Busy, busy, busy

I cannot believe we are on our 4th day here. Time seems to have slowed down...or maybe it is the jet-lag talking. I don't think I have quite gotten myself adjusted just yet. Lol, feeling loopy and off-balance is beginning to become a natural state of being.

I don't even remember what day I last posted anything. See. Loopy!

My dogs (feet) have beat the pavement all over Sydney. It is amazing all the things that are within walking distance of our apartment; Darling Harbor, Sydney Harbor, Hyde Park, Botanical Gardens, etc...

Saturday we took the ferry to Taronga Zoo. Quick little aside about riding the ferry: I totally felt like I was in some kind of movie, you know! This was the first time either John or I has been on a ferry and it was AWESOME! I know, I know, what is the big deal, right...it's just a boat ride. But it was the whole thing. Waiting for it to arrive, sitting outside on the deck, going to different pick-up/drop-off points along the way -- all of it together made for an awesome experience. We also saw Sydney Bridge and the Opera House from the ferry -- THAT was incredible! And I just love being on the water. The air was crisp, there were sail boats, ferries, cruise liners, and speed boats traversing back and forth along the harbor, the sky was super blue and everything just looked so lush and perfect. Like a post card really.

Taronga Zoo. INCREDIBLE!! I have been to quite a few zoos in my lifetime, courtesy of my animal loving son, John, and I have to say, thus far, Taronga Zoo is my absolute favorite! You can't beat the beauty of the grounds, or it's amazing view..it looks out over the Sydney Harbor towards the skyline of downtown Sydney, but more than that, the animals are so, well, active! I'm not kidding...and very up front and present. I am so used to watching animals snooze in the sun or trying to spy them out of their habitats, that to see the animals at this zoo so, I don't know, there...well, it was a real treat. Towards the end of our day at the zoo we went to the Australia trail area -- WOW. You walked along a path and right there, not behind walls or fences, are Wallabies, Kangaroos and Emu's. Just right there! It was HYSTERICAL...the emu moved toward this one kangaroo and the kangaroo immediately hopped back on its tail and put up his front paws -- feisty, feisty. The emu backed up a bit and the kangaroo lowered himself but it kept a wary eye out on the emu. You could see the suspicion in his eyes. I told the boys to keep watching the kangaroo because I had a feeling he was going to do something and, wouldn't you know it, before I could finish speaking that darn kangaroo exploded into action and pounced on the emu! OMG, I laughed hysterically -- it was so funny! That emu took off like a shot, lol!



We ate dinner that night at a place called, Jordan's. It is a seafood restaurant on the wharf of Darling Harbor. Matt and Mark got the deluxe seafood platter for two and damn, I wish I had taken a picture of it --- talk about artsy presentation! It was chocker block full of seafood; BBQ octopus (which John ate most of), naked oysters, calamari, HUGE prawns on sticks, oysters baked with bacon, the biggest mussels I have ever seen, John Dory fried fish, and, to top it all off, a basket of fries (that was my favorite, lol!). I don't even remember what I had -- theirs was so spectacular, everything else paled in comparison.

Yesterday (Sunday) was another great day. From 9am to 5:30pm, we were out and about, beating the pavement. We went to the Anzoc War Memorial/Pool of Reflection, Hyde Park where the boys climbed the most perfect climbing trees EVER, the Australian Museum and St. Mary's Cathedral, the first Catholic Church in Australia. I actually attended the 10:30 mass while Mark and the boys did some exploring. I have to say, this church is stunning. It is fashioned in the Gothic style and the interior is just amazing. It has the most amazing stained-glass windows, and the depictions of the stations of the cross are more than I can find words for. But more than the beauty of the church (which was truly incredible!), the mass was, oh my gosh, it was fantastic. The altar servers, men's choir, priest and bishop, process through the church as the organ plays and the choir sings. In latin! I had chills the entire time. And, I am not ashamed to admit it, tears. The mass begins with the congregation reciting the act of contrition. After every reading the choir sings -- their voices, these men's voices, joined together so beautifully...it was, it FELT Holy, if that makes any sense. The sound of their voices, raised in song, is something I will never forget . . . I have never heard anything like it. It was a special Mass as they are about to have their first Saint canonized. The first ever for Australia. Pretty awesome! I was so glad I was able to attend that mass and only wish that Mark and the boys had gone with me...I can't find quite the right words, or way, to express how wonderful it was.

Today is on-going, lol. We have gone to the Aquarium at Darling Harbor and it was fabulous, but both Mark and I are not feeling all that well. We both woke up this morning feeling extra loopy. So after lunch, which we had sitting out on the wharf watching the boats and ferries, we headed back to the apartment. Which is why I am updating now :-) Mark is napping, the boys are reading and I, I am, of course, on the computer!!

I am pretty darn positive I have forgotten some things -- funny things the kids have said or done, observations we have all made, but presently I am working on a sugar crash and am not able to really focus, lol. As I have been typing I have been snacking on the Sour Patch Kids I stole from Matthew, ssshh, don't tell!