Chinese garden boathouse

A peaceful scene inside the Chinese Garden at Darling Harbour.

Bondi Plage

Continuing the Sydney in Paris theme.

Place de Sydney

OK, it's not in Sydney, but it's a little piece of Sydney in Paris. Which is where I am today. Thanks to my partner, Piero who is at home "pushing the button" !

Chinese garden

This tranquil scene is from the Chinese Friendship Garden at Darling Harbour. It's a really beautiful and restful place in one of the most heavily touristed areas of Sydney.

The garden was designed by Sydney's sister city in China, Guangzhou and adjoins Chinatown. It was initiated by the local Chinese community to celebrate the Australian Bicentenary in 1988.

I love coming here.

Today I'm in Hong Kong. Thanks to my partner, Piero, who is home "pushing the button" while I gallivant around the globe. XXX Piero.

Imperial Chinese Ladies

These two young women were at the Chinese Friendship Garden in Darling Harbour. They are visitors from The USA, and were enjoying themselves immensely dressed up in outfits from the costume shop. They told me they hadn't intended to come to the garden today, but "had gone where their hearts led them".

Not my heart, but an airline is leading me to Hong Kong this afternoon, where somehow I think life is a little different these days!

Three wise monkeys

Pub on the corner of George and Liverpool Streets. The Australasian Bank branch was established on this site in 1879 and the current building dates from 1886. It was a bank until 1998.

The building is a good example of Victorian Italianate architecture.

Many bank branches have closed in the past few years, and all the while the banks have been making massive profits.

I think the "Three Wise Monkeys" may have been equally appropriate for its former life as a bank, too!

Apartment zig-zag

This apartment building is one of many in the Chinatown / Darling Harbour area. It looks over the Chinese Friendship Garden.

Ibis

Media release - 15 November 2003 (National Parks and Wildlife Service)

Families, picnickers, joggers and dog walkers were asked to count ibis numbers in their local areas to provide the first estimate of their numbers across the city.

Ibis numbers appear to have increased in recent years the city and suburbs, probably due to drought in traditional breeding grounds in Western NSW.

The ibis are native to NSW, where they follow water as it moves around the state's constantly changing inland waterways. They started breeding in Sydney in the late 1970s and are now seen evrywhere in parks.

I got up close to this one at Darling Harbour.

MacCallum Pool, Cremorne

To me, swimming is an integral part of growing up in Australia. I couldn't imagine not being able to swim anytime I wanted. Most people know Sydney for its beaches, Bondi in particular. I love pool swimming, and this idyllic setting is MacCallum's Pool at Cremorne, on Sydney Harbour. It's free.

Speakers Corner - May Day

Every Sunday, in a corner of The Domain, near the Art Gallery of NSW (background), speakers with a point to make set themselves up and have a go at espousing their views. This fellow had about ten people sitting on the grass being mildly entertained by what he had to say.

The "Speakers Corner" idea was inherited from Hyde Park in London. Compared to its heyday in the 1930s, and then again in the 1960s, Speakers Corner is a rather pale shadow these days.

Traditionally, May Day (International Workers day) rallies ended here.

You can read more about it here.