A Day at Sydney Harbor

After last weekend's torrential rains, we were looking forward to being able to get out of the house and see some sights.  We left Nicole home expecting a friend to visit (and, supposedly, to do math) and headed off on the train to Circular Quay.  Trains here are double-decker.

We intended to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens; however, with the threatening weather, we decided to stay closer to civilization in case we had to duck inside to avoid a soaking.  A short walk from Circular Quay is the Opera House.  It is magnificent up close and personal.

The view of Sydney from the Opera House is also stunning.

Of course, right across the harbor, is the iconic Sydney Harbor Bridge.  We could see groups of people climbing the arc of the structure, and all I could think was "no way, Jose."  The more moderate option is the climb the pylon (hmmmm).  The least strenuous is a walk across the bridge along the pedestrian path.  If we'd had a bit more time today, we would have given that a go, to see if my fear of heights would kick in or not.  Alas, that will have to wait for another day.

After a stroll around the Opera House peninsula, we explored The Rocks, an intimate, historical district that is actually the oldest part of Sydney.  We picked our way through the open air market and searched for a place for lunch.  After considering a couple of pubs that looked deserted, we headed back to the Quay to read menus and evaluate views.  We ended up at Peter Doyle's @ Quay, and it was a GREAT choice.

This was the view from our table, and the food terrific as well.

What a lovely morning and lunch date with Larry!