Sydney

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Sydney, part crumbling emphaseamic uncle, part flashy grumpy teenage daughter, if Sydney were a dish it would have to be something contradictory like chocolate chicken....

We're in a little terrace guest house in Golden Grove, somewhere between King Street Newtown and the railway.

I spent 8 years in this area in the '80s and it feels a lot like home. The old street names, jacarandas, sweet scent of jasmine and marea in flower, the Uni, pubs and other haunts....

South Sydney 'Rabbitoes' heartland, but working class fans of the NRL premiers are a bit thin on the ground, as this is frontline in the war over urban gentrification - 'renewal' to the advocates, 'yuppyisation' to its opponents. Whatever your view it's a bizarre world when crappy rundown little terraces now fetch $1.5m, and that's if you can beat the other buyers.

Locals are either renovating or revolting. Saturday morning and the hammering is in full voice, while on the corner there's a petition imploring social disobedience - squat, occupy, colletivise, know your neighbours, buy local, make the yuppies feel unwelcome.... a warm and sunny morning and it's a jungle out there.

I'd put my money on the developers.... they've got the cash and the hammers.

The upside, there's either an art gallery or cafe on every corner; the down side, the inner west seems to have lost its soul.

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Comments

[lavery]

A lovely piece of writing....:)

[lavery]

A lovely piece of writing....:)

[kangaroojack]

Is it fair to say at last!!!
Morning WanderinAL,, please don't feel to pressured when we say at last, your first blog, technically after leaving WA, short, yes, but beautifully written, that's the way!! but pictures, they are a must just a few scattered throughout your prefect description would have set the mood so brilliantly. They say Rome wasn't built in a day, Who cares!! we want it bigger, faster, louder and now!! Went out with Wendy last night to the pictures to see gone girl and amazing film, she said that you were blogging??? it wasn't me who told her, but she did ask if she knew how to get the link to your blog, do you want me to let her have it. Safe travels. Kangaroojack (Kj)

[WanderinAl]

thanks Kanga
Yeah, mate happ for the link to be spread around. I was going to invite Wendy anyway, but happy for you to show her how to read... haha. All the best mate

[Andy Hardy]

Jacarandas and Jasmine
I miss the sights and sounds of Sydney terribly - and remember well those heady, happy, youthful days when our lives overlapped :) Safe travels mate! Andy

[WanderinAl]

heady days in sydney
Yep, me too Andy. They weresuch good fun, and so hard on the head. The smell of jasmine still makes me think the holidays are soon. Thanks and loveto your gals