event sponsored by the Central Coast Council is quite a spectacle. I noted though that one of the volunteers clearly has a favourite among the pelicans. She calls her “One Wing” for obvious reasons. She narrated how this particular pelican lost her wing in a boat accident some years back. The upside though is this pelican will never have to go hungry as the volunteer looks for her and feeds her first. After that, the rest of the pelicans compete for the fish and other seafood scraps.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Comment

Feeding Rainbow Lorikeets

Filed under: Australia, Travel, travels — Leave a comment
November 5, 2018

It happens daily at 3-4pm here in the park fronting Burrill Lake In Ulladulla. Open to the general public, you can come help feed these wild colourful birds who gather from all over the natural bushland for a tasty afternoon snack. The man in charge hands you a plate and the birds swoop down on your arms, hands, head and shoulders. At one point, I think I had 3 on my head and another 3 or 4 on my arm.

Call us Bird Ladies, but this was quite an experience. I had scratches all over my arms though and truth be told, I was so tense worrying the wild birds would poo on my head. I suggest you come wearing a jacket and a hat when you visit. You’d never know. But really, these wild birds look so pretty and my, were they sooooo noisy. In a nearby cage, you can have a chat with the cheeky cockatoos who never grew tired saying HELLO. There were also ducks and parrots.

Never done this before, and I was surprised they have this daily activity open to the public. It would be a truly great animal adventure for the little ones and it won’t even cost you a cent! Now this is Australia for you. Love it!

Tags: , , , , ,
Comment

Road Trip to Lake Conjola

Filed under: Australia, Food Trip, Travel, travels — Leave a comment
November 2, 2018

We’re on a road trip towards the South Coast. First off is Kangaroo Valley which I’ve visited some years back. (Go check the link) The Hampden Bridge is one of its attractions here, being one of only a few suspension bridges around Australia. I remember a lunch in this landmark pub and hotel called the Friendly Inn with 2 grandchildren who have since grown up. What 5 years can do!

We drove towards Lake Conjola which is really one of my favourite destinations whenever I’m in Sydney. Our family would always spend family time here but we only managed 3 of us on this trip as everyone else was busy. The resident kangaroos were too lazy to welcome us, unlike the last time I was here when we found around 30 of them Roos!

The lakeside house bears many happy memories and our stay here adds another. Revisiting the house, the lake, the nearby beach, the boardwalk, or simply walking aimlessly are favourite pastimes here. If one is into fishing, paddle boating, kayaking or swimming, there’s much to do. As for me, I’m quite happy dropping in in this heritage bakery in Milton and taking out some pies to eat in the cottage while having coffee and reading a book.

From Lake Conjola, we had the chance to drop in on nearby beaches and lakes to feed some birds and sea creatures. Upon leaving, we made our way back to Sydney with stops in Berry for a relaxing Oriental lunch at LEAF. Wish the rest of the family was with us but there would be other times, for sure.

Feel free to click on the highlighted links for more photos and details on Lake Conjola and The Heritage Bakery in Milton. Watch this site for blogs on feeding adventures with stingrays, pelicans, Lorikeets and seagulls.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

Bondi, Watson’s Bay and Darling Harbour in a Day

Filed under: Australia, Travel, travels — Leave a comment
October 28, 2018

We made good time. Who wouldn’t if you’re up by 6am? Took the 333 bus to Bondi where a dip in the waters was planned no matter how cold it gets. Taking the bus directly to North Bondi beats the crowd waiting for the connecting bus at the train station in Bondi Junction. It helps too that we were way too early at 6:30am. Going early was a good decision as we nearly had the entire beach to ourselves but for a few joggers, swimmers and a couple of surfers. The sun was up but the wind factor gave the chills but some of us cannot be held back from taking a brave dip in Bondi Beach.

Our trip to Bondi was timed with the annual art event “Sculptures by the Sea” where 100 artworks were on display along the coastal walk from Bondi to Tamarama. Amazing artworks but for the strong winds that compelled us to sit it out at the spot overlooking the Pacific. “Fatso” sat right where the wind went wild pushing us down to our knees. I honestly wanted to crawl away from Fatso while holding down my hat.

From Bondi, we took the 380 bus to Watson’s Bay. Feasted on Doyle’s seafood combo, fish and chips. I was so looking forward to this lunch as Doyle’s never disappoints. Except that we’ve had a similar lunch in Manly Fish Cafe the day before and had a truly remarkable lunch. Stiff competition I’d say. But I’m not complaining having both on 2 consecutive days 😊 What likely tilted the scorecard in favor of Manly Fish and Chips was the mussels cooked in fresh cream a la Moules Frites and the sweet potato fries. Next time I visit Manly, I’d likely go back to this place. On the other hand, Doyle’s Resto offers a perfect view of Watson’s Bay. Lunch here by the wharf guarantees watching several ferries loading and unloading passengers along with views of yachts bobbing up and down. For good measure, the many seagulls and pelicans lend more charm to this area.

We were happy to board the ferry from Watson’s Bay bound for Pyrmont Bay to reach Darling Harbour. It’s nearly an hour’s ride passing Rose Bay, Luna Park, Circular Quay, Barangaroo and finally Pyrmont Bay. On this ferry ride, it is easier to take shots of the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Luna Park and the approach to Darling Harbour. Not as many tourists as one finds on ferry rides to Manly Beach. Doing these 3 sites — Bondi, Watson’s Bay and Darling Harbour– via bus and ferry is a breeze, never mind that one has to make an early start.

I have always liked Darling Harbour. I do like it better at night though. Cocklebay Wharf Area is my favourite spot where many bistros and bars sit side by side gelaterias like Lindt’s. We made our mandatory stop here for some frozen delights. Six different ice cream flavours in ceramic cups passed clockwise amongst us. We couldn’t agree which flavour is best though. From Cocklebay Wharf, we took the escalators to get on street level and found ourselves walking towards Town Hall and Queen Victoria Building (QVB). Day almost over, we were a bit tired but felt we’ve spent the day very well and covered much from 6:30am to 5pm.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Comment

Noodles on World Food Day?

Filed under: Australia, Travel, travels — Leave a comment
October 18, 2018

Last Tuesday October 16 was World Food Day. It’s also the anniversary of the founding day of the Food and Agriculture Organization in 1945. Sydney’s Noodles Market is held around this time when Hyde Park transforms itself into an Oriental food event — not necessarily limited to noodles but any Asian dish oozing with aromatic spices from the East. It’s been raining in Sydney for a week but we picked Tuesday to go to the city on a cloudy but rain-free day.

The little boy with us had so much energy in him, and that was even before his teriyaki noodle dish and creamy allo-allo mixed fruit dessert. Some parts of the park were muddy from the previous day’s rain. Luckily, Citi has a fenced-in area complete with more comfortable chairs, tables and even faux grass-carpeting. Swell! I flashed my card and claimed a table for us. We got drinks from within the reserved space but bought our food from the stalls outside.

Good thing we were early. The crowd started to build up after 5:30pm. The office crowd spilling out of the surrounding buildings and creating queues at the more popular food stalls. It’s like a hawker market but with pricier tags, and overhyped food choices. We couldn’t resist trying out the Pinoy offerings like the lechon (roasted pork @$18 and it was not even crunchy), the desserts like the allo-allo aka halo-halo which is really nothing like the popular local dessert. One dessert is even named “Thrilla in Manila” and I swear we don’t even have that kind of stuff back home.

Even the pork barbeque doesn’t remind me of home. The marinade is more Western than Asian, for sure. Oh well. The event organisers do this annually and from the looks of it, it draws a regular crowd. Next time, maybe I’d try the ramen.

Nonetheless we had a good time especially when a Lion Dance (not Dragon?) cheered up the place. The little boy perked up like crazy and we all felt the excitement! The kid jumped up and down and followed the “lion” across the park. The senior grandma struggled to follow …..

Tags: , , , , , ,
Comment

Floriade 2018 (Canberra)

Filed under: Australia, Travel, travels — 2 Comments
October 17, 2018

I have visited Sydney many times since my sister and her family migrated here but not once have I visited the Floriade in Canberra, the nation’s capital. The visits were always off-timed and I only contented myself with photos of beautiful spring blooms from the Commonwealth Park where it’s annually held. This 2018, it was staged from September 15 to October 14, a full month, and we managed to visit on the 2nd to the last day!

Just 2.5 hours south of Sydney, the Commonwealth Park in Canberra was truly a celebration of spring blooms. Carpeted in many colours of tulips and other blooms, the lake and the Ferris wheel simply added to the park’s charm. We hardly paid attention to the market stalls and playing bands, and just took in all the splendour of Nature’s floral cheer. There was a good crowd beating the deadline (like us) but we were early. Beating the traffic and the crowds, we enjoyed the Park before it drizzled early afternoon.

The place reminded me of Keukenhof Gardens in Dutchland. There must have been a million bulbs for this year’s Floriade. I felt it’d be a waste to end the flower show while the flowers are still in full bloom! But I’ve read in today’s papers that many folks have volunteered to cut the flowers and dig up the bulbs to distribute among the community. About a hundred bucketloads have found their way to hospitals and nursing homes to cheer up the old and sick. Such a happy ending to this flower exhibit, don’t you think?

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Comment