As a day trip from Sydney, Terry and I decided to take a ferry to Manly Beach in Australia. The Ferry docks are right near the Opera House and that whole area is tourist central with street performers fighting for tourists attention and tips. Several aboriginals sat playing their didgeridoos. One guy had a high wire act where he balanced above the crows riding his bicycle on a wire. Terry and I didn’t stop to watch the chaos. Our ferry was leaving in a few minutes so we rushed through the terminal.
The hour or so ferry ride was very pleasant. It was early spring in Australia so a few people were still bundled up. Sail boats dotted the entire harbor. When we docked in Manly, we walked a quarter mile or so down the main street which lead to the beach. We both ordered a frozen yogurt cone with plenty of fixings and then we found a shady spot on a ledge that overlooked the beach. There was a large group of school children learning how to surf. Others tossed Frisbees or just lay in the sun like harbor seals.
On the ferry ride back to Sydney, I put the sketchbook away and just enjoyed the ever changing view. These ferry rides are a real deal and it is a great way to discover Sydney very much the way British explorers did hundreds of years ago.