A pub tour of the Rocks
Harry is a mad man with a plan, when it comes to showing off Sydney. I was ready for a long day of walking, talking, eating and drinking. Are you ready for an extra long post?
Gird your loins, here we go!
Harry and I met at Wharf 6 at noon. He led me uphill. Really uphill. Gasping for breath uphill, until we arrived at Harts Pub.
Harts Pub is the home of Rocks Brewing Company:
If it had been open I'm sure I would have learned that it is a quaint old pub made up of rooms and poky hallways. Unfortunately it was closed. We stopped to catch our breath while pretending to admire the building.
Up the hill and around the corner into Shangri La, where Harry whisked me into the elevator. He tapped the topmost button and... it wouldn't light. Unfortunately, the rooftop restaurant does not open until 5pm. Oh well. Here is the view I didn't see, poached from the hotel's website:
We ambled down the street to The Australian, a pub with outdoor bistro seating.
Here we enjoyed crocodile, emu and kangaroo pizza with ginger beer. True, alcoholized ginger beer. Yummy.
The crocodile tasted chicken-ish, which apparently means it was farmed. True crocodile has a fishy taste. The emu and kangaroo were slathered in marinating sauce, making it hard to discern unique flavours. But I have crossed a boundary and eaten of the native animals. My transformation has commenced.
Our pizza dispatched, I was led across the Argyle Cut to the Sydney Observatory. Surrounded by a sloping park, the Sydney Observatory is a part of the Sydney Powerhouse Museum.
Built in 1858, Sydney Observatory is Australia’s oldest observatory, and one of the most significant sites in the nation’s scientific history. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Observatory was essential to shipping, navigation, meteorology and timekeeping as well as to the study of the stars seen from the Southern Hemisphere. The Government Astronomers worked and lived in the building until 1982 when Sydney Observatory became part of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences.
The sloping hills of the park that surrounds the observatory offer an expansive view of the Sydney Harbour, making it a popular wedding photography location. As we climbed the hill we came upon a newly married couple. We ran into 9 newlywed couples as we travelled about the rocks this day, each group hoisting the wedding dress and flowers into position for the perfect commemorative pics. I was disappointed we couldn't see a tenth, and wondered if we would have got a free gift if we had.
On our way down the hill I couldn't help but notice the birds of paradise growing by the side of the road. A flower only obtainable from flower shops in Canada, here it is common to see it planted in containers near buildings or at the side of the road.
How cool is that, eh? Something we can only grow in a greenhouse, as common as a geranium is to Canada.
Okay, so who the heck is this Harry guy?
Previously only mentioned as "H," I guess it's time to explain who Harry is and how I was so lucky to have such an amazing tour guide.
Back in 2007, Harry came to visit his brother in Halifax. As his brother worked quite closely with Sina, a trip to our cottage at Murphy's Cove was in order. Since my arrival, he has more than reciprocated the hospitality.
The tour continues...
Our next stop was The Lord Nelson Hotel. Any Haligonians reading will find this ironic as there is a Lord Nelson Hotel in Halifax, as well. But then again, any British colony shares a wealth of names and icons:
Argyle, Landsdowne, Queen Street, King Street, Front Street...the image of the queen on the back of our coin, the shared heritage gives us something in common.
Australia and Canada also have geography in common. In speaking to clients about the training delivery, a frequent topic of conversation is the challenge of deklvery to the outpost communities. Australia has its Gove, Canada has its Moose Factory.
Speaking of which we share similarities in strange critters, too. Australia may have its kangas, kaolas and plattterpi, but Canada has moose, beaver, loons and Santa Claus.
After a quick rest and a fantabulous pint at the Lord Nelson, we travelled under the Sydney Bridge and arrived at the Rocks Market; a laneway of stalls full of arts, jewellery, pottery, doo-dads and candles. I learned about Two-Up, an old Australian betting game involving two pennies in a wooden paddle.
What is The Rocks?
The Rocks is an area in downtown Sydney that was established shortly after the colony's formation in 1788. The buildings were made of local sandstone and build on the rocky outcrop, making adequate sanitation a challenge. It became a slum of small rooms, some cavelike hovels carved into rock walls. Several archeological digs are uncovering the old houses and the wares of the time. The photo at right shows the remnant walls of a few rooms featuring metallic furniture.
What a long post! What a great, long day!
Thank you, Harry.
 |
| "So original, it's criminal." Harts Pub website |
Gird your loins, here we go!
Harry and I met at Wharf 6 at noon. He led me uphill. Really uphill. Gasping for breath uphill, until we arrived at Harts Pub.
Harts Pub is the home of Rocks Brewing Company:
Our mission is to provide Sydney with an experience different to any other pub. Serving Australia's best hand crafted beer, rotating through our 12 taps, there will always be something new to experience.
If it had been open I'm sure I would have learned that it is a quaint old pub made up of rooms and poky hallways. Unfortunately it was closed. We stopped to catch our breath while pretending to admire the building.
Up the hill and around the corner into Shangri La, where Harry whisked me into the elevator. He tapped the topmost button and... it wouldn't light. Unfortunately, the rooftop restaurant does not open until 5pm. Oh well. Here is the view I didn't see, poached from the hotel's website:
We ambled down the street to The Australian, a pub with outdoor bistro seating.
Here we enjoyed crocodile, emu and kangaroo pizza with ginger beer. True, alcoholized ginger beer. Yummy.
The crocodile tasted chicken-ish, which apparently means it was farmed. True crocodile has a fishy taste. The emu and kangaroo were slathered in marinating sauce, making it hard to discern unique flavours. But I have crossed a boundary and eaten of the native animals. My transformation has commenced. Our pizza dispatched, I was led across the Argyle Cut to the Sydney Observatory. Surrounded by a sloping park, the Sydney Observatory is a part of the Sydney Powerhouse Museum.
Built in 1858, Sydney Observatory is Australia’s oldest observatory, and one of the most significant sites in the nation’s scientific history. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Observatory was essential to shipping, navigation, meteorology and timekeeping as well as to the study of the stars seen from the Southern Hemisphere. The Government Astronomers worked and lived in the building until 1982 when Sydney Observatory became part of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences.
The sloping hills of the park that surrounds the observatory offer an expansive view of the Sydney Harbour, making it a popular wedding photography location. As we climbed the hill we came upon a newly married couple. We ran into 9 newlywed couples as we travelled about the rocks this day, each group hoisting the wedding dress and flowers into position for the perfect commemorative pics. I was disappointed we couldn't see a tenth, and wondered if we would have got a free gift if we had.
 |
| Harry with bird of paradise. |
How cool is that, eh? Something we can only grow in a greenhouse, as common as a geranium is to Canada.
Okay, so who the heck is this Harry guy?
Previously only mentioned as "H," I guess it's time to explain who Harry is and how I was so lucky to have such an amazing tour guide.
Back in 2007, Harry came to visit his brother in Halifax. As his brother worked quite closely with Sina, a trip to our cottage at Murphy's Cove was in order. Since my arrival, he has more than reciprocated the hospitality.
The tour continues...
Our next stop was The Lord Nelson Hotel. Any Haligonians reading will find this ironic as there is a Lord Nelson Hotel in Halifax, as well. But then again, any British colony shares a wealth of names and icons: Argyle, Landsdowne, Queen Street, King Street, Front Street...the image of the queen on the back of our coin, the shared heritage gives us something in common.
Australia and Canada also have geography in common. In speaking to clients about the training delivery, a frequent topic of conversation is the challenge of deklvery to the outpost communities. Australia has its Gove, Canada has its Moose Factory.
Speaking of which we share similarities in strange critters, too. Australia may have its kangas, kaolas and plattterpi, but Canada has moose, beaver, loons and Santa Claus.
After a quick rest and a fantabulous pint at the Lord Nelson, we travelled under the Sydney Bridge and arrived at the Rocks Market; a laneway of stalls full of arts, jewellery, pottery, doo-dads and candles. I learned about Two-Up, an old Australian betting game involving two pennies in a wooden paddle.
What is The Rocks?
The Rocks is an area in downtown Sydney that was established shortly after the colony's formation in 1788. The buildings were made of local sandstone and build on the rocky outcrop, making adequate sanitation a challenge. It became a slum of small rooms, some cavelike hovels carved into rock walls. Several archeological digs are uncovering the old houses and the wares of the time. The photo at right shows the remnant walls of a few rooms featuring metallic furniture.
Coogee
Harry and I stopped at one last pub on this day, before heading out to borrow a car to go to Coogee. Coogee is a Sydney suburb with a beach Harry reassures me is "safe." There we enjoyed deep fried fish while looking out at the ever-rolling ocean, a young man flying small neon kites that disappeared into the clouds, and a full moon. What a long post! What a great, long day!
Thank you, Harry.
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