Vivid Sydney

When I heard Vivid Sydney was taking place during the time that I was in Australia, it didn't take much convincing to get me up there! 

I took a Greyhound coach from Canberra, which is much less ghetto than its US counterpart. Arriving in mid-afternoon gave me the chance to walk around the city, do some shopping, and see some of my favorite sites before the lights went on. I was amazed at how easily I could navigate the CBD after only one trip there. 

I checked into my Air BNB, which was a really beautiful home in Darlinghurst.  Compared with the sky-high hotel prices, this was a no-brainer. With such a local experience and a much larger living space, it's no wonder why AirBNB is becoming so popular. 

My friend arrived from the suburbs and we decided that a bottle of wine was in order before venturing out to the festival. When we did eventually make it out, our first stop was University of Sydney.

Even before arriving at the campus, I could hear the music and I was getting excited like a little kid on Christmas. We watched the show for at least a half hour, and I was surprised that none of the segments were repeating. This was a great start to the night. 

Just one of many beautiful pictures at Sydney Uni

From the university, we walked through CBD and Chinatown, on our way to the fountain show at Darling Harbour. This part of the city was completely packed with people, and the show was admittedly shorter and less impressive than it had been hyped. 

Rather than waiting for a seat at one of the tourist traps in Darling Harbour, we walked back to Chinatown area and found a great Vietnamese restaurant. 

The next and final stop was Circular Quay, which has the biggest concentration of attractions. On our way over, people were walking in the opposite direction in droves, which made me a little nervous. I looked at my watch and noticed it was already almost 11pm!

Circular Quay, as viewed from Park Hyatt hotel

We first saw a silent (yet intricate) kaleidoscope effect at the Museum of Contemporary Art. The various geometric patterns on the building were mesmerizing. Next to that was an interactive exhibit, where people got to make the lights move around as if they were butterflies in a garden of colorful mushrooms. 

Museum of Contemporary Art

Interactive light display at Vivid Sydney

Of course the most iconic structure to be lit up was the Sydney Opera House. By the time we got there, the lights were just silently dancing around the roofs, but I think the show is set to music in the earlier hours. Even without the music, the silent display was still beautiful to watch.  

Andy and me, with the Opera House lit up in the background

Sydney Opera house gets decorated for Vivid

Further around the quay, there were countless of other light-based exhibits - each produced by different artists and with deeper meanings. For example, a series of branch-like tree sculptures called "Arclight" was meant to represent various environmental phenomena such a temperature, wind speed, and humidity. 

Arclight, with the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background

Even something as simple as a lit-up pig has deeper meaning if people take the time to learn more about the story behind it.  This exhibit called "Entitle" represents the overly-indulgent contemporary lifestyle. I think these more thought-provoking exhibits are what make Vivid Sydney a great destination for all ages.  

Entitle Exhibit at Vivid

I know I'm a tourist, but Sydney is just one of those cities with immeasurable "wow factor". For many of my family and friends, Australia would be the trip of a lifetime, and I'm so fortunate to have been there twice already. 

If anyone told me they were visiting Australia in late-May / early-June, I would absolutely suggest that they put Vivid Sydney on their list of must-see highlights (make sure to spend more than one night there because there is just too much to see). The city is a joy to visit in any time of year, but the lights just add an extra layer of mystique and fun that most people don't get to experience. 

I have heard that this idea of projecting lights onto buildings is already growing in popularity, with similar events in Moscow and Berlin. It would be difficult to match the childhood wonder that I experienced in Sydney, but I would love to see what the other cities have in their arsenal for such an event. 

Guide to being a tourist in Sydney

Of all the international places I have visited in my life, none feel more like home than Australia.  The accents are different and they drive on the left side of the road, but the people and the overall personality of Sydney is quite similar to the American lifestyle. 

Sydney is not filled with an overwhelming number of historic sites and must-see tourist attractions, which actually made my trip seem more relaxed.  I was able to enjoy the city like a local without feeling obligated to take pictures around every corner. 

The one tourist attraction that is absolutely worth visiting is the iconic Opera House. The Opera house sits at the tip of Bennelong Point and is, in my opinion, the only building that provides an identity to Sydney. There is a long list of performances each week, but none particularly appealed to me so I opted for a guided tour instead. The tour was really interesting and provided a lot of great facts.  Being a numbers guy, I was particularly impressed with the information that the roof contains over 1 million pieces of tile and that there are actually 1,000 rooms in the building (mostly underground).  

I was lucky enough to get a direct view of the Opera House whenever I looked out the window of my hotel, which continued to 'wow' me throughout my two week trip.  

View of the Opera House at dusk

The weather during the autumn season in Sydney is really nice, and I was lucky to get some beach weather for Good Friday. I boarded a ferry at Circular Quay and enjoyed the quick, 30-minute trip to the Northern coast.  Even though Manly can also be reached by car, the ferry is perhaps the best way to ease one's mind into relaxation mode (not to mention incredible views).  

View of Sydney from the ferry to Manly

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Coastline near Manly Wharf

From the Ferry terminal to the beach, you walk through a pedestrian-only street lined with souvenir shops, fish & chip takeaway restaurants, and a surprisingly large number of pharmacies. Despite being so close to the city, I felt like I was in a completely different world. 

Pedestrian street between Manly Wharf and the beach

Manly Beach on Good Friday, 2014

In my opinion, a major city with such easy access to resort-style beach environments is a rare treasure.  I was lucky enough to live in one of these cities (Barcelona) and I hope to one day return to a place where I can enjoy the amenities of both a big city and also a relaxing vacation atmosphere.  (I know Chicago has beaches but it certainly does not feel like vacation when cars are whizzing by on Lake Shore Drive and the cold weather makes them virtually inaccessible for 8 months per year). 

Anyhow, I digress. Back to Manly beach...

So I was walking down the boardwalk and I noticed a crowd starting to form up ahead.  I asked someone what was happening and was told that the the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were planning to visit. I decided to wait and it turned out to be an excellent decision because I ended up with almost a front row seat.  

Kate is even more stunning in person and she definitely took the spotlight.  Both she and Will watched a lifesaving demonstration and spoke with young lifeguards who seemed completely relaxed about the entire experience.  Only two days had passed since my run-in with Hollywood celebrities, so I was feeling pretty good about my celebrity magnet in Australia! 

Kate runs across the beach in high heel shoes

Prince william meets some lifeguards before a demonstration

My favorite area of Sydney is The Rocks, which is the most historic area of the city.  Many of the buildings have retained their original facades and it was fun to imagine what life must have been like before Sydney became a sprawling urban hub.  These days, The Rocks is home to many restaurants, bars, and specialty shops.  

The old Police Station in The Rocks

Al Fresco dining in The Rocks

The Sailors' Home was adjacent to the Harbour

Sydney also offers a lot of shopping options but none of them are a haven for bargain hunters.  There is a large mall in the center of the city for anyone who likes chain stores, but I spent my time at the local designer boutiques in Paddington.  Sure, the prices are higher, but the quality of construction and unique designs completely justify the cost.  Paddington also hosts a weekly market and everyone was incredibly friendly (especially once they heard my American accent).  

Weekend market in Paddington

Boutique shopping in Paddington

One tourist attraction that I think can easily be avoided is the Harbour Bridge Climb, which charges upwards of $350 for the opportunity to wear a hilarious jumpsuit and climb over the bridge on a narrow catwalk.  Throughout the day, I saw groups of people climbing up the steps like lines of ants and it did not look fun to me at all.  Instead, I climbed one of the four Pylons for a similar view of the harbor.  This option allows everyone to wear their own clothes and carry cameras with them.

Looking up at the bridge from the walking path along

View of Circular Quay and Sydney CBD from the Harbour Bridge

One morning at breakfast, I overheard some New Yorkers exclaiming how they found Sydney to be boring.  They all agreed that it is possible to see everything in a single day and I just rolled my eyes because I feel like they completely missed the subtle appeal of the city.  In my opinion, the key to enjoying Sydney is to open your eyes and discover the hidden gems that are not listed in the guide books.  Talk to people at the street markets, enjoy the views from the ferry, and wake up early to run through Hyde park.

Sydney is consistently rated among the best in the world for quality of life and I could not agree more.  Although I only spent two weeks in the city, it was such a pleasure to live like a local. 

Easter in Sydney

Easter is an uplifting holiday for Christians around the world. In addition to the obvious religious celebrations, much of the Northern Hemisphere is enjoying the transition to warmer weather, while Australians appreciate the final warm days before winter sets in. Another bonus in Australia is the 4-day long weekend that includes Good Friday and Easter Monday. 

I was relieved to see that the tradition of eating plenty of chocolate is also strong in Australia.  My favorite treat, Cadbury Mini Eggs, were in abundance.  The local team also treated me to a chocolate Bilby, which is an interesting alternative to the Easter Bunny:

Is an Easter Bilby better than an Easter Bunny?

It is never easy to spend holidays alone while my family enjoys time together, but this is just one of the sacrifices I have to make for an otherwise exciting job. I just remind myself that there are much worse places to spend my holiday than this place:

My hotel (and the Harbour Bridge) on Easter Morning

In grand tradition of having friends scattered around the world, I was excited to discover that one of my friends from London School of Economics is now living in a Sydney suburb with her husband and step-daughter.  They graciously offered to spend the holiday with me in the city. 

We went to lunch at Phillips Foote in The Rocks, which is an Aussie-style restaurant serving meat that people grill themselves in the outdoor patio.  The atmosphere is relaxed and it was funny to think that this is the most cooking I have done in the past several months. 

We had a good time reminiscing about the year that Alice and I lived on the same floor of our residence hall in London...twelve years ago (wow, we're old).  

After lunch, we walked around the Quay and I was amazed to see all the people out and about in the city.  There were street performers along the Quay and large crowds waiting for the ferries. One of my favorite street performers (I noticed her several times) is a contortionist who calls herself "Bendy Em" and she always seems to be in the most compromising positions when I pass...

Street performance: "Bendy Em"

Em squeezes into a box

We enjoyed some perfect afternoon weather at Opera Bar, which is actually tucked partially underneath the Sydney Opera House. The bar has lots of outdoor seating along the water and million dollar views that I could get used to very quickly. 

London School of Economics reunion in Sydney

Alice, Nev, and Holly

Before calling it a day, we decided to make one final stop at Lowenbrau in The Rocks for some German beer.  The restaurant feels a lot like EPCOT center, due to the stereotypical decor and true German waitstaff.  This points to one of my favorite aspects of Australia: the ease of obtaining work visas. In my short time here, I have encountered so many people on working holiday visas that not only enhance the local economy but also add to the internationalism of the city.  

Australia is in such a geographically isolated location that I think it's great to have programs in place to bring talented workers into the country.  Alice and her husband (both British) are prime examples of this and they attested that it is quite easy to obtain work visas and build a life in Australia.  I don't think I'm quite ready to make a move to Sydney, but I do appreciate the international element of a country that is otherwise very similar to the United States. 

As the sun set over the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, I was again reminded of how fortunate I am to visit all corners of the world for my job.  I may not have been able to enjoy Easter with family, but I reunited with a friend that I haven't seen in over a decade and managed to eat a chocolate Bilby.  It was a good day. 

View of Sydney Harbour Bridge on Easter 2014

Easter Sunset over Sydney Opera House