Sydney: Wide avenues and skyscrapers mingle with Sydney's city center parks and gardens

In recent months Australia has experienced one of its most severe dry spells ever; indeed the conditions became so severe that the water reserves that supply Sydney reached an all time low.

It seems as though the effects of global warming generally, combined with extensive bush fires, are becoming an increasing concern. Such a concern is only occasionally noticeable though when walking around the green parks of Sydney - fountains have been turned off.

Sydney is a world renowned city - most particularly for its harbor and aspects of the city there that are indeed world famous and, by now, icons of Australia. The Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House are familiar images of the city and they are truly remarkable and unique engineering and cultural attributes of a visually stunning harbor front.

But not far from these Australian icons are city parks that collectively make Sydney's city center one of the most green and pleasant city centers one is likely to encounter anywhere in the world. Also, it is possible to get excellent views of the Opera House and the Bridge from these public parks that are free to enter and filled with interests and pleasure.

Sydney: The colorful Royal Botanical Gardens are overshadowed by modern day Sydney.

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The greenery of the Domain, the Royal Botanical Gardens and Hyde Park, that all verge upon the high-rise intensity of the city and run down to the harbor front, creates respite from busy city life and so allows for an oasis of calm for the eyes and soul.

Hyde Park is perhaps the most 'formal' of these gardens and parks. With its avenue of trees that lines the walk from the northern tip of Hyde Park where stand statues of Queen Victoria and her consort Prince Albert down to the Anzac Memorial. The shade provided by the trees combined with park benches and various statues make Hyde Park a pleasant area where office workers and tourists mingle, but it is the Anzac Memorial that is the most outstanding feature here.

Completed in 1934 the memorial was designed by C. Bruce Dellit and features exceptionally beautifully executed relief work and sculptures by Rayner Hoff. As the Anzac Memorial (an acronym for the "Australian and New Zealand Army Corps") this building is refined and elegant; and its request - written in stone and brass - "Let silent contemplation be your offering" is truly a simple but dignified reminder that we should remember and honor all those that have served in war.

Many of the trees in Sydney's city center parks are large, spreading fig trees but lining the water that lies in front of the Anzac Memorial are poplar trees. These are not indigenous to Australia but are placed here to symbolize the parts of France in which Australian troops fought and died in the First World War. The water that the poplar trees line is also part of the memorial site. It is known as the Lake of Reflections and seems to placidly honor those that have fought and died in war.

Remembrance and honor are features of much of Sydney's city parks - also in Hyde Park stands a monument to Captain James Cook, the explorer and proclaimed of Australia. His larger-than-life but life-like statue here has him holding a telescope in one hand and raising his other hand skywards as he looks out in the direction of the sea on which he sailed so famously.

Another notable in Australia's history is featured in an elaborate fountain and series of statues in the Botanical Gardens. Here Admiral Arthur Phillip, the first governor of New South Wales and founder of Sydney is commemorated. The statue, erected in 1897 and completed by an Italian sculptor - Achille Simonetti, also looks out towards the sea and again suggests the importance of maritime endeavors to Sydney's history.

But the Royal Botanical Gardens of Sydney have many different attributes. Public art is extensive, ranging from modern pieces to the commemorative statuary that highlights Australia's colonial beginnings. But quite apart from all these sculpted and carved pieces, the natural beauty of the Gardens is a joy to the eye.

Colorful flower beds contrast with the city skyline of skyscrapers that form the backdrop to much of the garden and exotic wildlife including flying foxes hint at the indigenous flora and fauna that preceded modern Sydney.

The Botanical Gardens are not only a pleasant break from the city, they also feature specific types of garden - such as rose, succulents, palm, a rare and threatened plants garden and a tropical center which collectively mean that the Botanical Gardens contribute significantly to conservation, research, ecology and education.

The ecological intensity and diversity in the Botanical Gardens is, then, something of a contrast with the neighboring Domain. This park area is comparatively much sparser and this allows for festivals and public celebrations i.e. large gatherings of people - to take place here.

At one edge of the Domain stands the Art Gallery of New South Wales and this contains a series of galleries, very attractively presented, significantly representing art from Europe, Asia and Australia. The Gallery was opened in 1884 but extensions were made in 1971 and 1988 and these have allowed for an extensive collection to be housed that is varied but not so extensive to be exhausting.

The greenery of Sydney continues on down past the Art Gallery to, what is known as, Mrs. Macquarie's Point or Mrs. Macquarie's Chair. The title is rather unusual but it is derived from a chair that is carved into a stone ledge here. It seems that around the year of 1816 Elizabeth the wife of the then Governor of New South Wales Lachlan Macquarie - liked to come to this point and sit and watch ships as they came into Sydney Harbor.

The view today from this point is much changed from the days of Mrs. Macquarie, as the Harbor Bridge looms impressively and the Opera House almost has the appearance of setting sails to take to the sea. These, then, are the modern day highlights of the city but as one walks back inland into the center of Sydney one encounters, time and time again, city parks and greenery that is refreshing and really should not be missed.

Travel notes:

Getting there: Garuda Indonesia has flights to Sydney via Bali

Accommodation and Food: Sydney has an enormous quantity and range of accommodation - from cheap and cheerful backpacker accommodation to exclusive five-star hotels. For ease of access to the parks and gardens city central hotels are the best option. The city is served by a considerable variety of food options -from European to Asian cuisine. It seems that Thai restaurants are particularly popular in Sydney.

Getting around: The city's public transport is generally good. There is a bus network with quite extensive coverage. Subway trains and a monorail provide an alternative but there central coverage is not so great and does not represent a good way to see the city. Taxi availability is good but taxis can prove an expensive option - especially when walking is perhaps the best option; i.e. the center of Sydney can be walked through quite easily.

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