Quick Peek of Sydney Darling Harbour

I had a post about my first travel in Sydney entitle “Serenading at Opera House” that covers the first place that I visited which was the famous Sydney Opera House and then I returned to the city after almost two weeks since I got a deal for Blue Mountains and Jenolan Caves tour from Groupon which scheduled and planned prior to my first travel in Sydney. Why that was happened? It happened because the musical collaboration activity event that I attended in my first travel was announced after my Blue Mountains tour had been set.

Since I was in Australia for work and not for a holiday, the only days I had a chance to roam in Australia were mostly weekends, holidays and scheduled leaves. And similar to my first travel in the city, I just spent more than one day again in Sydney just for the tour. I booked a single room in a hostel for 1 night as I am a solo traveler. I can say that accommodations such as hotels in this prime city are quite expensive and you can get good deals in a short period of time with hostels unless I wanted to spend a lot of money for hotels for such one day holiday just to sleep for few hours.

I have to end such introductions since I’m here to tell my memories of my second visit in Sydney. I flew to Sydney at Friday night last April 2013. Then I took train from Domestic Terminal to Town Hall Station which in the middle of Central Business District of Sydney, then walked a little bit until I found the hostel that I will be staying for few hours of sleep. Yes I only had overnight in Sydney as I will be flying back to Melbourne in the evening the next day. I came to the hotel quite late like past 11PM, which I informed the hostel prior my flight as I wanted to make sure that they were aware of my arrival time because some hostels does not have 24 hours service desk and I cannot afford to sleep outside to a place that I had been second time and I do not knew someone personally. I can’t forget the experience that I had that night because the person in charge in the hostel was not around at the time I was in front of the building. I called the number and I felt relieved because someone showed up and open the door for me.

I checked out early in the morning and walked to the meeting place where the bus was stationed for Blue Mountains Tour. At the moment of my walk I saw Sydney on its most silent time which is Saturday morning because most of the time Friday night in Australia in major cities of this continent country down under are significant to them for party and chilling out. The bus was located at Level B2 Coach Terminal in Pirrama Road within The Star (The Star Sydney Casino Hotel) building.

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From the hostel (Sydney Backpackers in Wilmot Street) I walked few kilometres. From Wilmot St to George St, turned left to Bathurst St until I reached Harbour St. I passed IMAX Theatre and then saw Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre. I saw some hotels surrounding the famous harbour such as Novotel and Ibis Hotel. Pyrmont Bridge which carries pedestrian and bicycle traffic are also to be found in the harbour. I peek as well the Cockle Bay and Cockle Bay Wharf, a steam ferry before but now floating restaurant South Steyne Sydney. Last but not the least, I also passed the Australian National Maritime Museum.

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For me it was really a good walk and it was a good thing that I went to the bus coach terminal early and had ample time for normal walk and photo shots in the area.

White Rock In British Columbia ?

I arrived in Vancouver the next day, Friday June 13, 2008. From the airport, I went straight to the hotel (Ramada Hotel in Kingsway Burnaby) then rested for a while. After sometime passed, I went to the company branch office in Burnaby Vancouver where I had a chance to meet the whole team there. Here I also met my colleague from who was assigned in Vancouver while I was assigned in Edmonton. After meeting people, my colleague and I undergone some hours of knowledge and training sessions with few people in the team. The day finished so fast and I never realised that it was almost evening.

Because there was Filipino team member in Vancouver and we somewhat closed to him since he was the one came to Manila and interviewed us, he offered us some time to see places nearby. We went to Surrey City and  drove down to Vancouver-Blaine Highway. At first, I never realized that we were going to the border between US and Canada until we arrived at Peach Arch Provincial Park, the area wherein anyone can be in two countries in one time. There is a part of the park called Peach Arch that once you stand on it, it means you are standing in two countries at the same time. When I learned that fact, I was really excited, I never been to US and that was my chance to be in US for a short period of time. Once we cross the arch, we were already in US and once we cross back again, we were in Canada immediately. We spent some time for photos around the area until we decided to leave the place.

Peach Arch Provincial Park

Peach Arch Provincial Park

Peach Arch Provincial Park

Peace Arch Provincial Park

Road to USA

Road to USA

Road to USA

Canada Flag Garden at Canada (Surrey, BC) and USA (Washington, DC) BorderCanada Flag Garden

USA Flag Garden at Canada (Surrey, BC) and USA (Washington, DC) BorderUSA Flag Garden

Peach Arch GardenPeace Arch Garden

Crow in Canada and USA borderCrow found in Peace Arch Garden

Peach Arch

Peach ArchPeace Arch

Next, we drove down along Marine Drive in White Rock, where we saw scenic bay views in the area. Here we saw Semiahmoo Bay, Pier, the city itself and even the legendary historic White Rock while walking around the area. The place is a western coastal area where there is a main road near the coast and along the road are restaurant lane that people can enjoy seafood with beautiful bay views. I like the place because the city that located near in any body of water such as sea, lakes or rivers has different atmosphere compared to urban cities.

Marine Drive

Marine Drive

Marine DriveMarine Drive at White Rock

Semiahmoo Bay

Semiahmoo Bay

Semiahmoo Bay

Semiahmoo Bay

the sea

the sea

Semiahmoo Bay

Semiahmoo Bay

Semiahmoo Bay Snapshots

The Pier from Semiahmoo Bay

The Pier from Semiahmoo Bay
Semiahmoo Pier from Marine Drive

Semiahmoo Bay

Semiahmoo Bay

Side Views Snapshot from Semiahmoo Pier

The PierAt Semiahmoo Pier looking towards the bay

Some boat at the Pier

Some boat at the Pier

Some boat at the Pier

Some small boats and yachts at Semiahmoo Pier

Semiahmoo Bay from The Pier

Semiahmoo Bay

Semiahmoo Bay

White Rock City View from Semiahmoo Pier

Semiahmoo Bay with the train passing by and the white rock

White Rock City View from Semiahmoo Pier with train passing by

Historical White RockLegendary and historical White Rock

The Pier

Semiahmoo Bay from the PierAt Semiahmoo Pier looking towards White Rock

Maple TreeMaple Tree (Famous Trees in Canada and why Canada has Maple Leaf on its flag)

It was a quick tour since we sneak out some time after work and the last stop we had that night was at restaurant (I can’t recall the name because the surrounding area are full of seafood restaurants) located at Fisherman’s Wharf in Steveston Richmond, where we enjoyed seafood as our dinner and bay wharf views.