Back on shore - Saga Bar and Spice Alley

Thursday 22 April

Cast off this morning and heading back to go under the Spit Bridge back to Birkenhead Point Marina. The wind is up a bit but still a beautiful day just like all week. Flashy once more skippers the cat  under the Sydney Harbour Bridge – he is pretty chuffed but hands over the wheel when two islands loom in front and he is unsure which direction to take. We slip into our berth with barely a shudder and spend the afternoon doing a bit of admin,  then getting a wee bit thirsty we drive over to the Tram Shed. This is a converted tram depot with bars and restaurants of all cuisines and an excellent bottleshop and wine bar. We sampled a couple of cocktails and a nibble of deep fried cauliflower, before we Ubered to meet Sheryn’s friend Jim. 

The location was Saga Bar, which is down a little Alley and to a nondescript door. On pressing the buzzer, the timber door opens and we enter what appears to be a film set of Raiders of the Lost Arc. They do however, have lots of cocktails and we enjoy a ‘old fashioned’ before heading out down Spice Alley to a Vietnamese restaurant. The narrow alley is full of Asian pop ups and small eateries and just about every Asian student living in Sydney. It reminded us of Singapore, or if it had been ten times more filthy, maybe Hong Kong. We dine at Viet, at the end of the lane and inside as the temperature is starting to drop. The food was quite good; service pretty ordinary. Back to the Tram Shed to collect the car and we discover the bars are still open. So is the liquor shop. A bottle of Baileys and a Gentleman Jack is secured for nightcaps back on board. We decide not to play Five Crowns as the temperature is dropping into single figures, so an early night with extra blankets is appealing.