Last post was 8 days ago before I went to Sydney, before I helped crew a boat to a second place race finish in the Wednesday afternoon races, and before I caught some mildly horrible cootie on the flights on Virgin Blue that could easily have doubled for t.b. quarantine wards. I had happily forgotten what it's like to travel in winter, what with it being July and all. Suffice it to say there was hacking to the left of me, snorters to the right, there I was stuck in the middle with germs.
Took the midnight red eye from Perth to Sydney and arrived at 7AM on two hours sleep. Got all checked in at the Intercontinental (lovely hotel, all modern on the outside but built around an old brick courtyard) and the walked the 1km over to the Westin (even lovelier also with an old brick facade in the center) where my sister Laura and her husband Tripp were happily ensconced in a with access to the executive lounge. Thank goodness for miles! We were able to eat breakfast and have tea, coffee, snacks, and adult beverages at the lounge the whole time - and with continental brekkie running $40AU it added up over the four days.
We immediately headed out to the Botanic Garden...gorgeous. My favorite part was this:
The trees were full of these darling flying foxes which I remember fondly from our days on the islands of Indonesia. They were extremely grumpy - chattering and squeaking and fussing about. Would love to go back and see them take flight of an evening. The contrast between the noise of the days in the trees and the silence of their flight at dusk is amazing.
We wandered all over the gardens taking the slow and scenic route around until "the" vista finally emerged. Just as scenic as expected!
We eventually walked down to the Opera House, around Circular Quay, and up into The Rocks. We settled in to celebrate July 4th with a couple of pints and a patriotic wave of our little American flags at a pub billed, probably in a savvy marketing move, as the "Oldest Pub in Sydney". It did look the part. As did a few of the customers.
Appropriately lubricated we walked (perhaps staggered) through a local open air market admiring cheap trinkets, finely carved wood, soaps, pungent unguents, and charming kangaroo scrotum coin purses *shudder*. Eventually thirst and hunger won out and we settled on an Irish bar for a breather.
Begging mercy from my more refreshed relatives I managed to get back to the hotel for an hours nap before getting clean and dressed for dinner at a seafood joint in Darling Harbor. Apparently designed by a former Orlando FL resident Darling Harbor offered all the conventioneer treats one could possibly hope for - the aquarium, wildlife museum, endless restaurants, food courts, glittery lights, and cute young things. The meal was lovely, wine great, people watching better. After a stroll around the harbour my feet started yelling at me and we caught a cab back to the hotel for a well earned sleep.
Day two - Bondi!
The trees were full of these darling flying foxes which I remember fondly from our days on the islands of Indonesia. They were extremely grumpy - chattering and squeaking and fussing about. Would love to go back and see them take flight of an evening. The contrast between the noise of the days in the trees and the silence of their flight at dusk is amazing.
We wandered all over the gardens taking the slow and scenic route around until "the" vista finally emerged. Just as scenic as expected!
We eventually walked down to the Opera House, around Circular Quay, and up into The Rocks. We settled in to celebrate July 4th with a couple of pints and a patriotic wave of our little American flags at a pub billed, probably in a savvy marketing move, as the "Oldest Pub in Sydney". It did look the part. As did a few of the customers.
Appropriately lubricated we walked (perhaps staggered) through a local open air market admiring cheap trinkets, finely carved wood, soaps, pungent unguents, and charming kangaroo scrotum coin purses *shudder*. Eventually thirst and hunger won out and we settled on an Irish bar for a breather.
Begging mercy from my more refreshed relatives I managed to get back to the hotel for an hours nap before getting clean and dressed for dinner at a seafood joint in Darling Harbor. Apparently designed by a former Orlando FL resident Darling Harbor offered all the conventioneer treats one could possibly hope for - the aquarium, wildlife museum, endless restaurants, food courts, glittery lights, and cute young things. The meal was lovely, wine great, people watching better. After a stroll around the harbour my feet started yelling at me and we caught a cab back to the hotel for a well earned sleep.
Day two - Bondi!
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