Over & Under The Sea

Our weekend began with a 5-min walk to Central Station from our apartment to catch a train to Circular Quay just a few stops away. A short stroll later, we found ourselves at the famous weekend Rocks Market. But before browsing the handicraft the stall vendors had artistically created and proudly displayed, we had breakfast in a quaint pink courtyard of a nearby French patisserie, whose walls creepers had made their home. We headed for The Rocks next where my mum and I each bought a wind chime that wouldn't chime. Though it did not let out a sound, it gave off a fragrance that was uplighting, yet calming. Strung together were dried seeds of various wild Australian plants that had been soaked in essential oils - the perfect decorative item that served as an overhanging potpourri for any living space. Tze Min was content with a few bars of home-made chocs to tip the scales even further! :o)

Next, we boarded the 11am Sydney Harbour Morning Highlights Cruise complete with running commentary, operated by Captain Cook Cruises. Not wanting to let the sun's rays go to waste, we chose to seat ourselves on the top most deck to soak in the sights of the beautiful harbour. We disembarked at Darling Harbour with a healthy glow on our skin.

Talking about glowing skin, one marine life species we saw at the Sydney Aquarium was a fluorescent green coral. Home to the most diverse collection of Australian acquatic life, one of the highlights was certainly the Oceanarium within the facility. The only thing that separated us from huge fear-inducing flesh-eating sharks and ourselves were walls of glass. While it kept us safe and dry, an unsuspecting Tze Min shrieked when a black manta ray with a wing span of about three metres glided overhead, casting a huge shadow over her. Her yelp and ducking as if to avoid the ray amused fellow visitors who were with us in the underwater tunnel. There was water all around us and I'm sure some ladies wouldn't be too pleased with the 'walking on water' sensation because the lazier creatures would just lie under the glass platforms we walked on and peer up. Truly, the rich marine life clearly expressed their comfort and grace under water, nothing short of a spectacular close-up display of awesome marine life like nothing like I've ever encountered in other aquariums.

Emerging from the 'depths of the ocean', we popped in next door at the Sydney Wildlife World. Home to over 6000 animals, it had everything from reptiles, to amphibians and mammals in the most natural of habitats. We got to touch green stick insects and a 4-metre snake. The butterfly enclosure was a grand parade of hues.

Lunch was at Chinta Ria - Temple of Love which offered delectable familiar fare like assam fish, sambal prawn, sambal spinach and toufu chinta. The Malaysian touch whet our palattes so much so that I cleaned out an entire serving bowl of rice, while my mum, Tze Min, Gim Kuan and Grace from Tourism NSW shared another.

There's nothing better to do after a full meal than to walk it all off at Harbourside Shopping Centre. Spanning three levels, my mum and Tze Min bought thicker clothing for anticipated cooler nights next week in the Blue Mountains.

All too soon, it was dinner time. Wedged between shopping and dinner was a refreshing round of cocktails at the Astral Bar terrace, compliments of Star City. The setting sun was our cue to proceed to Pyrmont's Restaurant located in the same building. We were still pretty stuffed at dinnertime, which explained why Gim Kuan was content with a bowl of seafood chowder. My mum and I downed succulent pepper steaks while Tze Min tucked into broiled chicken. We shared a bowl of salad and a dozen oysters, wrapping up the meal with two gorgeous slices of cake (Jaffa Chocolate and Banana Caramel Cheesecake). We highly recommend the latter!

So ends another whirlwind day in Sydney. We have nothing concrete planned for tomorrow except a special Mothers' Day dinner. Before that, I believe Tze Min and her mum plan to visit Paddy's Markets and get some great warehouse buys at Birkenhead Point.

Till tomorrow's update...I'd like to wish all mothers reading this a Blessed Mothers' Day from Sydney!

For more photos, click here.