Saturday 12th March.

I am just going to post the photos I took today and let them speak for themselves. I took the ferry to Watson's Bay and spent the whole day  - around the cliffs, lazing on the beach (avoiding the nudist beach - all male-) and chatting in the tea rooms.

 

 

Join the following two together. You can just see the bridge in the background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lighthouse keeper's cottage - looked empty.

 

The guide book refers to the above as fishermen's cottages. They are very cute but the cars parked outside will give you some idea of how they have moved up in the world!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday 13th March

 

My last ferry ride, this time to Rose Bay where I caught a bus to Bondi Beach, lazed on a crowded beach, had a quick dip in a very turbulent sea- the undertow was scary- then had a god walk back along the golf course to catch the ferry to Watson's bay for a fish and chip supper before returning home.

 

 

 

 

 

The clouds started to roll in. According to the TV this year has had the longest summer for some time so everyone is waiting for the rain.....

 

Friday March 11th


Chose today to finish off all the things in the city which I haven't done yet.
I started off at the State Library of New South Wales

and could have spent all day amongst these fantastic books. The bookshop in particular was a huge temptation but had to keep on reminding myself about my luggage allowance.

Just round the corner was Parliament House, still undergoing renovation.

Built as part of the Rum Hospital of 1816 , this is the world's oldest continually operating parliament building. Because of the distances the maps have to travel (that's their story anyway) they only sit on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, so there was no debate to watch. I did manage to get into the higher chamber and was surprised how old fashioned it was.

It was very casual, it seemed that I could wander at will so I asked one of the staff a few questions and then she became very chatty and told me all about  its history, how it worked etc. She explained that there was a group of school children in the lower chamber taking part in a mock debate. What a great idea to get them involved! (nb the politically correct exclamation mark.) There were also some really interesting paintings on show. The back of the building has been massively extended in order to provide improved facilities whilst keeping the historic frontage.

Next to the Parliament building was the old Mint and next to that Hyde Park Barack Museum.

 

 

Convict architect Francis Greenway designed this as convict quarters. Between 1819 and1848 50,000 men and boys spent some time here. It later became an immigration depot, a women's asylum and law courts. Now it is used as a museum.

Opposite the museum is St James' church is Sydney's oldest church -1819-and was also designed by Greenway, but as a courthouse. It is built from bricks made by convict labour, and the interior has lots of dark wood and a copper dome.

This ancient anchor came from the Sirius which conveyed the first fleet sailing from the Isle of Wight in May 1787, arriving in Botany Bay in January 1788.

 The Customs House, just behind Circular Quay is a three storey building with a great selection of international newspapers and magazines, internet access and temporary exhibitions. (Currently Indian railways.) Under the glass floor is an amazing model of Sydney, apologies for the photo.

The swastikas on the floor of the entrance hall are thought to be a symbol of good luck in many cultures, but have, of course been the source of controversy.
I went to the Botanic Gardens for some rest before the evening's performance of Tom Stoppard's Arcadia at the Opera House theatre. It was an engrossing performance, quite difficult to follow in parts but plenty of food for thought on the way home. Going outside in the interval we were just in time to see the Queen Mary 2 leaving the harbour.(photo taken earlier in the day!)

 

 

Monday March 7th

Had a very quiet day in my new home: am back at Diana's  house overlooking the inner harbour and Spit junction. Spent most of the day on practical things, clearing out things I can't bring back, packing, laundry etc and also a good time on the balcony with my book. Reading an interesting if rather sad book about children who were sent to Australia as orphans(even though many of them did have parents) to a place called Fairbridge Farm School. Though meant as a way of giving poor children a start in a new life, the children were treated as slave labour and lived a completely loveless life. The Forgotten Children by David Hill.

Tuesday March 8th

Went back to visit Cremorne Point where we watched the fireworks all that time ago.

 

 The view of the Opera  House and bridge never fails to move me...
At the very end of the point is a small park, called Cremorne Gardens after those in London with the  same   name. The owner of the land from 1853, James Milton, was prevented by the courts from selling building blocks running right to the water's edge so Cremorne is one of the few Sydney Harbour peninsulas with a public waterfront running round its edges. There is a beautiful pathway right round the edge to the ferry point.

 

In the evening Charles treated us to another barbie; he's fast becoming an expert local......

 

 

Wednesday. March 10th

 

After a morning shopping in Manly I went to the beach until it was rime to meet up with my friend Joan, a wonderful lady who shared our trip to Kangaroo Island four years ago. We sat at the Wharf Restaurant and I had my very first authentic steak sanger. I had tried one before but obviously not the real thing because this was absolutely delicious. The magic ingredient seems to be beetroot which is surprisingly popular here (thinking of you, Yvette) Difficult to eat with all the filling but absolutely delicious. Needless to say we chattered away all afternoon, and it was just lovely to catch up.

 

 

 

 

By one of those strange coincidences Joan had read about the book I am reading and told me that her father's brothers had been sent to Fairbridge, and that Joan had gone there with the  family to camp one summer holiday! It was weird, looking at the photos in the book to think that some of them may be of her uncles.

 

This time next week I shall be catching the plane back to the UK. :-(

 

 

Thursday March 10th

 

Today I caught the bus to Manly and the ferry over to Taronga  Zoo. I am not a great fan of zoos, but it has been recommended by so many of my friends that I thought I should go.

 

 The first stop was at the old Quarantine Station where those arrivals who were seriously ill were put before being allowed into Sydney itself. It is said to be the most haunted place in Sydney on account of the many, many people who were buried there.

After Watson's Bay we arrived at the zoo wharf and caught the bus up to the main entrance to the zoo.

 

To be honest I have seen more animals in the wild, but there were the usual favourites, koalas

 

 

my favourite the zebras

 

 

 

and one that I have been longing to see, the tree climbing kangaroo. (I have been unable to make up my mind whether or not it was in the same league as the drop bears!) and it really does exist.

 

The strangest photo I thought was this one of the giraffes with the Sydney background.

There were lots of school parties and, those of you who are teachers, will I am sure be only too understanding of the stressed and harassed looks on the faces of the teachers! In fact it seemed rather more laid back than in the UK and certainly nothing like the ratio of adults to children. I remember being at Marwell Zoo with a group of boys who, quite clearly thought they were beyond that stage.....



Friday, 4th March

Checked out of the Central YH for the last time and felt quite sad... On the street lots of police presence for the lesbian and gay Mardi Gras parade tomorrow.  Stocked up on provisions at the Warringah  Mall then met Charles for the drive to Jervis Bay. Some lovely scenery on the way but anxious to get on so didn't stop for any photos. Arrived at the Green Patch camping site to find it a good walk from the beach, though could just her the waves. Facilities not as good as usual despite being the most expensive site we have been to. During the Christmas holidays there is a ballot to allocate plots here!

Saturday 5th March

Went for an early morning walk along the beach,

 

then went to see the old lighthouse  at Cape St George. Built in 1860 it was controversial from its inception. The Pilots Board was not consulted and tenders were accepted despite severe reservations about the angles of visibility from both north and south. When  inspected it was found that on top of inaccuracies in the original plans, the contractor had actually built it 2.5 miles from the proposed site as it was nearer the quarry from where he was getting the stone! From 1864 to 1893 twenty three ships were wrecked in the vicinity and the light was eventually replaced by Point Perpendicular light. It was considered that two lighthouses so near to each other would be confusing in daylight so the  Cape St George one was used for target practice by the navy.

 

After coffee at the remarkably well stocked Jervis Bay Stores, we drove out through the national Park to Cave Beach. The Bordered National Park has been designated an area of outstanding natural beauty and is teeming with wildlife. It has been owned by the Wreck Bay Aboriginal community since 1995, and the name means plenty of fish.

 

We stopped at Cave Beach where Charles went off on the rocks with his new fishing rod etc .

 

 

 Whilst I soaked up the sun and scenery.

 

 

At lunchtime he returned with a fish!

 

Of course this made his day, it was an Australian salmon, and though we didn't weigh or measure it,
 it was later to provide us with a good supper.

After lunch and fish filleting (not me!) we went to Murray's Beach which had the most startling turquoise sea I have ever seen. It was crystal clear, with very few waves and just idyllic.

 

However, no fish biting so returned to the camp to see this fellow waiting.

 

 

He would have been pleased to know we gave up the kangaroo burgers in favour of the fish, really special to eat something so fresh!

 

Sunday March 6th.

 

Up early to try our luck fishing at our "own" beach. As the water is very shallow we walked quite a long way to some rocks that Charles had spotted at the end of the beach. After barely an hour though I saw him approached by two burly sailors and we were told we were in a security zone and asked to walk back down the beach. We had seen a notice but thought it applied to the dunes.... However, they didn't spot the fish he had already caught, totally ugly thing called a red coral cod so he gutted it there and then and we went back to camp to pack up.

 

 

For lunch we went to Rick Stein's restaurant at Mollymook,

 

 

 

 

 

where we had an outrageously delicious lunch and enjoyed the view.

 

 

Then time to drive back to Sydney; my very first time through the city and I was so pleased with myself!

Thursday, 3rd March

Was quite bemused to see this as I left the train station-apparently part of an Aids awareness programme but felt sorry for the poor guy on the statue!(George Thornton, apparently, in 1847 he was mayor of Sydney)

 

 In the Australian Museum there was a special exhibition called Trailblazers about famous Australian explorers; totally fascinating and amazing what some people have done. I was especially impressed with John Muir, who amongst other things crossed Australia completely on his own, pulping a cart with all his belongings on,  and by Tim Cope who rode a horse on the journey of Genghis Khan from Mongolia to Hungary

 

 Couldn't resist the Eliot quote.

 

 Quite liked the comparison between old and new.
The museum was really well laid out, quite modern, the two other exhibitions I liked were The First Australians about the indigenous people through to the first settlers, and a particularly creepy one entitled Surviving Australia. Plenty of spiders, crocs, snakes etc and it appears that even those pretty spherical shells on the beaches can be poisonous!
There were lots of school parties there and when I left saw Clancy School doing their school photo on the steps of the cathedral, so relaxing not being a part!

 

After this I went to Manly to see the Australian Open surfing championships; it was very windy and sand was blowing all over the place but the surf wasn't very high. To be honest I have been more impressed with the surfers on the Northern Beaches, but of course I don't really know what to look for. Met up with Charles in the evening and had a go at fishing... no luck!