Being busy with my job, I have become accustomed to having hours or day-long side tours when attending meetings or conferences. My previous Australian trip is a good example.

It was my second time in Australia, but my first was in Brisbane (The last time was in Perth). I never had the chance to explore Brisbane except for the brisk walks I had to and from the conference venue. So it’s good that I decided to stay 1 night in Sydney as a transit back to Japan.

I only visited two places in Sydney, though: St. Mary’s Cathedral and the Sydney Opera House. This was enough for my half-day tour, and I had already covered two of the city’s most famous tourist spots.

St. Mary’s Cathedral is officially known as the Cathedral Church and Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Mother of God, Help of Christians. Pope Benedict XVI visited St. Mary’s Cathedral in 2008 for the World Youth Day celebration. The visit was controversial because the pope apologized for clergy sexual abuses in Australia.

The cathedral’s architectural style is Geometric Decorated Gothic, a type of English Gothic architecture. I went there by train via St. James station and by foot, passing by Hyde Park. The interior of the cathedral is as impressive as its exteriors. It is lit with a yellow glow due to the yellow glazing on its clerestory.

After an hour of touring the cathedral and the adjacent Hyde Park, I finally went to the Sydney Opera House. Of course, a trip to Sydney would not be complete without visiting Australia’s most recognizable tourist attraction.

As expected, there were many tourists in the area. The Sydney Opera House is considered one of the most distinctive and famous 20th-century buildings and one of the most famous performing arts venues in the world. For its relevance to culture, it was designated a World Heritage Site in 2007.

After taking photos of the opera house, I was already dark and hungry. What a great way to end my half-day Sydney tour, but with a mouth-watering, tasty kangaroo meat in a restaurant nearby.