Pittwater

Today we spent the day on a catamaran on Pittwater with Chris' childhood friend Julia and family. Julia's Mum bid and won the day out at a charity auction and was kind enough to invite us along! Lunch, drinks and a crew were provided, so all we had to do was sit back and enjoy it!

Pittwater is a large bay 25 miles north of Sydney harbour at the mouth of the Murray River. Most of its shoreline forms the border of the Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park, so it is mostly undeveloped and there are lots of secluded beaches where access is only achievable by boat.

Here is a location map:

The Countess

Sailing north

Bruce seems to be having a good time...

...and so does Chris and Lizzie!

Our captain Paddy from Ireland (emigrated to Sydney in the 1970s)

Clockwise: Bruce, Julia, Lizzie, Jason and Alice

Anchored at Hungry Beach next to another sail boat.

Bruce getting the hang of paddle boarding

Weeeeeeeee!

Getting confident now, paddling off into shark infested waters

A Sydney sea plane arrives to pick up some beach-goers

Cheese!

Sailing back to the yacht club

A nice motor boat overtaking us

Parsley Bay

Today we visited Parsley Bay, which is a long narrow bay in the Eastern Suburbs. The water is very shallow so you can swim out quite a long way and there is also a shark net! One of our new favourites!

Here is a location map:

Looking over Parsley Bay from the Parsley Bay Reserve

Looking back towards Parsley Bay beach and bridge.

On the jetty at the end of Parsley Bay

Sirius Cove Reserve

This afternoon we treated Rusty to a play-date with Chris' childhood friend Julia's puppy, Brookie. We met Julia at Sirius Cove Reserve on the North Shore, which has a dog friendly beach.

We let the dogs play together on the beach for a while, then did the foreshore walk to the Taronga Zoo ferry wharf and back.

Here is a location map:

Sirius Cove Beach

Bruce and Rusty enjoying the view from a lookout along the Taronga foreshore walk.

Julia and Brookie, her Kelpie / Shar Pei cross puppy.

The Sydney skyline from the Taronga foreshore walk

Curl Curl Beach

This morning we took Rusty to a dog friendly park at Curl Curl Beach, one of Sydney's Northern Beaches. Dogs aren't allowed onto the beach itself, but there is a lagoon at the northern end of the beach which dogs are allowed to paddle in.

Here is a location map:

Bruce throwing Rusty's ball for him

Bruce and Rusty on top of the sand dunes

Looking South East along Curl Curl Beach towards Manly

This sign didn't deter the surfers!

Hong Kong

We stopped in Hong Kong for two days on the way to and from the UK this Christmas. Neither if us had been to Hong Kong before, so it was great to explore a new city.

A few of the highlights were: The buildings, Victoria Harbour, The Peak and shopping in Kowloon.

Hong Kong skyline at sunrise from our hotel room in Kowloon

Kowloon skyline from our hotel

On the Star Ferry from Kowloon to Hong Kong

Another Star Ferry going from Kowloon to Hong Kong

Arriving at Central Pier 

A lookout along The Peak walking trail. Nothing to look at though due to the weather!

The same lookout the second time we stayed in Hong Kong with improved weather!

Chris at another of The Peak walking trail lookouts

Bruce looking out over the Hong Kong from The Peak walking trail. So many buildings!

Hong Kong from The Peak walking trail.

This photo shows the walking trail hugging The Peak hillside

King Yin Lei: a mansion designed by a British architect in 1936 in a Chinese Renaissance architectural style.

An small Hong Kong apartment complex.

So many people!

So many signs!

Hong Kong skyline at night from our hotel room in Kowloon

Canberra

This long weekend we visited Canberra, Australia's capital city. Canberra is 285km (177 miles) away from Sydney, so it took just over three hours to get there. We stopped off at some rural Australian towns on the way including Mittagong, Bowral and Berrima.

Some of the attractions we visited in Canberra were:

- Australian War Memorial

- New Parliament House

- Mount Ainslie

- Black Mountain

- Telstra Tower

- National Royal Botanic Garden

- National Portrait Gallery

- National Gallery

Here is a location Map:

View Larger Map

The view over Canberra from Mount Ainslie.

Chris at Mount Ainslie lookout.

Looking towards the Australian War Memorial, Anzac Parade, Old and New Parliament House.

Looking towards Old and New Parliament House with Lake Burley Griffin in the foreground.

The Australian War Memorial and gardens.

The Australian War Memorial.

The Australian War Memorial.

Poppys and the names of lost soldiers at the Australian War Memorial.

Poppys and the names of lost soldiers at the Australian War Memorial.

Stained glass window inside the Australian War Memorial.

Black Mountain and the Telstra Tower.

The observation deck of the Telstra Tower.

Looking away from Canberra at the countryside from to observation deck of the Telstra Tower.

Bruce taking a panorama shot of Canberra.

The National Botanic Gardens.

The National Botanic Gardens.

The National Botanic Gardens.

The National Botanic Gardens.

The National Botanic Gardens.

A Water Dragon.

Chris on the roof of New Parliament House.

New Parliament House.

New Parliament House.

Inside the House of Representatives.

Inside the Senate.

Bruce outside New Parliament House with Old Parliament House in the background.

A quick stop off on the way home at the Lake George lookout.