Darling Harbour (D7)

We took the train to Darling Harbour today for lunch. The carriages are those large double decker air conditioned ones. Smooth, fast and comfortable. The harbour has been fantastically modernised. It has cafes and shops in a U shape around the water. In the middle is a pontoon which is used as a stage for big performances. In the dark the harbour is lit up and thousands of Sydney people and visitors gather to watch whatever's on.

We stopped for a sandwich and a beer at one of the cafes. I asked if they did a perfect baguette. The waitress said that they did. Crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. A perfect baguette is a metaphor my friend Tim and I have for happiness. We are going to write a book called 'In search of the perfect baguette'. This girl wasn't to know that of course. A beer here is $9.50, at about two dollars to the pound. The cafes were full, though not crowded. It's Monday afternoon.

Around the harbour area itself is the large commercial and financial district of Sydney, with its tall skyscrapers and water features. I was in Lyon (France)earlier in the year and it reminded me of the centre of that city or Canary Wharf in London. The financial crisis in Australia is apparently easing off and house prices are rising. There is still a worry that this is a false recovery based on a fiscal stimulus into that sector. The cheap loans to first time buyers will be coming to an end soon. When this happens the fear is of another slump. The recovery may be an illusion. Big companies are still slimming down and jobs are still hard to come by. You want my analysis? There is a recovery but slower than we'd like. The multinationals are using this as an excuse to trim and reorganise. Meanwhile young people are finding it hard to get established and older ones are being laid off. The news of the death of capitalism is indeed premature.

Tomorrow Marilyn, Vivianne and me are going to Shoal Bay. Its a holiday resort north of Sydney. The apartments are almost on the beach itself. Dave, Marilyn's husband, wants to take me on a day trip to the outback, and I'm also going to arrange to spend time at Ularu (Ayres Rock). Now that's what I'm talking about.

The second beer was even colder and the fresh breeze kept us cool in the shade.The beautiful people strolled past us, unhurried and fashionable. The harbour boats bobbed up and down gently. When the baguette came it wasn't perfect, but it was pretty close.