When you’re in Sydney you are aware of it. Its familiar icons, the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, are instantly recognizable and as soon as you realize that you are not in a postcard it hits you: I am so far from home…I’m in Sydney, Australia.

However, as unique as the city is, the small brick buildings of The Rocks remind me of Boston, the narrow, busy street ravines and businessmen in black recall New York, while the temperature, sailboats and palm trees along the harbour remind me of San Diego or Miami. Something about the cafes and purposeful commuters makes me want to bust out the power suit and settle back into advertising. Then again I also kinda want to watch Finding Nemo.

There are so many great staircases and benches from which to observe the city and its people.We browsed the menus at open air restaurants along the quay, watched street performers, and indulged our inner ten-year-olds trying to body surf at Manly beach. A few days is not nearly enough in this city and thankfully I’ll be back again before we leave Australia.