My father in law decided to join us for a brief morning stroll before meeting the rest of the gang for brunch at the Westfield Food Court.  We walked to Hyde Park for a quick breather from the city’s urban landscape.

It was a pleasant morning for a walk around the park.  We marveled at the fig-lined main avenue as we approached the Westminster Abbey – like structure of St. Mary’s Cathedral.  St Mary’s Cathedral represents the spiritual origins of the Catholic Church in Australia. Dedicated to Mary Help of Christians, it is regarded as one of the finest examples of English-style gothic churches in the world. Constructed from Sydney sandstone, it was finally completed 100 years after the death of architect William Wardell, with the addition of the two new spires at the southern end.

Another salient feature of the park is the famous Archibald Fountain.  The work of French sculptor Francois Sicard, it was erected in Hyde Park North in 1932 to commemorate the association between Australia and France in World War I. The art deco fountain, which depicts a bronze Apollo surrounded by other mythical figures, was a gift to the city of Sydney by J F Archibald, founder of Australia’s Bulletin newspaper and later magazine.

Soon after, we crossed Macquarie Street to make our way back to Swissotel.