A Sydney-sider Christmas!

Ahhh! It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Even with out the freezing temps and blowing winds - Sydney does its best to deck its halls, streets and store fronts with its holiday finery. It is definitely strange not to have snow on the ground, or getting all bundled up to go caroling (yes, I am actually going to sing carols later this week - I'll let you know how it goes) - but instead to be able to hop on the ferry and head to the beach, and go shopping in your shorts is crazy - but it is growing on me, and I am adjusting okay. (That is a picture of the Queen Victoria Building Christmas tree- its massive!)

Speaking of Sydney shopping - they do things a bit differently down here. Stores and shops close early - I'm talking really early, any time between 5-6 pm on the week days the majority of the shops in the CBD (Central Business District) are closed. Even the Starbucks, which at home are usually open until 11, close at 8 or 9 here. But one night a week the town stays open late - Thursdays -- and that is when everything stays open until "late," even the buses continue to run much later than usual.  I know - sheer craziness.

Now, in most respects I think it says something about the culture here in Sydney that they close down early and really it is something I admire - it gives a more family focused vibe, instead of the constant go-go-go mentality of North Americans fast paced life style. Yes, Sydney is a big city, with a lot of busy people - but the fact that every little shop along the busiest stretches of streets in this town close down right when most of the work force is just leaving work says something about the people here - and I dig it......My only objection/suggestion - maybe over the holiday season they could stay open late a few more days a week! If you thought shopping back home was bad over Christmas-time, try slamming 4 million people into the shops of Sydney one night a week - NOT my idea of a good time. 

...Luckily all my shopping is done, so I can just sit back and laugh at the poor souls who are hitting the stores this Thursday - for the final late shopping day of the season.

Did you know that there is a train that goes coast to coast here on Australia? It is called the Indian Pacific (because it goes ocean to ocean - clever eh?) and it goes from Sydney on the east side, to Perth on the west - I am currently (still) reading the Bill Bryson book the Sunburnt Country, and Mr. Bill Bryson has given me tons of facts to share with you all - so get excited, because I will be sprinkling them throughout the blogs. But on this train ride from Sydney to Perth there is a stretch of railroad where it does not bend, curve or turn for over 350km - just heads straight for kilometer after kilometer in the barren, red outback. 

Can you imagine?!

P.s. The Cubs hat count is up to 6.