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Today started with us needing to move rooms as we had increased our time in Sydney YHA but had needed to change to a double ensuite (yay our own bathroom) as all the cheaper rooms were taken. We stored our luggage until check in opened and headed off to the weekend market in The Rocks. The Rocks was the area of Sydney where the convicts use to live as it was an area covered in...you guessed it rocks! The convicts cleared the rock in order to build there and over time the area became a slum where gangs and prostitutes lived. Now the area is a popular tourist place and a historical site, much cleaner than the old days!
The market had lots of arts and craft stalls, clothing and hand made products. I bought a small travel perfume that was made like a lip balm and was really fragrant, very clever. I also found an Australian christmas decoration I liked after days of searching for one. Ant managed to resist buying some tasty banana bread as we could not store it . After wandering we went to the food stall area for a delicious steak sandwich for lunch.
Feeling full we headed to the Bridge climb office nearby to book our slot for Monday night. As part of the bridge climb you are given free access to the Pylon lookout museum. So we went to the bridge and entered one of the pylons which contained the bridge museum. We discovered the history of the bridge, which had been discussed for almost a century before it was eventually agreed a bridge should go ahead.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is the world's largest steel arch bridge, it has become a renowned international symbol of Australia. The bridge took about 9 years costing 6.25 million dollars and consists of over six million rivets. The four decorative 89 metre high pylons are made of concrete and faced with granite. The two half-arches were built out progressively from each shore, each held back by 128 cables anchored underground. Once complete the two half arches where slowly released until they successfully joined together and were fixed in place. The bridge consists of 2 train tracks and 6 car lanes, not to mention amazing views of the habour.
During our birdseye view from the lookout we spotted where the Tall ship is moored! We set out that way in another attempt to find the ticket booth, we were determined to go on a cruise and make use of our half price voucher! On finding where the tall ship was moored we were told where the ticket office was and that it would open shortly.
Success! We finally got the tour booked and made use of that voucher.
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