We stayed in a much different part of town. An area called Potts Point where the streets are tree lined and the cafe's plentiful. Still walking distance to the Opera House and Sydney's many parks and gardens, Potts Point provided us with a really good base to occupy the interests of both child and adult alike. Every other corner seemed to have a little park or playground for Kyra to expend her energy. It was a really nice aspect of the city.
One really great experience we got to enjoy that is not pictured below was the Chinese exhibit at the Sydney Museum. Some artifacts from the tomb of the first emperor of China, Qin Shihuang, were on loan and we took a rare opportunity to see them accompanied by more than 200 other rare and interesting artifacts including several statues of his Entombed Warriors, Chariots and Royal Guards. It was pretty cool and I doubt we will ever go to China to see it in person, so we were glad we went, but don't have any pictures as they were forbidden like many other things in China.
Below are some photos, we hope you enjoy!!
Here is Kyra on her favorite swing in the playground just around the corner from our hotel
Vicki apparently is really popular in Sydney. Here she casually leans against a pole on her very own street.
Of all people, Oprah was in town. She pretty much took over the place. She even interrupted the Jack concert with her nearby firework display. You just have to laugh I guess. But Australia expects to generate millions of tourist dollars from her recent trip which is good I guess, but it doesn't seem like Australia is really hurting for tourist dollars. Pretty much everybody I know would like to visit Australia already, so I dont really understand the big push, but whatever. So they rolled out the red carpet everywhere she went and treated her like royalty. Which I suppose she pretty much is. But we felt skywriting was a bit much.
One of the better activities we did on this trip was to visit some of the nearby beaches. We spent a day in Bondi and a day in Coogee. Above is Kyra and Vicki posing on the ever famous Bondi Beach.
Kyra playing in the Tasman Sea.
This statue of a lifeguard diving into the ocean fascinated Kyra to no end. She couldn't figure out what he was doing and what it was all about. She was at first intrigued, then scared a bit and then just interested in its very existence. It was a very funny couple of minutes where you could just see the wheels turning in her little head.
This is what an Australian field trip looks like. By law, the kids are required to wear hats.
This is what Kyra looks like when an Australian field trip takes over the slide she had been solitary enjoying moments earlier.
Coogee Beach from a nice coastal walk along the bluffs.
Angela, Jason, Kyra, Vicki and Matt at sunset on Coogee. After a not too shabby day at the beach we finished it off with a relaxing pizza dinner on the bluffs overlooking Coogee. It was a nice evening and a good sunset over what must be one of Sydney's most serene and relaxed suburbs.
Captain Kyra
One of the added highlights to this trip was that we got to end our time in Australia with a few days in Cairns before our flight back to Guam. Now that Kyra is a bit older she can really experience all the free play areas that Cairns has to offer. One is the pool that we spent most of the day at, but the other is the kids area along the Esplanade where Kyra decided was a good place to cool off. As Cairns this time of year is quite hot, it was just what the doctor ordered.
Big fish eating Kyra.
4 comments:
how do you pronounce "cairns"?
Kyra needs a hat/outfit like the aussie kids.
what did you do for christmas?
who went to each concert? and how did you decide?
and how do you pronounce "Coogee"? and how can we incorporate that word into our vernacular?
cairns is pronounced like "cans" and coogee is pronounced like "cool" without the L and the gee is like "guy" in french like Guy Herbert not like the letter G.
for christmas we went on a nice hike to this little bay with some friends. went surfing for a bit and spent the evening at a nice christmas party. it was a very ambitious day. but it was good.
i went to jack, vicki saw u2. she got the better end of the stick, but we both had a pretty good time.
that you know what the vernacular is should mean that you need no help incorporating it into your daily language. but for starters, you could say, "hey, i saw laird hamilton the other day, he was doing back side reverse tripple mcflips on his wake chair at teapoo, hes such a coogee" or something like that.
good luck. i think substituting "french" for "gay" is more likely to catch on.
I like the outfits Australians kids wear. I think i would like an outfit for my family when we go out together (with matching hats of course) even if it is just to a local cafe. I would prefer Adidas tracksuits though, which have been very difficult to find. Adidas needs to get it together on that.
Also, I couldn't think of anything to ask about for pronunciation so I am going to give you a random Blues goalie and you have to come up with a place and pronunciation using his name. So I choose: Vincent Riendeau!
I think Jack Johnson would be better than U2 personally, but who am i to judge, don't throw glass rocks in a house of stone. Speaking of a house of stone, does Guam have any concert venues? Do any big names/acts tour on Guam?
That is a nifty little latch system that the Aussies use on their swings. Here in the states they don't have that...My son would just fall backward or forward with no chain to hold him while he swings. I wonder if there was a public outcry to that in Potts Point. I would imagine there was if they have them on the swings. I guess i will need to start a club to get those attached at my local parks.
the Jack vs U2 debate is a good one. much different shows. very different experiences. one is a major production, the other tries almost too hard not to be. but no, guam virtually has no concert venues. 311 did come here about a year ago, and some reggae bands play regularly, but there is a definate lack of tours making there stop on our fair island. im pretty sure it has something to do with their radio play. i kid you not, yesterday they were playing the top 86 of '86. no joke. in some arenas this place is stuck 20 years in the past. it was fun to hear Rick Dees again though.
i must say that you are very observant. the swing latch was quite nice, i found it both safe and ergonomically friendly. most things in australia seem just nice. thats just how the country is, the public services are just really nice, and usually free. you see, its the socialism. i suppose they pay for it in taxes and other ways, but people in the US cry bloody murder when you mention a socialist society and its benefits. but how nice would it be to have free public swimming pools all over town, clean and updated parks and playgrounds and free gas grills on our beaches. i guess there would be drawbacks, but the aussies seem to be a pretty cheery lot.
vicki and i wore matching track suits to a halloween party and won the costume contest. for it to work, they have to be red and one of you has to be uffi and the other uzzi.
i dont think ive seen a blues game this millinium, so im not sure if this person is real but im sure he rhymes with countless villages in rural france as every word in french shounds the same. i think the fact that we still offer french is probably the main reason why the chinese are surpassing us in recent education polls.
anybody want a peanut?
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