A Lament

Time to change the clocks. Fall back so they say. Eric and I are mourning for the change because it means that conference calls get one hour harder to do - one hour later into our night. No changing it so I guess I won't lament too much but we can wish.

Behind the Lens - Yellow Flower

A yellow flower...


...in a beautiful setting.

Bran Adventurer: Food Court Food is Food Court Food

Total Price – AU$10 ~ US$7
Location – Juicibar (on food court), Downtown, Sydney
Juice – carrot and lemon
Food – greek salad and bean salad


Rating – 2 out of 4 Boxes

My lunch time outing to a Sydney food court locale near our downtown hotel in Sydney looked appealing to the eye but was less so to the mouth. Sydney has a plethora of healthy options for eating out (and non-healthy at all the pubs) including many juice bar-type shops. As I was dining by myself, the food court was appealing in its ease and previewing characteristics. Healthy in Sydney looked more like a U.S. healthy meal than in Hong Kong where often healthy is either a British interpretation (rocket, rocket, rocket) or involves Chinese vegetables that I am not used to. In any case, you can see my Sydney food court lunch above.

I’m trying out some new categories for my blog posts, so let me know if you like them!

Toto's Person of the Week: Cynthia

Cynthia, friend for a day.

Instant friends are not easily made, but on our trip to Bangkok we made one in Cynthia. She was on our trip to Ayutthaya and as soon as we got in the tour bus, we were entered into conversation with her. She was in Bangkok to open an Ethan Allen and made a great exploring friend. As a woman, she often had to cover her shoulders with a shawl when going into religious places but that didn't seem to affect her confident and curious way of approaching the world. Her job allows her to spend 6 months traveling in the US and abroad and 6 months at home. Her stay in Bangkok was to be approximately a month, so I imagine she has left by now.

Yellow Brick Pick of the Week: A Night at the Sydney Opera House

The Opera House's "sails" light up the night.

The Sydney Opera House has redeemed itself in all my estimation after our visit there on Thursday the 13th of October to see La Boheme. Estimated to cost around $6 million but ending up at over $100 million, the Opera House was an expensive addition to the harborÂ’s rim. But more than 30 years later, the Opera House is standing tall and trimmed with detail that makes its interior architecture andambiancee at least as spectacular as its exterior. The Opera House's design is said to have been inspired by the sails of a boat and at night that is exactly what it looks like - a boat riding the current into harbor.

Stopping by the Opera House in the early afternoon, we were able to purchase tickets for that evenings performance since it is the off-season (and even receive some reduced rates for prime seats because we were under 35). Several shows were going on, ranging from traditional theatre to comedy and of course opera. We chose to see an actual opera - La Boheme and as such were in the actual "opera house," one of at least four performance spaces that the complex has. This would be my first opera and though done in Italian with English subtitles above the stage, I would be mesmorized.

What do you wear to the opera? In Sydney the opera remains a high class affair and if Eric and I had thought about it in advance we would have brought better clothes. Still our khakis and dress shirts allowed us to pass through the concrete halls and glass-arched skyline views with little shame. From the looks of it, this was a largely Sydney audience and they were dressed in suits, some nearing black tie.


Concrete can be beautiful. A wall on the outside of the auditorium, this photo probably captured a fifteen foot area.

We arrived by taxi about 30 minutes before the show and after stopping of at the gift shop walked the long thin stairs of ascent. At night, the detail of the interior really shone through as what during the day looked to be just concrete wall now was illuminated with deco-esc exploding rays of interpretative sunshine. The audience by in large arrived early and many were deep into cocktail time which spilled from the crimson lined floor of the interior to large concrete balconies back towards the city.


A hurried shot of our row, done on the sly before much of the audience had come inside.

The auditorium itself was like mostBroadwayy theatres I've been in, likely seating around a thousand and fairly steep in its run from floor to ceiling. Our seats were in the exact center of row N, giving us a nice view of the stage but still requiring a slight upward tilt of my head in order to read the subtitles above the stage. Orange cushions sat firmly in auditorium chairs of sleek white plastic, reminding me of a building called Nunemaker on the KU campus. Just because the chairs were plastic did not mean that they were not expensive, and we found them surprisingly comfortable. The acoustics fed the audience the sweet song of Italian in a consistent and addictive fashion. Muted English words sparingly captured the content of the words but failed to portray the passion of the situation in their translation. Long periods of song would pass with only a one line translation like, “Love is poetry,” making me want to learn Italian so I can truly understand the play. Still, there is something universal about a love story and about song.

This particular version of La Boheme had been adapted to a more modern setting, something like the 1960s in the US. It is a very simple and yet very interesting story. Many of its plots were adapted for Moulin Rouge, and I think to good effect. The cast of the production were a quality crew, and theportrayalsyls made me swoon with mood. The set was innovative in particular and brought together many scenes and worlds through the actual lowering and raising of the entire stage. There was a the random 30 seconds of break dancing that was thrown into the middle of the second act that was a bit out of place but definitely interesting.


The lounge at intermission. Through the windows in the background you should be able to see the harbor but that didn't come through too well.

The intermission was an unexpected enjoyment. Exiting our seats and the auditorium, we walked up and then down towards the bay to a bar area, but the real surprise was that down one additional level was an outside terrace with view of the Harbor Bridge. A slight breeze picked us up where the coffee I purchased failed to. Large leather couches were arranged appealingly throughout the many levels although we didnÂ’t have time to become comfortable.


The view as we left.

Young and old were in attendance reflecting truly an all ages experience that I have not seen in live theatre in quite some time. Respect and amazement for the surroundings were evident in the mood and though many tried to capture photos, ushers scolded. Still people took photos. None of mine turned out that great, but I hope that in my words you can tell what a wonderful experience this was. A night at the opera. A night in Sydney. A fairy tale evening.

Australia: Climbing the Sydney Harbor Bridge

The Sydney Harbor Bridge at night from near the Opera House.

Wednesday, October 12 against my better judgment Eric and I took on the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Since 1998, Sydney has offered foot tours of the bridge not at transit level but along the top of the girders. The Bridge has phenomenal views of the Sydney Opera House and the downtown skyline. Completed in the early 1930s, the Bridge was a monstrosity that must have seemed entirely out of place when completed. Our guide indicated that the next tallest thing on the Sydney skyline wasnÂ’t completed until the 1970s. Like so many great monuments of the world, the Depression offered a chance for the government of Sydney to make a huge public investment and provide all the associated employment. Although forecast to only have a lifespan of about 70 years (which would have put it out of commission a couple of years ago), the Sydney Harbor Bridge is still very operational. Its eight lanes of traffic and train tracks bring thousands of commuters into and out of downtown every day.


The BridgeClimb Headquarters in the arched road leading to the actual bridge.

BridgeClimb takes you on a 3.5 hour adventure that I would heartily recommend. They are an extremely professional organization and were so incredibly organized that I felt safe even at the height of the bridge (35 stories up).





It all starts with a wall of famous people that have completed the climb. Will Smith, the Olson Twins, and Nicole Kidman are but a few of the names and photos that grace the wall. Combine this with the five minute video overview of what to expect, and somehow my anxiety started to decrease. By the time that we actually left the headquarters and began our climb, we were so tooled and harnessed that we were hard to recognize, layered in protection and with things hanging from all points on our body. My glasses had to be clipped onto my suit. We each received a hankie that could be worn on the wrist with elastic. A parka was clipped in bag on the right and a fleece jacket on the left. Our headphones for hearing the guide clipped on back and up over our head. Miner-like hats hung from our neck. A fleece cap hung from our back end.


The view from the top looking back towards the downtown.

Summers bring twenty-four hiking with groups of twelve departing every ten minutes. In the winter and spring, day and early evening tours are the norms. On this particular night ours was the last, starting at 5:15. This was a dusk to night tour.


The bridge from the Rocks, and showing roughly the entire length of the bridge that we traversed.

Climbing up and down through lanes of traffic was the most harrowing part of the experience. Walking on top of the arches was no problem in comparison. For it was on the straight up and straight downs that you were for a minute alone on the bridge and also the closest that you would get to traffic. Somehow climbing from ground level to a height of 35 stories made the top seem less scary than if I were to get out of the elevator to such a view. I was very nervous before the climb and nearly backed out but what a fun experience.


Us with the Opera House in the background.

Sea gulls danced in and out of the BridgeÂ’s lights, circling for bugs and reminding us of the closeness of the sea. Girders beamed with rivets and cross-hatched reinforcements engineered not to protect steams of hikers but that have weathered them well. I wish I had a photo of the impressive clips that they used to allow us to be free and yet always tethered to the Bridge as they were a marvel in engineering. So simple and yet incredibly effective, they would flip over the security line as we walked, rarely causing us anything but slight annoyance and giving security that was needed.

This was a great experience for us and one that many from around the world and Australia are still taking. Our group was a mix of Brits, a Thai, us, three Ozzies, and two Germans.


The official postcard provides a good view of the climb route.

A couple of other interesting things. Because of the active lanes of traffic below, all climbers are required to go through a metal detector and can't take cameras of their own up to the top, or change, or anything. All the photos of us from the top were taken by our guide who attached a digital camera to a little tripod at a couple of points along the way to allow for a steady pic. The guides and staff of this company were just amazing and it was perhaps the most polished tourist experience I've been on. Entrepreneurs around the world would do well to study this organization as a case study in tourism.

Postcard: Lady on Repulse Bay Beach

Back from Sydney but Still Processing

It's now been about 3 days since we returned from Sydney and we've been busy catching up. I have tons of Australia stuff to post and will try to do so over the coming week or so. It was a great time, and we only wish we could have seen more of the area. Still, we were lucky to be in Sydney and are inspired now for future adventures to New Zealand and the Great Barrier Reef area.


Eric and I paused on a rock overlooking the Sydney Opera House.

Nuts about Nuts and Beef Jerky

I still get nervous going through passport control when entering a country. There is something about the way that they look you over and judge you instantly that just makes my stomach curl up and want to hide. In Hong Kong, they non-invasively scan your body temperature as you go through passport control to check for signs of fever and any associated communicable illnesses. The U.S. has been getting increasingly stringent in its controls, but I have to say that Australia’s seemed the tightest that I can remember. Every bag was inspected on entry by an X-ray, their entry card asked two pages of in-depth questions, and an army of inspectors probed in-person.

What are they concerned about, you might ask? Bird flu is on all minds, hence questions about contact with fowl. Questions on farm animals and another few questions had the feeling of mad cow concern. For instance, the written survey probed on soil that might be on your shoes from tramping on farms. But then there seemed to be an odd emphasis on beef jerky. Individual signs warned of its illegality, the workers probed on it, and rubbish bins abounded for the easy disposal sin stigma. I was chastised slightly for bringing in Pistachio nuts in my carry on, but mostly because I forgot that I had them until I was in line and had filled out my card. They announced my naughtiness publicly and made me sweat just a tad, but it didn’t help that Eric kept telling me that I was going to be taken to jail.

Countries are increasingly operating like cells of the body, attempting to grow connections and allow interaction at the same time that we build barriers of protection. It’s hard to recognize what should stay in or out. From our travels, there seems only slight consistency across countries in this regard. I actually take some solace in this uniqueness, because if things were standardized, there is little hope that they would be standardized perfectly. At least this way, one of the systems of protection is likely to work well and we can learn from that.

A First Time for Both of Us

Today we took the red eye between HK and Sydney. It wasn’t until the airport that I realized that this would be the first time for both Eric and me to visit the Southern Hemisphere. It is hard to believe that with all of Eric’s traveling he has never crossed that line – been near everywhere else in the north. So, this trip has some real excitement to it. Many times when I go somewhere new, like Thailand, Eric has already been, so some of the newness and awe is muted.


The View from Our Hotel

We arrived at the Sydney airport about 2 hours late this Monday morning, so Eric missed the first part of his meetings. If the first day was any indication, we’ve found the city in cool spring time, clear and crisp with confidence and vitality. The airport was smaller than we were expecting but clean. It seemed older than I would have expected with the Olympics having been here in the last decade. After a twenty minute taxi ride, we were at the hotel and got settled into our downtown place for four days.

The business district is a mix of old and new. It actually seemed oddly reminiscent of Wichita, Kansas, to me in its architecture and pristine but oddly vacant feel. There are some tall buildings but not super tall and they may be sitting next to an older sandstone four-story building. Nothing seems crowded and few things seem that new, but everything seems clean. I think perhaps the stores in Sydney’s downtown are a bit more upscale than Wichita’s, but this is but another example in my mind of how similar and how different the world can be.


"Wichita" Sydney

Australia seems an early rise, early to tackle kind of city. As I came back to the hotel from a coffee shop having done some work myself, things were picking up on the street at 5pm with traffic and the downtown shops were closing. Again, a very Wichita thing. The people on the street were quick in their movements, but didn’t seem overly hurried or stressed. There were a few, but the rush was different than Tokyo or HK walking, and I got the sense that the pace of life here was more about putting in the effort to get the exercise. The escalators that I saw today were not used for standing by ANYONE that I saw but were all walked up. It was impressive. Indeed, it seems to me that the Australians that I have seen in HK and around the world aren’t that far from the norm of Sydney. They have tended to be athletic, X-Games types. The fashions in Sydney are definitely more hip than backpacker-esc but that did shift in the two different parts of the city that I was in today.

Hello, Welcome

Salutations and greetings. Konichiwa and bonjour. Aloha and kisses. OK...maybe they don't say hi that much, but the workers of Starbucks are drinking a bit too much of their own stuff. I walk into a Starbucks at least once a day, typically in need of some caffeine myself and am immediately met with a chorus of "Hello..welcome"s that is just as effective as the coffee at waking me. At first, it was a bit much, but now, I really enjoy and look forward to my daily hello and welcomes. I knew that I had reached Starbucks heaven when one barista began to remember my order. Bless him. It's the little things that make you feel like home.

USA, USA, USA!

We have visitors this week. Eric's dad and step-mom are using our place for a jumping off place on adventures in HK. This morning, the weather having cleared up, I took them on a hike up from our apartment through the zoo and Hong Kong Park.

Pat, Eric's Dad's wife, is much more direct and outgoing than I ever could be and I can't help but share a story from this morning. Pat is additionally an absolute kid nut. Loves, loves, loves them. Well, as we were touring the zoo, several different school groups were coming through. Two-by-two, teacher at head, and some form of matching clothing item in common. Some had hats, others backpacks, and others uniforms. They were so cute!

I've always been afraid to take photos of the kids as I just think it is funny for random guys to take pictures of kids who are not theirs these days. Pat tackled my hesitancy quickly and with great success. She jumped in and asked the teacher if she could take a photo and with approval ended up with all the kids waving at her for a photo. What was really funny though, was that Pat's random initial reaction was to get the kids to say something for the photo. What popped into her mind?

"USA, USA, USA!"

That's right, we are now embassadors for the USA. We've got kids chanting for the US over here in HK. I can't stop laughing about this. This sounds totally like something I'd do on accident, not even realizing it. I have this bad habit of slowing down my speech when I think someone hasn't understood my English. In reality, most of the time it's that I mumble rather than language barriers.