Bondi Junction

Today didn't exactly work out the way that I had originally planned, but let's hear it for rolling with the punches.  I woke up, did my push-ups (seriously; gotta stay in shape for the remainder of the soccer season), and headed out to the beach for a run.  This time, I ran around Bronte Beach, which has more amazing views than Bondi.  After being to Bronte, I realized that Bondi definitely has more of a frat / sorority feel to it, where Bronte is keeping it more reals.

After the run, I planned to get some food, change into my swimsuit and chill at the beach all day.  Well...after my run and brekkie (Australian word -- I'll let you guess what it means), clouds and crazy winds rolled into my path, making a beach excursion less than optimal. 

I've yet to be to the Sydney Harbor, so, if a day at the beach was ruined, I might as well head there.  I wasn't real thrilled with this idea (as many of you know, I'm not a real "touristy" type), but hey, why not??  I caught my bus...

[There are two things wrong with this pic -- #1 it's for KFC; #2 and the reason for this pic -- if your zoom works, under the "krushers," it says "golden gaytime".  When were KFC and golden gaytimes associated?  WTF??]

The bus arrived at Bondi Junction, a transportation and shopping crossroad.  I had no idea there was so much crap at Bondi Junction, so I wondered around for a bit.  I didn't take enough pics to do justice to what all is here.  There are two malls (one is 6 stories), two theaters, a really seedy and crappy area and everything else inbetween.  It was crazy.

 
Most malls make me physically nauseous, but I was starving, so I figured that I would check the food court.  The place was ridiculous.  It felt more like a Vegas casino with the swankiness.  I found the least expensive yet solid sushi place.  Here's what I got at the freakin' mall:

 [My favorite touch was the plastic fish soy contaniners in the upper left hand part of the pic]

It was delicious.  After I was done, a woman wearing white gloves (I shit you not) came up and bused my table.  At the mall??  Here's the view from where I was sitting.

Ok.  Ok.  I realize most of you are yawning at this.  "We get it, it was a nice place.  It's a freakin' mall.  Who cares??" you say.  I realize I'm probably doing a poor job communicating the scale of this area.  As I walked around, I couldn't believe the next thing I saw.  Wait.  No.  It can't be.  Oh, but it is.  Holy crap!  Without further ado -- the world's swankiest Target!

To think - I entered Target wearing only shorts and t-shirt.  The place was basically a department store.  I didn't take any additional pics, because I was too busy shopping, bitches.  The floors were the tile floors that you'd see in any high-end department store.  They didn't have any cleaning supplies or cat crap scoopers.  It was 80% clothes and 10% electronics and 10% toys.  Perhaps I picked up a shirt that has a Target logo tag.  Half of it was because I liked the shirt (at a great price, of course, it is Target, after all), and the other half because the experience was surreal.

So that was Bondi Junction.  I grabbed my train and headed to the Sydney Harbor.