Sydney's Criminal Underbelly

This past weekend Eric and I met up with some friends who were visiting Sydney. We decided to go to the Justice and Police Museum located in Sydney's oldest section, called "The Rocks". Quite touristy, The Rocks forms a festive promenade from the Sydney Harbour Bridge to the Opera House. Lots of eateries and street performers, including several Aborigines playing their didgeridoos with some techno beats blaring in the background. A really odd combination...




At the museum we saw all sorts of confiscated weaponry from the very sophisticated, fancy engraved revolvers and full sized late-Victorian swords to all sorts of handmade items like an umbrella handle with a sharp knife sticking out of it. There were also some really gruesome, improvised 'knuckledusters' (brass knuckles) to a variety of bludgeons. While you are observing these crude weapons, you are surrounded by a montage of criminal mugshots. In a sea of smug expressions, one particularly shady character had a glass eye and it kept following me around the room! (or so it seemed)

Underwater Delights

Last Saturday we took the train to the Sydney Aquarium. The highlight, and Adrian's favorite, was the underwater tunnel. We were inches away from massive stingrays and big, healthy sharks that could rival Jaws. We squeezed in with everyone else to witness the 2 o'clock feeding time. There was an anxious energy in the tunnel as all the fish became very active and restless. I wouldn't call it a frenzy, but fish shrapnel was being scooped up from every direction. The sea turtles had the most etiquette and were the most graceful eaters by far. The platypus exhibit was something I was really looking forward to, but the shy little fella never came out to display his freakish attributes. I've always wanted to see a furry duck-like beaver...
My favorite part was at the end. When you turn the corner, you're greeted by a massive wall of glass with a colorful living ocean complete with sharks and all other exotic fish slowly swimming to Camille Saint-Saens, "Aquarium", from his musical suite, Carnival of the Animals. Quite magical!