Friday 1 February 2008

When people think of my city....

Keen to avoid all the usual clichés I undertook in-depth research by asking people on the Lonely Planet travel discussion boards what they think of when they think of Sydney. Here are the results:
From Sydney-siders: Southerly busters on a sweltering hot day, the harbour (3), home, bloody traffic (2), mixture of people, art, restaurants, shops, fun, eastern suburbs beaches, jacarandas, thunderstorms, ferries, whales, Moreton Bay figs, cockatoos, ugly suburban sprawl, cockroaches, surfing all year round
Other Australians: The harbour (2), harbour ferries, Harbour Bridge, unaffordable waterfront dreams, excitement, The Big Smoke, smelly, Olympics, frangipanis, jacarandas, how much better Melbourne is
Non-Australians: The Harbour (2), Opera House (2), Harbour Bridge, sunshine (2), Melbourne is better, unfriendly people, friendly people, heroin, Kings Cross, Glenn Murcutt, ferries, The Rocks, Beaches, Darling Harbour, San Francisco (but less interesting), Florida, great big bats, Circular Quay

The most popular from a disparate range: The harbour - 5; Ferries -3

So, here you have it,the usual clichés: Sydney Harbour, ferries, and the bridge for good measure.

To see what other bloggers think people are thinking about their cities, visit the cities listed below. Remember, different times, diferent places.

Portland (OR), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Memphis (Tennessee), USA - Manila, Philippines - San Diego (CA), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - New York City (NY), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - San Francisco (CA), USA - Mumbai (Maharashtra), India - Mainz, Germany - Weston (FL), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Turin, Italy - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Bicheno, Australia - Durban, South Africa - Joplin (MO), USA - Nashville (TN), USA - Stockholm, Sweden - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Brussels, Belgium - Chicago (IL), USA - Montpellier, France - Seattle (WA), USA - Mazatlan, Mexico - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Sesimbra, Portugal - Toulouse, France - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Susanville (CA), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - Helsinki, Finland - Pilisvörösvár, Hungary - Lisbon, Portugal - Mexico (DF), Mexico - Trujillo, Peru - Dunedin (FL), USA - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - London, UK - Baziège, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Mumbai, India - Naples (FL), USA - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Setúbal, Portugal - Stayton (OR), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Sofia, Bulgaria - Arradon, France - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Athens, Greece - Austin (TX), USA - Singapore, Singapore - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Jackson (MS), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Budapest, Hungary - Rotterdam, Netherlands - St Malo, France - Chandler (AZ), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Cleveland (OH), USA - Nottingham, UK - Kansas City (MO), USA - The Hague, Netherlands - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Wrocław, Poland - Chateaubriant, France - Cheltenham, UK - Moscow, Russia - Monrovia (CA), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - Toruń, Poland - Grenoble, France - Lisbon, Portugal - New Orleans (LA), USA - Sydney, Australia - Boston (MA), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Wichita (KS), USA - Radonvilliers, France - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Christchurch, New Zealand - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Wailea (HI), USA - Aliso Viejo (CA), USA - St Francis, South Africa - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Seattle (WA), USA - Pasadena (CA), USA - Vienna, Austria - Orlando (FL), USA - Torun, Poland - Delta (CO), USA - Santa Fe (NM), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Paris, France - Stavanger, Norway - Niamey, Niger - Le Guilvinec, France - Bogor, Indonesia - Saarbrücken, Germany - Auckland, New Zealand - Wellington, New Zealand - Budapest, Hungary - Juneau (AK), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Glasgow, Scotland - Chicago (IL), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Sydney, Australia - Riga, Latvia - Subang Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia



40 comments:

  1. Are Australians so in different to the Opera House? My two strongest visual memories of Australia are that and Ayres Rock. My family and I spent our last night in Australia at a performance at the Opera (La Forza del Destino) and it was unforgettable. Still, your post today brings back a very pleasant memory. We stayed in Wooloomooloo and, if we walked across the park towards the Rocks, this was our view. I really want to see your city again.

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  2. Agree with Strangetastes, I am sure most foreigners would put the Sydney Opera House first. Amazing that it gets no mention at all in your list!!!
    On this occasion I have reopened my Sydney Daily Snap blog just to post a photo of the Opera House which I believe is worth seeing.

    I have also re-joined the CDP ring with Avignon-in-Photos, and I am participating in the theme day so you can join me there.


    Cheers!

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  3. Interesting, isn't it? In international terms the OH put Sydney "on the map" architecturally speaking, of course.

    But long before the OH, the Bridge was the classic Sydney icon, and is also the subject of some of our most iconic art works and legends of teh 1930s, so maybe it's more ingrained in the Australian psyche?

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  4. Sally - thanks for your comment. My theme day post will go up in about six hours. It features a local monument, a passion and an internationally-known beverage.

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  5. Sally, my first thought was the Harbour Bridge, I was born in Sydney, grew up in Adelaide and now live in Athens Greece. The Opera House didnt come to mind at all...weird isnt it? It's always the harbour bridge and the ferries for me. Great photo!

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  6. Ho hum. Love the photo, takes me on a jaunty day to circular quay. sorry if I have duplicated this comment

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  7. Can't avoid the clichés, can we? That's such a lovely view of the bridge and ferry.

    Happy theme day.

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  8. there are so many things i think of when Sydney comes to mind. Manly Beach, Paddo Market, Bill's Ricotta Hotcakes, the City to Surf run, the list goes on.

    But this bridge I have yet to climb. And that's on my list too :)

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  9. As a visitor to Sydney, I was in awe of both the Opera House and the Bridge. As a boatie, I especially love the harbour and the ferries.

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  10. What a great theme!It's often so harbour-centric isn't it, perceptions of Sydney, yet for most suburban Sydneysiders the harbour is like a tourist attraction.I love the harbour and I love to go on a ferry when i visit, but it's not really part of what was MY Sydney.
    Sally, Mum and Dad now live in Bexley..the Dept. of Ed. bought their place and 7 others 30 years ago to extend Athelstane school.

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  11. When I think of Australia, I think of....Minnesotans who try to sound like they have an Australian accent, but still use their typical Minnesota vocabulary. It's a strange concept and I wish I could find a youtube video for you :D

    Twin Cities Daily Photo

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  12. So much different with my photo today. Mine is gray and yours is blue and bright. I was thinking of Opera House first but then I really like this ferryboat.

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  13. Reading the comments, the iconic image seems to be the opera house and the bridge for non-Aussies.

    Both so beautiful. I like the slightly different take with the ferry boat drawing our eye.

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  14. yup, to me is always the Opera House first!

    thanks for showing us this great shot and opening up our view to another part of Sidney to remember!

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  15. Wow, you really did your homework for this post! Have to admit that I'm in the opera house camp, but hope to see them all someday!

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  16. Sally you must be right. The Opera House only appeared in 1973, it's a newbie not yet inscribed in the locals' psyche!

    Forgot to tell you how beautiful your photo is!

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  17. I also thought of seeing the building of the opera
    during the Olympic Games one of our TV made the reports with the building in bottom

    but the bridge is also very particular

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  18. When I think of Sydney, so many good memories come to my mind...Circular quay and this ferry tour in the bay are one of them. And now, when I think of Sydney, I think of YOU, Sally!

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  19. I took the same approach to find my theme day subject. Great photo!

    Port Angeles Daily Photo

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  20. After all those comments I want to visit down under... think there's a Boeing plane that flies that far? -:)Fun hint of bridge.....

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  21. I would definitely be thinking of the harbour and the harbour bridge. The opera house is an afterthought

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  22. this is the companion bridge to Newcastle, isn't it? It always looks so familiar.

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  23. j'avais parié sur l'opera. perdu, belle photo

    I gambled on the opera, lost. A beautiful picture

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  24. I think of the Opera House first too. But this photo of the bridge is great - I'd love to see it 'in the flesh'! (have never made it Down Under but would love to one day).

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  25. i always think of the Bridge when i think of Sydney, coz I did the bridge climb before!

    next is the Opera House

    then of Tetsuya!

    then i think of Sally!

    then the previous Olympics!

    then my many friends who live in Sydney.

    then actually Natalie!

    oh the list goes on...


    Happy Theme Day!

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  26. Funny, it is stil February 1st, here. Never having been to Sydney, (only virtually via internet photos and travel forums), the Opra House is iconic. But I guess I do think of Sydney Harbour and boats. I think this ot be a great choice.

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  27. Love the picture with the ferry boat. Great shot. I do think opera house, but love the bridge too!

    Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment.

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  28. Sally, I like the research that you posted. Great photo from all the choices you had!

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  29. It maybe a cliche but it IS Sydney to me. :)

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  30. cool post, I like the explanation about the difference between local perceptions and foreign ones.

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  31. Sally,
    I love it that you posted the bridge. You'll laugh, but when I come to Sydney someday, I'd like to go up there on the bridge for a view, if it's allowed. Most of my visual impressions of Sydney are from your blog and Nathalie's old one. Otherwise, Sydney to me has been impressions from my friends tales of growing up there and images of surf movies ;^) Happy Friday. . .although by now, you're on to Saturday, eh?
    -Kim
    Seattle Daily Photo

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  32. I confess it was Opera house, but I'm glad that all australians from Sydney didnt choose the same theme :)

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  33. I enjoyed your city's landscape when I visited 10 years ago.

    I love your photo. Very refreshing.

    Thanks for visiting Norwich Daily Photo and your kind comments. Have a wonderful weekend. Drop by again!

    joy
    A Pinay In England
    Your Love Coach
    The Goddess In You

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  34. That's a wonderful photo! I, too, first think of the Opera House.

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  35. I have never been to Australia but I think of the Opera House and Ayres Rock as well. My son went on a senior trip and waxed poetic about both of them and some ranch thingy he was at....nice view of the bridge and ferries....I love all the comments you leave....you are very funny and witty!

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  36. I always think of Sydney as a beautiful city where I would like to live (though a bit far from Europe!). Have a nice day, and thanks for dropping on The Hague Daily.

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  37. I always think of the bodies of water when I hear 'Sydney' and of course Nemo! =D Great blues on this water shot! And the bridge is magnificent! Good day!

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  38. Hi, I love this photo! But, as one who's never visited Australia, I have to say that for me, the Opera House is iconic. All the best, Anne in Geneva.

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