Cardinal - To The Popemobile!

I have to say, I have really missed taking public transportation to work over the past two weeks! Even though I got on the ferry and spent most of the trip reading, it was nice to be able to sit, read, and enjoy the ride, as opposed to driving through traffic for an hour. (Although traffic here is nothing compared to Charlotte.)
With WYD, the city has been warning everyone about the crowds, and telling people to take public transportation when coming into the city. They are discouraging people from driving. In fact, they are shutting down the Harbour Bridge all day Saturday for some sort of pilgrimage walk. How many cities shut down the main access road to a large city for an entire day? So they warned the locals that there will be long lines to get on public transport. I think today is supposed to be one of the heaviest days because the Pope is in town today, and all of the pilgrims are expected to be here following him around. Looking out the window by my desk this afternoon, there clearly are several people here for WYD. But I don’t see the abundance of folks, yet. Well, that's not entirely true. As I exited the train station to walk through the QVB, I did see several people hanging around the food court area; more than usual, anyway. But not a huge increase from the normal crowd. I guess the thing I really had to wonder this morning was who are the people that were in line at the sushi place. Actually, I guess what I am really wondering is what kind of sushi place is open at 8:30 am? Man, I hope they were serving some sort of rice cakes or other non-sushi breakfast food... Yuck!
Actually, I need to recant that previous comment about the people in town. I started writing this blog post this afternoon, and finished it up tonight. So I take it back about there not being too many more people in the city. On my way home tonight, I jumped on the train and got off at Circular Quay to catch the ferry. The Town Hall station was a little crowded, but I think the majority of the crowd was from all of the extra cops and train workers that were there. Then I got off of the train at Circular Quay and walked out to the ferry. They had re-done the exit to exit the train station, so that you walked down the stairs and around a back exit into Circular Quay. There were a ton of people coming into the station to get on trains, and there was no way anyone was going against that rush of people. Out in Circular Quay, the "Olympic nationals" were back out in full force, with their country's flags, WYD coats and backpacks, you name it. (The city's estimate was that 500,000 people would use public transportation tonight, compared to the usual 175,000.)
I read an interesting article today, though. A writer from Sydney compared this week's events to the Olympics that were here 8 years ago. The writer said that the people here all have the Olympic spirit, but that people were even friendlier and nicer this week than for the Olympics. I think she attributed it to the fact that none of the visitors were drunk or high this time. Nice.
I am curious about the “Youth” aspect of this week, though. While coming to work this morning, I saw a couple of girls who might be college-age. Then I saw a guy at Circular Quay wearing his WYD attire. But he was at least 65 and walking with a cane. In the train station, there were plenty of 40-50 year-olds who were flashing some sort of WYD passes that allow them public transport access (all wearing some interesting WYD attire). I assume those folks are the parent chaperones. I also walked near some folks on the way to my building who were probably my age, maybe a little older, and were with their kids who appeared to be 5 and 8, decked out in WYD clothes. So I really have no idea who this week is geared towards, but it certainly has led to a broad assortment of “Youth.”
Oh, and for anyone keeping up with the WYD events online... The Pope was in the Eastern part of Darling Harbour this afternoon for his speech, so not too far from my office. Better yet, he left Darling Harbour to get back St. Mary’s Cathedral (I’ll try to get some pictures once all the Catholics leave town), catching a ride in the Popemobile. Yes, the car providing his transport is really being referred to as the Popemobile. I can’t make this stuff up! (Hopefully you all now get the joke in the post title. Cardinal - Robin. Popemobile - Batmobile. Come on - that one was good!)
Okay, so enough about the Pope and WYD. On to other news: I found out a little more about my trip to Canberra in about 10 days. The staff person on the job stopped by to warn me: It will be cold there. Well crud. She told me “It is colder there than in Melbourne!” Yeah, that comment means absolutely nothing to me. But it does seem to make the situation all the more entertaining. So I checked out today’s weather to get a feel for the difference. Today’s high and low in Sydney were 19 and 8 (roughly converted to Fahrenheit of 68 high and 46 low. Today in Canberra? High of 12, low of -1. Converted: High of 54 and low of 30. I guess I will be getting a lot of wear out of that one sweater I brought for work... Luckily I have to wear suits and have a lined raincoat I can wear over the suit jacket. I just hope the office there is warmer than the one I have been working in the past couple of weeks!
Tonight I came home and was greeted by a card in my mailbox that said I had a parcel at the front desk. Sweet! Luckily I got here in time for someone to still be working the front desk. So I got my package, and took it upstairs to open it. First off, the box was partially open and had a plastic strap around it holding it together. Then I figured out why. There was a big sticker on the box that said, "Opened by Australia Post for inspection by Quarantine." I hope the Post had some fun going through my stuff! Yee haw! New dress shirts, some of my favorite snack food from home, a collection of a month's worth of the Charlotte Observer - comics section, and some cards and pictures from my friends back home. You guys are awesome! These things really made my day. Hell, what am I saying? They made my month! So my fridge is now decorated with pictures from my best buds Lainey and Ben, and I have some great pictures I have set out all around the apartment. Things are starting to feel a little more like home now! Although the stuffed orange tabby cat that was included in the package doesn't bite me quite like JJ usually does. But it did make me laugh at the thought of someone at the Post trying to figure out what in the world was in the box! I miss you all, so thanks for keeping me entertained!
Okay, I probably should start wrapping up here... So here it is! Back by popular demand! The mX Update. Woo hoo!
So I have two storylines that are going through the quotes today. The first is that apparently there are some issues with smell on the train:
1. "Why do people remove their shoes and stink up an apready stinky train? Keep it at home, people." - K from Penrith. (Right on, dude. Of course, you all know how I feel about feet, in general...)
2. "Why is it that some of us are subjected to someone's smelly breath when they're yawning? Please, people, cover your mouth." - V from Liverpool. (Okay, that's getting pretty close. I told you all that there is no such thing as personal space here.)
The second storyline is a bit more entertaining. I am guessing that someone wrote in yesterday that he buys milk that he puts in the fridge at work, and his co-workers have taken his milk. So the following are some of the suggestions from other readers of how to solve the problem:
1. "Dave, put your milk in a baby's bottle with a note attached saying "breast." No one will touch it." - Matt from Summer Hill.
2. "Dave, if it's an office fridge, it's office milk. Want your own milk? Get your own fridge." - Pete from Bondi.
3. "Dave, to stop colleagues stealing your milk pour it into an empty soy milk carton. No one really drinks that stuff. Or be creative - empty anchovies tin?" - V from Wollongong.
And now my personal favorite (although the soy milk bash was pretty funny):
4. "Dave, why don't you write on the carton that you urinated in your milk. Then if people still use it, actually urinate in it." - AB from Brooklyn.
Thank you, Charlotte! Good night!