G'day!
We spent an amazing Christmas with my husband's family in Sydney, Australia. Our first impressions were traffic circles (round abouts) everywhere, gum trees (Eucalyptus) throughout the city, cars driving on the left side of the streets (walking on the left side of trails too), and cement tile roofs for good thermal and acoustic insulation.
Sydney unites city life, with beach life which gives it a relaxing atmosphere, fringed by the Tasman Sea. There are over 100 picturesque beaches lining the harbor and coastline of Sydney. Aussies love to surf. The world famous Bondi Beach and Manly Beach attract visitors from all across the globe.
An interesting family fact is that my husband's mom and dad met in Sydney when he was on leave from the Army. They fell in love, were married and spent their honeymoon night on one of the beaches in the 1940's.
Bondi Beach is famous for its beautiful golden sands. We took pictures but would love to spend a lazy day relaxing, watching the surfers. Adjacent to the beach is a stunning, saltwater, seaside rock pool, the most photographed swimming pool on earth!
For over a hundred years this pool at Bondi Beach has been open to the public to enjoy!
Sydney is often considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world due to its stunning harbor, iconic landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbor Bridge, and its beautiful beaches. It was a thrill for us to walk along the Sydney Opera House, one of the world's most recognizable landmarks. Its series of large precast concrete shells form the roofs of the structure. More than 15,000 light blubs have to be changed annually inside the building. We didn't get the opportunity to attend one of the 1,600 performances offered in a year. Next visit we will definitely reserve one!
There is a lovely Botanical Garden that wanders from the opera house along the water with more stunning views of the bridge, opera house, harbor, and city.
We took the Manly Ferry for a 30 minute trip through the harbor, getting a close up view of the bridge and Opera House from the water. At Manly we ate lunch at a roof-top restaurant overlooking Manly's lovely beaches and out to sea. There are two ferries, the new fast one, and the old slow one which gave us more time to take pictures.
The Sydney Harbor Bridge also dominates the skyline. An adrenalin pumping guided tour over the arch affords amazing views over the city. It's one of the world's greatest arch bridges. The views from the top are worth the climb!!
We had a wonderful visit to Featherdale Wildlife Park, enjoying the native animals and birds of Australia. We all know a lot of facts about the fascinating Koalas and Kangaroos. But, did you know Koalas sleep for up to 16 hours a day in order to conserve energy? Did you know that Kangaroos cannot walk backwards?
Another amazingly awesome nearby trip we made was to the Blue Mountains! They get their name from the natural blue haze created by vast eucalypt forests. Tiny droplets of oil released from the trees mix with water vapor and sunlight to produce the distinctive color. We explored waterfalls, forest valleys, a walkabout, rode the world's steepest passenger railway, descending into an ancient rainforest, rode a glass-floored cable car suspended above a steep gorge, offering a panoramic view of the mountains and The Three Sisters.
The seats are slanted back so you don't fall forward. It's like going off a cliff!
Just on a more personal note, we stayed with my husband's older sister on the Georges River, visited the school his mom and sister went to, and found the house they lived in. His niece had us to her home for Christmas dinner and a swim in the pool.
Is it worth the long flight to get to Sydney, Australia? A million times, yes!!!
Christmas Gift