Sydney!

Our residence hall offered a day trip to Sydney by bus on June 28. Sem break na kasi ng mga estudyante. Ung nga lang, kaming bagong salta, kasagsagan pa lang ng Intro Program. Pero kahit tambak ang kailangan aralin sumama na kami. Ang mura kasi. Dami pang interesting places sa itinerary. Its a bit short (it takes a week to go around Sydney) but more than enough for the price.

Ferry Ride from Bondi Beach. We passed by the famous Opera House

Close Shot of the Sydney Opera House

I already expected to see tall buildings, an orderly city and beautiful urban landscapes. Kaya di na ko impress or excited nung makita ko City proper. Alam ko nang nang maganda makikita ko, so hindi na ko amazed nung makita kong maganda nga.

But something jarred my attention.

Part of our itinerary was an hour and a half stop in Manly Beach and Bondi Beach. Both are located within Sydney and popular amongst surfers. When I heard that we would go there, nasabi ko sa sarili ko - “hay naku! for sure mas maganda ang Boracay at Palawan.” Ang yabang ko noh. E di ba yan ang dialogue ng mga Pinoy everytime beaches becomes the topic. Pero napahiya ako sa sarili nung makita ko ang Manly at Bondi beach.

Tama kayo mga kapwa ko Pinoy, mas maganda nga ang beachfront ng Boracay at Palawan. Pero, mapapahiya tayo sa kalinisan ng mga beaches sa Sydney.

Imagine this, pahabain at palaparin mo ang Nakpil sa Malate, paabutin mo sa Roxas Blvd., at gawin mong New Orleans or French Inspired lahat ng buildings along the street. Ganun ang itsura ng lugar right before the beach. Just look at the picture below. The place is highly urbanized. May kalsadang ala-Roxas Blvd 10 meters away from the sugary white sand. BUT, the beach is very clean. Walang basura, walang lumot, walang estero, walang pusali. Ahuhuhu Bakit ang linis linis nito. Magkalat naman kayo….. :-)

Right in front of me is the beach.

Manly Beach. The colored stuff in my back are toys not trash.

Bondi Beach. A surfing haven in the heart of Sydney.

Naisip ko tuloy, ano na lang kaya nasasabi ng mga foreigners pag nakikita nila yung mga estero sa palengke ng Boracay or yung lumulutang na upos ng sigarilyo sa tubig?