9.9.67
I’m
sitting right opposite the Harbour Bridge which is 60 times more striking than
I ever thought it was in pictures. And the sea’s a blaze of blue – it’s
fabulous. There’s a little ferry going past – they really travel, those things;
and a couple of trains have just gone over the bridge – what a racket they
make! It must be something to do with the atmosphere – but every time I hear
one go over, I think it’s a jet flying above – funny, isn’t it? There’s boats and
ferries and hovercrafts galore (and yachts).
To my
right is the Opera House – it really will be magnificent, if they ever finish
it. I’m going round to see if I can get a closer look, in a minute.
 |
| Conservatorium of Music courtesy Wikicommons How did I fail to mention that it looked like a castle? |
To my
left is a massive grey and blue-black building – must be about 15 storeys and
there’s a couple more further along. (I’m in the Botanical Gardens – which seem
to go on forever.) Everywhere there’s people taking photos of other people
standing in front of things. Government House is over behind me – it looks
rather like ‘Manderley’ in Rebecca and
the Con (Conservatorium of Music) is further back. It’s a lovely white place
with lots of square turrets. (Gov House has got round ones!)
The
little black and white friend has just gone past again and there’s some sort of
large (very) motorboat tugging by just now.
It’s a
terrific day (Not Too Hot) but a little cold in the shade.
I
started to move off to see the Opera H and discovered me shoes were untied –
I’d forgotten. Wonder how many steps I’ve taken in the last few days.
The
Opera House gets bigger and bigger. There’s a little observation hut with scale
models etc, and it’s going to be some mighty place. The steps up the front
(which are partly completed) seem to go in every direction for yards and if you
think the building is large you should see the crane in front – it’s a whopper.
I’d really like to see this place when it’s finished.
 |
| Blackman's Angry Young Girl courtesy Art Gallery of NSW |
LATER.
Waffled round in the garden (which seems to go on forever) (- I certainly
didn’t go from one end to the other ) for quite a while, then discovered the
Art Gallery, which, in spite of Cecil P’s remarks, is definitely better than
anything I’ve ever seen. He reckoned
it wasn’t a patch on Melbourne’s. anyway, I had a good look around there and
it’s got some marvellous stuff – a Millais, Henry Moores, Rembrandt sketches –
all the things a gallery should have. It’s even got the original of Chaucer reading to…? (someone or other) [Chaucer
at the court of Edward III by Ford Madox Ford] which I seem to recall is in
in one of the Wonderland of Knowledges. [A set of encyclopedias which had long had a
place in our home.] It’s a massive painting – indeed many of them are –
huge! There are two quite hilarious ones: The
Angry Little Girl who has a face quite screwed up with annoy (it’s a modern
one) and another – a portrait of some Australian VIP lady. She’s – well in this
shape. [A diagram was scribbled on the
page. The
Angry Young Girl is by Charles Blackman. Can’t
identify the other.] sort of all elongated towards the top –
almost a triangle in human shape. I wonder how she liked it? I’m at the
pictures, just waiting for it to start. I notice Sound of M is in its 3rd year and Dr Z in his 2nd!
LATER
AGAIN. Film was very good – very well acted. Went and had tea in the restaurant
where Cecil and I went the other day. An old (I think he looked older than he
was) chap sat in the same booth as me – and acted, or at least spoke as if he
was drunk, yet didn’t smell drunk at all. We had quite a wee chat, anyway, when
he wasn’t apologising to me for interrupting, or being there, or living!
That’s
about it. I’m going to try and have an early night – I’ve woken up very tired
every day so far! Caught Mass at St Mary’s when I dropped in for a visit today
– they’d only just started, so I thought I might as well stay.
See ya,
love, Mike
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