Manly

Jean writes:

Back into city transport mode and the bus took us to the ferry, with the iconic sights of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.

 From there to Manly, where we met Till, a friend of Ruth's from her Australia days. 

She took us up to North Head, a lovely look out over the sea, where Ruth and friends loved to spend time.  She told us a few stories and we scattered some of Ruth's ashes.  Rather poignantly, a beautiful butterfly flitted around for about ten minutes, but not staying in one position for long enough for me to record well on camera.

We then met Till husband Greg, who also knew Ruth, and their children, Will and Becky for lunch.

Dave and I stayed on in Manly and found the 'Australian Open of Surfing" - just heats at the moment, finals next weekend.  

Back at Circular Quay in Sydney, we walked in the Botanic Garden.

The Manly Ferry

Dave writes:

I don't think the Manly Ferry service has changed one bit since we were last here six years ago.

The boats look like the same ones that have been doing sterling work for decades.

Along with various other ferry services they are an iconic sight, leaving from the jetty at Circular Quay and backing out towards Sydney Harbour Bridge before heading twice-hourly out to Manly.

The bridge has always held a special affection for me as my dad helped build it back in the 1930s.

He was an overhead crane driver for the steel company on Teesside  involved in the bridge's construction.

Dad's name was Sydney and it was a family joke the bridge had been named after him.

The older I get the more I like to believe it.