The Sydney Harbor Bridge

The Sydney Harbor Bridge is a truly impressive structure.  It captures the imagination just like the Brooklyn Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge.  You can’t really get an appreciation of just how large it is or how much work it took to create until you stand underneath and look up or walk across.

For a few hundred dollars, you can climb the bridge.  The little ants in this photo are people coming down off the bridge.  I don’t see myself climbing it anytime soon.  Way too expensive for not even getting to take your camera to the top.

The Sydney Opera House from the southern bridge pier.

Looking up at the massive bridge pier and the ironwork.

The deck is 49 meters across.  That’s HUGE.

Looking north along the highway lanes.  The pedestrian path starts below.

Some important-looking plaque.

Looking back into the city.

Starting the long walk across.  The entire way is monitored by CCTV cameras and security personnel in bright reflective yellow jackets.  I felt very “secure,” especially in the sections where the entire pedestrian walkway was surrounded by chain link fence and barbed wire.

Looking out toward the mouth of the bay.

Circular Quay and downtown.

At the western bridge pier.  Note the CCTV camera keeping a steady gaze on any hooligans who might come across the bridge.  An Australian TV show tested the bridge defenses a few years ago to hilarious results.  Don’t film the bridge if you look like a terrorist!

Cameras cameras everywhere.

They don’t want you to illegally climb the bridge.  You must pay money for the privilege to climb.

One of the old ferry slips for the cross-harbor traffic.  Before the bridge was completed, everything went back and forth via boat.  This little slip is all that remains.  Now everyone uses the bridge or the tunnel to get across.

Outside the Sydney Opera House

After checking out the Royal Botanic Garden, Wanda and I wandered over to the Sydney Opera House.

I read in the paper last week that the area out in front of the opera house is going to get a face-lift and some safety improvements.  Evidently one tourist a day is injured by tripping and falling or being hit by a truck.

Yup, I was at the opera house.

The buildings have really neat architectural features.

Between two of the performance halls.

Looking toward the Sydney Harbor Bridge.

Circular Quay where all of the ferries come and go.

Royal Botanic Gardens

Wanda and I visited the Royal Botanic Garden today to check out all of the plants and have a relaxing walk.  Downtown Sydney is to the west of the park.

The Art Gallery of New South Wales.  I plan to return here another day to check out some of the art.  Looks like a neat place and there were plenty of people going in and out.

One of the formal entrances to the botanic gardens.

A statue and water fountain in memorial to someone who died long ago.

In the fernery.

Proof that I visited the gardens.

Woolloomooloo has to hold the record for the most O’s in a single word.

One of the main garden ponds.

This plastic lotus flower inflated and deflated about once a minute.

All inflated!

There were many random pieces of art sticking here and there out of the greenery.

The Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.

Downtown Sydney.

At the northeastern tip of the park.

Someone designed the path we walked on.  She got a stone dedicated to her.

The Australian navy.

Motorcycle-only parking.

A tree guard to keep some species of animal off the tree.

Wanda taking a photo of the funny character on the guard.

This tree is in the process of falling over.  The people who maintain the park are in the process of keeping it standing.  The tree seems to be slowly winning.

A bunch of people feeding the parrots.

Some neat, big trees that evidently drop branches without warning.  At least that’s what the sign said.  I trust the signs in this city.  They are usually right.