Australia Day Celebrations...

Australia Day is celebrated annually on 26 January to commemorate the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788 and the proclamation at that time of British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of New Holland. Apparently some people, most of indigenous heritage also refer to it with other names like ‘Invasion Day’J.

For us, it was a mid-summer day off with tons to do as it is a day (fortunately like many others) that Sydney really comes to life.

Sydney ferries@finish line-view from Gautam-Piyali's place (McMahons Pt.)

Sydney Ferry Race – a number of Sydney green-and-gold ferries, that typically carry passengers across the harbour, race with each other from Shark Island to the Sydney Harbour Bridge which serves as the finish line. Hundreds of motor vessels and sail boats come out to follow the race and the harbour is lined with boats. Gautam and Piyali’s apartment was the perfect viewing pad – located on the 16^th floor of a water-front building with a view of the city, bridge, opera house and the harbour.

Vintage Car Rally – hundreds vintage cars (and pick-ups, fire-trucks and buses) lined Macquarie, College and Bent streets in Sydney with a large number of American antiques... not enough Italian or German representation, I thought.

Darling Harbour Fireworks

BBQ and concerts in Hyde Park – Live events, BBQ and other foods for sale along with the typical offerings of beer and wine and with temperatures above 30 degrees  (~90 Fahrenheit), along with the shade seemed to hit a note with Sydney-siders who flocked here by the thousands calm and cool.

Finale at Darling Harbour (yes – this is Australia and its spelt harbour) – Fantastic fireworks accompanied by music at darling harbour topped the day but only after the girls took some time off to get manicures and pedicures while the guys played table-tennis!