October 2, 2008

No where else I'd rather be.

Sydney really is one hell of a charmer.
Despite having thought seriously about residing in Australia for the rest of my life; I finally decided against it. Sure; its beauty is undeniable, its lifestyle and culture is beyond tempting and its 'suit' for my personality and desires in life are nothing less than perfect. All that aside; Malaysia is my home. It's what I am.. it's something I can't run away from and it's a country I respect as my heritage.
There are many reasons to fall in love with Sydney the way I have.
It isn't difficult at all when it is the home of Bourke st. bakery; kings of all laminated doughs and sour loaf perfection.How about irresistible flatwhites enjoyed alfresco? The long stretch of accessible beaches.. the blue crisp ocean waters...
... Its beautiful skyline..the Harbour... its bridge!Its majestic opera house.
The array of excellent cuisine..
The history..The diversity of structural compositions.vast number of cultures...The fresh produce..the Chocolates
....breathtaking parks filled with blooming flowersthe passion for eco friendly-ness Australians pride themselves with...Pleasant smiles and excellent company...The expressive art forms scattered throughout every aspect of the city..
...treasure filled weekend markets..
The SHopping!from going up adventure filled alleyways.....to discovering underground heritage buildings preserved so very well.Oh I could make this list go on forever!!!

Weary of the "too much of something"-syndrome, I've concluded that Sydney was at best be kept a pleasant little retreat for myself every now and then. It could be my sanctuary! It didn't have to be home.
The feeling of not always having exactly what it is you want makes things and places alike more appealing. It's what helps me appreciate my time spent in my favourite City in the world.
I must have taken no less than 1500 photographs that week. Most of them were random tidbits I spotted amidst my walks about in exploration of what has changed.
I began a recollection of memories as we made our way through it's quiet landmarks at wee hours of the morning.

It really was the best opportunity for me to take time marveling at it's dimly lit architecture. The shadowing corners of beautiful structures; highlighted by the occasional touch of street lighting.
.... it is silent around us.
Our footsteps echo through the stone paths... I break the silence with brief continuous clicking from the shutter of my SLR.
I look up at Jo through my camera lenses pressed almost permanently close to my face..he smiles at me knowingly. I reciprocate by capturing him in a photograph. Timeless in my heart, forever in my memory.It's just me, Jo and the city; on a Sunday.. just the way I remember it in 2006.
Nothing beyond the size of my camera and the extra pounds I've gained from America has changed at all. *laughs*
Happy anniversary Jo. You're another reason why I love this city.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I do agree that Sydney is a very pretty city. Being the other half of an Aussie, I've really come to see it as my second home :-)

Anonymous said...

Hi Su Yin,


Congratulations on your graduation.

The photos of Sydney are breathtaking. I like the way you angle the photos. May I know which SLR brand you are using? I am looking to buy one and your photos' quality look great.


Cheers
Wim

Anonymous said...

Your photos are gorgeouuuss!! I need more practice >_< and a dslr haha

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary too Su Yin. Hope you had a wonderful time here, until next my dear Su Yin.

Love - Jo

Anonymous said...

omg is jo your bf? he's so cute!! is he korean? :P

Anonymous said...

Wow Su!!! The photos of Sydney you have taken are so gorgeous!!!! While looking at each one of them, I can't help but go WOW WOW WOW!!!!! It's like looking at pages of a travel and lifestyle magazine! Breathtakingly stunning!

Anonymous said...

Haha, how come you never talk about Jo in your previous posts....congrat!!

Unknown said...

your pics are great..i should show my brother one day. he's very into photography and takes lovely pics of my puppy for me (: i liked the last bit of your post at the end. absolutely heartfelt.

Anonymous said...

Hi,

Do you mind to share with us, what camera are you using?
Your photos really look good n.n

Bev said...

Loved the post Su.... you're making me miss home heaps now :( WAAA :P

Seoul's nice.. but Sydney is home....

Anonymous said...

happy anniversary su & jo. :) - a very very sweet post.

will be looking forward to seeing you soon when you come back to sydney the next time!

and jo, thanks for tagging the facebook photos. well done! *pats u on back* :P

love, xieng

Anonymous said...

congrats on your graduation Su & Happy anniversary to you and Jo!

I am looking forward for a trip to AU. Perhaps we can arrange one together in future? ;) What say you?

Great pictures and beautiful scenery's!

http://wescribble.blogspot.com

Su-Yin -Décorateur said...

ahh i love the place :) I miss it sooo...

Thanks for the nice compliments on my photographs. I use a nikon D60 currently. :) it's AWESOME! haha i lvoe it to BITS


anonymous: Haha yes he is a cute korean.
*shrug* it's kinda my private life i suppose. haha... i've mentioned jo years ago..


Lesley: aww :) would love to hear from him too.

bev: how's it going in Korea bev?

xieng: i miss u! Hehe i drank the chocolate drink today. it was awesome!! thanks for the pressie. Was soo sweet.

kiran: it's definitely a MUST visit! haha

Winnie Lee said...

Oh Su!

I love your photo of Jo. Loved the post! So very romantic and very touching. I might be bias becos i love sydney too. Sigh! Made my day!

LisaW said...

Hi Su Yin, I happened upon your blog while surfing the net - your photos of Sydney have made me fall in love with my city even more - they are just stunning! I'm glad you have a fab visit. Lis.
btw - your cakes are amazing!!

Unknown said...

Wow, you make me see this city in a new light. I have lived here for 10 years, and haven't even explored half of the places in your pictures.

By the way, congrats on an awesome blog which i have followed for years now, and all the best for your decision to go home , something that i might do as well in a few years :)

Best regards
Ming

@ngelin3 said...

hey su, just read ur blog and found this phrase that u wrote "Despite having thought seriously about residing in Australia for the rest of my life; I finally decided against it. Sure; its beauty is undeniable, its lifestyle and culture is beyond tempting and its 'suit' for my personality and desires in life are nothing less than perfect. All that aside; Malaysia is my home. It's what I am.. it's something I can't run away from and it's a country I respect as my heritage." It's exactly what i'm thinking as well. Just want to ask your approval whether can i post this phrase in my blog? Thank u :D

Su-Yin -Décorateur said...

sure angeline. A reference link to the quote too please :P hehe

@ngelin3 said...

Sure sure, np! Thanks.. And btw, just want to let you know, your talent and your blog is fantastic!! Impressed impressed!! :D

Laura said...

I just found your blog and have two important questions for you...

1. Where can you find mochi in Sydney???

2. Why are you not in Sydney with Jo. I think you make the cutest couple I've ever seen.

Su-Yin -Décorateur said...

1. find mochi in asian grocery stores. If you do find a Japanese one (on kent st in the city)- you can get FResh mochi! hehe. If all else fails; have dduk(korean mochi) from korean grocers on pitt. :)

2. Im here back home working on www.delectable.com.my it's my own business; something i really want to do. Will have plenty of time left to love my jo later in life :) hehe

Good luck! you'll love sydney!