Film, Festival, Furniture & Favourite Walks
Have just been to the cinema to see Zhang Yi Mou’s film ‘Hero’. I knew from the shorts that it was going to be beautiful visually, but I wasn’t prepared for the beauty and simplicity of its story. It was like watching poetry. Maggie Cheung was as stunning as ever, of course.
Before going to the cinema I went back to the Newtown Festival, which took place today. I was there earlier with Gayle and Lisa, two of my housemates, but the sun was too intense, so I decided to come home and go back later when there was less chance of getting burnt. It always amazes me how many people don’t seem to care less about protecting themselves from the sun and when I went back later there were so many people who were bright red. Hurt just to look at them. Earlier in the day the festival was very relaxed and people seemed to be content just to check out the various stalls. Later it was completely different – lots of drinking and a much harder edge. The festival took place in Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, which is just back from King St. The park surrounds St. Stephen’s Church and behind the church is one of the oldest (if not the oldest) cemetery in Sydney. It was quite surreal walking through the cemetery with music from the festival blaring behind the high sandstone walls which surround the cemetery – though it was a welcome escape from the alcohol induced craziness of the festival.
This afternoon I thought about going to see the Sculptures by the Sea exhibition on the coastal path between Bondi and Tamarama, as it was the final day today, but after all the walking I did yesterday with Moreno I decided that a day at home would be a better way to spend the day. Moreno and I did the Spit Bridge to Manly walk, which is one of my favourite walks here in Sydney. It’s a beautiful walk with stunning views of Middle Harbour and the main Harbour, with glimpses of the city’s skyscrapers. Moreno and I had talked about doing the walk last time he was here, but never got around to it. Next weekend I’m off to Canberra for four days, so this weekend seemed like the perfect opportunity. We left quite early to avoid the heat of the middle of the day, but it was still quite warm even at 8.45am when we set off. Got to Manly around midday and although our original plan was to stay in Manly for the afternoon I was feeling pretty tired, so we caught a ferry back to Circular Quay. Getting to Manly is really beautiful and the beach is spectacular, but Manly itself doesn’t really do much for me and I wasn’t about to spend the afternoon sitting on the beach. So I came home and had a nap.
When Bob got home he told me about a wardrobe that he’d found a few doors down the street from our place, so since I didn’t have a wardrobe I decided that I would have it, so Bob and I carried it up the street then hoisted it over the balcony (the staircase in our house is too narrow, so any furniture upstairs has to be hoisted over the balcony) into my room. When I lived in Japan all of the furniture was stuff that I’d found and here seems to be the same.
On Friday Moreno and I booked flights to Melbourne. He was planning on going down to Melbourne for a month, so we decided that I would go down with him and we would rent a car and drive along the Great Ocean Road, which I last did with Lian way back in 1994. Something to look forward to. As always it’s getting late and I have to be up early to go to work. Promised I’d give Takako a call as well.
Before going to the cinema I went back to the Newtown Festival, which took place today. I was there earlier with Gayle and Lisa, two of my housemates, but the sun was too intense, so I decided to come home and go back later when there was less chance of getting burnt. It always amazes me how many people don’t seem to care less about protecting themselves from the sun and when I went back later there were so many people who were bright red. Hurt just to look at them. Earlier in the day the festival was very relaxed and people seemed to be content just to check out the various stalls. Later it was completely different – lots of drinking and a much harder edge. The festival took place in Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, which is just back from King St. The park surrounds St. Stephen’s Church and behind the church is one of the oldest (if not the oldest) cemetery in Sydney. It was quite surreal walking through the cemetery with music from the festival blaring behind the high sandstone walls which surround the cemetery – though it was a welcome escape from the alcohol induced craziness of the festival.
This afternoon I thought about going to see the Sculptures by the Sea exhibition on the coastal path between Bondi and Tamarama, as it was the final day today, but after all the walking I did yesterday with Moreno I decided that a day at home would be a better way to spend the day. Moreno and I did the Spit Bridge to Manly walk, which is one of my favourite walks here in Sydney. It’s a beautiful walk with stunning views of Middle Harbour and the main Harbour, with glimpses of the city’s skyscrapers. Moreno and I had talked about doing the walk last time he was here, but never got around to it. Next weekend I’m off to Canberra for four days, so this weekend seemed like the perfect opportunity. We left quite early to avoid the heat of the middle of the day, but it was still quite warm even at 8.45am when we set off. Got to Manly around midday and although our original plan was to stay in Manly for the afternoon I was feeling pretty tired, so we caught a ferry back to Circular Quay. Getting to Manly is really beautiful and the beach is spectacular, but Manly itself doesn’t really do much for me and I wasn’t about to spend the afternoon sitting on the beach. So I came home and had a nap.
When Bob got home he told me about a wardrobe that he’d found a few doors down the street from our place, so since I didn’t have a wardrobe I decided that I would have it, so Bob and I carried it up the street then hoisted it over the balcony (the staircase in our house is too narrow, so any furniture upstairs has to be hoisted over the balcony) into my room. When I lived in Japan all of the furniture was stuff that I’d found and here seems to be the same.
On Friday Moreno and I booked flights to Melbourne. He was planning on going down to Melbourne for a month, so we decided that I would go down with him and we would rent a car and drive along the Great Ocean Road, which I last did with Lian way back in 1994. Something to look forward to. As always it’s getting late and I have to be up early to go to work. Promised I’d give Takako a call as well.
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