Summer in Sydney

We've had a good couple of days here.  Yesterday we took the ferry over to Manly Beach.  Lots of other people thought that would be a good way to spend New Year's Day and the beach was packed!  We went to dinner in Darling Harbor at Wagamama, an Asian restaurant.  It was a great restaurant and opened up out over the harbor.  We came back to the hotel and played some euchre.  Ben and Hannah won one game and Sarah and I won one game.:) 

This morning we went to Hillsong Church.  Hannah had expressed an interest in wanting to go and we are glad we did.  The sermon was great and the music upbeat and professionally done.  I headed out for a run while the girls and Ben went to get us some lunch and we met up in the Royal Botanic Gardens.  We spend a couple of hours just laying in the shade enjoying the views of the Harbor Bridge and the Opera House.  We even saw a huge boat with a wedding ceremony going on on the top deck.

We walked around the gardens and got some flower photos.

This is a Glory Lily.  It is poisonous and is grown for a chemical compound that treats gout.

Water Lily

Tomorrow morning we fly out early for Cairns.  We are looking forward to seeing some Australian rainforest and maybe going snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef.