Awaydays No. 2

Back gate of the oldest house in Sydney

Back door of the oldest house in Sydney

Detail on an old building at the Rocks

Does this one need a caption? :)

I have been to Sydney several times before (and seen the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House etc., etc.) and of course it is only an hour away by plane, so I can go up there any time really, but I made a point of avoiding the tourist spots this time around just the same. Though I did walk down to the famed Rocks area one day, which is one of the oldest parts of Sydney, only to find half of it was shut and the other half was so boringly commercial and touristy that there was little to occupy my interest. I suppose I have done my fair share of souvenir buying in other countries (Tirolean hat, anyone?), but here I felt no need for a stuffed koala or kangaroo.

The one thing I did want to see - the oldest house in Sydney, which I think was built in the early 1800s (you have to remember we're in the 'New World' here!) - was closed so I retraced my steps. I had a brief look at the Harbour Bridge and then went back up George St (one of Sydney's main streets) where I found the Cupcake Bakery (http://thecupcakebakery.com.au/) and partook of a chocolate cupcake with deliciously thick peppermint icing (I would've taken a photo but I am sometimes shy about doing this in shops!) and the wonderful Japanese bookshop Kinokuniya (http://bookweb.kinokuniya.co.jp/indexohb.cgi?AREA=06)...but that's tomorrow's story.