Christmas in Sydney 2009

We left the horrendous heat of Perth behind when we went to Sydney for Christmas.

The remains of a Western Australian cyclone had moved across the country and dropped gallons of rain on dry New South Wales farmland. Sydney, however, protected by the Blue Mountains only received cool drizzle. But this suited us all.

This strange dog sitting with Doug is a hairless Dachsund called Mechant (French for naughty). He belongs to Matt and they have a love/hate relationship: sometimes they love each other, sometimes they hate each other. Mechant loves Doug.

No, they aren't rats under the table. They're dogs.

Christmas Eve we had a BBQ. (As you do.)

Doug had made his place so comfy and Christmassy.

Buzz Lightyear. (tee hee)

Buzz put up some solar lanterns.

What a great Christmas present!

We played a very entertaining board game called "Cranium".

It puts the imagination and spelling skills to the test.

Matt and Doug won, of course, but it was nothing to do with being able to spell!

This is Matt's other dog, Mickey, on floor cleaning duty.

The men, comparing bellies. I think Gerard wins, hands down.

King Street Wharf.

Boxing Day Doug had bought us tickets to have lunch on a cruiser on the harbour and watch the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

Wine and champagne was free, so we got stuck in!

Going under the Harbour Bridge. (Doug's going to climb it next year Matt's Xmas gift.)

It's a spectacular sight when all the spinnakers are raised and they start racing towards the heads.

Sunday Glenn went to America and I came home.

I returned to 40degC and the air con broken. tut!

And all the repair men are on holiday, of course.