Bush, Bridges, Boats - Sydney, Australia

Australia's famous Harbor Bridge is an architectural wonder that elegantly arches high over Sydney Harbor. Approximately 500 homes and businesses were destroyed to create enough room to build the bridge. We walked across it at the level of the cars but if a person wants to climb over the bridge on the arch it will cost around $300 and about three to four hours of your time. We really would have enjoyed the thrill of crossing over the arch but the price was beyond our budget.

Sydney's Opera House took about 12 years to finish because of technical, political, and financial difficulties. It has become an icon for Australia with its unusual design standing in close proximity to the Harbor Bridge.

We watched these sailboats race as we sat at the helm of a two-story ferry headed for Manly, a popular tourist city.

This sailboat was in second place in the race but had to make a quick turnaround when our ferry blew its very loud horn to keep the boat from crossing its path. This was foul play because the rules of the water require that motorized boats always yield to sail. Yikes! I bet those sailboat riders were ticked.

We grabbed some fish and chips and sat down by the beach to eat. Hungry seagulls surrounded us and stared. Our friend Russell lifted his hand while holding a french fry and a seagull swept down and grabbed it from him. These birds are quite the little bandits.

We went on a bush walk in the Northside area of Sydney by Middle Harbor. The vegetation was thick and beautiful.

Wildlife is in plenty in the bush but the Kookabarra was the only one that greeted us openly. The bush has snakes, possums, billbys, blue tongue lizards, and the most deadly spider in the world; the funnel web spider.

Rubber trees, scribbles trees, bottle brush, eucalyptus trees surround us with the mystic aura of an enchanted forest. Birds swoop through the branches, spiders add web design, little critters burrow in any hole in the trunk of a tree, and fish jump in the water. The air was fresh and clean and felt very good to breath deeply into my lungs.

This is seven-legged Sally. She has built a beautiful web and is just waiting for you to get caught in her net and stay for dinner.

Just another beautiful plant in the bush but I don't know its name. So does that count if I can't tell you the name?

This a a termite nest up in the tree. Talk about a tree pimple!

The most beautiful bird of paradise flower I have ever seen.

These signs are painted on the intersection roads in downtown Sydney for the dumb tourists who are not accustomed to drivers who drive on the left side instead of the right. I guess too many tourists were creamed by traffic coming from the right when they were looking left before crossing. I must admit, I forgot also.

Sydney has had quite a bit of rain while we have been here but luckily we have been able to get out to the bush and the ferry ride. We have had a lot of fun with our good friends Russell and Jennifer and their son Nicholas and the twins; Madison and Georgia.