Sydney ... a rather cool city

Tuesday, March 21, was moving day in Sydney for us.  We checked out of the hotel where we’d spent the night and headed to the airport to pick up our vehicle.  Our yesterday continued as the car rental place could not be found.  We ended up renting from Enterprise, found the St. Mark’s Lodge, lugged our bags up two flights of stairs and collapsed.  This is the type of place we like, even if it doesn’t have a lift.  It’s small and way more personal.  Plus it’s an old building with lots of character.

We were in a residential neighborhood, filled with lots of colorful and full-of-character buildings.  We walked by this one that is just up the street from where we were staying.

However, we didn’t stick around for long as there’s too much to see.  We figured out the bus schedule, kind of, bought an Opal bus pass and off we went.  We knew it would be way easier to take a bus into the downtown area rather than trying to drive, maneuver about, find parking and then do sightseeing.  And it would be way less stressful … for Stefie driving on the other side of the road in horrendous traffic, and me, trying to navigate.  It was enough just getting out of the airport for 5 million people, and getting to the hotel.

It may be fall here, but there are still a number of flowers in bloom.

We arrived downtown and got ourselves down to the Sydney Harbour.  What a sight.  The Harbour Bridge is on one side and the Sydney Opera House is on the other.  Which way should we look first?  Both were beautiful examples of architecture.  Toward the bridge there was a slip with a cruise ship.  It wasn’t ours … not yet, not for another 10 days.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge dominates the harbor as you look to your left

In looking about, I never dreamed I’d be standing here … in Australia … seeing what is probably the most beautiful opera house in the world.  I may not care for opera, but I can certainly appreciate a building that is one-of-a-kind, an architectural wonder.



The Sydney Opera House is recognizable by people all over the world, most of which have never been here.  It's one of the most beautiful buildings I've ever seen, and I've not even been inside it.

The area in between the opera house and the bridge is called Cingular Quay (pronounced key we were told).  There is a steady stream of life going on here.  There's this opera bar where folks can have a drink or some food, sit on the concrete bench, take photos.  There are lots of little restaurants and shops, the train station, museums, and there were hundreds of school children about doing field trips, dressed in uniforms in a variety of colors.  It was alive, and it was a great feeling to be in it.

Even the gulls line up waiting for a handout or something to fall to the ground.

 

A sea lion claimed one of the steps leading down to the water.  It didn't stir as we watched and photographed.

We wandered through the opera house and decided we’d need to do a tour.  We photographed it and the bridge and then wandered into the Royal Botanic Garden.  It’s large, with lots of benches, statues, ponds, and birds.  It was our kind of place and we spent a couple of hours walking paths here and there.

This is an Australian Darter.  It has a very long neck and I found it is sometimes called a snake bird because of it.

An Australian White Ibis ... white feathers, but a black head that is skin that makes me think of a turkey, and a black beak.  They're all over, and I've seen Ibis in Florida, although not this color.  They're cool birds with that long beak that roots around in the dirt.

 

 

This bush had strange-looking branches and was set at an odd angle to the ground. 

These two Dusky Moorhens were in the grass, with the one on the right grooming the one on the left.  The one would keep its head down encouraging the other to not stop.  It must have felt pretty good as they kept at it for quite a while.

On the other side of the area there was a huge red sign that said "CARMEN."  We'd walked over that far, and heard music and people singing and saw them dancing.  We decided it must be a rehearsal for an upcoming performance.  As we watched a crane unloaded a tank, and swung it around to the stage, where stagehands guided it safely into place. 

Of course, a statue dedicated to horses would catch my eye.

As we wandered back to get a bite to eat, we stopped once again in the opera house to visit the lady's room.  It was unique even there, with multiple, back-lighted rolls of toilet paper.  It's certainly the fanciest set up I've ever seen, and therefore worthy of a photo and a mention..

On the harbor walk there are numerous places to dine.  We chose one right next to the water and I had, for the first time, a fish called barramundi.  What a treat it was.  It’s rather like a halibut except not quite as firm.  It was now my new favorite dish.

What may have been my favorite photo of the day was one with both the opera house and the bridge.

Back to the bus and to the hotel.  We had lots more to do in Sydney.  We’d just had a taste.