"City of Water and Trees" a Sydney Travel Page by aussiedoug

Check this photo that I took from the plane when flying back from Brisbane just about a month ago.

Now you can see why I call my Sydney page: City of Water and Trees........,
pretty stunning eh? Every time I fly back into Sydney from whatever direction I think to myself that surely this is the most stunning city on the planet, but hey I have a heck of a lot to visit before I can confirm this! lol! In this photo we can also see the Sydney icons, The Sydney Harbour Bridge (had to mention it first as its the eldest) and of course The Sydney Opera House, but again look at all that water and all those trees, and a sunny afternoon certainly put it all in a rather good light (says the master of understatement).

When I first built this Sydney page (about Nov. 2003) I thought it was time to put up something about Sydney, but didn't want to do anything that had been done so well already by so many VTers.

So, to begin with a title. I'd been thinking about this for a while. The more I'd driven my usual routes doing the usual things & going into the city over two different bridges & under the harbour in the tunnel what I noticed that stands out about Sydney most are the two things in the title above - "Water and Trees"

Yes folks, almost worthwhile seeing in their own right!

As most of you are undoubtedly aware Sydney Harbour is not only one of the best natural harbours in the world it is also arguably one of the most beautiful.I doubt however if any of you have given any thought to the amount of trees there are around our city and its suburbs.
I was saying to someone the other day that one of things I thought distinguished Sydney from all the other cities in Japan, Canada, the U.S. & Paris (my only European one so I'm willing to stand corrected) that I've visited is that even Sydney's poorest suburbs have many trees & well looked after gardens.

Fast forward now to Dec 10 2004 as I write this & I have had the most fun playing the tourist in my hometown, albeit, intermittently, over the last 6 weeks. It has been a real pleasure going into town (aussiespeak for the nearest big town in the country or the city itself if you live in the suburbs, either inner or outer) & exploring Sydney with open eyes & open mind. Like so many cities there is much fascinating history to be found. Some excellent museums & historic houses that highlight this & one of the best things is that most need only 2-3 hours maximum to get the best out of them. Every time I go in I discover some new delights whether they be sights or little cafes. Usually 1 of each as I have a look around then a light lunch. I have to thank VT for this as it's given me the motivation to explore my own city through the eyes of a traveller. I think we take our own cities for granted way too often & consequently don't know as much about them sometimes as foreign visitors may do. I'm beginning to rectify that & will, in time, be your resident Sydney expert. Slowly though. lol!

I took this photo as the plane was landing coming back from Paris in October 2003 . I't's just south of Botany Bay where Captain Phillip & the First Fleet first landed in 1788, but found it unsuitable as it wasn't good enough deep water moorage & there wasn't any fresh water easily accessible so moved on & found Port Jackson in Sydney Harbour. It had the necessary deep water & the fresh water which became known as the Tank Stream which today exits into the Harbour below Circular Quay on the western side.
However, it again clearly illustrates what I say about water & trees. Much of the flora here would be mangroves I'd imagine.

This photo was taken from above where we (cjg1, e_boc, hailun, AmyHenderson, laughingsun69 & I)had lunch at Watson's Bay Hotel on Saturday June 3. As the other's can testify it wasn't a bad little day weather wise for the third day of winter.
It's just downhill from the Gap, a notorious spot where many suicides have taken place with people throwing themselves off the cliff. It faces the Pacific Ocean & this is the magnificent view of Sydney when facing the other direction. Again we can see "water & trees" strongly in evidence.