The sky was clear and blue arriving into Sydney, the plane describing a wide, low arc before descending down over Botany Bay. It was here in 1788 that the First Fleet arrived to Australia, setting up the national founding myth of the country with the offloading of boatloads of convicts. It makes for a poetic and scenic approach to the city, though I would imagine it is sheer chance as I am doubtful that airport planners are that whimsical. From the airport to Central Station was only a few stops on the train, and from there only a few minutes further to the hotel.

Sydney’s CBD (Central Business District, the Australian equivalent of downtown) is situated on a peninsula a few kilometers inland from the ocean on Sydney Harbour. It is a busy, dynamic area in a stunning setting. The harbour is riddled with inlets and coves, one of the largest natural ones in the world, and criss-crossed with more ferries than I could count. Taking virtually any of these from Circular Quay makes for incredible sightseeing. Mom and I headed out to Manly Beach, fronting the Pacific Ocean, where I was reminded that there is a sharp gap in fitness between Aussies at the beach and at a Woolie’s parking lot.

Manly Beach is out near North Head, the gateway to the harbour and a site of defensive installations during the Second World War. Today the area is a large park with broad views in all directions. It made for a nice break from the city, with lots of small animals out and about, including the kookaburra that flew overhead before setting up in a tree and singing. The walk back to the ferry terminal passed numerous small inlet beaches, filled with families and Sydneysiders enjoying the summer weather. I was also happy to leave grey, rainy Vancouver behind for a few weeks to head to the southern hemisphere.

For me, a highlight was taking an architectural walking tour of downtown, running through the decades of recent history as demonstrated in the various buildings. The guide, a practicing architect, gave a great tour which included a visit in and through one of the premier green buildings in Sydney. There were a few cycling ones in inner suburbs facing gentrification that have unfortunate corollaries to Vancouver. More cities should have these types of tours!

While downtown is packed with skyscrapers, the rest of the city has a decidedly more lowrise tone. Streets follow the contours of the rolling hills, the grid giving way to the relentless topography of Sydney, with high streets set at higher elevations. These are all lined with shophouses and other low buildings, packed with small businesses and restaurants. Many of the areas are arcaded, giving the weary pedestrian a nice break from the summertime sun. Many of the neighbourhood streets are lined with two-storey terrace houses, most fronted with wrought iron balconies and lush greenery. It makes for a great city to get lost walking through.

I had only built in a few days for Sydney before heading to New Zealand…it wasn’t enough. The region is huge with heaps to do and a few days wasn’t nearly enough time. There is a strong sense of growth, of identity, of place to Sydney. In the evening, a twinkling dusk fills the sky and the big trees in the parks come to life with flying foxes, bats with wingspans up to 1 meter that flit from place to place at night, keeping the insects at bay.