There's
so much to see and do in this city that we picked another couple of
sights for today's treat; the Mint and Parliament House.
On
the way to Pitt Street we stopped in the park to watch a game of
chess taking place on the oversize board. It seems it is a meeting
place for a regular group of men who come to chat and to challenge.
The match we watched was interesting for the contrast in combatants;
in the red corner was a vociferous Chinaman shouting 'look and learn
form the master' and 'I've got you now' and in the blue corner a
silent European man, gripping his orange carrier bag and ignoring his
opponents taunts. Beware the quiet one. He quietly beat the
shouting Chinaman with a check mate. I never thought of it before
but chess is a spectator sport.
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| Parliament House |
 |
| Mint building |
 |
| Madam Speaker |
Back
to our regular sightseeing...The Mint wasn't what we thought it was
going to be. The building is now used as the HQ for the Historic
Houses Trust and the exhibition of the former use relegated to one
corridor. However, Parliament House wasn't a disappointment. The
NSW Government is on summer break so we were given full access and
unlike other Parliaments we've been to security was more relaxed in
that we were able to wander the building unescorted. A guide took us
into the main house and gave us the facts and figures on the history
of Government in the former colony and now Commonwealth member. I
sat in the Speaker's chair for my customary picture and David asked
questions from the floor.
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| Cheers Neil |
On
the way home we picked up salmon and prawns for dinner as we had a
guest tonight – my dive buddy from the UK, now emigrated to
Australia, Neil. We haven't seem him since he left 5 years ago. It
was a wonderful summer evening to sit in the cockpit and drink
champagne and talk like we'd seen each other only last week.
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