It rained for most of the first day and a half after my arrival so it might have contributed to my first impression that Sydney is a little “London down under” with a slight Southern Californian spin, like, umm, you know? People were friendly enough and very helpful. It was here that I first noticed a fascinating trait. If you ask an Australian a question that they don’t happen to know the answer to, they will happily make something up. Just to be helpful of course, and to get you on your way.
Sydney, and by extension, modern Australia, began in a part of town called, "The Rocks", and that’s where I stayed: in a solid old brewpub called appropriately: “The Lord Nelson Brew Pub”. The Pub is very central, right over the harbo(u)r, and The Lord Nelson has some fine beer and food. It is also the oldest licensed Pub in Sydney, which confused me at first because, just down the street is the “Fortune of War”, which is the longest continuously operating Pub in Sydney. However, neither of those pubs was the first Pub built by convicts. That distinction is held by the “Hero of Waterloo” (wasn't the whole country built by convicts?).
The weather cleared up and I enjoyed both the obligatory bus tour and the Harbor cruise. Instead of booking with the biggest cruise operator, which is Cook Tours, I opted for the one offering free beer. Majestic Cruise lines boards right next to Cook lines and I couldn't suppress a smile at the look of horror on the faces of an Italian family when around 60, seven and eight year old school kids lined up behind them to board the Cook line for the three hour cruise. That’s usually me.
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