Opera House Tour

 Paula phoned the Sydney Opera House this morning and arranged a tour. When she got off the phone, she remarked how often it was that something she dreaded turned out to be easy.

We had breakfast, walked/scooted to the Town Hall stop, and took the light rail to Circular Quay. We browsed around there a bit, and a store selling some nice scarves (she had been wanting one with a typical Aboriginal pattern). I found one we both liked, then she found one she liked better and wanted to put the first one back, so I said we should get both. Then she another one (with turtles on it!), and wanted to put one or the other of the first two back. So we bought all three. If my wife were anyone else, this would seem like she were being devious; but it's Paula. Case closed.

We got to the Opera House early and had lunch there.

Lunch at the House Canteen

At the arranged time (2:35) and the arranged place (Stage Door), we met our tour guide and went on the one-hour tour. I have to say, it's a gorgeous inside as it is striking outside. The Concert Hall is absolutely beautiful. Paula was impressed with the Grand Organ and its 10,244 pipes; I was more impressed by the, I guess "woodwork" is the best term, of the walls and ceiling and floor. It's beautiful.

Meeting place for the tour

For the most part we weren't allowed to take pictures, so I didn't. But I copied a picture of the Concert Hall from Wikipedia.

The Concert Hall (from Wikipedia)

After the tour, we walked along the harbor a ways.


Then back to the apartment the same way we came. Rested a bit, then went back to the harbor to find a place to have dinner. Paula was freezing, so we wanted somewhere inside, or at least out of the wind. Not easy, because nothing inside was accessible. We ended up at Pontoon, where we had eaten before, but we got someone to take us the long way, through a distant staff entrance. We had fish & chips, because the restaurant was 90% closed, and that's what they could offer--no pumpkin and feta pizza, unfortunately.

We also washed some cotton clothes. Tomorrow the plan is to take a train up to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, wash a load of synthetics, and pack 

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