Sydney Insights/Ideas from USA Today!

[TLCOhio]

From USA Today this past weekend, they have this headline: "Planning your first trip to Sydney". Lots of interesting details, tips and ideas are contained within this profile. Plus, many picture options to check out, etc. For the Aussie residents/experts, is this summary a good, basic review? Anything major missing?

 

Here are a few of their story highlights: "Australia's largest city is also the jumping-off point for exploring Australia, and the city with the most inbound flights from North America. October to March is Sydney's busiest tourism period, when the weather is most pleasant. Airfares are cheaper for travel during Australia's winter months (the North American summer), and higher for the Australian summer. Qantas offers the most non-stop flights, including some on Airbus A380 aircraft from Dallas and L.A. Air New Zealand also flies to Sydney (sign up for both airlines' e-mail alerts since they often send out promo codes with discounts of $200-$300) as does United and Virgin Australia."

 

Here are a few other key details shared by USA Today: "Hotel rates go down in winter (the North American summer). In the luxury category, the 155-room Sydney Park Hyatt gets top marks, but the prices are a splurge (in the $700 per night range). But perhaps the best value, say TripAdvisor groupies, is the Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbor, which recently advertised rates at $160 per night. Top eats? There's no "traditional" Australian or Sydney dish or cuisine other than, perhaps, "shrimp on the barbie," made famous by actor Paul Hogan's appearances in those tourism television ads. But Sydney now has a considerable food culture, even though it's only been in existence for about 30 years. Australian beef is an especially tasty option. For fine dining, two highly recommended options are Nomad, 16 Foster Street in Surry Hills, with its Mediterranean-inspired menu sourced with local Australian ingredients, and long-running Rockpool, now in a new location at 11 Bridge Street in the Central Business District, where chef Neal Perry also provides tasty menus for Qantas."

 

This article brings back many great memories from our visit there a year ago. This includes about this personal favorite: "Tours of the Sydney Opera House, which, amazingly, took 17 years to build, are extremely popular and a great photo opportunity. The standard tour takes one hour, while the backstage option lasts two hours." We totally enjoyed both the Opera House basic tour and seeing an opera performance there in the Joan Sutherland Theatre.

 

Lots to love, see and do in Sydney!! Great, world-class city!!

 

Full story at:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2015/02/28/sydney-australia/24131853/

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 100,533 views for this posting.

[MicCanberra]

Cheers Terry, the exchange rate is good for you guys as well.:D

[GUT2407]

Thanks Terry and Winter in Sydney is pretty mild about 15 to 20 c or about 60 to 70 F, on a real cold day might go down to 10 or 50F [that's the days max temp range, can get a lot colder at night] and if you go south or inland likely to be cooler, north warmer.

 

Those are just rough figures mind you but for people from some parts of America Winter may be the best time to visit.

[MicCanberra]

Most of them would rather come her in there winter to scape their cold weather.

[The_Big_M]

But Sydney now has a considerable food culture, even though it's only been in existence for about 30 years.

 

Huh? We've only had restaurants for 30 years?

 

hahahaha.

[MicCanberra]

Huh? We've only had restaurants for 30 years?

 

hahahaha.

 

Yes, we have moved off the BBQ and gone indoors.:p

[GUT2407]

Yes, we have moved off the BBQ and gone indoors.:p

 

:(

 

Bring back the BBQ

[MicCanberra]

:(

 

Bring back the BBQ

 

The BBQ is still there, it is just inside the restaurant and others are cooking for us.;)

[DemeterVee]

Huh? We've only had restaurants for 30 years?

 

hahahaha.

 

What a strange quote haha.

 

I prefer the weather in Late Autumn/Winter in Sydney, but of course it's personal.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Huh? We've only had restaurants for 30 years?

 

hahahaha.

 

That would be about right.

When did the first Kentucky Fries or Mc Donalds open?

Before the food culture , ladies in white smocks used to stand behind a counter in restaurants and carve the cuts of roast meat and then ladel out huge helpings of mashed potatoes and boiled cabbage and carrots.:D

Surely you remember the boiled cabbage?

 

 

[sun-set]

That would be about right.

When did the first Kentucky Fries or Mc Donalds open?

Before the food culture , ladies in white smocks used to stand behind a counter in restaurants and carve the cuts of roast meat and then ladel out huge helpings of mashed potatoes and boiled cabbage and carrots.:D

Surely you remember the boiled cabbage?

 

 

 

I believe the first Australian based Mc Donald's opened early 1970s, (perhaps 1973) at Bankstown, that's 42 years ago, so we do have quite long history of eating in upmarket restaurants.;)

[MicCanberra]

I believe the first Australian based Mc Donald's opened early 1970s, (perhaps 1973) at Bankstown, that's 42 years ago, so we do have quite long history of eating in upmarket restaurants.;)

 

Wow that early, I don't remember Macdonald's until late 70s, but then I was born in 67.

[GUT2407]

I believe the first Australian based Mc Donald's opened early 1970s, (perhaps 1973) at Bankstown, that's 42 years ago, so we do have quite long history of eating in upmarket restaurants.;)

 

 

Actually first Maccas was at Yagoona, in Sydney in '71

 

First KFC was '68 at Guilford

[themnms]

From USA Today this past weekend, they have this headline: "Planning your first trip to Sydney". Lots of interesting details, tips and ideas are contained within this profile. Plus, many picture options to check out, etc. For the Aussie residents/experts, is this summary a good, basic review? Anything major missing?

 

Here are a few of their story highlights: "Australia's largest city is also the jumping-off point for exploring Australia, and the city with the most inbound flights from North America. October to March is Sydney's busiest tourism period, when the weather is most pleasant. Airfares are cheaper for travel during Australia's winter months (the North American summer), and higher for the Australian summer. Qantas offers the most non-stop flights, including some on Airbus A380 aircraft from Dallas and L.A. Air New Zealand also flies to Sydney (sign up for both airlines' e-mail alerts since they often send out promo codes with discounts of $200-$300) as does United and Virgin Australia."

 

Here are a few other key details shared by USA Today: "Hotel rates go down in winter (the North American summer). In the luxury category, the 155-room Sydney Park Hyatt gets top marks, but the prices are a splurge (in the $700 per night range). But perhaps the best value, say TripAdvisor groupies, is the Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbor, which recently advertised rates at $160 per night. Top eats? There's no "traditional" Australian or Sydney dish or cuisine other than, perhaps, "shrimp on the barbie," made famous by actor Paul Hogan's appearances in those tourism television ads. But Sydney now has a considerable food culture, even though it's only been in existence for about 30 years. Australian beef is an especially tasty option. For fine dining, two highly recommended options are Nomad, 16 Foster Street in Surry Hills, with its Mediterranean-inspired menu sourced with local Australian ingredients, and long-running Rockpool, now in a new location at 11 Bridge Street in the Central Business District, where chef Neal Perry also provides tasty menus for Qantas."

 

This article brings back many great memories from our visit there a year ago. This includes about this personal favorite: "Tours of the Sydney Opera House, which, amazingly, took 17 years to build, are extremely popular and a great photo opportunity. The standard tour takes one hour, while the backstage option lasts two hours." We totally enjoyed both the Opera House basic tour and seeing an opera performance there in the Joan Sutherland Theatre.

 

Lots to love, see and do in Sydney!! Great, world-class city!!

 

Full story at:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2015/02/28/sydney-australia/24131853/

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 100,533 views for this posting.

 

 

thanks Terry!!

[jd07]

Loving how we naturally go to maccas theme when food culture is mentioned lol.