Watson's bay in Sydney– Friday Skywatch

I was in Sydney mid of this year. Such a lovely city. I am yearning to go there again. I was going through my Sydney album and  found these pictures. These were taken when I went out for  ferry ride. They say, ferries are the best when it comes to  authentic Sydney experience.I bought a combo ticket for Torong Zoo and 24 hour hop on hop off  ferry  for $40.

I started from circular quay.My first stop was Torong zoo. The cable car ride inside the Torong Zoo offered a good view of Sydney. By the time I took a tour of the Zoo and came out  it was already  1pm. Though, ferry ticket can be used for 8 destinations. Practically it is not possible to go there unless we plan it well. Ferry schedule was something I couldn’t understand it easily. Nevertheless, I never count how many sight seeing places I visited. I love to explore and leisurely experience the place.

I didn’t have any plan for my next stop. While I was choosing my next destination, a ferry arrived. Next minute, yours truly was there inside the ferry. After 15-20 minutes, ferry stopped as   captain’s  announced the stop  ‘Watson’s bay’.

 

Hungry to the core,I was so happy to see many restaurants adjacent to the harbor. But didn’t find anything vegetarian there. They were sea food  restaurants.Later, came to know that Watson’s bay is famous for seafood and it was once fishermen’s village .

I walked towards left  side of the bay in search of food. After a km, found nothing to eat but a beautiful beach. Now, I had time  till ferry comes back. So, started walking in the opposite direction. Found some steps and information board mentioning that place as GAP. GAP is an ocean cliff facing Tasman sea.

 I was so happy to find this place accidentally. It is an amazing  vantage point which offers Sydney’s bird’s view.Walking along the cliff was so relaxing. I decided not to hop on the next scheduled ferry. So continued enjoying the views. Lovely veg roll,cone of ice cream, GAP park bubbling  with locals having leisurely time made my afternoon a memorable one. 

My hop on hop off ferry ended with only 2 stops. Absolutely no regret as Watson’s bay filled up all the gaps.Few more pictures on my way back to circular quay..

Sydney - Opera drenched in lights during VividSydney

Vivid Sydney is a festival of light, music and ideas happening in Sydney from 23 May 2014. This  winter festival continues up to 9 June 2014. It is developed by Destination New South Wales(NSW) on behalf of NSW Government. I was told Vivid Sydney is a success story for Australia's tourism. Millions of people visit Sydney during this time. Sydney drenches in light and you never get tired walking around Sydney. Celebration fills day and night across the streets of Sydney. 

There are light shows at most of the important buildings. It creates fairy world keeping us mesmerized. Projections, light installations, building illuminations and much more from the world of light. Darling Harbor, Circular Quay and The Rocks  rocks !!

Building illumination, Sydney

Building illumination on museum of contemporary art, Sydney

I got to be there on  first day of Vivid Sydney. I went back to my childhood jumping in excitement with the wonder lighting world in front of me. I am so happy to be part of Vivid night.

Even ferries are decorated with LED lights. It changes colors from harbor to harbor. Harbor bridge changes its color. 

Harbor bridge during VividSydney. Look at ferries in different colors

Swans, dragons, ballet dancers are created in light and water. Best of all is Opera house. It shines in plethora of design, colors and light. Opera house looks like a bubbly teenager shedding its otherwise serious look. All the light shows are for free.

Opera during Vivid Sydney

I couldn’t attend any music programs. But I understand it features many performances from different genres. 

Ideas flow from architecture, design, fashion, music, lighting, film , performing arts and science.There are exhibitions, talks, discussions and shows. Some are ticketed and most of them are for free. I saw few exhibitions and art works in museum of contemporary art which was a world of imagination with no end. I will write about this later. For now, some more pictures of Opera on Vivid night.

 Pls share if you have seen similar toVivid Sydney

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Sydney - Sunrise at Opera, bloom in the sky

It was my returning day from Sydney. My flight was in the evening. My friend with whom I was staying had a flight to catch in the early morning. I decided to go with her and get dropped at Circular quay on her way from her suburb home. 

I am not an early bird. Except for catching the flight, I can count the days when I got up early in the morning. I was still sleepy when we drove towards the city. There he came!!!  Little Kangaroo crossing the road!!! It was a small Kangaroo running in a hurry.Driver had to apply the break. It was for few seconds. He was gone in to the bushes… Wow!! That was amazing. Seeing Kangaroo jumping across the main road in Kangaroo land. Driver said it is a very rare sight. He hadn’t seen in years Kangaroo on road. 

I think Kangaroo sensed my dream to see him on road freely roaming and he made that true!! Me happy happy !!

When Linsey dropped me at circular quay it was just 5.15 in the morning.Circular quay is a  hub of railway station, ferry and bus stop in Sydney Sydney was still in deep sleep.The big roads were empty. One or two people were going in and out of railway station. I like to experience the place than seeing many places in a hurry. That’s one of the reasons  I like to travel solo. My time my plan and my way of traveling. I didn’t have any plan for the day. It was my day to feel the city.

Opera early in the morning from circular quay

 I settled on a bench in the bus stop and started reading Jayanth kaikinis short story (it is in Kananda, my mother tongue). I was lost in the story. There was a coincidence.The story speaks about Opera house, Mumbai's theater.  The experince of the Opera house narrated in the story and this Opera ,to which I was a witness got mixed up in a surreal way! There is no connection between the two operas though, expect for the fact that yours truly was reading it in and viewing it  too!

 Then, here comes an uncouthly looking person. I immediately sensed something  wrong and walked away. He was a beggar. He followed. I stood in front of a ticket  vending machine for a while  wondering what to do. He stood there away for sometime and moved away following someone coming out of railway station.

Golden rays reflecting on Opera house platform

To escape from his sight, I started walking towards Opera which was just 3-4 minutes away. Oh! There was hue of colors. Eastern sky was in bloom. Standing on the Opera platform I forgot the beggar and was lost in the rush of new sun rays. Dawn was unveiling the darkness. I was spell bound with the beauty in front of me. 

Dawn at Opera house , Sydney

Sunrise at Opera house, Sydney

 

Ever bustling area  was yet to get active fully. It was so quite. The dark sky was giving birth to Sun. Suddenly the eastern horizon was in full bloom! Changing colorful clouds enriched the beauty of the dawn.

Fresh morning at Opera house, Sydney

I was standing there watching this event until Opera was soaked in the golden light.Joggers started entering in to the stage called a new day. Life started unfolding from the womb of dawn at Sydney.

Pls share best sunrises you have seen .... 

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