Davz Down Under

Monday, March 23, 2009

From this past weekend in Albert Park and Belgian Beer Garden

Sunday I took a walk around Albert Park there is a gold course, Yacht Club, Aquatic Center and Race track here. This is the view of the city from the Yacht Club Dock.

Here is another picture of the skyline in Melbourne on the walkway around the pond in Albert Park.

The walkway over the race track is below. I am going to a race on Sunday the 29th here as well as seeing the Who perform afterwards.

The stalls to get beer at the Belgian Beer Garden. Great outdoor atmosphere to enjoy a frosty ale.

The Main entrance to the Beer Garden Great weekend day drinking hang out.

More Random pics

Parrot.

Nice set Hooters you got there...The birds!

Forget what kind of bird this one is.

Monitor Lizard

Koala.

Zoo last weekend random pics I didn't post before

I thought I was taking a picture and ended up with a pretty cool video.

G'day mates,

So here is how my St. Pattys Day went down in Australia. Took a holiday from work, as they call a vacation day, and decided to go out on the town to experience the Irish Bar Bridie O'Reillys in all its glory. I had looked up the other bars around town and they seemed far too distant to make the trek alone so I had conceded myself to stool at Bridie's but within 5 min though as I finished the glass below I met this guy Adam from the states who had come down to Aussie to start a band and has been quite successful so far. That being said we started talking and going back and forth buying drinks etc...I, also, introduced the continent to the Guiness special (if you don't know what that is then you never experienced a good night in the Hong Kong when Schurko still graced the back of the bar).

So if you bought two guinesses which I accomplished within 5 minutes of entering you got this sweet hat seen below...I donned it for the time I was at Bridie's but sported the scally for most of the day as it just felt right. So after talking to this fellow for a bit he explained he had this elaborate plan to see several Irish bars around town as he pulled out a little cocktail napkin with each one and its address. We'd been talking for it must have been about 5 Guinesses when he invited me to embark on this day long adventure of drinking and Irish Merryment. Let me just preface that every single IRISH bar in Australia has live music for the day Irish Step Dancing and Irish Breakfasts running all day so it was quite the experience.

I was Davz being Davz and blocked out the beer I just bought in this picture in hindsight perhaps I should have just had Adam take it for me but oh well.

So as the day transpired we found ourselves drinking at several local establishments which were only like 5-10 min cab rides so just goes to show how lazy I am but as I get further into my story you will understand why I probably should have just stayed at Bridie's.

This was my 7th beer nearing its demise at Pugg Mahoney's, our second stop. I heard the Irish Rover for the 1st time at this bar which made me quite smitten so the first shot of Jameson took place as well as my second Guiness special. The guy singing at this bar was pretty damn good I will definitely find my way back to this bar as it was quite entertaining.

The next 2 bars I didn't take any pictures at nor do I know exactly what I consumed so I won't try to explain. We went to this place called the Celtic Club which you have to sign a book to gain part-time membership to. It was an older crowd to say the least but clearly not a hard crowd to become fully immersed in and consume multiple Guiness and shots of Jameson with.

We then went to another bar that I think was called the Irish Times and things start to get a little hazy at this point. It was about 3 pm when I heard the Pogues "Fairytale of New York" for the first time. It reminded me of back home(mainly Bobjob) and almost brought a tear to my eye. Then the guy rocked a couple U2 songs and we were off to the second Pugg Mahoney's in town. Which is where I found myself below. The bar had 2 levels downstairs was a mellow atmosphere and then upstairs was pretty sick it had opening in the roof to let the sun shine in and the band was upstairs so this was the place to be with girls dancing and Jameson flowing. Here the guy Adam had a few of his buddies meet up with us and we enjoyed a few more Guiness.

So in true Bryan McDavitt fashion 7 pm rolled around my phone was dead and I had some people from work that said they were going to meet up with me so I did the only thing I knew how and pulled the infamous Irish Exit stage left and headed back to my place (the face is getting a little droopy above). I took a cab ride for what seemed an eternity threw some money at the driver (hence why I knew I woulda been better off at Bridie's such an easier trip home) sat down on my couch, threw my charger into my phone and had a beer. Fell asleep for I woulda guessed a day but it was 20 minutes. Woke up stumbled across my living room to figure out where I was and how I got there. Was safe regrouped and called my co workers.

I got in touch with my buddy Stu, got lost on my way to his house where I've been about 4 times and passed out on his couch after 2 more beers.... around 1030 pm...woke up about 5 am and walked home and passed out for an hour or so and had to get up for work I wish I took a picture of me walking in that next day...yikes

Needless to say St Patty's Day ended in similar fashion to what I would have expected in the states... God Bless the Irish...

Monday, March 16, 2009

The Past week and Zoo trip

Hey everyone,

I'll start off with a quick synopsis of my week since its not too exciting. Work was work so I won't bore people with the details of that. However, I did happen to indulge myself, after so long of avoiding it, into the world of Lost. Picked up on Wednesday night and had finished about 3 hours into Saturday morning holy crap is it intense. Season 2 here I come.

Anyways that more or less sums up the week for excitement. I did go out on Wednesday to my little pub Bridie O'Reillys for dinner and beers to warm up for St Patty's Day which I have taken off so I'll do my best to post photos from the future but you all know how reliable I am with a few adult sodas (and impending Jameson consumption).

Friday night I played some squash which I am quickly learning. I have stepped up my game seriosuly in the past few weeks. I don't think the few guys I play with expected the intensity I bring to the game as the Joh Calipari "Refuse to Lose" motto of the mid 90s Minutemen has reared its ugly head.

Following squash we went out and did some Atomic bowling. Yes, it exists down under and yes its all teenagers rocking out for the most part minus this bleach blonde chick and her Rico Suave wanna be borfriend who bowled next to us and were making out and lap dancing which was mildly gross yet almost entertaining to watch.

So that sums up Friday in a nut shell. Saturday went something like this finish Lost. Go to a store in town get worked for like 300 dollars in clothes by some girl with a pretty Aussie accent cute eyes and who wanted to know everything I knew about Boston. Damn I'm a schmuck. Then some shopping and getting ready for a bbq on Sunday and heading out to Brunswick with Dinesh and Neal.

We went to a few bars in the area. I got nice and lathered up was dancing a bit had a great time and there was some nice scenery around as well which is never a bad time.

So I had the chance on Sunday (3/15) to go out and check out the Melbourne Zoo with Tiffnny from IDC Melbourne and her family. We had a blast. She has two little ones Callum and Sarah who are pretty rambunctious and kept me on my toes all night so that was quite the adventure.
We started at my apartment where I got a new grille last week and fired up a feast of beef kebabs with peppers and onions, some sausages, and hamburgers from the local market. I, also, conjured up my first ever potato salad. It was a little ummm different. haha a little eggy and a little too much mayo I think so i get something to work on next time. Overall I'd have to say for throwing it together on a whim it wasn't so bad.

Now below are a few pics of some of the animal s we saw I'll also add a few more pages of them shortly. Below is a tiny little turtle no bigger then the palm of your hand. Almost extinct but pretty cool to see.

Here is the exhibit with the Kangaroos they basically can walk right up to you if you are inside where the people are in the back. Its pretty cool there really weren't any big boys just a few little guys floating around.

This was the big boy in the cage right here. Clearly the Papa Bear just chillen. There was a Twilight Concert at dusk and the lion den was right behind us and you could here him and the others roaring all night. pretty cool stuff.

Here is the Black Bear. He was sitting around eating some oranges and walking around a bit Sarah liked him the most so we spent a little time watching him walk around and do his thing.

Here are two more of the Kings of the Jungle. Pretty fierce walking around.

Well that pretty much sums up the week and what went down. The band was led by a guy named Wilbur Wilde I believe prety popular down here did some great covers and had a good band. Did covers of mainly American artists so it was cool and everyone was up and singing and dancing.

Anyways thats it for now got some good stuff planned this week so we'll see where that takes me. In the meantime you stay classy PLANET EARTH.