Friday

Harbouring serious envy in Sydney!





Those of you from foreign climes may not know that there is a long standing and 'bitter' rivalry between the Australian cities of Melbourne and Sydney...and for no apparent reason.  In my mind, each metropolis has more than its fair share of charming qualities and each really bares such little resemblance to each other that comparisons are spurious at best! Despite this, one often hears disparaging, and might I say, largely incorrect comments about Melbourne weather  from Sydney-siders.  Melburnians on the other hand, scoff at the "superficiality" of Sydney-siders (untrue) and bemoan the traffic chaos of 'Emerald City'...well, we are right about that. 

 Residing in Melbourne myself, I feeI obliged to join in the chorus but I must admit, I have long harboured a serious case of city envy.  As much as I love living in Melbourne and will crow about its charms to anyone who will listen, I must admit that we just can't match the stunning beauty and excitement of Sydney Harbour.  Surrounded by palatial homes and large tracts of parkland, harbour-side life has much to recommend it.  But to really appreciate the best the harbour has to offer, and to fully take in the amazing sight of the hundreds of sailing boats and pleasure craft that ply its waters...you need to be on it.  I have had the luck and good fortune to have been invited to enjoy the harbour from the decks of a rather large and beautifully furbished catamaran. I am also fortunate and very pleased to note that my generous hosts have selected the most suitable Mcguigan Bin 9000 Semillon 2006 from the nearby Hunter Valley region of New South Wales with which to start the day.  The wafts of lemon and honey from the wine glass blend perfectly with the scents of the harbour.
  
While I will always prefer living and life in Melbourne over Sydney, I know my choice will always be tainted with that nagging touch of "city envy".
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5 comments:

  1. Mary Kay Bosshart6 October 2012 at 01:00

    Oh, I'm suffering from a bit of "city envy" myself right now! The only place that I've been in Australia is Perth and I regret not going to either Melbourne or Sydney when we lived on your side of the world. I've noticed that Australians don't like it if I ask if they're from one city if they're from the other. To ensure that I don't ruffle anyone's feathers, I now ask, "Are you from Melbourne or Sydney"?

    Being on the water is always the best way to see a city. You're certainly fortunate to have friends with a catamaran. I felt as if I was breathing the sea air while looking at your photos!

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    1. Baron Akers6 October 2012 at 17:11

      When you return to this side of the world Mary Kay, please visit us here in Melbourne. I am sure you wont be disappointed.

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  2. Anonymous6 October 2012 at 08:03

    Red wine to start the morning? I would prefer champagne.

    I did find the two cities so very different when I visited last year, and I had very different experiences in both. Melbourne seems more European, more Victorian in look, more old. Sydney is American almost, and I needed to spend more time there to get her vibe right, it's too large a city for just a six day stay. Now the question for me is, Stokehouse or Bentley? Stokehouse may win for its view and for introducing me to Averna on the rocks with lemon.

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    1. Baron Akers6 October 2012 at 17:24

      The Stokehouse every time Joseph. The food is consistently of high quality and of course, there is always an opportunity to discover something new on the drinks menu.

      I too prefer a lighter wine in the morning...and the semillon we enjoyed that day is a delightfully light white wine. Apologies however, for giving a false impression of the start of my day. The day on the catamaran actually started with a rather late lunch of seafood, for which the semillon was the perfect accompaniment.

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  3. Kittie France8 October 2012 at 13:04

    Baron, at the risk of being controversial, I must disagree about Sydneysiders not being superficial.

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