We're obsessed with taking pictures of the architectural masterpiece.
Today we enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the streets and
gardens of Sydney. This morning we experienced our first rain of
the trip (aside from the three-hour layover in Auckland a week ago), but the precipitation
was both light and hit and miss. When
the rain cleared, the puffy white clouds dotted the blue sky on a crisp day.
Instead of giving you a play-by-play of the day, I’ll list
the sites and things we visited with some parenthetical commentary: Darling
Harbour (Sydney’s entertainment neighborhood and where cruise ships port), the
Sydney Monorail (why Atlanta won’t adopt this form of intercity transportation,
I’ll never know), the ANZAC War Memorial in Hyde Park (the Park had an
extremely beautiful colonnade of trees that led to a great fountain), and MacQuarie
Point (which is arguably the photogenic spot in the city, because from this
outcrop into the harbor, one can see both the Opera House and the Harbour
Bridge).
Chris's turn to try and be artistic.
Later in the afternoon, when
Miller went to watch a movie, Sheldon and I wondered down to the wharf and
eventually walked across the Harbour Bridge, when provided some magnificent
vistas of the city and harbor… er, harbour… which is blue in colour… or at
least that is the rumour… and we’re all in good humour here in the centre of
life in Australia.
A couple of places merit comment. First, in the Royal Botanic Gardens, there we
were, minding our own business, talking to a couple from New York City, when we heard this awful
cacophony of screeching noises. We
turned to see hundreds, maybe thousands, of fox bats swarming among the
trees. These flying mammals were not
tiny. When they roosted in the branches,
you could see just how large and nimble they were.
Someone got to the fountain before I did. Who else from Tech is in Australia these days?
We were all particularly grateful that a)
they stayed around the treetops, and b) none of us experienced projectile guano
firsthand.
Second, the Pitt Street Malls. Australians believe in shopping. But they do it right. They place their malls inside otherwise
lovely buildings or turn them into massive underground arcades. Instead of an eyesore, they are actually nice
to visit, to watch people, and actually to shop. We had lunch in the gigantic food court and
plotted out the rest of our day. I
wanted to leave as quickly as possible, though, because of all of the amazing
pastries staring me in the face.
We want to give you a few general observations of our time
in Australia
thus far.
Cool shot.
The people are extraordinarily
friendly and happy.
I cannot recall
seeing an Aussie who wasn’t smiling… even the attendants at the ticket booths
for public transportation.
They smile
and laugh, and such mirth is contagious.
You can’t help but be happy in
Sydney and
in
Australia
in general.
In addition, every single Aussie has been more than helpful;
each one with whom we have come in contact has acted as a perfect ambassador
for the country and the culture. Often times
they recognize a tourist from a kilometer away and then take the initiative to
help him or her… with directions or taking a picture or recommending a
restaurant.
Aussies also seem to be quite patriotic… proud of their
nationality and their unique way of life.
Awesome shot of the Harbour Bridge
You see the Australian flag flying as prominently as Americans display
the Stars and Stripes.
I think they like
their place in the world – a westernized country far away from everyone
else.
Isolation has its benefits.
(I suppose we’ll experience that on an even
greater scale in
New Zealand
next week.)
Even though
Sydney is bustling, as any major world city
certainly is, you get the sense that the Aussies who make it tick never take
themselves too seriously and realize that life should be fun.
Oh… and Australians really do say “g’day,” “fair dinkum,”
“good on you” (but it sounds like “g’donya”), “mate,” and several other phrases
I have yet to understand but which they swear is English.
Thousands of fox bats over the Royal Botanic Gardens.
And one more thing: Australians dress very well… at least
when it comes to business attire. If I
had any luggage room whatsoever, I would be returning with a rack full of
neckties. Aussie men are dressed to the
nines in their stylish suits, shirts, and ties, particularly the young people,
and Americans could learn a thing or two.
Tomorrow we set about on a road trip, driving first to Canberra, the nation’s
capital, and spending one night there.
Then on Thursday we head to Melbourne and
the State of Victoria
for the last leg of our Australian journey.
Stay tuned for more!
-Chris
