Sightseeing

This morning I woke up to a beautiful sunny day in Sydney.  I ran to Olympic Village which is just a few blocks away from the Vosila’s home.  The stadiums and parks were awesome, and it was fun to explore the area.  The facilities are open to the public now, so athletes and coaches were walking into the different venues for morning training and practices.  It was definitely an inspirational place to go for a run!  After getting lost in the area, I found my way home and was ready for a day touring Sydney.

Rachel took Cayla and I to the store to pick up a few last minute items for the Solomons.  Afterwards, we went to lunch with her friends at a Middle Eastern restaurant in Balmain, a geographic section of Sydney.  The area is right near the harbor and has “heaps” of restaurants and shops.  Following our delicious meal, we sat in a small park that overlooks the bridge and opera house.  The view was gorgeous.  We hopped on a ferry to the main part of the city and walked around the shops that lined the waterside.  Rachel, her friend Laura, Cayla, and I got a drink and sat outside at a table overlooking the boats and bustle of Sydney in the afternoon.  Rachel did a wonderful job planning the day for us and was proud to show off her home.  She took us to the salt water pool, which is literally in the harbor, where she played water polo during school.  We all enjoyed the relaxing afternoon and great company.  Later on, we had dinner with the Bell family, at their cafe.  It was nice for Cayla and me to have dinner together with our home stay families.  

Sydney Opera House from the ferry

Cayla and I enjoying the view from a park in Balmain