Tourists for the day

Steven took Tuesday off work, so we decided to spend the day in Sydney like proper tourists.

I started my day with a run.

I tried to start conservatively, but from the looks of my splits, I failed pretty miserably.

I was running a new route over to Sawmiller's Reserve, which I visited on one of my walks previously. It's a beautiful park, but the hills, especially the downhills, were tough on my knees. Next week, I will definitely have to pick a flatter course.

I came home and did a bit of yoga and stretching, and then Steven and I got ready for our big touristy day in Sydney.

On today's agenda was the National Maritime Museum, which definitely ranks as one of the coolest museums I've ever visited.

The museum owns several ships, ranging from historic war cruisers to dinky little sailboats.

We first went aboard the HMAS Vampire. Yep. They named this war cruiser 'VAMPIRE'.

The cruiser was fitted as if for war, complete with shots and turrets, a bunch of really small bunks, and the wonderful galley (i.e. Bat Cave). Our guide told us about how the turrets were not bolted into the ship, so if it capsized, it would sacrifice a turret and right itself back up.

Next, we visited the coolest thing ever: A SUBMARINE.

I'm on a boat, so I'm doing a (standing) boat pose..... GET IT?!?! Yah, I'm witty.

It was sooo tiny in the submarine. We had to literally duck and squeeze through doorways and portal things. Lots of fun!

Last of all, we visited a replica of James Cook's Endeavour.

Unfortunately, we don't have any pictures of the inside of the ship, which was very detailed and cool. It felt like we were on a Pirates of the Caribbean ship. There was history everywhere!

The coolest thing is, the Maritime Museum puts all their ships out to sea once in a while so that the ships don't just sit in the harbour and get rusty. The Endeavour took several journeys around Australia with a crew who paid to live on the ship, sleep in hammocks, eat potatoes, and basically re-live the good ol' days (minus scurvy). Wouldn't that be a cool adventure?

After the museum, I was starving so we went to the Harbourside shopping centre next door for some lunch.

I tried Grill'd's veggie and dukkah salad, which was decent, but nothing to get excited over, really.

By the time we got home, I was pretty tired from my run and all the wandering around learning.

What are some of the coolest museums you've been to?