Sydney, New South Wales, Australia April 13-20, May 14-18, 2003

Our first glimpse of Sydney, from the air, as we arrived bleary eyed on the all night flight from Tokyo. Despite our fatigue, it was a sight to behold.	Ominous looking clouds hanging over the Sydney skyline.	Sydney's most famous landmarks, the Opera House and Harbor Bridge.	The majestic Sydney Opera House at night.  I took this picture from the Harbor Bridge.
Darling Harbor, on Sydney's west side.	One of our favorite places in Sydney was Joe's Cafe, on Victoria Street, in Sydney's both hip and seedy Kings Cross neighborhood (or Potts Point, depending on who you talk to).  Given the delicious food, strong coffee, and hospitality of proprietors Len Barker and his lovely wife (pictured at right), we made a habit of having breakfast every morning at Joe's.  If you're in town, I strongly recommend giving Joe's a try... tell them I sent you!		Martin preparing to climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Through  BridgeClimb,  we climbed to the top of the bridge, making our way along a series of catwalks and climbing lots of stairs. Although a bit pricey, it is a lot of fun, and the view from the top of the bridge is spectacular.
The view across the span from the southeastern pylon of the bridge, which you can climb. Click on the thumbnail to see the climbers on either side.  Looks dangerous? Not so, as you are attached to the railings with a safety cord.	Some views of downtown Sydney from the pylon.		They even have rainbows Down Under!
Martin and his Korean friend Joo, who is currently studying in Australia, at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.	Telstra Stadium, where the 2000 Sydney Olympics were held.	Rugby, one of Australia's most popular sports.  The game I attended was between the  Sydney Roosters  and their arch rivals, the Brisbane Broncos at Aussie Stadium.
Important information for the clueless tourist.	Martin having a bad hair day (helped by the gale force winds) at Manly.	The cliffs overlooking the sea at Manly.  Resembles the California coast, doesn't it?	Museum Station, one of Sydney's oldest underground stations.
The bustling Chinese market in Sydney's Haymarket district.	Statue of a warthog (I guess) in front of Sydney Hospital.	Surfs up at Bondi Beach on a beautiful autumn day. Going to the beach is a national pastime in Australia, and this is one the most popular ones to go to.	Sunset over the Harbor Bridge. After nearly a week of rain, the skies finally cleared to reveal this beautiful site. This was my final look at Sydney before I dashed off to catch my flight back to Tokyo.