We flew to Sydney for David's work and although we were in Australia for a total of eight days, David had to unfortunately work most of the time we were there. We did however manage to plan it so that we had one full day in Sydney to do some sightseeing together and two days in Cairns to visit The Great Barrier Reef. In between, I (Sam) flew to Brisbane for two days to visit my cousin.
Visiting Sydney for a second time was great and it was a wonderful opportunity to see some of the iconic sights and attractions again (for more on our first visit, please go to our May 2009 posting). There were a few things that we got to see and experience for the first time and these included the Sydney Fish Market and a visit to Manly.
Manly
Manly is the narrow stretch of land that lies between the Sydney harbour and the ocean. It was named by Captain Arthur Phillip in 1788, who was so impressed by the "confident and manly behaviour" of the local Aborigines, that he called this town "Manly Cove". Today, Manly is a thriving cosmopolitan village with a stunning coastal setting. Manly's iconic beach is the backdrop for some of Sydney's best known annual festivals. To truly enjoy and experience the coastline, we decided to do the Manly Scenic Walk, a 10km walk along the gorgeous harbour coastline. We started our walk from the Spit Bridge (about a thirty minute bus ride from the city centre) and ended our walk at the Manly wharf. The scenery was spectacular with many beautiful beaches and lookout points along the way, and the walk itself was very enjoyable, although some parts of the path were very steep and challenging.
Visiting Sydney for a second time was great and it was a wonderful opportunity to see some of the iconic sights and attractions again (for more on our first visit, please go to our May 2009 posting). There were a few things that we got to see and experience for the first time and these included the Sydney Fish Market and a visit to Manly.
Manly
Manly is the narrow stretch of land that lies between the Sydney harbour and the ocean. It was named by Captain Arthur Phillip in 1788, who was so impressed by the "confident and manly behaviour" of the local Aborigines, that he called this town "Manly Cove". Today, Manly is a thriving cosmopolitan village with a stunning coastal setting. Manly's iconic beach is the backdrop for some of Sydney's best known annual festivals. To truly enjoy and experience the coastline, we decided to do the Manly Scenic Walk, a 10km walk along the gorgeous harbour coastline. We started our walk from the Spit Bridge (about a thirty minute bus ride from the city centre) and ended our walk at the Manly wharf. The scenery was spectacular with many beautiful beaches and lookout points along the way, and the walk itself was very enjoyable, although some parts of the path were very steep and challenging.
After we reached Manly wharf, we stopped for lunch at a nice cafe before walking through The Corso (a lively pedestrian area with souvenir shops and restaurants) to Shelley Beach.
After our visit to Shelley beach, we walked back to Manly wharf where we caught a ferry back to Circular Quay and the Sydney city centre (a 11km ferry ride from Manly to Circular Quay). On our way back on the ferry we caught a glimpse of the North and South Heads, and passed the Sydney botanical gardens, the iconic Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour bridge.
The Rocks
After our ferry ride from Manly, we took a short walk from Circular Quay to The Rocks, where we visited the weekend market. The Rocks Market is a hive of activity on weekends, offering a wide range of good quality crafts, jewelery and souveniers. The Rocks got its name from the rugged cliffs that were once its dominant feature. Today, The Rocks forms part of the beautiful promenade from the Sydney Opera House to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It is a lovely area with restaurants, boutiques and galleries.
Cockle Bay
What was once a working harbour district, is today a lively entertainment district with cafes, restaurants, bars and function centres. Cockle Bay is within walking distance from the Swissotel Sydney (where we stayed), so we had a few lovely dinners there as it was very convenient.
What was once a working harbour district, is today a lively entertainment district with cafes, restaurants, bars and function centres. Cockle Bay is within walking distance from the Swissotel Sydney (where we stayed), so we had a few lovely dinners there as it was very convenient.
Sydney Fish Market
The Sydney Fish Market is the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Situated near the Anzac Bridge, it is home to wholesale and retail fish stores, delicatessens, oyster bars, sushi and sashimi bars, cafes and restaurants. It is a lovely fish market selling an array of fresh, frozen and cooked fish.
The Sydney Fish Market is the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Situated near the Anzac Bridge, it is home to wholesale and retail fish stores, delicatessens, oyster bars, sushi and sashimi bars, cafes and restaurants. It is a lovely fish market selling an array of fresh, frozen and cooked fish.
Sydney Botanical Gardens
The Sydney Botanical Gardens was established in 1816 and is situated around Farm Cove, on the shore of the Sydney Harbour. There is a beautiful promenade and a great walk along the harbour that goes from Mrs. Macquarie's Chair (the sandstone bench carved in 1816 for the then governor"s wife Elizabeth Macquarie), along the Botanical Gardens to the Opera House, Circular Quay, The Rocks and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The Sydney Botanical Gardens was established in 1816 and is situated around Farm Cove, on the shore of the Sydney Harbour. There is a beautiful promenade and a great walk along the harbour that goes from Mrs. Macquarie's Chair (the sandstone bench carved in 1816 for the then governor"s wife Elizabeth Macquarie), along the Botanical Gardens to the Opera House, Circular Quay, The Rocks and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The Botanical Gardens is home to a vast collection of native and exotic plants and tress, and the Conservatorium of Music and the Sydney Tropical Centre (glass pyramid) can also be found here. The one thing that was unfortunately still the same from our visit last year, was the presence of bats. Yes, the bats that were killing some of the tress are still there and it would appear that getting rid of them is very hard indeed.
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