A Perfect Sydney Day for Renewing Friendships
Day 54, Grand Asia 2017
Friday, Nov. 24, 2017 – Sydney, Australia
As I waited at our designated meeting spot this morning, I hoped I would recognize my friends. I planned to spend the day with Robyn and Helen, two women from Sydney whom I had met four years ago on a 30-day cruise. Despite our intentions at the time, we hadn’t really stayed in touch until last summer when I emailed them that I would be in Sydney and hoped to connect with them.
Of course I recognized them right away, and despite the four intervening years, we quickly made up for lost time, bringing each other up to date on life events and especially cruises taken and planned for the future. All the while they shared their beautiful city with me.
My day started early as I joined a small crowd outside on deck 6, just below the bridge, while the captain took the Amsterdam between high rock cliffs into Sydney Harbor. Our port guide described the bays and islands we passed as we turned one way and then the other. Around 7 a.m. we made the final turn and saw the iconic Opera House, the Sydney Bridge and the city unfold before us. Our position for photography was perfect, with the sun rising behind us.
Those who have cruised to Sydney know that the much-preferred docking location is at Circular Quay, right between the Opera House and the approach to the bridge. The enormous Celebrity Solstice had berthed there. We continued under the bridge to White Bay, a generally inconvenient (to tourists) location with nothing to offer. To add insult, we weren’t even at the terminal, but at a secondary berth with only a small tent on shore. The former Holland America Statendam, now a P & O ship, had the preferred space. There was much grumbling among the passengers who expected the cruise line to secure better accommodations for a “grand” cruise.
The ship ran continuous bus shuttles from the ship to Darling Harbor, where we could visit the aquarium, the maritime museum and (another) Ferris wheel. Robyn, Helen and I walked the 10 minutes to the ferry stop at Barangaroo. They helped me secure an Opal card, the best way to pay for ferry rides. Our trip to Circular Quay (the transportation hub for getting just about anywhere in Sydney) involved stops around the bay and essentially was a harbor tour without commentary.
No visit to Sydney is complete with go to the Opera House. We joined the crowds taking photos from all sides. Some of the Amsterdam passengers had signed up for interior tours, and others had tickets for a performance this evening. We sat outside and enjoyed a cup of coffee, where I learned that in Australia a “flat white” comes in a mug and a “latte” comes in a glass.
We had a bit of a wait for our next ferry, so we walked over to The Rocks, an old section of Sydney next to the main cruise ship berth. Once we boarded the ferry for Watson Bay, we sat outside and carefully chose our favorite mansions from the many lining the bay.
Watson Bay is the last stop and is a fun little beach community with a famous restaurant, Doyles. Decades ago Robyn’s parents used to stay there for holiday.
The weather was sunny with few clouds, and the crowds were generally young and having a great time. We had the traditional fish and chips and continued catching up on our travels. Then we climbed the hill to view “the Gap,” the break in the cliffs that allows entrance into the harbor.
When we returned to Circular Quay, I ran into some fellow Amsterdam passengers and felt comfortable with the ferry service, so I left Robyn and Helen to board the train back to their northern suburban homes.
The dinner crowd was sparse, as a lot of people were tired from excursions around the city and out to the Blue Mountains. A large group didn’t return from their Opera House performance until very late. Enough people stayed up to fill the Queens Lounge for a late evening performance by a local Aboriginal dance group.
