Wallenberg everywhere

This was not the first time I bump into Raoul Wallenberg while traveling. My previous encounter was in Sydney and now in Budapest.

There's nothing like Australia

I saw this Australia's new tourism ad at the movies last week. I have been humming the song since. And I like the ad too. It has a fresh approach in this genre. The ad makes me want to go back down under, because there really is nothing like Australia.

The cutest coin in the world?

One Australian Dollar coin - the cutest in its class?

Mid-week patterns

Sydney, once more

If I lived in Sydney, I would buy my medicines from this pharmacy on Oxford Street just because of the beautiful sign.

This Swede has gotten his memorial garden far away. This is the smallest public garden I have ever seen. It is not much bigger than what can be seen in the picture.

Sydney's subway station poster typography looks almost the same as in London. Same designer?

Sydney skyscraper jungle. My hotel on the left side.

Sydney patterns

Glass ornaments of the Queen Victoria Building.

Floor mosaics of the same building, plus some ghosts.

Roof and clock tower of Sydney's former general post office, now a Westin hotel.

Facade of an office tower at Darling Harbour.

Bondi Beach

Surfers rushing to the waves.

Headquarters of Bondi heroes, lifeguards.

No journey to Sydney is complete without visiting the world famous Bondi Beach. I had a breakfast at a beach cafe and dipped my toes into the waves after that. It was too windy for swimming and most surfers stayed out of water. The place is amazing with the many meter high waves and white sand.

(Sorry for the poor picture quality. My camera went out of battery and I had to use my cellphones camera instead.)

Best gnocchi

If you are feeling peckish in Sydney, head to Bistro Moncur in the affluent Woollahra area and treat yourself with their delicious Gnocchi Parisienne dish. I have never tasted better (in this category).

A Sydney memento

I have not been shopping a lot in Sydney. Actually the only thing I have bought is a book about my favorite Australian, Dame Edna Everage. Since a little boy I have been a huge fan and I still am. So I could not resist myself getting a copy when I saw this recently published story of Edna at Dymocks. I can not wait to read it.

One thing I regret is I have not had a chance (so far) to see her on stage. Dame Edna is starring in a Broadway show All About Me later this spring (autumn from Australian perspective), but I do not know if I am going make it to New York. We will see.

Sydney Cove by night

Sydney Opera House

The Harbour Bridge

Rainy day in Sydney

Anzac Memorial

Guess which opera house?

Sydney Opera House, of course. I had to fly eight hours to see opera. It was an excellent, traditional version of Verdi's La Traviata. It is showing until late March 2010. Book here.

Sydney!

Finally at the destination...Sydney.

What a flight! I just arrived in Sydney, but via Melbourne which was not planned. A summer storm had closed down Sydney's airport and the plane had to be re-fuelled in Melbourne. Finally the plane reached the destination.

It was my virgin flight with Qantas A380. It must say I prefer Singapore Airlines' A380cabin layout more. Qantas has its economy class completely in lower deck, but Singapore Airlines has some economy seats in upper deck too and those seats have more personal space than those at the lower deck. And the color scheme in Singapore Airlines' A380 is nicer, more lighter.