6th Nov day 23 sun, sand and sea in Sydney

I awoke to clear blue skies yippee so decided it was the day to take the open top bus tour in order to decide what else I want to see in this beautiful city. The ticket I bought allowed me to go to Bondi Beach just by changing tour buses. It was about 26 degrees so very comfortably warm but unfortunately the weather started to deteriorate as we journeyed.

The tour was interesting with facts and figures about the place. The bridge is affectionately known as the coat hanger and took 9 years to build 1923-1932, it proved a good employer during the Great Depression. Sadly 16 men lost their lives building it. It takes a year to paint and as soon as they finish they start the whole process again. 

We went along Circular Quay where there are 5 wooden jetties sticking out into Sydney Cove, we were told they are made of Turpentine wood!!! All those brushes I have cleaned in turps this year, whilst saving up for this trip, and I had no idea there was such a thing as a Turpentine tree. 

 

How often do we forget things we were taught at school? The tour guide was talking about Australia being the largest island in the world, suddenly I was 13 again and transported back to Mr Hargreaves geography lesson where I learnt that fact all those years ago.

These are amongst the oldest buildings in Sydney and were thankfully preserved when some years ago a local property magnet wanted to tear them down for new office buildings.

By the time I got to Bondi Beach it was definitely time for a coffee. I timed it perfectly as I had just ordered when there was the most terrific storm with thunder, lightning and torrential rain. Pam has just sent me this link from Sky news about a Tsunami cloud which is exactly what I saw and what decided me to get undercover before going to the beach  http://news.sky.com/story/1582667/a-storm-is-coming-tsunami-cloud-off-bondi By ordering a second cuppa I managed to drag it out til the worst had passed and I could at last go for a walk along the beach and dip my toes in the water. 

It is a fabulous beach and the water was warmer than the pool at the Delta Hotel in Toronto but I decided against swimming today because of the unstable weather. The sea wall is full of some imaginative artwork with each individual piece being about 6'high X 12'wide, this was my favourite.

After a long wait for the next open top bus I got back to my hotel just in time for a quick FaceTime chat with Nicholas, before he went to bed. As I was typing this up Vicky and Noah chatted to me whilst she was making him up to look like a tiger, his reception class are reading 'The tiger who came to tea today'. Thought you'd like to see his cute face.

Dinner tonight was in Chinatown which is a 15min walk from where I am staying. I had a delicious homemade noodles with spicy chicken and then ambled back slowly enjoying the buzz of the city.