Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras

I have many Australian friends and all the time they revel in telling me that Australia is the Lucky Country, with its laid back attitude and their belief that nobody should work on weekends. Weekends are for family, friends and the BBQ.

The 1st time I travelled to Sydney was about 15 years ago. And so, with that in mind, I really had such a shock when I first arrived early one Sunday morning.

On the taxi ride to my hotel at Darling Harbour, I saw people drunk and literally lying all over the roadside and in the public spaces. Groups of young people, older folks, guys and girls decked out in costumes and loitering all over the city. My first thought was "Oh my god! the sydneysiders do really take their Saturday nights seriously!" They were everywhere, smashed and plastered, with tons of Fosters and XXXX beer cans littered everywhere!

When I told my business partners later that morning, they had a huge laugh and said that I had just missed the greatest party that Sydney celebrates every year. The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras started off in the late 70's as a gay pride protest movement which has since developed into the biggest gay & lesbian event in the world. Held each year in Feb or March, the event gives a significant boost to the economy of Sydney each year. People from all over the world, straight or otherwise, travel there to be part of the event. I'm told Sydneysiders make a beeline in the opposite direction during Mardi Gras weekend!

It is a time for the gay community to show off. Closet gays and lesbians come out in droves and are all socially accepted. The aim seems to be "let yourself go, be who you really are and enjoy life"

Thus, it was that, when my friends wanted to visit Sydney, I made sure that we travelled during the time when the Mardi Gras was on. It is a party not to be missed. In fact, you can describe it as the Mother of all Parties. Google it and see what you have been missing.

With all that said, I now present the 4th part of my Sydney Trilogy. See! I so clever, know how to squeeze 4 episodes into a trilogy, ha ha. (By the way, I managed to do it in 4 parts not 5, so I'll spare you some pain from watching my boring home movies.)

In this last part, we took a cruise around beautiful Sydney Harbour, watched a cultural show and, of course, became part of the Mardi Gras event. Enjoy

Travel Movies - Sydney Part 3

Part 3 takes us to the Bay areas. Rose Bay, Double Bay & Watson's Bay are the more well known shores in Sydney Harbour. Sydney does possess one of the most beautiful harbour anywhere and it was formed eons ago when the Pacific Ocean broke through what is know today as The Gap. You may remember The Gap from Mission Impossible III which was filmed there.

From The Gap, we proceed to Bondi Beach. Famous for being the beach 5 minutes from the city. You can go for a swim during your lunch hour! Bondi is filled with sun-worshippers daily. Movie clip has fleeting scenes of nudity and if you are a minor, please skip the movie.

Here is Part 3.



The clip ends at The Rocks, the area first settled by the English settlers. This is now a conservation area and the best place to buy Australian native products, especially opals.

Eating pies in the loo!! - Sydney, Australia

When you visit Sydney, Australia, the usual places you'll be taken to would be the Sydney Opera House, The Rocks, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Tower, Bondi Beach, etc.

But there is one place that will say you've not been to the real Sydney if you don't visit it.

I was introduced to this place by an old friend, Fr. Alban Mitchell ofm, a franciscan friar , who had promised to take me to the finest dining Sydney can offer. Bells were already ringing at that time. A poor humble friar going to the finest dining in Sydney?








Fr Alban Mitchell ofm (1927-2006), taken at Sacred Heart Convent, overlooking Rose Bay, Sydney Harbour, Australia.

This 'fine restaurant' is located in the naval dockyard area of Sydney called Woolloomooloo, affectionately called the 'loo'.

Harry's Cafe de Wheels is a pie cart but not just any 'pie cart'. It's an icon, it's famous, it's australian as koalas, it's unique and it's an institution in Sydney.

The list of celebrities who ate from this pie cart reads like an Oscar night and Fortune 500 put together. Yet this pie cart serves everyone from the curious to the well-heeled, and is literally standing room only. There are no seats at this pie cart. hee hee.

Famed for its Tiger Pies, which personally I felt overrated, but they have truly delicious meat pies.
It has great atmosphere amidst its setting there.

I'll give them a free plug here, http://www.harryscafedewheels.com.au .

Maybe they'll read this and send me a coupon for a Tiger Pie?

This is a clip taken on a visit to Harry's Cafe de Wheels with some of my friends in 2004.