Sydney, bit boring, had its day?
#46
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Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Canberra
Posts: 568
Re: Sydney, bit boring, had its day?
The defence of only boring people find a place boring is a silly one, so then really a boring person would find every place boring, wouldn’t they? I find some places incredibly boring (Perth) but find other places incredibly exciting (Berlin).
#47
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,316
Re: Sydney, bit boring, had its day?
I used to find the shopping in London so enjoyable that I used to leave it to go shopping in Bluewater.
#48
Re: Sydney, bit boring, had its day?
I did not say only boring people find a place or anything else boring, that was iamthecreaturefromuranus. I will freely admit that I was extremely bored today myself. But I am not calling myself boring and nor am I blaming it on London, the city I happened to be in at the time the boredom came over me.
My comment was just that I think there is something a bit childish about labelling an entire city as boring and I find it hard to believe that there is nothing to do to alleviate boredom.
My comment was just that I think there is something a bit childish about labelling an entire city as boring and I find it hard to believe that there is nothing to do to alleviate boredom.
#49
Re: Sydney, bit boring, had its day?
I don't know your pub, but I can fully understand what you are getting at. One of the worst pubs I have been to in Australia was the Lapstone Hotel in Blaxland (Blue Mountains). I thought a pub in a quaint village in the mountains would be really nice, yet it was as big as an aircraft hangar, with nasty plastic furniture, overly polished chrome fittings and shiny tiles. Zero atmosphere.
Maybe I should start a website. Swerv-o's Australian pub reviews...
S
#50
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 740
Re: Sydney, bit boring, had its day?
When i first came to Sydney it was all new and exciting, everyone was preparing for the olympics, new buildings going up everywhere, tunnels being dug linking the city together, the place had a real buzz about it.
I never really gave it much thought until recently when i came back from a trip to Melbourne -the first time i'd been back there in 12 yrs, and was blown away by how much it had changed. It seemed so much bigger and flasher than i had remembered with huge skyscrapers everywhere and i was really impressed by the whole pavement dining euro style culture, great shops and proper boozers.
Walking through Sydney today it just struck me as a bit old and tired, as if it had had its day 10 yrs ago and been left behind. If you took away the Harbour and beaches is there much else because IMO, as a city, its pretty crap! any thoughts?
I never really gave it much thought until recently when i came back from a trip to Melbourne -the first time i'd been back there in 12 yrs, and was blown away by how much it had changed. It seemed so much bigger and flasher than i had remembered with huge skyscrapers everywhere and i was really impressed by the whole pavement dining euro style culture, great shops and proper boozers.
Walking through Sydney today it just struck me as a bit old and tired, as if it had had its day 10 yrs ago and been left behind. If you took away the Harbour and beaches is there much else because IMO, as a city, its pretty crap! any thoughts?
Its pretty crap?!! Sydney is stilll one of the most liveable cities in the world. No, I am not quoting a published ranking or something, I'm saying this after visiting over 70 cities of the world. So, I guess your comments reflect more on you and your life experiences than the city itself. Get some help, mate....
#51
Re: Sydney, bit boring, had its day?
I don't know your pub, but I can fully understand what you are getting at. One of the worst pubs I have been to in Australia was the Lapstone Hotel in Blaxland (Blue Mountains). I thought a pub in a quaint village in the mountains would be really nice, yet it was as big as an aircraft hangar, with nasty plastic furniture, overly polished chrome fittings and shiny tiles. Zero atmosphere.
Maybe I should start a website. Swerv-o's Australian pub reviews...
S
Maybe I should start a website. Swerv-o's Australian pub reviews...
S
The Lapstone Hotel
Check out pictures 5 and 6. This is meant to be a pub, not a Holiday Inn!
S
#52
Account Closed
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,708
Re: Sydney, bit boring, had its day?
Here's some pictures of the aforementioned Lapstone Hotel, from their own website:
The Lapstone Hotel
Check out pictures 5 and 6. This is meant to be a pub, not a Holiday Inn!
S
The Lapstone Hotel
Check out pictures 5 and 6. This is meant to be a pub, not a Holiday Inn!
S
#53
Account Closed
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,708
Re: Sydney, bit boring, had its day?
Thats complete bullshit. I lived in Sydney for 2 years during Olympic times 2000-01 and I went back there again for a validation trip in April 2009. Not much has changed except that its a bit more crowded now (with more Asians).
Its pretty crap?!! Sydney is stilll one of the most liveable cities in the world. No, I am not quoting a published ranking or something, I'm saying this after visiting over 70 cities of the world. So, I guess your comments reflect more on you and your life experiences than the city itself. Get some help, mate....
Its pretty crap?!! Sydney is stilll one of the most liveable cities in the world. No, I am not quoting a published ranking or something, I'm saying this after visiting over 70 cities of the world. So, I guess your comments reflect more on you and your life experiences than the city itself. Get some help, mate....
#54
Re: Sydney, bit boring, had its day?
Yup. TAB, pokies and too many flat screen TVs showing non'descript sporting activities that nobody cares about.
I agree with bars in Melbourne - places like The Robot Bar, The Croft Institute and Berlin are awesome. Just couldn't happen in Sydney - not enough room for 200 pokie machines...
S
#55
Re: Sydney, bit boring, had its day?
Lets face it Aussies can't do pubs Brit style so that's that! Even the Brit pubs haven't quite got it. We did go in one in Melbourne that was fairly authentic but it was the type of Brit pub that you avoided in the UK!
As far as Mel v Syd goes - well we were set to go to Sydney but they changed the points and we ended up in Mel with a STNI visa. I was devastated at the time as I'd built my whole dream on living on the Northern Beaches. The first time we visited Mel was in April and it was cold and rained - I was NOT looking forward to living here but we thought oh heck it's only for 2 years if we do come!
Now we've been here 3 years and quite often pop up to Sydney to see friends and I would say.....
Yep, Sydney Harbour is beautiful and I never get tired of the crossing to Manly
Northern Beaches with WAVES are fantastic.....I love watching waves but the back beaches of Mornington Peninsula are too dangerous to play in sometimes and Torquay is just too far away and it's such a boring journey!
However, I feel Melbourne does win with it's CBD area - the cafes, laneways and shopping is easier. I find Sydney too spread out for shopping and therefore would prefer to go to a Mall.
Sydney is expensive and what really annoys me is that you pay 10% more on a Sunday and the coffee isn't so good!
Sydney and areas have done well with beachside cafes which Melbourne needs to address...I was surprised at the lack of actual beach cafes around the bay although there have been a couple of new ones lately so maybe someone heard me
Weather: Sydney has better weather - warmer and sunnier than Melbourne in winter...I don't like the Melbourne winter and the last one seemed to go on forever but then I don't like any winters! On the whole since we arrived in Mellie the weather has been good and the East coast has taken a pounding with storms. This summer has been lovely in Mel - very settled and not too hot and we've had some beautiful Autumn days. You very rarely get what we call a British day - grey all day, most of the time you do get some sun at some point.
I think like any city area you have to pick your spots to live in and certainly I would only want to live on the north or south beaches in Sydney. TBH there aren't many places I want to live in Melbourne but we like it down here on the Peninsula being only an 1.5 hour from the city if we need a buzz as it can get a bit sleepy down here sometimes!
Melbourne is a place that grows on you and you have to go and discover it as it doesn't have that initial wow factor that Sydney has.
I like both places and wouldn't complain of a nice apartment over looking the harbour in Sydney!
KK
ps I went to the Croft Institute a while ago....amazing bar! We were with some Sydney people and they were amazed at the laneways and graffiti and said it would never be allowed up there.
As far as Mel v Syd goes - well we were set to go to Sydney but they changed the points and we ended up in Mel with a STNI visa. I was devastated at the time as I'd built my whole dream on living on the Northern Beaches. The first time we visited Mel was in April and it was cold and rained - I was NOT looking forward to living here but we thought oh heck it's only for 2 years if we do come!
Now we've been here 3 years and quite often pop up to Sydney to see friends and I would say.....
Yep, Sydney Harbour is beautiful and I never get tired of the crossing to Manly
Northern Beaches with WAVES are fantastic.....I love watching waves but the back beaches of Mornington Peninsula are too dangerous to play in sometimes and Torquay is just too far away and it's such a boring journey!
However, I feel Melbourne does win with it's CBD area - the cafes, laneways and shopping is easier. I find Sydney too spread out for shopping and therefore would prefer to go to a Mall.
Sydney is expensive and what really annoys me is that you pay 10% more on a Sunday and the coffee isn't so good!
Sydney and areas have done well with beachside cafes which Melbourne needs to address...I was surprised at the lack of actual beach cafes around the bay although there have been a couple of new ones lately so maybe someone heard me
Weather: Sydney has better weather - warmer and sunnier than Melbourne in winter...I don't like the Melbourne winter and the last one seemed to go on forever but then I don't like any winters! On the whole since we arrived in Mellie the weather has been good and the East coast has taken a pounding with storms. This summer has been lovely in Mel - very settled and not too hot and we've had some beautiful Autumn days. You very rarely get what we call a British day - grey all day, most of the time you do get some sun at some point.
I think like any city area you have to pick your spots to live in and certainly I would only want to live on the north or south beaches in Sydney. TBH there aren't many places I want to live in Melbourne but we like it down here on the Peninsula being only an 1.5 hour from the city if we need a buzz as it can get a bit sleepy down here sometimes!
Melbourne is a place that grows on you and you have to go and discover it as it doesn't have that initial wow factor that Sydney has.
I like both places and wouldn't complain of a nice apartment over looking the harbour in Sydney!
KK
ps I went to the Croft Institute a while ago....amazing bar! We were with some Sydney people and they were amazed at the laneways and graffiti and said it would never be allowed up there.
#56
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,230
Re: Sydney, bit boring, had its day?
Yup. TAB, pokies and too many flat screen TVs showing non'descript sporting activities that nobody cares about.
I agree with bars in Melbourne - places like The Robot Bar, The Croft Institute and Berlin are awesome. Just couldn't happen in Sydney - not enough room for 200 pokie machines...
S
I agree with bars in Melbourne - places like The Robot Bar, The Croft Institute and Berlin are awesome. Just couldn't happen in Sydney - not enough room for 200 pokie machines...
S
#59
Re: Sydney, bit boring, had its day?
Actually, I did say further up that there were a couple of notable exceptions.
Which ones have you found? I'm always up for a new pub...
Personally I like:
PJ O'Briens (CBD)
The Arthouse (CBD)
Kelly's on King (Newtown)
The Local Tap House (Paddington)
The Observer (The Rocks)
The Hero of Waterloo (The Rocks)
The London (Balmain)
The Angel (CBD)
The Welcome (Balmain)
The Hive (Erskineville)
Trinity (Surry Hills)
Durty Nelly's (Paddington)
The Duke (Enmore)
The East Sydney Hotel (Woolloomooloo)
Hmmm. Maybe this is more than a couple of notable exceptions!
S