Saturday, April 15, 2023

Sydney!

 Day 91

Aah, Sydney.  It's got the edginess and style of Melbourne and the sailing prowess and athleticism of Auckland. 

With its striking Opera House and Harbor Bridge, Sydney is a treat to sail into (and away from). Sailing under the Harbor Bridge is an incredible experience. 

We were up at 5 or 5:30 for the sail-in. Sunrise over the harbor was spectacular.

The building of the Opera House is a remarkable tale complete with intrigue and plot twists worthy of a bestselling adventure novel.  I would need a whole blog post or two (or more) to tell the story! Google it if you can. 

Some photos below from 2023 and 2019.







Above 4 photos - sunrise over Sydney!

The Opera House in the foreground



Sailing under the Harbor Bridge - people on the ship taking photos of the underside of the bridge!









Some beautiful old Victorian Buildings in Balmain (an older part of Sydney near the port). We walked a few miles - the length of one of the roads to the ferry into town. 




While waiting for the ferry in Balmain



Some views from the ferry. Transportation within the city is pretty amazing - one can get around by ferry, train or bus - it's exceptionally easy and inexpensive: a quick tap of the credit card. My favorite: the ferry. The views are always spectacular (we had nice, sunny days!). I never tire of shots of the Opera House. 










The tall tower in the city center is the Sydney Eye. We've never been up there. 


Above photos from the Rocks and city center. The Rocks area, which is a stone's throw away from the harbor is the oldest part of Sydney. It's at once quaint and hip, with a bright and pleasing personality. Lots of shops and restaurants line its cobblestone streets, and co-exist with heritage buildings dating back to when it was occupied by Sydney's first settlers. It's the top tourist area in the city.






More views from the ferry in above 4 photos - the Opera House again. Couldn't resist. 





Above 2 photos at Echo Point at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. 

The three sandstone peaks in the background are known as The Three Sisters, an important landmark in the Blue Mountains, about a two hour bus ride from Sydney. The Blue Mountains are so called because of the blue haze that is created after the  oil released from the eucalyptus trees mingles with dust particles and water vapor in the atmosphere, emitting blue rays of light. 


The train on the "Scenic Railway" in the Blue Mountains National Park. Felt a bit like a roller coaster ride at Disney Land with the very steep, vertical drop. It was very short (fortunately!). 



The Blue Mountains National Park was a former coal mining site - vestiges of a coal mining past above. 


Sculpture of a miner and his pit pony pulling coal in Blue Mountains National Park. The sculpture was sculpted and cast in bronze using the traditional lost wax method. 


View of the Three Sisters from Blue Mountain National Park. A Blue Mountains landmark, these 3 sandstone peaks are an important landmark and legendary in Australian aboriginal history. 



View of the Blue Mountains from where we stopped for lunch. That blue haze again. And beautiful blue skies. 



Lovely restaurant where we stopped for lunch











Bondi Beach in Sydney - 2019



Manly beach. In 2019, we took the ferry to surrounding islands like Manly and others. 


Inside the Opera House - 2019


View of the Opera House "sails" from below - on Opera House tour


Inside the Opera House - 2019


From inside the Opera House - 2019


View of Harbor Bridge from Opera House



Above 2 photos - interior of Queen Victoria Building - 2019


The Rocks - 2019





Above 4 photos - Sydney by night from the ferry - 2019






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