Brisbane, QLD


Sunday, November 28, 2010

A VAUCLUSE VISIT

After my reunion on the north shore of Sydney Harbour (its real name is Port Jackson), our eldest daughter and son in law collected us and took us to their apartment at Vaucluse, a suburb on the southern shore of the harbour close to the heads.
Carol and David outside their apartment block.

The view from the front of their apartment block.

They took us for a walk along the cliff tops it was a dull, showery day, but the view was still lovely.

Father and daughter enjoy rare time together. The next morning, Monday, Carol started work late and we went with her on the ferry from Watson's Bay to Circular Quay. It was pouring with rain. We said goodbye to Carol and then found a dry cosy restaurant in Custom's House. It was for young, trendy workers and our wrinkles and grey hair looked a bit out of place. However, the service and food was excellent. After lunch it was too wet to go exploring on foot so we went back to the Quay. We wanted to get a ferry down the harbour into Parramatta River to enjoy the sites of Sydney without getting wet and using our all day concession $2.50 ticket. Unfortunately, we just missed that ferry so we got on the next one that turned up and wondered where it would take us. We ended up at Darling Harbour and the maritime museum.
Rain over Sydney Tower

Darling Harbour

The Endeavour was the ship in which James Cook discovered the east coast of Australia in 1770. This is a replica.
240 years later the ships that come to Australia are a little bigger and the landscape somewhat altered, if only James Cook could see it now.

20 comments:

  1. It hard to find a day that isn't rainy at the moment. I really like your rain over Sydnay and Endeavour shots.

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  2. Ah yes - I wonder what Captain James Cook would say???
    Great photography and story - maybe, age ?, with you is better.
    You amaze me! Lunch soon at the Harlequin Club, Sofitel will have to be on - they have oysters and fresh prawns now on the menu.
    Oh and congratulations on the upcoming nuptials of Bernie and Sonia. Look out LAX - they may just come and triumph - anything would be possible with young "Fox".
    Cheers
    Colin

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  3. Hi Diane! Even in a very wet day Sydney is always beautiful...

    The old Thebes (Ouaset, The Powerful) is on Blogtrotter Two waiting for you!! Enjoy and have a great Sunday and week ahead!

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  4. Amazing, even on an overcast day. Diane, they could not have chosen a better location to live. Imagine waking up to that each morning....

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  5. It looks like where you arrive it starts to rain. In Canada the mountains were invisible and here the tower has vanished. You look a very sunny person to me, so why is the weather not...

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  6. What a super location - I'd be so disapointed if i came to Australia and it rained.xxxx

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  7. Too bad that the weather was so awful ! I think that poor Mr. Cook would just faint when he would see all these sky scrapers now ! Indeed it changed "a little" !

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  8. Oh, I love this series of images! I especially love The Endeavour. This is a beautiful image. I REALLY hope that someday I get to visit your side of the world!!!!!

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  9. I am soo glad you got to see the NMM.I really love looking back at the silent city from down there. Isn't the $2.50 ticket powerful. In a couple of weeks I go to Newcastle and back on it - but it will take one there and another one back - blast!

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  10. If there is one really good thing about NSW, it certainly must be the pensioner concession $2.50 day ticket. It will take you from Scone to Nowra,or Goulburn or Bathurst and back, if you could do it in a day??? - BUT you can't travel on the XPT express trains, only the minor country link trains. The cheapest way to get to Sydney from Brisbane is to fly to Newcastle and then catch the intercity.
    Cheers
    Colin (HB)
    ($2.50) to Sydney.

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  11. Very shrewd, Colin. I would never have thought of that, but then you have to cart your suitcases onto a train, which is a bother.

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  12. James Cook would be astounded, wouldn't he!

    It was fun to go along with you on this little adventure.

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  13. Lovely Family! Wonderful photos! I know my daughter misses her time in Sydney and would sure like to go back. She sent back many photo of the harbor. I'm homesick for the place and I haven't even been there.

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  14. hard to take bad photos of sydney i would think. even in the rain it looks pretty specky. sounds like you had a lovely visit. :)

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  15. Been catching up on your blog, and you are on holiday....have a good time and look forward to your photos of the trip.....

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  16. Thanks for taking us along on your harbor cruise. I really enjoyed your photos. And although the weather wasn't good, your daughter's apartment is in a beautiful location.

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  17. Beautiful photos, Diane, and such a gorgeous place... Love the fog ones---but the cliff tops and lighthouse really caught my eye....

    Both of your daughters are just so gorgeous.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  18. Carol's area is beautiful! Those cliffs reminds me of the Cliff of Moher in Ireland.

    The contrast of the old and new ships in the harbor were fun to see!

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  19. Really neat photos Diane, loved the one of your hubby and daughter and daughter with her hubby. You have a lovely family. Gorgeous scenery too. I fervently hope I can get out to Australia one day.

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