First off, I just have to note how different Sydney and Melbourne are from each other. It's funny to listen to native Aussies talk about the rivalry between the two cities; I personally like the atmosphere of Melbourne better and I feel like it's more "user friendly" (easier to get around). I feel like Sydney has a couple of big, iconic sights in the middle of a very busy and confusing downtown center. I do know that I am biased and am not afraid to admit it, but if I were to come back and live in a city in Australia, Melbourne would be my number one choice.
It was nice for the family to stay together in the suite and relax for most of the day. I got a run in and then came back to shower before we headed out the door to meet up with a couple of people. My mom made a friend when she was little but they lost touch after high school. She discovered that this friend lived in Sydney while she was cruising through Facebook and decided to reach out and get in touch with him. He invited us over and we took him up on the offer. His place isn't too far from where we're staying and also has an amazing view of the harbour and opera house. He and his partner have done a spectacular job decorating their apartment and we enjoyed some wine and an appetizer there while we talked and caught up. The couple took us to a Vietnamese restaurant for dinner and we ended up ordering so much food but it was so good that we almost finished it all. It was served family style so we were passing plates around for the entire meal. This couple has led an amazing life and there was never a moment of silence at the table. All of their experiences have given them great wisdom that they imparted on Kenny and I and I will try to take away some of their lessons and apply them to my own life.
After dinner we had to find our way through the city and back to the hotel. We decided to start off on foot, which was a good decision because we were able to see a really cool light show at one of the cathedrals in the city. We were rooted to the spot just watching the projections come to life on the front side of the church, which is apparently something that will be happening every evening from here until Christmas. Once we were finally snapped out of our trance, my dad and I walked the rest of the way to our hotel but my mom and brother pooped out and got a cab. Our walk was a great mini-tour of the quay area; I had flashbacks to my trip here earlier in the year and pointed out a couple places of interest along the way. Now back in the room, we decided to sleep in tomorrow, have breakfast, and get to the quay to take a ferry out to Watson Bay. I love the ferries and I'm hoping this experience is much like my last one out to Manly.
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