Archive for the 'Beaches' Category

The Corso, Manly Beach, Sydney

The Corso, Manly Beach, Sydney

The Corso, Manly Beach, Sydney

The Corso at Manly Beach in Sydney is the main thoroughfare through this beautiful suburb. It leads from the ferry wharves to the beach. Most of this street has no vehicular traffic making it a broad pedestrian precinct for shoppers and visitors.

Solar powered Christmas Tree, The Corso, Manly Beach

Solar powered Christmas Tree, The Corso, Manly Beach

Our visit to Manly Beach was a few days after Christmas in December 2008. The Corso featured a large Christmas Tree whose lights were powered by a solar panel.

The Corso, Manly Beach, Sydney

The Corso, Manly Beach, Sydney

The Corso, Manly Beach, Sydney

Children playing on The Corso, Manly Beach

Children playing on The Corso, Manly Beach

On our recent holiday in Sydney we took the ferry to Manly Beach.  The ferry ride on the beautiful Sydney Harbour is highly recommended as one of the delights of visiting Sydney.

Children playing in water on The Corso, Manly Beach

Children playing in water on The Corso, Manly Beach

While we were at Manly we were amused at the antics of the children playing on The Corso, the main street leading from the ferry wharves to the beach. A series of fountains had been installed in the footpath. Every half minute or so they would gently raise the water up about a half metre and then die down again. This was repeated over and over. It was an excellent way for the children (and any adults) to cool off, or to wash off the saltiness and sand from the beach.

It looked like fun. Kind of made one wish one was a child again. Actually, there is nothing and no-one stopping any adults who wanted to have just as much fun as the children.

Manly Beach, Sydney

Manly Beach, Sydney

Manly Beach, Sydney

Manly Beach, Sydney

Manly Beach, Sydney

During our recent visit to Sydney we took the ferry to Manly Beach for the afternoon. The half hour cruise on Sydney Harbour is beautiful and very relaxing. It is an excellent way to see this magnificent city.

Manly Beach, Sydney

Manly Beach, Sydney

While we were at Manly we had a delicious ice cream from one to the specialty shops there and then went down to the beach for a while. Being a warmish day – not too hot – the beach was very popular. Being holiday time also brought many people to this popular spot.

Manly Beach, Sydney

Manly Beach, Sydney

The Manly Ferry, Sydney

Manly Beach, Sydney

Manly Beach, Sydney

During our visit to Sydney in December 2008 we took the train into the city and then caught the Manly Ferry. This huge ferry seats over a thousand people and it was hard to find a seat. I guess everyone was heading to the beach at Manly that afternoon. It certainly is a popular place.

Crowded Manly Ferry, Sydney Harbour

Crowded Manly Ferry, Sydney Harbour

The ferry ride takes about a half hour. During the journey all passengers are treated to magnificent views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the many bays and points along the harbour. It is a very relaxing way to see the sights of Sydney Harbour. On a hot day it can also be very refreshing with the cool breeze off the water.

Taking the Manly Ferry was one thing I really wanted to do on this particular trip to Sydney. On our last trip we didn’t take a ferry on the harbour.

One of the many ferries at Circular Quay, Sydney

One of the many ferries at Circular Quay, Sydney

A very strange bridge

Near Wollongong, New South Wales

Near Wollongong, New South Wales

Our holiday in New South Wales

September 2007

From Royal National Park just south of Sydney we travelled along the coast road to Wollongong. Our son told us before leaving his place in Sydney that this was the far more picturesque route to take south, not the quicker alternative freeway. He was right. It is a wonderfully scenic route to take. It may be twisty and slow, but really beautiful.

At one point the road consists of a strange bridge built over the ocean. The original road was demolished some years ago by a landslide. The new roadway on this bridge gives a spectacular view of both the coast and the sea. Quite bizarre – but beautiful.

Click on the image to enlarge the photo.

View more photos in our family photo gallery here.