Hiking about the Sydney Opera House.

Our hotel was in a section of Sydney Australia called “The Rocks” which is right at the foot of the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Some of the city’s oldest buildings are in this area. Walking through the residential area it was clear that residents who have lived there for generations are having to fight to keep their homes. Posters in windows showcased family histories of people who might be displaced by developers. It would be a shame if this historic area was replaced by glass and steel boxes. It is good to hold on to some of the city’s gritty past.

We could see the Sydney Opera House from the roof of our hotel so that became our destination our first day. Terry explored inside while I did my sketch. As I worked, I was surprised to hear someone shout out “Thor!” Orlando residents Maria Bolton and her husband walked up to say hello. Maria is an accomplished caricature artist and I’ve met her a few times at animal rights demonstrations. She is known as “Hurricane Maria” because she is so active. What are the chances of bumping into friends from Orlando on the opposite side of the world. I put the odds at about 1 in 7 billion. We took some selfies and the told me about the kangaroos and koalas they had seen south of Sydney.

When Terry got back, the sketch was finished, and we went for a walk in the Royal Botanic Gardens. We wandered the gardens in the hopes of seeing cockatoos in their native habitat. We had to leave our pet cockatoo with a friend and it would be hard being away for a whole month. We finally spotted several cockatoos in the trees. When they flew off, Terry followed. I relaxed in the shade and gave the sketchbook a rest.