At the airport we bought Opal cards, which enabled us to take trains, buses, and ferrys all over the Sydney area.
Our Air BNB home in Bondi Beach.
A short walk to the beach.
Very warm and crowded
From the Bondi Icebergs Club
The Icebergs Club swimming pool which fills with ocean water, a brisk 76 degrees when we were there in the spring (November).
On Monday, we took a free walking tour of Sydney, meeting at the town hall.
These lovely trees, throughout the city, were in full bloom.
A beautiful mall below the town hall, adjacent to the train station.
St. Mary's Cathedral next to Hyde Park.
Old convict buildings are a big part of the city's heritage.
Like SF, none of the buildings are as old as in Europe.
This bronze boar in front of the old Sydney Hospital brings good luck to anyone who rubs its nose, or other appendages.
The Australian coat of arms. The Kangaroo and Emu are both unable to walk backwards, as they hope Australia never goes backwards. And they are apparently good eating!
This 'Forgotten Songs' art display commemorates the songs of fifty birds once heard in central Sydney, before they were gradually forced out by European settlement.
No idea what this big glass panel is but I thought it was cool.
Of couse, the Opera House. This design by a young Danish man was picked as athe winner of an international design competition. It was built between 1959-1973.
We ducked out of the walking tour to take the ferry to Manly beach.
Many boats were on the harbour.
The Corso at Manly beach
The beach was pretty vacant that day.
Lunch at a seafood restaurant where we learned that a 'Milkshake' is really milk with a little ice cream for flavor. We sent it back for a local beer.
Coming back from Manly, the Sydney skyline from the ferry.
The Opera House from the harbor.
Tuesday June scheduled a wine trip to Hunter Valley, so I walked about 3 kms South to Bronte Beach.
Close to Coogee beach
Waverly Cemetery where I turned around.
Thinking about surfing?
The sea was angry that day.
Somewhere near Hunter Valley...
June was drinking wine and having fun.
We met in downtown Sydney for dinner. I took the ferry from the golf course. A big tourist attraction is to walk up the suspension of the bridge. You can barely see people going up, and more at the top.
Yet another view of the Opera House
Before dinner we took another free walking tour. This time, 'The Rocks' which is a neighborhood where many convicts settled.
We walked through shady back alleys and heard creepy stories.
A freeway underpass going to the bridge.
The Australian Hotel, a Sydney icon for well over 100 years.
Some ruins in the Rocks area. Chairs are put in place to show the cramped quarters in the old convicts homes.
On Wednesday we had to go in and check out the Opera House.
Then we toured the beautiful botanical gardens...
...with an obligatory visit to Mrs. MacQuarie's chair.
We eventually found Mrs. MacQuarie lost in the park.
And Captain Cook looking on.
On Saturday we visited Darling Harbour, which features...
Chinatown...
... and a super tall Chinese woman twirling a hula-hoop...
...and the Wildlife Sydney Zoo. The following are critters we saw throughout our stay. This is the Australian Ibis, very common throughout the city.
"You lookin at ME!"
The yellow-masked hornbill duckee
Australian King-Parrot
Mrs. King Parrot and their chickees
Canarys?
No idea.
Cassowary, the most dangerous bird in the world. We hoped to cross paths with one up North in Cairns, but we never did.
Laughing Kookaburra. Have you actually heard one? Check out the video.
"I really didn't need to eat that last bag of seed."
Echidna - or spiny anteater.
Some sort of Boa Constrictor
Australian green snake
Croc - 'He's really pissed off now!'
Koalas. Check out the video.
Another Australian marsupial. Don't remember what this is, but this is a full-grown male.
Pretty sure this a male 'roo'.
Kangaroos at park near Hunter Vallley. Check out the video.
A native aboriginal in downtown Sydney.
No idea, but very cool.
The 'bea' is very expensive, even the local stuff.
Very popular among the native Aussies, but they admit that it is an accquired taste. We took a whiff of it somewhere and it was NOT appetizing.
'Woolies' is the grocery store of choice.
Our favorite place to eat in Bondi.
And the evening weather report on TV.
