Everything in Australia wants to kill you - part 2

I set my alarm so I could be up when we sailed into Sydney Harbor around 7AM on February 10, 2018.  It truly is breathtaking.   

After two days in Sydney, I probably have 50 photos of the Sydney Opera House and that’s after editing.  Bob probably has the same number.  So, let's get it over with.  Here it is from various angles and at various times of day.

After the brief glimpse of Sydney Harbor, we boarded a bus for an excursion to the Blue Mountains.  It was a couple hour ride to get out of the Sydney traffic and up into the mountains.  The trip was reminiscent of traveling from New York City to Dutchess County or the Catskills.  The area is a weekend destination or a retirement area or even a bedroom community, as the rail tracks followed us all along the way.  The first stop was the visitors' center at Echo Point.  We had time to view the Three Sisters from the scenic overlook but not enough time to hike any trails down into the canyon.

The Blue Mountains are blue because the eucalyptus trees heat up in the sun  andthe oil within the bark produces a blue haze.  Do you see it?

Time for lunch already.  As we filed out of the bus and filed into this cute cottage restaurant, those of us that were still outside heard a scream and some commotion in the sun room in front of us.  We could see people rising from their seats.  Some sat down and another scream erupted.  We heard a man saying "get us out of here" while he comforted his sobbing wife.  As it turned out there was a big hairy spider skittering and hopping around the sun room.  We're told it was not harmful but it was big and moved fast.  After we were seated I had a hard time concentrating on my very delicious lunch as I kept inspected my surroundings for critters.

After lunch we drove just around the corner to Scenic World where we had tickets that got us admittance to the grounds and access to four "rides."  First we boarded a large gondola that took us and 82 of our new best friends a short distance across the valley below.  The gondola had glass floors to allow viewing during the trip.  Next, cued up for a ride on the steepest passenger train in the world.  The park was loaded with Chinese tourists and going was slow.  At the bottom of the railway was a boardwalk through the eucalyptus forest that led to the cableway which would take us back to the top to do it all over again if we wanted to.  The walk through the forest was the best part because we passed remnants of the former mining site that this was.  No time to do it all over again.  The last phase was too crowded so we retraced our steps back to the incline railway and took it in the opposite direction.  Time to head back to Sydney after an unnecessary shopping stop at Leura, a cute little village (like Rhinebeck or Millbrook.)

Back in Sydney in time to explore The Rocks, Sydney's oldest neighborhood.  The great thing about Sydney, and what makes it different than Melbourne, is that the port area is vibrant and many sights are within easy striking distance.  When we had left that morning, we had been docked at an industrial dock away from the main harbor.  During the day our ship was allowed to reposition into the main harbor, right near the opera house.  Lots of folks from our ship had had the foresight to get tickets to Carmen for that night.  When the opera was over, they could easily walk back to the ship.  If you weren't going to the opera and would rather go to The Hart Inn and grab an IPA or a red ale, that too was convenient.

 The Rocks is loaded with funky eating and drinking establishments.

The next day we did a walking tour of The Rocks.  Why is it called The Rocks, you ask?  Native yellow sandstone is the answer.  It's everywhere.  Buildings, bridges, walls, etc.  Often the raw sandstone is incorporated into a bridge or building without quarrying and cutting.

The Family

The Soldier

The Prospector

Jack Mundy, the man who saved The Rocks

A different view of Sydney Harbor Bridge

A tiny ambulance

A hanging garden

Ibis-the bin bird

End of walking tour.  Time to sail away.  Our captain sailed past the opera house and then turned around and sailed past again so that both sides of the ship had a last photo op.  Wasn't that accommodating?