Australia Day

I had to work on Australia Day. But before I went with Antje and Claudie to Hyde Park where some of the main events happened.
The inner city was closed for cars and so we could walk from Hyde Park to The Rocks watching at some Oldtimer Exposes, different stalls, Music Groups etc.

Under the bridge in Kirribilli (top)

St. Marys

Claudie with a little snack (below)

A lot of Oldtimers were shown on Macquarie Street (below)

Nice engine (top)

Also German cars were presented (below)

Uuuu, Daimler...

I think my father drove such a car as well when he was young, a Fiat 500 (top)

Alternative appartments

My next flat ;-)

Rockpool

When we were went back over the bridge I saw these sky divers (below)

Spiders II

Some days later I saw Claudie running with her camera to the girls dorm. Some other guys already sat there with their cams and took pictures from a object on the floor. What was it?
I had to get to the bottom of this behaviour. After looking closely to the floor I recognize again a spider.

It seems to be a little smaller than the other one I saw the other day and the girls already killed it. Nevertheless I took some pics of this specimen as well.

Spiders

When I sat on the computer last night I didn't believe my eyes. On the wall in front of me a big spider walked along its way. And what kind of spider. It was such big as my hands. Never seen such a large example.
My motto - just a dead spider is a good spider. Ok, ok, I don't have anything against spiders but in this country you never know if it is a toxic or nontoxic one. And the toxic ones are very very toxic.

So I tried to catch him but he escaped (bad luck) and disappeared in the darkness below the PC table. Well done, Wolli, arghh!

The next day I've heard from aonther housemate that he appeared again jumping on his keyboard while he was sitting on the PC and typing. He told me that they put him outside.

Regarding the spider chart and a internet research the guys meant that it was a Huntsman spider.

Taken with the cell phone cam (below)

Old spider chart (the black-white ones should be very dangerous)

Room watching in Wollstonecraft

Was in Wollstonecraft today to have a look at a room which was in offer to share. Wolli is 3 stations up north. While I was waiting for the train back I took these pics.

Just a palm

The train timetable (below). Very very informative. Note the modern timepiece ,-)

A little bit Bondi

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all of you from Down Under!

---------- Movies ----------
The Beginning

Best part - the End

Boat Parade (afterwards)

The crowd in and around Bradfield Park (Bradfield Park is a small park area under the bridge limited by one of the two pylons). We were there for the first firework at 9PM.

Waiting for the fireworks - some friends of me already went at 10AM to the Botanic Garden to have the best spot to see the fireworks. I didn't wanna wait more than 12 hours in the sun for a firework, therefore I went to a party from a friend of mine just 2 blocks away.

Naturally at 11 we left her place to see the fireworks. We saw it probably not from the best spot but maybe better then waiting hours for it.
To be honest, I was a little bit disappointed. I mean it wasn't bad but for one of the best fireworks of the world I would expect more. Afterwards the atmosphere was not so warm like it is in Germany or maybe France. Claudie, my French friend pointed me to that when I asked her about her opinion. People shaking hands for wishing a good new year (no hugging like they do in France) and when they greet it wasn't the open, happy feeling like we have in Europe she said. Nevertheless always interesting for me to see how they do in other parts of the world.