It's intriguing to think that in a former 'life', Butch served as a shuttle to Sculptures by the Sea (it says so on his windscreen, plus there was some tell-tale sand in the back- a nice little reference to his history before meeting me.) I know i'm always saying he's good looking but in all seriousness, the European styling is, well... pretty stylin'. My friend, Jed drives a Lexus and (keeping the massive difference in pricetag in mind) said "Hey, they've almost got it perfect" about the interior. That's a pretty big compliment from a Lexus snob (sorry Jed ;) and I happen to agree! I've taken Butch to a few art galleries and come to the conclusion that even with the beefy Turbo Diesel engine, the Focus is definitely a stylish, cultured kind of car inside and out...
So, once again, Sydney was putting on the miserable version of Summer weather (hey, we need to cool off every few days in a Sydney summer... it just so happened that every day I was stuck at work was belting sunshine and every day spent with Butch was a cooler one...) and Mum and I decided to take Butch out and show how stylish he is by showing how his sleek curves and sexy colour fit right into the Sydney Cityscape. Butch and I have spent a bit of time outside the City so it was about time I introduced him to the 'hood. In keeping with Butch's former life as a shuttle, we wanted to show HIM as a little bit Arty, the 'metro' car that he is. So starting close to home, Blackwattle bay, we cruised around the waterfront.
At the other end of this little tunnel is where Butch might have started his life in Australia had he been a slightly earlier model. White Bay is where you used to see hundreds of sparkling new cars parked under the Glebe Island/ANZAC Bridge freshly driven off their respective ships. (I secretly love these industrial areas of Sydney- this is what gives a place a story, history.)
Here, we also found the flattest round-about i'd ever seen in my life (and remember, i've lived in Canberra!!) and couldn't resist being a bit cheeky parking Butch in pole position- right in the middle of it!!- with the ANZAC Bridge as a dramatic background. I'll admit, I hated this bridge with a passion when it was built but now it's just a familiar part of the skyline and a very handy and scenic way to get to work. One of my favourite (silly) things about it is that if the wind is travelling in the right direction when i'm lying in bed at night, I can hear cars as their tyres go over this one grate on the entrance/exit to the bridge (the one near the ANZAC statues on the Victoria Rd side for those playing at home). It's a really satisfying "Kuh-thwap" that I listen out for like a little kid whenever I drive over it now! (Ok, so i'm easily amused... but at least I'm over the hate!!)
One one of the offshoots of the enormous roundabout is the very swanky restaurant, Liquidity, and the luxury yacht marina... If we were to test Butch's ability to fit in to the 'high end' of town, this was it... Looking good Butch!
He stared longingly at the yachts, trying to figure out a way to get onboard... but eventually decided, he didn't have any sealegs... I'm glad- he's good at the driving thing and i'm all for playing to your strengths :)
Now, if you've ever wondered what that massive building was on the Western Side of the ANZAC Bridge was for, it's a sugar silo. No wonder Australians are getting Diabetes at an alarming rate! It's enormous! We went for a little explore around the back of that and discovered some nice secret squirrel spots. I don't care how good an architect/builder is, you can't fake a rusted old warehouse. This rusty square block of a building made a nice contrast for Butch's shiny paint and nice curves.
Butch stopped for a moment of silence to pay his respect to the ANZACs. There are 2 statues at this end of the bridge. One is an Aussie digger, one is a Kiwi and they face East and West so one watches the sun come up and one watches it set. (I'm full of factoids today, huh?!)
Looking out over the ex-carpark, I can see the value in this land for homes... but I really hope they leave this area as-is for a while...
A bit further around the bay is Balmain. It's on a peninsula and the locals are pretty protective of it... I suspect they try to scare outsiders out with their insane driving ;) It's a very rare occasion that I don't end up very stressed out after driving in Balmain! Today was a delightful exception but i'd braced myself for the worst. That said, it's got enough little treasures that I was willing to put up with it for some nice photos of Butch. (Bracing myself for the Balmain hate-emails... hey, some of my best friends live in Balmain!)
Balmain wharf was a good way to show how Butch's curves fit right in in Sydney- with that famous curvy bridge in the background and the arch on Balmain wharf. It's a match made in heaven.
Back in the car, over the ANZAC bridge and to Pyrmont. It's a bit of a new favourite for me. I've worked there for almost a year now and because of the nature of that work, have to know certain areas of it like the back of my hand... and when i'm sick of that little area, I don't mind exploring a bit. A walk next to the water on your lunchbreak can be just what the doctor ordered...
This photo was mum's idea (and handiwork!) The diamonds on the shiny buildings, the cobblestones on the ground, the hexagons all over Butch's duco and the city in the background... Butch brings it all together. I like it!
I don't exactly have the longest commute home from work but when I drive in, I take the scenic route around Pyrmont Point as part of the wind-down ritual. There's this great new park there- perfect for a kids summer adventure (if anyone's looking for something new and exciting to do these holidays!) and again, Mum's artistic eye could see reflections of Butch in the cool play equipment... and he played a bit of hide and seek for one photo!
A quick photo below the old Harbour Master's house before taking Butch on the familiar drive home from work for the last time on our adventure... Only one more full day of driving before I'd have to take him back on the morning of the 29th... *sigh*
