Manly Beach — RachiePie

Wednesday morning we boarded the ferry from Circular Quay to go to Manly Beach. The ferry passes by the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and downtown skyscrapers. It was great being able to see the view from the water and I took lots of pictures of the cityscape! Here are just a few of my favorites:

We arrived at Manly Beach around 10:00am and there was already quite a few people on the beach and in the water. Manly Beach is home to a submerged reef which creates large waves and is where the first world surfing contest was held in 1964. We stayed for a few hours and enjoyed sunbathing and people-watching. By the time we packed up our stuff three hours later, the beach was really busy - I can't even imagine what it must be like on weekends!

Before heading back to the ferry, we each grabbed a pint at 4 Pines BrewPub. We actually had bought a couple bottles of this brand of beer previously while in Melbourne and it was fun being able to see the microbrewery. We were also able to sample some of their specials on tap which you cannot buy in the store. I tried the Summer Raw Pale Ale and Alex had the Nitro Stout - both were delicious and the perfect way to cool down after our time on the beach.

There was so much activity in the water on our ferry ride back to Circular Quay. I'm guessing there were at least 50 sailboats, multiple other ferries, and people kayaking on the water. Even on a weekday, it was bustling!

After showering and changing, we ended the day by walking back to the Sydney Opera House in the evening to watch the Badu Gili display. This seven-minute projection, illuminated on the Opera House's eastern sail at sunset, celebrates the history and storytelling of Australia's First Nations culture.