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Why do so many Europeans seem to think that sidney is the capital of asutralia? Because it's the largest city in the country? Or is it because most foreigners make Sidney their first stop on a visit to Australia? Maybe it's because of sidneys cultural scene. The opera house, for example, is internationally famous.
Whatever the reason , there's no doubt that this beautiful and lively city has a lot to offer - the sun and the sea, to name just two things . In Sydney alone there are 250km of small bays and beaches along the pacific coast. Even though the beaches are so near, many people have their own swimming-pools in their gardens. Because of the wonderful climate , "sydneysiders" spend most of the year outdoors - at barbecues, picnics, sporting activities or just lying in the sun or if you like sailing , sydney is the place to live.over on the western side of the city the atmosphere is really different. Immigrants from southern europe , the Lebanon and vietnam live here. In fact, one suburb, Cabramatta, is now called "Vietnamatta" by sydneysiders, because thousands of vietnamese who came to Australia in the 70s and 80s have made it their home. The place has a very asian atmosphere , with many vietnamese food stores, restaurants and businesses.
Another suburb, Redfern, is one of the poorest parts of Sydney. It's here that many Aborigines live. You won't find any swimming-pools here. Instead, you'll see poor, shabby houses. Many of the people living here don't have a job. But the Aborigines in Redfern haven't given up hope. They would like to play a greater role in the organization of the suburb. They believe , for example , that some of their problems could be solved if they had their own high school.
Sydney also has a lot of problems typical of big cities anywhere in the world: heavy traffic-jams and pollution, for example. Air pollution is such a problem that , at times, you can actually see a huge orange cloud hanging over the city. The once clean beaches are now polluted, too. Sometimes you can even smell the city's sewage as it flows into the sea.
Every Sydneysider knows only too well about the dangers of fire. There are laws against having barbecues on very hot days. Even burning a match outdoors is illegal at this time. If you break this law , you can be sent to prison.
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