I love Sydney because it is a mix of internationalism, urban progress and nature. Sydney is a truly international city: a place where people around the world come to live and to become a Sydney-person. Of course you have plenty of travelers from around the world too, but what I loved was how, similar to New York, you see people from all walks of life, with different skin colors and slightly different accents, all being a part of Sydney. Sarcasm, laughter, eye rolls, and bar recommendations made for easy conversation topics. Gay life in Sydney is accessible, simple and safe. There's no shame in the pro-sex culture. Getting around town with train or bus proved remarkable easy with the Opal card. In a lot of ways, I felt at home in Sydney.
One of the super cool things about Sydney, for me, is that I know people that actually live here! Andrew and his partner Matt live in a house near the center. I met Andrew in my first hostel ever in Paris, France in January 2005. We were roommates in a bedroom with a shower without a shower curtain! Alejandro and Ximena, who I met in Samoa, live on Manly Beach. Shimon, whom I met in New York, grew up in Melbourne and now lives in Sydney. I was able to meet up with each of these wonderful groups and they showed me a really good time.
I also loved that Sydney is building a significant extension of their light rail system right through the middle of their central business district. It's such a progressive move for street design. Can you imagine removing all cars from 6th or 7th Avenue and putting a light rail on top? I know, you are thinking we already have subway lines under those roads. Yea, well Sydney has a metro line under this road too. Try again.
I was able to take a fast train directly from the airport to the main train station. I selected a hostel next to the train station because I knew that with all of the friends I wanted to visit, that I would need quick access to the regional train system. The trains simply worked. You can take the train to Circular Quay: the Sydney equivalent of Whitehall Street-South Ferry. They have a large ferry terminal where you can transfer between ferry boats, grab some food, or get on buses and trains. The boats accept the Opal Card just as the trains and buses do. Sydney, like New York, has an active harbor. However, they have more passenger boats than just a commuter ferry. They have ferries that go all over the region. Their ferry terminal really is an intermodal hub. I saw so much potential for the Staten Island Ferry Terminal at Whitehall Street with how Circular Quay turned out. This also included the water quality of the harbor. As I understand, Sydney has invested significant funds and decades of effort to cleaning up their former industrial harbor. I rode the boats a few times: to the Tauranga Zoo and to Manly Beach. The water in the harbor is blue. It's incredible.
Sydney has historic districts and office districts with psycho-weird 70s and 80s architecture. They embrace it. They created pedestrian plazas in the empty spaces between these awkward offices and put outdoor bars there. We don't have that many outdoor bars in New York City because the permitting process is nearly impossible (requiring appropriate zoning and approval of both the local Community Board and the State Liquor Authority).
I thought the Sydney nightlife was very manageable. I have to thank Shimon for going out with me every night. What a special experience to share! I had just missed Sydney Mardi Gras by a week but I was totally alright with that. You see, coming from New York City and having been to Pride in Tel Aviv and a few German cities, I know that Pride changes the feel of a city. You aren't experiencing the city in its usual state during a Pride event. In the case of Sydney, I really wanted to experience what it would maybe be like to live there and not be inundated with other tourists. The bar scene has apparently calmed down significantly since the conservative government created "lockout laws" that required the bars and clubs to shut down at 3:30am. Maybe I'm old now, but I'm totally ok with this. Apparently the drunk hooligans were getting rowdy and would drink until sunrise and start street violence. The bars and clubs that I went to were crowded but not uncomfortably so. I got pushed around on the dance floor a bit by some sloppy drunks, but this was not a "problem with Sydney". The music was fantastic and, of course, dancing and singing to Kylie Minogue in her homeland was a very special moment. I recommend it to any Kyle fan as it is really special to be surrounded by other people in a room where everyone knows all of the lyrics to her songs.
I caught a rainbow in Sydney. It's mean to be!
Sydney is home to international cuisine. I had fantastic food from all around the world. There is not much more to say about this. I would rank it up there with my beloved New York restaurant scene in a heartbeat. The Woolworth's chain has a fantastic mini-supermarket concept that was a gamechanger for me. It's called "Metro". It has everything that a supermarket has in addition to a large selection of prepared foods, sliced fruits and veggies and a bakery. I was in heaven here. Before my day trips to the countryside, zoo or beach, this was my place to stop. Whole Foods in New York City is not the same thing. This was quick and easy and affordable. The quality was extremely high. Metro also has a coffee shop, so I'd pick up some fruit and a bunch of pastries for my hike and then get an iced coffee on my way out the door. It's like a New York City bodega if the food was fresh and good. I guess that makes it nothing like a bodega then. (Well, at least bodegas make great bacon-egg-and-cheddar on a roll.)
Writing this review made me excited about Sydney again. I could see myself living in Sydney. It's an urban dream and it is only going to get better.