jt

I don't advise rushing to a single museum in Sydney, or admiring monumental buildings other than opera. The point is not treating it as a standard city type of destination, rather it is a well rounded one. One can find the heartwarming human contact, the natural beauty, and the relaxing environments there, unlike typical urban areas.<BR><BR>I'm not trying to pursuade any particular person; this is a forum for general issues with possibly many silent readers. One of my hot issues is the American romantization of small towns which can be appropriate in some cases (US and especially Italy) but highly misleading for most parts of the world (eg. Oz) for a variety of specific and often verifiable reasons.

Steve

Sydney is a beautiful city what with the harbour and beaches,etc, but if you really want to see what the 4 million Sydneysiders see then Parramatta is the place to go.<BR><BR>Its not as beautiful as the coastal areas but it is historical. You can go on the Parramatta Explorer bus which stops at all the historical buildings that other correspondents have mentioned. You should particularly make sure you visit Old Government House )which is open every day and run by the National Trust). The house is set in Parramatta Regional Park and has a lovely restaurant called Lachlans which is a very pleasant place to have lunch on the verandahs.<BR><BR>You can get to Parramatta by train, bus or ferry. Ferry is recommended. The ferry leaves Circular Quay in the city and travels up the parramatta river, past the Olympic Site.<BR><BR>Parramatta is great for shopping, though this is of the suburban mall type (mostly - though the new RiverBank Centre is a cut above the norm). The northern end of Church Street (the main street) has a large number of resturants, most wiith outdoor dining.<BR><BR>Give Parramatta a go! Try this website http://www.parracity.nsw.gov.au/discover/

Lynn

If you do drive to Canberra from Sydney (and I do recommend it, it is an easy drive and allows you to stop along the way at small towns) then a "must" for lunch is the Lynwood Cafe in a town off the Hume Highway called Collector. It is a small white building with a tin roof, but oh my the food! Wonderful, fresh Australian clever country food at its best. I have driven out there just for lunch when I have been in Canberra.

Lois

Thanks once again for the suggestions. I'm counting down to my BIG trip. Just a little more than two months to go!