March 30 – Random notes on Australia

Here are some totally random and unrelated thoughts, that I have not recorded in any other posting in this blog.

On the way to the take out restaurant, we passed two young girls who were creating some art work on the sidewalk.  It was a message to people saying that "we are all in it together" and "we all wash our hands".  The first is a government slogan regarding the rules put into place for the Corona virus and the second is a public health reminder.  This gave us hope for the future.

Ever day I read the Canadian news on the CBC website, so we are up to date on the Corona virus news from home.  It seems to me that Australian approach to “flatting the curve” is much more draconian than what is being enacted in Canada.  For example, in Ontario gatherings are limited to 5 people.  In Australian the limit is 2 people.  Repeat offenders will be jailed. Funerals are limited to 10 people and weddings are limited to just 5 people. In Canada travellers, such as ourselves arriving from overseas, can self isolate. But in Australia you must go into forced quarantine.  After Friday if you arrive in Australia, you will have to pay for the hotel where you will reside during quarantine. These are just a couple of examples, but there are plenty more.

There is a world of difference between Australian Aborigines and New Zealand Māori.  The Aborigines seem like that they haven’t integrated into modern society and are quite happy to live off the state in poverty.  The Māori in New Zealand seem to be more entrepreneurial and better equipped to function in todays society, without sacrificing their culture.

Generally speaking, I think the younger generation here are more fit than Canadians.  It might be something in the Australian milk, but they seem taller and more muscular.  Surfing seems to be one of the most popular sports among the young.

In public parks, there are usually gas BBQs where the fuel is supplied by the local council.  I don’t know if you must reserve the BBQ or if it is first come first serve.  This is a nice touch to get people into their beautiful parks.

I think Australians are much more knowledgeable about the nature sciences.  It is not uncommon for them to identify multiple plants, trees or animals during a walk.

Even after eight weeks, driving on the left is still hard to get use to.  We still just look down the street both ways before we cross the street.

Cell phone plans are cheaper in Australia. I bought a thirty-day plan for $30.  It included unlimited local and international calling and a huge amount of data. The only thing it did not cover was international texting.  The coverage area was extensive, and very rarely was I in a dead zone.

Telephone numbers are confusing. It seems that sometimes you enter 6 numbers, sometimes 10 numbers and if the number is prefixed with 61, then you need to remove it. A number is made up of country code, area code and a unique telephone number.  But sometimes depending on which part of the city you want to call, determines the if the area code must be entered.

All credit card transactions are tap and go.  This is the preferred method of payment over cash for most retailers.  Tipping is rare in Australia and a good tip is usually 5%.  The tap and go screens usually do not allow for tips.

Shopping districts are more popular than big malls. It seemed that in most towns and cities we visited, that the main street was very vibrant.  We are staying in the Sydney suburb of Mascot.  Their shopping district is a modern mix of tall apartments towers with ground level stores with access via of pedestrian walkways.

Coles & Woolworth are the two major food store chains in Australia.  Other than the brand names, you would be hard pressed to differentiate between stores here in Australia and Canada.  In the last couple weeks both chains have implemented special hours for the elderly and health care workers, so that they too have equal access to essential goods.

Usually for dinner I will order wine to drink, but I’ve grown to like a beer called “XXXX Gold”.  It is considered a mid strength beer and it has little after taste.  It is made by Castlemaine Perkins brewers, so I don’t expect I will be able purchase it in Canada.

The biggest burger chain is Hungry Jack’s which is actually the American chain Burger King.  Using another name doesn’t make their burger any better.  It is still crap.

The local trains are dirt cheap.  To go from Sydney to Nowra, the nearest train station to John & Ellen’s home, it only cost $11. A similar trip In Canada, London to Toronto, would be $37.

Finding a cab is hard, at least in the suburbs of Sydney.  When we got off the train in Wolli Creek, it took five attempts to find a taxi company that would respond.  It may be a result of the restrictions due to corona virus.

Gas prices are over the map.  The average price is $1.12 for a litre of fuel.

An auto body shop is called a "smash repairs".

TV is mix of Australian, British and American shows.  Two of the most popular shows are Australian versions Survivor and Dancing with the Stars.  My favorite is the Chase in which three contestants match wits against the show’s resident expert.  The expert is this middle-aged lady, who has an acid tongue and a superior knowledge of trivia.

A food you want to eat when in Australia is the Tim Tam Biscuit.  It is a chocolate covered biscuit.  The food you want to avoid is Vegemite, which is a spread which is really an acquired taste.

So tomorrow we leave for Canada  It has been a great seven weeks, despite the corona virus measures in the last two weeks.  So this will be the second last entry.in this blog.  We will have two weeks to compose our final entry as we enter into self isolation.

March 29 - Returning to Sydney Again

Today we left Ellen & John's home and returned to Sydney.  We will be leaving on our plane for Vancouver on Tuesday morning.  It still freaks me out that we will land in Vancouver before we leave Sydney. So if both flights remain on schedule we will be home on Tuesday evening.

The television news is filled with disturbing images of the effect the Corona virus and the quarantine efforts on Australians.

In one story a policeman was spat upon by a lady who was being arrested.  I don't know why she was being stopped but she claimed she was on her way to the hospital to be tested for the virus.  I hope they charge her with the maximum penalty for assault.

In a second story, they caught a lady who deliberately coughed on the fresh produce in a grocery store.  The authorities are going to charge her with domestic terrorism.

Finally the Australian government is now quarantining,  in local hotels, anyone who enters the country from abroad.  Because some people were disregarding the conditions of the quarantine, the government order the armed forces to patrol the hotels and do what ever is necessary to enforce the order.

I'm torn between being scared on seeing how easily our civil liberties are being erased and being scared thinking of the consequences if this virus is not controlled. I don't think am alone.

March 28 - Many Thanks to the Kellys

This morning I decided to go on a short walk to Pelican Point.  Along the way the birds were making an unbelievable racket. Birds are very plentiful in Australia and generally very loud, but today it was extreme.  I took this short video, while walking and you can hear the noise very clearly.  In real life it was twice as loud.

Noisy Birds On Pelican Point

During the Second World War, Pelican Point became an Australian Air Force base.  Here on this tiny peninsula, 107 Squadron was stationed.  They provided protection for convoys going north along the east coast. They were also responsible for search and rescue missions and in addition there was a 300 bed hospital included at this base.  Shortly after the conclusion of the war, the base disappeared and Pelican Point went back to its original state.

During the afternoon we went for another stroll through the woods to the north of the Kelly's home.  We saw some interesting flowers along the way.  There were multiple gazania or African violets.









As you know, if you were following this blog, we have been staying at Ellen & John Kelly's until our flight home.  They have been the best hosts one could ever hope for.  Each day is filled with laughter and new experiences.  We've been introduced to their friends and seen how the community pulls together during these troubled times.  John is merciless in "taking the mickey" out of both Marg and myself.

Ellen is a superb chief.  Her meals are the equal of anything we had on the cruise.  Marg has picked up several ideas and technics.










Australia is noted for its wines.  John & Ellen have been very generous in offering their best wines for dinner and pre dinner drinks.  Most of the good wines have come from the Barossa Valley, near Adelaide,  and the Hunter Valley, north of Sydney.  There hasn't been a bad wine among them.

This has been our last night with the Kellys and we will miss them dearly, but it is time to go home.

March 27 - Another Gorgeous Day In St.Georges Basin

The weather continues to be unreal.  It is sunny and warm with a light breeze coming in off the water.

With most of New South Wales closed down because of the government ordered lock down, our options for things to do are somewhat limited.  Fortunately Aussies have plenty of walking paths to explore, with  most of the scenic walkways being along the shorelines. Both John and Ellen are very fit and enjoy going on hikes along these paths. 

Today we went on a three kilometer walk along the north shore of St. Georges Basin, on what is known as the Basin Walk.  It goes from Macleans Point to Palm Beach.  Along the way we say a couple of graceful Black Swans and four kangaroos.





Marg was amazed to find this area could grow wild Violets.

The houses that back on the water have a large expanse of land between their property and the water  that is for public access.

John and Ellen went to the community garden this afternoon.  The rules being enforced by the Corona police meant that they couldn't we attend with them because there would be too many people in one place at the same time.

March 26 - Another Corona Virus Roadblock Removed

Last night the CBC reported that the Health Minister was invoking the National Quarantine Act. In the report the minister was quoted as saying "travellers who are arriving at one of the four international airports and connecting will be asked to quarantine in place in those cities for 14 days and we will provide the accommodation and meals for those situations."  That meant that when we return to Canada next week, we would be quarantined in Vancouver for fourteen days.

Later today the CBC reported that a health official later clarified that only people with symptoms will be quarantined in the city of arrival and that travellers without symptoms can continue on and isolate at their homes.

So if all goes well we'll be safely home next Tuesday night to begin our fourteen days of self isolation.

We are amazed at the number of people who have sent their best wishes and prayers for our safe return to Canada. It has deeply touched us and has reduced the stress I have encountered as we navigate this maze and roadblocks caused by the Corona Virus and the governments and airliners reaction to it.

Today though we went for another nature walk.  This time we went to the town of Nowra, which is north of St. Georges Basin. Here we took the walk called Ben's Walk along the banks of the Nowra Creek and the Shoalhaven River.

The walk loops around the Shoalhaven River, through gorges, rocky paths forests and grassy meadows. The complete track provides a leisurely return walk of about 5.5 kilometres taking around two hours.  A suspension bridge provides a fun crossing of the river and provides some great views.

The Shoalhaven is wide river that runs from the mountains to the sea over a three hundred and twenty seven kilometer route.

Marg and Ellen provided everyone with a wonderful prawn dinner tonight. We got the fresh prawns from a seafood store in Nowra that was well stocked.  I guess not all the stores are running out of supplies in this panic stricken times.

Inside Family Joke for Ken:  Australian Hay Bails

March 25 - Returning like a bad rash

While we are waiting for our flight home next week, we took John & Ellen up on their kind offer to come and stay at their residence again, much to John's chagrin.

We took the train from Wolli Creek to Bomaderry.  The track went through some very scenic areas along the east coast of New South Wales.  We got to see the many surf  beaches that dot this coastal area and surprisingly some very thick rain forests. The Bomaderry train station is only about a thirty drive from John & Ellen's home in St.George's Basin.

I had to laugh this morning.  I received an email from Air Canada that told me that a flight I had original booked had been cancelled.  This was the flight from LA to Toronto.  That made three out of four flights that we originally had booked to return home that have been cancelled.  This should be a barrel of monkeys worth of fun trying to figure out what refunds we get and what the travel insurance will pay for.  But that is a topic for a much later date.

Like most parts of the world, this area is in total shut down mode.  We won't be eating out and even that National Parks have been closed, so if we decide to obey the law, there won't be any more nature walks.

To our river cruise buddies, you need to come to Australia when this Corona virus crap is over.  Ellen and John are the definition of the perfect party hosts.  We had so many laughs over dinner my side hurts.

March 24 - Light At End Of The Tunnel

Late last night we got our new and hopefully final flights home.  Our travel agent, Coleen Foster, woke up three hours early in Vancouver to get the flights booked for us.  I couldn't sleep, so it was I was able to monitor the progress in real time.  The stress is beginning to take its tole on me, so I can't imagine what it like for travel agents.

We will be flying home next Tuesday morning and arrive in Toronto late Tuesday afternoon.  Of course we'll be crossing over the International Date Line, so we gain a day in the trip.  The entire trip will take about thirty hours.

We'll be heading back to John & Ellen's for the duration of our time in Australia.  I guess you could call it the Home for Canadian Refugees. They are both gracious hosts, to arrange their lives around our misfortune.

Sydney and the New South Wales state is a complete mess because of the COVID-19 virus. Someone allowed passengers from the Ruby Princess to leave the ship and return to the general public. Their were about 100 of them who had the virus.  Today there are 800 confirmed cases in NSW. 

Restaurants and bars are closed. Tourism is non-existent.  Because people are not following social distancing they have closed the world famous Bondi Beach.  Also closed are churches, libraries, gyms and movie theaters. Weddings and funerals are not allowed indoors, except in small groups observing the 1 person per 4 sqm rule.

Professional sports have also been cancelled or suspended.

Schools are still open, but parents can opt to have their children to stay home.

Stores are empty of meat, canned goods and of course toilette paper.

All the affected workers are now applying for unemployment benefits, depleting the budget.

March 23 - Screwed Up Again

We were on our way to Sydney to start our trip home, when I read a message from Ken & Mel that told us that our trip home was cancelled.  We were booked through Fiji Air to fly to Auckland via of Qantas, then continuing to Fiji, then to Los Angeles and finally through to Toronto via of Air Canada.  It seems that Fiji Air has suspend all flights until the Corona virus crisis is over. So, we’re stuck in Sydney for the foreseeable future.  Our travel agent Coleen is looking into what options we have available.  It means an extra expense that we really can’t afford.  Hopefully our travel insurance through Mastercard will cover some of this added expense.  We’ve got our fingers crossed that we can get home sometime this week.

On our way to Sydney, we stopped at the town of Kiama.  This was a very picturesque harbour, with a very active blowhole in the rocks.

We stopped in a shoreline seafood café for lunch.  The owner told us that due to regulations imposed by the Australian government limiting restaurants to take out only, she was thinking that she would close down and take advantage of the disaster recovery loans.  The regulations have destroyed the tourist industry in Australia. Only essential industries are being allowed to operate.  On the first day of these new regulations, the lineups at the Employment Insurance offices were around the block.  People here are no longer talking about a recession but rather comparing the crisis to the great depression of the 1930s.

March 22 – Caves and waves

Today our impression of Australians as being very fit and loving the outdoors was reinforced. Ellen and John took us to the town of Carrarong.  It is located at the northern tip of the Beecroft Peninsula and adjacent to Jervis Bay, which is about a thirty minute ride from their place. 

We arrived at Abrahams Bosom Beach, which was the starting point for a scenic walk. The two and half kilometer walk, known as The Wreck Walk, took us to the remains of SS Merimbula, which was shipwrecked in 1928. 

The stroll was on an easy level gravel path, cut out of tall grasses and reeds.  Of course, John teased Marg telling her that the dangerous Brown Snake could usually be found sunning itself on the path.  We did find a Golden Orb Weaver spider, which is a big but harmless arachnid.

We then continued the walk until we came upon rocky narrow path along a deep gorge.  Each step had broken ankle written all over it.  Finally, we reached the outlook and it was worth it.  What a marvelous view of the Pacific Ocean.  The sandstone platform and the cavern that had been chiseled in the cliff by wind and water was a true wonder.  Here we had a cuppa and some cake, which seems to be a relaxing Aussie tradition.

On the way back, we went into the Gosangs Tunnel. Hidden among the shrubbery we found a small hole in the rocks just big enough to crawl through and is about 20 metres long. After we crawled through the cave we popped out on to breathtakingly sea cliffs on the other side. Gosang's Tunnel is a great place to watch whales on the southern migration each spring. The walk and picnic took us about three hours.

When we got back to John & Ellen’s , Ellen cooked a delicious lamb roast.  John took the mickey out of me for not liking roasted pumpkin, which we call squash in Canada.  We had many good laughs during the dinner, which unfortunately is our last dinner with them until we see them again sometime in the future.

Tomorrow John & Ellen will be driving us to Sydney, where we will start our long trip home.

March 21 - Sheds and Gardens

We had good news from our travel agent today. Our airplane tickets have been finalized and we will be going home this week.  It’s going to be a long slog, but we should be home by the end of the week. Of course, we’ll be in fourteen-day quarantine once we get home.

Our trip is coming to a quick conclusion. Today we are going to visit John & Ellen’s main community service organizations. John is one of the main executives of the Sanctuary Point Men’s Shed.  Australia’s Men’s Sheds is recognized as one of Australia’s largest male based community development organisations.This Men's Shed is funded mostly through donations of used equipment and fixtures and the sale of projects that the members have created. There are a wood and  a metal working shops and a huge miniature railroad on the second floor. Shed is a misnomer because it is really a large two store garage. The intended benefits of this organizations is to provide a space for men to working on projects, learn new skills and socialize with the expected result that mental illnesses such as depression will be decreased.

Ellen was attending the Clifton Community Food Garden’s monthly sale of their produce. The aim of the garden is to provide a common space for the community to grow vegetables and fruits and also provide educational opportunities that promote good health and well being using organic principals. There are about 60 members who work the gardens, weeding, feeding and pruning the plants. Ellen makes pickles, jams and chutneys from the vegetables and fruits mostly grown in this garden in order to fund the garden. She is also on the executive. John is also heavily involved with building enclosures for the garden beds.

During our visit we had the pleasure of talking to several volunteers who working either in the Men Shed or the garden.  We were told by several people that John & Ellen are the driving force behind these projects.  These conversations reinforced our believe that Canadians and Australians have very much in common and that Aussie are among the most friendly people in the world,

In the afternoon we went to Jerrawangala National Park. Here were able to view close up the damage caused by the bus fires and see how quickly the forest is recovering.  It was mind boggling how much of the forest was touched by the fire.

We stopped at Tianjara Falls to view the waterfall.  It was in a deep gorge which was very picturesque, but it showed the damage caused by the fires.

On our way back to John & Ellen's we stopped to see a mob of kangaroos on John’s regular golf course.  There must have been close to 50 kangaroos on the edge of the 14^th hole.  This included a mother and her joey, who had not left the pouch.

March 20 – Light Houses and Beaches

We’ve arrived in St. Georges Basin at the home of John & Ellen Kelly.  We’ll be staying with them until Monday, when we will return to Sydney to start our long trip home.

This area of Australia, on the east coast, has many beaches and parks.  It is a modern community made up of several small villages.  John & Ellen’s home is a beautiful bungalow with lush gardens and a spacious interior.  They are on a small hill, so that they have a partial view of the water.  The wildfires that run amuck in Australia this past December and January, came within 5 Km of their home.  This is way too close for comfort.

We started the morning by going to Huskisson, a village known for its boat building industry. Here we saw John’s old fishing boat.  It is located in a museum area that contains many boats that have been built here in the past.  John’s boat is in the queue to be refurbished.  We took a walk along the promenade through a mangrove orchard.  The tide was out so we got entertained by multiple small crabs that scurried about the marsh looking for hiding places.

We then stopped for a cuppa’ at a park which had a great view of the north and south heads to Jervis Bay. Jervis Bay is a deep water bay that is bigger than Sydney Harbour and home to the Australian naval base of HMAS Creswell.  John served there during his military career.

Next, we went to Cape St. George.  Here we saw the ruins of an old lighthouse.  Its history is very interesting.  It seemed that this location was a poor decision on behalf of the authorities.  In the late 19^th century, ships using this lighthouse as guide to the coast would run aground against the south head of Jervis Bay, because the cape did not extend far enough out into the Pacific Ocean.  So, they built a new lighthouse on the south head of the bay.  Unfortunately, during a full moon, the sandstone of the old lighthouse would be illuminated enough to fool ships into thinking that lighthouse was active with predicable results.  Finally, the authorities demolished the old lighthouse.

We then went to Green Patch Beach for a picnic lunch.  The birds at this park were amazing.  There were colourful Rainbow Lorikeet, Crimson Rosella and Kookaburra.  When Ellen attempted to feed these birds, she was swarmed by dozens of these birds.  

We went for a walk on the beach and the sand has so much silica that it actually squeaks when you walk across it.  Out on the bay there was a submarine doing a navel training exercise.

Later in afternoon we went to Greenfield Beach for a swim.  The water was cool as the warm northerly currents seem to have disappeared.  This is the furthest south I have ever been in water.  All in all another wonderful day with great hosts.

March 19 - St. Georges Basin

Sydney is a large cruise liner port in Australia and the terminal point for many cruises.  With countries no longer accepting cruise ships, there are many ships that are discharging Australian residents here.  Many of these people are having their vacations terminated prematurely. When you see them walking off the boat or in our hotel, they look pissed or dejected.  Of course, this is totally understandable.  There are other passengers that you can see on board and I have no idea what will happen to them.

With the end of the Globus land tour, we are entering the final stage of this fantastic vacation.  Our good friends Ellen and John Kelly have invited us to stay with them for a couple of days in their home in St Georges Basin, which is about 150 minutes south of Sydney.  We met John and Ellen when they were on their honeymoon during an European river cruise in 2011.  Since then we have been on two other cruise and had the pleasure of hosting them in Ontario last year.  Their hospitality and friendliness are unsurpassed.  It is going to be a great few days before we head off for home.

On our trip from Sydney to St. Georges Basin, we stop at Bald Hill Lookout.  Here on most windy days you can para sailors jumping off the cliffs and floating down to the beach below.  The beach, known as Stanwell park seems to be a surfers beach.





A couple of kilometers from this beach is the Sea Cliff bridge, which extends from the rock cliffs of the Pacific shore into the Pacific Ocean.  The reason for this bridge was to reduce the amount of repairs required due to rock slides. Off shore there are several ocean cruisers idling in the water waiting for the command from headquarters.



For lunch we stopped at a semi-private club near to Seven Mile Beach in Gerroa.  The beach looked phenomenal, with white sand in a horseshoe bay.







We arrived at John & Ellen's place in the middle of the afternoon.  Their house is a wonderfully design bungalow, with a great backyard for entertaining.  After sharing some wine, Ellen treated us to great meal of fired rice and apricot chicken.

Fiji Air has been changing our flights.  It now appears will be delayed by a day in arriving back in Canada.  Kari and our good friend Joan have been relentless in warning us of the potential dangers in not returning to Canada immediately due to the Corona virus lockdown.  We very much appreciate their concern expressed by them and our other friends.  But as I told both Joan and Kari, we will adapt to what ever comes our way.

March 18 - Our final goodbyes to the Globus Tour

Today is the last day of our Globus tour.  It has been a wonderful tour.  Our guide Sophie Lamaletie has been great. She has been a tremendous source of information and has handled each crisis caused by cancellations as a result of the Corona virus, calmly and efficiently.  She is the definition of a people person.  

The people on the tour have been fantastic.  They have a wonderful sense of humour and are very friendly and outgoing.  Out of a group of 29 people, there have not been any problems worth noting.  

The Canadian mob of Ellen and Darwin from Saskatchewan, Frances and Joe from Alberta, along with Jim and Sue, who are Americans from Virginia  but have Canadian sensibilities, and June and John from Minnesota, whose sense of humour has been a ray of sunshine each day, have made this trip memorable.  This is not to diminished the rest of the tour, who all have contributed to the immense enjoyment of the trip.

In the morning, we strolled from our hotel to the Sydney Opera House.  Sophie showed us the sites were the first houses in Sydney were built. Along the way we passed the Government General’s house.  It is a grand mansion with a large garden.

The tour of the opera house was very interesting.  Our guide told us tales about political fights that took place when the opera house was being build.  She told us about the three shells defining the borders of the main theaters, the small studios and the restaurant and bars.  We then visited the different venues.  They were spacious and comfortable and I’m sure the acoustics are amazing.

For lunch we visited Bondi beach.  It was a warm and sunny day, so the beach was filled with surfers and sun worshipers.

After lunch we went on a harbour tour.  It was a nice way to spend the afternoon, with unique views of the city on a very modern boat.

Sophie then took us on an optional tour of the entertainment district known as the Rocks.  She told us of the history of district from the European settler’s and architectural perspective.  She also took us to several bars that only the locals would know about.

We had our farewell dinner tonight and keeping with the character our group, it was not a sad occasion but rather a celebration of the good times we have had during this tour.  This portion of our vacation and the people we have met will stay in our memory for a lifetime.

March 17 – St. Patrick's Day in Sydney

Today is St. Patrick’s Day.  We get to celebrate a day earlier than Canada. Maybe we can celebrate for two days.

We are staying at the Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel at Circular Quay.  It is a four star hotel about a block from the harbour.  Last night we ate in their Custom House Tavern and we had ribs that could have fed an army.

Tomorrow we were supposed to go Hunter Valley for a wine tour with an independently booked tour.  Unfortunately, the original itinerary issued by Globus was incorrect and today was the free day for independent tours and there were no wine tours to be had.  I guess the Corona virus has lower the demand for these tours and forced the tour operators to cancel their tours.  

Instead we went to the Taronga Zoo in North Sydney. As zoos go this is below average.  I give it high marks for making the enclosures comfortable for the animals, but that means the animals have plenty of spots to hide from the humans.  There were just too many animals that you could not see because the were either hiding or were not in their compound.  There is another major zoo in suburban Sydney, but I had no idea how to get there.

Our schedule for returning to Canada next week starts with a flight to Auckland to catch our flight to Los Angeles. New Zealand’s Corona policy states that anyone entering the country from Australia must be self quarantined for fourteen days. Earlier this morning we went to the New Zealand consulate to see if we would have to be quarantined for fourteen days, given that we would only be in their country overnight.  After several phone calls they told me that immigration would allow travelers who enter their country to self quarantine in a hotel until they leave from the airport.  So were back on schedule.

For supper we went looking for an Irish Pub. We found a couple in the Rocks, which is an restaurant/pub area of Sydney, but they were packed to the rafters with lineups stretching around the block.  It took us about a half an hour of walking and we finally found a pub to eat in.  It was called "The Royal George".  The food was fine, but it may be the noisiest pub we've been in.