Day 6: Sydney, Australia

Sydney Opera House

Naturally, it rained most of the morning, but it ended up being a gorgeous day overall.

Mrs. Macquarie's Chair

We toured around through downtown Sydney before heading out towards Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair.  According to legend, Elizabeth Macquarie used to sit in that spot to watch the ships sailing into the harbour.  Her husband, Governor Lachlan Macquarie had a chair carved into the sandstone rock in 1811 by the convicts sent to Australia for settlement.  It has become one of the most popular sites to view the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

"Be it thus Recorded that the Road Round the inside of the Government Domain Called Mrs. Macquarie's road So named by the Governor on account of her having Originally Planned it Measuring 3 Miles, and 377 Yards Was finally Completed on the 13th Day of June 1816"

- Inscription on Mrs. Macquarie's Chair

The inscription describes another tribute to Mrs. Macquarie - Mrs. Macquerie's Road - of which only the Maquarie Culvert remains.

Mrs. Macquarie's Chair

The Gap

After a few touristy photos with the bridge and opera house, we went to The Gap which includes the stunning cliffs facing the Pacific Ocean. It's a bit of a hike up to the top along paved pathways, but the view is stunning.  While we were walking we saw at least one whale out in the distance that would periodically come to the surface. We also saw quite a few large spiders and cockatoos.  Cockatoos are Sydney's pigeons - they're everywhere!

Part of the pathway along The Gap.

The cliffs along The Gap.

More cliffs from where we had just come.

A big ol' NOPE spider along the path.

Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach (pronounced “bond-eye” not “bond-ee”) was another stop of the day. The beach is one of the most iconic in Australia because of its reliable waves, soft white sands, and all the eateries. It is quite possibly one of the most famous beaches in the world.  It was a bit too cold for swimming for us, but the chilly water didn’t stop the hardy surfers out in the water.  I was definitely getting some Baywatch vibes with all the surfers, beach-goers, and lifeguards.  Slow-mo running anyone?

Bondi Beach at just the right moment with no people!

The Queen Victoria Building

After Bondi, we went into downtown Sydney to check out some shops and eat before heading to the famous opera house.  My little group ended up heading to the Queen Victoria Building which is a marketplace that takes up an entire block.  There are underground tunnels that connect the QVB to The Galeries, Pitt Street Mall, and Westfield Sydney.  I think we ended up in The Galeries on accident, only because we had no idea things were connected underground.  We just kept walking!

On our way back to the group's designated meeting place, I heard the most amazing guitar playing coming from a street performer.  He was playing the main theme to Game of Thones, so I'm pretty sure he set me up for what happened later!  His name was Martin Campos and I managed to pick up one of the CD's he had for sale "Alondra".  He was incredibly talented!

Sydney Opera House

Scarlett and I outside the Sydney Opera House.

Originally a recording studio, this is now an additional stage.

Our last big stop of the day was the Sydney Opera House. I was last there in 2006, so it was nice to see it again as an adult with a greater appreciation for music and theater. The design of the building was made to mimic and blend in with the harbour. 

The white domes represent the white sails of ships, but there are many different tiles used on the domes that add to its unique style. One style of tile used on the roof is bumpy and white but when the sun hits it at different angles during the day it appears to “shimmer” like the water. The water is also reflected in the glass panels underneath many of the different sections. Overall, there are 3 separate structures: one for theater, one for music, and a small one for dining. One new thing I learned today is that the buildings are cooled using seawater right in the harbour. The water is pumped in one side, cooling the buildings before being pumped back out the other.  The SOH has recently become a 5-star green energy building.

Inside the main symphony hall.

Two different tiles used on the outer shell.

Overlooking the harbour.

One of the shows playing at the theater was a Game of Thrones parody.  There was a throne.  I sat in it.  I became Ashleigh of the House Broyles, the First of Her Name, Queen of Sydney Opera House, Crocheter of Yarns and Mother of Cats.  We're just not going to talk about the actual ending to Game of Thrones...

Spoiler Alert:  I'm the real Queen of Westeros.

For dinner we ate at a lovely restaurant right on the Darling Harbour called Angus.  The steak was absolutely mouthwatering and desert was the most heavenly chocolate cake I have ever had.  10/10 would recommend checking out Angus if you're ever there!

I ate my steak before I could remember to take a picture... So here is the dessert!

My legs and brain are jello from all the walking, so goodnight from Sydney!