Wow! Sydney Harbour is quite something!The Queen Mary 2 arrived there on Tuesday Feb 20 in the morning and received a huge welcome. We sailed in at 6PM and by that time it seemed that everyone in Australia was there to greet us. Thousands of people lined the shore all round the harbour to watch us arrive and sail past the Queen Mary. Also it seemed like every small, and large, boat in Sydney came out to escort us in. It was an incredible sight.Hundreds and hundreds of boats surrounded us as we slowly moved to our berth.Long time crew members said they had never seen anything like it.We were very lucky. Our berth was right in downtown between the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. It was like being tied up by Westminster Bridge with the Houses of Parliament on one side and Trafalgar Square on the other.All this excitement was then followed by a spectacular firework display over the Opera House.Next morning we walked to the Opera House and were lucky enough to get the very last two tickets for that night's show, which was a light opera, Sweeney Todd. After a cup of coffee at a waterside cafe (by the way, Australian coffee is the best I have had anywhere) we went to another area near to the ship called The Rocks. This is old Sydney, built in Victorian days. We lunched on a balcony of what used to be a hospital, and looked down on people wandering through Nurse Street, an appropriate name.Back to the Opera House for cocktails before the 7.30PM performance. The show itself was excellent, with a tremendous atmosphere. Wonderful stage sets and great singing. Our seats were right at the back (remember they were the last two? and relatively cheap) but we had a great view and could see and hear everything.The building exterior is, as is well known, spectacular. But the inside was rather disappointing. bare concrete etc. The lobby which we expected would be a sumptuous cocktail lounge was a bit like a train station, no seats, small bar and everyone standing around. Inside the theatre was very basic, not like the lovely old London theatres or even like the old Tampa Theatre which I have been told is very beautiful.. However it was an experience not to be missed.That was Wednesday. On Thursday we took a ferry boat round to another part of Sydney called Darling Harbour. A beautiful place. Lots of shops and restaurants and flowers. We had yet another great lunch at a harbourside restaurant.Afterwards, believe it or not, we both had our hair done at a Chinese barber. Then a ferry back and we regretfully sailed away at 6PM.If you ever get a chance to visit Sydney........Go!