Monday 15th February

 Checked out of the luxury YHA this morning and went for a walk towards Darling Harbour on the edge of Chinatown. This tree caught my eye and discovered it is intact street art entitled Golden Water Mouth. The art work, created by Lin Li combines Chinese Feng Shui principles mixed with Australian native materials and is said to represent positive energy and good fortune. It marks the symbolic entry to Chinatown.

 

 

Continuing down George Street  I discovered a beautiful, modern church , St Philip Julian, fitted neatly into a parade of shops. With beautiful stained glass windows, the entrance was full of

lanterns for Chinese New Year. Originally heading for Darling Harbour I was sidetracked to the Chinese Garden of Friendship; and so pleased that I was-it is really lovely, a spot of tranquillity in the middle of the hustle and bustle (and building works) all around. Like all Chinese garden design it relies on the Ying/yang principles of opposites and complements, and the pagoda at the top was built in China and imported as a flat pack...!!!

 

 

I collected my bags from the hostel and went off to Dee Why, one of the northern beaches to my next bnb. My heart sank when I saw the hill I had to climb with all my luggage, so liberated a shopping trolley from the roadside which made my journey slightly easier! Didn't want to arrive like a bag lady so discarded it before I reached the block of flats only to find half a dozen trolleys by the entrance!

At the beach in the evening saw people rushing to the water's edge calling for surfers and swimmers to get out of the water. Bystanders rushed to help but I was unable to spot anything. Later my host told me if it was sharks there would be a helicopter.......

 

Tuesday February 16th.

 

Went for a beautiful walk on the cliff tops over to Curl Curl. It was very hot but there were some strategically placed seats and some marvellous views. At North Curl Curl there was another of the rock pools

 

 

but I continued down the beach to South Curl Curl where there is another rock pool. Stayed for a swim and to finish my book then had the most enormous piece of banana bread, piping hot and with a tub full of butter.

In the evening had a really interesting discussion with my host about her job as a hypnotherapist .