During the night we had traveled southbound along the coast of Australia to Port Jackson, a natural harbour of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Once we tucked inside Port Jackson, a Sydney harbour pilot gently guided the Diamond Princess to her berth at the Overseas Passenger Terminal located just in front of Circular Quay, next to the famous Sydney Opera House.
The ship was a buzz of activity starting early in the morning since this was a heavy disembarkation day. Rick and I were dressed and packed just after sunrise so we headed up to the top outer decks to get a glimpse of this famous city and the spectacular view it promised. The air was cool and crisp and the skies were cloudy. As we reached the back of the ship...there it was...the Sydney Harbour Bridge, right in front of us!
We were eager to see more...but first, we had to disembark, get our luggage, find our hotel then check in. Before we flew home, our plans included spending a night in beautiful Sydney and seeing what it had to offer.
The lovely Sydney Harbour Marriott was within walking distance of the ship. It was not yet nine o'clock in the morning by the time we got to our hotel so our room wouldn't be ready until that afternoon. Since Sydney is on the other side of the world for many travelers, the hotel offered a special service for early arrival guests who were feeling jet lagged or in need of refreshing, but whose rooms were not yet available. The 6th floor was reserved for such occasions and offered showers, temporary beds and free WIFI to weary customers. Luckily, we just came from the ship and not a 14+ hour flight so we just stored our luggage with the bell stand and headed out to explore.
Once we got our bearings and asked very helpful Marriott employees a lot of questions about the surrounding areas, Rick and I walked back towards Circular Quay and there we boarded a ferry to Manly Cove. Over and over again, we were told "...fabulous, inexpensive way to see the city and harbour is by slow ferry..." so that is what we did. The ferry takes you north from city center, through the whole of Port Jackson (also known as Sydney Harbour), past the opera house and some of the most sought after real estate in Australia.
The ferry allowed indoor (below) or outdoor seating, was timely and super clean. The currency exchange rate (at the time) was approximately $1 US Dollar to $1.36 Australian Dollar so the cost was less than $10 US p/p for the one hour round trip ride.
The skies started out being hazy and a bit dull but quickly turned from gray to bright blue and the cool morning air began to get warmer.
Once at Manly Cove, others disembarked at the Manly Wharf but we stayed on for the ride back. While watching the water, these blue "blobs" caught my eye. They moved just below the water's surface with stringy, spaghetti-looking tentacles floating from their sides. I asked a stranger what they were and he told me they were jellyfish called "blue bottles" which sting painfully if the tentacles touch the skin.
The view from Manly Wharf was a well groomed, golden sand beach lined with Norfolk Island Pines (per the stranger who continued to speak to me). The white balls floating on top of the water in the distance marked the presence of a permanent shark net that stretched the length of the beach. Bull sharks were a problem in this area.
Once back at the Quay, we walked along the waterfront. By now, the city was waking as the morning progressed. We stopped to admire some locals displaying their artistry in the beautiful outdoors. We watched a painter with a huge canvas spread out on the sidewalk as they worked quietly on, what appeared to be, an acrylic painting of massive proportion. Then we found an indigenous Australian of Aborigine decent as he sat under a shade tree and played a didgeridoo. The didgeridoo is a wind instrument played with continuously vibrating lips to produce a drone sound and using a breathing technique called "circular breathing". This requires breathing through the nose while simultaneously blowing from the mouth using the tongue and cheeks. Sounds complicated and not easy. Traditionally, only men play this instrument in ceremony to the extent that some prohibitions exist in South East Australia among Aboriginal communities.
We then made a quick pit stop at our hotel to check on our room and shed some layers of clothes as the weather was growing increasingly warmer outside. Great...room was ready. So, we checked in and headed to the 19th floor to our room with a gorgeous view that overlooked the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. To our surprise, we were also given access to the Executive Lounge located on the 30th floor for complimentary appetizers/refreshments later that evening and breakfast the next morning. Nice!
It was then around lunchtime and I had an idea of where to grab a bite. So we caught a cab to the Sydney Fish Market, the largest working fish market in the southern hemisphere. It is a plethora of fresh seafood retailers with catches straight from the boats, along with dining and shopping. In our previous travels, I was told by a native Australian that this place was a MUST to see and that we had to try a meal at Doyle's.
The cab driver dropped us off in the parking lot. We chose to go "right" and check out the retail stands and the amazing selections of fresh catches. It was mind boggling. I was born and raised in south Florida and I am very familiar with eating many types of fresh seafood. However, this place blew me away with the sheer size of some of the shellfish and fillets along with the amazing variety in many categories. Many shoppers were business people on their lunch break making a midday meal out of the super fresh sashimi or sushi.
Feeling hungry and watching so many people clearly enjoying this place, we walked over to the main warehouse building. This place was a hub of noise and activity...like a very large indoor flea market made of stalls of vendors selling ocean delicacies of every kind.
We found Doyle's which included a take away, "eat and run" pick your own oysters or a sit down bistro. We chose the bistro and tried the wild (not farmed) local caught barramundi. Barramundi is an iconic fish in Australia's Top End selections and are referred to as "barra" by the locals. Wild barra are prized because they are difficult to catch, taste great and grow to incredible sizes. Our lunch was delicious and we weren't disappointed.
After we filled our bellies with goodness, we caught a cab back to the city center near our hotel. There we walked around and appreciated the beauty of the meld of glass and concrete plus old and new architecture beautifully constructed in the heart of Sydney.
And no trip to Australia would be complete without the sighting of the iconic Vegemite. Ever hear of it...or more importantly, taste it? Here's the download: it's a dark brown paste made with Brewer's yeast extract and various veggies and spices. It's usually spread on toast, biscuits or crumpets and is rich in B vitamins. Heck, there are even jingles and songs written about this product. As for the taste...well, let's just say some love it and then there is me.
Sydney has a lot to offer any visitor and it should be enjoyed with a longer stay than just overnight. Too much to see and do. It was a clean, well organized city that covers the scales from being a cultural icon to having some of the best surfing around. It's wild yet civilized, energetic yet laid back and modern but steeped in history. It is a place I would love to visit again and see much more.
All too soon, we had to return home; back to domestic soil in the USA. Keep following as more adventures await...Asia and Australia 2014
No comments:
Post a Comment