Manly Postcard - where we live!

  
 So I bought a ton of the above postcard the first week we moved to Sydney and I only ended up sending a couple. I even stamped and addressed them. whoopsy. ;-) In the mean time, if you have not figured out where we are in relation to Sydney and so forth, here is a helpful view.

In reference to the image...

 *  We live in the largest, blue building in the center of the Manly peninsula in what is basically the center of the post card. (Tho, the building is no longer blue... or at least does not scream blue up close.) Our apartment is the width (smaller side) of the building with the living area having a sliding glass door across the whole wall that looks out to the  turquoise Tasman Sea (tho mostly blocked by another building on our floor) and the bedroom window looking out in the direction of the rugby field. It's a unique setup with the two areas being divided by an open stairwell and the front door opening right into the landing of the stairwell.

*  As I just said, to the right of the building you see the rugby field that we see from our bedroom window, which I have featured in other photos. Tennis courts and lawn bowling is also right there.

*The turquoise water is part of the Tasman Sea that lines Manly Beach. The far left side of the beach, where the waves are crashing on the sand is the section you can see from our living room. The entire beach and harbor can be seen from the roof top balcony, as you have seen in photos.    

* The open street area that goes straight across from the center of Manly Beach to the harbor is called the Corso. Our grocery store is right around there. It's a walking only street and has a European feel with bakeryies, coffee shops and original facade on a lot of the shops.

* The little dotted sail boats on the inside harbor can be seen from our bedroom if you squeeze your face up against the window (or just stick your head out... maybe in the summer.)

* That big ferry is the blown up version of the tiny ferry you can see in the center of the peninsula docked at the Manly wharf. It's the part of the Sydney transport system and the one Eric takes back and forth to work in the Sydney CBD on a daily basis. There are fast ferries going in and out of the Manly Wharf too, but they are less economical for the commuter. We take those when we miss the big ferry.

* And speaking of Sydney CBD, the ferries take 18-25 minutes one way from Manly. They go straigh out across the deep blue harbor, past the mouth (you see at the top left that heads out to sea)  and around the bend to the right, ending up at Circular Quay where the famous Sydney Harbor Bridge are and the Opera House. Eric then hops of the ferry and onto a train that takes him into work, or we hop on trains, buses or other ferries to take us where ever else we want to go.

* To the left of our building past the Corso you see red roofs. That is more of the Manly neighborhood, with tree lined streets that lead directly into the green area which is all National Park area. The peninsula ends not much farther down to the left and is all accessible by mountain bikes and hiking, with huge cliffs that hang out over the sea.

(video shows view of Sydeny as come around the bend of the second peninsula that jets out into the right side of Harbor.)