Another Rainy Day in Old Sydney

Thursday dawned grey and wet, too. Wetter than Wednesday, in fact, so I didn't even try to run. Instead, I busied myself getting ready for a morning trip to yet another IBM location to give my talk on "IBM and the Web Consortium", but as part of my preparation, I went out for breakfast and took the photo above, as well as this one of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Then it was off to IBM and a full room (not a big room, mind you, but it was full!), then to the Norths Rugby Club for lunch (Australia has some peculiar laws when it comes to liquor and gambling. Clubs are basically for members only (this one sponsors a Rugby League Football team), but if you live more than 5 kilometers from the club, you can be a self-nominated guest. This, in theory, keeps the clubs from competing with pubs, but I'm not sure that's really true). Then back to the hotel with the afternoon free.

It was a very wet afternoon. I wandered into the city, then to the Art Museum of New South Wales for an exhibit of aboriginal art (quite interesting, and apparently it's part of their permanent collection), then off into the rain for more exploring, shopping, and wandering. I picked up a book for the flight home (I should have bought it at home -- books in Australia are expensive), as well as some other miscellany, and eventually found myself back at Circular Quay, where the rain had greatly diminished (I don't think it ever quite stopped). So I wandered over to the Opera House and looked at the bridge again. The pictures don't do justice to the real things, especially at night.

Tomorrow, it's one more trip to IBM (yet another location), and if the weather clears, some more sightseeing. And if not, maybe I'll take a guided tour of the Opera House (wait, I said that yesterday, didn't I?).

Tomorrow: It can't be Sydney -- it's not raining!

The trip, day-by-day: