Post card: Buying wine in Sydney

I wonder if the events of Tuesday the 30th of September will survive a life time of memories? A few days into a family holiday, I was having trouble sleeping. After waking to skim read the Hotel's complementary copy of the Sydney Morning Herald (which seems to have declined in journalistic quality), I decided to set off in the search for some coffee and wine.

It was a few minutes before 9 am (and opening) when I reached my destination. Not wanting to seem too keen (lining up, waiting for a bottle shop to open), I searched for coffee and a croissant and tried to sup slowly. It was no good, I was full of anticipation for the wines I might find (and in a rush to get back to my slumbering family), so I left the half eaten, over dry croissant for some grateful and already plump pigeons.

Once in the store, the first thing that caught my eye were some half bottles of Baby Jesus (2006 and 2003 for over $100). . . I took a deep breath and mentally said no, no, no. . . I tried not to rummage through the vintage port and I folded my arms so I could not to fondle the embossed bottles of Châteauneuf du Pape. I turned sideways so the ridiculously long and slender bottles of German riesling would not poke and prod my attention. . . Then I found myself in amongst the Burgundies, plastic card in hand, I was ready to surrender. . .

Then, at my moment of maximum weakness, I heard voices from the store radio. It was just after the news and some one on the ABC was interviewing a man, asking what to expect in Australia after the horror night on Wall Street (later in the day I found out the market had fallen 777 points as the House of Representatives had blocked the Paulson plan). I thought I heard the words "biggest crash ever" and "certain recession". Suddenly buying Burgundy seemed unwise and with an unexpected wave of restraint I quickly shuffled away, back to my hotel, with only two (moderately) priced bottles in hand. . .