Sydney and Mardi Gras
By Andrew
Collins
In North
America, February marks the very heart of winter, and for much of the
continent, this means chilly weather and dark, gloomy days. This is not
the case on the other side of the world, in Sydney, Australia, the hippest
and hottest gay destination in the southern hemisphere. Here, February
marks the height of summer. Even better, it's the time for
Sydney Gay and
Lesbian Mardi Gras, which in 2006 runs officially from February 4 to March
4. This hugely popular series of cultural events, parties, and parades
celebrating gay life in Australia rivals any queer festival in the world.
Regardless of your interest in Mardi Gras, summer is a terrific time to
visit this visually stunning city.
Cultural draws are many in Sydney, beginning with one of the world's
foremost architectural icons, the Sydney Opera House, which apart from
possessing a magnificent exterior overlooking Sydney Harbour presents fine
operas and other musical and theatrical performances throughout the year.
It's right beside Circular Quay, from which you can catch water taxis and
harbor cruises to some of Sydney's famous beach communities, such as
Manly, Watsons Bay, and the Harbour Islands, and also to the fabulous
Taronga Zoo (an excellent place to come face to face with the many unusual
animals unique to this continent). The harbor is surrounded by The Rocks
neighborhood, which fringes Sydney's modern central business district, a
warren of glitzy high-rise office towers.
There are several other top sightseeing draws in this fabled city. The
already outstanding Art Gallery of New South Wales recently opened a
phenomenal wing of Asian works that's among the most prestigious in the
world. Just south of the opera house, you can lose yourself for hours
strolling the lush grounds of the Royal Botanic Gardens. Grab a ride on
Sydney's sleek monorail to poke around the Darling Harbour neighborhood,
home to the shark-infested Sydney Aquarium and impressive Powerhouse
Museum, a trove of fascinating science, natural history, and anthropology
exhibits. And if it's a sky-high photo op you're angling for, take an
elevator to the top of 1,060-foot Sydney Tower, where the southern
hemisphere's highest observatory platform offers 360-degree views.
If you're keen on getting in touch with Sydney's famed natural scenery,
consider a stroll along the Bondi Coastal Walk, a simple and easy path
along the ocean that takes less than an hour to complete. Or for more of
an adventure, book a tour with BridgeClimb Sydney to hike across the very
top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, one of the most beautiful such
structures in the world.
Sydney's renowned gay scene is concentrated chiefly along Oxford Street,
in the city's Darlinghurst and Surry sections. It's pretty busy from about
the edge of Hyde Park for several blocks east, and as you continue along
Oxford into the Paddington section, you'll find fewer gay hangouts but
still plenty of fun businesses. Along Oxford Street's gay stretch, there
are a handful of queer bars and clubs, several trendy restaurants,
numerous fashion boutiques, and quite a few shops selling porn and sex
toys.
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