Calvin Synod Herald, 2005 (106. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2005-01-01 / 1-2. szám
12 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD further problems (after only 15 hours in the air). Upon arriving in Sydney, we met our tour guide. We loaded the bus with our luggage, and went into the city. The first stop was The Stadium where the Olympics were held in 2000. We went into the stadium and explored it. It was really big and I enjoyed looking at it. We took a group picture on the gold, silver and bronze stand that the winners of medals stood on for the ceremonies. What can I tell you? It was really fun to stand on those podiums! Soon we left the stadium and went for a water cruise of Sydney Harbour where we ate lunch. This cruise took us near the Sydney Opera House, and gave us great views of downtown Sydney. After the cruise, we were given time to explore downtown Sydney and go to the mall. We then left for the hotel, and we were assigned hotel rooms at random. The hotel room was really nice, and the people in my hotel room were lucky because we had the only room with a balcony. The balcony was facing downtown Sydney. So we had a great view of downtown. It was especially cool at night, with the buildings lit up. We later found out that our neighbors next door were also from the United States. They were college students from various states that took a semester of college in Sydney. Later on that night, we went out to a restaurant for dinner. It was really nice, and it had a nice view of Darling Harbour. After the dinner, we headed back to the hotel, and that was the end of our first day in Australia. It was here where I received a call from Erika Jozsa, who works with the Hungarian Radio Program in Sydney. She was going to meet with me and talk about the Hungarians in Columbus. Unfortunately we were able to talk only on the phone because our schedule was too tightly organized, and my little free time did not match with hers. We ended up having a nice talk and agreed to possibly meet the next day. That would have given me the chance to meet with her and her husband, and possibly with other Hungarians living in Australia. They wanted to give me an additional city tour as well. Again, this could not materialize the next day either. I was disappointed because she is a family friend from a long time ago. In Nagyvarad she went to the same High School as my grandmother and my aunt. Her parents were bom in the same village with my grandfather and were childhood friends together. Well, I guess it would have been just too good for it to be true. Perhaps I can meet her on my next trip Down Under. Just kidding. On the next day, we went to Australia’s biggest supplier of Opal, the stone that Australia is famous for. We then went to see the Sydney Opera House from the inside. This is the one building that comes to mind when one thinks of Australia, and especially of Sydney. The opera house was an amazing building from the inside. It looks just as good on the inside as it does on the outside. We were taken to really nice parts of the opera house, and shown the observation deck, which overlooks Darling Harbour. After the Sydney Opera House and lunch it was time to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. This was probably my favorite part of the whole trip. We were required to put on special jump suits and we were all safely and securely strapped in with a lock system. We were given a presentation on how to climb, and there was even a training session we had to go through. The last thing we did before we went out was that we were given special radios to listen to our guide talk about the bridge. What was interesting about the bridge climb was that at one point we were climbing right over the middle of the bridge, which had traffic coming on it. It felt as if you were right in the middle of the traffic. Once we climbed high enough, we walked up some stair-like boards. The whole trip took three hours to complete, and it was definitely something that I will never forget. Once we reached the top, I had a view of the opera house from above that most people don’t get to see. It was simply breath- taking! When the climb was over; I was really happy and tired. After the bridge climb we went back to our hotels, and then for dinner we went to the Hard Rock Cafe. A little “Americana” in Sydney. Will continue (Part II) in our March-April 2005 issue Reformed Presbyterian Church of Manassas, VA Cathechism Diplomas in Manassas: (L-R) Deacon John Stallings, Catechist Chuck Thompson, Chief Elder Francis Elliott, Pastor Edwin Elliott, Mrs. Debbie Hepburn, Capt. Richard Hepburn, Elder Bill Pfister The Manassas congregation recently received four new members: Mr. Brent Scott and his wife, Jennifer: Mrs. Minnie Adams: and Miss Kathy Barns T
