It's beginning to look a lot like...

Christmas! No, wait...Summer...no, wait...I'm confused! Sydney has definitely started decorating for the Christmas season and it is very fun to see the decorations around town. However, today was also the hottest day since I have been here and that means that Summer is almost here. So confusing!

I started off my Saturday morning with what I thought would be a nice jog around the bay. It was nice, but was very warm and took probably 30 minutes after I got back to my apartment for my beet red face to cool down! At one point after I had showered, I looked at the temp on my computer...90 degrees, yikes.

Since my shopping adventure last weekend was so bad, I really wanted to do some shopping this weekend, so I hopped on the train into the city to head to the gorgeous Queen Victoria Building. It is an ornate Romanesque building that was initially built in 1898 as one of Sydney's first produce markets. It is now a gorgeous, city-block long shopping mall, with a chrome dome in the center and vaulted glass ceilings on the interior and gorgeous tile floors.

There was a gorgeous Swarovski crystal decorated Christmas tree that was in the domed center that started on the lowest level and went all the way to the top of the 4th level. It was beautiful! Here is the bottom...

And these gorgeous flowers were right outside the center dome on the lowest level...seriously, Christmas or Summer...so confusing!

And here is the top of the tree...and see the beautiful and ornate walls and dome? So pretty!

I was totally planning on getting a lot of Christmas shopping done...but, unfortunately, I only left the QVB with one gift for someone else...and about 4 gifts for me! Oops, ha ha! Oh well, I really haven't bought myself anything here so far and I was in the mood to go shopping...so it was fun!

When I got back to my apartment, I sat outside on my balcony with my book and a glass of wine. The weather can change on a dime here and it was down to about 78 and a storm was blowing in. It was very relaxing...until I heard the noisest birds ever. They were seriously so loud, so I knew they had to be close. I walked out to the edge of my balcony and saw these on my neighbors balcony...

They were so beautiful and I was glad that I had just happened to have my camera out there with me! Still amazes me that they just fly around town...

Anyway, great day, but will be a little strange to experience the holiday season in such warm weather. More shopping in my future, since I didn't really get any Christmas shopping done today!