Entry By : Eric and Valerie
Country: Australia
Subject: Sydney by Ferry
Date: February 15, 2006

Today we struck out to see some more sights in Sydney. We bought a 'Day Trip' ticket which is good on all the ferries, buses and trains. This covers a HUGE area. First we caught the bus into downtown from Coogee where we have been staying. Then we caught the ferry to Manly Harbor. This trip takes off from the main harbor in Sydney and crosses right in front of the Opera House. Check out the photos!

We arrived in Manly and spent an hour walking along the beach checking out a 'Historic Walk' which included bronze plaques for every olympic athlete from Manly and what sport they had competed in. Very classy!

After this we caught the ferry back into the Harbor, grabbed a quick bite to eat and headed out on another ferry which headed east back into the deepest parts of the harbor. About an hour later we got off at the Olympic Park Stop. We hopped on a bus and arrived a few minutes later at the Olympic grounds. I have been to several Olympic sites around the world, but this one impressed me more than others in many respects. First, it was built on what was basically a toxic waste site that had been reclaimed, cleaned up, and much of the near extinct wildlife was provided with safe areas to not only survive, but in many cases flourish. The grounds are massive compare to others. Wide streets paved in cobblestones, multiple stadiums for the various events, and a 'village' which was able to house all of the athletes, coaches, and families in one location. This has never been done before. The entire complex was completed in 1999, nearly a year ahead of schedule. It was on budget! Something most other countries have not been able to do. Their are lots of examples of art throughout the complex, including a 'forest' of poles which have plaques naming the over 47,000 people who VOLUNTEERED during the construction and execution of the games. It's obvious that the Aussie's are very proud of this place, and they should be. Even after the games, it appears the place is used regularly for sporting events and other uses which the designers never imagined. There are lots of photos of the place. Hope you enjoy them.

We left the grounds by train to head back into town. It is clear that not many people travel there by train since the station was pretty empty and bleak. The train dropped us off right in the middle of downtown where we caught the local metro train out to Bondi Junction to find a 'thank you' gift for our friend and host Nick.

After a bit of shopping we headed home to pack for our travels to Canberra tomorrow and the next leg of our 'Adventures in Oz'

Until next time,

Eric & Val

 

 

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