Sydney: Dining, Opera House, and the Harbor

Well folks! Here is it! Sydney! And no...before you ask, there is no such thing as 42 Wallaby Way. Believe me, it was the first thing I tried to find.

But what does exist, what I did find, was amazing food, beer and views along the Circular Quay in Sydney Harbor.

Based on my travels thus far, Sydney reminds me of the French Riviera, Boston, and San Francisco mixed in one.  The tropical luxury and boutique shops took me back to Nice, while the wharf food and apartments took me back to those found in Boston and San Fran. However, nothing I know of can compare to the splendor and artistry of Sydney's Opera House. I had always envisioned it as sitting right on the bay, looking out over an ocean. Instead, it is safely tucked away into Sydney Harbor and is surrounded by beautiful quays including the botanical gardens right next door, the Tooranga Zoo across the bay, and the Presidents house on a hill on a  secluded, protected quay directly opposite the Opera House.

When we arrived, we met with my supervisor and talked business in Chatswood, a suburb of Sydney. The train ride was lovely and relaxing. We made good time and arrived in Sydney about 2 hours from leaving Newcastle. There were many views of small, desolate villages and suburbs, but there were also beautiful pastoral views of greener than green forests, and vast enigmatic lakes.

Once I arrived in Sydney, I quickly feel in love. It is a  busy cosmopolitan world filled with shopping favorites that one would find on Fifth Avenue in NYC, as well as friendly people and beautiful green surroundings and suburbs.

We finished business in Chatswood just in time for lunch. We sought out a place to dine with a view and found Cruise Bar: a sophisticated pub on the opposite side of Circular Quay from the Opera House. We sat on old wood benches eating our steak frites with a bottle of beer, when we discovered we were surrounded by flying rats a.k.a seagulls. It is no wonder where Pixar got their inspiration from.

After a fabulous meal, we walked along the quay to the Opera House. The "sails" were so large and intricately designed with inlaid markings, that they looked more like seashells to me.

We didn't have time to take a tour or see a show, but we plan on returning before the 16th in order to do so before Dad flies home to the US. Stay tuned for that post! We did see, however, people setting up for the "Grace of Monaco" movie premier starring, an Aussie favorite, Nicole Kidman.

As we walked around , we decided to take a water taxi around the bay. We were lucky enough to take this boat at sunset,when the city and sails of the Opera House would light up with golden and pick hues. We stopped at the zoo quay to pick up some passengers before heading over to the metropolitan part of town which showcased several different restaurants, bars and museums to choose from.

One nautical museum we sailed past was the Sea Shepard vessel: an anti-poaching ship dedicated to whale conservation, which can be found in action on the Animal Planet show "Whale Wars." This particular vessel had been converted into a museum of anti-poaching and sealife conservation. I hope to comeback one day and see that as well, but it was getting late and we needed to head back to Newcastle before it got too dark.

While it was only a taste of what Sydney had to offer, it certainly whetted my appetite to come back for much more. I enjoyed Sydney immensely and am in love. I'm going to start looking for jobs here and hope to have something fabulous by the time this PhD is done! I can easily imagine working, dining, drinking, and living in this beautiful, artistic and friendly metropolis surrounded by exotic quays. Hopefully, one day, I will.

Well all, I'm off to make an old dream come true tomorrow. I'm headed to Brisbane, to the Australia Zoo, to finally see where my idol, Steve Irwin, worked and played with many a wild animal. I will catch up with you all then! Crickey!!

Cheers mates!