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Sydney, a city where I would like to live.
During our first trip we spent only one day in the city but we had the opportunity,
two years later, to go back for five weeks.
This confirmed my first impression. Not too cold during the winter time, not too hot during the summer,
life seems very far from the stress you can have in European capitals.
A place where the words ‘Don't worry,....’ are part of the day to day life.
So, during this fisrt trip, we spent a wonderful day in Sydney.
To avoid driving with the mobilhome in the city we leave it in a caravan park
located 15 kms. from the centre (one of the rare caravan park I will quote as 'bad'), at 7.30 a.m. we take a
taxi which is dropping us at Circular Quay.
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Circular Quay at that time of the day is a crowded place,
it is the place where people are catching the ferry to commute from one side of the bay to the other,
simply to go to work, as in Paris people are taking the metro.
Early in the morning is a great time to go to the Opera House place and walk around, very quite,
nobody around, your are alone to enjoy the scenery. If you are going back few hours later you will find
a crowded place that seems the meeting point for tourists from all over the world.
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We decide to organise our day with the ‘help’ of the ‘
Captain Cook Cruise’.
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So, for a very reasonable cost, we are buying a ticket including The Morning Cruise on the bay,
a guided tour of the Rocks, a lunch at the main restaurant of the Opera House, and a guided visit of the Opera House.
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Botanical Gardens & Centrepoint Tower
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Entrance to Sydney Harbour
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The cruise on the bay is an opportunity to admire all these beautiful
(and so expensive) houses overlooking to the bay and separated by several protected (by shark nets) beaches.
The boat is reaching the North and South Heads that are delimiting the Harbour Entrance.
This one is 1500 meters wide and is the only entrance to the harbour.
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The boat is then turning to bring us back to Circular Quay where the cruise
is ending after a last turn under famous Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Located under the southern end of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Pier One, is a shopping,
amusement complex developed out of an old wharf building.
Back on earth, and ready to remove the second part from our ticket.
It is time for the visit of the Rocks.
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As it is not a holiday period we are quite lucky to have a 'private guide'
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The Rocks are the historical place of Sydney, they are stretching from the southern end of the Sydney
Harbour Bridge, around the foreshore to Circular Quay.
It is the place where everything started, the first settlers arrived, and the place started to grow.
Today, many buildings are carefully restored to their original state and at the same time, craft studios,
art galleries, and restaurants are being established.
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The lunch at the main restaurant of the Opera House is also a great souvenir.
Could you imagine yourself, in the restaurant of this famous monument, overlooking one of the most beautiful
bay in world, and enjoying some delicious seafood?
The last part of our ‘Day Tour Ticket’
is the visit of the Opera House. Guided tour again where we receive a lot of explanation about the construction,
people and materials, and also about the political controversy present at that time.
It is also the opportunity to visit the Opera Theatre, the Recording Hall, ... (more info on the
Opera House Web site)
Unfortunately we do not have the possibility to visit the biggest one, the Concert Hall.
One of my friend did it and also had the chance to play the piano there. He told me, that it will
be one of the best souvenirs in his life.
The visit ends, and it is only three o’clock in the afternoon. We then decide to go back to the Rocks,
taking our time, walking trough the different handcraft shops and artist galleries.
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Sunset on the Opera House
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Around 6 o'clock we are leaving the city, and the sunset on the Opera House is still
in our eyes when we are back to the caravan park.
Still many other things to do and places to visit in Sydney.
The second time we visited Sydney, it was for a longer period (5 weeks in total)
and it was mainly business related. Nevertheless during the weekends we had the opportunity to enjoy different
aspects of the city.
A Saturday at
Darling Harbour can be a mix of shopping, laying on the grass listening a concert, watching some street
attractions or just enjoying the sun.
Darling Harbour is also the place where you will find the
Sydney Aquarium, one of the largest and most spectacular aquarium in the world and surely one of the best
I had the opportunity to visit. And at the end of the day, if you really want a change and a rest, just walk to
the The Chinese Garden of Friendship.
For few years already, a new attraction is also available.
You can climb at the top of the
Sydney Harbour Bridge. If you are interested to read more on this, two articles are available on this web site
(
BridgeClimb (Sydney) ,
At Last I Climbed That Bridge! ). I did not try it yet but will do it ... one day.
(... next page
The Blue Mountains ...)
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