Day 9 Afternoon Walking Tour:
I had a few free hours left after the Foodies Tour and really needed to walk off all that food, so I walked from my hotel through Hyde Park to view the exhibits in the Australian Museum. Hyde Park, which covers 40 acres, is Australia’s oldest public park.
St. Mary’s Cathedral
The Australian Museum is Australia’s oldest museum and is known for its natural history and anthopological collections. I spent a few hours viewing exhibits on indigenous birds, Australian culture, animal and bird skeletons and dinosaurs.
Hyde Park Barracks
Queen Victoria statue
St. James Church
Day 10 Walking Tour:
Today was an entirely free day for us to do whatever we wanted. I decided on a walking tour as there were several places of interest close to my hotel.
My first stop was at the Hyde Park Barracks, which originally served as a center for convict transportation, then as an immigration depot and asylum, and finally as a court/office complex before its conversion into a museum. I enjoyed a self-guided audio tour.
An Aussie pigeon hopefully looks for a handout as I take a rest break on an outside bench
Sydney Tower – Sydney’s tallest building and the second tallest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere after Auckland’s Sky Tower
My next stop was the Art Gallery of New South Wales, where I toured the Australian and Aboriginal galleries.
Robert Burns statue
I walked across the street and spent the afternoon in the Royal Botanic Gardens (click on the link for photos of the gardens).
Sydney skyline from the Royal Botanic Gardens
The InterContinental Hotel entrance was a welcome sight after a full day of walking
After getting some rest, it was time for dinner and for a little more walking – down to Zia Pina Pizzeria, which is located in The Rocks area of Sydney. These photos were taken along the way.
