The Chinese Garden

Photos:

• Top left: Harris Street. This is actually what a fairly typical residence looks like here in Sydney.
• Top right: Chinese Garden, looking across the Lake of Brightness (which is ironically some of the darkest water I've seen in my entire life).
• Middle left: More Chinese Garden
• Middle right: Took a picture of myself in the garden.
• Bottom left: Looking through a window.
• Bottom right: Reflection in the Lake of Brightness.

Yesterday, I set out with the sole intent of visiting the Chinese Garden in the afternoon. I got on a bus that I thought would take me near there, and then promptly began writing in my notebook. Forgetting that I would need to pay attention in order to know when to get off the bus, I ended up on the other side of Darling Harbour from where I wanted to be. I got of the bus and started walking, thinking that it would only take a few minutes to get back to the other side. I was wrong, but at least my walk took me through a really pretty residential neighborhood (see pic of Harris Street).

When I finally arrived at the Chinese Garden, I was excited to have the chance to take some pictures and enjoy the scenery. By the time I left, I felt like I'd gotten some great shots, but I didn't enjoy the garden as much as I'd wanted to: you don't really feel like you're in a garden in China when you can see skyscrapers towering over every tree and you can hear rush hour traffic over the sound of the waterfalls. In addition, there was also building in the garden where you could go rent "traditional" Chinese clothing and then take pictures of yourself. So there were *white* tourists in robes everywhere you looked. I think I'll actually enjoy looking at the photographs more than I did the actual experience of walking through the garden...

After leaving, I walked back to the Aquarium, where I caught the ferry back to Circular Quay. (It's the same thing I'd done the day before, only going the other direction.) Caught a bus back to the apartment and concluded the night watching Australian game shows with Carla.