What a magnificent harbor. Our Cruise Director told us he thinks that the Sydney Harbor is one of the most beautiful waterfronts in the world. Many returning passengers agreed with him. We were NOT disappointed. Sydney Harbor is fabulous. The Opera House, the famous building that looks like the roof is made of a bunch of sails, is absolutely gorgeous. Depending on the time of day it reflects the light and changes colors. Sooooo pretty. We then had a view of the famous Sydney Harbor Bridge, also known as "The Coathanger" (does look a bit like a giant one)! Since you can climb the bride, we had considered doing it. However, as we sailed by it and saw how high it is (400 feet at the peak) and were told we would be wearing a climbing sit while tethered to a cable, we decided this may not be a good choice for us!!! Also, you are not allowed to take pictures during the climb or at the top, so Bob would have been quite unhappy.
On our first day in Sydney we took a tour of the major sights, including Bondi Beach, the Opera House, and some of the suburbs east of the city We began by touring Sydney's oldest village, known as "The Rocks". This little neighborhood is a mix of two centuries. There's beautiful old Victorian-era buildings setting next to modern day structures. A beautiful place to take an afternoon and have some coffee. Although we passed the Sydney Tower we decided not go to the top because the morning was a bit cloudy and we didn't think we would see much. After leaving The Rocks we drove along the coast and through some of Sydney's most exclusive (and expensive) neighborhoods. We passed huge mansions which overlooked a harbor filled with yachts and cruising boas.
Next, we drove to Bondi Beach which is a well-known surfing beach which has hosted championships since 1915. It was a beautiful stretch of beach with extremely fine white sand (Bob says it's even finer than Manhattan Beach)!!! Along the strand there were a variety of souvenir and coffee shops. Of course, Bob and I sat down for a coffee and muffin. What a beautiful setting. Thoroughly enjoyed our time here.
Our next stop was Paddington which is an upscale community with picturesque terraces framed with iron-laced balconies, sandstone houses, designer boutiques art galleries and cafes. It was an absolutely charming community. Again, a great place to walk around. Sydney is definitely a great place to walk. Lots of beautiful neighborhoods and sights.
Lastly for day one in Sydney we too a fabulous tour of the opera house. It's just as beautiful inside as it is on the outside. We had a tour guide who was wonderful. He told us there are 1000 rooms in the complex (he wondered if they were counting closets)!! There are many venues inside the building. Some are for concerts, others for plays, and others are for performances for children. There is one venue, in particular, which can be set up for an type of function. The fine arts are very important to the people in Sydney. Children are introduced to the arts as babies and toddlers. Our guide told us there are even specific times when pregnant moms come to the children's theater to introduce their unborn babies to classical music. So refreshing to see a community where the arts are appreciated and supported.
So, on Day Two in Sydney Bob and I struck out on our own and did a combination of sightseeing by walking and sailing. First, we took a ferry to the Wildlife Zoo, which is composed entirely of species found in Australia. Since we didn't have an entire day to spend in one place we opted to see this zoo as opposed to the much larger Taurango Zoo, which has animals from all over the world. It was a GREAT choice. We saw kangaroos, wallabies, possums, crocodiles, Tasmanian devils, bats, wombats and bugs. I held a 6" long, very large stick bug. Bob was trying to take a picture as this ugly looking creature was slowly, but surely, crawling up my arm. I kept telling him to hurry up and take the picture but he was having trouble getting the camera to focus in the limited light so we never got a picture. I definitely did not want this think crawling up inside my blouse He was very nasty looking.
We also saw beautiful butterflies, birds, and some very dangerous creepy reptiles. I even wound up (accidentally) in an open exhibit not far from a staff person holding a very large boa constrictor. Those of you who know me would have been proud that I didn't let out a huge scream and run out of the place crying hysterically!!! Instead, I QUICKLY looked around at the entire exhibit, keeping my distance from this horribly frightening creature, and exited rather quickly. After we finished touring the zoo we took the ferry back to our ship.
Since we still had a few hours left in the day we decided to take another ferry and ride out to Manly Bay, which is a beautiful beachfront community about a 30 minute sail on the ferry. It was a gorgeous sail, doted with points and inlets. Once we docked in Manly, we walked through a large open air market and along the street down to Surfer's Beach, another gorgeous fine white sand beach. There is a wide sidewalk next to the sand for bikes, walkers, etc. There's also a nice grassy area for having a picnic or just sittin' by the dock of the bay wastin' time (thank you Otis Redding). After walking along the beach we made our way along the busy street filled with lots and lots of restaurants. We settled on the Manly Grill and some delicious fish and chips. Yummy!!!
By now it was time for us to make our way back to the ferry for our return to the ship. Bob raced to the head of the line to board and we were fortunate to get a seat on the very front of the boat. It made for a beautiful sail. Although it was early evening so the sun was lower in the sky, there was still plenty of warm sunshine as we glided through the calm water. Once we docked we soaked in our last few minutes of this beautiful city and then returned to our ship.
Such an active, vibrant, and beautiful city. It's alive with diversity in its people, activities and natural beauty. We have thoroughly enjoyed our days here and now look forward to touring other exciting places in this beautiful and enormous country.
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