Oz Trip Day 3 & 4 – Yum Cha and Little Vietnam

It was a lazy Sunday, we slept in after a late night in the city. We were picked up from the hotel before noon. Lunch was at Chatswood, at a Dim Sum restaurant. I must say that the Hong Kong chefs in Sydney are certainly keeping up the level of Chinese Food there.

After a full stomach, my uncle took us for a ride up north to the beaches. It was a winding journey through small towns and forests, passing rivers and sandy beaches. We made a short stop at one of these beaches. It was chilly as the wind blew in from the sea. There were quite a number of people living in this part of Sydney, with their homes on the hill side, some with magnificent views of the sea. I wonder what is it like to have a home like this.

Northern Beaches. No surfer today!

When we headed back it was almost dark. We had dinner at another Asian joint, The Istana, that served Malaysian food. Looks like we are not missing Chinese food at all.

The next day, we headed north again, but this time to Cabramatta, the Vietnamese town. The town was about 2 hours away from Wahroonga. This was a place that would make any Vietnamese feel at home. We took a leisurely walk through the town. Like any Asian street, there were butchers, food stalls, pharmacies, and the odd body-piercing shop. We settled our lunch at , no surprises, a Vietnamese restaurant. Sadly the Pho here wasn’t up to the homeland standards, but the popular Criskin Chicken was selling well.

Streets of Cabramatta, Criskin Chicken and even a Singapore Plaza!

That night, we had another family dinner (Chinese!), at Carlingford Court. We had to take two separate tables, with the younger ones on one and the old folks on the other. It was a good time to catch up with my cousins as we did not have much time to talk during the wedding. Soon the night came to an end. But before we headed back to our inn, my Uncle took us for a drive through the city. I couldn’t wait for the next day, as finally it was time to take to the streets of Sydney after two days of exploring the outskirts.

After Dinner at Carlingford Court