Australia: Sydney

We took the ferry from Manly Wharf into Sydney: another beautifully clear sunny day.  The ferry was quick and easy and allowed us to see some of the sights:

We then decided to head to the Powerhouse Museum and work our way back from there to see a few different things - we weren't going to manage to see everything and decided to start with another child-friendly place for running around before we started dragging them places.

The museum is a good spot - playgrounds, interactive exhibits, the wiggles exhibition (see separate post).  I most enjoyed to oopsatoreum which is set up with a bunch of unusual inventions and objects with made up explanations of their use and purpose.  It was imaginative and funny, although my favourite thing is this forerunner to the Teasmade.

A wander north took us to Darling Harbour with nice view of the PwC office, and a winter wonderland.  It was midwinter, and it was chilly enough in the shade to necessitate long sleeves, but it wasn't really the weather for that kind of winter theme park!  We didn't go in - it would have been too weird - but Marisca did enjoy the lights.

Also in Darling Harbour there's a water feature playground - some pumps and a stream which splits and combines depending on the setting of gates set in the floor.  Marisca really enjoyed hopping over the streams and playing in the water, and Tom and I enjoyed a good sit down to watch her.

And here's a rare shot of me - I must have given the camera to Elspeth at some point while helping Risky with the pumps!

Playing on the carousel:

We then carried on walking, as far as The Rocks, where we stopped for hot chocolate and biscuits.  And while we were there these lorikeets popped down to fill up on sugar.  Beautifully colourful birds which gives them a special status - if these were pigeons they'd have been shooed away in short order.

And the last thing we did was to climb one of the bridge pylon towers.  Marisca climbed all 200-ish steps to the top and we got a lovely view of the city with the sun setting.  Here's the opera house again.

Elspeth, Tom, and the city:

And some bridge detail.

Heading home on the ferry again gave a last view of the bridge from the docks.  It was a great day in Sydney and there's lots we'd want to see if we were there again, but we got a feel for the city.  Another dinner out in Manly (very nice Mexican with margheritas) rounded off a busy and memorable day.