Sydney - Days Three and Four
The Sydney Harbour is full of boating options. There are a wide assortment of ferries, water taxis, sightseeing boats, and dinner cruises. But for speed and pure exhilaration, none of these can beat Oz Jet Boating. Their 30-minute Thrill Ride tours the famous sights of the harbour, including the Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Fort Denison, and Taronga Zoo. We doubt, though, that your mind will be on on the view. Instead, you're likely to be focusing on keeping your equilibrium as the boat spins, fish tails, and rides the waves. You will be strapped in and covered with a waterproof poncho, so you can fully enjoy the twists and turns and the splashing that accompanies them. This ride has proved so popular that, inevitably, competition has surfaced. The ThunderJet, nicknamed "the silver bullet," provides a similar adrenalin rush. Both boat rides launch from the Circular Quay's Eastern Pontoon.
After the rush of our speedboat ride we needed a calmer afternoon activity, so we headed over to the Museum of Contemporary Art. We had children in tow, and we always find that modern art, with its wide use of different media holds their attention better than more traditional art works. As it turns out, our visit coincided with MCA's exhibition of the 2006 Biennale of Sydney. Although much of the exhibition, called "Zones of Contact," with its theme of war and displacement (or, in the official language of the show: "zones people live in and move between, the merging and separation of public areas and private territories, and the places where people encounter and make contact with one another") was somber, there were some witty moments. For example, we enjoyed making up possible rules for the giant interactive board game on the 2nd floor. Another highlight was the pulsating speakers that hung in the main gallery on the first floor.
We made a brief tour of the Royal Botanic Gardens on our first day in Sydney, and loved what we saw so much that yesterday morning, we decided to go back to explore the gardens further. And we're happy to report that the love affair continues! Even in the heart of winter, the gardens are full of life -- we saw plenty of flowers in bloom and plenty of Sydneysiders enjoying them. We recommend the trackless train tour as way to get a good overview of the gardens. But don't just ride the 30-minute loop -- get off at each stop and take a closer look at everything your guide has described -- you can always hop back on the next train when you've seen enough. There is a broad variety of specialty gardens, historic buildings, and artwork -- so no matter what your particular taste is, you are likely to find something "up your alley."
We spent yesterday afternoon at the Australian National Maritime Museum. We pride ourselves on our ability to size up a museum quickly and estimate how long it will take us to view the sights, but in this case we grossly underestimated all that this fascinating museum offers. In two hours we had barely scratched the surface of what there is to see -- and we hadn't allowed any time for exploring the vessels outside. Don't make our mistake -- even those with only a moderate interest in seafaring will find something fun here. There are a couple of special areas for young children: both a play area outside and a special child-sized "boat" on the 2nd floor. Of particular interest to our group was the exhibition on Clipper Ships and the galleries devoted to whaling. As an island nation, Australia relies on the sea for commerce and survival. This museum does a bang-up job of demonstrating the integral role that maritime life has played throughout the country's history.
After the rush of our speedboat ride we needed a calmer afternoon activity, so we headed over to the Museum of Contemporary Art. We had children in tow, and we always find that modern art, with its wide use of different media holds their attention better than more traditional art works. As it turns out, our visit coincided with MCA's exhibition of the 2006 Biennale of Sydney. Although much of the exhibition, called "Zones of Contact," with its theme of war and displacement (or, in the official language of the show: "zones people live in and move between, the merging and separation of public areas and private territories, and the places where people encounter and make contact with one another") was somber, there were some witty moments. For example, we enjoyed making up possible rules for the giant interactive board game on the 2nd floor. Another highlight was the pulsating speakers that hung in the main gallery on the first floor.
We made a brief tour of the Royal Botanic Gardens on our first day in Sydney, and loved what we saw so much that yesterday morning, we decided to go back to explore the gardens further. And we're happy to report that the love affair continues! Even in the heart of winter, the gardens are full of life -- we saw plenty of flowers in bloom and plenty of Sydneysiders enjoying them. We recommend the trackless train tour as way to get a good overview of the gardens. But don't just ride the 30-minute loop -- get off at each stop and take a closer look at everything your guide has described -- you can always hop back on the next train when you've seen enough. There is a broad variety of specialty gardens, historic buildings, and artwork -- so no matter what your particular taste is, you are likely to find something "up your alley."
We spent yesterday afternoon at the Australian National Maritime Museum. We pride ourselves on our ability to size up a museum quickly and estimate how long it will take us to view the sights, but in this case we grossly underestimated all that this fascinating museum offers. In two hours we had barely scratched the surface of what there is to see -- and we hadn't allowed any time for exploring the vessels outside. Don't make our mistake -- even those with only a moderate interest in seafaring will find something fun here. There are a couple of special areas for young children: both a play area outside and a special child-sized "boat" on the 2nd floor. Of particular interest to our group was the exhibition on Clipper Ships and the galleries devoted to whaling. As an island nation, Australia relies on the sea for commerce and survival. This museum does a bang-up job of demonstrating the integral role that maritime life has played throughout the country's history.
posted by Insider Travel Guides at 5:16 PM
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