Bus to Bimble

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Fri 8 Jan 2016 23:57
Bus to Bimble Beyond the Botanic Garden and Surrounds
 
 
 
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This morning the sun came out – hoorah, at last. Off we went on the bus for the first time, together, heading into the city. My first really long walk post-op and how I was looking forward to it. We enjoyed going over Sydney Harbour Bridge, this time in the bus lane and found ourselves getting off on Bridge Street. Up the hill to the Botanic Gardens but en route looking at the architecture. On Young Street we loved the wrought ironwork, very Bath like.
 
 
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Looking up the skyscrapers mix nicely along with the older buildings.
 
 
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Walking past the Museum of Sydney – our outing tomorrow.
 
 
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We zig-zagged through the gardens and enjoyed lunch before walking all round the edge.
 
 
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We couldn’t go through the Yurong Gate – beyond is the big screen, seating and tables. Sound checks were in progress getting things ready for the the festivities leading up to and celebrating Australia Day on the 26th of January. We left the gardens by Victoria Lodge Gate and walked toward Mrs Macquaries Point. Well colour us both happy.............
 
 
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.......the first break in the trees we saw a cruise ship complete with working girl at her side going under the bridge.
 
 
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The Sydney Opera House with a cruise ship parked to the left and passing to the right. A day cruiser in front.
 
 
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A bit further on and a chap was renewing the slats on a bench.
 
 
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Mrs Macquaries Chair was just around the corner. It s actually a carved rock ledge seat where Elizabeth Macquarie, the Governor’s wife, liked to sit and admire the view of the harbour. Her husband had his workmen carve this special seat for her. It is said to have one of the best views in Sydney.
The Macquaries arrived in Sydney in 1810 and soon afterwards the Governor began to develop an extensive network of roads around this area. One of these roads, Mrs Macquaries Road, completed in 1816, was created for his wife’s recreation. It was built right out to this point – now called Mrs Macquaries Point, but originally known as Ansons Point.
 
 
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We sat on the wall for a while and enjoyed the vista. Fort Dennison with an old lady motor sailing by.
 
 
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Speed taking on age.
 
 
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The jet boat thrilling the tourists.
 
 
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Looking across Woolloomooloo Bay to Finger Wharf and an Australian Navy ship 150.
 
 
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On our right was a piece of rock as big as us, looking back the way we had come, Fort Dennison just a dot in the harbour.
 
 
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Ahead Andrew [Boy] Charlton Pool. This is an eight-lane outdoor heated salt-water 50-metre swimming pool on the shore of Woolloomooloo Bay in the Domain. It was re-opened for the 2011–12 summer season, having undergoing a major refurbishment during 2011. In 1968, the pool, previously called the new Domain Baths, was renamed in honour of Andrew "Boy" Charlton, an Australian swimmer who won five Olympic medals during the 1920’s.
 
 
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We don’t think we will ever see an outdoor swimming pool that has a Royal Naval vessel as a backdrop again.............
 
 
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Back at the top of the hill we took a breather watching a loading. Then crossed the main road – Macquarie Street.
 
 
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Next job, we asked in a shop about topping up our Opal bus tickets. We were told to walk down to Circular Quay, to the sweet shop on Jetty Two. That done, we had a lovely ice cream and sat to watch a street performer from Toronto. Ice creams finished, he was still mid rev of the crowd, so up the hill we went looking back every so often. He put a crash hat on and swung an attached, flaming animal around, juggled with flaming knives all the while stood atop a pole supported by three anchor people from the audience. Wonder how much he collected for risking his neck...........
 
 
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We walked back up the hill past the Police Court built in 1885 and a splendid building next door.
 
 
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At the bus stop on Loftus Street. Soon on our way back to Cammeray we were the last on the bus when it came to a halt and the driver said “I finish here”. Oh. “Where are you going”. Our stop is called Churchill / Carter. “No problem, sign yourselves out.” We pinged our bus tickets, were bade to sit and our lovely man took us up the hill and three roads over to drop us at our stop. How very kind. We have to look at the final stop not just at the bus number in future. By the time we walked to the top of the marina steps, down and along to Beez the dogs were well and truly barking – ably chorused with the thirty or forty cockatoos squawking overhead......
 
 
 
 
ALL IN ALL SOME EXTRAORDINARY SIGHTS
                     A WONDERFUL ATMOSPHERE