Stereotypical Australia.

Sightseeing took up the rest of our time spent in Sydney and I quickly soon realized, this is the Stereotypical Australia everyone envisions (minus the Outback of course). Saturday we ventured to Manley Beach first. Stepping out of the car and looking towards the water was exactly what I expected: Southbeach mixed with the French Riviera with a hint of Lake Como, Italy and major Los Angeles influences.

A towering wall full of graffiti separated the street from the beach, a perfect backdrop for the skateboarding competition taking place. Then heading further down, a mass of warm, soft sand - a perfect pathway to the amazingly clear water which was swarming with nothing but eager (and attractive!) surfers, waiting for the exactly right wave to come sweep them back to shore. This was exactly what I pictured Sydney to be.

We headed then to Manly Beach, a 45 minute drive. Here, the beach was separated from the street by a distinct line of pine trees that looked more like bristle brushes (called Norfolk Island Pines). This beach had more of charm with its waterfront shops, restaurants and hotels and a boardwalk center, all decked out with tourists, locals, and an outdoor market. Going for a long run up and down the boardwalk, as well as up into the hills (which reminded me of Austin, TX hill country) was a gorgeous and relaxing/mind clearing hour. I tracked up into the rocky hillside of overlooking Shelly Beach (crystal clear and full of coral and fish - perfect place for snorkeling). We ate dinner beachside, watching the sunset and headed back home, exhausted and sandy - but totally refreshed and fulfilled.

Day 2 and 3 of exploring was the most stereotypical in that we went to the Sydeny Harbour Bridge (yes, this was part of Opera Winfrey's great big adventure and she got stuck at the top because she was too scared to come down.)

                                                                                

The Opera House (up close looks like it is decorated with sea shells and is more of an off-white color. The interior is completely art deco with odes to it's 1970's completion.)

We saw the aquarium (not as cool as I would have expected, but the sea animals did look like they were straight out of Finding Nemo, including Sea Gulls that made me laugh just thinking of them breaking out into: "Mine! Mine! Mine!")

The Taronga Zoo (a cliffside zoo that you had to take a sky life to the entrance and work your way back down the hillside. Filled with every native Australian animal you can think of, plus elephants, zebras, crocs, etc. We were entertained by a baby elephant for about 20 minutes - watching him try to drag a tire tied with chain out of his watering hole, and after sucessfully doing so - he threw it right back in.) Every landmark was exactly what I had pictured (minus how the bay was laid out - I always pictured the Opera House and Bridge right off the ocean and both being almost like a port. Instead, the Harbour is more inland and there are tons of alcoves which ferries tour around in circles, busing tourists, including us, and professionals from one side of town to the other.) 

My favorite stop was the Botanical Gardens, which I turned into the backdrop of my runs for the next two days. There are Ibis birds flying everywhere (scavengers who literally would attack tables yet to be cleared from lunch and scour all the plates clean), trees full of bats (yes - bats) and cockatoos, turtles, you name it.

Day 3 was spent with the kids. I attempted to take them to Luna Park (the famous amusement park right on the edge of the harbour), but of course it is closed every Tuesday! So instead we trampsed around Sydney, saw an iMax movie, went to a museum and had a bayside lunch.A great city and a great holiday leaving me itching to see more!