Christmas around the World Concert

Was supposed to be at King Street Wharf at 6:30pm for a farewell dinner. Got to Darling Harbour half an hour late because my Good Friend spent the better part of the afternoon crying her eyes out watching John Lloyd and Bea in One More Chance. It's a good thing she didn't have to drive - I don't she has the energy left.

The farewell dinner was for a friend who's moving down to Melbourne for a month. My guess is depending on how things work out, she might stay there for good. Anyway, the chosen restaurant was Casa di Nico at The Promenade. Lots of people around the wharf for a Saturday night. Maybe because it's the start of the Christmas season already. I had filetto di barramndi, while my Good Friend had fettuccine ai gamberi. The price is quite expensive - $30 for the mains (each), but well worth it. I even finished off the leftover complimentary garlic focaccia, which turned out to be $5. :-)

By 8pm, we had to give up our tables, so we moved on to Cockle Bay to watch the Christmas around the World Concert. Santa came to the aquashell via jetski, escorted by two of his elves. Bob the Builder and Alvin and the Chipmunks were also on hand to entertain the kids and the kids-at-heart. The Australian Youth Choir with a 20-piece orchestra sang a few classic Christmas songs, then we had a Chinese song and some Aussie-inspired ones. Can't remember the title of the Chinese song; it goes like "Gong xi, gong xi, gong xi ni!" Actually, it's supposed to be a New Year song, but let's not nitpick. There was also a lighting of the Christmas Tree in front of the exhibition centre. At 9pm, my Good Friend gave a start, and the fireworks were on. I didn't have my camera with me this time, so I was able to enjoy the fireworks display - instead of taking pictures through a viewfinder.

After the concert, some of the group had ice cream at Gelatissimo, then coffee and chocolate at Harbourside.