Shopping! That was the plan for today! I had googled the mall and it said that it opened at 10am.
We haven't bought any supplies for our stay as we are only here for a couple of days. So Lance nipped down to the cafe downstairs to pick up a couple of coffees. We have discovered that it is a specialty bread and brioche place, verrrrry tempting.
Lance googled the mall and found that it opened at 9am, so with plenty of anti inflammatory and pain relief drugs we skipped out the door for the 8 minute walk. A quick breakfast was had, just yoghurt and a cuppa, and then we found the mall. And low and behold it didn't open until 10am. But he best thing is that we happened across one of my favourite shops, UNIQLO, a Japanese store with all sorts of clothing. We managed 28 items and only two of those were Lance's. "Well done" I must say to myself.
To Lance's credit he lasted until 2pm. His hip has been good today thanks to a good load of drugs, and he just needed to sit frequently, which merged perfectly with my jaunts into a variety of shops. I carried on until 4pm, but actually found nothing else to buy. The big news is that I found my way home, I know, I had my phone and that helped me. If you have never used the 'maps.me' ap when travelling, then you need to get it. You don't need any data, and you just down load the map of the city and you are off.
Back at our apartment I coerced Lance across the road for a beer and a shandy. We sat outside, as it was quite a mild day. But a cool wind came from nowhere and I have to admit that I had goosebumps.
Lance wanted to take me down to the Crown Plaza for a look around and a nice meal, we ubered there (isn't it funny that uber has become not just a noun but also a verb, just like Google), and got dropped at the Crown Casino. No we didn't gamble any money and we also didn't gamble on not being able to find our way out! Finally we got through to the other side and wandered down by the riverside looking for a restaurant that took our fancy. Well we needn't have bothered because none could take us! If they could fit us in we would have to be out in an hour. Finally we found an Italian place that would let us stay for a two hour meal. Phew. By then Lance was feeling the pain again and hadn't brought any drugs with him, so he limped into the Gradi Crown and started with one dozes oysters kilpatrick. Well not just him, I had half. The service and food was great, Lance had pizza and I had eyefillet, sliced with parmesan cheese slices covering it, sitting on a bed of rocket with a balsamic jus. Desert was just for me and it was pannacotta, which I love. I do wonder though why when only one person orders desert they always assume that you are going to share it with the other person and they bring two spoons. This happens to me all the time and "I'm not sharing!!!" We finished with a lemoncello and a sticky (desert wine).
It is a shame that we had to wander back through the casino to try and find a nice bar. The whole place makes me feel sad. I bet these same people go home and tell their kids off for staring at their phones or Play Stations. And there they are feeding machines with money with a blank look on their face. Sorry rant over, well nearly over because the only bar that we could find was a sports bar and that was equally unpleasant but not so depressing.
We are really enjoying our apartment, it is very central and comfortable. I would recommend it but worry that you will all come and stay and then there may not be a room vacant when we want one!
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