I’m not one for starting a lot of threads, but I’ve enjoyed my two days here so much that I feel compelled. Sydney is seriously a lovely city. I’m here for work but arranged to arrive early Saturday morning, so I’ve essentially been able to do two full days of tourist activities. It is extremely helpful that the CBD is so walkable.
I’ve toured the Opera house, botanical gardens, Maritime Museum, and a whole variety of other outdoor spots. I’ve been on my feet for two days straight and my legs and feet are aching. This morning I climbed to the top of the Harbor Bridge which was a wonderful experience. I’m a little surprised that’s a thing … I can’t help think it would never fly in the United States because they’d be too paranoid about the liability and the security. But I’m glad they do it here and I’m glad I got a chance to go up.
I’m here until Thursday night. Is there anything you’d recommend I do in my time remaining? I’m working from now until the end, so it’ll need to be an evening thing.
And then I’m off to China, which I asked advice for in another thread.
I’ve been to Sydney last year and even though it was badly planned (arrived Sunday, gave seminar Monday/Tuesday, left Wednesday), I managed to do some of the things you did. Really lovely city and people.
The one thing that made me feel a little bit paranoid were the traffic lights that started turning when I had walked halfway across a street, any street.
I asked an Australian friend this question for you, only to discover he lives in Perth, not Sydney. The Harbor Bridge was the first thing he recommended. He also gave me this link to share with you.
I was there a few months ago and loved it. Was very taken by the Opera House and got photos from many angles and distances. Coming from the Botanical Gardens it looks like alien architecture, or maybe Starfleet Academy.
What I found strange, being a New Yorker, was that people actually obey the street crossing signs!
And it was an equally big surpise for me. Growing up in Melbourne, we understood that Sydney was basically unpleasent people in an unpleasent city. Not that, as a child, I knew anybody who had actually /been/ to Sydney. (The situation was not entirely Melbourns fault)
When I was a teenanger, climbing the Harbor Bridge wasn’t a thing. Unless you just ducked through the gate and went for it…
My first time in Sydney I flew in on St Patrick’s Day under a full moon. Man, the city was hopping! I strolled over to an outdoor bar by the Opera House and had a coup!e Bushmills and just sat back to soak it all in. What a terrific introduction to a great city!
As a Melbourne boy, I was brought up correctly - ie, Sydney is a horrible, cheap, showy city while Melbourne is cultured, classy, and sophisticated.
Sydney is gorgeous. It has all the standard things cities have - cafes, galleries, gardens, bridges - but when they are all put around that stunning harbour, it is magical. And if you don’t like the harbour, go to the beaches. A Day trip on the ferry to Manly is - well, just a wonderful experience.
I think the Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the great city icons of the world - far, far more spectacular than the Opera House.
I once flew into Sydney from NZ - I was up in the cockpit (this was pre 9/11 and I was an employee of the airline). Late afternoon, the bridge was reflected perfectly in the harbour, and so looked like a complete oval. Unfortunately, there was some bank-up with the flights, and so we had to do laps of Sydney/ Blue Mountains for half-an-hour or so before landing (oh dear, how sad:cool:)
Fortune of War is supposedly the oldest pub in Sydney (link).
It’s been well over a decade but I remember enjoying the beer and food at the Lord Nelson Brewery (link).
Otherwise being limited to the evening, I think I’d just stroll around and see if I could fine any other pubs that looked interesting or have live music.
In fact, I’ll go out on a limb and say Darwin is the friendliest city I’ve ever been in, and I can’t imagine Sydney (or anywhere else) being more so. And that applies to Darwin even when and where there is no beer in sight.
Go Manly and back on the ferry. It’s a great way to see the harbour. Also, because it’s not some fancy tourist ferry and is just a commuter operation, it’s very cheap. I’m from Brisbane so it’s written in my contract that I’m not allowed to compliment Sydney, but the harbour is kinda spectacular from the water at night. Don’t tell anyone I said that…
Alright, I’ll look into that. It’ll have to be tonight, I’m out of here tomorrow.
Some very minor observations about Sydney:
The prominent style of automatic glass doors is more subtle than the US, and sort of just looks like a window. I’ve spent a few occasions staring at a building wondering where the entrance is.
You can’t linger in an intersection once the flashing red man stops flashing. There is no gap between that and the traffic getting a green light and going. It seems to work well since both drivers and pedestrians respect the signals. But in the US it seems you have a little more leeway.
Drip coffee isn’t a thing. Asking for a cup of coffee here is like going to a restaurant and asking for “food”. I’d say its like going to a bar and asking for a “beer”, but apparently you can do that if you’re a character on a TV show. This isn’t really a complaint, all my espresso coffee drinks so far have been quite good.
I was very close to thinking that the craft beer movement had been lost on Australia after a series of restaurants that were otherwise good but had a boring selection of lager … but Redoak last night had a good selection and I have a couple of other recommendations now. So its there, you just have to look a little harder.
You could do that in Melbourne (and probably all of Australia) in the 70’s.
Typically pubs were bound to a particular brewary, had one beer on tap, were prominantly signposted with the brand, and the one brewery had 90% of the market in that city,
Actually, you didn’t even have to ask for ‘beer’. Just walk in and ask for a pot* (specifying the size of the glass, not the contents), and you’d be served.
Perhaps related to the post-war 6-oclock-swill, when men tried to get as shickered as they could between knock-off time and closing time, and publicans tried to keep up.
*glass size and name different in different cities
Was also going to suggest the Manly Ferry / the beach, so just adding my voice to the chorus.
And thank you. I live two hours out of Sydney and occasionally have to go into the city for work. I was just told that next Wednesday is one of those days and I was grumbling about it and a little resentful. You’ve made me change the way I was viewing it. Yes, I’m still not a huge fan of cities in general, or commuting, but it could be a lot worse. I’ll try to keep your lovely words in mind as I cross the bridge in the train with the many other jaded commuters
By the way, can I have any recommendations for places where I might buy some souvenirs to take home? Nothing too expensive. I’m trying to avoid tackiness although I realize that is practically integral to what I’m asking for. But I have young kids at home so I feel I ought to bring them something small that is Australian.
There’s at least one gift shop on Circular Quay near the ferry terminals selling stuff which I don’t recall being absolutely outrageously priced, but being from Brisbane I’m not really looking for souvenirs when I’m in Sydney.
BTW, if you’ve got time, have a quick look around The Rocks (it’s next to Circular Quay by the cruise ship terminal - you can’t miss it). Lots of funky cafes and interesting places there!
This reminds me, Sydney folks. Why do random people come up to the trolley stops with a handful of cards scanning them all, and then walking away? I can’t think that these were all found on the street, and besides, if one of them worked, it would then be marked as getting onto the trolley.
