As I write this blog it is 7:30 pm and 31C, 88F. Australia is experiencing a heat wave where it is much hotter in the interior with temps over 40C. The heat is not bothering us since we can plan our days around the heat. Not that we don’t feel it, but we plan. Like today where we took the ferry over to Manly to swim at Shelly Beach. The water was so cold it was almost numbing but a welcome respite from the heat of the day. We developed an appetite and headed for the Corso for lunch.
We love Manly. It has our favourite place for fish and chips, Manly Ocean Foods. It was voted the best seafood takeaway place by Sydney Morning Herald readers. We have eaten here every time we are in Sydney. It did not disappoint. An unusual item, which I enjoyed as a child, is potato scallops - thin slices of potato dipped in batter and deep fried. Yum. We ordered one order of fish and chips, and one order of fish and potato scallops. $28.50 for the two. We sat on the aluminum tables and benches by the beach. The seagulls waited patiently but weren’t aggressive.
The Norfolk Pines that line Manly Beach originated on Norfolk Island, an Australian territory in the Pacific Ocean.
On our way back to Circular Quay, I took some shots of the bridge where you could see the bridge walkers at the top.
On our way to Manly, after exiting the train, we walked through Martin Place which is flanked by amazingly beautiful sandstone buildings. I took lots of pictures of this pedestrian friendly oasis. We took George Street down to Circular Quay and Pitt Street back. The transportation system is so easy. You load your Opal card and just flash it before and after each trip on trains or buses. When you enter a station, it tells you how much you have left on your card and when you exit, it tells you how much your trip cost and then your new balance. It is a breeze to add money to the card at every station. Easy peasy! love it.
We sat on the north side of the ferry and got some great pictures of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the north shore as we headed to Manly Wharf. We once again passed Pinchgut, a historic penal site, built on a small island in the harbour.
We stopped into Metro to see what we could buy for dinner. Boneless, skinless, free range chicken thighs won out. We had enough to make one more Greek salad. I also had one knob of garlic and three quarters of a lemon, zest removed and the last of the parsley. I browned the chicken after seasoning it and dredging it in flour, then braised it with garlic, white wine, chicken stock, and lemon juice. A home run!
The TV has been on with the Australian Open serving up some great matches. We could not be happier. Heading up to the Piccolo to join in with the Wednesday music jam. The fun doesn’t stop.
Love all your photos and reliving when we walked the same paths. I remember the delicious potato scallops we ate when we were children, and served in newspaper. A few more days left of paradise.
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