After a whirlwind three days of meeting uncles and cousins for the first time, we ventured outside of the Rouse Hill suburb and to Darling Harbour for the Christmas Eve fireworks show. There are several fireworks displays in the city, but this one is more family friendly. You would think people would be at home on Christmas Eve.
But apparently the holiday is celebrated a bit differently in Australia, as the harbor front was packed with tourists and locals alike, wandering the area, enjoying the various street performances, and finally the fireworks show. The weather had cooled a bit from the heat wave of the first few days – enough where I had to put on a jacket.
My uncle has a friend who manages an apartment complex near the harbor. He took us up to the rooftop, which had great views of the city. We were going to come back here to watch the fireworks, but ended up opting for a front-row seat on the harbor.
We walked around Darling Harbour, where you can actually spot jellyfish right off the docks. The area is very touristy, with one of maybe two Starbucks locations I spotted during my entire visit. The locals seem to have a disdain for Starbucks and consider local coffee shops as better sources for good coffee. This particular location was packed with tourists. I found the prices to be on par with the US and the drinks were pretty good too.
Street Performers on Darling Harbour
There were several street performers on this particular day. One was a Canadian with a math/astrophysics degree who found his calling tossing around various objects that were on fire, and contorting his body in cringe-inducing ways.
At the end of the show, he told people about his educational background, proclaimed that he was happy following his dream, and that he’d appreciate tips since he was out here hustling on Christmas Eve. However, if you did not have money, then please come up and tell him you enjoyed his show. This worked, as he ended up being hounded afterwards and probably came away with $200 or so. Not bad for 30 minutes of work. I spotted him inside the nearby shopping mall later, eating a sandwich alone. I don’t know why, but it was a sad sight. It can’t be an easy job, especially considering how unpredictable income can be.
Another sight you’ll see all over the tourist areas are the Aboriginese, dressed in traditional (?) getups and playing a didgeridoo, with techno music in the background. For a few bucks, they will pose for a picture with you in a “wilderness man” stance. When I see native people trading on their culture this way, it kind of makes me sad. It kind of trivializes their culture and perpetuates stereotypes. If this comes across as offensive, it’s worth pointing out I’m always rooting for the underdog.
There was also this bizarre Santa Cruise (not to be confused with Santa Cruz, a city in California), where drunk hipsters were dressed like the bearded papa and managing not to fall off the boat.
Fireworks Display
After wandering around the nearby mall, we took our place on the harbor for the fireworks display, which was incredible and totally put any Fourth of July display I’ve ever seen to shame. I’m sure the ozone layer took a hit and the waterways in front of us had fewer fish by the end of it, but it was spectacular. If only my iPhone took better photos…
Afterwards we headed back home and breezed through with no traffic. I don’t even know how that’s possible in a big city that thousands of people flocked to on a public holiday.
Note: If you’re ever in town for New Year’s Eve or any other holiday that warrants a fireworks display, the Four Points Darling Harbour has a great location on the harbor with direct views of the fireworks. Of course, you’ll have to make sure you ask for a Harbour View room. The hotel is a Category 5 Starwood property, requiring 12,000-16,000 points per night.
Other stories from my trip to Sydney
- Australia Trip Report: Introduction
- Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Review
- Review: Thai Airways First Class A380 Tokyo – Bangkok
- Thai Airways Royal First Class Lounge & Spa Bangkok Review
- Thai Airways First Class 747 Bangkok to Sydney Review
- Park Hyatt Sydney Opera King Room Review
- Sydney Opera House and Manly Beach
- Hilton Sydney Review
- Air New Zealand Lounge + United 747 First Class: Sydney – San Francisco
- 6 Observations about Sydney
