Family Visit Part 3: Sydney

On Saturday morning, early Saturday morning, everyone save me took a taxi to the airport to leave for Sydney. Their flight home leaves from Sydney. This was my idea to ensure they got to see this beautiful city. Saturday's plan was to see the aquarium in Darling Harbour. I like Darling Harbour. I like the aquarium. Our first visit there was on an evening just a hour or so before closing time. We had the place practically to ourselves. It was magical. This was not to be their experience- attending mid afternoon on a Saturday. Mixed reviews. Elaine loved seeing the platypus who was playing! and my mother says they can put holes in the tanks. She wasn't interested.

I flew in after work.

Sunday after breakfast my mom, Elaine, Kevin, and I went to the Sydney Opera House for a tour. Very cool place! I had never done this. The Opera House has an interesting history. Designed in the 50s by a Danish architect without the use of computer modeling (of course). A unique and beautiful building. Soon after work began there was a falling out between the architect and the government- and he stopped working! In fact, he may have never seen the completed building- or maybe he saw it once. We can't remember the story. Another interesting fact- construction was funded with monies from gambling...and it was paid for in two years!

Oh,and while you can take photos in the restrooms, you cannot take them in the theaters/auditoriums.



It was a drizzly gray day in Sydney. We did walk through the Botanical Garden, anyway. I had to make sure that Elaine got to see the bats. She had some experience with flying foxes at our place in Brissie. We'd turn the lights down at home as dark arrived and sit watching out the wall o'windows for our bat to fly through. He never disappointed. And, neither did the Sydney bats...though they were cold and huddling up in their wings. No fussing or jockeying for position on Sunday!



After lunch at Circular Quay where there were a few street performers including a very sad donkey, we took the train into the CBD (Central Business District- that's "downtown" in Aussie lingo)and visited the Queen Victoria Building (QVB). This building was built late in the 1800's to be a city market. Early tenants included a clairvoyant, a palmist, and a piano tuner. (What does a piano tuner DO with a shop??) It did not surprise me to learn that this venture was not successful and the building was turned to other uses. In the 1970's when it was time to decide whether to demolish the building or save it- and for what use- the plan was made to re-fit it as a shopping center. It is huge. Full of stores with expensive things that as Kevin says "I'd never buy". Well, we did buy a t-shirt and a magnet.



Anyway, the QVB has two big clocks that are suspended from the ceiling. Each has dioramas - that light up and come to life. One tells the history of Australia (on the half hours) and the other the grand story of Britain (on the hour). Odd, odd, odd. A few of our favorites....

Early colonists in Australia- includes one man being beaten with a whip.
Early colonisation (again)- aborigines running and climbing up rocks while a soundtrack of gun fire plays.
The beheading of King Charles I- live action!
King Canute of England 1016 (or so) - ordering the tides to stop.
All 6 wives of King Henry XIII- all WITH heads.

Other attractions of the QVB- beautiful stained glass windows, Islay, the talking dog ("Because of my kindness to blind and deaf children I have been granted the power of speech. If you put a coin in the hamper, I will say thank you." And, he ALWAYS says thank you- coin or no coin. Woof!), and a display of Queen Victoria at her coronation (age 19) with an assortment of crowns, staffs, etc. I'm sure they are all genuine. My favorite is a bit out of focus- but it is the crown by which the Prince of Wales is able to communicate with extraterrestrials.

Super supper at a nearby Italian restaurant where no one was whacked.