March 18, 2008
Resting in our hotel room after a double-decker bus tour of Sydney. Got off at the Sydney Opera House down by the harbor. Rode a trackless train (small thing to explore) around the Botanical Gardens. The gardens are 30 hectors is size (whatever a hector is). Got off at far end and walked out to Mrs. Macquarie’s Point. Named for her as she had a bench carved, around the mid 1800’s, into the rock so she could have a place to sit after her walk to the point. The weather has finally cooled off enough to not bake—26* C or 80*F for you yanks! We had lunch by the opera house—ham cheese and tomato sandwiches, potato wedges with sour cream and sweet chili sauce. It was great—or we were starving! Got back on the bus to finish the tour and then back to the hotel. Later we (she) plans to go to an Australian opal cutters place that is supposed to be the cheapest in town!! We’ll see! Saw some beautiful opals down by the harbor for $800-1000—I left.