Sydney sans enfants

On the second week of our holiday, Adam and I had a week like we haven't had since before kids.
Jane and Lynn took the boys with them, while we headed to the big city: Sydney.  We walked, boated, bused and trained...even monorailed all over the place.


 Our favourite things were the simple pleasures though...
The night market in Chinatown where we could have sworn we were back in Taiwan.

The special crossings for Zebras (we'll let you ponder that one for a while).

We didn't realize the Opera House was tiles.

The fantastic tile work on the opera house which reflects every nuance of the light.

Full Moon rising from the Harbour Bridge

Walking across the harbour bridge and watching the full moon rise above Sydney harbour.

Old meets New

Stanley Street Italian Cafe.  La Dolce Vita!

On our way to Manley

 Reading the paper while drinking a beautiful latte and people watching at a great little Italian coffee shop (yes - we did that every day).

Boating out to Manley and then renting a tandem bike which we somehow managed to manoeuvre up the hill to Sydney Harbour National Park.  We were rewarded with amazing views (and lots of laughs).

You don't see that every day.

 Finding a perfect maple leaf in the grass
at Hyde Park.

And finally, spending lots of time in The Rocks,walking the same streets that the first settlers walked and drinking at the same pubs they enjoyed. 

Gorgeous little alley in the Rocks

Big changes...less time

Hi Friends,
Sorry it's been so long since our last post.  Life kinda went into hyperdrive at the end of March and hasn't slowed down.
Reason #1:  I have a full-time job now.  So much for my plan of working a little and playing a lot this year.  I'm still doing lots of playing, but added on is a full-time high school job teaching French and English.  So far I love it.  I'll post more about that another time.
Reason #2: We've had house guests.  Jane and Lynn (Adam's parents) have been here for about a month and we've been trying to fill the days with lots of adventures.

Roos at the Golf Course

Because so much has happened, I'll try to post a short episode a few times this week to get up to speed.

We started our adventure with our two week break.  The first week we spent in Port Macquarie, New South Wales.  It's about half way between Brisbane and Sydney.  It's a lovely seaside town with awesome waves to play in and gorgeous stretches of beach.
Highlights included a drive out to a local golf course to get a good look at some "wild" kangaroos, a sunset boat ride complete with multiple dolphin sightings, and getting the best body surfing waves we've had so far at the gorgeous lighthouse beach.   Oh yes - and a guided tour though the rainforest.
We love Port Macquarie!
Talk to you again soon.

Rainforest Throne

Miles of Lighthouse Beach

Bodysurfing all the way in

Macquarie Souvenirs

J