Australia 2007 --> L'Olandese Volante

giovedì, 31 maggio 2007

18th March – Harbour Bridge 75th Anniversary

Yes, I know, I’ve just said that Uni has started. But it didn’t stop me to join a massive event for Sydney, the Sydneysiders and maybe the whole Australia as well.

The Harbour Bridge, the very popular bridge of Sydney known throughout the world, was celebrating its 75^th Anniversary, and a guy from UTS, Allen, has booked 80free places for 80 students to make the walk from the bridge Northern side to its Southern side ending at The Rocks.

A huge crowd walked on the bridge, everyone wearing a celebrative yellow cap.

After an hour and a half or so (the bridge is huge, but actually is not that long to justify such a long walking time... anyway when you want to stop, take a picture, then one more, then have a look behind you... in these circumstances time flies!) we were on the other side of the Harbour Bridge.

On the way, further than the few things I have already mentioned could have been experienced. There were some random crazy things around, some people built up their own small Hrabour Bridge, some others were madly dressed, but one was in my opinion The Man.

This person walked the bridge 75 years ago. Yes, 75. Which means that he was there when it was built and he walked on it at that time. After 75 years he was still there, doing it again. Unusual. A small group of us (but we were many more) stopped and wanted to have a picture with him. You can see from top left Lida (Canada), Cote (Chile), Luciano (Italy), the Legend (guess from Australia), Daniele (Italy), Pachi (Chile) and on the bottom left me, carrying a lot of stuff (don’t ask me why!).

The man had a picture to prove everything, and walked with a sign “I walked the Bridge in 1932”.

Finally, once the walk was finished and I had said goodbye to all the others, before going home to do my assignment, I stood next to a celebrative panel, showing the Australian flag to the camera, with the two green and yellow balloons attached (these colours represent Australia in sports). One day, if I’ll move to Australia, or I’ll come back, or whatever, maybe for the 100^th Harbour Bridge Annyversary, I will be able to show my picture, as the legendary man did this time.

Postato da: DexterH46 a 06:54 | link | commenti
sydney, uts

mercoledì, 30 maggio 2007

17th March – St.Patrick’s Day

One week later it was Saint Patrick’s Day.

You know, Irish people go crazy during this day... unfortunately it was also the last day of the Six Nations rugby competition in Europe and the schedule proposed an interesting Ireland-Italy match. Right on St.Patrick’s Day, and in Australia maybe it was even worse since the match started around midnight in the East Coast, which means that most of the people would have been absolutely drunk for that time! Furthermore Ireland was still competing against France to get the first place in the tournament, so the match got even a more important meaning for them.

The night began with the Green Day Tribute offered by the same band I’ve already seen in January, and this time I have got a proper picture for those who don’t believe me. Cool stuff this time again.

After the concert it was time for the rugby match to start. I was there with Australians, Germans and Italians. Unfortunately Simona and Silvia left after the concert to go to another place with their two Aussie housemates (calling us soon after because they realised they didn’t take the best decision!) so probably the only two Italians in Scruffy Murphy’s (Irish pub!) were me and Federica. Surrounded by dozens (if not hundreds) of green-coloured Irish people. Even worse, because of her time spent in Ireland, Federica was supporting the green squad, leaving me alone for the Italian blue colours. It was really though to show my happyness everytime Italy scored a point and my disappointment everytime the Irish were making a try or a conversion, but I survived that night, probably because from the second half Ireland started to push hardly and trashed Italy. I admit, they were better than us, no excuses, and it was fair that on St.Patrick’s they could celebrate a victory. But unluckily for them, France won against Scotland scoring in the last minutes the points that gave them the Six Nations trophy for points-difference.

Some internationals were misteriously missing, I discovered some days later that they went with UTS to a learn-how-to-surf weekend. Not good knowing it after it happened, anyway not even so bad, I wouldn’t have been able to join them because on Monday 19^th my first assignment was due: a clear sign that "true" University has really started.

Postato da: DexterH46 a 11:36 | link | commenti (2)
holiday, party, concerts, sydney

mercoledì, 23 maggio 2007

10th March – Nico’s BBQ in Manly Beach

The second Saturday in March, the one after the most popular Mardi Gras, a good number of people gathered near Manly for a barbecue.
I say “a good number”, but it would be better to say “nearly everyone”, in fact there were so many people that I think only four or five of those I met earlier were not there, being somewhere else by themselves.
The had to begin in the late morning with a surf lesson, but actually it started in the early afternoon for me, since I’ve slept until quite late. Around 4PM I was catching a ferry from Circular Quay to Manly. Before boarding I had the opportunity to see some aboriginal people dancing and entertaining the passers-by.

Then I jumped on the ferry with my Italian friend Massimiliano from Treviso (aka Max) and my German friend Fabian. On the way to Manly we took a couple of picture, and in this one you can see me with the big buildings in Sydney far behind me on a bright sunny day.

We arrived in Manly, called at the local Coles store and filled our backpacks with sausages, meat, bread, drinks... everything you need for a cool BBQ, and then headed for the less crowded and adjoining Shelly Beach.
The event of the day was Nicolas’ birthday, so it was a good idea to entitle the BBQ to him and celebrate his great-day there. Unfortunately I haven’t got any picture of the BBQ (there was a massive queue and it became night before we started to cook!), but I can give you this sunset from Shelly Beach... nice, isn’t it?

The night ended with a bunch of Italians (me, Max, Luciano, Silvia, Simona) ending in a pub in the city centre to watch the first race of the 2007 MotoGP season: Stoner 1st, Rossi 2nd, not so bad.

Postato da: DexterH46 a 08:45 | link | commenti
holiday, party, beach, sydney

martedì, 22 maggio 2007

9th March – Paddy’s Market

A characteristic market is held every week in Sydney, in Haymarket area.
From Thursday to Sunday the gates are opened until 5.30PM and it’s the best place to try to bargain while you are buying something.
Sometimes you do not need to bargain at all, since prices are really low and it’s ridicolous asking for less! Especially when you go to the fruit and veggies area, you can find amazing deals.
If you go on Sunday you have the certainty that at 5.30PM you can hear someone who starts to scream “one dollar, one dollar, ONE DOLLAR”. This happens because they are closed for the following days and usually fruits and vegetables are perishable goods. You can mostly buy a variety of fresh products for the price of AU$1/kg (roughly 0,60€/kg...), but sometimes they go crazy and offer you either smaller or bigger boxes filled with food for the mere price of one dollar.
It’s not surprising that you get home with 2-3-4 kilograms of food that lasts for the following days.
The best I could see has been a big box of apples, for one dollar. I got ‘em, once at home I’ve counted them: 15! It means I have paid something like 7cents each! Or if you prefer Euro currency, it’s 4cents each!

Since I’ve saved a lot of money on these products, the same evening I have decided that it was the right time to do an investment. I said to myself :”Instead of buying everytime you go out some beers, paying much more because of their market, why don’t you make an investment?”.
So from Friday 9th March I have got two more friends with whom I share my room: Mr. Strongbow and Mr.Heineken. They are pretty cool... don’t do any noise but if you wanna have a drink and a nice time they are there, ready to help you ;-)

Postato da: DexterH46 a 10:57 | link | commenti
sydney, accomodation

lunedì, 21 maggio 2007

8th March – Nude Bar (aka AYH)

This day had to be the biggest party ever in UTS, the “start of semester party”, or something like that. It seemed that everyone was going there. I got there with my flatmates Jean and Federica slighlty late, around 10PM, when the party was supposed to be already cool. Once there we didn’t care about who was in and who wasn’t... from the latest news every single person would have gone there!
After having paid the tickets we got in, started to go around... a semi-desert. It has been the biggest disappointing University party ever and after one hour we decided to move somewhere else, where some friends of mine were (they knew in time that the party would have been bad... but I didn’t!).
The problem has been that a miscommunication (Germans... Bar Broadway is not Broadway Bar!) led me and my two friends to another place.
Surprisingly there were a lot of people there. Other Germans, my Chilean friends, more Italians... so we stayed there until the end, which unfortunately means midnight for Nude Bar (aka AYH). The time for a beer and a pool match, chatting with a friend first and then another one.
In the picture you can see me with my friend Maria from Chile. Since there are hundreds of Marias, you can more easily call her Cote, and you are sure who you are talking about! ;-)

Postato da: DexterH46 a 08:50 | link | commenti (2)
holiday, party, sydney, uts

sabato, 19 maggio 2007

18th May – The Doctor will come back

More than one month has passed from the last update.
The “problem” is still there, at its place. My fault I reckon, I say, I admit. But “when you fall the important is to get up again, and try back until the end”.
University mid-semester exams have been taken in the second half of April.
I've managed to have a pride reaction and study for a couple of nights (yes, nights, either going to bed or waking up at 4.30) since I could not concentrate at all during the day.
I've attended the exams, minimising the injuries, which is what you have to do when there is something wrong you cannot fix because it does not depend entirely by you.
You will understand everything, just keep reading the pages of this blog, which will come back being updated. Some of you asked me to do so, and I don’t say no to my friends. Thanks to all those who have waited for me in this period. The Doctor will come back. Wounded, but will come back.

Eccomi

Ultimi Commenti

Link

Archivio

Feeds