Sydney--Day 3

Someone always has to ruin paradise.  McKenna woke up throwing up.  Not knowing the extent of her illness, we continued on with plans a couple hours late.  We bought breakfast around the corner at La Renaissance Bakery and Café.  It is about $1.50 per pastry cheaper to take it to go than to stay and eat.  We chose that option at $48 for 11 pastries.  We went on to the Sydney Australia LDS Temple (about a 30 minute drive).  Jeremy stayed outside while Sarah went in.  Allison can thank us later (as she would have been the default person dealing with sickness inside a car while waiting on the both of us).  The temple grounds were set up for night time lights and a nativity.  It also had a clothing and sales that we shopped in.

After the temple, we went to the nearby (about 5-10 minute drive) Koala Park Sanctuary.  I'd had my eye on this one before we left.  After arriving in Sydney, I'd changed my mind to the highly locally recommended Featherdale Wildlife Park.  We did not go on to this one as it was an additional 30 minutes further from Sydney and we were pressed for time with our late start.  The Koala Park Sanctuary ended up being fine.  We were able to go in and see and touch the koalas and feed the kangaroos.  I found out that Australia has banned holding the koalas (so I felt better about not missing the much desired opportunity).  (Side note:  we had friends in Queensland at the same time and there is a place there where you can.)  Our wet and rainy Koala Park Sanctuary cost $113.80 for 2 adults, 4 kids, and 2 bags of kangaroo food.  We made it back to Sydney and returned our rental car by 5:00 p.m. 

We had dinner in The Rocks.  There are a ton of restaurants that we wished we could have tried. Just around the corner from our hotel was a German restaurant "Lowenbrau."  It was a ton of fun.  We had dinner for 3 adults and 3 kids at $150 and it was worth it, including the entertainment (both musical and participatory--hitting a nail into a plank of wood competition).

After that, we went to a Sydney Christmastime must.  We took the subway from Circular Quay to the St. James stop.  Round trip (on a double-decker train!) was $25 for 2 adults and 4 kids and takes less than 5 minutes.  We arrived for the St. Mary's Cathedral annual Lights of Christmas.  There is a choir that performs each night (inside I think--which would also be fabulous to see) at 7:30.  Beginning at 8:30, they illuminate the front of the cathedral with rotating animation and artwork.  This show is set to music and replays about every 15 minutes until midnight.  It looks like the place is packed with people, but we were able to find a good, comfortable spot in a prime location.

And we continue to take pictures of the Opera House each time we walk by...just in case, I suppose.