1/14/23 – Sydney

We awoke to a cloudy, rainy day in Sydney, but lo and behold by 10:30 am the clouds gave way to blue sky and sunshine and a wonderful breeze. We had a most wonderful brunch at Brix & Beans Coffee House near Millers Point. After brunch we wandered over to the Sydney Bridge Climb Center to check out what we could expect tomorrow during our bridge climb. One of my favorite singers, Bette Midler, has done the bridge climb! We continued to explore the area near to the bridge climb and signed on to a walking tour of “The Rocks” – the area where the convicts from England landed and settled. The indigenous peoples were not happy about the new residents. Our guide, Sophie, was wonderful! Following the tour refreshments were in order, so we headed to the Lowenbrau Hofbrau House…a German beer garden that we encountered during our walking tour. While enjoying our beverages and people watching, we saw a man with a shirt that said “Too Midwest to be too stressed”. I engaged in conversation with Mark and Karen, from Chicago, who will be attending the Australian Open next week too! Drinks and conversation completed we headed to the Circular Quay and investigated the ferry system which we will try tomorrow after our bridge climb. The iconic Sydney Opera House is quite visible from the Quay! We walked to the Opera House to get a close up view. Then it was into the beautiful Botanic Garden where we saw new birds to add to our ever growing list – the Eurasia Rosella parrot; the Kookaburra; a Maned Duck; a Masked Lapwing; and a yet to be identified Ibis. Our dinner spot, the Chat Thai, was in an interesting building near to the quay. A stop for some breakfast items at an EZ Mart near our hotel suite.