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Published: February 18th 2019
Sydney
City skyline, with Post Office Tower In real time, I’ve just arrived in Bangkok, but a few days here will give me time to catch up on some blog writing. So here I am, sitting in my favourite cafe in Sukhumvit Soi 61: Counting Sheep Corner.
Back in Sydney I’m going back to a Monday when Eunice and I caught a bus to the CBD ( Central Business District!) and headed towards the National Art Gallery and a special exhibition by Sydney artist Brett Whiteley. I love walking around the streets and looking up at the architecture of the buildings. The Victorian fancy eaves and turrets and chimney pots cosy up to the shiny glass skyscrapers, the original pomp and importance of the former being reduced to that of elderly relatives, still at the table but not responsible for the dinner. Somehow it works well but just means that I’m constantly in danger of falling over my own feet as my eyes are ever drawn upwards.
I met Il Porcellino the bronze larger-than-life pig who was a gift from an Italian lady. Rub his shiny nose, drop a donation for the hospital in the box, and he’ll bring you good luck! His nose was gleaming from all
Sydney
Old buildings snuggle up to the young ones that polishing!
I didn’t know much about Brett Whiteley, but he’s one of Australia’s best known artists and it seems that drawing was at the heart of everything he did, from painting to sculpture to prints. He died in 1992 after receiving international acclaim in the 1960’s. The exhibition was titled ‘Drawing is Everything ‘. I liked the loose inky drawings and the driftwood sculptures. I think my favourite drawing was the very angry Tasmanian devil ( you’ll find a photo of it somewhere here) So then we split up and I had a wander around their permanent exhibition.I was interested in the artist John Glover, who was already an established artist in England when he emigrated to Tasmania in 1831 at the age of 64. One wonders why.......a landscape looking rather European and indigenous people going about their daily tasks an no reference to European contact when they were really on the receiving end of dispossession and violence from the colonists. ‘Natives on the Ouse River, Van Diemen’s Land 1838’
Meeting up with Eunice again, we walked through the Botanical Gardens, admiring the trees. We walked around to the Opera House through the Gardens and I posed for a
Brett Whiteley
Driftwood sculptures photo on Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, a huge sandstone rock, handcarved into the shape of a bench in 1810 by convicts. Elizabeth Macquarie was the wife of the Governor of New South Wales, and the story has it that she liked to sit here and watch for the ships from Great Britain sailing into the harbour. It all provides yet another alternative view of the harbour bridge and the opera house : their relationship changes at every different angle.
Having walked right around to Circular Quay, where the ferries are constantly busying themselves in and out ..... we caught a ferry to Watson’s Bay. It was really hot, children on their summer holidays still and we imagined sitting at a bar with a cold beer. Public Transport in Sydney is super-amazing. The travel cards which can be topped up at the newsagent, cover the buses, trains and the public ferries and travel is really cheap . I hadn’t realised that Sydney has all these different areas which can be accessed by water as well as road, and that many people catch a ferry to work every day. Lynn in Canulla had said that her children used get ferries to and from
school when they lived in Bundeena, but of course they didn’t find it exciting at all!
Anyway, it was lovely taking the ferry through the harbour and we had great views of the city, and even a tall old sailing ship with masts to give a feel of the past! We docked at Watson’s Bay , but all the bars and cafes were bursting with young people and families, so we just walked up to the cliffs where there was a grand view of the bay where many old sailing ships had gone down. In fact there was the anchor up there of a boat that had sunk in 1857 with only one survivor out of the 122 on board. And high cliffs being popular suicide places there were lots of posters referencing The Samaritans. We got a bus back to Eunice’s apartment and then I went to the roof garden with her to collect some fresh herbs for our omelette dinner. And met some more of the very sociable residents who help to water and tend the shared vegetables on the rooftop. It was strange to look back across to Eunice’s balcony and to put the apartment into perspective
Brett Whiteley
Tasmanian Devil with its surrounding neighbours
The next day was Tuesday, and enthusiastic to keep up the morning walk exercise we set off at a pace to do the usual walk in the park, in the grounds of the old mental institution and around the inlet . There was a strange arrangement of ‘things’ set out to dry in the park. No one to guard it, so we just looked and wondered. We had a quiet day, just exploring the shops in Rozelle and eating ice cream. Reserving our energies for another evening at the Opera House. We met the ‘walking ladies’ downstairs and set off to the Opera House by bus. We met up with Ann’s husband Bill and Nicky, a New Zealand friend of Eunice’s who really lives in Colombia. We had a pre dinner glass of fizzy stuff before joining the huge audience in the Opera House theatre..... all come to see an interview with celebrity chef Ottolengi. He was articulate, amusing and told stories of his childhood and his diversion into the restaurant business, publishing and tv. It was interesting and you could feel the adoration and love from the ( mainly female) audience. The interviewer himself was
Brett Whiteley
Ink landscape a famous Asian Australian cook. The audience left, many of them clutching their signed edition of ‘Simple’ ..... those who hadn’t already been given it for Christmas of course! When we came out of the Opera House the lights were all glittering and there was a great sunset over the harbour. Time to stop and share a bottle of wine and some nibbles before getting the bus back home.
ROAD TRIP time now! Small bags of essentials packed and large bag of food and drinks. But now we experience one of the downsides of living the high life on 6th floor. The lift had broken and was being repaired. We waited for a while but just had to bite the bullet and carry our stuff down to the ground floor via the fire exit stairs and then another two floors to the basement car park. We drove South, Heading for Basin View. On the way we stopped at the Kiama Blow Hole ...... a hole in the rocks where the sea spits out a torrent of water high into the air when the tide’s coming in. But the Blow Hole wasn’t blowing for us! Never mind. We went into town
Brett Whiteley
What makes a good drawing for a coffee and then went to a ‘Drive Through’ Bottle Shop to get some wine for our hosts, Eunice’s friends Sue and Stan. I usually select wine by whether I like the label, and we both liked The Elephant in the Room.
We arrived at Sue and Stan’s house in Basin View and unloaded. Sue has been ill recently and was feeling very poorly when we arrived. She insisted that we stay . A lovely hospitable couple . Sue had also arrived from the UK as a young teacher in the 1970’s ( that’s when she met Eunice) and Stan was originally a New Zealander. We left Sue to rest and Stan took us for a drive around the Basin. And a coastal walk. We went to Hiams Bay which was made famous when the claim to fame was that it had the whitest sand in the world. Stan said that after that happened the place was teeming with people taking selfies on the beach. However, the next bay ‘Chinaman’s Bay’ had sand just as white. We walked the coastal bush path from Hiams Bay to Chinaman’s Bay and were so thrilled to come across a mum kangaroo and
her baby Joey on the path, nonchalantly nibbling the vegetation. They watched us, unflustered and thoughtful, with big brown eyes as their jaws chewed on the grass hanging out of their mouths. Like giant hares. We softly followed them along the path as they moved on, and stopped whenever they stopped to eat. I never thought expected to get so close to a wild kangaroo. Eventually mum decided to hop into the bushes at the side of the path. The young Joey followed her and they disappeared. Magical.Along the path were also the Scribble trees. It really looks as if someone has taken a biro and scribbled randomly on the trunk, producing the kind of marks you see in a stationery shop where people have been trying out the pens to see if they work. It’s made by an insect burrowing along under the bark. When we arrived at Chinaman’s Bay it was just as beautiful and the sand was soft and white, but my kangaroo encounter had filled all the delight and amazement sensors in my brain! Retracing our steps we went back to the car and Stan took us to another inlet where some young girls were fishing
off a pier. Two or three pelicans drifted nearby, hopeful of a free supper maybe. Such gracious yet prehistoric looking birds.
Next morning we heard that Su had had a bad night and Stan prepared to take her to the doctors. When I got up to make a cup of tea, Stan pointed out the two kangaroos eating grass on the lawn in the front garden. They spend the night over on the other side of the road, near the water and then take a short cut through Stan and Su’s garden in the early morning, where they spend the heat of the day in the bush wilderness behind the house. The day was already heating up ....... forecast suggested it might get up to 40 degrees. Eunice and I went for a walk along the inlet shoreline ( hopeful of seeing more wildlife) but it was very hot and still with just the noisy cicadas ‘singing’ their hearts out. We came back to the house to cool down, heard that Su and Stan would not be back so we drove to a town called Milton and cooled off in an air conditioned cafe ( and did a bit of
Sydney Botanical Gardens
Tree with bark like a snake shedding its skin internet stuff) At about 3pm , as we left the cafe, the weather suddenly and dramatically changed. Storm clouds gathered , thunder rumbled and a wild wind tore along the street blowing signboards and overturning chairs. Apparently this is what happens and it’s a Southerly. Eunice had done some homework and we drove along to find Rick Stein’s restaurant. Apparently he has an Australian partner and they have a restaurant and hotel. It looked very nice and we looked at the menu .... not overly expensive either.
We got back to Su and Stan’s house to not very good news: Su was being moved to the hospital in Woolloomooloo, a two hour drive away, but with more specialists to treat her condition.
As we sat chatting to Stan over dinner , the light from the dining room lit up bouncing kangaroo bodies leaping past the window. We counted 12..... big ones and youngsters, all taking the kangaroo highway from the back garden, round to the front, across the road and down to the waterfront. So surprised-so of course there are no photos and you’ll just have to believe me! They really give the appearance of kids bouncing by on space
Sydney
Another view where the Opera House and bridge seem to be cosying up to each other hoppers!
Next morning we packed the car and left for Canberra. Stan left too, heading for Woolloomooloo.( yes -difficult to believe that’s reallya place name!) So now we are leaving NSW ( New South Wales) and heading into ACT ( Australian Capital Territory)
We stopped at a dusty roadside pub in Nerriga, hoping for a coffee, but a quick look around convinced us that this place was for serious drinkers, not tea and coffee drinkers. There were some great photos on the walls though. Old ( but probably not so old in reality) bearded loggers and farm hands. Across the road was a sculpture of Ned Kelly made from scrap metals and tools. The message on it read ‘welcome to Nerriga. We don’t bring our cows to the city, so don’t bring your bullshit to the country’. We decided against trying to order a coffee. Next to pub there were a couple of old rundown buildings for sale. One was meant for me -the sign over the door was faded and the paint peeling.... but yes -it said ‘The Old Butcher Gallery ‘. Now that would be a serious move.
So we drove on a bit further to the town
Sydney
Lady Macquarie’s Seat of Bungendore, where we had a snack and coffee in a cafe attached to a fabulous woodworking gallery. It was obviously the work of several very talented woodworkers, with lots of interesting Australian wood and everything from spoons and light pulls to large pieces of furniture.
So fed and watered we went on into Canberra, the capital city of Australia and the centre of government and parliament. So is it true that there was such furious rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne to be the capital, that they just chose Canberra instead? It’s a marvel of town planning, with super wide tree lined avenues and roads radiating out from the Parliament House in the centre. We made for the National Museum of Australia, parked the car and went inside. There was lots about the history of the indigenous people and life before the Europeans, and then the other waves of immigrants. Little anecdotes about different characters in history, and incidents like the great and terrifying bush fires. Two odd things stick in my mind - the terrifying Heath-Robinson jeep creation used for catching buffalo and the sheep fleece from “Chris”, a sheep that had somehow escaped shearing for about 6 years.
Sydney
Children playing under a huge old tree It was massive and the poor sheep could no longer walk. It was shorn under sedation by a former National Shearing champion and regained mobility.
We went into a 3D film of the Australian Antarctic team , wearing strange goggles and being able to turn 360 degrees to see an ice field of penguins. And great to see, as I detest being cold and so , despite
the beauty, I wouldn’t put Antarctica on my wish list.
It was the end of the afternoon when we made our way to the home of Eunice’s friends,Chris and Ray. We were to stay with them for two nights, not in their house but rather in a home of some friends of theirs where they were house sitting a dog and a cat. Meanwhile their own home was on the market and due to be sold. Next day was a viewing open day and the auction is on 23 February. All very different from a house sale in the UK. I was amazed to realise that their house had been professionally ‘styled’ for the sale. This means that all their furniture and personal effects ( paintings and ornaments) had been removed and put
Sydney
Leaving the city in the wake of the ferry into storage. A ‘stylist’ had put in their sofas, paintings, chairs, tables, lamps beds, bed covers and cushions. Chris was doing last minute tidying and cleaning before the viewing ( that she wouldn’t be attending ) in the morning. Eunice and I set to work on vacuuming and polishing with Chris, while Ray was neatening the borders in the garden and a neighbour was cutting the already neatly shorn lawn. Amazing! Chris was saying that they dare not do it any other way as this is what people do to sell their homes. And looking through a local Canberra property guide that evening I realised that what would seem to be the neat modern minimalist interiors of all the homes on sale , were actually the professional make-overs.
Last minute cleaning done, we followed Chris and Ray back to their friends’ home for diner. Ray used to work for a Danish environmental company, Chris is still teaching and they’d all met in Hong Kong many years ago.
Next day we left Chris and Ray ( going back to the house to check all was still ok and no specks of dust had settled back during the night) and set off
Sydney
Another view of that bridge! to explore Canberra. We started at Parliament House. Now, I must admit that I’ve never been to look around the Houses of Parliament in London, so I’ve nothing to contrast and compare. I was impressed by the huge textile tapestry hanging in the great hall. It was all of tree trunk and bark, floor to ceiling and huge. I rather liked the Lego model of the Houses of Parliament, complete with all the busy little Lego people. The main room of the Parliament, where the MP’s sit, is a lovely duck-egg blue. There were paintings of all the former Australian Prime Ministers, and an exhibition of artwork by artists who’d been in the armed forces. Lots of history including the history of women’s rights ( who got the vote before women in the U.K.) and the Barunga Statement for the indigenous owners and occupiers of Australia who had been disenfranchised since the arrival of the first European settlers in the late 1700’s. We took a lift up onto the grass roof of the building. There were great views of the wide, flat avenues which spiral around the Parliament building.
We next went to the Art Gallery for a spot of
Sydney
Ferry to Watson’s Bay lunch and then to wander around the exhibition rooms. There was a visiting exhibition by the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama : an installation in a mirrored room with yellow and black polka dotted pumpkins stretching all around into infinity. We’d both seem her work on a trip to Japan , in her home town of Matsumoto.
In the evening we went for a Thai meal with Chris and Ray. And I appreciated sitting outside in February-in the warm!
Next morning we set off for the National Arboretum with Chris and Ray ( who is a volunteer there) Its only 6 kilometres from the city centre and a great open space containing rare, endangered and symbolic trees from Australia and around the world. There’s an Edication and ‘village ‘ centre, cafe and a ‘pod’ playground for children, featuring enormous acorns and banksia pods. Climbing up Dairy Farmers’ Hill we came upon’Nest’ a fabulous sculpture with the eagle and the nest constructed from old tools and farm implements.
We said our goodbyes, and drove back to Sydney. Just stopping for a coffee and sandwich along the way.
Got back to Eunice’s apartment and turned on the fans ....... it’s snowing at home!
Sydney Harbour
A blast from the past So now it’s my last week in Sydney. Better look at the Sydney Lonely Planet and see what needs to be seen!
While we’ve been away the city has set itself up to celebrate Chinese New Year. Down by Circular Quay there are giant sculptures of the twelve zodiac animals which are lit up at night. And on Monday morning we took a bus to Circular Quay to have a look at the sculptures and then to explore The Rocks.
This had been the original settlement when the British arrived in Sydney. Convict labour had built the houses and it developed into one of the Pacific’s notorious sailor towns where some of the toughest and most dangerous people lived. Rows of little houses, built like Victorian England’s back-to-backs, sprang up together with rough drinking pubs and bad sanitation. The Rocks was under threat of being demolished to make room for more shines new tower blocks, but the strong community that had developed through hardship was not to be so easily torn apart. There were demonstrations and protests from the community led by trade union activist Jack Mundey and the Rocks buildings were allowed to stay. Of course it’s a tidy
Watson’s Bay
Anchor from a ship that went down in 1857 version of those wild days, but you can still walk the cobbled streets and imagine how it might have been. There’s a Discovery Museum in one of these ld wharehouse buildings that takes you through the history of the Rocks from pre 1788 when the Galdigal people lived here through to the present day. We took a guided tour , led by a young bearded Englishman from Norfolk, through a corner shop and then through the two adjoining buildings, hearing stories and photos of the families who had lived there. They’ve chosen to leave it as it is as when the tenants moved out and just to point out the changes that had been made from the original building. It seemed to me that they’d rigged up showers and proper baths in the backyard washrooms at a time when my grandmother and great aunt were living in London houses without such amenities!
We walked up to the Observatory on the rounded knoll of the hill above the rocks and as we came down , nearly got in the way of some professional film company . Young actors runnng down the hill, glancing behind them as if being chased.
Next day
I packed a small bag for overnight and we went to meet Jane at Circular Quay. We also worked together in Singapore in the 1970’s and regularly meet up over the years ( San Francisco, Luca, Cradley!) But as it’s the first time I’ve ever been to Australia I’ve never seen her ‘at home’. She lives in Gymea in the Sydney suburbs. We walked around, had a coffee and looked at the Chinese New Year animals. Then walked around the Rocks to Barangaroo. The pathway was busy and noisy with new construction work, and the old whatehouse buildings, wool deposits and breweries are being turned into desirable homes and hotels. Lots of office workers , a wonderfully cosmopolitan melee of young people, were all busy getting their lunch. But we managed to get a table and ordered some tasty Vietnamese street food. Of course, we are never short of conversation.
We said goodbye to Eunice and I set off with Jane to stay for a couple of days with her and husband Peter in Gymea. It was great to see Peter, who’s not been well lately and to see their new ‘downsized’ home -which seemed plenty big enough to me!)
Rozelle.
Eunice picking herbs in the roof garden and their two little friendly dogs.
Next day Jane and I caught the train a few stops to go to Cronulla. I told her that I’d only been there briefly to meet Eunice’s friend and walk to the ferry on Australia Fay. We both thought it very funny when Jane led me to a coffee shop she likes ..... and it was the same one I’d been to on the way to the ferry! Felt quite at home! We trotted around the shops. There still seem to be lots of independent bookshops in Australia. The school holidays are over, so the glorious beaches are fairly quiet. But then groups of. schoolchildren carrying surfboards come chattering and laughing down to the beach, following tanned and healthy spirts teachers. Surf lessons. Amazing! We met Peter, who’d driven in, at a lovely seafood restaurant by the beach. Wide curved glass windows gave us panoramic views of sea, sand and blue sky. And we shared a veritable feast of seafood. Everything seemed so calm and laid back here. But I was reminded that Cronulla hit world news with some ugly racist beach riots in 2005.i don’t remember hearing about them. It started with an
Rozelle
Strange things drying in the park this morning ugly altercation between some Lebanese youth and some young Caucasian Beach Lifesavers and in a short time attracted all the worst elements of both sides.
We went home before car and had a bit of a rest. Jane and Peter then said that I must experience the suburban club ( they don’t have pubs as such) so we walked along the street to the bowling club. Big , brash with a room full of poker machines ( which fund the club) and lots of folks enjoying the Wednesday roast dinner. Next door was the much larger club ‘Tradies’ boasting far more amenities. It’s the traditional Australian working men’s club . We sat out on the balcony overlooking the bowling green ( nobody playing -all too busy eating , drinking and playing poker?) And it was very pleasant and friendly. A cloudy but warm evening, and then the sun broke through on the horizon, and through a gap in the trees there were the tall skyscrapers of Sydney city centre and the Post Office tower. Like some sort of far off celestial city! And Icoukdnt believe that it looked so near.
Next morning I got up early enough to take Bonnie
Sydney
Il Porcellino with the shiny, well rubbed nose ( a spoodle) for a walk with Jane, so had a good walk around the neighbourhood and stopped at Jane’s local coffee shop on the way back.
We went to a local community art gallery, but they were in the process of hanging a new exhibition so there was nothing to see , except some very interesting studios with lots of crafts going on. Tried to persuade Jane to do some silver jewellery. I think she’d be great at it. We went on to Illawong to meet Janes daughter Jenna and her little boy. I’ve never met Jenna before as when I left Singapore Jane’s son Joel was the only one around , Jenna not there yet. Jenna to me looked just like a version of her Mum when we were all in Singapore. How did that happen? We had lovely cakes and tea and then Jane dropped me off at the station and I got the train back into Sydney.
The next day was Friday and I got up early and took the bus to Pyrmont to meet Tom and Louise Van Vuren at their local favourite breakfast place. Tom and Louise , for those who don’t know, live
Sydney
Opera house on Ottolengi night in Cradley and Tom and I have often walked the boards in the same Cradley Village Players productions. It was lovely to see them ! But so strange to be chatting about Cradley doings! They are here for two years and really making the most of their time. If I were 40 years younger ....... I’d have been tempted to jump shop in Sydney!
Had a lot very oatmeal and fruit and yoghurt breakfast and then walked around this area a bit. I walked to the Powerhouse Science Museum ( but didn’t fancy leaving sunny Sydney to go inside) and found the ‘paper bag building’ with undulating walls like a scrunched up paper bag. From there I walked to the Chinese Garden of Friendship...... and made a wish for the Chinese year of the Pig.
I caught the bus home, metbup with Eunice and we went for a walk around Ballast Point Park. It’s an old industrial area where some of the ugly tanks and rusty machinery have been turned into sculptures and returned to the landscape. We walked back home through Balmain, stopping for Japanese ice cream and tea on the way. That evening there was a HUGE thunderstorm.
Sydney Opera House
A glass of bubbly before the show I haven’t seen anything quite like it for years. Torrential rain coming down in sheets, dramatic vivid lightening closely followed by thunderclaps. We went to the restaurant below the building to eat tapas and drink wine safely watching the drama. Some intrepid diners were even sitting on the terrace outside.
Next day was Saturday. I’ve been suffering with intermittent back ache while I’ve been away. I can’t work out what sets it off. So I had another appointment with Katie, the sports physio in Rozelle. That made me feel much better.
It’s my last weekend in Australia. Now of course it’s amazing how fast the time has gone...... Jean’s house In Ballarat, Carolyn’s in Bacchus-Marsh and Nick and Lisa’s wedding in Geelong all seem such a long time ago. We set off to find a little gallery called The White Rabbit which specialises in contemporary Chinese art. We stopped off at Spice Alley for some Asian food first and then went in search of the gallery. Disappointingly it was closed while a new exhibition was being hung. But we managed to find a few other little galleries nearby . That evening we went out for a Chinese New Year’s dinner
Sydney
Bubbly before the show with Monica and her husband and friends ( also originally Singaporean’s) so enjoyed tossing the new year salad and eating all the other tasty treats.
On my last Sunday in Australia we went to see the Australian film ‘Storm Boy’ about a boy and a pelican -based on a true story. Then ended the day with a visit to the night market at The Rocks and a last drink in Circular Quay , overlooking the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
I downloaded the instructions for getting access to an air BnB apartment in Bangkok ready for my next destination. Goodbye Australia! I’ve had a great time , and enjoyed you far more than I thought I would. A beautiful country, friendly people and huge skies and seas. I leave wanting to see more.
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