It was the coldest October day in 30 years, according to the pilot on arrival to Sydney airport.  We staying at Eva’s Backpackers in King’s Cross, a neighborhood with a saucy reputation as a red light district.  You know you’re there when you pass the huge Coca Cola sign.  Being from Atlanta, Donny felt right at home.  It was an experience to be in The Cross for the weekend in particular, when all of the strip joints, night clubs and bars fill up with alternative locals, backpackers, and a mix of the regulars and the curious.  During the day it’s much more subdued, with cafes, restaurants and small shops taking the lead.  On Saturday there was a great open market around the El Alamein Fountain.

On our first day, we braved the rain, cold and high winds for an orientation walk downtown.  Past the Queen Victoria Building (upscale shopping in a classic building) in the CBD, we head toward Chinatown for lunch. Dumplings from Mother Chu’s Taiwanese Gourmet were a nice warm treat. They are famous for their fresh yu tiao (donuts), and you can watch the dumpling makers doing their thing in the open kitchen.  The shops and groceries of Haymarket were fun to browse while we walked off lunch.  Afterwards, we passed the Aquarium (skipping that attraction, since we figured we are forever jaded by the Great Barrier Reef) and head over to Darling Harbor.  There was a shopping center and some touristy waterfront restaurants, so we crossed back over to the park.  The Chinese Friendship Garden at the south end of the harbor looked beautiful, combining elements of plants, water, stone and Chinese architecture. Spread out over several acres, highlights are the Courtyard of Welcoming Fragrance, Dragon Wall, Water Pavilion of Lotus Fragrance, Twin Pavilion, Rock Forest and the Penjing.

After some more exploration, we head back and spent the rest of the night planning out our brief time in Sydney and hoping for better weather.