Sydney Opera House - in kit form

If you visit Sydney then it's pretty much the law that you will go and have a look at the opera house. We're all seen it on the telly and so the chance to have a look at the real thing isn't something to be passed up.

I took my look on the first full day in the city. As expected, the building looks amazing although not as big as you'd think it is. A tour of the inside is interesting. Those shells are undecorated concrete inside and covered with shiny, self-cleaning, tiles outside. A fascinating structure.

Now, if you have an iconic building then the other certainty is that every souvenir seller will be peddling miniature versions. From tiny resin keyring sized models to whoppers in the Lego range that would have required me to empty the suitcase to ship home, there is something for everyone.

Including me it seems.

Much as I'd enjoy the Lego versions, my hobby involves an awful lot of etched brass construction and so when I found a metal opera house kit in a model shop, I knew it had my name on it.

Not described as a "kit", this is marketed as a 3D puzzle. In the box are two nicely etched sheets of brass. The metal has a strange surface so presumably it's been lacquered to keep shiny. Two colours are available - silver or gold. The later seemed to be selling less well so that's what I plumped for.

Price is around £15, not too bad as a souvenir and certainly lightly enough and packed to survive a flight home. What the security people thought when they X-rayed it is not known...