Sydney

I'm posting a bit out of order here.  I'm jumping over the rest of my New Zealand trip for the time being, because I'm waiting on some pictures from some of the other girls I traveled with.  So, pause on Queenstown for now... skipping ahead to Sydney!

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March 29 - April 2, 2013

Although sad to leave beautiful New Zealand, I was looking forward to being reunited with David in Sydney for a long weekend trip!  One of my favorite parts about Sydney was how surreal it felt to see the iconic Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge every single day.  You see both of these landmarks on TV, in movies, etc., but to see them in person was almost unreal.  They're both just as amazing as I imagined!

We stayed in an area of Sydney called "The Rocks."  This is an older area of the city, and I loved how they've maintained a lot of the historic buildings.  Most of the streets are still very narrow and brick-paved.  It has a very eclectic and funky vibe, and it's a great location in the city.  On our first morning there, we were lucky to stumble upon a farmers' market just down the street from our hotel.  It ended up being a really fun way to explore the neighborhood and eat some delicious food while we were at it!

 

 

 

Our awesome hotel lobby.  Part of the floor was glass so you could see through to the water below. 

 

Mah man.  Enjoying some drinks outside our hotel.

After stuffing our faces with amazing market food, we headed to the Royal Botanic Gardens.  We've visited the botanic gardens in both Brisbane and Melbourne, but this one was by far the most impressive- not to mention huge.  You could probably spend an entire day there, just wandering around and people watching.  We saw two separate weddings being held there, too.  Such a pretty setting! 

 

 

 

Next, we headed to the Opera House for a guided tour we had booked.  Usually I'm a little wary of touristy tours like this, but I'm so glad we did it this time!  It was really interesting to learn about the building's history, construction, controversy with the original architect, etc.  Plus, the tour gives you access to parts of the Opera House that you wouldn't otherwise have.  We were able to go into several of the performance areas, which was amazing (no photos allowed there unfortunately).  I'd love to go back for an actual performance sometime while we're here! 

 

 

 

Close up of the tiles on the roof of the Opera House. 

 

View from inside

 

 

There's an awesome bar right outside the Opera House that was perfect for having a drink or a cheese plate shaped like the Opera House while enjoying the views. 

 

Opera House at different times of the day

The Harbour Bridge was so neat to see in person, and just about anywhere you go in Sydney (as long as you're near the water), there it is. Our hotel was actually literally right at the base of part of the bridge.  And of course, you feel compelled to take a picture of it just about every single time you see it.  :-) 

 

 

This was the view of the bridge from right outside our hotel!

On Easter Sunday, we took the bus to the famous Bondi Beach and went on the well-known Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk.  This ended up being one of my favorite parts of our trip.  The coast line is gorgeous, amazing views the entire way, and it was so fun to visit all the beaches along the way.  Oh, and awesome people watching, too... as you'll see below :-) 

 

I couldn't resist sneaking a photo of this beach babe :-)

 

A really cool pool/swim club literally right on the ocean.  It was originally built for lifeguards to train in when the ocean was too cold. 

 

 

Scary cliffs

 

 

 

The next day, we took the ferry to Manly Beach, another well-known beach in Australia.  The ferry ride was fun, and the beach was pretty.  But in general, I was a little underwhelmed with Manly.  It might just have been the crowds, but I was more impressed with the beaches we'd seen the previous day.  We found a fun little brewery (Four Pines Brewing Company) on Manly and had a great lunch and beer tasting there.  Definitely check it out if you're ever there!

 

 

Later that afternoon, we headed to the Sydney Aquarium.  I'd never been to an aquarium with one of those "tube" walkways where sharks and other sea creatures are swimming all around you, so that was really fun to see!  David loved the sharks, but that manatee was my favorite by far!

 

 

Manatee eating lettuce.

 

Eek!

On our last day in Sydney, we visited the Pylon Lookout Point, which is basically where you can climb up 200+ stairs in the base of one of the Harbour Bridge's main supports (a pylon) and get an incredible view of the harbour, the bridge, and the Opera House.  It was pretty interesting too, because on your way up, there are several exhibits where you can catch your breath learn about the history and construction of the bridge.  It was a perfectly clear day when we went, and the views from the top were breathtaking!

 

 

 

 

 

If you look closely, you can see the people climbing the bridge.

 

Sydney was amazing!  It was so incredible to visit such a famous city- someplace I honestly thought I'd never have the chance to see.