Sydney, Part 2

We returned to Sydney for the weekend after Port Douglas, before heading off to Melbourne. First day back, we had to check out the Opera House, naturally! We started off with the tour, which was a little meh. First and foremost, we did not get off to a good start: we followed the signs to “prepaid tickets” since we had prepaid for our tickets online… who told us to go up to the box office, which told us to go to the desk around the corner, which turned out to be the information desk, which told us to go to the prepaid tickets window x 2. >:I Really Opera House? First time you’ve done this? In the end, it was supposed to be the Box office, despite what the signs say, and the woman who told us to go away had our tickets sitting right in front of her. Deeeeeep sighhhhh.

So the tour- yeah, very meh. I mean, they started us out by showing us a video! What kind of lazy BS is that? What’s the point of a human tour guide? I can watch a video on my own! After the video, she took us around to different spots and a couple of the theatres- and then showed us another video. Really? The tour also had a lot of information that conflicted with what we had heard on other tours- the other tours being consistent and the Opera House tour being the oddball out. Watering things down a bit SOH? Putting a little spin on the past? I think so. No, the architect wasn’t fired- he chose to quit! The architect turned down the invitation to the opening of the opera house- he wasn’t not invited! Oh well. Anyone going to Sydney- I’d say go ahead and skip this tour. Go to a show to see in the inside of the Opera House and read about the history online (or take the free walking tour that we took the weekend before!).

That night we did go to a show though! It was not in either of the main theatres, but it was the show that we were most interested in. Did you know that in Victorian times, doctors treated “hysteria” in women by stimulating them to orgasm? (it released the stresses in their wombs) The play, entitled In the Next Room, was about that and the use of the vibrator as a medical tool. Pretty hilarious. Also a very smart commentary on communication within relationships and marriage. We enjoyed it!

Day two in Sydney we headed out to the Sydney Wildlife Center. It was pretty cool, but not as good as the one in Port Douglas. Some favorite parts: the butterfly room and the GIGANTIC crocodile. He scared the piss out of me.

That night we met up with Danny, Jules and Jon for drinks at the RedOak Brewery based on a recommendation from the BeermenTV guys. I am KICKING myself for not finding this place the first weekend we were here!! AMAZING beer and they pair it all, fantastically, with food. In fact, you can’t get a beer sampler platter without the food pairing (which kind of annoyed me, but kesera). I got the cheese platter since the kitchen was closing (they made an exception for me to order food late!) and the pairings were amazing. If/when I go back to Sydney, I definitely need to spend more time here.

So, like the UK, pubs close pretty dang early in Oz. Like midnight. If that. Booooooo. Even worse though- it seems that they Aussies all stay IN Saturday nights! What up with that? None of our new aussie friends knew where we could go after Red Oak closed (“we go to bed….”)- neither did the bartenders (“we go to bed….” really???). So we wandered and finally found a place. And ended up staying out until 5am. (Thanks for the cab ride Bob!) It was fun! Sad to say goodbye to our new friends, but we’ll keep up on facebook. :)

Next up, Manly Beach. Several people recommended a trip out to Manly and I had high expectations, simply based on the name. Don’t call yourself that unless you can live up to it, ok? It was very nice, but I didn’t see very many manly men. Oh well. The beach was nice and we had a good time getting ice cream, walking around and watching a wedding on the beach.