Sydney

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It takes 1,439 stairs to reach the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The recommended Bridge Climb Tour gets you there and it provides for an ultimate view of Sydney along with informative and interesting facts as you chill at the top. For example, one of the workers had fallen off during construction, he landed in the water, pin drop position but the impact was so intense that it embedded the soles of his work boots into his feet. Fascinating. Anyhow, seeing the city from that view enabled me to get a full city tour at a glance...the Opera House, Lunar Park, even Russell Crowe's 14 million dollar condo, not that he lives here, but so the Gladiator has a comfy place to stay when he visits his home country.

Sydney has been an absolute pleasure to visit, the harbour is a stunning backdrop the beautiful, and very expensive city.

But for me the most inspiring site in the city was an impressive and massive traveling art exhibition on the waterfront. I stumbled across the BUDDY BEARS:

On a global tour, The "United Buddy Bears" (each 7 ft tall) stand together hand in hand in complete harmony - representing 125 member states of the United Nations. The Bears promote a message of tolerance and understanding among nations.

United Buddy Bear Link

A collaborative art exhibition raising awareness and funds for charity, an artist from each country. Wow, it was like the (no name) Art Group on sterroids, what a motivation and inspiration.

But what made it so intense was one more detail...that it all seemed vaguely familiar, and then I remembered that it was in Berlin 2002 that Jake and I had seen these same bears scattered around the city of Berlin as their first city opening exhibition. Now, 4 years later Sydney is the last stop before they return back to Berlin...am I following them or are they following me?

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Photos

Sydney Harbour Bridge
Today is the bridge's birthday, 74 years old

At the top of the bridge
Hey, you're from Philly. Can you do that Rocky thing like you just ran up the Art Museum stairs?

The Sydney Opera House
The other famous Sydney icon. The 3rd most photographed man-made landmark in the world. (under the Taj Mahal and Eiffel Tower)

Opera House Detail 1
1,056,056 imported Swedish ceramic tiles arranged in 4253 precast lids. Part of the reason the budget was exceeded by over 102 million dollars.

Sydney Skyline
A view of the city from the Opera House stairs

Aboriginals
The true natives of Australia, the Aboriginals, have the longest continuous cultural history in the world.

Buddy Bear - Brazil
One artist was chosen from each of the member countries of the United Nations.

Buddy Bear Hug
I watched this little girl walk up to every bear for a hug, each one she knocked on the belly and said HELLO MR. BEAR!

Comments

[leslie jane]

unbelievable
i am astounded about this buddy bear exhibit...and that you saw it when it opened and then closed...and of course THEY ARE FOLLOWING YOU!!!!!