What Makes Sydney Great The Many Little ThingsPrepared by Harold Stephens
Travel Correspondent for Thai Airways International
When I am asked why I like Sydney, I find it difficult to answer, except simply to say: "Sydney's a great city."
What is it, actually, that makes a city great? The architecture? The people? Its cosmopolitan nature? Things to see and do? History? Culture?
They all contribute in some way. But, all things considered, it's also the little things that count. Sometimes we can’t even put our finger on it, and then we say we like it because it has mood. Sydney is that way. It's the hundreds of little things that make it great.
Let's take, for example, Circular Quay. There's nothing really circular about Circular Quay, but it's listed in all the tourist brochures and guidebooks, and tour buses pass through the area telling everyone aboard which way to look.
But to capture the mood of Circular Quay, you have to do your visiting on foot, particularly on a warm day when many office workers go there to eat their lunches in the open. Buy your lunch—maybe fish and chips—at one of the many food stalls and take a seat on a bench along with the others. Or if you wish, eat at one of the open-air restaurants like, the City Extra. It’s open 24 hours a day, has outdoor tables and is really busy during the day.
Here at Circular Quay all Sydney will pass before you on parade, much as you would find on the Atlantic City boardwalk. But there's more than people watching. There’s street entertainment. Downunder they call them “buskers”, people who entertain by dancing, singing, reciting or doing tricks on the streets, all for whatever change people want to drop into their hats.
Buskers can keep you amused for hours. I watched one young boy who was not only the image of Michael Jackson, but performed like him as well. Down the street was a juggling duo and a bit farther a Chinese violinist who might have been moonlighting from the Opera House—he was that good. In the meantime, ferry boats went whipping in and out. A Highlander in a pleated kilt stepped down a gangplank playing his bagpipe, and a group of tourists disembarked from a luxury liner at the far end of the Quay and began snapping away with their cameras.
Seagulls, by the swarm, were also begging for handouts. Warning: keep your fish and chips on your lap and not on the bench beside you.
For the history buff, Circular Quay and nearby Macquarie Place have their attractions, but they too should be taken in slowly.
Circular Quay was the original landing site of the First Fleet. Tank Stream, which provided Sydney with its early water supply, ran into the harbour here but today it runs underground.
In the old days, as now, Circular Quay was an impressive sight. Old photographs show square rigged sailing ships moored at the piers, a veritable forest of masts crowding the skyline.
From Circular Quay it's a short walk to Macquarie Place, with another touch of history. As every schoolboy knows, Sydney was founded as a colony for British convicts. The First Fleet arrived, eleven ships carrying some 1,000 convicts, under the command of Captain Phillip aboard his flagship, HMS Siria.
It was a bad start, and things did not go well until a man named Colonel Lachlan Macquarie arrived on the scene. He took over as governor in 1810 and things began to happen. He found that convicts did have something to contribute. Francis Greenway, a forger, was one such man. Governor Macquarie commissioned him to design a series of public buildings, some of which are the finest in Sydney today.
In the square you will find a cannon and an anchor from Capt. Phillip's First Fleet. There are a number of other pieces of colonial memorabilia that include gas lamps, a drinking fountain dated 1857, and an obelisk indicating distance to various points in the colony.
Technically, Sydney's real centre is in Martin Place, a pedestrian mall extending from Macquarie Street to George Street behind the massive GPO. This is another popular lunchtime entertainment spot, much like Circular Quay, with buskers by the score doing their acts. The Cenotaph war memorial is here and also a tourist information booth.
Sydney's city centre is a mini-Manhattan. Skyscrapers stand side-by-side with old, Victorian-looking buildings. You have to meander along the street to feel its mood. The street names here read like a London directory: Pitt, George, Elizabeth, Kent, Phillip.
Central has some fine, interesting shopping complexes, the kind you like to visit even if you are not a shopper. Included here is the old Strand Arcade between Pitt and George streets.
The Queen Victoria Building is a showpiece. It was built in the style of a Byzantine palace in 1898 and was until recently a fruit and vegetable market. Since then it has been painstakingly restored and now houses some 200 shops, cafes and restaurants. Those who are interested in Aborigine art will see some fine examples in the art shops.
Then, in Central, there’s a pub you should visit. Everyone knows how Australians value their pubs, almost with reverence. This one is in the basement of the Hilton Hotel, not a likely place for an authentic Aussie pub but it’s an exception. It’s called the Marble Bar and is truly a Victorian extravaganza. It was built by George Adams, a man who understood the Australian lust for gambling and made a fortune from it. He founded the Tattersall lotteries, known as Tattslotto.
George Adams also built the Adams Hotel which was originally called O'Brien's Pub. It was torn down to make room for the Hilton. The old hotel bar was carefully dismantled and reassembled in its present location like some archaeological wonder.
For mood, let's consider the Sydney Opera House. It's probably the most photographed sight in town, and perhaps the most talked about. It is imposing, and it does make a good picture, but how many people ever look at the Opera House close up? How many people have really studied its architecture from a few feet away? Not many.
It's a marvel in concrete, but it was also a focus of controversy during its 14 years of construction. Its design called for a ferro-concrete technique that permits construction of unsupported vaulted roofs and domes. After continuous delays and technical difficulties it opened in 1973. When one stands under an arch and looks up, one can better understand the problems the builders faced.
The name Sydney Opera House is misleading. It's an opera house, but it's not all opera. In any given season the public can attend film shows, ballet, theatre, classical music, performances, and even rock concerts.
The other landmark associated with Sydney is the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Like San Francisco's Golden Gate, it's one of the great bridges of the world. But again, to catch its mood, few people see it up close. And the best way to do that is to climb up inside the southwest pylon. At the top of the 200 stairs you find a museum and a fine view of Sydney. You enter the pylon from the bridge's pedestrian walkway and entrance is free.
Sydney has a number of good flea markets which are worth visiting if only to watch Sydneysiders at their leisure. One of the best is Paddo Village Bazaar, held on Saturdays in the school on the corner of Oxford and Newcombe streets. It has local arts and crafts, new and old clothing, and every odd and imaginable item for sale, cheap. And good home cooked food. The buskers are out too on Saturdays at Paddo Village doing their thing. It's a lively scene with plenty of entertainment.
Another worth visiting is Balmain's Saturday Market with more homemade stuff including basketware, jewelry, and clothing. It's located in the church compound on Darling Road opposite Gladstone Park. Many of the food Stalls here are Asian.
Much of the nightlife in Sydney is centered on the League Clubs where profits come from one armed bandits, poker machines, or pokies as they are called. The profits from gambling enable clubs to put on name entertainment (not buskers) and keep prices low. The food is usually good and plentiful. The clubs are truly Sydney's institutions and should be visited because you don't find them anywhere else in the world.
League Clubs are generally "members only" for locals, but a passport will gain foreign visitors entry. The most lavish one is St. George's Leagues Club but it's a bit out of the way on Prince Highway. More centrally located is City of Sydney RSL Club on George Street. You're in for a good show any night you go. QUESTIONS & ANSWERSI received this interesting email from Go Adventure Asia - Newsletter, January 2010, which I will pass on as many readers might find it helpful'
Dear Mr. Stephens, The first GAA and Ironguides co-promoted training camp will take place from 28-31 January 2010 in Hua Hin, Thailand.
Whether you are training for the upcoming Ironman or Ironman 70.3 events in the region or you are just looking for some direction on your training this camp will surely be an important building block in your quest to become a better triathlete. The four days, three nights camp will be conducted by Ironguides Southeast Asia coach Vinnie Santana.
Vinnie established himself as one of Brazil's top Ironman athletes at the age of 22. Overcoming Type 1 diabetes, he used The Method, ironguides' training principles to drive his rapid rise through the ranks to his 8:50 h personal best Ironman time. A former member of Team TBB, the professional triathlon team based out of Singapore, Vinnie provides in-person coaching via his Bangkok training squad, and coaches Ironguides athletes online throughout the world.
Harold Stephens
Bangkok
E-mail: ROH Weekly Travel (booking@inet.co.th)
Note: The article is the personal view of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the view of Thai Airways International Public Company Limited. | 
