First afternoon in Sydney

Cheeky little dude!
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After arriving at SYD (UA "sorry we messed up" vouchers in hand) we headed for the city and our hotel.

The train to CBD was quick but pricey ($13 AUD). We alighted at Museum Station, built in 1926, I believe. Very London in feel. Our hotel was on the edge of Chinatown and near a neighborhood called Spanish Corner.  A monorail ran just outside but we never rode it.

A lot of wild cockatoos were there and entertained us with their antics.

Where can I get one of these?
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A quick walk down Liverpool St. led to the Meriton Kent St. It was quite nice, a roomy studio apartment with a balcony.

Unfortunately it was only on the 14^th floor and overlooked some restaurants so it was a bit aromatic out there. But it had a kitchen, and best of all a washer and dryer. Very helpful to get caught up on the laundry.

We walked around the Botanic Gardens and up by Mrs. Macquarie's Chair. A lot of wild cockatoos were there and entertained us with their antics (drinking out of the water fountain, not 3 inches from your hand).

Lots of crowds at Circular Quay on a warm, Monday evening.
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Another surprise was the endurance of the Ford Ranchero and Chevy El Camino in Australia – those are some cool looking Falcons and Holden something-or-others.

Then we strolled by the Sydney Opera House and enjoyed the cloudless sunset and people-watched. The opera house is quite impressive and is certainly deserving of its iconic status. It was a beautiful, mild evening and the cafes and bars around Circular Quay were full of people, as well as strollers like us enjoying the view.  I especially liked the ferries coming and going at all hours of the day and night.

No idea why this woman's conversation was making her gesture wildly, but those low-cut pants made an impression!
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The harbor reminded me of Hong Kong, especially the approach to Circular Quay by ferry, with the large office buildings looming larger and larger. But it costs a hell of a lot more to ride a ferry in Sydney than in Hong Kong (about 20 times more, actually).

The way back down to our hotel was about 2/3 of a mile but it was a nice walk and we did it several times during our time in Sydney.  Lots of interesting shops line the streets, and a couple of blocks were set up as a pedestrian mall.

Our room at the Meriton Kent St. wasn't huge but was functional and comfortable.
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We were dog-tired by 9 p.m. so we turned in. I slept very well without any pills, a nice change from jet-laggy European first nights.