Another day in this great city!
We met up at the Lido for a quick breakfast before we headed out to take in more of the city!
Today we took the shuttle back to Circular Quay in order to take the ferry to Manly Beach. It was a perfect plan! The ferry out to Manly takes about a half an hour. The ferry had outdoor seating and on the way out, there were perfect views of the bridge and Opera house.
We passed the Tarongo Zoo and houses that line the water. We cruised by sail boats and kayaks on our way out to Manly.
We then reached Manly's beautiful coastline that was lined with people, cafes, and a walking path. We walked through the town of Manly and stopped at yet another outdoor market with more great finds - none of which we saw yesterday!
We eventually made our way to Sydney's iconic beachfront! There were tons of surfers enjoying the water and the waves. It was a very beautiful atmosphere! We walked down the beach and to the water - it was cold!! Here there are lots of surfers and swimmers and there is a "Surf Rescue" squad. We puttered around, dipped our toes in the ocean, and just generally enjoyed seeing how Australians spend a Sunday.
We saw the same scene in Rio, in Tahiti, in Easter Island -- people and families strolling and relaxing. I could live here and was trying to figure out how to make that work! We were reminded of how expensive paradise is again when I bought a simple mint and lemon frappe for $7.00.
A wall of a building in Manly!
Manly was a great area full of culture and history and a great beachside destination for our morning! Here are some cute pictures of the kids of Manly!
We had another great ferry ride back to the city!
We made it back to Circular Quay and to the oldest and most picturesque area, The Rocks to go back to the charming shops! We had another wonderful time going from market to market!
After spending some time shopping, it was time to head back to the ship, but not to leave, because we were staying an extra day in Sydney and then flying to Cairns two days early!
We got back to the ship, had some lunch, met up with Bill and Sondra, took a cab to a parking garage so that they could pick up their car, then headed back towards the ship to get to our hotel! Although in trying to get to the hotel, the GPS took us across the Sydney Bridge to outside the city! Even though it was in the wrong direction, I got drive across the bridge and see it more closely!
Once we checked into the hotel, my mom and I decided to explore the city on foot! What an amazing adventure we had! We saw everything around the city and stumbled into some great spots!
We first went to the Queen Victoria Building (QVB) which takes up a full city block on George Street! It is world class shopping all the way around! With the best contemporary fashions, cafes, restaurants and boutiques, the QVB is a magnificent five level historical building! We walked through each level admiring the stores, but more than that, the architecture and uniqueness of the building! Everything was just amazing in this building! We both walked around in awe!
After leaving the QVB, we walked along Pitt Street, which is a pedestrian precinct home to most of the city's shopping centers, including Myer department store - one of Sydney's largest stores! We passed by The Galleries as well, which contains an eclectic mix of modern and street fashion with an edge!
We decided to head towards Hyde Park, and when we got closer, we saw hundreds of tents lined up. There was a festival in the park…so we went! Tons of people were hanging out, enjoying each other's company and feasting on the food and drinks at the festival. There was a band playing on the stage and people dancing all around! It was a great find!
Next we continued to walk through Hyde Park which was lined with beautiful trees and located in the center was a grand fountain. There was a Beatles cover band playing in the park, called Three Brothers and the boys were about junior high/high school age and very good! We stayed to listen for a while before we continued on!
Then we passed St. Mary's Cathedral
Then the Hyde Park Barracks
The 1816 Mint
Sydney Hospital
The State Parliament House and Finally the State Library of New South Wales
Here are some other sights!
We went done yet on our tour of Sydney! We decided to go to the Royal Botanical Gardens, where the first catalogue of plants was produced in 1857. We went to the Pyramid Glasshouse and when we looked up into the sky, I saw a bat, a really large bat, then another, then another and when I looked at the trees there were hundreds of them! Cautiously, I went farther into the gardens and looked up! Thousands of bats where flying around, landing in trees, making noises! It was crazy! I couldn't stop watching the bats, and yet I wasn't scared anymore!
We continued on through the Botanical Gardens and saw some artwork, some bent over trees, then we went passed the Government House, which was gorgeous!
Then passed some bamboo, and a couple taking the prettiest of pictures.
Then we came to the Sydney Opera House! There is no place like the Sydney Opera House! A global icon, a masterpiece of human creative genius, one of the greatest buildings of the 20th century! It was truly magnificent to stand next to the Opera House and see the individual tiles that make up the iconic sails!
We decided to go to eat at the Opera Bar right outside of the Opera House on the pier! It was filled with people dining outside with stunning views of both the bridge and opera house! We shared a pizza and took in the wonderful sights of the city around us! We watched the day turn to evening, the sky change color and the sights light up!
Next we continued back to Circular Quay, passing the restaurants that lined the harbour. We stopped for ice cream - chocolate peanut butter - our favorite! We finally made it back to our hotel! Today was a great day!
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