Sunday March 4 Sydney
I am sitting in the dining room at the De Francesco’s. Lina is making pizza for dinner and I am trying to catch up on the journal for the last four spectacular days!
These people are so amazing. I will need every superlative in my vocabulary to share with you how incredible is the hospitality and love we have experienced here. Lina and Orazio have installed us in their own bedroom (NO argument ! – they will not have it any other way).Their lovely house is in Five Dock, about 15 minutes from the Sydney Central Business District. Five minutes away are Antonio’s apartment and Angelo’s house.
But first……. Our arrival in Sydney.
Wednesday February 28
Having been told that we would dock in Sydney around six am, I decided that I wanted to be at the prow when we entered the harbor, hoping to see the Opera House up close and personal – although I knew also that it would be before sunrise and that I might see nothing. So I set the alarm for 5:00. I awoke at 4:00 and could see lights out of our window. I stayed in bed a few more minutes, thinking that it was still way too early, but I couldn’t stand it, so I threw my warm-ups on over my pjs, grabbed my camera and headed for the prow. The picture above is what I saw as I got to the prow. If I had stayed in bed two more minutes I would have missed it : ) Even though I have taken 4000 more pictures of the Opera House since : ), this one is still my favorite – sooo spectacular !!
We dressed, had coffee and headed for the disembarkation area, expecting it to take an hour. We were on the street in ten minutes with three “R U there ?” text messages from Antonio. Five minutes later the DeFrancescos arrived en force – all of them –Lina, Orazio, Antonio and Angelo in two cars. They scooped us up and we headed for home – 9 Erina Ave in Five Dock.
Quickly installed and unpacked, we had coffee and toast and headed out to explore with Antonio as our guide.
On Wednesday we spent some time just driving around the area and acquainting ourselves. Sydney is a huge city by an even more enormous bay, reminiscent in many ways of San Francisco.
There are bays and inlets and islands and beaches at every turn – and one more beautiful than the other.
We drove the North Head area - to the Gap where we overlooked the bay and the ocean from wild and rocky cliffs which are the entrance to the complex Sydney Harbor. We stopped for a gelato – real Italian gelato – huzzah!! I love it here !
I am sitting in the dining room at the De Francesco’s. Lina is making pizza for dinner and I am trying to catch up on the journal for the last four spectacular days!
These people are so amazing. I will need every superlative in my vocabulary to share with you how incredible is the hospitality and love we have experienced here. Lina and Orazio have installed us in their own bedroom (NO argument ! – they will not have it any other way).Their lovely house is in Five Dock, about 15 minutes from the Sydney Central Business District. Five minutes away are Antonio’s apartment and Angelo’s house.
But first……. Our arrival in Sydney.
Wednesday February 28
Having been told that we would dock in Sydney around six am, I decided that I wanted to be at the prow when we entered the harbor, hoping to see the Opera House up close and personal – although I knew also that it would be before sunrise and that I might see nothing. So I set the alarm for 5:00. I awoke at 4:00 and could see lights out of our window. I stayed in bed a few more minutes, thinking that it was still way too early, but I couldn’t stand it, so I threw my warm-ups on over my pjs, grabbed my camera and headed for the prow. The picture above is what I saw as I got to the prow. If I had stayed in bed two more minutes I would have missed it : ) Even though I have taken 4000 more pictures of the Opera House since : ), this one is still my favorite – sooo spectacular !!
We dressed, had coffee and headed for the disembarkation area, expecting it to take an hour. We were on the street in ten minutes with three “R U there ?” text messages from Antonio. Five minutes later the DeFrancescos arrived en force – all of them –Lina, Orazio, Antonio and Angelo in two cars. They scooped us up and we headed for home – 9 Erina Ave in Five Dock.
Quickly installed and unpacked, we had coffee and toast and headed out to explore with Antonio as our guide.
On Wednesday we spent some time just driving around the area and acquainting ourselves. Sydney is a huge city by an even more enormous bay, reminiscent in many ways of San Francisco.
There are bays and inlets and islands and beaches at every turn – and one more beautiful than the other.
We drove the North Head area - to the Gap where we overlooked the bay and the ocean from wild and rocky cliffs which are the entrance to the complex Sydney Harbor. We stopped for a gelato – real Italian gelato – huzzah!! I love it here !
We spent an hour at the famous Bondi Beach (photo)– a couple of miles of gorgeous beachfront – wall to wall sunbathers and surfers.
We went Dawson Bay, home of the famous Doyle’s Fish and Chips Pub. I had never heard of it but Don was thrilled and to Coogee Beach.
We returned home for dinner with Angelo and Dominique and the two bambinos – Oliver, 3 and Lucien, 1. Lina is a fabuolous cook. Her kitchen sports an espresso machine that looks like the one in Starbucks and no microwave ! We had an Italian family festa (and feast ! ) antipasto, lasagna, insalata, bracciolini topped off by a gelato cake – sponge layers with chocolate and vanilla gelato layers frosted with dark chocolate candy icing and decorated with “Welcome to Sydney, Don and Carmelina” !! No guest ever felt more welcome.
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