A couple of months ago, we felt we would be in need of a short winter break, so booked ourselves a long weekend trip to Sydney. Last time we were here, in 2019 (can you believe so long ago?), it was summer and extremely hot. This time, it is winter, and time for wet weather, but it was just so nice to forget about work for a short time.
Here are some pictures of iconic places that don’t need a label…and the two of us, complete with my always messy hair…
Along the shoreline is the Sydney Writers Walk, a series of 60 circular metal plaques between the Overseas Passenger Terminal and the Sydney Opera House. The plaques were installed to celebrate the lives and works of well-known Australian writers, as well as overseas authors, such as DH Lawrence and Rudyard Kipling, who visited the country. Here are the ones for Banjo Paterson and Miles Franklin.
The image of the Sydney Opera House below looks as if the end of the world is nigh…but in fact was taken at 09:45am on Friday with no filters or anything and just with my iPhone.
After that stroll, we walked over to the Museum of Contemporary Art, to see some excellent exhibits, including a wonderful set of light installations by Cerith Wyn Evans. We also really enjoyed the works by Warraba Weatherall which were quite fascinating and the Artists in Focus exhibition from the MCA collection. I did not take any pictures as I really wanted to focus on the art and concentrate on the works.
I did take some pictures outside though, the two below taken during a refreshment stop…
…and these two while before we entered the museum.
Saturday
On Saturday morning, we dodged the showers and walked across to The Art Gallery of New South Wales. Here you can see the Sydney Tower, standing in contrast to the St Mary’s Cathedral. We also spotted Queen Victoria (and one of Prince Albert ‘the good’ as it said on the plinth) and good old Rabbie Burns who, like Victoria, pops up all over the world.
The Art Gallery of NSW has a lot to explore, with art from over the centuries as well as contemporary works. The exhibition of the winners of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2025 was on which I found a bit mixed in quality. In the building next door we went to see Yolŋu power the art of Yirrkala, an exhibition of works by artists of Yirrkala in north-east Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, from the 1940s to the present which was fascinating and quite wonderful.
Art and shopping
Our city breaks often take the format of ‘culture’ in the morning and shopping (and refreshments and resting) in the afternoon. Guides, tickets, a new fridge magnet and a postcard of Howard Arkley’s Well Sheltered Home (1991) were a few souvenirs of our visits. Karl found some shirts, and I picked up a black and white top from Cos and a grey cashmere sweater from Uniqlo, as well as a new bag which I might feature next week.
Eating
We arrived on Thursday evening, and after checking in to our hotel and unpacking our bag, we decided to eat at the restaurant in the hotel. Named after the Swedish botanist, Daniel Solander, the food was very good and just the thing. Karl enjoyed his burger, and I had pasta and garlicky prawns, which were, well, good and garlicky.
Hotel breakfast buffets always push one to eat just a little more than usual, so lunches were sandwiches, all very good, all perfect midday breaks, and varied from a tuna melt to cheese, ham and tomato toasties. On Friday evening we had dinner at Primi Italian. Karl had a good pizza, topped with spicy sausage, but I was a bit disappointed with my blue swimmer crab ravioli with a Pernod beurre blanc sauce, which was pretty tasteless. The rocket salad on the side was well dressed and good.
Stopping for refreshments is most important, whether it be melon juice at or a cold beer at a bar close to the hotel.
On Saturday evening, we headed over to Midden by Mark Olive for a wonderful meal. I had the spanner crab tart with lemon aspen mayonnaise, pepper berry, aji amarillo to start and kangaroo filet with pomme puree, Botany Bay greens, quandong jus and yam chips for my main. Karl had kangaroo prosciutto with stracciatella, rock melon, balsamic and saltbush followed by kutjera braised beef cheek with lemon myrtle cauliflower puree, Warrigal green, native chimichurri and parsnip chips. We drank a sauvignon blanc and a shiraz from Mount Yengo. The food was outstanding, service excellent, and we had a view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Sunday
The heavens opened on Sunday morning and the rain just poured down. Luckily, we didn’t need to check out until midday, so we read, did puzzles and sorted photographs. Eventually the rain stopped and we walked to the Museum of Sydney a frankly disappointing place to visit. Anyway, after another refreshment stop (there were quite a few) we returned to the hotel to pick up our bag and then head to the airport. Our flight landed early, always a bonus, but it still meant bed at 1am NZ time. Ah well…
Simple things
- Having a short break away and recharging the batteries.
- Enjoying visiting wonderful, spacious art galleries.
- Walking, walking, walking.
- Eating some good food.
- Being in a big city.
- Relaxing in the lounge before flying home.
What were your small pleasures this week? Here are some other blog posts from a few fellow bloggers looking at the good things in life. Lots of folk are on holiday and/or taking blogging breaks so a short list today. Also added to the weekend coffee share hosted by Natalie.
- Anne of Something Over Tea shows us the views from Gunfire Hill.
- Platypus Man celebrates International Cat Day.
- Natalie goes for a walk in Kew Gardens.
- Travels Through My Lens sahres images in red.
- Enjoy a coffee and a catch up about the dogs over at Trent’s.
- The Travel Sketcher enjoys a week in The Pearl with mouthwatering food, and, of course, sketching.
- Mr Tootlepedal has butterflies a plenty to show us.
- And Ilze in Latvia enjoys her summer holiday.
- Jude in Cornwall has a quiet week in the garden.
- Meanwhile the Glasgow Gallivanter goes gallivanting.
- And Min spots some unusual clouds.
- Sue takes us on a roadtrip to younger.
- ..…and all the other lovely bloggers out there. Sorry if I have missed anyone…..
Thistles and Kiwis is a Wellington, New Zealand based blog written by Barbara, who likes cats, summer, good food and pretends to garden.
Thistles and Kiwis 
I’d quite like to do that walk, check out the gold discs…..one day!
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It takes a bit of time if you read them all….
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It always amazes me how much I can fit into a few days away, without too much effort. Those views along the walkway are stunning in both directions. Such a beautiful city! And there’s always a museum, whether it’s too hot or too cold xx
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I know exactly what you mean about getting so much done. We love visiting museums and galleries, and as you say, great regardless of the weather!
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It sounds like a very good break – but I had to laugh at a restaurant called Midden!
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Have to say it made me laugh too – especially the description of a midden on the menu – a pile of shells/kitchen waste 🙂
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As a NZ born Australian (Sydney resident), I really enjoyed your post. It feels as if it has been raining in Sydney ever since your visit. And you are quite correct, the Sydney Museum is not worth the effort.
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Thanks! The rain didn’t dampen our spirits (sorry!). Glad you agree about the Sydney Museum – we felt we had missed part of it.
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I am pleased you both enjoyed your break: getting away from home, even for a short while, can do one so much good!
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It was just the thing we needed.
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You have some wonderful photos of Sydney, particularly the black and white photo of the opera house. My one visit to Australia was in the spring over ten years ago, a good time to visit, but we still had a few rainy days. Thanks, as always for the shoutout!
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It was nice to get a city break and Sydney is a great place for that. At least we were mostly out of the tourist season!
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I remember the first time I was on the Writer’s Walk, on one of my early trips to Sydney. It took me a long time to get from the Opera house to the ferry terminal because I kept finding great quotes and stopped to write them down, pre cellphone camera days.
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It is so much easier now with a phone to capture things – sometimes good, sometimes not so good perhaps? Or am I getting old and grumpy? 🙂
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Nope, but I still like the process of writing them down with my fountain pen best.
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I did that in the galleries, writing the artists I liked in a notebook.
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Ah, thank you for this short visit to Sydney. So much to see in that wonderful city. And such great food too.
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It was just so nice to get away.
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Looks like an excellent break! I especially was taken with the idea of a writers walk.
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It was a lovely short break – so nice to get away and see a different place.
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I like the insouciant manner in which you can pop over to Sydney for a long weekend. If I had to travel that far, I would need to stay for at least a week to recover enough for the journey home.
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It is only about a 3.5 hour flight – which when you live here, is considered ‘not bad’ 🙂
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Fair enough. That is about the time it takes us to get a train to London.
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How wonderful to spend some time together in a beautiful city. I imagine that I would prefer going to Sydney during the winter. Hot weather is not really my thing. The iconic places look good as ever 🙂 What a nice walk through the city.
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It was a great wee break to recharge the batteries.
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So well deserved. It looks wonderful.
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You certainly packed a lot into your Sydney weekend. Glad you had a nice break. East coast has been getting a lot of rain but Sydney is always such an interesting and beautiful place.
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It was a nice break and there are always things to do in a city like Sydney,
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It sounds like you had a delightful time in Sydney. A city I haven’t visited for many years. I will head down there in December so your post was well timed as I prepare for that stopover.
The food sounded amazing. Well described, too!!
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Thanks! Yes it was a good little break. Thanks for your comment about the food – it was very good.
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Looks like a lovely getaway! I’d like to take that walk along the shoreline. Thank you for the mention and for your weekend coffee share.
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It was just the perfect short break.
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Sydney is a great place for a short getaway. Looks like you had a great time. We were planning to be there this weekend, but it didn’t work out. Hopefully soon.
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You are so right – a great place for a short getaway. I do hope you get there soon.
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What an adventure! Thanks for taking us along!
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It sounds like an exciting weekend and a rather big pleasure.
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It doesn’t matter how many times we’ve been to Sydney we always go to that beautiful precinct around the harbour. We like walking around to the Rocks and then all the way back under the bridge. It looks like you had a great time.
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It is a great place to walk around I agree. We had a lovely weekend, despite the weather.
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