AUSTRALIA : Sydney Opera House 2/8

On our 4th day, we finally were in Sydney. Chose to take the train for obvious reason. First destination.....the infamous and iconic Sydney Opera House. Been here many times and had even went for a tour of the inside, but the building never failed to mesmerized. The harbour setting, coupled with the Harbour Bridge and the myriad of boats just provided a beautiful ensemble of a picture perfect postcard view.

There it was, partially hidden behind a newly-built apartment block.

View of Circular Quay from the Opera House.

A closer view of the harbour.

Sydney Harbour Bridge. Opened in 1932, the 1149m long bridge is the tallest steel arch bridge in the world. It has always been a superb backdrop for firework displays during celebration of Australia Day and New Year.

Taking time to soak in the atmosphere.

The Sydney Opera House was designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon, who won the competition in 1957. The building however, was only completed in 1973. The history behind the actual construction is a very interesting read, including the resignation of Utzon from the project team, six years prior to the actual completion date. He even refused to attend the opening ceremony in1973. It was only in 1999 (26 years later) that the Sydney government managed to persuade him to finally visit his masterpiece. He died in 2008.

Various views of the Opera House in different lighting conditions.

Sydney's skyline, viewed from a ferry.

Aboriginal performances at Circulay Quay.

An aboriginal didgeridoo player. Didgeridoos are interesting aboriginal wind instrument made from hollowed eucalyptus tree trunks. These trunks were naturally hollowed by termites and only minor adjustments were made to ensure the right tones. They produces bassy haunting sounds. Traditionally, women are not allowed to play or even touch them.

An unique metal sculpture just outside the Museum of Contemporary Art.

A historical building at the Rocks. The Rocks were the site of the very first settlement by the British in Australia in 1788. It now houses many art galleries and eateries and being close to Circular Quay, a very popular tourist destination.

Overseas Passenger Terminal, designed by the architect Lawrence Nield. One of my favourite building in Sydney. Saw the QE2 luxury cruise liner berthed here once.

The other end of the building.

The Rocks, Harbour Bridge and part of the Park Hyatt Sydney Hotel.

Right smack (almost) below the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Circular Quay. A unique transportation hub where one can catch a train, ferry or bus and the gateway to the Opera House, the Rocks and the Harbour Bridge.

A 'yellow cab', unique to Sydney.

Since we were short of time, opted to take the famous Sydney Explorer bus and just sat back and soak in the views. This is going across the Harbour Bridge.

Sydney's skyline across from the Royal Botanic Gardens.

The Sydney Tower, with a statue of Queen Victoria at bottom right.

Sydney Hospital, next to the Parliament House. A beautiful colonial building.

So sad that we could not allocate time to visit The Australian Museum.

St Mary's Cathedral.

Just loved the clear, cloudless blue sky.

View of Market City at the edge of Chinatown. Popularly known as Sydney's Paddy's Market, this is the place for souvenirs hunting,

Typical Australian houses with colonial architectural elements. Notice the wrought iron railing and friezes.

We were lucky to be in Sydney during 2010 Biennale of Sydney which is an international festival of contemporary art, held every two years. Part of the event was the play of colourful lights and patterns onto the  white roof of the Opera House.

Another pattern.

Harbour Bridge is beautifully lit at night.

Stunning night view.

Circular Quay train station. Sydney is well connected with public transportation. Be it trains, buses or ferries, and they were in service until very late. The cheapest option is to go off-peak and get a family ticket.

 CityRail Millennium double decker electric train.

Clean, sleek and spacious.

Seats can be reorientated, depending on the direction that we want to face. The LED panels showed the name of the next station. Convenient way to travel. Beat the traffic jams and the huge city centre parking rates.

Next installment - Manly, Darling Harbour and Blue Mountains.