37. Paddington Market (not Paddy’s Market)

Sydney loves its markets. There run on various days of the week and there are plenty to choose from depending on where you stay. This day we decided to check out the market at Paddington.

It’s located in around a school on Oxford St in Paddington and I had visions of people selling all kinds of bric-a-brac and fresh produce with the customers haggling over the price. It turns out I was quite wrong.

If you are a bloke that doesn’t particularly like shopping with your girlfriend or wife then stay away. There was stall after stall of jewellery, bags, belts, soaps, and dresses. In my humble opinion a man couldn’t find himself in a worse situation. Isla was loving it and as she perused the goods it seemed that she was walking slower and slower. Time began to stand still and as the day wore on the sun got hotter and hotter.

Thankfully, there was a few stalls selling grub and I felt a little better as I was ordering a sausage roll looking pastry. Almost immediately I felt bad again as the vendor explained that they only used natural ingredients, it was gluten free and there was no meat in it! So I felt emasculated once again and went to find Isla while nibbling on my flour free, sugar free, meat free, taste free, environmentally friendly snack.

She’d bought some geranium scented soap and was looking pleased with herself and thankfully she was ready to leave the market. I suggested that we walk back into the city instead of taking the train and this was another mistake as that area of Oxford Road is crammed full of beauticians, shoe shops and women’s clothes shops. So in my efforts to escape the market I’d jumped straight out of the pot and into the fire.

All was not lost thought as we happened upon a nice café where a beer and a plate of nachos made me feel like a man again!