The inside of the nearby pseudo-Gothic Garrison Church, built between 1840 and 1843, is adorned with the dusty flags of the British regiments who once worshiped here; the church is still used by the Australian Army.
The main commuter terminal for harbor ferries, Circular Quay is also the only place Sydney's bus, ferry and train services intersect (it was originally called Semi-Circular Quay, which makes a lot more sense). To confuse visitors, its five wharves are numbered from two to six - Wharf 1 having succumbed to the gentrification of Circular Quay East.
Opposite the wharves, the imposing colonial Customs House building is now a cultural and gallery for those who dare, the Harbor Bridge Climb affords unparalleled views across central Sydney and the Opera House on Bennelong Point. Diamu means "I am here" in the language of Sydney's traditional owners, the Yura houses the Australian Museum's collection of indigenous art and cultural exhibits from Australia and the South Pacific, the largest of its kind in Australia.
From The time to time the gallery hosts free cultural programs, including concerts and Aboriginal storytelling. Past Circular Quay, in Bennelong Point, is the pearl-like sails of Australia's most famous urban icon, the Sydney Opera House. Inlaid in the paving from the Quay towards the Opera House are tributes to writers,Who are from or have written about Australia, among them Banjo Patterson, Robert Louis Stevenson, Ted Hughes (of The Fatal Shore),
Mark Twain, and dozens of others.
Although the first Opera House performance was in 1960, when militant unionists invited black American singer and activist Paul Robeson to sing at the building site, work wasn't completed until 1973. The building has weathered heavy criticism over its design, its cost ($105 million vs. an original budget of $6.7 million,) and its acoustics. The design has since grown on Sydneysiders, the interior has recently been overhauled and its acoustics fine- tuned.
In addition, free lunchtime organ recitals in the 25-m-high (85-ft) Concert Hall, which seats 2,700, have opened it to the public.
The Opera House now holds 3,000 opera, theater, dance and concert performances a year. Guided one-hour tours depart from the tour office on the lower forecourt from 9 AM to 4 PM, except during performances or rehearsals. Built during the Crimean War in 1857 as a defense post against any possible Russian invasion, Fort Denison sits incongruously on tiny Pinchgut Island, east of the Opera House. It’s One O'clock Cannon is still fired daily.
The island was once used to punish recalcitrant convicts. Marooned here in chains, they were given meager supplies of bread and water, hence the island's name. There are tours to the island from Circular Quay, but you get a reasonably good view of it from the Manly, Rose Bay or Watsons Bay ferries.
A lot of money has been spent on attracting tourist dollars to the newly developed Darling Harbor area, easily reached by Monorail from the city center. It suffers a little from its very commercial orientation and the monolithic Star City casino complex Pyrmont Street, open 24 hours and adds the little charm to the area.
Nevertheless, some of Sydney's must-sees are in the Darling Harbor area. Although the restaurants in the Harborside Marketplace are average and over- priced, the wide boardwalk is pleasant on a warm evening, with the city skyline sparkling across the small harbor. Across the Monorail walk-bridge, the Cockle Bay development boasts better restaurants and a couple of urban-chic bars. A celebration of science, technology, and popular culture, the ever-changing Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris Street, Ultimo, is housed in a converted power station.
Its dynamic exhibitions include hands-on interactive displays often combining videos and computer gadgetry. Open daily 10 AM to 5 PM; adults $8, children $5. Exhibitions at the National Maritime Museum Murray Street range from Aboriginal canoes to First Fleet and more modern naval vessels. Most memorable, though, are tours on the working vessels moored outside: a Vietnamese refugee boat, the 1983 America's up winning Australia racing yacht. Plexiglas tunnels give a fish-eye view of the harbor at the Sydney Aquarium Pier, Darling Harbor.
No comments:
Post a Comment