Nothing quite like it – Sydney

There is nothing quite comparable, as they say about the Sydney Opera House. But that alone is not the only incomparable aspect. The entire city with its design, the mix of old buildings that have been restored or are currently being restored, and the glass palaces, which are not only square, practical, and functional, but also possess a certain beauty, in a city that also offers quiet areas for the population, really impressed us.

Today we are taking another tour of the city. Today we will be exploring the Barangaroo neighborhood and Darling Harbour with its modern skyscrapers, cafés, restaurants, and the Australia National Maritime Museum. We will check out the hustle and bustle there and then head back to the hostel after some time. It feels warmer than it seemed at first, and the weather forecast promised sunshine and mild temperatures only by late afternoon. However, the sun was already quite warm, so we had to change into something lighter.

Done – Done. The next step was to the pylons of the Harbour Bridge. The plan was to climb the stairs inside the building and go up to enjoy a 360-degree view from there.

Unfortunately, already on the way to the pylons, the slight vibration of the bridge from the cars passing over it somewhat “bothered” me. When we reached the entrance to the tower and looked into the dark and narrow ascent and read that there are over 200 steps to climb, my courage left me. I didn’t want/couldn’t go up there, not by any means.

I don't want to delve into this further; it was just like that. Thorsten understood and we simply stayed at the entrance of the pylon.

From there, we also had a great view of the harbor, the “Queen Elizabeth” from the Cunard Line that had been docked since this morning, and the Opera House. Under a blue sky and sunshine!

Already at the entrance to the pylon, we noticed on the right side of the ramp a building made up of many container homes or tiny houses. Like a shoe box, with large windows at the front and back, allowing one to practically see through. Occasionally, pools were built in the “gaps” created by the different heights of the stacked containers, sometimes having a side wall made of glass, depending on preference. A cool idea. Looking from the pool to the side at the Harbour Bridge or, if high enough, at the Opera House.

Probably, the “container homes” are not exactly inexpensive. A few were vacant, and you could see inside. At least all had a modern kitchenette installed. One level of the containers was perhaps around 20/25 sqm. But we know from our own experience that one does not need many sqm in a tiny house… Well-thought-out planning is key.

Our last journey on this final day in Sydney took us once more to the harbor right outside our door and the Opera House. Enjoying a delicious ice cream at Circle Quay, we strolled to the Opera. Our intention to sit on the steps in front of the Opera could not be realized due to a concert series by the Australian/New Zealand band “Crowded House,” which we were familiar with, but which is not currently topping the charts; sound checks were being conducted. For this reason, a further section in front of the Opera was closed off. Too bad, we wanted to take some more detailed photos of the Opera… Oh well, it can’t be helped.

At some point, we said our goodbyes to the Opera House, the bridge, and everything around it and headed back to the hostel.