With no time for lavish buffet breakfasts, we started this day scarffing down some tasty croissants and take away coffees from a local cafe. Then we were off to try and negotiate Sydney's train system and make our way down to the central ferry docks. After a little bit of toing and froing, we determined that we were on the main loop and any number of trains or platforms would get us to where we wanted to be. Thanks to Linton's precision planning our hotel, The Mercure Sydney, was in a perfect location in terms of negotiating the city as were mere minutes from the Central station. After hopping onto one of their cool double decker trains we sailed through three stops and disembarked right at the ferry docks. Our destination was the Tarango Zoo, a brief ferry ride across the harbour. With the next ferry due to depart in 30 minutes, we had a bit of time to watch as tiny ants (aka people) climbed up and over the harbour bridge. The bridge climb is one of the "must do" things in Sydney and is on my list. Conveniently perhaps, I decided there wasn't enough time to do it on this visit!
Once we were on the ferry there was no end of amazing photo ops. The kids both have their own digital cameras and between the three of us we must have taken the bridge and opera house from a hundred different angles. The harbour is so cool because there is so much to see - boats, skyline, old forts, million dollar mansions, etc. I must have said "I would love to live here twenty times" as we cruised by gorgeous views and incredible condos/houses on the banks of the harbour and neighbouring hills.
Once we were on the ferry there was no end of amazing photo ops. The kids both have their own digital cameras and between the three of us we must have taken the bridge and opera house from a hundred different angles. The harbour is so cool because there is so much to see - boats, skyline, old forts, million dollar mansions, etc. I must have said "I would love to live here twenty times" as we cruised by gorgeous views and incredible condos/houses on the banks of the harbour and neighbouring hills.
Arriving at the zoo dock, the ferry stops only long enough for everyone to get off and the next group to get on and then its away and back across the bay with the efficiency of a Swiss train. Once ashore, we boarded a bus for the short climb up the hill to the front gates of the zoo. The Tarango Zoo's best feature is its location with stunning views back to Sydney at every turn. We found the Melbourne Zoo better at displaying its animals but nothing could compare with the vistas at Tarango. We really enjoyed the seal show and displays - perhaps one of the only animals we had yet to experience at a zoo in Australia. The chimpanzees were also a highlight. A lunch with some extremely agressive, panhandling Ibis birds (practically sat in our laps) and cool cable car ride back down to the ferry dock and soon we were headed to the Opera House.
It really is a very cool building. With more time and different aged kids we might have done the tour inside, but with attention spans and patience at a premium we spent most of our time wandering around the outside steps. The grand finale of Australian Idol was to take place at the foot of the opera house in a few days and we watched with interest as several hundred roadies constructed an enormous stage. This was another place that seemed to beg for a picture at every turn and as I later edited out all of our "rejects" I wondered at what our expenses for film and processing might have been.
Next stop was The Rocks on the other side of the ferry docks. This is a very historic part of Sydney under the Harbour Bridge and is full of quaint shops, restaurants and cafes. Another place that needed more time to fully explore but we managed to check out a few t-shirt shops and to make an ice cream stop that would have made Papa very proud. Back on the train we confidently commuted our way back to the central station and up into our hotel. An hour long swim in the hotel pool looking back over the Sydney skyline helped to soothe some tired legs.
Today's final act would be a really fun meal in Chinatown. In Melbourne and now in Sydney we were introduced to some fairly aggressive selling/persuasive tactics on the part of restaurant owners trying to get your business. On Lygon street in Melbourne and in Sydney's Chinatown, they offer free drinks, free starters, tell you the chef is the best, the menu is the best, offer to refund your money all the while standing directly in your path and not really taking no for an answer. If you're in the right frame of mind it can be sort of fun, though some of these guys looked genuinely offended when we chose to go elsewhere. In the case of Sydney we had been given a name by our concierge and that's the place we settled on. It was a great night, a fun meal and I learned that when you order Peking Duck, you get the whole duck!
Oh, and I almost forgot the biggest thing that happened to us yesterday...a great white attack, and we got a picture! We were rowing out in Sydney harbour, just across from the opera house, when Colin heard this creepy music...Duh Dun. Duh Dun. Then we all heard it and it was getting closer and faster! Duh Dun. Duh Dun. And then we saw this fin in the water right behind the boat! Duh Dun, Duh Dun, Duh Dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun...suddenly out of the water lept this giant great white shark and we all screamed as it took a huge bite out of the digital background that the photographer superimposed onto our perfectly posed expressions...Just a little fun added fun at the aquarium yesterday.
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