Sydney, Australia: March 22-April 13, 2009

We arrived in Sydney on Sunday, March 22 after an eventful three weeks in Melbourne culminating in another spectacular basketball game in which Glenda's son, Cameron's team demolished Bendigo's basketball team. Upon arrival in Sydney, we didn't realize it, but an event which was to make national news took place very shortly after our arrival. All we wondered about was why there were so many police cars at the airport??? It turns out that two groups of biker gangs had a confrontation at the airport and that one of these bikers was brutally murdered by one of the groups in full public view. Sydney International Airport is probably the most secure airport in Australia so events of this nature are very rare. However, it also turns out that the man who was killed had just gotten off our flight from Melbourne. Fortunately, we were in another area of the airport picking up our car rental when this all transpired.

It was fantastic to see our old friends, Alan and Deb Boughton at the luggage carousels as we arrived at the airport. Alan was an exchange teacher at Trevor's school, Dr. Denison Secondary School in 1998 and we have maintained contact over the years. We enjoyed lunch with Alan and Deb at a quaint cafe beside the beach at Botany Bay after we left the airport. Then, we all went grocery shopping at a store nearby before we went off to check into our apartment suite at the Medina, Sydney Central which is in the very heart of the busiest area of Sydney and very close to Chinatown and Darling Harbour.

We've also had a chance to catch up with Trevor's cousin, Elwood who lives in the suburbs of Sydney with his wife, Helena. Elwood is Glenda's brother and their late father (Trevor's father's brother, John) also lived in Sydney until he passed away a few years ago. Elwood and Helena visited us at our apartment downtown and we've made arrangements for another rendezvous very soon.

Because we've been in Sydney previously, we are quite familiar with the city but there are, of course many changes. One icon, however, remains constant and that is the Sydney Opera House in Sydney Harbour. We were in absolute awe as we watched the final performance of Opera Australia's final peformance of Madama Butterfly at the Sydney Opera, the Monday after we arrived in the city. This was an outstanding production and we are really glad we booked our tickets far in advance as it was one not to be missed.

As you will see from the photos, we've already had a chance to do some exploring and are looking forward to more exciting adventures in New South Wales in the weeks ahead.

1. At the North Head of Sydney Harbour. City skyline in the background
2. The monorail at Darling Harbour
3. Deb Boughton, Trevor and Lorraine at Botany Bay shortly after our arrival at Sydney airport
4. Alan at the beach at Botany Bay
5. Trevor at the Sydney Opera House
6. Helena & Cousin Elwood visiting our apartment
7. Trevor by naval ship at Sydney Harbour
8. Flying Foxes (giant bats) in Botanical Gardens, Sydney
9. Australian Goose (NOT CANADA GOOSE) at Symbio Wildlife Park, Helensburgh
10. Lorraine and her buddies, the Kangaroos at Symbio Wildlife Park, south of Sydney
11. Trevor and his buddy, the Kangaroo at Symbio Wildlife park
12. George Street, Sydney Central Business District
13. Medina Executive Sydney Central (our apartment building) beside Sydney Central Train Station in Sydney's Central Business District
14. Common Sydney Pharmacy Product