Last Day in Sydney!

Last day in Sydney - beautiful blue skies - so what better way than to walk through different gardens.  First I walked over the Harbour Bridge to Wendy's Secret Garden, then I metroed back to enjoy the Royal Botanical Gardens of Sydney! 
As I write this, I am now back in Cirebon, where it is hot and rainy.......
Happy New Year everyone!

Walking over the Harbour Bridge

There is a pedestrian walkway on the eastern side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge that offers some of the best views of Sydney Harbour.

Wendy's Secret Garden

When Wendy Whiteley lost her husband, Australian artist Brett Whiteley in 1992, she funnelled her love and grief into transforming a disused, derelict train yard space Wendy’s Secret Garden. It has been nurtured by Whiteley and two gardeners over the past 25 years. They’ve planted natives, exotics, plants and herbs and landscaped the space with winding paths supported by raw bush timber balustrades, benches to sit on and cobbled stairs, retaining walls and paths.

Alongside the natural beauty of the plants and trees, you’ll also find bronze busts, engraved stone tablets, wooden carvings and other sculptures dotted around the garden. 
The garden also has a fantastic view of the Harbour Bridge.

Prior to the Lights of Christmas at St. Mary's Cathedral

Before the light show began, there was to be a choir (from where this angel belonged) but the rains began and they all scattered.  As the night grew darker,the lights on the cathedral began to illuminate. 

The Lights of Christmas

After enduring a bit of rain, the light show began, with orange and red lights, and actually reminded me of fire and brimstone. Finally it gave way to the the Christmas story.   The light show was matched by a soaring musical soundtrack and included a few  pieces from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Mrs Macquarie's Chair

Mrs Macquarie's Chair is a Sydney landmark. The chair was carved out of a sandstone rock ledge by convicts in 1810. Specially commissioned by Governor Macquarie for his wife Elizabeth who was known to love the area this is one of the best vantage points to view the sights of Sydney Harbour.

Sights and Sounds of Christmas Eve- summer version

Darling Harbour is the  area was originally known as Long Cove, but was generally referred to as Cockle Bay until 1826 when Governor Darling renamed it after himself.
Now it is predominantly a big tourist area with lots of restaurants, shops and children's activities.

Who Knew???

The State Library of New South Wales, part of which is known as the Mitchell Library, is a large heritage-listed special collections, reference and research library open to the public. It is the oldest library in Australia, being the first established in the colony of New South Wales in 1826.

11 Years Ago I Wandered Around this Garden

 Designed in 1988 by landscape architects and gardeners from Sydney’s sister city, Guangzhou this is the garden I wandered around in waiting for Marissa to finally come in from Vancouver.The garden combines the elements of water, plants, stone and architecture and this time I was able to appreciate this  peaceful sanctuary in the midst of a Sydney.

Chinese Garden of Friendship

Although Bonsai is a Japanese word, the art of growing these miniature trees originates in China, where it is called "Penjing" or "Penzai".

The Water Dragon is Australia's largest dragon lizard and can be found living in  healthy waterways in Sydney. The garden was teeming with them.

The Gurr

The Clear View Pavilion

Also called the Gurr, this gorgeous hexagonal pagoda sits at the highest point in the garden.  It offers wonderful views in all directions and features golden roof tiles and detailed wood carving inside that were gifted from the province of Guangdong in China.  You can also see the central lamp in the photo below which signifies prosperity.

Red Silk Cotton Tree

The trunk and limb  of the Red Silk Cotton Tree bear numerous conical spines particularly when young, but get eroded when older. The nectar inside the flowers of this tree ferments and has been known to have drunken birds laying on the ground.

Theater time!

Yesterday, was a cool, windy and dark day (due to the brush fires surrounding Sydney) that I opted to stay close to the apartment.  After some wandering around, people watching I went to see the play, Blue Christmas at the Kings Cross Hotel - which is not a hotel!

Blue Christmas

 Blue Christmas, a double bill of two new Australian plays that celebrate a broader range of Christmas experiences. In Good People by Katy Warner , a woman treats her high school friends to a holiday in a tropical paradise, but their opportunity to reconnect is suddenly and violently interrupted. In Shandy’s Corner by Gretel Vella , twenty-something Edith is forced to seek refuge in an inner city women’s shelter on Christmas Day. There are so many wonderful and funny moments in these two plays, and then there are those that are absolutely heart-rending. They reflect the many emotions and the many experiences of what Christmas can be and mean for people.

Stairwell of the Kings Cross Hotel

To get to the second  floor of Kings Cross Hotel, you must go through a bar, attempt to use the lift without any success and go up a flight of stairs,  through another bar.  Finally, on what we would call the 3rd floor, but is labeled the 4th floor is the  Kings Cross Theatre. Known as KXT it  offers a unique space for independent theatre productions and companies.  These are just a few of the wall paintings as I made  my way up to the theater.

Interior of apartment

Much nicer than the exterior! I can make my own coffee every morning, as well as drink my wine and enjoy my cheese, crackers, salad and hummus!  Quite a very nice way for the end of the trip!

Home away from Home????

 As I walked into the building for the Airbnb it was a bit dodgy as Stef would say (dodgy- Australian slang for not quite right, suspicious.)

Time to Leave the Carols in the Domain

I felt like they did, so it was time for me to pack up and head back to the apartment

A little tranquility as I left the concert

The curly pom-pom, the unhappy looking baby, and yes, that is a Christmas Tree taking a picture. 

Summer Santa shirts abounded but some of the others were unique....
With people dressed up in more formal attire, while others dressed more casual - tutu and tie-dye.