What a difference a day of recovery can make!After checking into The Travellers Rest (their spelling) which is one of many backpacker hostels located in Sydney I took a really long nap. I didn't even take time to do any unpacking. When I woke up hungry I ate a snack that I'd packed and then promptly went back to sleep. There will be more to say about this hostel in a future blog.
Friday morning I awoke to blue skies and lots of sunshine. The temperature in the mid-70s was ideal. After some breakfast I headed out with map in hand, though amazingly after such an absence from Sydney I recognized some of the landmarks and street names. First stop was St. Mary's Cathedral which had two towers erected in my absence! Inside I lit a votive near the statue of St. Anthony partly in thanksgiving for a safe trip over (dramatic arrival not withstanding) and the upcoming planned surgery on dad's back. From there I headed over to Macquarie street and down the hill toward the Opera House. A brief look inside the Royal Botanic Gardens afforded an encounter with a young man wearing a Minnesota Twins ball cap. I asked if he was from Minnesota. No, actually he was from Manitoba, Canada. Dennis was impressed when I asked what city in Manitoba, "most Yanks don't know to ask that, they think Manitoba is a city." I expressed delight that I wasn't like most Yanks. We chatted a bit and I learned that he was a farmer from Brandon which is west of Winnipeg. Now traveling he was looking to do some migration farming in Australia; working on farms around the country as the seasons produced a need for harvest workers. Sounded fun and exciting for a 22 year-old but not for me, thanks. We shook hands and wished each other well.
Further through the gardens I could catch glimpses of the Opera House sails and arrived mid-morning. Took lots of photos before heading inside to the souvenir shop for a few small purchases. I decided not to take any tour of the inside as I'd done so the last time and in fact had seen a play performed there as well. Back outside and more pictures, this time of the Harbour Bridge and Circular Quay (pronounced "key") area. Next was a leisurely stroll along the waterfront of Farm Cove enroute to Mrs. Macquarie's Chair. Since it was the noon hour the path was very busy with workers out for a jog or run.
Sensing that blisters were forming on my feet I opted to jump on the Sydney Explorer red bus and purchased a 24 hour pass. The route takes one through various parts of the city and points out interesting sights. One can get off, see a sight and get back on the bus. This I did for the remainder of the day and eventually got off and took the city bus right back to where I was staying in King's Cross (the pass is good on city buses as well). I tended to my blisters and had an otherwise non-eventful rest of the night.
