Wonderful, Beautiful, Varied Sydney

This city is truly an amazing place. 

We are docked in the area called The Rocks where much is built of sandstone boulders held together by crushed sea shells. This is the landscape that greeted the first explorers who came here and found this deep and beautiful harbor.

Much of the housing in the area belongs to the government and is leased back to people for living. It reminded us of areas in Savannah and New Orleans with the wrought iron trim. Rick, our guide, said it had all originally been ballast in sailing ships. Great recycling plan. This would be prime property for sale. 

After the US War for Independence in 1776 when the English could no longer send convicts to the Colonies the English government decide Australia was the great place for convicts to be sent. We saw several beautiful buildings designed by Francis Greenaway who was a forger and had been an architect. So he came to 

Australia as a convict, got pardoned but stayed and designed buildings and a lovely lighthouse. 

Yesterday we had a terrific tour of the city with a guide who knew so much...or as he claimed made up lots and lots. This Woolworth's was in a very upscale neighborhood- Double Bay- and the windows had panes so people couldn't see who was shopping in this budget store in such a fine place.

We saw the house of John Watson, in Watson's Bay, who was also a convict. He stole a horse and got sent away to Australia. He was pardoned and became the harbor master. His job was to check every ship coming into the harbor for rats and fleas. 

The many beautiful bays surrounding Sydney featured beaches popular for swimmers. We stopped and had tea and cakes at a park where people swam and lots of children were playing on a playground. All the bays are "netted" out several hundred yards to protect swimmers from sharks. Works- haven't had a shark death since 1977. The main harbor had 3 mini-subs get through the nets during World War II and sink a ferry. 

We saw beautiful Sydney Harbor National Park- 190 miles long. Australia celebrates its independence day as January 26, 1788.

People in this city love to give landmarks a nickname. The  rounded iron framed bridge nearby the Opera House in called the "Coat Hanger." People can pay $200 and climb this bridge. One of our friends from the other cruise was planning to do that and we can't imagine! There is another bridge that reminds us of the Skyway because of its wire design. It is called by some "The Insect" and by some "Madonna's Bra." Our view from the ship is of the port control tower which controls all the ships in and out of the berths in the port....so they call it "The Pill" because it controls the "births." 

Our guide told us his favorite thing to eat is called a pie floater. It features a meat pie in the center of a mound of mushy peas that is in the center of a mound of mashed potatoes. He showed us his favorite place that created this dish. The look would be enough to run the heartiest appetite.

We saw Bondi Beach- the beach nearest Sydney- with hundreds and hundreds of people. We saw about 20 "nippers" (boys 7-9 years old) who are learning to surf. They raced into the water with surf boards in tow. Many of these continue to train to be one of the famous Bondi Lifesavers. 

We went to the beautiful 6 story Queen Victoria Building built in the early 1900's as a market/shopping place. There were 2 very interesting clocks and lots and lots of interesting shops. We had fun shopping, comparing and buying a few things.