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Sydney: Urban Paradise
I left San Francisco on a Friday night, and after a 14-hour flight, arrived in Sydney on a Sunday morning. Like a wrinkle in time, Saturday had disappeared without a trace, because of crossing the International Date Line. Flying into Sydney at sunrise, I began to get an idea of the beauty and grandeur of this South Pacific city.
Upon arrival, I caught a taxi into central Sydney, where I had reserved a room in a Bed & Breakfast. It was not by any means a traditional B&B, such as a cozy country home, but rather an 11th floor apartment overlooking the skyline of central Sydney, Saint Mary's Cathedral, the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. In spite of the long flight, I was excited about exploring this new city, so after dropping off my bags, I started off my morning with a leisurely stroll to Sydney Harbour and the Opera House.
The walk from my apartment to the Opera House was beautiful all the way, one that I would repeat every morning that I was in Sydney. I started off in the Domain, a large park that goes from St. Mary's Cathedral all the way to the Harbour. The park splits into two long peninsulas that jut out into the Harbour, forming dramatic viewpoints of the city. I walked out to Mrs. Macquaries Point, the easternmost of the two peninsulas, and from there I could see an amazing view of the Opera House, which sits at the tip of Bennelong Point, the other peninsula. In between is Farm Cove, a placid section of the Harbour that laps up against the Royal Botanic Gardens.
After climbing the steps of the Opera House and taking in the city from every possible angle, I proceeded on to Circular Quay, a busy collection of wharves that launch passenger ferryboats to all parts of Sydney Harbour. I hopped on a boat and took a half-hour ride across the Harbour to Manly, a small town that sits on a narrow peninsula between the Harbour and the Pacific Ocean.
The boat dropped me off at Manly Cove and I walked up the main street of town, known as the Corso, just a few blocks to reach Shelly Beach on the Pacific Ocean. From there I hiked up into the forested hills of Syndey Harbour National Park, where sandstone cliffs look out over the rocky inlets and secluded coves of the coast. I sat up on a sandstone outcrop, basking in the sun and listening to the waves below.
After my hike, I walked back to the ferry terminal, stopping for some ice cream on the Corso. I caught the high-speed catamaran back to Circular Quay, which got me back to central Sydney in just twenty minutes. From there I transferred to the elevated train and rode out to Bondi Junction at the end of the line. I still had a two kilometer walk to get to Bondi Beach, but it was a beautiful day and everything I saw was new to me, so I didn't mind at all. By the time I got down to the beach, the heat of the day was in full force, so I took a break at a terrace café overlooking the ocean and enjoyed a nice, cold Victoria Bitter. I was amazed at how much I had been able to squeeze into one day, and took this time to savor the joy of being on vacation.
Re-energized, I hiked up the hill above Bondi Beach and found a grassy meadow that looked out over Tamarama Beach, the next beach to the south. I sat up there for the rest of the afternoon, laying in the sun, reading a book, and being lulled into contentment by the sound of the waves.
As the day wore on, I started to think about dinner, so I walked back up to Bondi Junction, where I caught the train back toward central Sydney. I got off at Kings Cross and took a walk through the seedy district of strip clubs and hustlers on the make.
It was there that I met Burnie, the Kings Cross poet, who provides "Poetry to Order" from his humble chair on the sidewalk of Kings Cross Road. For a dollar donation, Burnie wrote me this poem, a personalized memento of this cultured city:
From a long time away in San Francisco
Came Michael to see Sydney.
Michael met the Kings Cross Poet
and took a photo of what he did see.
Of course this poem was bought first
That stops the poet's hunger and thirst.
Well San Francisco they say is a town
Of hills up and down.
But Kings Cross is built on a hill as a town.
Now Kings Cross Street of play
is the place for adults today.
I continued down Kings Cross Road, which turns into William Street, then ended up in Wooloomooloo, where my apartment was on Crown Street. I got home just in time for the sunset, when one of the most magical occurrences in Sydney takes place. It starts at twilight, just a few minutes after the sun has disappeared below the horizon. A procession of bats flies out from a cave somewhere north of Sydney, making a migration they have made every night, for thousands of years. Their path takes them directly across what grew up to become the city of Sydney. I watch from the balcony as the bats fly by, sometimes in small groups, sometimes by themselves, and sometimes very close to the balcony. These bats are huge, some of them with wingspans up to three feet across. It takes about 20 minutes for the entire procession to pass, while the lights come on in the highrise office buildings, and floodlights glow on the facade of Saint Marys Cathedral.
After watching the procession of bats, I went over to Oxford Street, where I had dinner and another VB. I was exhausted after the long day, but glowing with happiness about everything I had done, the landscapes I had seen, and the people I had met.
Next Up: A trip to the Olympic Site at Homebush Bay.
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