Happy Australia Day!

I am so blessed to have grown up in a country that has provided me and my family all the opportunities in life.

Yesterday, I decided to suprise Eric at work on a beautiful summer day in Sydney. The sky was blue and the Royal  Botanic Garden was magnificent. It was a relaxing day walking around the gardens. Sometimes we take for granted the beauty that is just in our backyard.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge with the beautiful Australian blue sky in the background.

It was pretty hot that day so on my way to the Opera House and the Botanic gardens, I had to stop by my favourite icecream place. And while the icecream company itself is American (which isn't consistent with the Australian theme of this entry haha) I've been craving this all holiday.

My favourite icecream from Baskin Robbins: Chocolate mousse royale on top of cookies and cream. I've been wanting to eat this for a long time and I savoured every moment licking this. I had to eat fast because it was hot and the icecream was melting. But it was perfect for the long walk ahead in the sweltering heat (thank goodness for the cool breeze though).

The Sydney Opera House:  I am always amazed by the beauty of this landmark. Didn't have time to climb the stairs though. I wanted to walk through the Royal Botanic Gardens and relax for a bit.

My parents used to always take us here as kids and I remember coming here for school excursions and feeding the ducks and eels. As I was walking on the paths a jogger would pass. It made me feel so unfit hahaha. But it was nice to take a leisurely stroll and stop to look at the ponds and the ducks. I often forget that beautiful places exist in Sydney.

Dorothy and Robert

Soulmates Forever

I decided to rest on this bench in the shade and observe what was around me. I love the incription: "Soulmates Forever". It made me wonder: Who were Dorothy and Robert? Are they still alive? Did Dorothy die and then Robert in his grief decided to donate this bench? Or was it the other way around?  Either way, they must have loved each other very much.

I then reached the part of the gardens where I had the view of the Harbour Bridge right behind the Opera House. It must have been an amazing view during the New Year fireworks.

I am thankful that I live in Australia. And although I have had a love/hate relationship with the country, it is home, it is beautiful, it is safe and warm. I have grown up in a place where I have had the freedom to express myself. I have achieved all of my life's goals because this country has provided me the opportunities that I may not have had, had I lived in the Philippines. I speak with my Aussie (well...bogan according to some haha) accent with pride. And while Australia may not be perfect (nothing is), it is pretty close in comparison to most places in the world.

Happy Australia Day to all Australians here and abroad. While some countries boast that theirs is the best in the world, I say with as much patriotism as I can muster (without being too corny or lame...both of which I am haha) ;  'Cheers to the best freakn' country in the world!'.