If prosperity is measured by the number of construction cranes hanging over downtown structures, then Sydney is very prosperous, indeed. Huge cranes are perched on top of twenty story office and apartment towers, old houses are being torn down in the city center and contemporary beach houses are replacing older single-story homes near the water.Continue reading “Sydney Architecture”
Category Archives: Australia
Meeting friends in Sydney
We had a sociable week getting together with friends and family in Sydney, a week in which we met up with new friends from birdwatching, visitors from home, and finished up with the arrival of our daughter, Lyra. For us this was more festivities than normal and we had an unusually good time. We metContinue reading “Meeting friends in Sydney”
Sydney through the eyes of painters
The forecast was rain, putting museum visits at the top of the day’s activities. We have visited both the northern and southern extremities of Botany Bay and Sydney Harbor, so when I read that a painting of the view from the North Head was newly installed in the National Library of New South Wales, itContinue reading “Sydney through the eyes of painters”
Sydney’s Ocean Pools
I read about the swimming pools built into the edge of the ocean in the Sydney area but I wasn’t sure how to find them. We went to beachcomb between Manly Beach–one of the favorite Sydney beaches–and Shelly Beach, a tiny patch of sand beyond Manly. There is a lovely walk between the two beachesContinue reading “Sydney’s Ocean Pools”
Botany Bay
The north shore of Botany Bay is just a few kilometers from our home SE of downtown Sydney. We explored this historic area by driving around the perimeter. We stopped along the way to look for birds, walk along the shore, take a swim, and have a picnic. This rock is said to be whereContinue reading “Botany Bay”
Sydney from the Opera House
For us, the Opera House is the heart of Sydney. We made our first pilgrimage to this icon by bus to Circular Quay, then a stroll toward the point where rounding a row of apartments, the Opera House is revealed in all its glory. On a sunny day the roof tiles create a dazzling reflection.Continue reading “Sydney from the Opera House”
First Stop in Sydney: the Beach
Our first day in Sydney was focused on settling into our new Airbnb and shopping, but the next effort was to explore the nearest beach. Maroubra Beach is just one km from our house, about 5 minutes by car. It has everything, sandy beach, interesting rock formations, good beachcombing, surfers, even a biology class combingContinue reading “First Stop in Sydney: the Beach”
Good to Know About Melbourne
Melbourne proved easy to live in, another testament to Jonathan’s Airbnb research skills. We were walking distance from the beach, very handy on hot days, and also close to public transport. We drove into the center of the city on our first day to go to my eye doctor appointment and it was as nightmarishContinue reading “Good to Know About Melbourne”
Melbourne Architecture
Looking at buildings gives me a sense of the age of a place, style, and how lively and economically vibrant it is. You won’t see construction cranes on the horizon if people aren’t doing well. Melbourne is very dynamic, with a skyline full of cranes, new buildings pushing out the old. The skyline is developingContinue reading “Melbourne Architecture”
The Great Ocean Road
Chatting with the man next to me at last week’s concert, I heard about the Surf Capital of Australia–Torquay. We were told about the wonderful beaches and gorgeous coastal drive. Much as we enjoy Melbourne’s gigantic bay, we had wanted to get out to the ocean, and were convinced. My new friend admitted he wasContinue reading “The Great Ocean Road”
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