Animal Magic!

We would appear to have found our breakfast establishment of choice: a little coffee shop tucked away in the Strand shopping mall (one of the oldest in Sydney) that does the most delightful cappuccino and croissants.

The plan for the day was to head across the harbour to the North Shore and visit Taronga Zoo.  We didn’t really know what to expect, everyone seemed to rave about this zoo, but we thought at the end of the day it is only a zoo.

However, be prepared, we are about to rave – it is fantastic, the best zoo we’ve ever been to, great, brill, fab, bonza, beaut!

You start with a cable car ride up from the harbour to the zoo entrance – entry in style.  The park is laid out beautifully. The fencing is subtle, no imposing steel cages here, and lets you feel really close to the animals.  And as for the animals, well, everything you can imagine and more.

We walked with the roos, talked to the elephants, watched the giraffes, laughed at the penguins, galloped with the zebras, dodged the emus, and ducked with the platypus.  There was just so much to explore but our top five highlights were…

Our “Koala experience” with an 11 month baby called “Sanika” and her mother (I’m afraid we don’t know the mums name as Samantha was not really interested in her).

 The seal show both “entertaining and informative”

Getting “up close and personal” with the lions.

The tiger cubs so “cute and cuddly”

And the snow leopard, simply “amazing”

Having spent nearly five hours at the zoo it was time to head back. We had a little tour of the harbour on our return jouney.  An opportunity for a few more photos of the Opera House and the Bridge! 

We landed at Darling Harbour for our afternoon aperitif, which was very pleasant but we are becoming increasingly aware that drink is Sydney is very expensive: $6 for a schooner of beer, outrageous!  Darling Harbour was ok, but nothing to rave about.

In the evening we left it too late for our original plan of heading across to Manly so set about exploring The Rocks.

We had a drink in “The Fortune of War”, Sydney’s oldest pub.

And then set about finding somewhere to eat.  We end up in “Sake” and very much outside of our nine dots (comfort zone) as we enjoyed our first Japanese experience together.  The cocktails were fab if not a little unusual (Samantha had a “Cucumber Belini” whilst Jonny braved the “Zagabator”).  Our waiter Woody very helpfully guided us through the menu (we didn’t see his friends Buzz or Mr Potato Head!) and we watched in awe as the chefs skillfully prepared our food.

The food was delicious: tuna sharing plate; kingfish and jalapenos; scampi; and wagyu beef; all washed down with a South Australia Riesling (another move outside of our nine dots!).

All in all, another shit day in paradise!  Good night.