Government House Sydney

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I decided it was finally time to see Government House. Right after work I power walked through the Botanical Gardens to the historic home and made it in time for the last afternoon tour. The outside of this Victorian house is exquisite.



Unfortunately I was not permitted to snap a few photos inside, but all the decor has been restored to what is believed to be the original state.

I have always loved history. Even more so I enjoy touring old estate homes and imagining what it would have been like to live there. Touring this house with its colorful carpet, grand staircase, tasseled curtains, and royal red cushions aroused a daydream about life in the 19th century.



As I walked through the ball room, I imagined myself wearing a formal dress spinning across the floor or lazily walking about the gardens reading a book. To awake me, our elderly (but not one step behind in regards to wit) guide explained why there are several gorgeous, tall windows and grand mirrors above the fireplaces. Everything was to give off the effect of more light, but in reality the people lived in a gloomy darkness. Then he said that after a feast in the dining room, the ladies would exit to the drawing room to allow the men to use the "potty," but the women were expected to hold it until they returned home that evening.
Perhaps it is best to keep that daydream simply a daydream.

#walks
#city
#cbd
#history
#historic_houses
#free
#architecture
%wnsydney