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Aussies are proud of their peculiar national animals, the kangaroo and the emu. Oz1_001_007.jpg	Hyde Park, in the center of Sydney, may look normal at first glance... Oz1_002_006.jpg

But the flying wildlife are definitely a little different. Ibises are as common here as pigeons. Oz1_004.jpg	The famed architectural icon of Sydney - the Opera House - as seen from land across the Circular Quay. Oz1_008.jpg

This is one way to cruise around the harbor..., but I took a slightly faster boat. Oz1_010.jpg	The Opera House looks even more impressive when seen from the harbor. Oz1_014.jpg

Starting out on the harbor tour, we get the classic view of the Opera House and Harbor Bridge. Oz1_018.jpg	A lighthouse marks one of the many points of land in the convoluted Sydney Harbor. Oz1_022.jpg

The Pacific Ocean lies just outside these bluffs, and the higher winds coming off the ocean make for great sailing. Oz1_023.jpg	The boats down under can look a little peculiar too! This swing sail wasn't setting any speed records today, however. Oz1_026.jpg

If you look closely at the full-size image, you can see people walking up the top of the bridge on the seventh top beam from the right! Tours were led up the bridge day and night! Oz1_030.jpg

The Sydney skyline, Opera House and Harbor Bridge combined in a 4-image panorama. Oz1_039-041.jpg

The classic spot for taking the classic shot of the Opera House and Harbor Bridge. Oz1_042.jpg	The Sydney skyline by itself is pretty. Oz1_045.jpg

A stroll through the Royal Botanical Gardens reveals more than just flowers... Oz1_047.jpg	...here's another Australian oddity - these trees are full of Flying Foxes, a rather large bat . (Every one of those dark spots is a hanging bat!) They don't harm people, but they're not doing any good to the trees. Oz1_048.jpg

Some brilliant roses brighten up the Gardens. Oz1_049.jpg	Opals are indigenous to Australia, which yields around 80% of the world opal supply. The precious black opals come exclusively from Australia. Even more unique, here's a boulder opal - a type found only in one small area in Australia. Oz1_051.jpg

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