AUSTRALIA: Sydney Street Scenes

Sydney has a rich history dating back to prehistoric times when Aboriginal Australians inhabited the region for at least 30,000 years. 

The modern European history of the city began with the arrival of the First Fleet of British ships in 1788 when 1,000 settlers (most of whom were convicts) docked on Australia’s shores and began the foundation of a penal colony for Britain. 

A little background and historical trivia for your next cocktail party: 

AUSTRALIA: Climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney Harbour Bridge, or, as the locals call it, "The Coat Hanger", is another iconic symbol of Sydney.

The bridge opened in 1932 and serves as the primary transportation link between Sydney's Central Business District (CBD) and its suburbs on the northern side of the harbour. 

It took 8 years to build and spans 500 metres (1,650 feet), making it one of the longest steel-arch bridges in the world. 

It is over 18 metres (60 feet) wide - enough to carry eight lanes of automobile traffic, two sets of train tracks, a bicycle path, and 2 pedestrian walkways. 

We chose to climb it. 

AUSTRALIA: Sydney Opera House

The iconic Sydney Opera House's unique white sail-shaped shells is considered a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture. 

It is one of the most-photographed buildings in the world. 

In 2007 the Opera House was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.  

The design and construction of the building is a long and complicated story. 

As all good stories go, there were unforeseen plot twists, including technical difficulties, delays, budget overruns, political agendas plus oversized and bruised egos.