Tuesday 22 April 2014

S for Sydney

When I started my new (and improved) life as a Blogger, along came some new friends. One of the first was Amelia and her lovely blog Chai- A cup of Life. I now need my frequent dose of her "Living. Growing. Learning" , and truly appreciate her happy and humble posts on life and love, travel, food, wellness and just being... I enjoy my cup of life Chai -, and I am pretty sure you will enjoy her writings too. And I was thrilled when she said yes to bring us to her dream destination! Amelia, take us away please!   

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As I hear the flight attendant announce we are descending over Sydney and landing is in approximately 20 minutes, I get butterflies in my stomach. This is not from the questionable aeroplane food I just ate, but the sheer excitement I feel about landing and reuniting with the place I call home. The city of Sydney is a dream; it is still my dream destination and ultimately remains my favourite city in the world.

When Eli asked me to write about the place I hold closest to my heart, I was so excited to take part of the challenge and it was obvious to me that Sydney would be it. So why is Sydney a dream destination? Sydney boasts a spread out and vibrant city centre with a harbour, nightlife, beautiful and popular tourist beaches, an excellent public transport system and more. However, this is what I love and adore in this city I hold close to my heart:
Darling Harbour
As beautiful as the name sounds, it really is. So picturesque, you can just go for a stroll around or if you want to do activities it has everything! It has gorgeous cafes and bars and is so central and close to China Town. It is also the place I used to work and walk across this beautiful Pyrmont Bridge on the way to work just as the sun was rising. 


Queen Victoria Building. Pic credit
Also known as QVB, the Queen Victoria Building is architecturally exquisite. It was built in the late 1800’s by craftsmen and later on restored. It is well known for its dome shape and Romanesque appearance. If has everything here from high tea, chocolate shops and cafes. 


Curl Curl Beach
It wouldn’t be a post about an Australian city without mentioning it’s beautiful beaches. After travelling around Australia and many countries, I still have to say the beaches in Sydney are the best in the world. Curl Curl is a little further North of Sydney. It is not a typical commercial beach like Bondi but what I believe is the most beautiful. A quieter side of Sydney and more of a great surfing spot if you prefer les people and commotion. My friend and I lived there for a year while we were both doing our Masters degrees off campus. We figured that we may never be able to live somewhere so beautiful and make the most of it.


Sydney Harbour Bridge
Probably the most iconic image and representation of Sydney, this bridge is beautiful to see up close but even better to drive across it. Let me just say if you ever get to Sydney and have a car without a rooftop, drive on the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the night. Then look up. The feeling you get is amazing. I am also a proud grand daughter as my grandfather was one of the builders of this bridge. Sydney also hosts one of the best fireworks display in the world on New Year’s right at the Sydney harbour bridge. It is quite spectacular to see up close!


Hyde Park
Hyde Park is an open, large park in the middle of Sydney city. It is a gorgeous place to sit and relax, eat your lunch during work break or just to walk through. Many times I would find myself reading a book or walking through just because it is beautiful. So here I will leave you with Amir Khan and Preity Zinta in Dil chahta hai which was taken in Sydney itself and you will see parts of Hyde Park in it. 




Thank you Eli for having me and best of luck with T to Z!

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Thank you so much Amelia for taking us to your Sydney! I so enjoyed it, and it is very tempting to stick around for a while - to check out that bridge, beaches and those cafes along the harbour... Awesome...

But I managed to leave Rosendal yesterday, so I must make myself strong and persistent and so must you dear reader, because wherever I go, I take you with me... We have more places to visit, and tomorrow please get ready for a high up destination when we travel off to T....

1-30 April I participate in the A to Z blogger challenge, and this post is written as a part of that challenge. Check out some amazing participating blogs hereMy theme for the challenge is Dream Destinations. I hope you had fun coming along? Please stay tuned for a new destination tomorrow. 

34 comments:

  1. I loved Sydney when we visited. We did the bridge climb, which was awesome.
    Anabel at Anabel's Travel Blog

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  2. I also loved Sydney (although I just got back from several days in Melbourne, which I also loved). It was nice to see Sydney through Amelia's eyes. Thanks.

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  3. I want to visit Sydney. Thanks for the virtual tour.

    Liz A. from Laws of Gravity

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  4. As of a few minutes ago, I just won 4 airline passes -- now I need to decide where to go. You are certainly a help. Thank you

    Carol @ Battered Hope

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  5. Except for curl curl I have visited the other locales... They are indeed beautiful... Loved beaches and harbour. My office is near the harbour so often I would go for lunch and walk :) your photographs are stunning... They havr captured the essence of Sydney very well.

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  6. I missed out on Sydney during my visit to Australia! These pictures are so alluring, you did a great job with your letter Amelia. I would love to drive by the Sydney harbour bridge in a car without a rooftop someday!

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  7. Dearest Eli,
    Ah, lovely Syney where we did some work and have landed a few times... It is a very special city and we did have the pleasure to join a harbour cruise for a dinner; a surprise 18th birthday party of one of our colleagues daughter to which we got invited. LOVELY! The opera house too has to be viewed with real eyes; no photo can do it justice.
    Sending you hugs,
    Mariette

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  8. Beautiful photos (esp harbour photo). Nice write-up and beautiful travelogue

    thanks

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  9. Sydney is visually Stimulating indeed

    PhenoMenon
    http://throodalookingglass.com/2014/04/succulent-ribs/

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  10. Thanks for having me Eli, it was so much fun to write about Sydney. Look forward to 'T' destination!

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  11. Beautiful virtual tour Amelia...thanks so much!!
    Eli your A-Z are exhilarating... We need a break and your posts provide such freshness... Love!

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  12. sigh.. on my list of a lot of places to be right now.......

    PhenoMenon
    http://throodalookingglass.com/2014/04/succulent-ribs/

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  13. Now this is a city I have visited several times. I love the picture of the harbour bridge. That is a stunning picture.

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  14. My sister went last year to Sydney and she is all praise for the city. And this virtual tour by Amelia confirms it too. Thanks for taking us to Sydney, this morning, Amelia and Eli :)

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  15. Nice description! You made me reminisce about my Sydney vacation. It is indeed a vibrant city! I'd love to go back there and explore it more!

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  16. So appealing! Sigh, the spouse has visited Sydney on work and regaled us with pictures and tales. And now, today, I yearn for it again! Loved this, Chai :)

    Shailaja @Doting Mom

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  17. Sydney is one of my dream destination..This post and the photos add more to my dreams..Thanks Eli and Amelia.

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  18. Thanks for such beautiful photographs of Sydney. The place seems to be out of this world.

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  19. I have not been to Sydney yet, even after two trips to Australia...just have to go! (http://www.reflectionsenroute.com)

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  20. Wow, what beautiful pictures. Sydney looks wonderful and I especially loved the pic of Harbour bridge :)

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  21. Wow, what lovely pictures! Gorgeous indeed. A very good dream destination for S. And a very nice write-up Amelia! The song video at the end was a delightful touch :)

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  22. Sydney through your eyes seems more beautiful than when I visited it Eli...makes me want to go there again now after reading this :)

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  23. Very lovely post and I love the desi touch in the end with the video :)

    ~S(t)ri
    Participant|AtoZ Challenge 2014
    Smile, it makes (y)our day!

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  24. Dear Eli, love Sydney n love the writeup n pics by your friend. I visited during christmas for a week 2 years ago when I still lived in Adelaide, the city, the sights the people and the food-we liked it all.

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  25. Ah Sydney...is a beautiful place that I'm fortunate to call home! :) Loved Amelia's narration of it...

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  26. I love Sydney and I have spent about a year there...this post brought backs memories

    S for Safe-Random Thoughts Naba

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  27. Sydney sounds and looks amazing!! Would love to go there someday! ♥

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  28. Amazing pictures of Sydney. I wouldn't mind living in Sydney owing to your vivid description of city life.
    Cheerz

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  29. Never been to Australia but your post has put it into my travel wish list! :) Stopping by from the A to Z challenge. Good luck.

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  30. You've just convinced me to put Sydney on my "want to see" list, especially to see the Queen Victoria Building.
    Deb@ http://debioneille.blogspot.com

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  31. Eli, your friends are really great...and the Sydney tour was wonderful...as you cover a destination on A-Z, I include it in my wish list...isn't it amazing?

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  32. Ah!! What a lovely tour of Sydney. Great photographs too.

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  33. Masterchef Australia is my window to AustraliA :-D

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  34. I would love to sit in the park and write my book :) Loved the pictures and the description of the city, thank you.

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