city bingo (final) - the bins

Sydneysiders have bins for everything, and they are everywhere. There is a whole ritual of wheeling out and wheeling in, and a happy disregard for by the binmen about what is left where after they have been through. Again, actually to easy for city bingo; would have to be only the most outrageous pile-ups.

retro lollies

We also enjoyed many of Melbourne's fab little cafes. More shabby chic than Sydney on the whole, and with a bigger retro thing going on - down to the lollies (sweets).

a quickie to Melbourne

And then I had a couple of days in Melbourne, with some lovely friends, meeting some lovely Australians. At one stage we found ourselves, quite unexpectedly, watching some acrobats; as the launch for some kind of artistic/cultural event. 

NAIDOC week

Looking back, I am also struggling to get things in order. NAIDOC Week is usually in July (I think) - standing for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. I went to an event at the university which (to me) just felt awkward and embarrassing; both partronising and only at the level of appearances. It was a raising of the Aborginal flag - a weird device in itself, since based on a particular notion of nation, land and identity that historically doesn't seem to have much to do with First Nations people anywhere in the world. Then it turned out that nobody had checked whether the flagpole worked - again just felt like an indication of how half-heartedly the university was doing this.

So - someone had the idea to drape the flag across some attendant indigenous children, and use this as a photo-opportunity with the vice-chancellor (sweet children! friendly white man! pretty flag!) and then we were served cup-cakes, flavoured with indigenous plants (aboriginal! cupcakes!) and then an 'authentic' aboriginal man played and sang, and all the white people smiled.

city bingo: mailboxes and snail mail

I may have gone on about tiny mailboxes too much - no explanation (at least not based on land, culture, history etc.) Does give the snails some extra roughage.

by gum!

What for example, can you say, when a typical tree had bark like this; bark that folds and peels like the pages of a crumpled, elderly and unkempt book?

bit foggy

Will never tire of the views over Elizabeth Bay from K's apartment. Always changing, always full of interest. As the date of this post shows, though, I have struggled to keep this blog going. Am now looking back - from the distance of London as well as in time - on my experiences in Sydney. It is still very hard to grasp what is so particular (both special and different) about this part of Australia compared to England.

It feels obvious - if a bit crass - that differences relate to the extraordinariness of the land and its toughness, to the eccentricities of the wildlife (weird types, many very loud and/or dangerous); and of course to the country's very specific history of colonisation, in its complex and dynamic patterns of exploitation and oppression, its suppression of indigenous peoples and its basis as a new nation via poor, white and previously marginalised - especially working class - groups.

This shows most immediately in the writers  but also in those amazing painters like Sidney Nolan, Arthur Boyd and Brett Whiteley. In day-to-day life, harder to unpick.

city bingo 4: sales staff wearing their coats indoors (1)

Can't decide if this city bingo item is a bit too easy for Sydney-siders, albeit only at this time of year, since it expresses a phenomenon so ubiquitous that locals probably don't even notice it as odd.

Although we have had some sunny days, there is definitely a noticeable chill in the air and the nights demand hot water bottles and thick blankets. I may have gone on before about the lack of heating in this city during winter (I write this huddled up to a small convector heater in my office which is doing a losing job against the cold coming through the windows). The most noticeable side effect is the range of usually elegant outer garments that people who work in shops and cafes start wearing.

Here, at the Infinity Bakery in Victoria Street (one of my favourite breakfast takeaway spots), I am now served by people in coats. 

real australians say welcome

A project to be celebrated at a time when asylum seekers - and migrants in general - are being treated appallingly; and when current global shifts are dislocating millions of people. 

secret walks

Took an amazing all day walk last weekend that started with a ferry ride to Taronga Zoo and then along the coastal path that takes itself through a bit of the Sydney Harbour National Park, wrapping around the (Middle) headland and ending up at Balmoral beach (where you can catch the bus back to the Zoo ferry stop). The weather was perfect, like a warm English summer's day, and the walking was pleasant - following the path in and out of a series of beautiful little coves.

These all overlook the south shores of central Sydney - so very much part of the city - but surprisingly quiet, and with bays mainly all to myself. With Banished and the Secret River both currently being shown on TV here, the coastal bush landscape (although much domesticated) still echoes of its small but distinctive differences from the previous worlds of British and Irish-born settlers and convicts.

dive-bombers

The one problem being the Noisy Miners - who even have their own Birds Behaving Badly webpage. There is a gang of four to five birds who are very loud, and can aggressively attack the cat if she ventures out onto the balcony, squawking wildly and flying directly at her. Even if she is sitting inside at the window.... 

the view, the view

Finding it tough not to continually take photos from K's living room as the view across Elizabeth Bay is not only what is best about Sydney but also changes all the time in the most magical way. Easy to spend considerable time just staring out the window.

cat duty

Staying in Elizabeth Bay, looking after K's cat, making for a lovely interlude. Feeling a bit guilty about leaving my own cats back in London, but enjoying - obviously - another cat's affections.

privilege

Oh, and then we went for ‘fine dining’ just across the road to Aqua. Really recommend it, the food was just gorgeous, the view is wonderful - and being squeezed between Luna Park, an ageing Olympic style swimming pool and the Sydney Bridge seemed just about right. 

listening to the doctor

And then J and I went to hear Dr. Cornel West in the Big Top.. Such a powerful speaker - not holding back one bit on criticism of social injustice whether in Ferguson or in Redfern (where an Aboriginal Tent Embassy is currently resisting property development). He comes so strongly from that radical Baptist tradition. We were all his brothers and sisters; and love - with integrity, honesty and decency- the ultimate answer to everything. Which didn’t mean that whiteys should be allowed to hang onto their vanilla privilege.  

Supported by other amazing people -  Aboriginal activist Jenny Monro, comedian Nazeem Hussain and poet Luka Lesson. Stunning in every sense of that word..

Photos of the rides, the people, the ferries coming in, the views, everything….. 

can't believe I never...

Can’t believe I have never been to Luna Park. That enormous face with the gaping mouth and buggy eyes right next to Sydney Bridge has, to be honest, always put me off. Felt the rides and stuff behind it would be mundane in comparison, and certainly not up to the glorious decrepitude of Coney Island in New York. Plus, I really hate going on fairground rides - I get very sick very quickly, to the extent that even looking at big dippers etc., makes me a bit queasy. But, weirdly, Dr. Cornel West (African-American scholar and activist) was giving a public talk at the Big Top, Luna Park (yes, that is what I said) so I went early to take pictures at twilight. And of course it was a magical place - both in its own right as a fading, small but determined amusement park and as a location to look back at Sydney Harbour and Opera House. Took photos until my battery ran out.  

back to cockatoo

Now I am back in Sydney after the trip,  beginning to plan my next moves, jobs etc. Most immediately is to make sure that I see as many things as I can before I leave. Places I have previously missed or done  momentarily. So last Saturday was Cockatoo Island and Luna Park. I love Cockatoo Island, a very relaxed way to walk about in the layers of Sydney convict and industrial heritage. Already planning to go to the Underbelly Festival, glamp on the island, and to hire a tinny* from there.

Tinny - Australian slang for a little aluminium boat, usually with an outboard on the back

retreating

Feel like I have not stopped since I got back from China, and couldn't decide if going off to a writers’ retreat for a couple of days was going to be productive or exhausting. But turned out to be wonderful; fantastic group of people in an lovely building - part of the Bundanon Trust - designed by Glenn Murcutt with Wendy Lewin and Reg Lark. Everyone worked quietly and studiously each day and then shared dinner and conversation. Perfect. And domesticated but hilly bush to walk in, with enough kangaroos and wombats around to trip over.

vivid

Made a plan to come back on the ferry from Manley after dark to see Vivid around Circular Quay; lots of light installations and projections onto buildings (including the Opera House). Of course incredibly crowded and the folks pretty jet-lagged, but did enjoy extraordinary series of animations onto the Customs House, entitled enchanted Sydney.