Australia: Soft rocks

Down under, you'll get to enjoy yourself, either in the city, or in the outback...

As the TV ad says: "So, what are you waiting for?"
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Soft Rocks
by Lance Ng
travel@mediacorp.com.sg


IF YOU'RE not already relaxed when you reach Sydney, a day in The Rocks area will ensure that you see a different side of this busy metropolis.

Morning

Start your day with breakfast at The Rocks. The site of Australia's first European settlement fringing Sydney Cove not only has historic charm, it offers fantastic views of the city's most famous building, the Sydney Opera House.

Many cafes are housed in historical buildings or set in courtyards. Vintage Restaurant (R2 Nurses Walk), decked out in a fusion of historical and modern styles, offers delicious breakfast items that include eggs benedict, pancakes, sandwiches and omelettes.

You can have a lighter breakfast at Tara Tea Rooms, which is situated in a cosy courtyard behind Irish Design Shop (33 George Street). It's well-known for its scones, which come in 10 flavours.

After breakfast, walk to Circular Quay for a Sydney Harbour cruise on Captain Cook Cruises. The Harbour Express option departs every 45 minutes and takes about one-and-a-half hours to complete. You'll get a hop-on, hop-off day pass that allows you to stop at seven harbour attractions. A guide will explain the history of each attraction, giving you an overview of Sydney Harbour while the city's famous landmarks, Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, glow in the morning sun.

Noon

Have lunch at Pancakes On The Rocks (4, Hickson Road, Metcalfe Bond Arcade), well-known among Sydneysiders. The eatery serves Western/Mediterranean items, though it's famous for its crepes and pancakes.

Portions are substantial. My favourite is the chicken and mushroom crepe topped with a crunchy coating of parmesan cheese.

I walk off my lunch with The Rocks Walking Tour (23 Playfair Street). Knowledgeable guides dispense intriguing nuggets of history, such as how The Rocks got its name (an abundance of sandstone was used for the construction of buildings) or the material used to pave the streets (culled from the ballasts of ships).

The tour winds through shaded cobblestone alleys among sandstone buildings, so you can easily appreciate the district's old charm - a sharp contrast to the state-of-the-art skyscrapers just a stone's throw away. The daily tour starts at 12.30pm and 2.30pm, and is priced at $30 for adults.

After having gone under the Harbour Bridge during the morning cruise, climb to the top of the bridge with Bridge Climb Sydney (3 Cumberland Street) to experience the "Climb Of Your Life". Those who do not exercise regularly will find the three-and-a-half hour climb a bit of a workout, but the panoramic view at the peak of the bridge is worth the sweat. On a clear day, you can see past the cityscape, all the way to Blue Mountains. The climb costs A$198 ($245).

Night

The Waterfront (27 Circular Quay West, Campbells Wharf, Campbells Cove) serves a luxurious seafood dinner while allowing diners a precious view of the Sydney Opera House. The restaurant is located across Sydney Cove from the landmark. If you go during Vivid Sydney, the city's annual light-art festival held from May 27 to June 21 this year, you will see the Opera House's sails splashed with colourful patterns in an eye-popping light show.

Spend the rest of the evening at one of the welcoming pubs at The Rocks. The pub at Observer Hotel (69, George Street) offers fantastic live musical performances and beer at only A$5.50 per pint.



From TODAY, Travel
Soft Rocks
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AUSTRALIA: Two sides of Sydney

Image via Wikipedia

A sparse land with not big a populace, Australia is a welcome place for a vacation, especially for those whose second nature is nature itself.

Be enthralled. Be amazed. As the TV ads says, "So what are you waiting for?"

Read on...

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Two sides of Sydney

Pick a side and be pleasantly surprised

by Mark Malby
traveller@mediacorp.com.sg

"PLEASE walk on the grass!" invites the park sign, with trademark Aussie affability. "Smell the roses, hug the trees, talk to the birds and picnic on the lawns."

This is the kind of comforting welcome you'll get in Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens, a 30-hectare swathe of greenery alongside the harbour, bordering both the downtown and the iconic Opera House. As for roses, trees and birds, you'll see plenty. Sometimes, hundreds of white cockatoos fill a single tree.

The Gardens make for that sort of green, quiet respite you may need, given the frantic, fun-loving pace of a city visit Down Under.

For the traveller who has already checked off the trademark tourist tasks: Gawked at the view from atop Sydney Harbour Bridge, snapped requisite shots of the Opera House, stood nose to nose with sharks in the Sydney Aquarium and bared (or ogled) bikinis at Bondi Beach, the time comes to look for other, less well-trodden paths in the city.


The Rocks

Just a short stroll from The Gardens and not far past the Opera House, you'll find The Rocks, a pocket of historic Sydney which narrowly escaped the wrecking ball last century and was gentrified instead. This area of former warehouses and residences is now a vibrant stretch of restaurants, shops and pubs (two with competing claims of being the oldest in Sydney.)

Weekends are good for open-air markets - starting with the Farmer's market on Fridays, where food stalls boast an array of local delicacies, from barbecued salmon to lamb kebabs and paella. On Saturdays and Sundays, more than 200 stalls exhibit everything from housewares and linen to pottery and jewellery, along with plenty of good eats.

Oh yes, and the views of Harbour Bridge are spectacular.


Kings Cross

On the other side of The Gardens, just up the hill, you'll find a seamier if no less vivid side of Sydney life. This is King's Cross, the city's de facto Red Light district. It's not for everyone, but most tourists wander through it at some point, if only to see how another side of Sydney lives.

King's Cross is also the centre for budget accommodation in the city. Some sections, like Pott's Point, have gone positively upscale in recent years. Trendy cafes have also sprung up between the naughty bits, attracting a more wholesome sort of clientele. You'll still want to be on your guard, however, and touts outside the adult clubs can be particularly annoying.

Like much of Australia, Sydney has a raw and youthful energy about it. Visitors will find it easy to get caught up in the action on both sides of the park. Just don't forget to stop and smell the roses along the way.


April in Sydney

Darling Harbour Hoopla, April 2 to 5 (Free)

An open-air showcase of acrobats, jugglers, buskers and comedians performing at Australia's annual circus and street theatre festival.


Winter Fashion Showcase at The Rocks Markets, April 17 and 18 (Free)

Not quite seasonal wear for Singaporeans, but check out the latest avant-garde winter collections on sale at The Rocks.


The Sydney Comedy Festival, April 19 to May 9

A gaggle of international stand-up performances descend on Sydney for a few chortling weeks. Tickets, and myriad other events, available at www.whatsoninsydney.com.au.

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Traken from TODAYonline | Travel | Two sides of Sydney
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Playground for all ages

Image via Wikipedia

SYDNEY

Stimulating, scintillating activities to inspire and excite the young

Mei Lin

traveller@newstoday.com.sg

BESIDES the urbane sophisticates it draws, Sydney, the glam cosmopolitan city in Australia, is also a gigantic playground for school-going travellers. Festooned with attractions, it has become a magnet for families with children and even children on school excursions.

Settle in

A good place to get them in the right mood for play is the Swissotel Kids Room, which is specially set up for children below the age of 10.

Connected to the parents' room, the kids' universe is dolled up with colourful bed linen, cuddly toys, wall posters and drawing tables. It also has kiddie confectionery in the mini bar fridge, special menus and a mini play area. The bathroom comes with footstools, toiletries and bath toys.

Swissotel is situated above Myers Department Store adjacent to the Pitt Street Mall, so sightseeing is easy on foot or via public transport.

Start your engines

Oz Jetboating

Introducing young children to this bustling city is best done on a Sydney Harbour cruise. A boat ride around the harbour with its landmark attractions never fails to thrill them.

Older children will probably prefer a wind-whipping trip on a powerful jetboat. Get off at Luna Park, a retro amusement park featuring old-fashioned rides such as the Ferris Wheel and exhilarating rides such as the Ranger, Flying Saucer and Spider.

Wake up to a safari

Alternatively, stop at Taronga Zoo, whose latest resident, Luk Chai, made headlines for being the first Australian-born elephant in July this year.

Darling Harbour

For a nocturnal adventure, the zoo's Roar and Snore Programme lets you sleep over in purpose-built safari tents overlooking the Harbour. Imagine waking up to the roar of a lion or the trumpet of an elephant - all from a safe distance, of course! You will also be the first to greet the animals before the rest of the crowd is admitted.

For close encounters with local creatures in a natural bush garden and red earth setting right in the heart of the city, the Sydney Wildlife World at Darling Harbour is a convenient stop.

Capture more than 100 species of animals in some 65 different habitats. If you are lucky, you might even get to caress a newly-hatched emu or pat a koala.

Then saunter over to the Sydney Aquarium next door, home to more than 11,000 Australian marine creatures spanning 650 species. Check out the Dugongs in the Mermaid Lagoon - legend has it that the graceful mermaid descended from these gigantic sea mammals.

Next, hop aboard the Shark Explorer glass-bottom boat on Australia's largest Great Barrier Reef Oceanarium and join in the feeding of reef sharks. You can also communicate with divers in the Oceanarium through the latest technology.

Sydney Aquarium Reef Theatre

Science for fun

While still in the Darling Harbour vicinity, pop into the IMAX Theatre, which houses the world's largest cinema screen (29.42 metres high, 35.73 metres wide) for a screening.

Getting to Darling Harbour aboard a Metro Light Rail or Monorail from various points in the city is a delightful family activity. While at the harbour, the People Mover Train is another fun scenic ride for families to get around the large precinct. Shopping options are plentiful with clothing, games and toys from W.A Jacobs Toymaker to titillate little ones.

On the edge of Chinatown lies the Powerhouse Museum, which explores history, science and design. With over 385,000 objects displayed in 22 exhibitions and 250 interactives, there is never a dull moment. From steam engine and horse drawn carriages to ancient archaeological finds and modern scientific discoveries, the Powerhouse has just the right amount of stimuli to arouse young minds.

Step on clouds

Swissotel Sydney Kids Room

Take in a 360-degree bird's eye view of the city from 250m high in the air at the Observation Deck of Sydney Tower, just a few metres higher than Singapore' Swissotel.

For a totally enlivening experience, go for a "Sky Walk" over Sydney. In this breathtaking 45-minute activity, participants step on a glass platform while clad in safety suits to catch awesome views of the famous Sydney beaches to as far as the rustic Blue Mountains. For those 10 years old and above only.

Not brave enough? Embark on a no less mind-blowing adventure but in the confines of a theatre. The brilliantly-designed simulated ride "OzTrek" takes you on an intense virtual adventure across dynamic landscapes where Australian history, culture and geography come to life with special 3D holographic technology - "experience" white water rafting or be "swallowed" by a crocodile!

Boasting inspiring views of the Harbour, the 30-hectare Royal Botanic Gardens is a bountiful showcase of diverse flora spanning aboriginal, begonias, bush, ferns, roses, rare plants, pines, herbs, desert, native plants and more.

Chance upon flying foxes, native birds, ducks, possums, lizards and other animals and insects. If not for anything, the Gardens is simply a very relaxing and pleasant vista for families with young children to roam and be in tune with botanical nature - a perfect opportunity for bonding.

From TODAY, Traveller – Thursday, 17-Sep-2009

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