For my last full day in Sydney, I took the day-long Blue Mountain tour.  I originally planned to do this on Monday, but because of the rain, I put it off.

The tour bus picked my up at the Marriott near the loft at an un-godly 7:20AM.  The driver and tour guide, Michael, was full of information and wit.  He really made it enjoyable and made a couple of detours off the itinerary so we could get the best views of the mountains.  Why called Blue Mountains?  The mist of the eucalyptus trees gives the area a blue tint in the sunlight.  Even though it was kinda overcast, you could still see the bluish tint.

The first stop, however, was at Featherdale Wildlife Park, a zoo with indigenous birds, animals, and reptiles.  I would finally get to see kangaroos and koalas up close.

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What is a visit to Sydney without taking in a show at the Opera House.  There are several theatres in the Opera House, but I figured it would be best to see the Opera Theatre.  One of the current productions is Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta, The Pirates of Penzance.  Now I guess when a Disney franchise like Pirates of the Caribbean takes in a billion dollars or two or more, there is bound to be some influence on other types of productions.  The actor who played The Pirate King channeled his inner Johnny Depp, but also created a delightful character that was very much his own.  Never having seen this before, I can’t compare it to past production.  And given there are over 100 years worth, there are plenty to which to compare.  But it was certainly an enjoyable evening and worth having gone.

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Haven’t posted in a few days. Need to catch up.  I had to spend a good day at one of the iconic beaches – Bondi Beach.  If you’ve ever seen movie scenes or pictures of the quintessential Australian beach, this is it.  It was a bit chilly for beach weather but that doesn’t stop the hearty and crazy.  The area could use some sprucing up, although that is part of its charm and you can walk along the beach and cliffside to some of the other beaches.  A special “Sculpture By the Sea” exhibit was showing with various sculptures planted along the walk.  I didn’t make it all the way to Bronte Beach, which was my goal, as the rains came.  Not hard but steady enough.

My walking journey continued up the stairs to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and across to Milson’s Point.  One side of the bridge is for cyclists, the other for pedestrians and joggers.  And there are a lot of joggers.  The famous landmark in Milson’s Point is Luna Park, an amusement park opened in 1935.  It wasn’t open at the time but still cool to see close up.  And then, the long journey back.

Next to the Sydney Harbour is an area known as The Rocks, the historic area of Sydney.  There are lots of restaurants, craft shops, galleries, cafes and pubs.  This is probably my favorite part of the city so far.

Just beyond the Gardens, I finally reached the Sydney Harbour and the Opera House.  Obviously, the centerpiece of the Harbour is the Opera House and Bridge, but there are several restaurants and cruise ships depart from here.  However, Darling Harbour offers more entertainment value.  So not knowing when I might get back here for another visit, I decided I had to see a show at the Opera House (when in Rome, and all).  There are actually several theatres here as well as a concert hall.  Had to go for the Opera Theatre which is playing The Pirates of Penzance.  I’ve never been to an opera and given this is actually an operetta, probably a good way to start.

Before reaching the Sydney Harbour, I visited the Botanical Gardens.  Now you could really spend a whole day here.  Walking through the garden, you don’t even realize you are in the middle of a city.  People picnic, sunbathe, and just contemplate in a beautiful, peaceful setting.  The smells of flowers, herbs and other plant life waft in the air and you really don’t want to leave.

With the great weather yesterday, it was time to finally time to see the most iconic symbol of the city, the Sydney Opera House.  As always, I prefer to walk because I love to discover places along the way.  And this was a pretty healthy walk.  In fact, I walked from the loft to Sydney Harbour to the Rocks, up and across the Sydney Harbour Bridge to the other side and all the way back again.  Wish I had a pedometer to measure it.  Along the way to the Harbour was St. Mary’s Cathedral, a beautiful cathedral in the center of the city.  The doors were open so I walked in.  Little did I know that a mass had just started–it was around 1PM.  I had to figure out a much more graceful exit than was my entrance.  Forget that.  Head down, exit straight ahead.  Here are some shots of the area: