I <3 Australia: Simply Sydney

I have a feeling this will be the longest post in the whole of Australian series. No wonder as Sydney is the biggest and most well-known city in Oz and quite frankly it deserves a lot of attention. I initially thought of splitting the feed into 2 separate posts but I think it would be easier for the eyes and soul to have it all in one place. Although I do feel a bit guilty I spent so much time in Sydney taking a zillion pictures but I left Melbourne only with a very brief cover. The two cities are heavily competing for the title of the best city in Australia and they both have plenty to offer. So what is it that makes Sydney unique?

This!

The location of the city is truly remarkable. The harbor is equally beautiful from above and from the ground level. But it all comes at a price. And it’s super high. I dare to say there is almost nothing affordable in Sydney unless you earn at least a 6-digit salary and you are one of the two earning that in your family. Luckily you do not have to spend a fortune to visit the city and memories are, as always, priceless! 🙂 My stay started with a rather spectacular show the clouds put up for me, and the weather only got better in time!

Good bye Gold Coast…

Welcome to Sydney!

YININMADYEMI THOU DIDST LET FALL. Don’t worry I did not know myself what that meant. This sculptural artwork by Australian artist Tony Albert is located in Hyde Park, Sydney and reflects on the war experience of Tony’s Grandfather who participated in World War Two.

I got to Sydney in the morning as I had prebooked a city tour. I thought it would be a great start to my stay, but I was’t expecting that!

The tour was aimed at elder people who could not afford to move too much. Not that I was disappointed but I think I could have spent the time more effectively. Either way the 3 main attractions were ticked on day 1 already! 🙂

You know you are in a fancy neighborhood when Police have fancy cars!

And fancy people take fancy group photos 🙂 Jokes aside, this neighborhood is said to be the most expensive in Sydney. I guess you can figure out why!

One step too far and that’s it! The tour guide said that you can see New Zealand on the horizon on a good day. Such a little liar! The distance between Australia and New Zealand is like the distance between the UK and Spain. But you can hardly see France from Dover!

Doesn’t this rock below look like a snake trying to eat the boat?!

The last stop on the bus tour was the highlight of it. Bondi Beach! Not enough time to take a swim but plenty of time to wander around. I knew I would be back to the back later so I took it easy! 🙂 Although for the sake of this feed I will post all of the photos now. I am not sure the beach lives up to the fame. It is by all means beautiful and cool, but people’s expectations are higher I think. It is definitely worth a visit and there is abundance of great restaurants nearby. You can always take a surfing lesson or take a swim in the most amazing swimming pool ever!

Like everywhere else in the world you can find people from all walks of life!

I am not sure if Bondi Beach is posh or not. I love the art and glad to see the art in the making:

It is sporty too!

Take a look at this swimming pool. The colours are changing depending on the time and day you visit. The below shots were taken on 2 different occasions. I did get back to Bondi later during my stay 🙂 I think the idea of the pool is amazing ! It feels so inviting and there is no risk of being attacked by a great white! And yes, sharks live in those waters.

And another day 🙂

But do not stop at the pools. Do venture past them and go further along up the hill. You will not regret doing so. I have been told that there is an amazing coastal walk further past the buildings below.

Commandos?!

Some nightshots too:

Sydney is a fantastic place to explore during the night time too. It’s so lively and the warm nights make it simply enjoyable to wander around. Seeing Harbor Bridge and The Opera lit up is a must. If you are lucky to visit the city around Christmas you get an extra benefit of chrismtas lights illuminating streets and buildings which you can’t go wrong with.

Australia just introduced same-sex marriage and the city hall was all rainbow themed. A big step ahead for the country. Well done!

The area around the Opera is breathtaking in the evening. Still busy after 10 PM. The city lights in conjunction with the Harbor Bridge and water create great atmosphere.

Sydney Opera House is a masterpiece on it’s own. Built in 1973 on Bennelong Point peninsula it proudly manifests expressionistic domains to this day. It’s probably it’s exponential location made it so famous. The opera works mainly as a concert hall and a theatre (Joan Sutherland Theatre) as well as Drama Theatre and a studio. It’s all separate venues!

And a picture I am very grateful for making it possible to take 🙂

Sydney is growing rapidly and you just cannot see everything within a day or two. I am not too convinced the public transport is the best (compared to other major cities in the World), but that’s perhaps due to the difficult terrain. But if you can and have the energy, walk walk and walk around. That’s the best way to truly discover any city. Sydney is no exception! Just make sure you have enough water on you and you good to go!

I really did enjoy a walk around The Royal Botanic Garden. It’s located in the city centre and it’s one of the best places to hang around in Sydney. It’s massive and borders directly with the waterfront and Sydney Opera House.

And the garden is the place where you watch the famous New Year firework display! It’s said to be the second most amazing in the entire World only losing to London Eye’s display (cough cough) 🙂

A unique view of the never-boring building:

A selfie! Can you spot me?

A walk continues into the city centre. I have to admit I do like to walk in a city canyon made of skyscrapers. It’s got some american feeling to it.

Sydney surprises a lot! A little gem building – St. Mary Cathedral proudly standing tall in the city centre. It has obviously been built following the European influence and it’s pretty similar to many on the old continent. Probably not as grand as the cathedrals we have, but still quite beautiful outside and inside. Some brownie points for the John Paul II statue!

If you even wondered if you could walk on the Harbor Bridge then the answer is yes and actually it’s a must! You can either just walk across the bridge with some magnificent views of the harbor or you can opt for a bridge climb which I have heard is superb. You pretty much see the same, but from higher up. It’s not a cheap excursion but a pretty unforgettable experience (again, so I’ve heard).

A small close up. The bridge does not seem to be that big until you put it into a perspective. Can you see the two small Australian flags at the top in the below pic? Let’s zoom in a little bit.

A guest appearance!

The flags are not actually that small after all 🙂

Another guest appearance!

On the way back from the “other side”. The view of the city centre and the harbour is just… unbelievable! The weather was also perfect and I just could not get off the bridge!

I find this view pretty… unique. My first thought would be … make love not war?

I will finish the feed with a short trip to a really good museum – Art Gallery of New South Wales. If you are into any kind of art this museum is a must. It’s a massive museum boosting local and “imported” art. A quick overview below.

I cannot wait to see the below myself. Roll on New Zealand!

Time to say goodbye. Sydney is a great city and one, single and short visit will make you crave to come back! I am pretty sure it won’t be long before I get to walk around this amazing city again.

Believe or not, someone must have been very lucky to miss their flight (and spend more time in Sydney) as I had 2 sits next to me empty making it almost a business flight! Mind you it was a 16-hour long flight back to Doha on an Airbus A380 (yes, 16h!) so this was a blessing! I don’t have to mention how many envious looks I got that evening from other fellow co-passangers… 🙂

Back in Doha.

Leaving Doha soon after. Pear Qatar below.

A funky dome-like building below. It’s amazing and pretty terrifying it’s just sand and dunes and 40*C below. Really rough conditions to make a living.