I began my walk towards Circular Quay with the intention of catching a boat to Manly Beach. When I got to Art Gallery of New South Wales I decided to pop inside. I'm so glad that I did. Looking at their website just now I noticed they are open until 10 pm on Wednesdays with food and entertainment. Something to think about if we plan another trip.
As I drew nearer, I heard organ music. I never found the source of the music, but the sound led me through the different galleries.
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| Description of the videos |
After passing the giant bunny rabbit in the foyer, I went to the left and saw a group of what looked like five old-timey photos blown up to 16x20 (or perhaps even larger). Instead of being still photos, they were 12:55 minute videos of people preparing to sit for formal portraits. You could see the children being told how to look in the portrait, a man straightening his tie, people being gathered, and all sorts of normal activities that take place just before the shutter is snapped.
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| People preparing to be photographed |
I was mesmerized!
Downstairs there was a group art project taking place. We were each asked to take some clay, roll it into a ball of the same size without mixing two colors of clay together, then set it aside to dry. The artist, Kimsooja, would later evaluate the balls and decide which ones were keepers and add it to the mosaic-like sculpture. The project started ten months earlier in December 2022 and will continue for a few more months. The project originally began with a few balls. The table was rebuilt because the clay was too heavy for it. It was calming to sit down and play with clay. The docent commented a lot of adults have told her they forgot how much fun it is to play with clay. To do an arts and crafts project. To create. When I searched for this piece, it brought up a 2016 piece called Archive of Mind, and in another space it says the participatory artwork called Making Worlds was started in 2016 and is ongoing. Still another place said it started on December 3, 2022 and will continues until this December.
There was a wall with small screens talking about different fun facts about the opera house. The one that amused me most learning that the working dogs that circulate around the tourists near the opera house are not sniffing for bombs or drugs, or any such problem we would need to be protected from in the United States. No, their job was to detract the pigeons from settling in and eating the tourists' lunches.
There were several models of the opera house on display. The one made out of LEGOs was by far the most impressive. There was also one made out of shells, and a woven one, but the LEGO one had details that are easy to miss when you are inside the real one.
The most fascinating tidbit I caught was in a video talking about the early days of British and Aboriginal contact. Captain Arthur Phillip was accepted by the natives as an elder statesman because in their culture's initiation ceremony a front tooth is removed. Captain Phillips was missing the correct front tooth, therefore the indigenous leaders assumed he had already been initiated, and understood their culture and customs. Despite being off to a really good start, relations quickly soured.
Knowing I had a ticket to see Miss Saigon that night at the Sydney Opera House, i figured I had enough time to take the boat to Manly Beach, have lunch, walk around, take a boat back, walk all the back to the room to shower and change, have dinner, and walk the half an hour back to the theater. Fate was on my side and I just caught the correct boat, the one that leaves every half an hour. It is always nice when it happens that way. The ride is about 30 minutes long. I felt as if I was being transported from the hustle bustle to a quiet oasis. The catamaran has a bathroom ("head") on board and lots of room to walk around. The ferry is included in the mass transit system meaning you pay by tapping your credit card and it counts towards the $16.80 daily cap ($10USD).
When I arrived in Manly, I stopped by the information booth for advice on what to see and where to go for lunch. The guide suggested I dine at the Manly Sailing Club, the place he was planning to go for dinner that night. Then he showed me on a map where to see the island's highlights: the Corso pedestrian shopping area in town and walking on the path along the ocean side of the island. If I had an extra hour, I would have walked on the harborside, too.
Even though it was in the opposite direction, I went knowing I would get a good meal at a decent price and be eating with locals. I had a parma (parmi in Brisbane, parma in Sydney) in the arvo (afternoon) with a view of the water, while discouraging the birds. It was heavenly. It was the most relaxing meal I had in Sydney, and filling, too. The bird did not eat any of my food.
I walked back along the water watching families enjoy time together. The bay side of the island is not very wide. The sand was soft. The sky was blue. A perfect day to spend outdoors.
Back at the information booth I looked for the guide, but he had left for the day. I turned left and walked up the Corso passing many shops and cafés, stopping only at an ice cream parlor for a Dutch chocolate ice cream cone which I ate while walking along the ocean side of the island. I should have stopped and waited at the first ice cream shop, the one with the really long line instead as this ice cream was mediocre.
Reading up on Manly Beach as I write this blog I learned in 1964 this was the home of the first world surfing championship. I only planned to dip my feet in the water and enjoy the day.
There is a paved trail on the ocean side that appeals to people of all fitness levels. It is wide enough for people to pass, and to pause.
I saw a fashion shoot taking place. In one spot, a swimming pool had been carved for those not as interested in being attacked by waves, or perhaps those interested in swimming laps. When I went by it had smaller children in it with adults on the edge keeping an eye on them. No riptide this way.
Eventually the paved path ends Shelley Beach, at a grassy cove surrounding a sandy beach popular with snorkelers. The path picks up on the other side of the lawn. When I saw a family with a stroller using the path, I figured it couldn't be too bad. At first it wasn't. My guide said to keep going uphill to Queenscliff headland, the lookout famous for its waves. From there he recently saw whales.
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Loved the public art along the rocks
on the side of the path |
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| Lots of small rocks in the water |
I paused a couple of times to enjoy a quiet moment sitting on a bench just looking at the water. I could hear faster, younger groups of hikers passing behind my hiding spot.
Just as I was thinking I was so far off the beaten path most people don't go here, I saw this:
Yes, a parking lot. There was a simple, paved path to get to this point!
I crossed the pavement and continued further up. This was the only part of the path that reminded me of hiking on Cinque Terre. The only time I was cursing my decision to do this. Up at the top I saw a couple from the Czech Republic going further out on the rocks that I felt safe even watching them. I think I reminded them of their mom. We swapped cell phones to snap pictures of each other. Yes, the views were stunning and it was quiet. I did not see any whales or seals, but I could imagine at the right time of day, I would.
I made the return trip on the same path. It was fairly uneventful. The views were still stunning.
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| So that's where Tom the Turkey vacations |
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| A relative of Glinda? |
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| I didn't bring home any friends for Glinda |
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| Fashion show |
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| Setting up the shoot in paradise |
As the sun was thinking about setting, I made my way to the boat. As with the ride to Manly Beach, I caught the return with moments to spare. Certainly beats waiting another half an hour for the next one.
I was antsy on the return trip knowing I had a 30-minute walk back to my room to change and get ready to go to the Opera House. Yes, I was a five-minute walk from the Opera House, but wanted to return to the room to clean up first.
Only to discover after "hoovering" my dinner at a local pizza place, that my ticket was for tomorrow night.
Earlier I had asked Eileen for advice on what to see in Sydney. Compared with all of the other cities I had been to, Sydney felt expensive, expansive, and extremely tiring. She recommended going to Darling Harbour in the evening. With an unexpected free evening, I walked through the Central Business District (CBD) to Darling Harbour.
During the walk back to the room, since I wasn't in a rush, I enjoyed taking night pictures.
While walking back I met a 20-something Australian gay man when I heard him gasp as a car was coming around a corner and I was looking in the American direction. Nearly four weeks into the trip and this was my first almost hit. I think I scared him more than I was frightened. We got to chatting. Max moved from Melbourne. He is looking into moving to Brazil with his boyfriend (where the boyfriend is from) and turning into "Tech Nomads," what a fun term! He agreed, unlike in his home city, there is not much to do in Sydney after 8 pm (with the exception of expensive restaurants). Fortunately Coles (a grocery store chain) was still open so I could restock my blueberry supply.
Only another 10 minutes from Harry's to my AirBNB, unfortunately I had to climb 107 stairs first, and two flights of stairs once I reached my room.
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