Day 44: Sydney, Australia

- February 21, 2023

Welcome to Sydney

The Harmony Choir of passengers sang as we pulled in near the Opera House and Harbor Bridge

In port

Was near the front of the line to get off the boat and catch our tour

Bus was right outside and ready for the ride to the Blue Mountains

Many old buildings alongside the new in downtown Sydney

Nearing the town named after the mountain

We made a stop for coffee and a snack and found a great local bakery

Before we even got to the zoo we saw some interesting birds

The person the town was named after

Scenic World had cable cars and roadroads to get you to different parts of the mountain

see through floora

Waterfall

The Three Sisters rock formation

Walking through the rainforest

Site of old coal mine

Coal miners prayer

And then the railway to get back (note the difference between this and the Incline in Pittsburgh)

Not sure that this bottom part was even the steepest part

View as you went up and into the mountain

Tour guide, driver dropped us off for another ride on the cableway

After that adventure we were glad that we stopped for lunch at a neat old building

Enjoying a local brew

Story of the brewery's namesake

Then off to the Featherdale Wildlife Park

Sorry Pelicans, you are second fiddle

They had the water misters going to keep the animals cool. This was three straight photos of this owl and Toni caught it shaking the water off its head

Lizard...

...with a split tongue

Little Penguins but not from Pittsburgh or Youngstown State

We got to drive by Sydney Olympic Park as we drove back into town. 2000 Olympic Games that Rob's cousin Lanny was part of the TV crew.

River Boat ride back to the port, including Kissing Point station

Australian Navy

Small boat passing by

View of the Opera House from the Riverboat

Sydney Skyline

Harbor Bridge

Seeing our ship again

You can walk up the Harbor Bridge to the top (we didn't)

The ship from the port

We walked to Sydney Opera House

Then as we were up by the Opera House we noticed the clouds coming in. Decided to start walking back toward the ship.

Then it looked like this

And then...

So when you probably won't make it back all the way, what do you do? You find the oldest pub in Sydney to stop in. The Fortune of War pub.

SYDNEY’S OLDEST PUB

The Fortune of War was originally built in 1828 by former convict Samuel Terry who later became known as the “Botany Bay Rothschild” due to his astute business dealings. Samuel Terry arrived in Australia in 1800 after being convicted of the theft of 400 stockings and sentenced to transportation for seven years.

After his sentence Terry moved to Sydney from Parramatta, became an innkeeper and received one of twenty liquor licences granted when they were being curtailed in 1810.

Tooth & Co, the brewery operating in Sydney since 1835, rebuilt the Fortune of War Hotel in 1921.

The Fortune of War has been used as a public house for over 188 years.

https://www.fortuneofwar.com.au/history/

So many choices

Toni found a Moscato that she really liked.

Even a Koala in the pub

As we were getting up to leave, three guys asked if they could take our table. We started talking to them and they were all visiting from Ireland. Had a short chat with fellow travelers.

It was just a drizzle as we pulled the umbrella out and headed back to the ship

Institute for Seaman

Back to the dock...

...and back on the ship

The night was not done as the views of Sydney Harbor at night and then sailing away was as magical as the morning sail in.

Nighttime view Sydney Harbor.

We got to see fireworks over the Opera House.

Luna Park

We had went up to the top and front of the ship to "The Sanctuary" where during the day, you can reserve chairs or a cabana and get waited on. While we were there, the skies opened up again. We ducked into one of the cabanas to get out of the rain. The first part of the fireworks was while we were in the cabana.