Volodya needed to go to Sydney to gain more experience in transplant pathology, so we tagged along to add Sydney Australia to our list of places seen. And now that I've seen Sydney, I don't need to see it again, maybe for a show or something; basically it's just another large city. We did the touristy things and it was great, but now - let's get to the bush, the outback, the...!
Lydia had just had her hair done. Summer means wild color!
The famous Bondi Beach. Meh! It is a beach. Not the cleanest, covered with people who want to be seen, no Aussies there!
S in the surf.
J. It was a bit cold!
The gang walking to the Sydney Opera House.
The twins in a nook at the Opera House.
An inside close up.
The view from our apartment at Bondi Junction. It was definitely centrally located for bus catching! There was a Target here!
Fine (?) dining in our apartment. Mostly Chinese take-aways and bread!
J. "Veeerrrry in-teresting!" (At the harbor - waiting for a bus)
I didn't know there was all that brick-work under the white "sails". We're on the ferry going to the zoo.
So cute! So snoozey!
This one decided to move and backed down onto another koala; there was a bit of a scrap - a sleepy bit!
J and the monitor lizard. It was quite hot and very sunny.
Here is the Australian White Ibis. They are the equivalent of the begging sparrow or pigeon, and they are everywhere in Sydney. Sit in a cafe and be pestered by these giants!
Sorry this is blurry, but gives a size reference for these Ibis (or Ibises).
A red kangaroo. They are not aggressive and so the exhibit is totally open to the zoo visitor. Very cool to be so close to the beasts!
The ANZAC War memorial. The acronym ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, whose soldiers were known as Anzacs. Anzac Day is a big holiday in both Australia and New Zealand. Originally built to commemorate the soldiers who died in WWI and particularly the battle of Gallipoli, and now commemorates all Australian soldiers who died in war.
The domed ceiling adorned with 120,000 gold stars - one for each of New South Wales' military volunteers during World War I.
At the reflecting pool by the Memorial. More Ibis.
Close encounter of the shark kind! At the Sydney Aquarium.
Changing of the sky guard. Day-time Ibis and night-time Flying Foxes. There were hundreds of bats!
A parrot having a nosh, in the park attached to the Opera House.
Funky tree.
Lydia feeding some of the natives.
Walking to the Opera House from the other side. Volodya had been working, hence the suit.
A Coke commercial.
Of course, we were in Sydney when Oprah arrived. There was a bit of chaos! And the news was all about what Oprah was doing and what her group was up to.
Back at home. Nature. Peace. Quiet.
