The crowd at the Opera House at dusk … panorama. The fireworks at midnight … panorama. The 9.00 pm fireworks from the Botanic Gardens … panorama.
Archive for the ‘urban life’ Category
New Year’s Eve 2009
Friday, January 1st, 2010City to Surf 2009 marathon
Sunday, August 9th, 2009
“World’s biggest running event” the official website says — about this mass run this morning from the city to Bondi Beach. You can see about a quarter perhaps of the 75,000 runners — waiting to start — in this panorama. The race starts quite early in the day and it is often chilly — whence the tops you can see discarded on the hedges in the panorama.
Vivid Lighting Festival, Sydney Opera House
Wednesday, May 27th, 2009
Observation deck — Eureka Tower, Melbourne
Saturday, May 9th, 2009
I was in Melbourne last weekend and went up to the 86th floor of the new Eureka Tower on the South Bank, where there is an observation deck … panorama. In the opening view of the panorama you can see the Yarra River winding its way west - then south, to Port Phillip Bay. The most impressive part of the Eureka Tower “experience” I thought was the sci-fi speed and smoothness of the lifts. Sydney’s Centrepoint Tower lifts are placid in comparison.
Anzac Day — at the War Memorial
Saturday, April 25th, 2009
On Anzac Day (the national day of remembrance) there are a number of ceremonies in the CBD — including this one at the War Memorial in Hyde Park at noon. Panorama.
Jesus in the City
Sunday, April 12th, 2009
A crucifixion reenactment in the city on Good Friday. Panorama. Here is a little movie from earlier on. Movie. The Roman guards used to flay Jesus with whips and Mary used to run up to Jesus and carry on — but the last few years the action has been tamed down some. There is a person however with stage blood in a sauce bottle who discreetly sprays Jesus periodically so he miraculously appears to get bloodier as he procedes down the street.
Dame Edna
Friday, January 16th, 2009
Bondi Beach Xmas
Wednesday, December 24th, 2008
Fishtank models
Wednesday, September 10th, 2008
A promotional stunt involving a giant fishtank and models outside the Customs House in the city today .. panorama Quicktime
Saturday, March 22nd, 2003
The official start of the war was announced on Thursday at 2.30pm Sydney time and by 5.30pm a large crowd had gathered outside the Town Hall. Panorama. Later the crowd marched down to Circular Quay without much incident except when the State Premier, Bob Carr, happened by accident through the crowd (in an official looking vehicle). The car was splattered with eggs and paint bombs (picture) but Carr continued a dialogue - via mobile phone - with a talkback radio host. … Thinking about the Statue of Liberty I went hunting for the image of it buried in the sand at the end of Planet of the Apes and found it here — with some other nice icons of sci-fi urban apocalypse. The compiler of this gallery has an interesting blog. There is an anti-French ”Sendbackliberty” site here with some intriguing graphics.
Wednesday, March 19th, 2003
Victoria St Kings Cross was famous as a battleground for environmental issues in the 70s — see the Judy Davis movie “Heatwave” for a fictionalised treatment of the atmosphere here then. In the next suburb along, in Darlinghurst, Victoria St is today the centre of cafe culture and high rise apartment developments and real estate showrooms. Little shops like this barber shop at 235 Victoria St are becoming uncommon as local valuations skyrocket. Panorama.
Friday, March 14th, 2003
Busking with a telescope … I came across this guy with a large reflector (10″) in Oxford St at Taylor Square (a partying zone in Sydney) last night. He was doing good business showing passerbys the moon and Jupiter. He said he was normally based in Byron Bay – the hippy-oriented folk there would be keen on urban astral gazing one might think. Here is the panorama.