Fancy Meeting Him, Sydney Day 2
The iconic Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts center at Sydney Harbour in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the most photographed buildings with its unique use of a series of gleaming white-sail shaped shells as its roof structure.
February 12, 2014
Sydney Metropolitan Area, New South Wales, Australia
We took the free shuttle bus to downtown where we were dropped off on George and Albert St. After spending an hour getting connected on the internet and downloading our email, I decided to walked toward the Circular Quay while Bert went back to the ship. The Circular Quay is one of the most popular tourist areas in the city. It is comprised of parks, restaurants, walkways, and pedestrian malls. The area is a focal point for community celebrations. The street was lively and there were lots of tourists and locals walking in the direction of the Sydney Opera House. Though we had seen it before and taken hundreds of pictures, I was still compelled to pay a visit to Sydney`s stunning symbol.
“Can you please take our picture,” a couple of young Japanese tourists asked me.
”Certainly,” I replied and took their picture. Before I could reach the Opera house, I was asked three more times to take a photograph of somebody else. It was definitely hectic getting my way to the Opera House. A group of some Indonesian crew, from the Celebrity cruise ship asked me to pose with them and also to take their group photos before we parted on the steps.
Looking backward from the steps of the Opera House, it gave me a view of the CBD, (central business district). This time around, I wanted to explore the nooks and crannies of this area simply by just walking and taking some photographs. I shudder with the thought of buying anything, as prices of things, and particularly food in Australia, are really exorbitant.
“I bought a Quarter Pounder McDonald’s burger last night. When I got back to my cabin, I had a headache,” our wine steward said.
“Which one gave you the headache, the size or the price,” Bert asked.
“Both,” he replied.
These conversations were running in my thoughts when all of a sudden, a very familiar close-up smile, and handsome look greeted me, right smack in front. It was Enrico, the son of a Filipino -Australian couple that we met on board the ship during the Christmas holiday Panama cruise. The whole family disembarked in Fort Lauderdale and we exchanged email addresses, and promised to keep in touch.
“What are you doing here,” I asked excitedly.
“I’m on lunch break,”he replied.
“We went to the ship last night to find but you were not there,” he continued.
To make the story short, Enrico very cheerfully offered to show me around. We walked passed many streets until we saw a dramatic fountain in the distance.
This is Sydney’s s own Hyde Park, which looked even grander than the one in London. It is decidedly urban with huge very old trees and sits literally in the shadows of Sydney’s dozen skyscrapers. It has landscaped gardens, tress and historical sites and it is perfect for relaxing.
“Turn around, and look up,” Enrico urged me.
“ Oh, there`s the Sydney Tower!” I exclaimed.
I would’’t have known it was there, if you were not with me.
“Thank you, so much,” I said.
Sydney Opera House at dusk.
At a height of 305 meters, the Sydney Tower is the tallest free-standing structure in the city. It is also called Centrepoint Tower and also one of the most popular tourist attraction in Sydney. From Hyde Park, we went inside Saint Mary’s Cathedral which was so exquisite with its Gothic design, and numerous stained glass windows. Unfortunately, no photographs were allowed (Australia again??), so I spent a few minutes to say my prayers.
Running into Enrico was the total surprise of the day. I felt a tinge of sadness when we hugged and said our goodbyes. Though we only met a few times before on board the ship, and didn’t get to spend time to together, his warm welcome and hospitality blew me away.
After we separated, I continued through the neighborhoods of Darlinghurst and Paddington, a quiet and quaint world away from the city`s hectic central business district. I enjoyed the tree-lined streets, row houses and high street shops. There were charming coffee houses, that had an almost Bostonian feel to them.
Back on the ship, I was so excited to tell Bert about bumping into Enrico at the Circular Quay, and how I wished we had seen him on the first day. My return trip to Sydney was definitely unforgettable because of him. Meeting Enrico provided me an opportunity to enjoy Sydney by ignoring the overpriced town center, and instead just taking a walk to some of Sydney’s hidden spots. Sydney is an incredibly beautiful city and, despite it's notoriety as an expensive City, there are ways to enjoy its incredible views. Many thanks to our latest BFF!