Sydney!

Trip Day-20
February 26, 2010

Sydney, Day 2

This is a BIG city. And like all others it shares common traits: noise, congestion and traffic. The cab ride to the hotel was familiar: . Someone got hurt here.

Good urban hiking day today. A few rain showers here and there, but they didn't keep people inside. Like other international cities, people want to be out and they get out.
Taking Ted's and my innkeeper's suggestion, I headed toward the Opera House via the Naval Depot, Mrs. Macquarie's Chair (for the view) and the Botanical Gardens Then took a ferry to Manly, had lunch and a little people watching at Manly Beach. Back to the hotel to clean up, do some photo-editing and some writing, grab a light dinner and head for the Symphony. No sense in just looking at the outside of the Opera House… So the first stop was the Navy base. A memorial at Embarkation Point caught my attention (I wouldn't have seen it had I gone the most direct route to the Botanical Gardens…I simply missed the shortcut while I paid more attention to the rain and my camera gear). Glad I did. If you were paying attention in NZ you'd see WW1 or Great War memorials in every city or town. The memorial here honored those soldiers from Australia who had shipped out from Embarkation Point.

Here are some statistics that most of us remember only indistinctly, if at all. During the Great War, from 1914-1918, Australian casualties amounted to almost 65% (215,518 of 331,781) of all who went to war. New Zealand casualties were 59% (58,526 of 98,959). [Source: Australian Campaigns in the Great War]. The experience, highlighted by the disastrous campaign at Gallipoli, helped define both Australia and New Zealand national identities.

Then on to the incomparable Royal Botanic Gardens, some showy birds and an introduction to Fruit Bats. Carolyn said they look a little like Phoebe with wings. True. Interesting little buggers just waiting for the sun to start going down to start their commute to work.

The Opera House is a place of immense energy and vitality. Lots of kids on school trips (note the uniforms) mixing with tourists and residents alike circulating in and around the plaza. There are six theaters in the complex. The Opera and The Man in Black were sold out, but I grabbed a ticket for Nigel Kennedy and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra starting at 8. Didn't see any sense of just looking at the outside of a iconic building.

$13 buys a round trip ticket to Manly and a good way to see the harbor. In about the same time as a ferry ride from Hingham to Boston, this half hourly service pretty much defines mass water transportation. It was much the same kind of experience as ours at home: relaxing, picturesque and efficient. 700 passenger boats. They actually understand and practice public transit by water here.

There is a serious commitment to the water here. What I thought might be a camp of some sort was, in fact, a class for city children to teach them respect for the sea and how to safely have fun in it.. Rips are real and dangerous. Children are taught early how to spot them.

The concert was something else. Not a sellout, but a good house for Mr. Kennedy. Didn't know who he was until yesterday, but I sure do now. He's hard to ignore. Spiked hair, an almost exaggerated informality with both orchestra and audience and a mouth that, in my opinion, didn't belong on stage in front an audience with children, he and a largely string orchestra played Bach and Ellington with three short Bartoks thrown in. It was hugely entertaining. Informal and profane he may be, but he takes the music seriously and drew us all into a two hour program that paired Bach with The Duke. The Bartok pieces were duets with a young female violinist whose extravagant (and profane) introduction drew unsettled laughter. She handled it well…I guess he does this kind of thing regularly…and they worked together beautifully. For the Ellington works he supplemented the orchestra with a terrific vibraphonist, a sax man, guitarist, drummer and his own electric violin. Julliard trained, he and first chair/concert master violinist studied together. They did have fun talking about school. And if the concert master didn't wear those damn shoes! At least they hadn't developed that cute little toe-curl yet. Maybe they're just a better brand?
Kennedy would be a good show at the Pops, but Keith Lockhart would likely have to take a seat. Nigel works alone.

Bondi Beach tomorrow!