A Sunday spot
On the weekend, my boyfriend and I got right out of the Surry Hills 'hood and went down to Watson's Bay. For those of you from outside Sydney, this is the final major place on the south side of the harbour, just before it meets the Pacific Ocean.
The day was glorious, with plenty of sunshine, that was only driven away later in the afternoon by some clouds and cooler winds. Watson's Bay is a Sydney favourite for many reasons. There is the beautiful Gap Park, which sits on the ocean side of the peninsula, and affords beautiful views of the craggy sand-stone-cliffs, atop the expansive and seemingly-infinite ocean below. At this time of the year, it is covered in native spring flowers, of varying colours - reds, yellows, purples and more - gorgeous.
As we are not the most high-octane of hikers, we did a short'ish walk and then headed to the main park, which runs down to Sydney Harbour. This is another reason for its favoured-status. The park is large enough to have families kicking around a football, people spread out on pic-nic rugs and still plenty of space. All of this positioned with wonderful views across the water of native bush, leading onto the slightly more distant city skyline. For first time visitors like my boyfriend, and those who have been before like me, it is a majestic sight.
Before plonking ourselves on our picnic blanket, I told my boyfriend that we had to have the traditional Watson's Bay lunch - takeaway fish and chips from Doyle's. Doyle's has been around for over a century - though not sure if it's been in that same location - and is renowned for its fish and chips. I must confess wariness when I suggested it, as I thought it might be one of those over-priced tourist-spots, whose true hey-day is well in the past. Am glad to say that this is not the case - the food was very tasty. With our fish and chips in hand - and fortunately not in the stomachs of the very persistent local sea-gulls - we basked in the light, and beautiful surrounds. We read, chatted, listened to music, watched the blue sky... is this what it's all about?
I realised that much as I love many other places, Sydney does, and always will, hold an unrivalled and special place in my heart. The contrast between the natural beauty, whether it be cliffs, ocean, harbour or bush, and the buzzing and diverse human-construct that is the city, with its abundance of cultural and civic stimulations, is magical. Unlike many large cities, who seem to have completely dominated or subdued their natural environment, that is not the case in Sydney. Her green spaces are visceral beings, her waterways maintain their own course - they are timeless. They are the anchors which stand firm against the waves and tides of human activity, the hum of daily life. This rich contrast invigorates, and makes Sydney Sydney.
Posted
by Michael
