Day 3 - Wednesday, March 18 - Darling Harbor and more!

Hello friends & family:
Another beautiful day in paradise - our morning started off with a 15 minute water taxi ride to Darling Harbour. When we entered the boat, the sign on the low beam said "Mind your Head" instead of "watch your head"! What used to be a derelict dockyard is now an amazingly beautiful harbour with museums, over 100 restaurants, an I-MAX theatre and a huge shopping mall with a food court (yippee!). Willie and I first toured the Sydney Aquarium where the highlight was a huge tank of the "soon to be seeing first-hand" Great Barrier Reef sealife. While I still think the Maui Aquarium is my favorite, this one came pretty close except for the interuption of peace and quiet when it seemed 10,000 schoolchildren descended on the exhibits...surely Carlthorp and Canyon students would NEVER behave so noisely!!! (maybe I'm getting old).

Afterwards we took a little train over to the other side of the Harbour where, due to it being "Sydney Senior Week" there was a 17-piece band playing live music - all Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra tunes...my favorite! I even got Willie to join me on the dance floor. Afterwards we ate at the nearby food court, where Willie found a KFC much to his delight. This time the mashed potatoes were to his liking (unlike 10 years ago during his visit with Billy - ask him to tell you THAT story sometime!

Due to it being rather hot outside, I decided we'd had enough fun in the sun, so Willie graciously agreed to join me at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, where there was a special exhibit of spectacular Aboriginal art. The museum closed at 5pm, so since the light at this time of day is so beautiful we decided to walk back to the hotel through the Royal Botanical Gardens. Of note in the gardens, other than the beautiful roses and native plants, are the THOUSANDS of "flying fox bats" screeching overhead in the trees, hanging upside down on the branches like gigantic pods, or swirling around in the sky. I felt like I was outside the castle in The Wizard of Oz. Inside the park, Willie took one route, and I took another, agreeing to meet in 10 minutes. Over an hour later, after an extensive conversation with Dennis, the Park Ranger - which included a tale of his only visit to the U.S. where the travel agent booked the newlyweds in a NYC hotel... located in the Bronx! - followed by his forces dispatched on their golf carts in all directions in search for Willie Simon, I found him on the steps of the Opera House conversing with a young couple from Tarzana. Taking a few deep relaxation breaths I called Ranger Dennis to say all was well, and we headed back to the hotel for a rest. Next thing I know, Willie says "I have a surprise for you in the lobby!!!" Wouldn't you know - there were the 2 lovely teenagers from the LAX United Airlines lounge with their parents, dressed up for dinner on the town - all arranged by Willie Simon! We had a delightful meal, and I made a new friend with the mom, who does NOT share her popcorn, and agrees Paris is just so-so.

Off to an early bed...if I could only find Willie who SAID he was going to the business center, but is definitely NOT there... Stay tuned.