Australian Adventure – Day 35 – Parramatta River Cruise and Chinese Gardens

Our second last full day in Sydney and the weather looked promising – still overcast but definitely clearing so no need to drag jackets out with us.  We had a light and early breakfast at Kantine Cafe, met up with Bruce and Ella who were heading to Bondi and got a lift to Circular Quay with them.  Just outside the cafe we spotted two sulphur crested cockatoos in a tree.  One seemed to be making a nest in the hollow while the other kept guard.

Sulphur Crested cockatoo keeping guard while his mate makes a nest in the hollow?

Moored in the harbour Earl was delighted to find a big cruise ship.   I am not keen on cruised but I must admit this one looked exciting and I just could have been tempted to board her.  Instead we settled for a River Cruise to Parramatta Wharf.

Isn’t she magnificent – the ship I mean!

Maybe I’ll give in to a cruise one day – when I’m very old

Can’t get enough of that fabulous bridge

Earl as I have mentioned many times before just loves boats, ships, fishing, the sea, lakes, rivers, dams – so long as there is water he is a happy man so he was in heaven on this almost 3 hour round trip which took in Darling Harbour, Cockatoo Island, Kissing Point, Sydney Olympic Point among other harbours and ports.   The last stretch up the river becomes quite shallow and narrow and passes through mangroves which was lovley.  We spotted birds like white-faced herons, ibises, pied cormorants, darters and ducks.

A beautiful neighbourhood

You can spend the night in a tent on Cockatoo Island

Good fishing in the river

Prime Property

Mangrove Swamps

Some bird life

On the return trip we disembarked at Darling Harbour, had lunch at a coffee shop then visited the quiet, shady and gentle Chinese Gardens before walking back to our penthouse for an afternoon nap!   We might be having a night out later so have to get our strength up!

Darling Harbour

Peace and Tranquillity

Terrapin tanning

The Ducks love it

A gushing waterfall

Earl in the bamboo forest

Imperial visitors? No but you could pretend for a day

In the evening we went to Wayne and Tamara for dinner.  Wayne took on the role of Jamie Oliver and cooked up a storm – veal with a berry sauce followed by baked chocolate pudding.   Afterwards he raided the ark and found his slides from his 1984 trip to South Africa which brought back some great memories.   His son, Alexander, didn’t know what a ‘slide’ was and was completely fascinated by the old fashioned projector!    We’d all forgotten which way to load the slides and fell about laughing when they appeared upside down on the screen!   Finally we got it right and enjoyed the show!

Earl shows Alex some ancient technology

Wayne’s delicious dessert