A Trip to Australia and New Zealand
Sydney - Downtown
The four story building has had a checkered past and was in danger of being torn down in the middle of the last century. In 1959, it was saved from the wrecking ball and restored to it's present grandeur, but not without criticism from those who feel that the new look is not consistent with it's original classic beauty. The critics might be right, but we did not see it before it was restored. For us the current "look" of the place was magnificent.
Today, the QVB houses a large collection of very upscale shops and boutiques. Two gigantic, elaborate mechanical clocks hang from the ceiling. One is called the Royal Clock and the other the Australian Clock. Each one has moving parts and figures consistent with the theme of that particular clock.
An American shopping mall is perhaps more efficient, but nowhere have I seen an American shopping center with anywhere near this much class. The QVB is in the same league as Moscow's GUM Department Store and these two magnificent clocks probably give it the edge. It's also obviously a great place to meet friends for a snack - and if hers looks better than yours, a loving smile and a long spoon is clearly the answer - besides she's on a diet.
When we ducked in from George Street we intended to take a quick peak and go on with our tour of the central part of the city. We absolutely did not intend to spend any time in the building and we certainly knew that we were not going to actually buy anything. As it turned out we were delightfully wrong on both counts.
