Sunday in the City

Once again the technological bug struck, and another post completely lost this time - am not a happy camper at all. Hopefully I can recreate it in proper fashion again.

Sunday began with rain and a tour of the Opera House. I had walked around it 20+ yrs ago but did not inside as it was being set up for an exhibition of some sort. We had a guide walk us through the building, three video snippets to watch as we went around, and got to see theatres where the symphony plays, opera and ballet are performed and choirs sing, plays, stand up comedy and the like is performed. Each had a different roof for the accoustics required and all stages can be performed on without aid of a microphone. The Sydney Opera House is one of the most recognised buildings in the modern world (recognised by two thirds of the worlds population). We saw a bloke tuning a Grand Piano in the symphony theatre and one of our staff sang in the choir/acting theatre and we got the funniest story from the opera/ballet theatre. There is a net over the orchestra pit, put up there after an opera performance that included live chickens on the stage. It transpired that one of the chickens got a bit nervous and fell off the stage onto the head of a celloist beneath and did what nervous chickens do at the same time. The net is said to be 80 chicken proof weightwise and is there to prevent any further nervous chickens falling into the pit, LOL. There are a 1000 rooms in the Opera House that includes changing rooms and various cupboards and 200 steps in and around the builing in the tour we did. It felt like a bit of a work out as we walked our way around. It would be wonderful to see an actual performance there but not to sure about the purple carpet throughout. There are magnificent views from all round the building from every angle. There was big excitement as we were arriving at the back of the building as the stage was being finished off outside for the final of Australian Idol happening that night.

We were meant to walk over the Harbour Bridge after the tour to Luna Park but it was still raining so most of us caught the ferry instead. I think three hardy types made it across - I walked over the bridge one New Year's Eve so did not feel robbed by not making the trip again. Luna Park still looks much the same as it did when it opened in the 1930's. Much of the decor is the same and paintwork is in the same stype. The place has much the same atmosphere as an A & P show or the Easter Show with sideshows and rides. First priority was lunch. Not being a scared to death, shaken to pieces sort of girl, I had taken a good book and planned to find a small warm space to sit and read/watch the world go by. I did do some of this but gave in to two rides. First was the Dodgems - I have never had a go at this but thought my old daredevil driving skills wouldn't go amiss and I wasn't wrong, LOL. Had to fold myself like a grasshopper to fit in and then with no instructions figure out what to do. There was an accelerator and a steering wheel and that was about it. I aimed for the gaps once the vehicles got moving and then shot towards anyone in my way - cutting people off and nudging them out of my way, managing to hit many students and a few staff along the way. Some of the senior boys thought they would wipe me out ... and they didn't! Very therapeutic indeed and lots of laughs.

The second ride was a total blast from the past - a go on the Merry Go Round. I had waited while the WM tried some death defying rollercoaster - twice - and then decided this was the ride to finish the day on. I nudged several small children out of the way to get the horse I wanted (the last time on a MGR I think was the Patuamahoe A&P show in 1967) and the WM got a large chicken beside me. The MGR is over a 100 yrs old and was imported from England - still very bright and with MGR music as well. Laughed most of the way round on that too and loved every minute of it. Not long after, it was back on the bus and over the Harbour Bridge back into the city and evening Mass at St Mary's Cathedral.

I realised I needed to go to the loo by then as I didn't think I would get through an entire service in one piece. I asked several people if they knew of toilets in the building, - no one did - so decided to head across the road to Hyde Park to use the public facilities there. All ready to go and %%%% the notice on the door said out of order. Feeling not a little under pressure, I decided to venture further into the Park as we had had our lunch over the other side of said park earlier in the week and I was sure there would be another loo in that direction. By now I was feeling seriously uncomfortable and after passing a wedding group having photos and some exhibition of African somethings (was moving at a fast clip by now and could not take in details), I finally espied another loo to the right and over a bit, on the corner of two roads with the Cathedral in the background (I had almost gone in a circle). Gathering money out of my purse to be ready to expedite matters on reaching the loo, everything was now clenched and small beads of perspiration breaking out on brow as by now I had had to pass two fountains to reach my objective (women of a certain age will appreciate how I was feeling, LOL). Eureka, there was the door, but wait, the loo is still self cleaning after the last use. Eyes now bulging and everything else very clenched, as soon as the door FINALLY opened, I shuffled in, hit the close door button, dropped trews to the ground and bliss, - which lasted all of 3 seconds as whoosh, whilst in midflight so to speak, the door shot open again!!!!! What to do, what to do - leaned over and thumped the close door button several times and door FINALLY shut ever so slowly and all I could do was THANK GOD, no one from the group had come with me nor was there a queue waiting outside - just the main road and me in glorious state on the throne to an empty corner of the park (thank you, thank you). Fianlly, crossed the road back to the Cathedral to join the faithful entering only to find that several of our lot was missing - using the Cathedral loos!!!! The WM was in hysterics when I told her of my plight!

It took some time, but finally could appreciate the beauty of the building I was in. St Mary's is a brilliant example of gothic architecture with soaring pillars, arch windows with stained glass all down the sides of the building and two magnificent stained glass rose windows fore and aft of the building. Lots of wood and a massive organ which resonated through the cathedral and brilliant accoustics for the choir. The service was a sung evensong type Mass with several stations for communion (no wine only wafers at this one). It was very different to what we are used to here but I loved hearing the choir and organ. I lit a candle and put a few words up for family and friends, very reminescent of the European churches I visited. I stood well back as the holder was a similar design to the one I nearly self immolated when bumping into it in Italy, LOL). After the service we walked back to our accommodation and decided our lot would have an early night for the last day and the trip home the next day. One more day to go.