Poo, poo to that....

C talks a lot of shit. Or rather he talks a lot about shit. His own shit actually. C studies his own poo closely from which he develops theories about his state of health. I suppose there is nothing wrong with that except that I don't understand his need to share his findings so often. Or indeed, at all.

When I was in New York in March I saw a novelty booklet entitled 'What your poo means' (or words to that effect). I couldn't resist and I bought a copy back as a present for C. I wasn't sure how C would react to this present but he seemed to take in good spirit. I noticed he spent a long time reading it afterwards.

Later I wondered if I had been too sensitive to this practice of C's. But I believe I have been vindicated. C recently returned from a long weekend away with his niece. He told me that half way through the weekend she turned to him and said 'Uncle C I don't mind you checking out your poo but please don't tell me about it all the time'.

Shit happens.

The Hydro

Photos from a day trip to the nearby Blue Mountains; in particular the Hydro Majestic Hotel where as a child, more than 55 years ago I spent a number of holidays with my mother and grandmother. The hotel seems have gone through various boom and bust periods. I believe it is currently under foreign ownership.

Sydney's Big Apple

Bride Wars?

It is not unusual to see wedding ceremonies occurring in Sydney's magnificent Centennial Park. Indeed the Park's website has an entire section on reserving space in the Park for a wedding ceremony, scheduling wedding photographs in the Park and even on staying in the Park in connection with a wedding.

So when I was driving through the Park yesterday and saw this sight at the Belvedere Amphitheatre in the Park my first thought was that a wedding was about to occur.

How fancy. An orchestra in place!

But then I took a closer look.

A lovely setting. Sweeping views towards the South where upper right you see the upper levels of the main Grandstand at Randwick Racecourse. The buildings upper middle belong to the University of New South Wales. The domed building in the centre is Federation Pavilion constructed in 1988 to mark the place where the Proclamation of the Commonwealth of Australia occurred in 1901.

But back to the wedding. The orchestra appeared to be a youth orchestra. Unless the wedding party involved teachers and/or students a Youth Orchestra seemed an odd choice for a wedding. And then the Orchestra started to perform; apparently in rehearsal. The first few notes were very much the sounds of young musicians. Not only that but the first few bars of music also clearly were the Star Wars movie theme.

Now, that is an odd choice for a wedding.

When I returned home hours later I checked the What's On section in Park's website. My more considered reactions proved justified. The orchestra was not preparing for a wedding yesterday. They were rehearsing for Classics in the Park; an outdoor family concert performed by 'Sydney Youth Orchestras'.

Interestingly the website advertises the price for this event as $20. I could see and hear the Orchestra perfectly well from my vantage point beyond the loosely roped off area which surrounded the white plastic chairs. Had I attended the concert I think would have joined the early gathering hoi polloi on their blankets and fold up chairs beyond the rope.

Light rail musing

I saw a comment from Andrew on James' blog expressing the view that Sydney's new CBD and South East light rail construction appears over engineered. I don't really know what that means but given how knowledgeable Andrew is about light rail I'm sure he must have a valid point.

Driving through Kensington today I was struck by how the trail of light rail track already installed and yet to come meanders all over the place. I would have assumed the track would run more or less down the middle of the street but what is visible wriggles like a snake. Sometimes on the western side of the road then suddenly on the eastern side. In parts the twin tracks are side by side down the centre but then, whilst still somewhat centred, at the UNSW they part as though to allow for a platform to be constructed between them.

At the moment traffic is horrendous wherever the construction is taking place. You would like to think that will change once the system is operational but the meandering appearance of the line makes me wonder.

Perhaps W stands for WTF luxury

Whilst we spent the vast majority of our stay in Bali at Sanur and were happy to do so we also paid brief visits to other tourist spots, namely Ubud, Kintamani, Kuta, Legian and Seminyak.

These visits only reinforced my preference for Sanur which provided the leisurely, sedate holiday experience I was seeking.

Whilst in Seminyak we spent twenty minutes or so wandering around public areas in the W Bali Resort. This exclusive resort is quite an eye opener. Stunning in parts, the biggest stun (or sting) would probably be to your wallet.

Some photos from our 'hit and run' visit.

Car entry is via a long Bamboo archway. Cars are security checked including for bombs.

Poolside

Poolside and Seminyak Beachside

Lazy cushions

Indoor/Outdoor lounge; one of numerous eating places.

Seminyak Beach

Another dining location

We didn't open our wallets.

To the point

A gathering to farewell the retiring, long standing gardener and general handyman for my apartment block. About thirty in attendance, all sexagenarians and much older.

S is speaking to me about being a 'benefactor to the arts'; a gross inflation of my frequent attendance at the theatre. S draws the passing T into our conversation despite the latter's obvious intention to join another group nearby.

S: 'I do love the Wharf Revue. It is so topical and entertaining'.

T: 'The subject does not interest me'. And with that, T moves on.

Peak hour

Two cruise ships sailing out of Sydney this afternoon

Easy Reader

I'm enjoying this book.

It is easy to read. The language is not overly academic. It is not set at intellectuals. It is warmhearted. It is honest. Chapters are introduced with an interesting photograph. The writing varies from narratives to jottings.

A bit like a blog really.

Strangers in Paradise

I enjoyed dinner and an evening with friends this week including M who lives in what might be called a designer suburb of Sydney.

Breakfast Point

Breakfast Point has arisen from the metaphorical ashes of an old gas works site. A new suburb of perhaps 3,000 residents in just under twenty years. The residential complexes are built around a number of community facilities including a sports oval and its adjacent sparklingly clean and organised Country Club.

M took us on a tour of the club before we moved on to a restaurant in a nearby 'non-designed' suburb. Each Friday evening the Country Club hosts nibbles and drinks for residents and their guests. Without any reflection on our good friend M it all felt a bit like stepping into the cinematic town of Stepford.

The Country Club

There were about thirty others in little groupings. One couple joined us, glasses of red wine in hand. He was particularly vocal dominating the conversation over his wife who remained mute, not lifting the glass to her lips.

'We couldn't wait to downsize' he informed us. 'Push the kids out and get our lives back' he continued. The 'kids', now aged in their thirties, live respectively in Canberra and Darwin, he said. One has provided a grandchild. The couple is estranged from their children and don't get to see the grandchild. 'Good riddance to them' was the unmistakeable unspoken summary.

This and other tidbits of sensational insider information was imparted to us - complete strangers to the couple - within minutes of meeting. Putting a final stamp on the conversation, the wife finally joined in. Lifting her glass to take an earthy sip of her wine she informed me in confidential tones, 'If I'd known how much trouble children are, I would never have had any'.

Route 389

I think bus route 389 in Sydney must be one of the city's most interesting services. It used to operate between Circular Quay in the city and North Bondi in the eastern suburbs but nearly two years ago the city end of the route was changed to the Maritime Museum on the western edge of the Darling Harbour precinct.

At the time I thought that the change was not particularly convenient for we eastern suburbs residents who more usually head for Circular Quay than for Darling Harbour.

This week I travelled that changed route for the first time and it proved an eye opener for me. Traversing Darling Harbour in itself is quite interesting visually but the real treat is passing through the village and cafe atmosphere in Jones Street Ultimo and the delights of the waterfront at Jones Bay and White Bay.

I tried hard to find a full map of the adjusted route to post but the best I could manage is the western half with the new Maritime Museum destination included.

The full route passes through, or close to, numerous village and cafe locales. Off the top of my head they include Bondi Beach, North Bondi, Dover Heights, Woollahra, Five Ways, East Sydney, the Central Business District, Darling Harbour and Jones Street.

It provides a great opportunity especially for holders of Seniors Opal Cards to use the service as a hop on/hop off service sampling various precincts along the way. I'm going to suggest that friends and I try it ourselves one day.

No wonder our Prime Minister called Route 389 his favourite bus service.

Travelling the full route, according to the timetable, takes around an hour and ten minutes at most times during the day.

Sunset in Cairns

Camp Cove

My parents and I spent many a summer weekend on this inner harbour beach more than fifty years ago. The distant CBD skyline would have been vastly different in those years. Indeed it is vastly different from this photo nowadays too. This photograph was taken on 28 December 2009 whilst showing visitors the sights of Sydney.

Camp Cove

A touch of Versailles

The second exhibition we visited whist in Canberra was Versailles: Treasures from the Palace at the National Gallery of Australia. The marketing of the exhibition states it is the first time the treasures have been displayed outside of France. If so, it is an honour for the Gallery and Australia.

It is a spectacular display, highly recommended for those who can make the trip to view it.

Some photos I took;

The King instructs La Perouse on his forthcoming journey to the great south land, Australia

Madame du Pompadour

Marie-Antoinette

Menu from 21 June 1751

100 objects

I've had my first visit to Canberra in quite a few years. Not sure how many years, perhaps 5 but probably more. A bit surprising given that the nation's capital city is only a 3 hours drive away. The lure was two rare exhibitions and a long overdue catch up with friends resident there.

The first exhibition visited this afternoon was A History of the World in 100 Objects from the British Museum at the National Museum of Australia.

A small sample of the 100 objects displayed;

Well worth a visit.

Food queues

Oh how we pitied those poor burghers of the Eastern Europe Communist regimes in the 1980s and earlier. The burghers who had to queue for hours to enter supermarkets to purchase the odd loaf of bread or a can of tinned food forlornly displayed on near empty shelves.

Those indignities didn't befall we smug residents comfortably ensconced in our First World Western democracies, did they?

Fast forward to 2016.

This is a queue in the affluent Sydney suburb of Woollahra two mornings before Christmas Day.

Of course, this is not a food shortage queue. This is a queue for the fashionable shopper. The ones who want to purchase their Christmas meat from a shiny, fashionable, expensive butchery where the word 'shortage' is never uttered nor understood.

In case you want to be a part of this nonsense, the name of the butchery is Victor Churchill. Those who reached the head of the queue this morning were greeted by a gentleman wearing tails and a top hat (of course) and a young lady who could take their order and swipe their credit card, all before they were admitted through the hallowed doors.

I wasn't in the vicinity for the butchery or the queue. I was headed to the chicken takeaway store next door.