Market Saturday at The Rocks

Day 55, Grand Asia 2017

Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017 – Sydney, Australia

Figuring I am now an old pro at taking the ferry around Sydney Harbor, and having some money left on my Opal ferry card for fares, I set off this morning by shuttle bus, foot and ferry for The Rocks, a historic section of the city with a well-known Saturday market.

The Rocks is an area of old buildings housing some of Sydney’s earliest taverns, hotels and shops. Its streets mainly run parallel to the water, but narrow alleys and pedestrian walkways cut up the hill, opening onto small courtyards with more restaurants and shops. On Friday and Saturdays, white tarps cover small booths lining the streets. Fridays are for food markets; Saturdays for crafts, jewelry, bespoke clothing and various souvenirs.

I spent a lazy few hours wandering among the booths, picking up a few potential Christmas gifts and taking photographs. I split the day with a coffee and WiFi break. It seems strange to “run into” people you know in a foreign port, but by now I know many people on the ship and a fair number of them were spending the day at The Rocks, as well.

When I was about shopped out, I used the last of my Opal card fare to take the ferry back to Barangaroo, where the modern Christmas tree added a festive touch.

On the walk to the shuttle bus stop, I ran into Gigi, also from the ship. She was hunting for someone to have a local beer with before returning to the ship, and we decided it was a sign that she saw me first. I didn’t take a lot of persuasion. We had a great time getting to know each other better and ended up sharing beers and a happy hour pizza before catching one of the last shuttles to the ship.

Our sail away party was on the aft pool deck, and once again we had spectacular views of Sydney Harbor.

As we passed under the bridge, those brave enough to climb to the top waved.

I lingered and caught a photo of the pilot stepping off the ship onto the pilot boat once we were out into the Tasman Sea. It must take a lot of experience to guide the pilot boat so precisely next to a moving ship.

After two fun days in Sydney, I’m looking forward to a restful three sea days before we arrive in New Zealand.