Wow that was a busy wkend :)

Weekend 18/19th Feb 2012

I have had a really amazing weekend, it started with a Day to Sydney City on Saturday and today I found a lovely lake around 10 minutes walk away.

Saturday 18th Feb

Drove to Seven Hills Train station (glad as now I know where it is for Monday), got the 9.47 train to Wynard, and then train to Circular Quay. Circular Quay is really nice and it is were you can catch the Ferries from, which I am planning to do in the near future. I used my handy maps on the iPhone to direct me Play Fair Street in The Rocks where I had booked on a tour of the Rocks with a company called "The Rocks Walking Tour".

My new hat

The Rocks tour lasted around 1.5 hours and was really fun and very informative. It was so hot I ended up buying myself a cool sun hat.

I have uploaded all the photos onto face book. A little bit of history in case you are interested:

The Rocks became established shortly after the colony's formation in 1788. The original buildings were made mostly of local sandstone, from which the area derives its name. From the earliest history of the settlement, the area had a reputation as a slum, often frequented by visiting sailors and prostitutes. During the late nineteenth century, the area was dominated by a gang known as the Rocks Push. It maintained this rough reputation until approximately the 1870s. By the early 20th century, many areas of historic buildings were in serious decay. In 1900 the bubonic plague broke out, the government took over the areas of the Rocks and Darling harbour, with the intention of demolishing them and rebuilding, over 3800 houses, buildings and wharves were inspected and hundreds demolished. The plans were halted to the the outbreak of World War I. Several hundred buildings were demolished during the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

By 1973, the union imposed a ban, and after discussions with the Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority. In October 1973, it appeared that the redevelopment would proceed as originally panned, using non-union labour. As a result two weeks of demonstrations by local residents and Unionists followed. Luckily the Green ban stayed in place until 1975, when the state union leadership was overthrown, and was ultimately successful, based on the buildings that survive until today.

The shortest street in Australia is also found in The Rocks and it is called Atherden Road, see picture below it is very cute. You would have to like your neighbours as a few houses in a very short street. You can also see the Rocks at the end of the street.

The pictures below are of Cadman's Cottage, 110 George Street which is the oldest private house still standing in Sydney. John Cadman was born in 1772 and was transported to Australia in 1797 at the age o 25 for the crime of stealing a horse. He was pardoned by the Governor Macqurie in 1821 and lived in Cadman's Cottage as the Super Intendant of Board, with his wife and two step daughters from the age of 1827 until his retirement in 1845, staying a total of 18 years, the longest time served by a governmental coxswain position.

Cadman Cottage

Upstairs and Downstairs - there are no stairs in the building
you have to access upstairs through a door further up the
hill

After the Rocks tour I found a Cafe in the Rock and ordered a sandwich, I had to take a picture just cause of the size of the sandwich. It was lovely and much needed after a 1.5 hour walk.

See how big it is!!!!!

Popped into the Sydney Information Centre to pick up some leaflets and found a free tour of Sydney City by a company called ImFree. So quickly walked to the other end of George Street to the Town Hall to start the 2nd of my Tours. Martin was our tour guide and he was full of information and showed us around all the interesting places Town Hall, Queen Victoria Building, St Mary's Cathedral, Hyde Park, Sydney Hospital (used to be called the Rum Hospital as the money that built it came from selling the rights of Rum for a period of years), the Wishing Pig at the hospital, Martins Place, The Post Office and the War Memorial, Pitt Street, Custom House, Circular Quay, back to the Rocks, The Argyle Cut, oldest pub where convicts were kidnapped and woke up at see, and finally the Opera House.

With very tired feet I proceeded to the train station around 530 to catch my train back to Seven Hills. I was so tired I turned down an invite to a BBQ, but have arranged to meet up with Lexi for lunch in Sydney, which will be lovely.

Sunday - 19/02/2011

I slept in until half nine, which was lovely as I was so tired after yesterday and I also think that means the Jet lag has gone woo hoo.

Spent a few hours working, and then popped out for a walk and found a lovely Lake in Norwest called 'Norwest Lake', which has Lakeside Restaurants and also an Ice Skating rink at the end (indoors obviously). So did a little bit o shopping at Shopping centre mainly for plasters as was wearing new shoes ouch!! Then walked around the Lake taking lots of pictures that have been uploade onto face book. My favourite pictures from today are below: