Monday, March 24, 2008, 10:01 AM
my long weekend
It's Monday already, and time seems to have flown past. Which is good I suppose, because it means I wasn't too bored. This easter weekend I'm reminded of the past 4 years I've spent at the Belgrave Convention up in Melbourne every easter with the OCFers. One of the best things in OCF i reckon, because getting to know people is quite hard and pressurising when you're in a program like July Camp, whereas in Belgrave it's free and easy. One of the most striking memories was when we didn't have a kitchen facility and had to cook meals for 20 people using a portable gas cooker. Indeed, God provides. I think I also talked to a few people for the first time in belgrave.
the temporary church meeting place, in Moore College's lecture theatre
Went to church for the first time in Sydney on Good Friday. The people are nice and friendly, though it feels different from lygon. After church, we went to Zilver for yum cha. It was so crowded we had to wait half an hour, and the food wasn't that fantastic for the price they were charging. So anyway, after lunch, went around Chinatown and then to Camperdown where we were having dinner at one of the church member's house.
The next day, some of us went on a road trip to Hunter Valley. My first road trip in Sydney. hahaha. Obviously I've not been here before and it's the first time I go for a real wine tasting trip. It was a 2 hour drive and half of the journey it was raining cats and dogs, rain like I've never seen in Melbourne. Another difference is that their country side is green, not browning like in Victoria. We reached Hunter Valley and proceeded to the different wineries there. Learn a lot from the wine connoisseur who was our driver. Went to pick up a case of wine from Lake's Folly which apparently ranks as the top 4 most collected wines in the world. I actually learnt that for wine tasting you don't actually drink the wine but spit it out after letting the wine swirl in your mouth. The vineyards was quite a sight to behold as well, although I like the Tasmanian vineyards better because they were all far apart from each other instead of next to each other. By the way, I must say I was the youngest in the car. Haha.. quite a change from becoming one of the oldest in OCF whenever we go for road trips.
Dinner was at Sambal, a Malaysian restaurant near Ryde. After the unsatisfactory service during the lunch at valley, we were determined to have a feast here. Ordered char kuey teow, rendang, belachan kangkong, otak otak and fish head curry. The fish head curry was the highlight costing $38. Imagine converting it back to ringgit. Hahaa.. But it was sooooo heavenly. Had cendol for dessert. Ah, this is how life is supposed to be enjoyed.
On easter sunday, it was sunny although the prediction was gloomy all weekend. Church service was great, and after that joined the church members for lunch at a Thai restaurant nearby. After the lunch, I took the train, out of curiosity, that goes from Wynyard to Milsons Point, just for the experience of crossing the Harbour Bridge. Indeed quite a sight to behold. After crossing the other side, I walked the other way back, and snapped a few pictures, one of which sits at the header of this page now. So that's my weekend so far..
the temporary church meeting place, in Moore College's lecture theatreThe next day, some of us went on a road trip to Hunter Valley. My first road trip in Sydney. hahaha. Obviously I've not been here before and it's the first time I go for a real wine tasting trip. It was a 2 hour drive and half of the journey it was raining cats and dogs, rain like I've never seen in Melbourne. Another difference is that their country side is green, not browning like in Victoria. We reached Hunter Valley and proceeded to the different wineries there. Learn a lot from the wine connoisseur who was our driver. Went to pick up a case of wine from Lake's Folly which apparently ranks as the top 4 most collected wines in the world. I actually learnt that for wine tasting you don't actually drink the wine but spit it out after letting the wine swirl in your mouth. The vineyards was quite a sight to behold as well, although I like the Tasmanian vineyards better because they were all far apart from each other instead of next to each other. By the way, I must say I was the youngest in the car. Haha.. quite a change from becoming one of the oldest in OCF whenever we go for road trips.
Dinner was at Sambal, a Malaysian restaurant near Ryde. After the unsatisfactory service during the lunch at valley, we were determined to have a feast here. Ordered char kuey teow, rendang, belachan kangkong, otak otak and fish head curry. The fish head curry was the highlight costing $38. Imagine converting it back to ringgit. Hahaa.. But it was sooooo heavenly. Had cendol for dessert. Ah, this is how life is supposed to be enjoyed.
On easter sunday, it was sunny although the prediction was gloomy all weekend. Church service was great, and after that joined the church members for lunch at a Thai restaurant nearby. After the lunch, I took the train, out of curiosity, that goes from Wynyard to Milsons Point, just for the experience of crossing the Harbour Bridge. Indeed quite a sight to behold. After crossing the other side, I walked the other way back, and snapped a few pictures, one of which sits at the header of this page now. So that's my weekend so far..
