"Sydney - Always the winner!" a Sydney Travel Page by Zanzibargirl

"And the winner is - Sydney Australia" - Juan Antonio Saburanch.

The words uttered ever so triumphantly when it was announced that Sydney had won the 2000 Olympics have always been and will always ring true as far as Sydney goes. Especially for me. Now my new home and workplace, the city never stops winning my list of top places to see in the world. And even if I'm biased, I'm here to prove to you that it is the most magnificent city in the world!

Sydney is the biggest real city close to where I grew up. My home of my youth is about 2 hours north of here in Lake Macquarie.

My first memories as a child visiting Sydney were every year to go down and visit my Great Aunty (still living in her own by the way at the fantastic ripe age of 95 and yes she still gets her drivers license every year - she is amazing!). We would go down and stay and then take the train into the city to shop the glamorous Queen Victoria Building and see the famous Lego exhibition. I am pretty sure they still hold it even today.

More recently rung in the New Years there at Bradfield Park and watched the ever famous fireworks. The fireworks above are from there when I rang in the new year this year.

Sydney is one of the most beautiful cosmopolitan cities in the world. Its magnificent harbour gives the city an undeniably beautiful setting, bridged by the ever world famour Sydney Harbour Bridge which took 8 years to construct and was opened in March 1932.

Nicknamed 'The Coathanger' the bridge has 8 lanes for traffic, 2 lines for railway crossing, has an arch that spans five hundred and thirty metres, with the road below being suspend 59 metres above the sea level below.

In the harbour itself too is also the famous shell like Opera House. Designed by Jorn Utzon it was first opened in 1973. Last year it was the amazing backdrop for the open air tsunami aid concert held in conjunction with a telethon by all local television stations. It also hosts many open air concerts from current tennis all stars to the final ever performance of Crowded House to Australian Idol Finals each years it is home to many spectacular events along with the Sydney Symphony, Opera and Ballet performances inside.

The list of things to see in Sydney goes on and on. Other than the famous bridge, the harbour and foreshore areas of Circular Quay, Darling Harbour. There is just simply too much to write about Sydney to put on one home page!

But just for a list of things to see and do in Sydney - I will try to narrow it down:

- Sydney Harbour Bridge
- The Sydney Opera House
- Toronga Park Zoo (it has magnificent views)
- Ferry ride from Circular Quay
- Dining in Darling Harbour and a show at the Star City Casino
- Eating and market shopping in The historical Rocks
- Shopping in Queen Victoria Building, Oxford Street, Pitt Street Mall, The Great Walk or Paddington Markets
- take the kids or act like a big kid in Luna Park
- Go up Sydneys tallest building - Centrepoint AMP Tower (the southern hemispheres highest observation deck)
- Swim at Manly or Bondi Beach
- Party in Kings Cross
- See the Gay Mardi Gras on Oxford Street (held February/March each year)
- Sit and relax in Hyde Park
- Sample some Chinese Food in Chinatown.
- Wander the Domain
- Check out Martin's Place
- See Government House
- Look at aboriginal art in the Museum of Contemporary Art
- check out the animals at The Sydney Aquarium
- Check out the plants of The Royal Botanical Gardens,
- Visit the Sydney Olympic Park
- Take a weekender to the Blue Mountains (see my Blue Mountains Pages)

The list goes on and on and on.... Whatever you decide to do though, it is a magical city that will remain with you as they once posted the words on the bridge , for 'eternity'.

Sydney itself was of course originally home to Aboriginal tribes. It is Australias oldest European settlement. Captain James Cook navigated the coastline in 1770. 8 years later Britain sent convicts in the First fleet to sail into Botany Bay. The fleet comprised of 11 ships, 1030 people and livestock. I am a direct decendent of one of these convicts, as most of us Aussies are in some way or another (7th generation).

Sydney to me represents home. When you have been off travelling the crazed world for a few months and you are flying back into Oz, quite often it is with an amazing sense of welcome as the plane flashes up the pictures for the tourists of the famous landmarks such as its Bridge and Opera house.

It is a part of me and I love it because it represents Australia more than any other Australian city. I know Melbournites will cringe when I say it is the best city to visit in Australia, and in fact the best city to visit in the world, but biased or not, to me the winner always is - Sydney.