Parklife

A very cheap and cheerful day today as El Banco wouldn't deliver fundage to yours truly. This meant I only had 3 dollars to last the day, lunch was fruit and bottled water from the supermarche:(

Below is The Sydney Tower Eye, Eduardo tells me the views are stunning from the top. Lack of cash flow meant I could only admire from down below:(

So I spent a most enjoyable day pounding the pavements and taking snaps of anything that caught my attention. The sun was shining and my spirits were up, a good way to spend my last full day in a town called Sydney.

This is a grand fountain with St Mary's Cathedral in the background...

And the same fountain with The Tower Eye as the back drop.

I spent most of the day walking through Sydney's 3 main parks and admiring the views; Hyde Park, The Domain and The Botanical Gardens.

Below is the city library, a majestic old building.

I whiled away a happy hour in the 'Selling Dreams' exhibition. A celebration of fashion photography through the ages; I miss dressing up and looking nice:(

Inside the library, an impressive light and airy study space...

And I liked this quote, it made me think of bloggingtons, the soul and voice of my trip. If anything was to happen to me and I was to vanish like a dream my adventure has been recorded for loved ones to share, keep and remember my past.

This is the art gallery, there was an entrance charge so I couldn't go in...

But behold a Henry Moore outside for all to enjoy free of charge. When I get home I must go back to the North Yorkshire Sculpture Park, they have some great Henry Moore's there.

I passed some military looking ships at the naval headquarters.

And stumbled across a view of the harbour I hadn't yet seen or photographed; no gappage between bridge and opera house.

I love this photo, the iconic view of the bridge and opera house through a veil of lavender jacarda blossom, bloody gorgeous.

Artisans in the city runs to the end of the month which means there are some temporary sculptures to be admired in the parks, here is a selection:

This one is entitled 'Crosswinds.'

And this, my particular favourite, is called 'Don't Forget About Me!'

'How Green is Your Cloud?'

'Seed 5'

Lol, I thought this was an art installation but it turned out to be  bone fide scarecrows...

I love them just as much as the Henry Moore, which begs the question, 'what makes art, art?'

This is just a beautiful, pure as the driven snow flower.

And this is called 'Spiral Knots.'

This is the biggest cactus I have ever seen, I took this picture especially for Dave, he loves his cacti:D

I spent a couple of hours catching rays with bookage then hit the shops to spray perfume and try on clothes I had no intention of buying. I headed back to Ella's about 5ish, checked financials (all is now OK, phew) and Ella showed me some places I should visit on the next leg of Adilady's adventures. Dinner was beeros and pizza then early to bed.

Tomorrow I need to decide whether to leave early or take a detour to 'Sculpture by the Sea 2013.' 

I'm still in the happy zone, long may it continue. Lots of love and over and out xxx

Buildings, Bridges and Bloody Bonkers

Tuesday morning I did the tour of Sydney Opera House, which was well worth it. It truly is an iconic building both inside and out. I won't bore you with all the details as you can always go on Wikipedia for that but I will say it very nearly didn't happen. Firstly, the design by Jon Utzon didn't originally make it through the first round of the competition and was picked out later by the new chief judge as he insisted on looking at the reject pile. Secondly, building commenced before engineers had even worked out how the structure could be built. It took 14 years to build, Utzon resigned before completion and the project went a squillion dollars over budget, now some photos.

The stage door, many famous names and faces will have passed through here.

  

The Joan Sutherland Theatre, there was a rehearsal going on for South Pacific so photographs were forbidden, whoops...

Views of the bridge.

These structures are called the rib cage.

Original drawings by Utzon, all very sketchy.

The gap between the two halls, called 'the cleavage.'

 

Pavarotti hated the purple carpet and said it was bad luck, superstitious nobend lol.

We were really lucky to be able to photograph the concert hall as it was empty. Look at how grand it is!

More of the rib cage.

The Opera House was 40 years young on Sunday, happy birthday to you;)

In the afternoon I climbed Sydney Harbour Bridge and paid 30 bucks for the photographic evidence; bloody licence to print money which I am leaching here in Oz :(

 

The experience was exhilarating without being scary and the views of the bridge and the harbour were stunning. I got some freebies on my CD so let's pretend I took them although it was grey and drizzly when I did my climb.

Early evening shot I took of the Sydney skyline.

View I took on the ascent.

Out of body shot I took of me and my group descending at sunset; I am omnipresent after all;)

Beautiful, I am a photographic genious...

Yesterday I headed to Manly Sea Life Centre to go diving with sharks, I must be bloody bonkers! In the harbour was this colossal floating skyscraper, I've never seen a cruise ship close up before.

The shark dive was pretty amazing. I was up close and personal with grey nurse sharks, which are 3 metres long, stingrays as big as queen sized beds and giant turtles the size of a family dining room table. No pictures peeps as I couldn't complete the dive! When we went deeper into the tank my ears wouldn't regulate no matter how much I swallowed or blew down my nose. They became really painful and so the instructor wouldn't let me continue in case I perforated my ear drum. Pesky little lugs, apparently it is common with small ears; they are still a bit sore now. Still, at least I got to do it and have a certificate to prove it.

Who is Adrienne Segdwick??? I paid a visit to the baby penguins before I left to spend the afternoon on the beach.

I took the sunset ferry back from Manly so you will have to sit through all my arty shots. The harbour was awash with myriads of yahts, their billowing sails gleaming in the setting sun.

A tall ship.

When we arrived back to the quay the colossal cruiser was just leaving and so we had to pass under the bridge and wait whilst it heaved its heavy bows out to sea.

This is my favourite shot of the evening, I like the seagulls.

And some arty shots of Luna Park.

Today I am heading into town with my map to have a wander, I may take in a gallery or two if they are free:) it is my last full day in Sydney before I pack up the snail house and hit the road to nowhere, next Adilady imposition is with Kirstypop's friend Maureen. Ella has offered to cook a farewell meal but is currently in bed with food poisoning poor thing, so we will have to see. Bloggingtons may become more sporadic from now on, I forsee a lot of bush bashing and beach lolling ahead. Lots of love as always, I am still in a heavenly happy place:D I have even been looking at beamed cottages for one on Rightmove, I return in 4 months and I am officially half way through trippingtons.  I can't wait to see y'all in February, who is responsible for my belated birthday, home coming party? lol xxxx