Saturday, February 10, 2018, Sydney, New South Wales, day 1, Sydney and Tour of the Rocks

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Celebrated for its magnificent natural harbor, the world’s largest, Sydney was founded as a penal colony in 1788 (America was until 1776, so Great Britain had to find an alternate).  Since then, it has grown into the major cultural center of Australia, beloved for its all-embracing, free-spirited nature.  The Royal Botanic Garden displays one of the world’s most important horticultural collections across its 70 acres of flora-lined pathways.  
 We arrived 6 AM to beautiful sites; our dock was under the bridge (fortunately we are on a "small size cruise ship") and around several corners.


Fort Denison was once used to jail convicts who were bad actors in the city.  There was no concern of their escape due to the large sharks swimming in the harbor.
The cultural jewel in its crown is the iconic Sydney Opera House, a UNESCO World Heritage Site nestled harbor-side like a gleaming white bird taking wing.


 On today's bus tour we saw:
Public library




 Sky scrapers (very metropolitan)
 Old buildings

 Over 300-foot tall spire with revolving restaurant on top




Famed bridge, built 1923-1932.  500 meters long between pylons, 1,500 meters long end-end, 500 meters above water level.  Note visitors on "climb" of bridge to top.





The bridge is under continual maintenance and painting.  It takes ten years to complete each paint cycle!


Nearby, The Rocks, a district named for the sandstone from which its original buildings were made, once hosted drunken sailors and ex-convicts.  Today, its history-rich streets host crafts shops and markets.
The oldest standing building in Sydney.  Constructed in very late 1800s by convicts brought from Great Britain; the boat ride was about 8 months.  The convicts were kept in chains on the boats and fed almost nothing while in transit; there was almost no food for them when they arrived.  After their sentences were completed (seven, ten, or fourteen years!), there were free and could return to Great Britain.  However, none had the price of a return trip so all remained.


We were two feet from this savangering ibis.  He paid us no attention.





 Tiles on roof of Opera House




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