The weekend was a time to escape from the house.

On Saturday, Alex and I drove to Liverpool to watch our Ishinryu team mates compete in the NSW Open Karate Tournament. I had my good camera out capturing their successes.

Afterwards I reflected how our last few visits to Liverpool were COVID related. Me for my first two vaccinations during the lockdown, then when travel was possible again, to buy some items for the upcoming trip to Singapore that I couldn’t go on after catching the virus. Hopefully neither of us caught anything this time.

Sunday saw us travel north to Chatswood for lunch at Kreta Ayer and then our first ride on the driverless Sydney Metro, though only as far as Macquarie University and straight back. Seemed good enough and the view out the ends is fun. I’d like to do the whole ride and get out of the tunnel.

We then caught the regular train down to Milsons Point and walked over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It was lovely, sunny weather, but not too hot, making it perfect for soaking up the spectacular views.

After heading over to Circular Quay we ended up in the small Justice and Police Museum, located in a small sandstone courthouse, complete with old courtroom and remand cells. It was surprisingly interesting, with photographs and other items telling the story of Sydney’s colourful criminal past. Alex’s favourite was undoubtedly the thallium poisoning grandma.

“She looked so sweet!” he said.

During Ramadan there are lively food markets held in Lakemba. Monday night saw us catch the train from Bankstown to Lakemba, the streets closed and filled with both Muslims and non-Muslims dining out on tandoori skewers, camel burgers and spiral potatoes. The atmosphere was fantastic.

I really enjoyed the rose petal spiced Kashmiri tea, the cardamon and mint juice and another dish of chickpeas served in pastry balls and dipped in a cold spicy soup. Further down the street, the Island Dreams cafe served up roti canai, murtabak and sticks of chicken satay with properly delicious peanut sauce, cucumber and ketupat.

We’ll have to return there again.

On the way back in Bankstown we ordered a Vietnamese fruit salad cup that took me back to breakfasts in Thailand.

I feel so blessed to have so many cultural groups in Australia willing to share their food and celebrations.