We met Alex and Robin at Circular Quay so that we could all visit the Art Gallery of NSW to see the Archibald Prize paintings. More about the paintings later in the blog.
Just so that you are convinced we are actually in Sydney, here is the Bridge.
And here is the Opera House. This photo reminds me of Pyramids in the desert.
Robin suggested that we walk through the Botanic Gardens instead of taking the shorter route through the city.
No, it is not a 007 sign gone wrong. The Gardens were established 200 years ago in 1816 and if you look at the following map, you can see they have a prime location by the Harbour.
The gardens are mid right. The Art Gallery is lower right.
A Moreton Bay Fig. It's a variety of Banyan tree and they grow all along the east coast of Australia.
Government House where the NSW Governor lives.
I was intrigued by the small green shoot growing out of the stump.
City skyline.
The Draco tree that apparently fell over.
Another Moreton Bay Fig.
Some of you might remember the Sculptures by the Sea walk we did last year. This won a few years ago in 2010.
Apparently there used to be a garden of statues like this one. They were hidden during WWII when there was a threat of the Japanese shelling the city so they were moved. Eventually the collection was dispersed since the Cahill Expressway used the land where the statues used to be. Robin told us that one of the statues finished up at the Fort Street School where she works.
It does look a little odd with the Aussie trees in the background.
Interesting fungus.
Bamboo.
Robin and Alex.
Interesting building near the Gardens Shop.
I think this is a young version of the Wollemi Pine.
The oldest bridge in Australia constructed of bricks made by convicts.
The old bridge which you can still walk across.
The First Fleet with its load of convicts arrived in 1788 and they did a lot of building.
The trees are wonderful with their wild shapes.
Eastern entrance to the Gardens near the Art Gallery.
The Art Gallery.
I suspect that this is the only Art Gallery in the world that managed to split Michelangelo's name into two and even get the Michel part wrong. Even the Ninj Turtles got it right.
Of course, maybe they did know about the Michael Angelos Italian food supplier in Austin, Texas.
However, here is some history about the misspelling.
Handicapped ramp.
I did not take any photos in the Gallery.
The Archibald Prize is Australia's most prestigious art competition held each year. This year the prize went to a painting of the famed Aussie entertainer, Barry Humphries of Dame Edna Everidge fame. I can see why it won because the lighting of the subject is wonderful. It's much better in person than what you see on the computer screen.
I quite liked this one.
After lunch we returned to Circular Quay to take the ferry back to Woolwich. However we did walk through the fernery before we left the gardens.
Something called the Calyx. We will come back sometime to take a closer look.
The side of the Conservatorium of Music.
Old sandstone building.
Robin asked if we wanted to go. The cheapest tickets were $60 and you had to stand. The cheapest seat was $160 so we decided to make do with our memories of the Cecil production. No doubt, the Cecil version was much better, even if Julie Andrews is directing the Sydney production.
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