Easter is an uplifting holiday for Christians around the world. In addition to the obvious religious celebrations, much of the Northern Hemisphere is enjoying the transition to warmer weather, while Australians appreciate the final warm days before winter sets in. Another bonus in Australia is the 4-day long weekend that includes Good Friday and Easter Monday.
I was relieved to see that the tradition of eating plenty of chocolate is also strong in Australia. My favorite treat, Cadbury Mini Eggs, were in abundance. The local team also treated me to a chocolate Bilby, which is an interesting alternative to the Easter Bunny:
It is never easy to spend holidays alone while my family enjoys time together, but this is just one of the sacrifices I have to make for an otherwise exciting job. I just remind myself that there are much worse places to spend my holiday than this place:
In grand tradition of having friends scattered around the world, I was excited to discover that one of my friends from London School of Economics is now living in a Sydney suburb with her husband and step-daughter. They graciously offered to spend the holiday with me in the city.
We went to lunch at Phillips Foote in The Rocks, which is an Aussie-style restaurant serving meat that people grill themselves in the outdoor patio. The atmosphere is relaxed and it was funny to think that this is the most cooking I have done in the past several months.
We had a good time reminiscing about the year that Alice and I lived on the same floor of our residence hall in London...twelve years ago (wow, we're old).
After lunch, we walked around the Quay and I was amazed to see all the people out and about in the city. There were street performers along the Quay and large crowds waiting for the ferries. One of my favorite street performers (I noticed her several times) is a contortionist who calls herself "Bendy Em" and she always seems to be in the most compromising positions when I pass...
We enjoyed some perfect afternoon weather at Opera Bar, which is actually tucked partially underneath the Sydney Opera House. The bar has lots of outdoor seating along the water and million dollar views that I could get used to very quickly.
Before calling it a day, we decided to make one final stop at Lowenbrau in The Rocks for some German beer. The restaurant feels a lot like EPCOT center, due to the stereotypical decor and true German waitstaff. This points to one of my favorite aspects of Australia: the ease of obtaining work visas. In my short time here, I have encountered so many people on working holiday visas that not only enhance the local economy but also add to the internationalism of the city.
Australia is in such a geographically isolated location that I think it's great to have programs in place to bring talented workers into the country. Alice and her husband (both British) are prime examples of this and they attested that it is quite easy to obtain work visas and build a life in Australia. I don't think I'm quite ready to make a move to Sydney, but I do appreciate the international element of a country that is otherwise very similar to the United States.
As the sun set over the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, I was again reminded of how fortunate I am to visit all corners of the world for my job. I may not have been able to enjoy Easter with family, but I reunited with a friend that I haven't seen in over a decade and managed to eat a chocolate Bilby. It was a good day.
I was relieved to see that the tradition of eating plenty of chocolate is also strong in Australia. My favorite treat, Cadbury Mini Eggs, were in abundance. The local team also treated me to a chocolate Bilby, which is an interesting alternative to the Easter Bunny:
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| Is an Easter Bilby better than an Easter Bunny? |
It is never easy to spend holidays alone while my family enjoys time together, but this is just one of the sacrifices I have to make for an otherwise exciting job. I just remind myself that there are much worse places to spend my holiday than this place:
 |
| My hotel (and the Harbour Bridge) on Easter Morning |
In grand tradition of having friends scattered around the world, I was excited to discover that one of my friends from London School of Economics is now living in a Sydney suburb with her husband and step-daughter. They graciously offered to spend the holiday with me in the city.
We went to lunch at Phillips Foote in The Rocks, which is an Aussie-style restaurant serving meat that people grill themselves in the outdoor patio. The atmosphere is relaxed and it was funny to think that this is the most cooking I have done in the past several months.
We had a good time reminiscing about the year that Alice and I lived on the same floor of our residence hall in London...twelve years ago (wow, we're old).
After lunch, we walked around the Quay and I was amazed to see all the people out and about in the city. There were street performers along the Quay and large crowds waiting for the ferries. One of my favorite street performers (I noticed her several times) is a contortionist who calls herself "Bendy Em" and she always seems to be in the most compromising positions when I pass...
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| Street performance: "Bendy Em" |
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| Em squeezes into a box |
We enjoyed some perfect afternoon weather at Opera Bar, which is actually tucked partially underneath the Sydney Opera House. The bar has lots of outdoor seating along the water and million dollar views that I could get used to very quickly.
 |
| London School of Economics reunion in Sydney |
 |
| Alice, Nev, and Holly |
Before calling it a day, we decided to make one final stop at Lowenbrau in The Rocks for some German beer. The restaurant feels a lot like EPCOT center, due to the stereotypical decor and true German waitstaff. This points to one of my favorite aspects of Australia: the ease of obtaining work visas. In my short time here, I have encountered so many people on working holiday visas that not only enhance the local economy but also add to the internationalism of the city.
Australia is in such a geographically isolated location that I think it's great to have programs in place to bring talented workers into the country. Alice and her husband (both British) are prime examples of this and they attested that it is quite easy to obtain work visas and build a life in Australia. I don't think I'm quite ready to make a move to Sydney, but I do appreciate the international element of a country that is otherwise very similar to the United States.
As the sun set over the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, I was again reminded of how fortunate I am to visit all corners of the world for my job. I may not have been able to enjoy Easter with family, but I reunited with a friend that I haven't seen in over a decade and managed to eat a chocolate Bilby. It was a good day.
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| View of Sydney Harbour Bridge on Easter 2014 |
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| Easter Sunset over Sydney Opera House |
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