Taronga Zoo

We spent a half-day at the Taronga Zoo. It had an open plan, so some animals were walking around with the visitors. Visitors were advised to stay on the paths, I guess the animals were trained that you were fair game if you strayed. Hehe.

We took the ferry to Taronga and rode on the zoo's sky tram or something. And these were the views:

View from Taronga Zoo sky train

View from Taronga Zoo sky train

We saw the elephant pens, but no clear picture because the floor of the tram wasn't as clear.


Here are some pictures of the animals in the zoo!

A kangaroo being fed, though this one was caged.

Goodfellow"s Tree Kangaroo sign

Tree Kangaroo being fed by hand

A kangaroo, at least I think it's a kangaroo (it could be a wallaby?), in one of those open areas

Rooting around in open area

Together with an emu, or is it an ostrich?

Emu or ostrich?

Then, a sleeping koala

Sleeping or shy koala

A peacock-cock-cock, walking around the streets, like it owns the place

Peacock with tail spread

A black swan

Black swan with red beak

A cute seal, from the aquariums

Swimming seal with funny face

Getting a hug from a koala at the souvenir shop

Photo courtesy of E

Thank you Taronga Zoo! I had a great time!

Water photos

Taken randomly on various ferry rides from Circular Quay.


I don't know what this outcropping is.

Water level indicator?

Yachts.

With fluffy clouds

To show water level? Mini-lighthouse?

I want one too.

Random flower photos

Seen in various places in and around Sydney...

a riot

Photo courtesy of E

 I think these purple ones are actually leaves

Small blue violet or periwinkle ones

This photo is now my favicon :)

Sydney's St. Mary's Cathedral and Archibald Fountain

During our vacation, E, M and I decided to hear Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral. It was a rainy day so I wasn't able to get a lot of pictures of Hyde Park and the surrounding area. I did ditch my umbrella a couple of times to take some pictures of the Cathedral and the Archibald Fountain.

Mass was really different from the one we hold in the Philippines. For one thing, dress code was non-existent. It was really solemn with I think it was a bishop presiding. Or maybe because it just so happened that the Mass we attended also had the ceremony for ordaining new priests. *shrug*

There was also none of the joyous singing so common to Philippine mass. I think that was what I missed the most. Though, there "peace be with you" involved handshakes even among strangers -- certainly not something we do here in the Philippines.

We got off at the St. James Station, so we approached from the Archibald Fountain.

Archibald Fountain

Archibald Fountain

Then, from the path, this bursts upon your eyes:

St. Mary's Cathedral and grounds

The tree-lined avenues were actually really gorgeous, but I didn't think to take pictures of it.

Anyway, put the Cathedral and the Fountain together and what do you get? Bippity-boppity-boo!

St. Mary's Cathedral with Archibald Fountain

 We walked around to the the front(?) for this picture:

St. Mary's Cathedral

A couple of shots I got inside the cathedral before I was informed that no picture-taking allowed inside:

Happy Easter Monday! and commemorate Araw ng Kagitingan.

Sydney Aquarium

One rainy day while we were exploring Circular Quay, we decided to hop on the ferry and visit the Sydney Aquarium!

So, I realized that I'm horrible at taking action shots or I need a better camera (like that would solve it). We spent a good part of the morning at the Aquarium.

I especially loved the tunnel (which I don't have a picture of) where you can see the fishies and the sharkies swimming above and around you!

Friendly dugong. Someday I will swim with them in Donsol or wherever.

Dugong

Dugong

Colorful fish...I only got pictures of a few because I was too busy looking. :)

Manta rays? These are two different kinds, note how the, uh, eyes and lips are different.

A picture of a ray swimming below a school of fish -- before I figured out the camera settings for low-light pictures.

Seahorse! And not just the ordinary kind. This one's leafy? weedy? ferny?

Sea turtle!

Sharks!

These dog sharks are resting on the ceiling of the aquarium tunnel (or floor, from their perspective) right where the vent causes warm (or was it cold?) water to flow into the aquarium.

I haven't been to the Manila Ocean Park. Is it anything like this?

Royal Botanical Gardens

I don't have a lot of pictures here...but it was a huge place. With lovely little benches. You can sit down and admire the ocean/harbour. All the different kinds of plants and trees. It was lovely and so green. E and I enjoyed a couple of picnics in this place.

A huge tree with fantastic spreading branches.  It reminded me of another tree, except this one's in real life:

How about this one. Is it lazy or has it given up? I don't know what type of tree this is. Or maybe it's an overgrown vegetable?

Sydney Government House

a.k.a. my dream summer house. LOL!

From the driveway, with the other tourists.

The back veranda, or was it the side?

Close-up of one of the panels

The back/side portion of the house, with the fountain.

Sadly, we didn't make it to the indoor tours. :(

Manly Beach, Sydney

At sunset, reflecting off of the buildings

Manly Beach

Blue Mountains - random pictures

I can't remember what my pictures are of...

View from the Skyway...(which is a glass-bottomed tram) travelling between two, uh, cliffs?

The effect of a recent bush fire. Poor trees and grass and insects.

Healthy trees right outside Scenic World, while waiting for the Explorer Bus. I don't know if they're trimmed (because these are really tall trees) or they really grow like that... Pretty.

Here's an example of how educational the forest walk was:

First, you're given the information:

Then, the actual thing:

Finished.

Katoomba Coal Mine

Still part of the Blue Mountains Explorer Tour. But the mine is closed now.

Katoomba Coal Mine

A replica of the coal carts drawn by uhm, ponies?

How did they ever get the coal up the mountains? This is how...

Better known as....

Here's the replica. We did ride something like it...which also passed through a rock tunnel. No pictures of course, because I was too busy holding on for dear life.