International Fleet Review 2013

The formalities continue today. Here are some snaps of the scenes this morning from my balcony.

Smaller vessels commence procession towards the review point

The Review passes by HMAS Leeuwin which has on board the Governor-General of Australia, Britain's Prince Harry, the Governor of NSW, the Australian Prime Minister and other dignitaries.

Click on the following photo to enlarge. HMAS Leeuwin can be seen moored mid harbour beneath the arm of the giant dockyard crane. The light canopy is providing shade for the dignitaries. The mansion surrounded by lawn located to the right is Admiralty House, the Sydney residence of Australia's Governor-General. To the left and under the roadway approach, which is to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, you can just make out thousands of sightseers at that vantage point.

HMAS Leeuwin takes the Review

Royal Australian Navy vessels make their way in the procession

A section of the aeronautical display

An older trio of planes

The trio on the turn as they near the Harbour Bridge

Helicopters on display

The Australian flag & RAN Ensign on display over the harbour

The Review continues through the afternoon followed by a fireworks and light display this evening.

Here's Harry

International Fleet

Four of the International Fleet vessels moored in sight of my apartment

The fleet arrives

This weekend the International Fleet Review 2013 is being staged to commemorate the centenary of the arrival of the first Royal Australian Navy fleet of seven vessels) into Sydney Harbour on 4 October 1913.

Yesterday 16 tall ships entered Sydney Harbour and today 37 warships from 17 countries enter the harbour in five groups between 6am and 7pm. Tomorrow the Fleet will be reviewed in the presence of (by?) a certain read headed foreign Prince;

followed by a fireworks and light display over the harbour in the evening.

Yesterday I lunched with friends at Ripples Milsons Point (by the harbour)

and unfortunately it was a rather wet day - our first in weeks - for the arrival of most of the tall ships. We kept an eye on proceedings through rain drenched plastic covers whilst we lunched. Here are pics of several ships passing under the Harbour Bridge on their way to berths at darling Harbour.

Squint and you can make out the ships between the raindrops.

The rain had cleared as we made our way after lunch from the restaurant (right) to the wharf (left) for our trip home. The Luna Park fun park is in the distance.

Oh, I almost forgot. 8,000 sailors are in town for the Review. Whooppee!

The collection

The three monthly council domestic household collection occurred on Monday. I left a portable analogue television for collection; one that I inherited from the vendors from whom I purchased my apartment. The old television is barely useable - and will not be useable when the analogue signal is switched off at the end of the year.

I expected the television to be taken quickly by scavengers ahead of the actual collection by someone who would see in it prospects for reuse or cannibalisation or resale. Sure enough several hours later this guy had opened it on the verge of the footpath and was working away at the old unit's innards.

Bridge

Tonight, 57.20%, 4/12

#sweptaway

#sweptaway was the hashtag used for the South Pacific Flash Mob held on the steps of the Opera House on Sunday.

Here are some snaps;

Rehearsing

Rehearsing

Rehearsing

Rehearsing

Members of the cast of South Pacific introduced to the Flash Mob ahead of filming;

Two beautifully behaved dogs participated throughout the three hours of rehearsals and filming performing the movements better than many of the humans; well better than this human managed at any rate;

Cast members join in with the Flash Mob

Now for the big finish

Whilst the Flash Mob was in progress someone proposed via an aerial sign writer.

I wonder whether s/he said 'yes'?

Bridge

Tonight, 45.80%, 8/9

Spring Sunday

A beautiful Spring sunday in Sydney today, 23ºc and sunny, perfect for being around Circular Quay and the Opera House. I was attracted to visit there today by the planned flash mob on the steps of the Opera House using the current production of South Pacific as the excuse (and, of course, marketing exercise). More about the flash mob in a later post but here are just a few snaps from the day.

Arriving at Circular Quay by train (the City Circle line) this must surely be one of the best views from a train platform anywhere in the world;

Harbour Bridge, Circular Quay Ferry terminal & Opera House

Opera Bar with some breakfast diners

The steps of the forecourt of the Opera House were the location for the South Pacific Flash Mob. Participants were asked to assemble at 10.30am to rehearse the steps with filming to follow around noon.

First arrivals around 10am

Participants were handed leis to wear;

Me and my lei

Rehearsals underway

Afterwards, a small section of the massive Sunday queue for the ferry service to the seaside suburb of Manly; a trip every visitor to Sydney should make.

The wharf is deep within the distant gloom

I'll post some photos of the Flash Mob separately. The official video of the activity is expected to appear on both You Tube and the Opera Australia website in the next few days. If it is any good I imagine it will get wide circulation through online social media.

A grand final for the birds

The Eastern Suburbs Roosters will meet the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in next week's National Rugby League Grand Final. Two Sydney based teams with bird mascots.

Cs and I attended the Roosters' qualifying match tonight, the Preliminary Final, in which they defeated the Newcastle Knights soundly 40-14.

Roosters & Knights players shaking hands at full time

99.9

So read my scales this morning which seems an optimistically large drop from the horror figure of only a week ago but I'll take it. It places me back under three figures (just) but the important thing is that is the direction I want to be headed.

The shoe laces speak

Friday.

The day program. Young adults, mostly 16 to about 22 years. The same procedure each Friday. They come into admissions, have their papers checked and then I escort them to the ward. They are due at the same time. Sometimes they arrive together but mostly they appear, like the metaphorical Brown's cows, strung out over a couple of hours.

The walk to their ward is a long one. One long internal corridor linking four adjoining buildings. They follow me. Me leading the pack like a 21st Century Pied Piper. Occasionally there is conversation behind me - the latest haircut or do, a day spent at the beach, comparisons of their medication regimes - but mostly there is an eerie silence. Each patient insular, self reflecting, or head down texting silently on their mobile phone.

The corridor has a very long straight stretch. You could attempt the land speed record on it so long is the passage at that point. Others pass us by as we also pass them but each in my group is alone with their thoughts amongst the crowd.

My thoughts turn to sounds and balance. The sounds of silence. Are those my trouser legs swishing against each other? When the footsteps behind me fade I turn to check have any patients fallen behind? Disappeared? Run away?

My balance worries me. Others don't notice but I do. I have suffered a very, very minor sense of imbalance ever since I lost the hearing in one ear following nerve damage fifteen or so years ago. Damage exacerbated after I flew with a head cold from Brisbane on my 60th birthday. Occasionally I feel I can't walk straight. Especially when walking in confined passages. Surely they must notice. Yet I know they don't. Still I wonder. Do they fear I am about to divert into a side corridor that doesn't exist? Do they fear I am about to fall?

Still the sounds. My shoe laces slap against my shoes with each step. I hear them. Do they? Shoe laces. Speaking to me as I walk. What do they say? 'Keep walking straight'? 'Don't lose the patients'? 'Will we ever get there'?

Finally, patients safely delivered to their ward, I return to my post at Admissions. The long walk back. Alone. That long straight stretch. Strangely, no balance problems evident when I am alone. No sounds come into my thoughts. My shoe laces fall silent.

And then another lot of patients arrive. And it all starts again.

Bridge

Tonight, 49.20%, 6/12

Bridge

Tonight, 38.80%, 12/13

South Pacific

Yes, it is only a year ago that I saw this Opera Australia presentation of the Lincoln Center Theater Production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's 'South Pacific'. That season resulted in the most number of tickets sold for a single presentation at the Sydney Opera House so it is unsurprising that OA quickly installed the production into this year's season.

I enjoyed it very much last year and had no hesitation dishing out the dollars to see it again this year. No doubt that's partly the community reaction OA was banking on for its financial situation. I notice that OA has programmed Rodgers and Hammerstein's 'The King and I' for next year. When you're onto a good thing, stick to it.

The same principals (Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Lisa McCune) appear this year and thankfully the amplification issues that impeded Tahu Rhodes' performance last year seem to have been resolved so that the sound balance this time around was excellent. The next three principals are all changed from last year with Blake Bowden as Lt Cable, Gyton Grantley as Luther Billis and Christine Anu as Bloody Mary. All three are able, arguably superior, substitutes for their predecessors.

It remains a terrific production and I enjoyed it again immensely.

★★★★1/2

102.7

I knew it before I entered the doctor's surgery. I expected it. His look of disapproval. His words of reprobation.

I knew, from the scales at home, that I had put weight on since the last time he checked it about six months ago. I hoped the increase when checked in the surgery would be at the lower level of the range but no such luck. The reading was at the higher level.

Five kilos heavier than when I weighed in six months earlier. My heaviest ever weight. My first ever readings in three figures.

That was bad enough but I wasn't expecting the double whammy. My blood pressure readings, so good for so many years now, were a shock. Both readings. Lying down and standing. I remembered that I had forgotten. I'd forgotten to take my medication that morning. That might have had some impact. Wake up to myself, all that additional weight must be a significant culprit.

Less food. Healthier food. Exercise.

Here we go again.

Blue Jasmine

The trailer for Woody Allen's latest film 'Blue Jasmine' gives the impression this darker than usual Allen offering is a take on Tennessee Williams' 'A Streetcar Named Desire'  but seeing the film as a whole the comparisons are less intrusive and the story stands on its own.

Apparently Allen wrote the story with Cate Blanchett in mind for the title character and the Aussie actress does not miss out delivering a stellar performance that dominates. Blanchett plays a woman in mental disintegration after losing all that she values in life; status, esteem and financial security. Its a terrific performance that is an obvious tip for honours in the awards season ahead.

A strong supporting cast may be overshadowed but does not disappoint each making strong contributions of their own.

★★★★

Bridge

Last night, 41.90%, 11/11

I go to Rio

Having had the pleasure of spending four days in Rio de Janeiro last January and before that several days at the Iguazu Falls on the border between Brazil and Argentina I was particularly interested when a friend emailed me the following video.

The time lapse photography enhances the spectacular setting of both locations. Enjoy.

UPDATE: for some reason the video won't post here even though I have used the embed code provided from the original site. That site has a Christian connection. Perhaps they don't approve of their material appearing on a gay-related site?

Bridge

Last night, 54.60%, 4/12