Hot Day in Sydney

I’m back from my business trip to Sydney. I was lucky to stay centrally, in a hotel just opposite the Milsons Point train station. This means that from my room on the 11th floor I could see the water on each side of the strip of land called Milsons Point (last picture), and I had a glimpse at the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, too (on the side of the second picture). But being outside was even more rewarding: sunny, 30 Celsius, posh cafes and restaurants, and elegant houses built on the cliff and overlooking the water (picture). I do give Sydney credit for being more attractive than Melbourne, with warmer weather and more sunny days and waterways giving it a Venetian flavor. It’s just my opinion, and I stick to it. One striking thing about Sydney that I experienced in this trip was that cab drivers didn’t want to use the air conditioning unless I asked for it. Thirty degrees Celsius is 88F, and cars get hot quickly in the sun, but these drivers invariably (2 rides to the airport and 3 within the center) wanted to drive with the windows down even in the tunnels, with the excuse that they are well ventilated. I asked them to turn on the AC and charge me. And they did.