Hello,
I'm a couple days behind on the emails, I'll try to catch you up. I took things very easy on Monday after I got back from Antarctica. I only had to walk across the street for the days main activity. I went to the top of the Sydney Tower.
The Sydney Tower is the tallest structure in the city and the second tallest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere. Auckland's Sky Tower is taller but Sydney Tower's main observation deck is almost 164 feet higher than the observation deck on Auckland's Sky Tower. Below is looking toward the Harbour Bridge.
The tower stands 1,014 feet above the Sydney central business district. Below I am looking down on my hotel, the Swissotel.
The name Sydney Tower has become common in daily usage, however the tower is also known as the Sydney Tower Eye, AMP Tower, Westfield Centrepoint Tower and Centrepoint Tower. You can see the Royal Botanical Gardens out toward the Harbour in the photo below.
Below is Archibald Fountain in Hyde Park and St. Mary's Cathedral.
Below you can see the ANZAC War Memorial and more of Hyde Park. You can also see the skyline looking north.
Below is Darling Harbour.
The view below is looking south toward the Harbour. You can see very little of the Opera House between the buildings.
After coming down from the tower I walked through the Pitt Street Mall.
My walk also took me past Sydney Town Hall.
Yesterday I walked back to Darling Harbour and got on a jetboat for a thrilling high speed ride around Sydney Harbour.
The jetboat ride ended in Rose Bay where I boarded a seaplane. You can see one in the air in the photo below.
Below we are flying over Macquarie Lighthouse and Dunbar Head.
In the picture below you can see Bondi Beach.
I got a lot of nice shots of Sydney Harbour. I couldn't decide which one to send. So I just sent them all, not really, but quite a few.
It was only a fifteen minute flight, but it was spectacular.
I should have been a pilot. I'm happiest when I'm in the air.
Below is the Manly ferry on its way to Manly. I will be doing that in a couple of hours.
And below is the money shot, another top ten photo.
A closer look at the Sydney Opera House below.
A nice view of the Royal Botanical Gardens in front of the Sydney skyline.
We're now descending back to Rose Bay and flying over the luxurious mansions of the rich and famous.
The jetboat took me back to Darling Harbour. From there I walked over to the Queen Victoria Building.
The building consists of four main shopping floors. The Great Australian Clock, seen in the photo below, weighs four tons and stands 33 feet tall.
The building was officially opened on July 21, 1898. They had not taken down their Christmas decorations yet. A beautiful Christmas Tree below.
Next I hopped on the Manly Ferry at Circular Quay. Below is a picture I took of the harbour during the ride.
Below is Manly Beach. I walked around the Manly Wharf a bit and then got back on the ferry.
I returned to Circular Quay last night to take a few night shots. They didn't come out that great be they are posted below. The Sydney Opera House below.
The Harbour Bridge.
Circular Quay skyline.
Below is a Christmas Tree in front of Sydney Town Hall. I wanted to throw a rock at that street light, it ruined my picture.
I don't know why they canceled the scenic flight that I had booked for today, the weather is fine. I went to the Sydney Aquarium and Wildlife World instead which are located in Darling Harbour.
Sydney Aquarium contains a large variety of Australian aquatic life, displaying more than 700 species comprising more than 13,000 individual fish and other sea and water creatures from most of Australia's water habitats.
Gorgeous smile on the critter below.
I have an 8:30 flight to Hobart in the morning. I will write more from Tasmania.
Tim
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