Sydney AU

Our tour of Melbourne, AU and the many schools and museum is over and we are off to Sydney, AU.

We awoke at 3:30 a.m. to leave the hotel at 5 a.m. sharp for our flight to Sydney.  The weather is absolutely beautiful with a full day packed.  There was no way anything else could be crammed into our day.  We began with a walking tour of Circular Quay and The Rocks. Stunningly beautiful barely describes the scenery.  We saw the beautiful famous Sydney Opera House (I am going to my first ever opera performance tomorrow night!). 

We then walked to the National Opal Collection where we learned how opals are mined.  Australia mines 80% of all opals in the world.  They are beautiful in color and are one of their richest treasures.  I fell in love with one as a necklace pendant and just had to buy it.

We then went to Bondi Beach to take a look at the most famous of all Sydney Beaches.  We saw surfers galore.  It was beautiful!

Bondi Beach - The Tasmania Sea

Our next stop was Waverley College (an all boys secondary independent Catholic School). They are in their first year of restructuring to be innovative in all practices.  They are taking down walls and putting up glass walls.  Their goal is transparency, innovation to liberate learning.  I loved their strategic planning process and can not wait to share with my ELC 701 students! The school is located on land that is at the highest point in Sydney.  We were provided a very nice lunch (drank some Ginger Beer -- Yummy - like Gingerale) and had a roof top view from the school that anyone would kill to see.

A classroom at Waverley All Boys College (secondary school) -- Love their strategic planning process!

View from top of school.  This is one view - the view was 360 degrees of the entire city of Sydney.

The Sydney Harbor Cruise was the highlight of my day.  The sheer beauty was a little overwhelming.  I have attached two pictures below, but believe me they do not do the view justice.

The Bridge across from the Opera House - See the people on top.  You could pay to climb it.

 

 

 

 We finally ended late into the afternoon with a walking tour of Darling Harbour.  This is where our hotel is located and we checked.  Fortunately our luggage was taken to the hotel from the airport while we went on our many excursions.  We have about an hour to rest and then off again we went. 

We met for dinner at the Blackbird Cafe' where I got to taste a crocodile burger -- tastes like a real mild salmon patty or as Dr. Hewitt said - a turkey burger!  We then went to the Sydney zoo for a tour.  Below you will see a 49 year old crocodile.  He is eating a whole chicken.  He is the biggest thing I have ever seen and yes he has a pink stripe down his back.

The day is full and I am pooped.  Another day of adventure begins in a few short hours.  Stay tuned...