Just how we left off

This is my friend Thu.

She’s beautiful, stylish, enthusiastic, welcomes adventure with open arms and down for anything. She reminds me that there is still a party animal that’s been hibernating somewhere deep within me over the past few months. And damit, I’m glad it awoke the time she came to visit!

This past weekend, we’ve reunited together here in Sydney after 2 years since my first visit in Oz. We became friends after realizing that we were taking all the same classes at Adelaide University, where I studied abroad for one semester. Since then, we’ve become good friends, keeping in touch by messaging each other often throughout the months apart. Although it has been quite a while since I’ve been back here, it feels almost as if I hadn’t left. I truly value those friendships with people, ones that require no effort at all to pick up the relationship in which you left it. And in terms of ours, well… you’ll see from the pictures that we genuinely enjoy each other’s company and the positive energy we create.

This weekend was full of sun, entertainment, gallivanting and spontaneity. I’m at a loss for words these days since traveling and keeping up with this blog is working at polar ends. I promise I’ll give more of a reflection and better writing since run-ons and grammatical errors seem to have found a permanent home in this blog. I’m feeling uninspired to express the events of this trip at the moment.

Anyway, pictures definitely sum the highlights of our experience. Enjoy!

Bondi beach

On the way out

We initially planned to see Al Green at the Sydney Festival since he was headlining Sydney’s summer festival—and not to mention his first ever Australian concert. We were so excited to see him, needless to say, one of my favorite soul singers. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to see him due to over capacity of the venue. Without a doubt, a free event must reach overcapacity. I’m sure he had an amazing show where many women may have swooned over his smooth vocals and into the arms of someone they loved. Wish I was there!

The night was not a complete flop. There were a plethora of stages and street shows that were scheduled. Didn't catch a lot of photos but here are a few:

Balloon acrobat

The Spiegel tent with a house DJ playing really good Michael Jackson and oldies

Another stage

Jeff Lang

The stage on Martin Pl. was one of my favorites. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy was playing and a little swing dancing session was going on. Thu and I decided to let our hair down and danced with all the free-spirits on the street. It was like a scene out of a movie, music blaring to the sound of trumpets, bass, the piano, people all over the street, encircling an area for the dancing queens. Everyone was dressed in their best summer outfits, swing-dancing, trading partners, drinking freely, exchanging smiles only exuding good vibrations to be around these friends we haven’t met yet. Moments like this remind me that I am alive.

On one of the nights as we were en route to our hostel, we meet Parisians who invited us to go to a club with them on Oxford street. Within seconds, we agree and parade the streets of Sydney with a Jack and coke mix offered by the Frenchies in attempts to find this club they were after. A mini-pub crawl was in effect leaving us with lethargy and unrest the morning after.

Relaxing at the Botanic Gardens

Being tourists

I really like these bird cages I found along Angel Pl.

On the following day, after Thu left, the girls and I took a stroll into the Chinese Garden of Friendship alongside Darling Harbour. These are outfits some tourists wore to liven up the atmosphere at a cost of $10 to rent.

It's such a beautiful contrast between concrete jungle and lush beauty

This weekend was great catching up with Thu and experiencing Sydney night life all over again. =) a must do whenever I'm back in Australia.